The Domineering Cultivator Farmer

Chapter 42: Setting the Wedding Date

As soon as she stepped into the courtyard, Liao Xue felt incredibly at ease. Everything before her looked so natural, as if it had always been meant to be that way. For a moment, she felt an urge to stay there permanently. The lush, fresh vegetables in the courtyard, the chickens and ducks foraging everywhere, and the pigs grunting away all made her, having grown up in the countryside, feel right at home. “Mother-in-law, what do you think of this place? It’s not bad, is it? Don’t let the old house fool you—it’s much more comfortable to live in than a concrete and steel building.” Seeing Liao Xue looking around, Wang Jiu assumed she didn’t think much of his home. After all, she’d heard from Fang Yun that Feng Xiu’er’s family was quite wealthy and had bought a house in the provincial capital. These days, what father wouldn’t expect a car and a house when marrying off his daughter? “You’re absolutely right, Mother-in-law. I remember living in an old house just like this back in my hometown when I was a child. It’s warm in winter and cool in summer—much better than an air-conditioned apartment in the city. I really love old houses like this,” Liao Xue said with a smile, a hint of nostalgia flashing in her eyes. “So you’re from the countryside too, Mother-in-law? You people are really something. I heard from Fang Yun that you’ve started a big company in the provincial capital.” Upon hearing that Liao Xue was also from the countryside, Wang Jiu felt an immediate sense of kinship. “Not at all—it’s just a small company,” Liao Xue said, her face breaking into a broad smile, though her words were modest. The two women chatted animatedly, and before long, they were calling each other “older sister” and “younger sister.” “Niuniu, where are all those animals at your place?” After everyone had been inside drinking tea for a while, Feng Bodai couldn’t sit still any longer and tugged at Niuniu’s hand, eager to go see those amazing animals. “Uncle, they’re all in the cave out back. Let me take you to see them, okay?” The little girl beamed with pride the moment her uncle asked about her family’s animals and immediately set out to show him. Niu Niu had originally wanted to bring the python and the white eagle out to greet her grandmother and uncle, but Fang Yun had stopped her, saying he was afraid they might scare her grandmother, and had chased them all back into the cave. “Niuniu, let’s take Uncle to see them after we finish eating.” Seeing Niuniu eagerly trying to take Feng Bodai to see the animals, Fang Yun quickly stopped her. “But Uncle really wants to see them,” Niuniu pouted, clearly reluctant. “It’s still early. Why don’t we go take a look first and then come back for dinner?” Liao Xue was also tempted. Few people wouldn’t want to get a good look at the animals at Fang Yun’s house. Since Liao Xue spoke up, Fang Yun had no choice but to take the two of them to have a look. This made Niuniu absolutely thrilled; she chattered away excitedly, telling her grandmother and uncle how she’d discovered the python and the white eagle, and how well they obeyed her. “Wow, they’re huge! They already looked big enough on TV, but I never expected them to be even bigger in person.” As soon as they entered the cave, the two of them gaped in awe. The giant python coiled before them, as tall as a small hill—a truly breathtaking sight. In comparison, the white eagle nearby seemed almost ordinary. As for the family of wild boars, since they’re often seen on TV, in newspapers, and online, the two didn’t pay them much attention. “Can I take a picture with them?” After getting over his initial shock, Feng Boda asked Fang Yun, his eyes sparkling. If he could take a photo with these huge creatures and show it to his classmates, they’d be green with envy. “Sure, you can. They’re very well-behaved. Niuniu will take you to take the picture.” ” Niuniu was overjoyed at the mention of a photo and immediately tugged at Feng Boda’s arm, eager to go take pictures. The little girl loved nothing more than having her picture taken; she’d strike a pose every time so tourists could snap away to their hearts’ content. It was a real ordeal for the giant python and the white eagle, though—they had to strike all sorts of poses to accommodate Niuniu, and by the time she’d had her fill, both of them were aching all over. Seeing Niuniu standing in front of her with another person, the python knew it was her turn to take the stage. It coiled its tail around the two of them, and its massive head, mouth wide open, loomed over their heads. This pose had originated when a tourist asked the python to mimic hunting a human for a photo—and it ended up becoming Niuniu’s favorite pose. At first, Liao Xue and Feng Boda turned pale with fear, but they relaxed after hearing Fang Yun’s explanation. “Bro-in-law, hurry up and take my picture!” Feng Boda, having snapped out of his shock, was over the moon and shouted excitedly at Fang Yun to take his photo—so thrilled that he even called him “bro-in-law.” Fang Yun grinned, amused. This kid’s not bad—he’s got potential. He hurriedly scampered over to take a photo of the two of them. He stole a glance at Liao Xue’s reaction, only to find her face completely calm, as if she hadn’t heard Feng Boda call him “brother-in-law.” It turned out Fang Yun had overthought it. Liao Xue had come this time specifically to finalize the marriage arrangements; it was only a matter of time before Feng Boda called her “brother-in-law,” so of course she wouldn’t react to it. Feng Boda, still buzzing with excitement, struck all sorts of poses for photos with the python and the white eagle—even the wild boar didn’t escape unscathed—and had Niuniu direct the camera to take a few shots of the two of them together. Finally, seeing that Liao Xue seemed a little tempted, Feng Xiu’er gave Fang Yun a nod, and the two of them encouraged her to step forward and take a few photos as well. “Is that sand mushroom?” Liao Xue exclaimed, pointing toward the foot of the mountain as they walked back to Fang Yun’s house after leaving the cave. Fang Yun looked and saw that she was right—the exposed slope at the foot of the mountain was covered with a vast expanse of sand mushrooms, each as big as a bowl. “Sha’er” was the local name for them; Fang Yun didn’t know their scientific name. They looked very much like wood ear mushrooms. They usually grew on sandy soil near water sources—in relatively damp areas—which is why they were called “Sha’er.” They tasted absolutely delicious. As a child, Fang Yun often went to the base of the mountain near the water to forage for them, take them home, and stir-fry them. He hadn’t eaten them since growing up, though. With Fang Yun’s confirmation, Liao Xue excitedly ran over to start picking them, saying happily, “I haven’t had sand ears in twenty or thirty years. Thinking about it now, I really miss that flavor. After washing them, just stir-fry them with some pork and chili peppers—they’re so tender, crisp, and fragrant, you’ll want to swallow your own tongue. Though the ones back home didn’t seem to be this big.” Fang Yun knew this was due to the spring water; if anyone took the time to compare, they’d find that every plant in the village was much taller and more lush than elsewhere. Back home, Fang Changsheng and Wang Jiu had already prepared the meal, and Liao Xue and Feng Boda couldn’t stop raving about it. After the meal, Feng Boda sprawled out on a bamboo chair in a rather undignified manner—he was simply too full to move. Liao Xue had also eaten until she was stuffed and felt a bit embarrassed, but she felt better after Fang Yun gave them some hawthorn pills to aid digestion. “Little Sister, look how big Niuniu has gotten. Shouldn’t we find a time to arrange the marriage between Fang Yun and Xiu’er?” After chatting for a while, Wang Jiu turned to Liao Xue and brought up the topic of their marriage. “It’s about time. I actually came here today to discuss this very matter with you, older sister.” Liao Xue was overjoyed. She’d been meaning to bring it up earlier, but she’d hesitated, worried that if the bride’s family brought it up, it might seem as though they were desperate to marry their daughter off. Now that Wang Jiu had brought it up, Liao Xue couldn’t have asked for a better opportunity. Wang Jiu was also overjoyed—he hadn’t expected things to go so smoothly. “Then let’s discuss a date so we can get this settled as soon as possible. As for your local customs—if there are any requirements regarding the betrothal gift or anything else, just let me know.” Liao Xue waved her hand with a hearty laugh. “Forget about the betrothal gift and all that. As long as Fang Yun treats my daughter well in the future, that’s all that matters. My point is, this has dragged on long enough—Niu Niu is already five years old—so we should get this settled as soon as possible. There’s an auspicious day in five days—let’s set it for then. What do you think?” “Alright, five days from now.” And just like that, Fang Yun and Feng Xiu’er’s marriage was settled—the two of them had agreed without even a moment’s hesitation. Fang Yun was quite happy about it. He’d actually suggested getting married as soon as he brought the mother and daughter back home, but Feng Xiu’er felt he’d made her wait six long years, and she wasn’t willing to marry him right away. So she’d refused, saying they’d talk about it once she’d calmed down. Seeing Fang Yun’s smug expression, Feng Xiu’er shot him a withering glance but said nothing, tacitly accepting the decision made by their parents.