Transmigrated as an Unwanted Ugly Girl

Chapter 459: Chapter 241: The Elders’ First Marriage Discussion

Juhua listened to Zhang Huai and looked at the empty plot of land between their two houses. It had already been tilled and prepared. ’They must have loosened the soil early to make it easier to plant the bamboo.’

Zhang Huai looked at Juhua and asked, "Juhua, is there anything you’d like to plant?"

Juhua paused, thinking, ’What *would* I want to plant?’ When she looked up and saw him gazing at her earnestly and hopefully, she suddenly understood what he was getting at. She smiled and replied, "Planting bamboo sounds great."

At her words, Zhang Huai broke into a silent grin.

Qingmu thought the small patch of bamboo they had planted in their front yard was far too little. Now that Huai Zi wanted to plant bamboo between the two houses, it was exactly what he had hoped for. He grinned and said, "With bamboo planted right on our doorstep, we’ll definitely have no shortage of bamboo shoots to eat in the future."

Juhua nodded in delight.

As they spoke, they reached the gate to the Zhang family’s courtyard. Before they even stepped inside, they heard Zheng Changhe’s booming voice. "...I’m telling you, this isn’t just ordinary luck. You’re about to strike it big! Maybe not by getting rich, but maybe your Yangzi is going to become the Champion Scholar. My Juhua found a huge carp last year, and look at us—hasn’t our fortune turned around? Of course, we still have to farm, but life is much better now, isn’t it?"

Juhua and Qingmu were stunned. ’What on earth is Dad talking about?’

The three of them entered the courtyard to find Zhang Dashuan in the middle, swinging a cleaver as he chopped meaty bones on a large cutting board. Zheng Changhe was perched on a small stool to the side, speaking with great solemnity and conviction. He would periodically punctuate his words with a sharp wave of his hand to add to their persuasive force.

Zhang Dashuan had been focused on his work, listening intently. When he happened to glance up and see them, he quickly stopped his cleaver and said with a hearty laugh, "Qingmu, Juhua, look at your dad! He’s saying I’m going to strike it big just because I hunted a deer. Ha! I haven’t made my fortune yet, but it sure feels good to hear him say it. After all these years of being poor, there’s finally some hope!"

Juhua finally understood that her father had gotten superstitious. ’Well, you can’t really call it superstition. Let’s just call it a kind of faith! If they keep working this hard, I can’t promise they’ll strike it rich, but there’s definitely hope for them to become a little better off.’

Before any of them could chime in, Zhang Yang emerged from the back courtyard. "Dad," he said to Zhang Dashuan, "our hope doesn’t come from you catching this deer. It comes from you raising two sons—me and my brother. What Uncle Zheng means is that catching the deer is just a good omen. Turning that omen into a reality is still up to my brother and me!"

Juhua silently marveled at how well-spoken Zhang Yang was. ’He really has a way with words.’

Zheng Changhe let out a hearty laugh, shooting Zhang Dashuan a sidelong glance with an expression that screamed, ’See? What did I tell you?’ Qingmu and Zhang Huai also stood by, smiling as they watched.

Zhang Dashuan beamed at his younger son, his eyes shining as if the boy had already become a Scholar and was destined to keep passing exams and rising through the ranks. ’This really is a good omen!’

He happily waved Juhua over. "Juhua, come here! I’ve got these big cuts of meat for you—I made sure to pick out the best parts, the two deer legs."

The look he gave Juhua was as warm and fatherly as Zheng Changhe’s own.

Zheng Changhe quickly interjected, "Alright, stop showing off your prize. Juhua, I’ll carry this meat home later. Why don’t you go have a look at Uncle Zhang’s new house? It’ll still be a while before dinner." ’His daughter would be living in this house in the future; of course she had to inspect it carefully.’

Zhang Huai smiled at Juhua and Qingmu. "Let’s go check out the back courtyard first. Juhua hasn’t seen it yet."

Even though it was right next door, Juhua had never been inside the Zhang family’s new house after it was completed. She and Qingmu followed the Zhang brothers toward the back courtyard. Just like the Zheng Family’s home, the Zhang house had pathways on its east and west sides that led to the back.

All along the way, Zhang Huai pointed things out, explaining his plans for this area and that. Even Zhang Yang joined in, gesturing with unbridled enthusiasm.

But Juhua felt a sense of dissonance. With a single glance, she saw that the back courtyard was completely bare. Even though Zhang Huai had planted some trees, it was late autumn, and their branches were stark and leafless. Oh, but the vegetable patch did have some green. The Zhang family had planted it in advance, worried it would be too late if they waited until after they moved. A good portion had been trampled during construction, but at least it was still recognizable.

Juhua finally understood the meaning of the saying, "A nest of gold or a nest of silver is no better than one’s own humble den." This courtyard, which in her eyes still needed so much planning and work, was already a beautiful home in the eyes of Huai Zi and Yangzi. Even though it still needed a few things—no, a *lot* of things—the two brothers had already filled in all the gaps in their minds.

Thinking about how her own family had been the exact same way, she couldn’t help but smile.

Zhang Huai noticed Juhua was silent, a smile playing on her lips. Puzzled, he asked, "Juhua, what are you smiling about?"