Traveling Through Those Years Of Farming (Quick Transmigration) - Chapter 31

“Mom, I want to see him. Is it okay for me to meet him just once?” Lu Xiuyu compromises.

She really can’t accept the idea of an arranged marriage. But after living in this world for so many years, she has integrated into her surroundings and understands the criticism she would face if she remains single for life.

It isn’t just about her being able to handle the judgment from others; it’s about the reputation of her entire family.

She isn’t so selfish. After seven years with her original family, she has formed a strong bond with them. Before making any decisions, she needs to consider how it will affect others.

“How can an unmarried girl take the initiative to ask to meet a man?” Jiang Bai’e still can’t understand her daughter’s thinking. Does she really believe her parents would harm her? Does she not trust her mother?

“Don’t make it too obvious. Just let Baojin and Baoyin find out where he is and arrange for the eldest girl to meet him,” Lu Miao speaks up.

It seems the eldest daughter-in-law is truly satisfied with this potential son-in-law. After all, she is the eldest girl’s biological mother, and it isn’t easy for her to interfere too much in her daughter’s marriage.

Thinking about it further, those previous thoughts are just her speculations and might not be true. What if the other party doesn’t have those little concerns at all? There is no such thing as a perfect match; the next person who comes to propose might not be better than this one.

Since the eldest girl’s attitude has softened, why not let them meet? If she really doesn’t like him, they can’t force her into the bridal sedan.

“As her father, you should ask around more. Don’t you often go to that village to collect pigs? Inquire about their family situation, the couple’s personalities, and whether the brother and sister-in-law are easy to get along with.”

Lu Jiafeng nods. He knows he needs to pay attention to his daughter’s marriage.

Lu Miao arranges everything, sighs inwardly, and then looks at Lu Baobao and Yuan Ge’er, who are sitting diagonally across from her.

It seems Lu Baobao is the luckiest among the three girls.

The eldest girl has too many ideas, and Lu Miao worries about whether she will find a suitable partner in the future.

******

“Sister, do you really want to meet that person?”

After breakfast, Tang Dingyuan heads back. He doesn’t take a long leave since the competition at Tianxia Academy is fierce, and he doesn’t want to fall too far behind.

Lu Baobao follows her eldest cousin like a little tail, munching on a cucumber she has just started to eat.

Crunch, crunch. “I think that person isn’t good,” she says slowly after taking a few bites.

“Why do you think he’s not good?” Lu Xiuyu is busy preparing the ingredients for the day, waiting for the women who help her to arrive.

“From what grandpa and uncle say, that person’s mother spoils him a lot. I’m worried that no matter who marries him, his mother won’t be satisfied.” Lu Baobao swallows the cucumber in her mouth.

If even their grandfather, who is so open-minded and generous, can be angered by that woman, it shows clearly that her temperament isn’t friendly.

Lu Baobao hesitates for a long time before finally asking, “Sister, do you want to get married?”

Many people in modern days, especially women, choose not to marry. Lu Baobao isn’t sure if her eldest cousin is one of them. If Lu Xiuyu doesn’t even accept the relatively free marriage customs of modern times, she certainly won’t accept an arranged marriage in ancient times.

“What if I say I don’t want to?” Lu Xiuyu stops what she is doing and asks her sister seriously.

“Then I’ll support you!” Lu Baobao blurts out. She feels much luckier than her sisters at home, as she has a fiancé who grew up with her and knows her well.

Xiao Yuan is really a good boy—filial, sincere, and smart. Lu Baobao hasn’t found any major flaws in him. Maybe it is his kindness or simply his nature, but she feels a respect from him that is rare for men in this era.

She doesn’t feel awkward around Xiao Yuan; instead, she feels comfortable.

Of course, the most important thing is that Xiao Yuan is handsome, and the more he grows, the more he captures her heart.

Lu Baobao covers her face, thinking that if Xiao Yuan were to debut as an idol in modern times, he would definitely be her crush.

As for why she doesn’t say he is her destined partner, it might be because she is a woman with a big heart.

(Translator’s Notes: Able to accommodate other idols, or at least that’s what I think she means. This section isn’t very clear to me.)

Lu Baobao thinks that if she truly wants to marry someone in ancient times, she would be willing to do so as long as Tang Dingyuan doesn’t object.

“But I said that I will raise you, and in the end, I might end up being raised by you,” Lu Baobao shyly rubs her little cheeks.

Her elder sister is so wealthy that she doesn’t deserve to support her. Perhaps, in the end, it will be her elder sister who ends up spending money on her. How can she have the face to say she will support her cousin?

“Hahaha.” Lu Xiuyu chuckles and rubs Lu Baobao’s head. As for the question that Lu Baobao asked just now, she still does not answer it in the end.

She thinks she will probably still choose to get married. Since she doesn’t have the ability to resist the rules of this era, she can only choose to adapt.

Lu Xiuyu narrows her eyes, deep in thought.

It is just getting married, after all. At most, it will be like taking care of a few pampered guests. Of course, this is assuming the other party is sufficiently well-behaved; otherwise, she can still manage the loss of a husband without anyone knowing.

******

That night, Tang Dingyuan finishes reviewing all his lessons and begins to think about the content of his storybook at his desk.

“Chi Chi Chi——”

Across from him, his roommate is deeply engrossed in reading a new storybook.

Tang Dingyuan stuffs two balls of cotton into his ears, not wanting to be disturbed.

The plot of a storybook is far more important than its writing style, and controlling the story’s rhythm is key. Since he has a roommate who loves storybooks, Tang Dingyuan has read many bestsellers and gained a general understanding of the types of stories that appeal to the widest audience.

The most popular stories among men are, naturally, those with erotic plots. These require not only mature writing skills but also sufficient experience. Right now, Tang Dingyuan can’t write outstanding erotic books, nor does he want to.

The second most popular stories for both men and women are likely those featuring a talented scholar and a beautiful woman. However, these often feel like recycled plots with no unique qualities. As a newcomer, Tang Dingyuan needs to think of some interesting stories to attract readers willing to spend money on his work.

After thinking for a long time, he suddenly finds inspiration.

The protagonist of the story suffers a downfall after both of his parents die unexpectedly. When he finds himself in dire straits, he remembers a marriage agreement made by his parents during his childhood, and so he brings a token to the family of his fiancée.

The story is set against the backdrop of a power struggle in the martial arts world, where both families were once prominent. The protagonist, however, is a failure who has not learned the martial arts passed down through his family. With his family’s decline, his fiancée’s family naturally looks down on him as a loser.

At his lowest point, his fiancée shatters the engagement token in front of the entire clan and renounces their marriage. The other families, who admire the fiancée, scorn him for being a toad trying to eat swan meat. After humiliating him, they break his hands and feet and throw him off a cliff to silence him.

It’s truly a miserable fate. As Tang Dingyuan conceives these plots, he feels a pang of sympathy. Like the protagonist, he too has lost his parents, but he considers himself far luckier.

According to the story’s rhythm, the boy is not destined to die. Instead, after falling off the cliff, he not only survives but discovers a hidden place where he finds the remains of a legendary martial artist from a hundred years ago, along with the martial arts secrets and magical weapons the master left behind.

…

The more he thinks about it, the more excited Tang Dingyuan becomes. Such an exciting storyline makes this author’s blood boil with enthusiasm.

Lu Baobao doesn’t know that, without any prompts from herself or her cousin, Tang Dingyuan has spontaneously created a new genre of “breaking off engagements and slapping faces,” and he is doing it quite impressively.

With the general plot conceived, Tang Dingyuan glances at the two pages filled with the main storyline and begins to worry about the protagonist’s name.

Xiongba? It sounds heroic and domineering, but it feels clichéd. There are too many similar names in martial arts backgrounds.

Aotian? Proud of the world, but unfortunately, it contains the character “tian,” which could be considered taboo, and he doesn’t want to invite unnecessary trouble.

Qiu Bai, Wu Di…

Tang Dingyuan thinks of many names, discarding several as he wastes paper without deciding on a suitable one.

It seems that only one name is truly fitting.

After a long silence, Tang Dingyuan’s eyes brighten as he writes three large characters on the paper—Lu Dingyuan.

There really is no better name. Imagining how many people will admire and envy the protagonist in the future, he feels a surge of excitement from his heels to the back of his head, causing his hand to tremble as he writes.

Of course, Tang Dingyuan’s expression remains very serious. His roommate glances over at him while reading, mistakenly thinking he is seriously practicing his writing. The roommate turns over, facing away from Tang Dingyuan, trying hard not to make any noise that might disturb his study.

It is another day of being impressed by his academically gifted roommate.