Hit a Wall

Liu Kai casually asked, "What is it?"

Zhang Cai smiled. "I'd better tell Mr. Liu in a little while."

Liu Kai smiled and nodded as well, then continued asking Zhang Cai about Liu Qian. Zhang Cai answered every question, while Zhang Xiaohua kept calling him "Brother Liu" and said many good things about Liu Qian, leaving Liu Kai beaming.

Liu Kai sat with Zhang Cai for a while. Seeing that it was getting late, he said, "Uncle, you and Xiaohua sit here a while longer. I don't know when my father will be done, so I need to go over and let my uncle know. We should still have lunch at his place."

Zhang Cai waved a hand. "No need to stand on ceremony, nephew. Anything simple will do."

Liu Kai rose to his feet. "That won't do. It wasn't easy for Uncle to make the trip here, so we must fulfill our duty as hosts. I remember Xiaohua loves braised pork. At noon today, I'll make sure you eat your fill."

Zhang Xiaohua stuck out his tongue. "Then, thank you, Brother Liu."

Liu Kai smiled. "You sweet-tongued little rascal." With that, he strode quickly out the door, leaving only Zhang Cai and Zhang Xiaohua waiting in the room.

The two drank tea as they waited. After another while, Mr. Liu still had not come out.

Then a booming voice came from outside the door. "Old Brother Zhang, you've finally come!"

Zhang Cai and Zhang Xiaohua both smiled. It had to be Liu the Butcher.

Zhang Cai and Zhang Xiaohua hurriedly got to their feet. They had barely reached the doorway when they ran into Liu the Butcher, who came striding toward them with a brisk thud, thud, thud. Liu the Butcher warmly seized Zhang Cai's hand. "Old Brother Zhang, I truly missed you after not seeing you for a few days. Your leg is all right now, isn't it? Hmm, judging by the way you look, it must be completely healed."

Zhang Cai smiled too. "Yes. Thanks to you, Brother Liu, my injuries have healed. This morning, I walked all the way here from Guo Village, and my leg did not hurt much at all."

Liu the Butcher said, "A good person will always be blessed. Old Brother Zhang is an honest man, so you'll surely be repaid with good fortune. By the way, how are your two sons' injuries?"

Zhang Cai said, "Xiaohu has fully recovered, and Xiaolong is almost there too."

Liu the Butcher said, "That's wonderful. Spring plowing is just around the corner, so there's no need to worry about the household now. Come, let's go inside and talk."

Only then did everyone return to the room and sit down again. They had just settled in, and Liu the Butcher had not even had time to take a sip of water, when Mr. Liu entered as well. Zhang Cai and Zhang Xiaohua hurriedly rose again and stepped forward to greet him. Mr. Liu returned the courtesy and invited them to sit. Apologetically, he said, "Old Brother Zhang, you've been here for quite some time, haven't you? I was painting, and failed to welcome you. How discourteous of me."

Zhang Cai quickly said, "It's all right. Brother Liu was occupied with proper business; we could simply wait in the room. Besides, Liu Kai was here, keeping us company. He only just stepped out. Have you finished your painting, Brother Liu?"

Mr. Liu glanced at Liu the Butcher. "Not quite. This fellow's booming voice interrupted my train of thought. I'll continue this afternoon."

Liu the Butcher said innocently, "How was I supposed to know you were painting? Besides, I was born with this booming voice. If I hadn't called out and woken you, you'd have left Old Brother Zhang sitting here even longer."

Mr. Liu said, "You always have a reason. I won't talk about you anymore."

Then he said to Zhang Cai, "I have the same bad habit. Whenever I write or paint, I forget everything around me. It has been this way for years, and I can't change it. Come, have some tea."

As he spoke, he lifted his own teacup and took a sip. Then he said regretfully, "This tea is far inferior to the tea at Old Brother Zhang's home. I truly miss the tea I drank last time."

Zhang Cai smiled. "Then Brother Liu should visit Guo Village more often. Or you could simply move there and live with us—you could drink it every day."

Mr. Liu smiled. "Many things are easy to say but hard to do."

After chatting idly for a while and asking after one another's circumstances, Mr. Liu finally asked, "Old Brother Zhang, did you come to Baligou this time for some matter?"

Zhang Cai said, "Brother Liu, I did indeed come this time because there is something very important I want to discuss with you."

Mr. Liu nodded. "Old Brother, let's hear it."

Zhang Cai continued, "Qianqian has stayed with our family for such a long time, and everyone in our family likes her very much. Moreover, my eldest son, Zhang Xiaolong, and she are in love with each other. I came this time to discuss whether our two families might become united through marriage."

After Zhang Cai finished speaking, he stared at Mr. Liu, hoping to see a smile or delight on his face.

But he did not see the expression he had hoped for. Instead, Mr. Liu was visibly taken aback, then furrowed his brows tightly. It seemed—seemed—that he intended to refuse. Liu the Butcher, who had always been quick and blunt with his words, did not interrupt this time. His gaze shifted from Zhang Cai to Mr. Liu, then from Mr. Liu back to Zhang Cai, carrying a meaning that was hard to fathom. After a while, Mr. Liu spoke. "Old Brother Zhang, you are a straightforward man, so I will speak plainly as well. Let us lay everything out in the open, without hiding anything. What do you say?"

Naturally, Zhang Cai agreed.

Mr. Liu continued, "Before Qianqian's mother passed away, her only wish was for me to find Qianqian a good husband. Over the years, no few people have come to our home to propose, but I never agreed. First, Qianqian was not satisfied with them; second, I did not feel they could bring her happiness. Besides, I know Qianqian has loved reading since she was young. Her lifelong wish has been to find a husband of profound learning. I know Xiaolong is a good child, and I have no worries about his character, but he does not seem to know much writing, does he? If he and Qianqian are together in the future, I fear their interests will not align. Furthermore, Qianqian has never done farm work since she was little. Household matters and needlework are naturally no problem for her, but if she is to live with Xiaolong in the future, she will not be capable of farm work. And Qianqian and Xiaolong have only known each other for a little over a month. How could they have fallen in love so quickly? Qianqian may feel favorably toward Xiaolong, and that is normal. After all, Xiaolong once saved her. But if she is to marry him over nothing more than that bit of affection, would that not be far too frivolous?"

After hearing this, Zhang Cai's expression became somewhat awkward. He had thought, based on his past dealings with Mr. Liu, that he was an easy man to talk to. And seeing how much Mr. Liu seemed to appreciate Xiaolong, Zhang Cai had assumed that since Liu Qian had already agreed, there would surely be no problem on Mr. Liu's side. But Zhang Cai had been wrong. Mr. Liu's appreciation was merely the admiration of a passionate man for someone who worked the fields in the countryside; he was not viewing Xiaolong through the eyes of a prospective father-in-law. Moreover, Zhang Xiaolong and Liu Qian had always lived in different worlds. Though both lived in the countryside, one studied while the other farmed. They truly had no common language, and their future lives would inevitably be divided by barriers. To Zhang Cai, who wished to take a wife for his son, all this seemed only natural. But to Mr. Liu, who was to marry his daughter off, every detail demanded careful consideration.

Zhang Xiaohua was stunned as well. He too had not expected the kindly-looking Mr. Liu to refuse. Yet he did not know what to say, and could only look at his father, hoping his father could persuade Mr. Liu.

Zhang Cai said, "Mr. Liu worries too much. In marriage, the first thing is mutual affection. Since Xiaolong and Qianqian are both willing, they will surely live well together. As for what Brother Liu said about their having no common topics, I think Qianqian can teach Xiaolong to read more in the future. Little by little, won't they cultivate that? And as for farm work, if Qianqian cannot do work in the fields, naturally we will not make her do it. Our family has four strong laborers. We certainly will not wrong Qianqian by sending her into the fields to work."

Mr. Liu sighed. "Did I not just say that some things are easy to say but hard to do? Besides, Liu Kai has not yet been betrothed or married. It would not be proper for Liu Qian, as his younger sister, to be betrothed first."

Zhang Cai had forgotten that point as well. Indeed, Agriculturalists always followed the custom of elder brother before younger sister. With the elder brother's marriage not yet settled, the younger sister naturally had no standing to consider hers. Zhang Cai had nothing more to say.

Just then, Liu Kai returned. Not noticing the awkward atmosphere in the room, he said to Mr. Liu and Liu the Butcher, "Father, Second Uncle, the food over there is all ready. Please invite Uncle Zhang and Xiaohua over for lunch."

Mr. Liu looked at Zhang Cai and smiled. "Old Brother Zhang, let's go. Put this matter aside for now. You and I should both think it over some more. Let's eat first."

Liu the Butcher also took Zhang Xiaohua's hand. "Come on, no more talking business. Eating is what matters most. Xiaohua, don't you want braised pork?"

Naturally, the food and wine at Liu the Butcher's house were more lavish than at Zhang Cai's, but Zhang Cai had little appetite. Facing the warm hospitality of Mr. Liu and Liu the Butcher, he did not eat much. Only Zhang Xiaohua ate the most. First, he was still growing, and his appetite had always been good. Second, in his eyes, his eldest brother and Sister Qianqian were a perfect match; they would surely be happy living together. He firmly believed this marriage would succeed. Thus, Mr. Liu's refusal had only depressed him briefly, and he had long since cast it aside. Unlike his father, he had no worries weighing on him. Before a table full of food, he naturally opened his jaws wide and ate with abandon. Seeing how heartily he ate, Liu the Butcher's wife and Liu Yueyue both laughed until flowers bloomed on their faces, constantly placing tasty dishes into his bowl and urging him to eat more.

Though Zhang Cai had no appetite, seeing his son eat so happily lifted his spirits a little. Mr. Liu chatted with him from time to time, while Liu the Butcher frequently raised his cup to him. Liu Kai had already privately asked his father what was wrong and learned why Zhang Cai was unhappy, so he did not speak much at the table and simply ate.

The meal ended quickly. After resting briefly at Liu the Butcher's house, Zhang Cai took Zhang Xiaohua to bid everyone farewell. Mr. Liu wanted to keep them a while longer at his home, but seeing that the sky was already late and that they still had a long road to walk, he did not insist. The group escorted Zhang Cai and Zhang Xiaohua to the village entrance before turning back.

By then, everyone in Liu the Butcher's household knew why the Zhang family had come. Liu Yueyue said to Mr. Liu, "Eldest Uncle, Uncle Zhang was right. My sister really does like Zhang Xiaolong. When I went there last time, she even mentioned him."

Mr. Liu sighed. "A grown daughter cannot be kept at home, but living a life together cannot be settled by emotions alone."