Chapter 43: Hitting a Wall

Liu Kai casually asked, "What's the matter?"

Zhang Cai smiled and said, "I'll tell Mr. Liu in a bit."

Liu Kai also smiled and nodded, then continued to ask Zhang Cai about Liu Qian. Zhang Cai answered each question, and Zhang Xiaohua, standing beside him, called Liu Kai "Brother Liu" repeatedly, praising Liu Qian highly, which made Liu Kai smile broadly.

Liu Kai sat with Zhang Cai for a while. Seeing that it was getting late, he said to Zhang Cai, "Uncle and Xiaohua, you two stay here a bit longer. I don't know when my father will be done. I need to go and greet Uncle, and we should have lunch at his place."

Zhang Cai waved his hand and said, "Nephew, there's no need to be so formal. A simple meal will do."

Liu Kai stood up and said, "That won't do. It's not often that Uncle comes, and we must show our hospitality. I remember Xiaohua likes braised pork. I'll make sure you have enough today."

Zhang Xiaohua stuck out her tongue and said, "Thanks, Brother Liu."

Liu Kai smiled and said, "You sweet-talking little rascal." With that, he quickly left the room, leaving Zhang Cai and Zhang Xiaohua waiting inside.

The two of them drank tea and waited, but after a while, Mr. Liu still hadn't come out.

At this moment, a loud voice came from outside the door, "Old Brother Zhang, you finally made it."

Zhang Cai and Zhang Xiaohua both smiled. It was definitely Liu the Butcher.

Zhang Cai and Zhang Xiaohua quickly stood up and walked to the door. They met Liu the Butcher, who was walking briskly towards them. Liu the Butcher warmly grabbed Zhang Cai's hand and said, "Old Brother Zhang, I've really missed you. How's your leg? It looks like it's fully healed."

Zhang Cai also smiled and said, "Yes, thanks to you, my leg is fine. I walked from Guo Village this morning, and it didn't hurt at all."

Liu the Butcher said, "Good people have good luck. Old Brother Zhang, you're a straightforward man, and you'll surely have good fortune. By the way, how are your two sons' injuries?"

Zhang Cai said, "Xiao Hu's injuries are completely healed, and Xiao Long is almost there."

Liu the Butcher said, "That's great. Spring plowing is coming up, so you won't have to worry at home. Come, let's go inside and talk."

Everyone then went inside and sat down. Just as they settled in, Mr. Liu also entered the room. Zhang Cai and Zhang Xiaohua quickly stood up to greet him, and Mr. Liu returned their greetings and asked them to sit down. Mr. Liu apologized, "Old Brother Zhang, you've been here for a while. I was painting and didn't come out to greet you, which was very impolite."

Zhang Cai quickly said, "It's fine. Brother, you were busy with important work. We waited inside, and Liu Kai kept us company. He just left a moment ago. Is your painting done?"

Mr. Liu glanced at Liu the Butcher and said, "Not quite. His loud voice interrupted my train of thought. I'll continue in the afternoon."

Liu the Butcher said innocently, "I didn't know you were painting. Besides, I naturally have a loud voice. If I hadn't called you, you would have left Old Brother Zhang waiting here."

Mr. Liu said, "You always have a reason. Let's not talk about it."

Then he said to Zhang Cai, "I have this habit too. When I write or paint, I forget everything around me. It's been like this for years, and I can't change it. Come, have some tea."

He then picked up his teacup and took a sip, then said regretfully, "This tea is not as good as the one at Old Brother Zhang's place. I really miss the tea we had last time."

Zhang Cai smiled and said, "Then Brother Liu should visit Guo Village more often, or even move there. You can drink it every day."

Mr. Liu smiled and said, "Many things are easier said than done."

They chatted for a while, catching up on each other's lives. Then Mr. Liu asked, "Old Brother Zhang, what brings you to Bayili Gou this time?"

Zhang Cai said, "Brother Liu, I have something important to discuss with you this time."

Mr. Liu nodded and said, "Go ahead, Old Brother."

Zhang Cai continued, "Liu Qian has been staying at our place for a long time, and everyone in my family likes her. Moreover, my eldest son, Zhang Xiaolong, and she are very much in love. I came this time to discuss whether we can become in-laws."

After saying this, Zhang Cai looked at Mr. Liu, hoping to see a smile or a sign of joy on his face.

However, he didn't see the expected expression. Instead, Mr. Liu was clearly taken aback, then frowned, as if he was about to refuse. Liu the Butcher, who usually spoke his mind, remained silent this time, his eyes darting between Zhang Cai and Mr. Liu, with a thoughtful look. After a while, Mr. Liu spoke, "Old Brother Zhang, you're a straightforward man, so I'll be frank with you. Let's speak openly, without hiding anything, okay?"

Zhang Cai naturally agreed.

Mr. Liu continued, "Before Liu Qian's mother passed away, her only wish was for me to find her a good husband. Over the years, many people have come to propose, but I haven't agreed to any of them. One reason is that Liu Qian wasn't satisfied, and the other is that I didn't think they could make her happy. Additionally, I know Liu Qian has always loved reading and her dream is to find a learned husband. I know Xiaolong is a good boy, and I trust his character, but he doesn't seem to be very literate. In the future, they might not share the same interests. Moreover, Liu Qian has never done farm work. While she's good at household chores, she won't be able to handle farm work. Also, Liu Qian and Xiaolong have only known each other for about a month. How can they be so quickly in love? Liu Qian might have a good impression of Xiaolong, which is normal since he saved her. But if she marries him just because of this, it would be too frivolous."

Hearing this, Zhang Cai's expression became awkward. He had thought that based on his previous interactions with Mr. Liu, he seemed like an easy-going person, and he seemed to appreciate Xiaolong. Since Liu Qian had agreed, he thought there wouldn't be any problems. But he was wrong. Mr. Liu's appreciation was limited to Xiaolong's enthusiasm for farming, not from the perspective of a father-in-law. Moreover, Xiaolong and Liu Qian lived in different worlds. While they were both in the countryside, one read books and the other farmed, so they didn't have much in common. This would inevitably lead to a gap in their future life. To Zhang Cai, who was trying to marry a daughter-in-law, this seemed natural, but to Mr. Liu, who was considering his daughter's future, it required careful thought.

Zhang Xiaohua was also stunned. He hadn't expected the seemingly kind Mr. Liu to refuse. However, he didn't know what to say and could only look at his father, hoping he could persuade Mr. Liu.

Zhang Cai said, "Mr. Liu, you're overthinking it. In marriage, the most important thing is mutual affection. Since Xiaolong and Liu Qian both want to, they will surely have a good life together. As for the lack of common interests, I think we can have Liu Qian teach Xiaolong to read more, and they will gradually find common ground. As for farm work, we won't make Liu Qian do it. We have four strong laborers in our family, so we won't let her do the hard work."

Mr. Liu sighed and said, "I just said, many things are easier said than done. Also, Liu Kai hasn't settled down yet. It wouldn't be right for his sister to get engaged first."

Zhang Cai had forgotten this point. Yes, in rural areas, the custom is to marry the older sibling first. Since Liu Kai's marriage wasn't settled, it wasn't appropriate to consider his sister's marriage. Zhang Cai was at a loss for words.

At this moment, Liu Kai returned. He didn't notice the awkward atmosphere and said to Mr. Liu and Liu the Butcher, "Father, Uncle, the food is ready. Please invite Uncle Zhang and Xiaohua to come and eat."

Mr. Liu looked at Zhang Cai and smiled, "Old Brother Zhang, let's put this aside for now. We both need to think about it. Let's go and eat."

Liu the Butcher also pulled Zhang Xiaohua's hand and said, "Come on, let's not talk about it. Eating is the most important. Xiaohua, are you looking forward to the braised pork?"

The meal at Liu the Butcher's house was naturally more sumptuous than at Zhang Cai's, but Zhang Cai had no appetite. Despite the warm hospitality of Mr. Liu and Liu the Butcher, he didn't eat much. Zhang Xiaohua, however, ate the most. He was growing and had a good appetite. Moreover, he thought his brother and Liu Qian were a perfect match and would surely have a happy life together. He firmly believed that the marriage would work out, so he quickly got over Mr. Liu's refusal and enjoyed the meal without any worries. Seeing him eat with relish, Liu the Butcher's wife and Liu Yueyue also smiled and kept putting more food on his plate, encouraging him to eat more.

Although Zhang Cai had no appetite, he felt a bit happier seeing his son enjoy the meal. Mr. Liu occasionally chatted with him, and Liu the Butcher frequently raised his glass to him. Liu Kai had already asked his father privately and knew why Zhang Cai was unhappy, so he didn't say much at the table and just ate quietly.

The meal was quickly over. After a short rest at Liu the Butcher's house, Zhang Cai and Zhang Xiaohua bid farewell to everyone. Mr. Liu wanted to invite them to his house for a while, but seeing that it was getting late and they still had a long way to go, he didn't insist. The group escorted Zhang Cai and Zhang Xiaohua to the village entrance before turning back.

At this point, everyone in Liu the Butcher's family knew the purpose of Zhang Cai's visit. Liu Yueyue said to Mr. Liu, "Uncle, Uncle Zhang is right. My sister really likes Zhang Xiaolong. She mentioned it when I visited her last time."

Mr. Liu sighed and said, "A daughter grown up can't be kept. But marriage isn't just about feelings. There are many practical issues to consider."