Free Web NovelChapter 96: Chapter 96: Slander
Having come to a decision, Liu Yuan stood up.
He watched his mother and aunt, still deep in their lively discussion. A look of determination flashed in his eyes.
When he announced that he wanted to marry Gu’er, his mother, Wu Dahua, and his aunt, Wu Sanduo, were both dumbfounded.
’Liu Yuan just said he wants to marry Gu’er? Has the boy lost his mind?’
"Absolutely not! What are you talking about? Have you even met Gu’er? Do you have any idea what kind of person she is? Are you out of your mind? How could she possibly marry into our family!"
Wu Dahua’s face was ashen. ’Why would my son say such a thing? Could it be that his recent trips to the village have something to do with that Gu’er girl?’
"Exactly, Liu Yuan. We can find you any girl you want. Even if Gu’er is decent-looking, she’s bad luck. Just look at the men she’s been matched with! That Zhang Da is a good-for-nothing, and the one from Liu Shu Village is a cripple. Anyone willing to take her must have something wrong with them. And she attacks people with a knife! She’ll fight anyone over the smallest disagreement. She’s stubborn as a mule. If you marry a woman like that, she’ll be nothing but trouble. The moment you two have a little argument, she’ll give your mother a heart attack!"
Wu Sanduo didn’t agree either. She might have felt that Gu’er was pitiful, but that didn’t mean she was willing to let her marry Liu Yuan. She had spoken up for Gu’er before, trying to get her married off to the man in Liu Shu Village, but that was only because he was a cripple. In her heart, Gu’er was nowhere near good enough for Liu Yuan.
She also found it strange that Liu Yuan wanted to marry Gu’er. She suddenly remembered that day Liu Yuan had visited her home and didn’t return until long after dark. She had searched the entire village for him but couldn’t find him. In the end, Liu Yuan said he had gone up the mountain with Sun Jiaming. Gu’er seemed to go up the mountain often, too. ’Could it be...?’
Wu Sanduo didn’t dare to let her thoughts wander any further. ’If my big sister finds out about this, she’ll surely blame me.’
"Your aunt is right. I’ve been looking for matches for you. Your Fourth Aunt has already suggested several good candidates from decent families. One is a clerk at a store, one is a factory worker, and another is a primary school teacher. Even the one with the least to offer, who doesn’t have a job yet, her family is arranging one for her. It’s not like you won’t be able to find a wife, so don’t you go getting any wild ideas."
Wu Dahua laid out all the potential matches to put her son’s mind at ease.
Her family was reasonably well-off. Her husband was a factory worker, and they didn’t have any elders to support. Her son was about to become a worker himself, and he was handsome. She could afford to be very picky about her daughter-in-law. Why would she ever accept a village girl, especially one with a background like that? ’Not in a million years.’ She hadn’t planned on telling her son about the matchmaking until a match was almost set, but he had forced her hand. She figured that if her son knew he had so many other options, he would drop the idea of marrying Gu’er.
"That’s right, that’s right. Listen, Liu Yuan, you’re still young. Don’t let anyone fool you. We have so many girls to choose from it’ll make your head spin. What’s so special about Gu’er? There are plenty of girls who are much better looking than her."
At this point, Wu Sanduo lowered her voice. "Big Sis, Liu Yuan, you don’t know this, but that Gu’er is a jinx. She’s fated to live a lonely, solitary life. That’s why her parents abandoned her as a baby. Li Hua took her in, but after two years, Gu’er jinxed her new father to death. Then Li Hua brought her to the Zhou family, and what happened? Now she can’t even stay there anymore. And why? Because of her fate! She’s destined to be alone forever. She has no brothers, no sisters, no one to support her. She’s a complete loner. You can’t bring a girl like that into the family. She’d be a curse on this house."
Wu Sanduo went on slandering Gu’er. If Gu’er had been there to hear it, she would have surely retorted, ’I don’t even know what my own fate is, but you seem to be an expert on it. How remarkable.’
In reality, Wu Sanduo had no idea what Gu’er’s fate was. It was all just gossip she had heard, mixed with her own speculation. She didn’t care whether it was true or not. Her only goal was to make Liu Yuan give up on the idea. She even planned to go back to the village and spread the rumors so everyone would know about Gu’er’s "bad luck." She didn’t care if it was true, nor what impact it might have on Gu’er. All that mattered was that Liu Yuan didn’t marry her. ’If Gu’er gets hurt in the process, she deserves it. Who told her to go seducing my nephew!’
Hearing her younger sister’s words made Wu Dahua even more disgusted and resolute. ’A girl like that will marry my son over my dead body. No, even if I were dead, I would never let Gu’er into this family.’
"Did you hear what your aunt just said? If you keep spouting this nonsense about marrying her, then you’re no son of mine."
Wu Dahua knew her son was shy and agreeable. She was used to him backing down whenever she was firm with him.
But this time, she was wrong. When young people fall in love, they do so with a serious, single-minded determination. The more you oppose them, the more they dig in their heels—especially the introverted ones. They become so stubborn that not even nine bulls could pull them back.
"Gu’er isn’t what you say she is. She’s a good person, and she’s had a hard enough life already. Instead of feeling sorry for her, you’re just bad-mouthing her. I don’t want to hear it. I’ve set my heart on her, and nothing you say is going to change that. I don’t care about other girls; I won’t marry anyone else. Either you help me propose to Gu’er, or I’ll stay a bachelor my whole life. I’ll go become a monk if I have to!"
Liu Yuan’s words were harsh. It wasn’t that he didn’t know how to be tactful; he knew that if he backed down now, he wouldn’t stand a chance. For Gu’er, he was ready to risk it all.
Wu Dahua was so angry she was trembling from head to toe. ’Is this really my obedient, sensible son, who has never once talked back to me?’
Arguing with her like this over a girl! And they weren’t even married yet. ’If he actually brings her home, I won’t be able to go on living.’
’I absolutely cannot let a girl like that into my home. I need to find a daughter-in-law I approve of, one I can keep under my thumb. Otherwise, what authority will I have as a mother-in-law in my own house?’ freeωebnovēl.c૦m
’As for whether my son likes her or not... it would be better if he didn’t. That way, he’ll stay on my side. Marriage is about getting by day to day. What does love have to do with it?’
"Don’t even think about it! Who does that Zhou Gu’er think she is? She’s just unwanted trash. Marry into the Liu family? In your dreams! And don’t you dare take that tone with me. I’m telling you right now, nothing you do will make a difference. If I don’t give my approval, she will never set foot in this house."
Wu Dahua slammed her hand on the table and pointed at Liu Yuan’s nose. She wasn’t about to be intimidated by her own son.
"All right, all right, look at you two, starting a fight," Wu Sanduo chimed in, trying to mediate. "What for? Is it worth it over an outsider? Liu Yuan, you’re being unreasonable. Look how angry you’ve made your mother! If you work her up until she gets sick, how will you live with yourself?"
"Tell me, why is my life so hard?" Wu Dahua started to cry, her voice thick with self-pity as she berated Liu Yuan. "I raised my son to be a man, and now he has the nerve to defy me, his own mother, for some shameless hussy! Has he forgotten all the years I cared for him? Did he think it was easy raising him, changing his diapers, and cleaning up his messes? I..."
Liu Yuan’s face flushed red with anger and frustration. He wasn’t good with words, and he had almost never talked back to his mother in his entire life. But this time, he had to fight. This was about his marriage. He wanted to marry someone he loved, and he was going to make his own decision.
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Author’s note: In their past life, Liu Yuan and Gu’er actually had a connection, though Gu’er never knew about it. It wasn’t a major one, though. Are you, my dear readers, interested in guessing what it was?
