Chapter 21: The Fiancé Who Drowned Before the Wedding?

I heard that while I was still in Qu Shi's womb, the elderly matriarch of Zhongyi Hou Fu, because she was on good terms with Qu Shi's maternal mother and valued the Li family's prospects, personally pointed at Qu Shi's belly and said that if this pregnancy bore a daughter, she would arrange a belly-to-belly marriage for her own third grandson.

This marriage arrangement was naturally settled.

In my previous life, I only learned a month after returning home that Li Qingzhu had died, and this marriage then fell to me.

I merely heard that Zhuang Wei was seeking death and life at home, and no matter what, he refused to marry her.

Perhaps he rose up and broke through the encirclement in the imperial examinations, so that he could have his own power and control this matter.

As for Li Qingzhu, he truly felt deep affection for her.

Today, he is still here, indulging in his drunken frenzy.

She coldly stared at Zhuang Wei, knowing he would not be beaten to death.

Sure enough, not long after, the Zhuang family's people came looking.

"Third Young Master—Third Young Master, why are you still here? You ruffians, dare to strike our Hou Fu's Third Young Master! Seize them all!"

Zhuang Wei was helped up, naturally covered in wounds all over.

Before leaving, he actually untied the money pouch from his waist, without glancing at Li Qingluo, and threw the whole pouch to her.

The surrounding gazes instantly fell upon her.

Li Qingluo held the money pouch: …

Is there still such good fortune?

That servant also glanced at Li Qingluo, but paid no heed to this person, merely supporting Zhuang Wei and crying out in anguish: "Third Young Master, Third Young Master, are you alright, my lord…"

Watching the Zhuang family's people depart, Li Qingluo hastily and carefully avoided their gaze and left the place.

Li Qingluo went around several circles before crawling back into the Li residence through the dog hole.

Fortunately, it was already dark, and still no one noticed her.

When she returned to her room, Cui Er also had nothing special happen.

Aside from Zhang Mama and her coming to ask twice, Cui Er got by pretending to sleep.

Li Qingluo breathed a sigh of relief, sent Cui Er away, and then had the leisure to examine the money pouch Zhuang Wei gave.

The Third Young Master of Zhongyi Hou Fu is indeed generous.

The loose silver he casually carried when going out amounted to more than twenty taels.

Li Qingluo accepted the money with a clear conscience, then pried open a brick in the corner of the room, hollowed out some of the earth inside, and stuffed the money pouch therein.

The next day, Li Qingluo again emerged from the dog hole.

After she exchanged pearls for four taels of silver, she asked for directions and prepared to go to the West Market, intending to find a blacksmith's shop.

Before she arrived, as she passed the outer courtyard wall of a manor, she unexpectedly encountered Zhuang Wei again.

He still appeared utterly drunk.

One hand leaned against the wall, the other still held a wine jar, swaying and blocking Li Qingluo's path.

"Zhuer… Zhuer, why did you abandon me alone in this world…"

Zhuang Wei slid down the wall to sit, gazing at the dim sky, then lifted the wine jar and poured it into his mouth.

Unfortunately, the wine jar was empty again.

He angrily flung the wine jar aside, shouting: "Get wine, bring wine—"

The wine jar shattered at Li Qingluo's feet, and he looked up to see her.

"It's you again!"

Evidently, even though his mind was clouded by drink, he still remembered Li Qingluo, an unremarkable passerby he had only met once.

This person's memory is indeed terrifyingly strong.

Li Qingluo had no intention of dealing with him, preparing to detour and leave straight away, but saw Zhuang Wei untie another money pouch from his waist and toss it over.

"You, go buy wine for me! This money is all yours!"

Who would refuse money?

Moreover, this is a heaven-sent god of wealth!

Li Qingluo hurriedly picked up the silver pouch, putting on a smile: "Alright, sir, please wait a moment."

Li Qingluo hastily went to buy two jars of baijiu.

This liquor burns the throat going down, and is potent enough to surely make him dizzy and swollen-headed tomorrow, unable to get out of bed.

Li Qingluo returned holding the two jars of wine, while Zhuang Wei again lay beside a water vat, vomiting until the world spun.

She walked over, placed the wine jar on the ground, about to slip away quietly, when Zhuang Wei grabbed her.

"You say—why is she so ruthless?"

Zhuang Wei lifted his head, his expression mournful, his eyes bloodshot as he stared at Li Qingluo.

Li Qingluo thought: Indeed, he is destined to become the third-place laureate; with such looks, who wouldn't be dazed upon seeing him?

But in her mind she recalled her previous life: although Zhuang Wei had saved her life, it was merely to humiliate her.

"Even if I remain unmarried forever, I will not marry you, a vicious woman who forces others to death!"

"Zhuer's blood debt, I will slowly reclaim from you; dying like this would be too cheap for you!"

Li Qingluo lowered her gaze, looked at the person before her, and gently broke free from the arm that had seized her.

"Sir, whom do you refer to?"

Zhuang Wei gave a bitter smile: "It is none other than my ruthless, not-yet-married wife… she died. They say it was her own sister who forced her to death…"

Li Qingluo: "How was she forced to death?"

Zhuang Wei raised his voice: "It is simply because she suddenly returned home, making my Zhuer feel uneasy, which led her to do such a foolish thing!"

Li Qingluo: "So, is it that sister's fault? But she was originally a member of this household, merely returning home—what wrong could she have?"

Zhuang Wei's face flickered with bewildered confusion: "What are you saying?"

Li Qingluo continued: "This young master, I think this matter is just the foolish act done by your fiancée whose mind is not strong enough. Don't blame her death on innocent people."

Zhuang Wei finally became angry: "Impudent! What exactly are you saying!? My Zhu'er, how could she be the kind of person you say!?"

He reached out to grab her again, but Li Qingluo had already taken precautions; she ran around the water tank and easily got behind Zhuang Wei.

However, dealing with a helpless drunkard who had no defenses and lacked even the strength to truss a chicken, this girl from the mountains, who often did farm work, was not just born with some strength for nothing.

Li Qingluo tiptoed and pressed down on Zhuang Wei's head, which was already half-bent, forcing his whole head into the water tank.

"Gurgle—gurgle—"

She really wished to just drown him to death, to eliminate future trouble!

But thinking that the Zhongyi Hou Fu could not be provoked yet, and she also did not want to invite a murder lawsuit, she released her grip.

Zhuang Wei coughed until his face turned ashen, staring at the boy before him who was noticeably shorter, dark and thin, his eyes showing shock.

Drunk as he was, he indeed still lacked some wit.

Li Qingluo couldn't help but sneer: "Trash. Being played around and still unaware. Instead of wasting time getting drunk here, you'd better investigate what your beloved fiancée has been up to."