“That Granny Wang isn’t a good person. Mother, why are you still associating with her? If she suggests something unreasonable for my sister again, I won’t let her off!”

Seeing her son’s stern expression, He Qiuhua hurriedly explained, “Don’t… don’t be angry. This time… It’s reasonable.”

“Sigh!” Yan Xingmao sighed. “There are only two or three matchmakers in these nearby villages. Your sister is getting older; we really can’t delay any longer. If we keep putting it off, all the good men will be snatched up by other families’ daughters and ger. That matchmaker Wang was wrong to suggest a widower for your sister before, but given her situation, she really isn’t in a position to be picky. We shouldn’t easily offend the matchmakers.”

Yan Xiaoyu didn’t like hearing that either.

He stiffened his neck. ”My sister is perfectly fine! Why can’t she be picky?!“

Yan Xingmao frowned deeply. ”Xiaoyu, we family members see your sister as wonderful in every way, but honestly, no one in the village finds her suitable!”

“They’re blind!” Yan Xiaoyu retorted irritably. “Those good-for-nothings! Even if they wanted to marry her, my sister wouldn’t agree! In my opinion, we should pay some silver and find her a son-in-law from outside the village!”

Yan Xiaoyu wasn’t just speaking out of anger; he’d been considering this for a long time. His sister’s future wasn’t just his parents’ concern—it weighed heavily on his own heart too.

When the family property was divided that day, he’d claimed he wanted to take a son-in-law for himself, but his true plan was to find one for Yan Xiaoyue. He’d said it was for himself to protect her reputation.

Yan Xiaoyue was too meek. Marrying into another family, she might be mistreated. Better to find her a son-in-law.

Yan Xingmao wasn’t entirely convinced. “Finding a son-in-law isn’t as easy as you think. Ever since sweet potatoes became widespread, no one in our village has starved to death. We’re not at the point where we can’t afford food. What parents would willingly let their son marry into another family? Take your Uncle Niu, for instance. Don’t be fooled by his current success. When he first became a son-in-law, how much cold treatment did he endure? How much effort did he put in afterward to gain the village head’s and villagers’ recognition, finally succeeding your Grandfather Yu as village chief?”

“It was also because your Grandfather Yu was capable that he could arrange a son-in-law for his daughter and help his son-in-law take over as village chief. Your father lacks that ability. If your eldest sister were to seek a son-in-law, she’d likely struggle to find one. Even if she did, he probably wouldn’t be a good match.”

Though Yan Xingmao’s words were somewhat disheartening, they weren’t entirely without merit.

Their tofu business had taken root, yet it barely scraped by, far from making them wealthy. For Yan Xiaoyue to find a husband who met every expectation would be difficult.

Seeing Yan Xiaoyu remain silent, seemingly taking it in, Yan Xingmao and He Qiuhua exchanged a glance and continued their persuasion.

“Father knows you care for your sister. Your parents share your concerns. But it’s not just about her—you’ll need to consider potential matches yourself someday. Shouldn’t we avoid upsetting these matchmakers whenever possible? Granny Wang claims this candidate is truly exceptional, not some flighty sort. If you’re uneasy, why not join us tomorrow when she visits? You can listen along with us.”

Yan Xiaoyu wasn’t worried that offending matchmakers would affect his own marriage prospects.

All he wanted now was to earn money fiercely; marriage was the last thing on his mind. As for the future, whether he’d ever meet someone he truly liked was another question entirely.

If he didn’t meet anyone, then he wouldn’t marry—how free and easy life would be alone! If he did meet someone, he wouldn’t need a matchmaker anyway; he’d just go for it himself.

But the matter of Yan Xiaoyue was indeed a bit tricky.

Now that Yan Xingmao and his wife were determined to follow Granny Wang’s advice, and Yan Xiaoyue wasn’t a rebellious girl, she’d likely comply with her parents’ wishes. But as the saying goes, “Matchmakers’ tongues are deceitful ghosts.” It would be a piece of cake for Granny Wang to manipulate Yan Xingmao and He Qiuhua.

When Granny Wang came tomorrow, he really had to listen in. Otherwise, his parents might well be deceived by her.

Yan Xiaoyu reluctantly agreed.

 ━━ 🐈‍⬛ ━━

Leaving his parents’ room, Yan Xiaoyu searched the house but couldn’t find Yan Xiaoyue anywhere. A suspicion arose in his mind. He quickened his pace to the back yard and sure enough, spotted his elder sister huddled in the corner.

Yan Xiaoyue sat curled up on a wooden bench in the corner, her eyes downcast, a look of utter despondency on her face.

Yan Xiaoyu felt a rare sense of unease. “Sister, did you hear that?”

Yan Xiaoyue nodded silently.

“If you don’t want to, I can refuse that matchmaker for you?”

“It’s not that I don’t want to. I’m just scared,” Yan Xiaoyue replied, her expression a mix of bewilderment and helplessness. “If I go to town, won’t I lose the chance to make tofu with you every day? And if I don’t go, what will happen to us?”

“Don’t be afraid!” Yan Xiaoyu frowned, speaking hurriedly. “If you want to keep making tofu with me after marriage, find someone who’ll let you. If you can’t, it’s fine—with our parents here, you’ll never go hungry.”

“You’ll marry someday too,” Yan Xiaoyue said slowly, glancing at her brother. “My stomach is a bottomless pit. Once you’re gone, I’ll eat this household into bankruptcy.”

“How could that be?!” Yan Xiaoyu laughed bitterly. “Regardless of whether I marry or not, I’ll keep making tofu. I even plan to open a restaurant someday. and that’ll need help. With your strength, hiring you to work for me is a surefire win. You can use your wages to support yourself—no need for Mom and Dad to keep you!”

Yan Xiaoyu thought about it. When he’d handed out money to his family today, he hadn’t been clear enough—otherwise, Yan Xiaoyue wouldn’t have thought she was leeching off them.

“The fifty wen I gave you today are your wages. Everything you eat and drink is earned through your labor. You can support yourself without relying on us. When I said father, mother, and I would never let you go hungry, I meant we’ll always be your rock, your safety net—not that you should depend on us for sustenance.”

Yan Xiaoyu rattled off a long speech, feeling a bit convoluted himself. He wasn’t sure if his sister understood, and the worry made him want to pull his hair out.

Yan Xiaoyue looked pitifully at the youth before her. After a long moment, she suddenly spoke: “Xiaoyu, you’re so good to me.”

Yan Xiaoyu looked slightly uncomfortable. “I’m your brother. If I don’t treat you well, who else would I treat well?”

“Don’t worry. I’ll be there tomorrow. I won’t let Father and Mother easily give you away.”