The summer vacation four years later.
The Song father and son came to the Li family in Kushan Mountain, this time bringing many precious gifts with the purpose of proposing marriage for Song Yinyu.
The object of the proposal was, of course, Li Sixuan.
Fourteen-year-old Li Sixuan had grown into a graceful and stunning beauty, usually covering herself with a sun hat and sunglasses when she went out.
During these four years, Li Sixuan attended a school in the specialty sports team and only returned home during winter and summer breaks to accompany her mother.
After Han Lushi told Song Shaoqing that his daughter was not fond of Song Yinyu, Song Yinyu came every holiday.
Despite the disdain and cold reception from the Li family, he pursued Li Sixuan with all his might.
Li Sixuan, being young and in the nascent stage of romantic feelings, was somewhat moved by Song Yinyu's persistent efforts.
Song Yinyu intended to secure the engagement first, let her get accustomed to the status of his fiancée, and then transform her感动 into love.
The Song father and son's proposal was not kept secret, and almost all the villagers in Kushan Mountain knew about it, which displeased Li mother.
Li mother had always been helpless against the persistent nature of the Song father and son, and what was worse, her younger son and daughter-in-law were away in the mountains.
A Guang's health had been poor all these years, but he never mentioned it. He didn't have much will to live in the first place; if it weren't for guarding the graves of Master Xiao and his foster father, he would have long departed with them.
Every time Tian Jing visited him, he would conceal his condition well, until the last two years when he could no longer hide it, and Tian Jing finally discovered the truth.
Tian Jing sent him Renshen Gubenyu pills, which he took, but his body was already at its limit, and nothing could help.
He refused to be hospitalized, saying he didn't want to suffer in his final days. He would wait in the valley for his foster father to fetch him, only asking Miss Tian to bury him between his foster father and Master Xiao, so he could continue to serve them in the afterlife.
Therefore, Tian Jing and her husband had been accompanying him in the valley recently.
Ouyang Meihua and Li Min heard the news and rushed back to the courtyard house.
Ouyang Meihua unceremoniously threw the Song father and son and their gifts out:
"My sister-in-law and brother-in-law are not home. We'll discuss it when they return. You should leave quickly."
Song Yinyu shouted to Li Sixuan in the second courtyard, "Xuanxuan, I know you can make your own decisions. As long as you agree, we will be engaged. Feelings can be cultivated slowly."
Li Sixuan took a step back. She had only made a passing remark out of momentary emotion, and it had led to such a situation. Her grandmother would be angry.
Li Sixuan's retreat made Song Yinyu anxious. "Xuanxuan, didn't you say that my temper is better than Xingyang's and Junhu's? Didn't you say I was the best candidate for a husband?"
It was just a casual remark. Because Mai Xingyang and Jiang Junhu often got into altercations in front of her, she found it annoying. In front of the polite Song Yinyu, she had complained and made a passing remark.
She never expected Song Yinyu to propose marriage. She was only 14 years old.
Li Sixuan shook her head. "I was just making a casual remark. I won't date anyone before I'm 20, and I won't get married before I'm 25. Engagement is also out of the question. Don't delude yourself."
Was he deluding himself?
Song Yinyu stumbled back a step.
Li Sixuan knew her words were too harsh. She raised her foot to explain, but upon seeing the person behind Song Yinyu, she lowered her foot.
"Brother Yu."
Zhou Yufei, a delicate young lady, ran over breathlessly.
"Brother Yu, I heard you were going to get engaged to Sister Xuanxuan?"
Song Yinyu turned, his face etched with despair. "Yufei, your Sister Xuanxuan did not agree."
"Why?"
Zhou Yufei asked Li Sixuan, "Brother Yu is so good, why don't you agree?"
Li Sixuan was speechless.
This was the situation. Despite being annoyed by Mai Xingyang and Jiang Junhu these past four years, she was even less willing to accept Song Yinyu.
It was because behind Song Yinyu stood Zhou Yufei, and behind Zhou Yufei stood Zhou Yulin.
Song Shaoqing frowned. He had always known about Zhou Yufei's mentality and character. He hadn't expected his son to be so indecisive. In such circumstances, it was impossible for the Li family to agree to the marriage. "Yinyu, let's go back first."
"No!"
Song Yinyu shook his head. "I want to wait here for Grandpa Li and Grandma Tian to return."
"Song Yinyu!"
Song Shaoqing reprimanded, "Go back with me!"
Seeing his father's displeased expression, Song Yinyu had no choice but to obey.
The Song father and son left with their gifts. Zhou Yufei entered the courtyard house. "Sister Xuanxuan, why didn't you agree?"
"Yufei!"
"Yufei!"
Ouyang Meihua and Li mother shouted at Zhou Yufei in unison.
Zhou Yufei's eyes immediately welled up with tears. "Great-grandma, Grandma, did I say something wrong?"
Looking at the pitiful Zhou Yufei, Li mother could not speak.
Ouyang Meihua's brows furrowed into a deep line. Her granddaughter was becoming more and more of an actress.
"Yufei, you are a young lady, how can you talk about such things? Xuanxuan is still young, it's not appropriate to talk about marriage at this age. You should go home."
"But..."
Zhou Yufei bit her lower lip. "If Sister Xuanxuan hadn't given Brother Yu any hint, would Brother Yu have come to propose?"
"Everyone in Kushan Mountain knows. If they leave like this, won't it be embarrassing? If Brother Yu wasn't so sure, he wouldn't have publicized it."
"Yufei!"
Ouyang Meihua reached out and pulled Zhou Yufei. "I'll escort you home."
Zhou Yufei stumbled out of the courtyard house, pulled by Ouyang Meihua. As soon as she stepped out of the gate, she saw Zhou Yulin and Mother Zhou.
Zhou Yufei's eyes filled with tears. "Grandma, Big Brother."
Looking at the displeasure on her in-laws' faces, Ouyang Meihua wished she could slap herself. Why had her hands been so clumsy?
Zhou Yulin strode up the steps. "Little sister, are you alright?"
Ouyang Meihua sighed. No wonder Xiao Mai hadn't noticed. This brother and sister were too cunning. "Yulin, are you implying that I hit your sister?"
Zhou Yulin shook his head. "Grandma misunderstands. I was just asking casually."
Ouyang Meihua let go. "Tell your sister to stop meddling. A thirteen-year-old girl worrying about other people's marriages sounds improper."
With that, Ouyang Meihua turned and entered the courtyard house, slamming the door shut.
Inside the courtyard house, Li Min kept complaining to Li mother. "I told you long ago to let Xiao Mai know what kind of person Yufei is. You insisted she was too young. Is this young? She's small but has a lot of schemes!"
"Enough!"
Li mother said impatiently. "Stop bothering me. I don't know how Xiao Mai and Cheng Bin's genes mutated to have two such calculating children."
"Hmph!"
Li Min snorted heavily. Seeing her elder sister-in-law enter, she asked, "Got played again?"
"Yes."
Ouyang Meihua nodded. "I slammed the door. Who cares? No one owes them anything."
"No."
Li mother picked up the landline. "I'll call Lili and ask her to contact Lu Shi. This is like inviting a wolf into the house."
Li Weili was also very angry when she heard that the Song family had come to propose marriage directly. "Grandma, I'll contact Brother Lu right away. Don't worry."
After hanging up the phone, Li Weili sent a text message to Han Lushi. She didn't get a reply and was so anxious she stomped her feet. "What time is it? Still on a mission?"