The Butcher's Little Husband - Chapter 3

Knock knock knock…

Ah, it’s Father and Mother knocking on the door. They must be here to tell me about the marriage proposal. Should I act shy and say yes right away, or should I wait a little longer? Tian Xiaoman thinks shyly, his face flushed with embarrassment. His two delicate, white fingers fidget nervously.

“Xiaoman… Xiaoman, come out for a moment. Your father and I need to discuss something with you.”

Tian Xiaoman’s heart races. He moves to the door, opens it, and pokes his head out.

“Mother, what’s the matter?” he asks softly, though his eyes gleam with excitement.

“Someone just came to propose marriage. Your father and I think it’s a good idea, so we wanted to ask for your opinion.”

“I agree… uh, I mean, marriage is definitely decided by father and mother. I have no objections,” Tian Xiaoman says, trying to sound as though he is being mature, but the corners of his mouth betray him, turning upward. He thinks to himself, Hehehe, I’m about to become an official’s husband!

“Oh, my dear Xiaoman, I said you’re still very sensible. You don’t have any objections at all?” Mother Tian says with a sigh of relief, thinking that her son’s feelings for that scholar are just a momentary impulse, but at least he has accepted the proposal without hesitation.

“Xiaoman, don’t worry. Although Li’s family is from Willow Tree Slope, a little poorer than our Xingtian Village, they are still quite decent,” Tian Dali adds with a smile. He is pleased that his son’s marriage is nearly settled.

But Tian Xiaoman feels more and more confused. What was this about Li from Willow Tree Slope? Wasn’t it Zhang Bin who was supposed to come propose? His family lived in Xingtian Village!

“Father, mother, who are you talking about?” he asks, his voice filled with confusion.

“We’re talking about your marriage! Are you confused, child? Didn’t we just say someone came to propose marriage?” Mother Tian scolds gently.

“Is the person coming to propose… the one from Willow Tree Slope, Li?” Xiaoman’s face goes pale, and his eyes widen. “I won’t marry him!”

“But you just agreed! Why won’t you marry?”

Tian Xiaoman is flustered. “I thought… Anyway, I won’t marry him! Willow Tree Slope is so far away. Mother, can you really bear to send me away?”

Xiaoman quickly turns his gaze and starts to cry, but his mother is no easy target and immediately begins crying as well…

The argument in the stone courtyard lasts for a long time…

That night, Tian Xiaoman lies in bed, his eyes swollen from crying. His stomach growls with hunger. Just as he debates whether to sneak out for a midnight snack, he suddenly hears a knock at the courtyard door.

“Ah Fu, Ah Shou, why are you back so late?” Mother Tian opens the yard door and finds her eldest and second sons returning together.

“Mother, how could you not tell us about such a big event at home? If it weren’t for Uncle Tian Liu coming to the carpenter’s shop to order a barrel today, I wouldn’t have known!” Tian Shou, the second son, speaks up.

Tian Fu and Tian Shou are twin brothers, but they don’t look alike, making it easy to tell apart.

Earlier this year, the brothers followed their respective masters to the county town. The county, Anyang, falls under the jurisdiction of Pengcheng. Though small, it is a prosperous place, especially popular with merchants from Jiangsu and Zhejiang.

Tian Fu and Tian Shou attended school when they were younger, but neither of them is keen on studying. They can only recognize a few characters, and neither has any desire to go further.

Their father, Tian Dali, also went out when he was younger. He learned a few trades and, seeing his sons’ disinterest in reading, entrusted them to two of his brothers—Tian Dacheng, a chef at Yingkelai Restaurant in the county, and Anyi, a carpenter with his own woodworking shop.

The two brothers have been learning their trades for three or four years and are doing well. Although they can’t return home often, they always send money and snacks to their family. The money goes to Father and Mother, and the snacks are for their younger brother.

That morning, while Tian Shou is in the backyard working on a cabinet, a worker from the shop comes to tell him that someone from their village has arrived. When Tian Shou hears this, he realizes he hasn’t sent his wages back yet and decides to ask the worker to deliver them. But as soon as he leaves the shop, he hears that rumors about his younger brother are spreading around the village. Worried, he hurriedly asks for leave from his master and rushes home with his brother.

“This is what happened…” Mother Tian tells her two sons everything, including the marriage proposal.

Logically, since the two elder brothers aren’t engaged yet, it seems odd that the youngest should be proposed to so early. But with rumors spreading fast, they have to act before the situation escalates.

The two brothers clench their fists in anger, ready to confront Tian Xiu’er and Zhang xiucai’s families for wrongly accusing their little brother, the one they have always cherished.

“Don’t act rashly. This isn’t the important issue now. The real problem is that your younger brother only wants Zhang xiucai and refuses the marriage proposal. We need to find a way to change his mind!” Mother Tian is frantic.

Tian Xiaoman, meanwhile, is growing more anxious. He knows his brothers are back, but why is his mother talking to them for so long? He can’t wait any longer.

In Tian Xiaoman’s eyes, his brothers are the ones who love him most. Since childhood, he has always gotten what he wanted from them, as long as he acted cute. He is sure this time will be no different.

Finally, after his mother finishes talking and returns to her room, Tian Xiaoman quietly slips out and knocks on his eldest brother’s door.

“Big brother, are you asleep?” Tian Xiaoman bends over, lowering his voice to a whisper, looking like a thief.

“I knew you’d come to us!” Tian Fu opens the door and drags him in.

“Big brother, you’re the best!” Tian Xiaoman grins, overjoyed that his brother understands him.

“Big brother’s the best? What, second brother’s not good enough?” Tian Shou teases, pulling out a bag of white sugar cakes from his pocket and waving them in front of Tian Xiaoman like a tempting treat.

Tian Fu also hands Tian Xiaoman two roasted chicken legs wrapped in oil paper.

“Second Brother is the best too. You both are the best!” Xiaoman beams with happiness, his large almond-shaped eyes sparkling.

Xiaoman eagerly grabs the drumsticks, biting into them while talking. “I’m starving… Ugh, today! Father and Mother are so bad, they didn’t even call me for dinner!”

Didn’t they call you? You just didn’t want to come out! The two brothers think to themselves, but they quickly pour a glass of water for Xiaoman, worried he might choke.

After he finishes eating, Tian Xiaoman turns to them. “Big brother, second brother, you have to help me! Father and mother won’t let me go out, and they said Brother Zhang Bin’s family doesn’t like me. I want to go see him! He definitely won’t say that!”

“Don’t worry, we’ll help you. Now go back to bed and get some rest. Make sure you look your best tomorrow!” Tian Fu says, reassuring him.

Although Tian Xiaoman is surprised by his brothers’ quick agreement, he doesn’t think much of it. Instead, he feels loved and supported, and goes back to bed happily.

“Brother, do we really want to help him?” Tian Shou asks, his voice laced with worry. “What if something goes wrong?”

“Don’t worry,” Tian Fu assures him confidently. “I know Zhang Bin. He cares about face more than anything. With my little brother’s bad reputation now, Zhang Bin will definitely refuse him.”

Zhang Bin might fool those old women and young girls, but he would never do something that didn’t benefit him. Even if Zhang’s family agrees, he knows Zhang Bin will never marry his brother. This way, Xiaoman will likely give up hope.