Chapter 46: Persuasion

Zhang Xiaolong's arm, now free of the splint, was still secured with cloth and held against his chest, while his other hand hung naturally by his side. He stood not far behind Liu Qian, watching the touching scene of Mr. Liu and his daughter reuniting. Although he had a good relationship with his parents, he had never experienced separation and thus did not fully understand the emotions involved. Seeing his beloved act this way, he felt a sense of comfort and knew that his decision this time was right.

Zhang Xiaohu stood beside Zhang Xiaolong, still holding the bottle of water, his eyes scanning the courtyard as if looking for someone.

Mr. Liu affectionately stroked his daughter's hair, his gaze passing over Liu Qian's head to Zhang Xiaolong and Zhang Xiaohu, nodding and smiling at them. He then moved his hand from his daughter's head, waving slightly to them as a sign of apology. Zhang Xiaolong and Zhang Xiaohu nodded in response and waited.

Seeing Liu Qian return and Mr. Liu go to greet her, Liu the Butcher did not get up but continued to drink his wine. After finishing his drink, he noticed the two brothers standing at the door and stood up, smiling, saying, "I wondered who brought Qianqian back. It's our two great heroes. Come in, come in, and have a drink with Uncle."

Zhang Xiaolong and Zhang Xiaohu smiled and walked towards the table under the eaves.

Liu Qian, who was still clinging to her father, heard the mention of drinking and looked up, saying to Liu the Butcher, "Uncle, Xiaolong's arm isn't fully healed yet, so he can't drink. If you want to drink, find Xiaohu."

Liu the Butcher said loudly, "You little girl, you're already siding with others now."

Liu Qian said in a sweet voice, "Uncle~"

Liu the Butcher said, "Alright, stop calling me. I know. I don't hear you call me Uncle much these days."

Mr. Liu, meanwhile, looked at the young farmer approaching him with a thoughtful expression. Though he was not handsome, his youthful face was full of vitality. He did not have the meekness of other farmers or the caution of Zhang Cai. His eyes were bright, and his clothes, though old, were clean and well-fitted, making him look very presentable. His steps were steady, and he walked with confidence, giving a sense of reliability. Mr. Liu knew why Liu Qian had brought Zhang Xiaolong back, and although he did not approve of the marriage, he had a high regard for Zhang Xiaolong.

At this moment, Zhang Xiaolong and Zhang Xiaohu also approached Mr. Liu, bowing respectfully. Mr. Liu did not make much of a fuss, simply gesturing and saying, "You must be tired from the journey. It's getting late, so it's not possible to return to Guo Village today. Stay here for the night. Go and keep my brother company, and I'll join you after I finish talking with Qianqian."

The two brothers agreed and walked to the eaves, each picking up a stool and sitting down to chat with Liu the Butcher. Mr. Liu then said to Liu Qian, "Qianqian, let's go to the study to talk."

Liu Qian released her father's arm and said, "Father, you go first. I'll make you some tea. This is the water we specially brought from Guo Village. Don't you want to try it?"

Mr. Liu said nothing, shaking his head and smiling as he returned to the study.

Liu Qian walked to the eaves, took the bottle of water from Zhang Xiaohu, glanced at Zhang Xiaolong, and said, "You two keep Uncle company. I'll go to the kitchen to boil water and make some snacks and pastries. You must be hungry after walking all afternoon."

Liu Qian went to the kitchen, placed the well water on the fire, and while waiting for it to boil, she looked around the empty kitchen and quickly prepared two simple dishes. There were no pastries, only a few leftover cakes, which she brought out to satisfy the two brothers. Liu the Butcher happily ate the snacks and drank his wine, occasionally pouring a cup for Zhang Xiaohu but not insisting that Zhang Xiaolong drink.

Soon, the water boiled, and Liu Qian carefully made the tea, carrying the teapot and water to the study. Before entering, she glanced back at Zhang Xiaolong, their eyes meeting. Liu Qian nodded, her eyes full of determination, and then turned to enter the study.

In the study, Mr. Liu was absentmindedly reading a book. Seeing Liu Qian enter, he put the book down, sniffed, and said, "The water from Guo Village is truly special. The tea is fragrant and rare."

Liu Qian placed the teacup in front of her father, watching him savor the tea, close his eyes, and savor the aroma without speaking.

After a while, Liu Qian said, "Father, how is the tea?"

Mr. Liu said, "Sigh, the tea is much better than what we usually drink, but it's not as rich as the last time we had it in Guo Village. It must be because it's not as fresh."

Liu Qian did not ask further, and Mr. Liu only focused on the tea, not speaking.

After a while, Mr. Liu thought for a moment and smiled, saying, "Qianqian, did you come back in a hurry to tell me something?"

Liu Qian blushed and said, "Father, you're just pretending. If I didn't come back, wouldn't you have come to fetch me in a few days?"

Mr. Liu sighed, placing the teacup on the table and saying, "Qianqian, I've always let you do as you please and not interfered much. This time, I didn't listen to you, and you should understand my intentions."

Liu Qian thought for a moment and said, "I guess Father is worried that I'll suffer at the Zhangs' and have to do farm work every day. You also fear that Zhang Xiaolong is a rough country boy and that my life won't be as comfortable as it is here."

Mr. Liu nodded and said, "Life is not just about one person; it's about two people. If one likes reading and the other wants to farm, their lives will diverge, and life will become dull and short-lived. Moreover, the Zhangs are very poor. You should know that life in Balingou is not as comfortable as here."

Liu Qian also nodded and said, "Father, everything you said is true. I've thought about it a lot, and I even talked to Zhang Xiaolong's mother. She said something similar, hoping I would consider carefully."

Mr. Liu was surprised and said, "She really said that?"

Liu Qian said, "Of course. I didn't expect that Aunt, a rural woman who doesn't know much, would be so understanding."

Mr. Liu sighed and said, "That's truly rare. No wonder she raised such a fine son."

Then, Mr. Liu continued, "Actually, these are things you can't fully understand. We, who have been through life, can only give you our experience. With your personality, even if I tell you, it might not help. Only when you face difficulties will you understand my intentions. Although your mother's passing was long ago, I still remember it vividly. If I had the ability, I wouldn't have let her suffer and leave us so early. So, I don't want your mother's tragedy to happen to you."

Liu Qian, confident, said, "Father, perhaps you are too fixated. If you had the ability, would you still be the same person? Would your mother be happy with you? If not, what would be the value of a lifetime together? Your mother respected and loved you, and in those short years, she found happiness that others could never achieve. Which one do you think was her choice?"

Liu Qian continued, "Father, I've always believed that life's fate is predetermined. Whether you are sad or happy, it's all part of life. Life is a trajectory, and the intersection of various trajectories forms the whole of life. Your mother's trajectory was destined to include you, and your trajectory was destined to include your mother's happiness. You always blame yourself for your mother's passing, thinking you couldn't take good care of her. But that's not true. From the moment your mother met you, our family's life was already set, and her happiness and fate were predetermined. Any change would be futile. If Father had been obsessed with politics, he would have neglected Mother. She might not have left us early, but would she have been happy?"

Seeing Mr. Liu lost in thought, Liu Qian continued, "Actually, I've been thinking about my encounter with Zhang Xiaolong. I've talked to Yueyue about it. The moment I met Zhang Xiaolong in the fabric shop, our trajectories intersected. The events that followed, Father must know, so I won't go into detail. I can only describe it as fate. Moreover, there's a very important thing that Father might not know."

Mr. Liu was taken aback and said, "What is it?"

Liu Qian said mysteriously, "Father, don't you think the water from Guo Village is particularly good?"

Mr. Liu said, "Yes, so what?"

Then, Liu Qian told Mr. Liu about her grandmother's illness and the trip to Luzhen for treatment. Mr. Liu was clearly surprised and asked, "Can you confirm that it's the well water that did it?"

Liu Qian said, "Of course. Look at Zhang Xiaolong's arm. Have you ever seen anyone's broken arm heal so quickly in just a month? And when Yueyue visited me last time, she said my skin looked much better. I can feel the difference myself."

Mr. Liu frowned, not pressing further. Liu Qian continued, "Father, think about it. This well water is priceless. Your health has always been weak, and you haven't been well since Mother passed away. If this water can make you healthy, it's been my wish. Now that we have this well water, living a long life is no longer a luxury. The well water was dug by the Zhangs, so isn't it a sign from heaven that this is an opportunity for me and Xiaolong?"

"Moreover, Brother has not yet married, and we don't know if his future wife will be virtuous. If I go to the Zhangs, and you move to Guo Village, I can take care of you, and you can enjoy the blessings of heaven. Isn't this a win-win situation? It would solve all my concerns."