ARC 2: Stepmother in the Seventies ✦ c71~116 (46)
✦ 10
Translator: InkyDragon (https://inkydragontranslation.wordpress.com)
Li Dan Yang couldn’t hold back. “How could anyone call you rough, Brother Guo?” she blurted, a touch of worry lacing her voice. “You’re a strong man, a pillar of our village! Those educated youths may seem fancy, but they couldn’t keep up with a day’s work from you, let alone your skill.”
A faint blush crept up her cheeks. “Besides, you’re only in your thirties! You’re in your prime! My mother always says a man with some years behind him knows how to take care of a woman. And…” she hesitated, then peeked up at Zhou Wei Guo, “I wouldn’t mind someone like that taking care of me.”
Zhou Wei Guo’s heart skipped a beat. A young woman like Li Dan Yang interested in him? A widower with four children? It was true, wasn’t it? He had a certain charm, a strength that could captivate a woman.
“Dan Yang,” he said gently, “you deserve someone who will cherish you. A woman like you, any man would be lucky to have. He wouldn’t let you face a single hardship.” He sighed, a flicker of sadness crossing his eyes as he met her blushing gaze. The warmth in his chest deepened.
Li Dan Yang lifted her head, her voice barely a whisper.
“Actually,” she murmured, “there’s someone. A… a strong, hard working man I admire. But I don’t know if he feels the same…”
Zhou Wei Guo’s breath caught. His chest swelled with a pride that threatened to burst. He knew exactly who she meant.
“Of course he does,” he declared, his voice firm. “How could anyone not? You’re a treasure, Dan Yang.”
A radiant smile bloomed on her face, though she tried to hide its intensity. It had been easier than she thought. A little nudge, and he was already smitten. A delightful flutter filled her stomach.
“Well,” she said coyly, “if he feels that way, shouldn’t he make it official, Brother Guo?”
He chuckled. “Absolutely. A woman like you deserves to be snatched up quickly. Otherwise, someone else might steal you away!”
There was a knowing glint in both their eyes. They weren’t naive. He understood the unspoken language of courtship, and she wasn’t entirely inexperienced. They had played their little game, each believing they had won the other’s heart.
With a newfound determination, Zhou Wei Guo hurried home, eager to tell his mother to arrange a proposal with Li Dan Yang’s family.
Previously, when he was rejected by Gu Shi Chu, he was angry and embarrassed, thinking Gu Shi Chu didn’t know what was good for her. But now, he was grateful that Gu Shi Chu hadn’t agreed to this marriage proposal. A golden opportunity had fallen into his lap. Li Dan Yang was everything Gu Shi Chu wasn’t, and Zhou Wei Guo, a man who knew the value of a good deal, wouldn’t let it slip away.
In the eyes of a middle-aged man like him, who had experienced hardships in life, Li Dan Yang was a much better match.
Unlike Gu Shi Chu, who was an orphan, poor and alone, offering him nothing but her looks and virginity, Li Dan Yang belonged to one of the village’s wealthiest households. Marriage to her wasn’t just about love, it was about practicality. With Li Dan Yang by his side, financial worries would become a thing of the past.
- (This phrase “黄花大闺女” literally translates to “yellow flowered big maiden.” It refers to a young woman who is past the typical age of marriage. The term carries connotations of being unmarried and suggests that the woman may face social pressure or stigma due to her unmarried status.
- Basically, he thinks very lowly of Gu Shi Chu by calling her a yellow flowered big maiden, but it doesn’t translate too well.)
Fueled by this newfound optimism, Zhou Wei Guo’s mind raced. He envisioned proposing that very day, whisking Li Dan Yang away to a blissful future. He hurried to his mother, filled with excitement.
“Mom, get the matchmaker to Li Dan Yang’s house right away! We can’t waste a moment!”
Mother Zhou, always cautious, raised an eyebrow. “Li Dan Yang? Are you sure? Would her family even consider it?”
A confident smirk spread across Zhou Wei Guo’s face. “Li Dan Yang has her sights set on me. Her family’s opinion hardly matters. Just get the matchmaker moving!”
Mother Zhou wasn’t entirely convinced. Her son was a good worker, but a widower with four children. Li Dan Yang, on the other hand, was a pampered daughter.
“Son, you sure you haven’t misunderstood something? This could be terribly embarrassing. The Li family is not to be trifled with.”
Zhou Wei Guo, puffed up with pride, scoffed. “Don’t underestimate me, Mother! Plenty of young women find me attractive, even with four children. Li Dan Yang is a smart girl. She sees my worth. Just get the proposal started. Trust me, you’ll have a new daughter-in-law in no time.”
His unwavering conviction eased Mother Zhou’s doubts. She set the wheels in motion for a formal proposal, unaware of the shock and outrage that awaited at the Li household when they received the news.
Meanwhile, Li Dan Yang was overjoyed. Zhou Wei Guo’s implied proposal filled her with a sense of security and hope for a prosperous future. She had escaped the clutches of poverty and secured a comfortable life.
Little did she know, the happily-ever-after she imagined might not be quite as guaranteed.
Li Dan Yang’s marriage proposal to Zhou Wei Guo sent shockwaves through her family. Everyone, except Li Dan Yang herself, vehemently opposed the idea. They pleaded with her, warning her not to fall for Zhou Wei Guo’s charms. But Li Dan Yang was blinded by visions of wealth and a secure future. She saw her family as nothing but obstacles, their concern twisting into resentment in her mind.
Meanwhile, whispers of Li Dan Yang’s whirlwind romance reached Gu Shi Chu. Surprise flickered across her face. Li Dan Yang was already discussing marriage, while Gu Shi Chu hadn’t even convinced Ji Ming Tao to accept her gifts. Li Dan Yang seemed to be making rapid progress.
But challenges loomed.
The villagers, upon hearing the news, were floored. Li Dan Yang and Zhou Wei Guo? It was a mismatch of epic proportions. Everyone saw it as Li Dan Yang settling for far less. Why would she choose to be a stepmother? Concerned aunts and elders offered their wisdom, painting a difficult picture of a stepmother’s life.
But Li Dan Yang, fixated on the perceived glory of the Zhou family, dismissed their advice as jealousy. One by one, they fell silent, their voices drowned out by her single-minded determination.
─── ❖ ── ☆ ── ❖ ───
( )………( )
(๑✪ᆺ✪๑)
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