Chapter 11: Liyan, you've definitely been tricked by someone!!

Oh?

Not waiting for Lu Yuan to react, in the next second the system's cold voice sounded again.

【Ding, may I ask if the host will receive the perfect physique?】

Is there even a need to say?

Of course I'll take it!

When Lu Yuan confirmed receipt, he immediately felt a soreness throughout his body.

About three to five minutes later.

Sweating profusely, Lu Yuan took a few breaths.

Soon after, he felt hot all over, and this thick clothing felt unbearable.

After coming to his senses, Lu Yuan immediately took off his clothes.

Good grief, this eight-pack abs is a washboard!

Moreover, in this winter month, with his upper body bare like this, he felt no cold at all.

He clenched his fists, feeling his whole body filled with power, truly powerful.

Immediately, Lu Yuan also thought of the Supreme Ultimate Fist.

As for this Supreme Ultimate Fist, Lu Yuan didn't have much expectation—wasn't it just what old men and women in the park practice?

However, after flipping through it for a while, Lu Yuan understood.

This is a genuine complete manual of the Supreme Ultimate Fist, meaning it includes not only health‑building exercises but also genuinely lethal techniques.

However, Lu Yuan currently has no interest; he's only thinking about a wife, kids, and a warm kang.

Let's look back later.

In the early morning, around four o'clock, in Qiu Qiu Village every household had their oil lamps lit, starting to make breakfast.

The village is nothing like the Huangcheng.

In the Huangcheng, people finish work; after eating they can go out for a stroll, only returning to wash up and sleep at eight or nine.

In the village, they usually finish eating at five in the afternoon, and by half past six they wait for darkness to go to bed on the kang.

Since they sleep early, they naturally wake up early.

At this time, the matchmaker, having spent the night in an ox cart, had already arrived at Su Liyan's home.

Su Liyan has a younger brother; the family of four was busy preparing breakfast.

Yesterday, when Su Liyan returned, she also made clear what had happened the day before.

The family also knew that this morning Su Liyan would go to the Imperial City to fetch her new son‑in‑law, so they got up an hour earlier than usual, prepared breakfast for Su Liyan, and set off early.

They heard that the son‑in‑law would arrive on a big horse, and if he came by horse it would be fast, so they'd surely be back by afternoon.

With the son‑in‑law coming, today they naturally needed to tidy up the house properly.

Don't let the city‑dwelling son‑in‑law look down on them.

"Auntie, you're here."

Outside the house, Su Liyan's younger brother, Su Changliang, was the first to see the matchmaker and greeted her indifferently.

He didn't show the smiling face he had the first day.

Seeing this, the matchmaker's heart skipped a beat; she knew things were bad and feared she'd have made the trip for nothing.

No, more accurately, she'd have made the trip for nothing several times over.

But regardless, she needed to find out what was going on.

Upon entering the house, the matchmaker saw Su Liyan and two others busy at the stove.

As soon as she entered, the matchmaker immediately said:

"Liyan, what happened yesterday? You left without a word, and Auntie looked for you all day, thinking something had happened."

Yesterday Su Liyan left without a word; she knew she was at fault, but…… she was really afraid of being beaten……

She couldn't possibly go to meet the in‑laws and get beaten again, could she?

Before Su Liyan could explain, the matchmaker seized the initiative and said:

"Is it because of those two coins? You really should have told Auntie if something was up; why just leave without a word?"

"It's their family's fault; I've already lectured them. This time the betrothal gift will definitely be no less than ten coins—Auntie won't accept even one less."

"If you agree, Auntie will go back herself; tomorrow they'll come to propose, and the sewing machine they promised to buy you will certainly not be less."

"By then you'll be the first in the village to use a sewing machine."

No sooner had the matchmaker finished speaking than Su Liyan immediately shook her head and said:

"No thanks, Auntie, let's forget this. You can go back; I won't trouble you anymore."

Hearing this, the matchmaker grew flustered and immediately said:

"Don't be like that, don't just drop it."

"If you have any concerns, tell Auntie—look at Gao Tingyu: he's from the Forging Bureau, eating the Imperial Court's grain."

"What fine conditions! They're well‑off too, able to afford a sewing machine—one machine costs over 170 coins, how could I not feel sorry for you?"

"Besides, he still has his mother; when you have kids later, you won't need to bring them yourself."

"If you go there, you'll be enjoying blessings at home every day."

The matchmaker's words were certainly meant to sound good.

But the matchmaker herself knew the true situation.

It's true they said they'd buy Su Liyan a sewing machine, but it wasn't actually for her.

Moreover, that Gao Xushi— the matchmaker, who's seen all sorts of people, finds her difficult to deal with; her shrewish, tantrum‑throwing manner really makes one wary.

If Su Liyan went there, wouldn't she be wronged to death every day?

Anyway, this has nothing to do with the matchmaker; as long as the two families are settled, she can get money and a pig's head.

Before Su Liyan could say anything, her mother beside her immediately took over and said:

"What's good about it? My daughter said that in the city, a single breakfast costs two mao, and he, Gao Tingyu, is just a lowly worker in the Forging Bureau, earning less than twenty bucks a month."

"How can we feed three mouths now, and later have two more kids? How will we eat then?"

The matchmaker had a question mark on her face: "Who spends two mao on a breakfast?!!"

As for being a lowly worker…

The matchmaker immediately said:

"Gao Tingyu is indeed a lowly worker now, but next year he can take the promotion exam; getting a second‑rank forging certification is easy."

"By then he'll earn over twenty bucks a month, and besides, he lives in the city and has some savings."

Su's mother replied with a cold face:

"What savings? That money is just his father's funeral expenses."

"Besides, his family isn't a military household; they just get an extra ten bucks a year from the imperial court—what does that have to do with being a military household?"

"Moreover, even if they live in the city, they only have one room—how can they live like that?"

"When they have a kid, four or five people will be crammed into one room, with not even enough space to turn around!"

Hearing this, the matchmaker was startled.

She even knows about the pension?!!

At once, the matchmaker understood.

Who is this bastard exposing people's backgrounds?

At once, the matchmaker felt a bit embarrassed, but she still immediately turned to Su's mother and explained:

"What's wrong with funeral expenses? That's also real gold and silver savings. As for a room, that's in the imperial city, my older sister."

"You think you can just casually claim a piece of land in the countryside and build a house?"

"Houses in the imperial city are extremely valuable, and besides, aren't we country folk trying to marry into the city?"

The matchmaker, eloquent as she was, not only defused Su's mother's words but also subtly pointed at the Su family members.

Don't forget, you're country folk!

You're trying to climb a high branch by going into the city!

Having a high branch to climb is already good enough; don't be picky—once you pass this village, there won't be another shop like this!

Just as the matchmaker finished speaking, Su Liyan, who had been silent until then, finally spoke up:

"Auntie, you don't need to say more; it's not about family conditions. I know that Gao Tingyu's mother is very good at making things difficult, hard to serve, and often lashes out…"

"I also know that when a woman marries, she's supposed to serve her husband and in‑laws, but she shouldn't be needlessly given a hard time, beaten, or used as a punching bag…"

"Moreover… I really haven't taken a liking to Gao Tingyu; I just think he's a bit… spineless…"

"Yesterday, standing aside, he didn't say a word—in fact, it was his mother calling the shots…"

The matchmaker, listening to Su Liyan's words, felt a bit dazed.

"Very good at making things difficult, very hard to serve?"

This matchmaker had figured it out; having been to so many places and seen so many people, she could tell.

Just take Gao Xushi's behavior yesterday, clinging to her own thigh—thinking about it gives one a headache.

But… does she lash out and hit people at the drop of a hat?

The matchmaker didn't know; Su Liyan saying that… must be what that bastard who exposed people's backgrounds said.

That bastard must be from the neighborhood, knowing what kind of person Gao Xushi is.

At once, the matchmaker felt somewhat helpless, and then said:

"Alright, if you truly don't want to, Auntie can't force you; how about this—Auntie will find you someone else."

"With Su Liyan's looks and figure, finding someone in the city would be really easy."

But just as the matchmaker finished speaking, Su's mother beside her directly interrupted:

"Don't say another word—you almost pushed my daughter into a pit of fire; where would we dare let you look for someone else?!!"

"Besides, we've already found a son‑in‑law for ourselves; the new son‑in‑law is coming to our house today to propose!"

Found a good person?!!

Is it that bastard who exposed people's backgrounds?!!

At once, the matchmaker couldn't hold back and said:

"No, who is it? Liyan, you just came to the city; you must have been tricked by someone!!"

……

At this moment, Lu Yuan, asleep in his dreams, suddenly sneezed awake.

Looking down, he saw he had slept naked last night after taking off his clothes and forgetting to put them back on.

Damn, even this perfect physique won't do—he's bound to catch a cold?

Really trash.

Afterward, Lu Yuan put on his clothes and continued lying down to sleep in the courtyard.

(End of chapter)