Chapter 21: The Greenhorn Son-in-Law

Of course he wants to marry her, but with all this pressure, he doesn’t dare say it outright: “Once you take a wife, you have to think about how to support the family first. If I hadn’t gotten married, I would’ve planned to keep studying.”

So he’s leaving the choice up to the Fang family. That’s the cleverness of a scholar—always full of little calculations.

He continued, “I haven’t met the elders yet, so I can’t make the decision about this marriage myself. I don’t even know if Fang Yuan has the final say. I was planning to bring Fang Yuan to meet my elders.”

Wu Hu thought to himself, This guy’s no good—he’s too cunning: “Whatever my sister says, goes. If you’re quitting your studies because of my sister, she’s not taking the blame for that.”

But Lu Lao’er (the second Lu brother) was quick to adapt: “That won’t do. If I can’t even support a family, what’s the point of studying?”

Which is pretty much the same as not studying at all, since honestly, he can’t really support a family yet.

San Hu (the third brother) was more straightforward: “That’s a pity. Our Fang Yuan has good taste—she picked a good brother-in-law. But your older brother is no good, a bit too unruly. Don’t learn from him. Us men shouldn’t be like that.”

Lu Lao’er could only nod along—he was indeed ashamed.

Then San Hu asked Wu Hu, “What’s he studying?”

Wu Hu raised an eyebrow and glanced at Lu Lao’er: “High school, if I’m not mistaken?”

Fang Yuan said, “He’s gotten into university now.” She even sounded a little proud as she spoke.

Lu Chuan understood immediately: Fang Yuan’s pride wasn’t about university itself, but about having snagged a college student.

When San Hu heard this, he fell silent, and none of the brothers said a word all the way to the Fang family’s door.

Their sister had landed a college student—was that a good deal or not? Would the Lu family even agree to this marriage?

It didn’t seem very reliable. A college student—could the brothers really handle him? It was worrying.

At the Fang house, Lu Lao’er was surrounded by Fang Yuan’s five brothers, while her father, Fang Daleng, sat above them, his face dark.

In such a high-pressure environment, Lu Lao’er didn’t dare say a word. Since they didn’t let him speak, he didn’t dare open his mouth.

He also discovered that when he was this nervous, he couldn’t even burp.

He considered himself fairly worldly, but in this situation, he realized he was still a bit inexperienced—his palms were sweating.

Fang Yuan’s father looked at his daughter, more worried than anyone: “What’s going on? How could you change fiancés just like that?” This was beyond his comprehension.

Fang Yuan wasn’t afraid of her father, and she felt wronged: “What’s so good about him? Look at what he’s done! He’s messed around with women and even has a kid already. How embarrassing is that? What were you all doing when you arranged the engagement? Did you even look into him?”

She was the one feeling wronged? This was clearly a case of not doing enough homework beforehand.

Fang Daleng agreed with his daughter and yelled at his sons: “How did you do your research? Letting your sister suffer such a loss!”

Lu Lao’er tried to make himself as inconspicuous as possible. Even though he didn’t think Fang Yuan was losing out by marrying him, he couldn’t stop her family from thinking otherwise.

At this point, Lu Lao’er didn’t dare show even a hint of reluctance about the marriage. The way Fang Yuan handled things really gave the Lu family a lot of face.

Looking at her brothers, Lu Lao’er thought: If Fang Yuan turned against him now, things would get ugly. He was already mentally preparing himself.

Fang Yuan said, “Alright, it’s all in the past. Don’t mention that disgraceful person again. He disgusts me.”

Fang Daleng said, “Daughter, it’s not that simple. We can’t just let this go. What about your marriage?”

Fang Yuan pointed at Lu Lao’er, who was shrinking like a quail: “There he is, the second Lu brother. I’ve asked—he’s never dated anyone before. From now on, he’s my man.”

She said it so decisively, so cleanly.

Fang Daleng glanced at Lu Lao’er: “That won’t do. My daughter can’t just marry anyone.”

Fang Yuan snapped, “So you’d rather I marry that disgraceful guy who was already engaged?”

Fang Daleng said, “Don’t be angry, daughter. I’ll get justice for you. No one within dozens of miles would dare bully our Fang family like this.”

Fang Yuan said, “Forget it. What’s the point? Their family is so poor, this is the only one left worth marrying.”

Fang Daleng was displeased: “What’s that supposed to mean? If word gets out, what will people think? Everyone in the village knows you were supposed to marry the eldest Lu brother.”

Before Fang Yuan could reply, her mother slapped Fang Daleng’s words right back at him: “What are you shouting for? Afraid people won’t know? Who do you think you are? Who would care about our family’s little mess? My daughter is marrying the second Lu brother, period.”

Otherwise, would she really let her daughter carry the reputation of a second marriage? That would be even worse. Better to let her daughter act decisively.

Fang Daleng was stunned: “Wang Cuixiang, what are you saying? Are you out of your mind? Can this really work? We’ll be a laughingstock.”

Fang Yuan’s mother glared at him: “Whatever my daughter says, goes. Lu Lao’er it is. From now on, Lu Lao’er is our son-in-law.”

Fang Daleng stared at Lu Lao’er but didn’t dare mention Lu Laoda (the eldest) again. His wife had the final say.

Wang Cuixiang, Fang Yuan’s mother, turned to Lu Lao’er and asked kindly, “Child, what’s your name?”

Fang Yuan also looked at Lu Lao’er—she’d forgotten to ask too. Lu Lao’er replied, “Uncle, Auntie, my name is Lu Chuan.”

Wang Cuixiang smiled warmly: “No need for ‘Uncle’ and ‘Auntie.’ Things are a bit messy, but the marriage is real. My daughter is marrying you, and she’s a proper, innocent girl. Others may not know, but your family should.”

Lu Lao’er thought, Of course: “Absolutely. Fang Yuan is a good girl. If Mom and Dad can approve of my marriage to Fang Yuan, and I get the elders’ blessing, then I’ll dare to call you Mom and Dad. Fang Yuan also said, this only counts if you both agree.”

Wang Cuixiang heard this and immediately knew this son-in-law was not ordinary. The way he spoke wasn’t like their own crowd.

Fang Wuhu also glanced at Lu Lao’er. This guy’s a smooth talker and a pretty boy—not easy to handle.

Wang Cuixiang nodded. At least the boy knew how to behave and could sweet-talk: “From the engagement to the wedding, my daughter only met that disgraceful man twice, and both times her brothers were with her. We need to make this clear.”

Lu Lao’er nodded. That was true. That’s why his parents were so anxious to get him married, afraid Fang Yuan wouldn’t want his brother.

Then Wang Cuixiang said, “Even though your eldest brother came to pick up the bride, the one who was really with my daughter was you, right?”

Lu Lao’er—Lu Chuan—said, “Yes, that’s right. Don’t worry. The engagement with my brother was broken off halfway, so it doesn’t count. The one marrying Fang Yuan is me. There’s nothing messy about it. As for Fang Yuan’s innocence, our whole family can vouch for it.”

Fang Yuan glanced at Lu Chuan a couple of times. He was pretty straightforward and not wishy-washy.

Wang Cuixiang nodded, satisfied with his clarity: “We have to make this clear, mainly so you don’t feel wronged.”

She was saying: My daughter and your brother, there’s nothing between them.

She was laying the groundwork for Fang Yuan’s future, as any parent would.

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22."

"Chapter 22: Son-in-law, You Have to Accept This

If it were Fang Yuan, she definitely wouldn’t understand what these words meant, but Lu Chuan was sharp and emotionally intelligent—he really did get what Fang Yuan’s mother was implying.

He needed to show the right attitude. Otherwise, the Lu family would be in the wrong, and the mess left by Lu the eldest would fall on them. Even if Lu the second had complaints, he’d have to swallow them.

This couldn’t be glossed over, so Lu Chuan said, “It’d be a lie to say I’m not upset. After all, I never expected this marriage. But it’s not about Fang Yuan—I just think my big brother was careless and dragged both Fang Yuan and me into this. I can’t help feeling a bit uncomfortable about it.”

Fang Daleng frowned. Was this kid blaming their family? He didn’t seem very broad-minded—not like a real man. But, to be fair, Lu the eldest really was a piece of work, dragging his brother’s marriage into his mess. He could understand the complaint.

Wang Cuixiang thought, If he didn’t have any complaints at all, that’d be fake.

Then Lu Chuan continued, “Mom, I know what you’re worried about. Don’t worry, Fang Yuan hasn’t done anything wrong, and there’s nothing between her and my big brother. I’m clear on that.”

If he’d just said straight out that he didn’t mind at all, Wang Cuixiang wouldn’t have believed him. The way he said it, at least, showed he’d thought it through seriously. Not bad, though he did seem a bit thin and frail. “What do you do at home? How old are you?”

Lu Chuan replied, “If things had gone as planned, I’d be starting university this September. Right now, I don’t have any particular plans. I’m twenty-one.”

Fang Daleng immediately jumped up from his stool. “A student? A college student?” This was a bit beyond what he’d expected.

He couldn’t sit still after that, pacing circles around the yard. Why did this whole thing feel so tricky?

But Wang Cuixiang was the practical one. “So what if he’s a student? Students still need to get married and live their lives. What are you so worked up about? If you can’t sit still, go take a walk.”

Only then did Fang Daleng stop grumbling and sit down quietly, though he looked at his daughter with a conflicted expression.

Wang Cuixiang turned to Lu Chuan with a gentle smile. “What do your parents think about this marriage?”

Lu Chuan said, “My parents are very fond of Fang Yuan. They really like her. As long as she’s willing, any of us three brothers would be fine with her choosing.”

He comforted himself inwardly: at least he was the one chosen. It felt like his family was getting the better end of the deal.

Wang Cuixiang finally nodded in satisfaction. The in-laws’ attitude was acceptable.

She looked at her daughter, then at her fair-skinned future son-in-law. If the Lu family hadn’t made a mistake first, her daughter wouldn’t have landed such a son-in-law. She sighed inwardly. Though the boy seemed a bit frail, he had a good face and a sweet mouth, and he was clever. If this marriage went through, her daughter wouldn’t be losing out.

But it might not be all good. Her daughter was straightforward—she might not be able to handle such a clever son-in-law in the future. Her impression of Lu the second was that he wouldn’t be easy to manage.

If the son-in-law was willing to dote on her daughter, that’d be fine. But if she couldn’t handle him in the future, what would happen to her girl? A clever son-in-law was a headache for a mother-in-law.

Lu Chuan felt the pressure from his future mother-in-law, his palms sweating.

Meanwhile, Fang Daleng took Fang Yuan outside to talk. “Maybe we should just forget it. I’ll find you someone better. He’s still in school, after all.”

To Fang Daleng, students were people to look up to. Snatching one away didn’t feel right. It wouldn’t be fair to ruin a student’s future.

Fang Yuan said, “Why should we forget it? He might not be good enough for me, but at least he’s nice to look at. Otherwise, wouldn’t people laugh at me? If word got out that someone stole my man, I’d be a laughingstock.”

Her brothers, hearing this, all scratched their heads in unison, clearly troubled. If this brother-in-law didn’t work out, how would they ever find another one? Fang Yuan’s standards seemed pretty high.

Fang Daleng hadn’t expected his daughter to be so confident. A college student wasn’t good enough for her? He wouldn’t dare say that himself.

He said, “You’re my precious daughter, of course you’re great. But this student thing—it’s not a good match. I tried so hard to get you kids to study, but none of you made it. Our family just isn’t on the same level as a scholarly family. Maybe we should just let it go.”

Fang Yuan replied, “What are you talking about? What kind of scholarly family are they? They even have that disgraceful Lu the eldest. None of your kids have turned out like that. We’re better than them.”

Fang Daleng thought she had a point. At least they hadn’t produced a Lu the eldest. “That’s true, but isn’t your future husband a student?”

Fang Yuan said, “So what? He’s still going to be your son-in-law. Maybe this will raise our family’s standing. If I marry out, it’s not easy for me. This marriage counts, and you have to accept it.”

She was especially serious about the last part.

Fang Daleng said, “You child, why won’t you listen? I’m telling you, students may be good, but they’re clever. We can’t outsmart them. Plenty of students in the village have abandoned their wives and run off.”

Fang Yuan nodded. “Then why do you keep putting them on a pedestal? If they’re so unreliable, then he’s a good match for me.”

The five brothers thought, You don’t have to put yourself down just to get married.

Fang Daleng realized he couldn’t win an argument with his daughter, but the son-in-law seemed alright.

It’s just that, in front of a student, he felt a bit weak in the knees. He was afraid he wouldn’t be able to keep up his father-in-law authority in the future.

Fang Daleng sighed, “If he ever bullies you, how am I supposed to deal with him?”

Fang Yuan was tough. “Deal with him however you need to. Just because he’s a student doesn’t mean you have to go easy on him. No way I’m letting myself be wronged.”

She was so carefree, she really didn’t seem to care at all.

Lu Chuan, inside the house, overheard this and felt a chill in his heart. The status of a student in this family was… a bit awkward, neither here nor there.

Wang Cuixiang said, “It’s good your parents are open-minded. When we agreed to this engagement, it was because we thought your parents were good people. Honestly, there’s no real difference between your big brother and you. Fang Yuan’s father and I never looked closely, and Fang Yuan barely saw you either.”

She was smoothing things over for her daughter, worried her son-in-law might hold a grudge in the future.

Lu Chuan wanted to say, Mother-in-law, you’re overthinking it. He’d seen with his own eyes how Fang Yuan got three hundred and fifty yuan out of Lu the eldest. If he had any worries, it was that Fang Yuan might sell him off for cash too. Lu the eldest had nothing to do with it.

Of course, he couldn’t say that out loud, or it’d be awkward. He had to admit, he wasn’t the most broad-minded person.

Wang Cuixiang, always thoughtful, asked about her daughter’s living situation. “By the way, what’s your family’s situation now?”

She was worried her daughter might get tangled up with Lu the eldest and end up in an awkward spot.

Lu Chuan glanced at his future mother-in-law and answered honestly, “Last night, Fang Yuan took charge and split up our family.”

Wang Cuixiang was a bit embarrassed—her daughter really was something. “What a thing for her to do.”

Then she laughed and said, “Son-in-law, what should I call you?” With that, she brushed off her daughter’s big move as if it were nothing.

Lu Chuan understood then: no matter how easygoing his mother-in-law seemed, she was still his wife’s mother.

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