Chapter 2: Accepting the Huo Family's Proposal

There was nothing wrong with the Huo family.

They were well-off, and there were few people in the household to complicate matters. As for Huo Shi’an, Su Wan had seen him only once, from a distance. He was tall, with clear eyes, and looked like an upright man. He was nothing like Xu Xiuzhi, whose gentle words concealed a venomous, selfish, and cold heart.

Nor was she afraid of Huo Shi’an dying young. She would make sure to conceive a child before anything happened to him. Then she would have a baby, money in hand, fields of her own, and no man hovering over her, telling her what to do.

What immortal would trade places with a young widow who had both money and leisure?

At the thought, Su Wan lifted her head and assumed a meek expression. “You and Father may decide, Mother. I’ll do as you wish.”

Madam Wang was delighted. Her smile stretched from ear to ear. “Good, good! My eldest girl is thoughtful and sensible, after all.”

Having gotten what she wanted, Su Xue let out a long breath. She wiped her face with a handkerchief and stole a glance at Su Wan, her eyes full of triumph and a contempt she made little effort to hide.

Fool. Go and spend your days as a widow. The fine life of a titled lady will be mine this time.

Su Wan ignored her sister’s smug expression and picked up the basket of food. “Mother, I’ll take Father and Elder Brother their breakfast.”

“Go on, then,” Madam Wang said. “Watch your step, and don’t spill the porridge.”

Outside the courtyard, morning dew had dampened the village dirt road, and a little mud clung to Su Wan’s soles as she headed for the paddies at the eastern end of the village.

By the edge of a field, her father, Su Dashan, and her elder brother, Su Qing, were bent over, blocking a water outlet. Their trousers were rolled up to their knees, and their calves were spattered with mud. Su Qing’s wife, Madam Li, was pulling weeds nearby.

“Father, Elder Brother, Sister-in-law, breakfast is here.”

Su Dashan straightened and rubbed his back. “Is your sister still making a fuss at home?”

Su Wan set the bowls along the field ridge. “She’s stopped.”

Su Qing picked up his porridge and took a mouthful. “That’s good. Once Xue gets going, even the chickens are afraid to make a sound.”

Madam Li glanced at Su Wan and lowered her voice. “And the marriage?”

Su Wan handed her a cornmeal bun. “Mother asked if I was willing, and I agreed.”

Madam Li’s hand paused. Su Qing looked at his sister. “You really want to?”

Su Wan smiled. “The Huos have a comfortable life. Why wouldn’t I?”

Her father was silent for a while. “Your mother wants what’s best for you. The Huos really are a good family. I’ve met Shi’an. He doesn’t talk much, but he works hard and has ambition.”

“I know,” Su Wan said with a nod.

Madam Li felt uneasy. There was a great deal of work to do at home, and delicate Su Xue never touched the heavy chores. Most of them fell to Su Wan.

Now the good match had somehow landed on her too. Yet however one looked at it, it sounded as though Su Xue had rejected the proposal and passed it on to her sister.

Afraid Su Wan might feel hurt, Madam Li waited until Su Dashan and Su Qing were eating with their heads down, then slipped half a cornmeal bun to her.

“You’ve been busy all morning. You can’t have eaten much. Take it.”

Su Wan’s heart softened as she looked at the half bun. “I’m not hungry, Sister-in-law.”

“Stubborn girl.” Madam Li pressed it into her hand. “You still have to feed the pigs and wash clothes when you get back. How will you have any strength on an empty stomach?”

Su Wan stopped refusing and took a small bite.

The coarse grain scraped her throat, but it warmed her more than the cold meals of her previous life.

After delivering the food, she did not hurry home. Tender water celery grew along the field ridge, and some villagers were already picking it. Su Wan crouched down and selected enough clean stalks to fill half her basket. Beside a ditch, she also found several plantain plants with thick leaves, perfect for drying and keeping for later use.

She shook the dirt from the leaves, making plans as she worked.

If the match with the Huos was settled, she would need a trousseau. The Sus were not wealthy, and however fond Madam Wang might be of her, she would not spend much. Su Wan would have to save more money herself.

She could let the water celery dry a little and dress it for the midday meal. The plantain could be dried and sold with other herbs at the apothecary on market day. It would not bring in much, perhaps a dozen or a few dozen copper coins, but she had saved a little over the years by selling herbs this way.

When she got home, Su Xue had washed her face and was sitting beside the main room eating a white-flour flatbread. Madam Wang had saved it especially for her, saying that all that crying had weakened her and she needed something good to eat.

Su Xue had been somewhat frail since birth. She was also sweet-tongued and pretty, so their parents had always favored her. On an ordinary day, the rest of the family could not hope to eat white-flour flatbread.

Su Wan tipped the water celery into a wooden basin and went to draw water from the well.

Catching sight of the wild greens in the basket, Su Xue curled her lip. “You’re going to marry into the Huo family. Why are you still picking grass? They won’t leave you hungry.”

Su Wan ladled water over the greens without looking up. “I’m still a Su until I marry. The pigs need feeding, and so do we. We save what we can.”

Su Xue sniffed. “You’re good at pretending to be hardworking.”

Su Wan poured out the muddy water and added fresh. “Hard work isn’t something you can pretend to do. Mother only has to look at our hands to see who has calluses.”

Su Xue flushed, turned, and went back to the west room. Madam Wang had heard them from the kitchen, but she did not speak up for her younger daughter.

At dusk, Su Wan blanched some of the water celery and dressed it with mashed garlic and salt. She spread the rest on a bamboo tray and set it against the base of the wall to dry, along with the plantain.

Madam Li tasted a bite as she served dinner, and her eyes lit up. “These wild greens are refreshing prepared this way.”

Su Wan smiled. “They’re tender in spring. In a few days they’ll be too old to taste good. If you have time tomorrow, Sister-in-law, we could pick more and dry them. They’ll make a meal when we have no vegetables.”

“All right,” Madam Li said. “Nothing in the kitchen garden has grown in yet, and we’re short of greens.”

After dinner, Madam Wang watched her eldest daughter bustling about. “Wan, I’ll send word to the Huos tomorrow. If they agree, we can take our time discussing the arrangements.”

“I’ll leave it to you, Mother.”

Inside the room, Su Xue heard them and could hardly suppress her smile.

When darkness fell, Su Wan returned to the west room. She had barely pushed open the door when she saw Su Xue sitting at the table, clutching something. At the sound, Su Xue hurriedly shoved it into a drawer and turned with a frown.

“Don’t you know how to knock?”

Su Wan glanced at her. “Do I have to knock to enter my own room?”

Su Xue had no answer. They had shared the room for more than a decade; there had never been any rule about knocking.

She pressed her lips together, then put on an affectionate expression and took Su Wan’s hand. “Sister, you must be so happy to marry into the Huo family.”

Su Wan let her hold her hand but said nothing.

Su Xue softened her voice. “I’ve given you such a good match. You must remember my kindness and help me out in the future.”

Su Wan slowly withdrew her hand. “How do you want me to help?”

Su Xue’s eyes darted about. “It’s nothing much. Once you marry into the Huo family and have money to spare, it won’t be hard to buy me a few nice clothes and give me some spending money, will it?”

Su Wan lay down on the bed. “The match isn’t even settled, and there’s no money in sight. You’re already thinking about how to spend it.”

Su Xue’s face stiffened. “Sister, how can you say that? If I hadn’t refused, how would a good match like this ever have come to you?”

Su Wan looked up at her. “So I should thank you?”

Missing the coolness in her voice, Su Xue straightened her back. “Of course. Don’t forget me when you’re living comfortably.”

“I’ll remember,” Su Wan said evenly. “What you gave me today was a match you didn’t want.”

Su Xue’s face changed color.

Su Wan continued, “If I have a good life, it will be because I made it for myself. And if yours turns out badly, don’t come blaming me for stealing your good fortune.”

Su Xue opened her mouth but could not find a reply for a long time.

Outside, Madam Wang called, “Xue, Wan, go to bed early! You have to be up at dawn!”

Su Wan answered her. Su Xue remained at the table, her fingers resting surreptitiously on the drawer.

Su Wan glanced over. A corner of paper protruded from the crack, its ink still wet. It looked like a letter addressed to someone.

Xu Xiuzhi was still studying in Xu Family Village.

Su Xue had certainly been quick.

Su Wan blew out the lamp, plunging the room into darkness. She closed her eyes, wondering what the Huos would say when Madam Wang sent someone to speak to them tomorrow. Would they agree?