TSWPF -Chapter 130 Throwing a Tantrum

When Old Li returned home after finishing the work in the fields, he immediately sensed that something was off at home. He looked at Madam Liu, who wore a worried, sorrowful expression, and frowned. “What’s wrong?” he asked.

Madam Liu covered her eyes with her hands, and tears streamed down uncontrollably. She sobbed, “I’m… I’m sorry, Laifu…”

“What happened to Laifu?” Old Li’s heart skipped a beat. He looked around, but saw no sign of Li Laifu. “Where’s Laifu? Where did he go? Did something happen?”

He only had two sons. The younger one was already gone. If something happened to the eldest, how could he bear it?

A flurry of negative thoughts ran through Old Li’s mind. He shook his head nervously and turned his eyes back to Madam Liu. “Stop crying. What exactly happened? Tell me clearly.”

Madam Liu looked up at Old Li. Seeing his stern face, she dared not continue crying. She wiped her tears with her sleeve and choked out, “Old man… the Huang family from the next village said that if our family can’t come up with the silver, they’ll marry the Huang girl off to someone else. What are we going to do?”

As she spoke, she wiped the corners of her eyes and, just as the tears seemed to stop, they started flowing again.

So it was all about this! Old Li had thought something serious had happened. He glared at Madam Liu, sat down heavily in his chair, picked up his pipe, and took a long drag.

“Old man, say something!” Madam Liu urged after a moment, seeing that Old Li was just smoking and not reacting.

Old Li slowly exhaled a cloud of smoke, looked at Madam Liu, and said lightly, “If they want to marry her off, let them. What’s it got to do with us?” The Huang family had demanded thirty taels of silver for the betrothal, enough for him to marry off three daughters-in-law.

It was an outrageously high demand. Deep down, he had never really approved of this marriage.

Seeing Old Li speak so nonchalantly, Madam Liu widened her eyes. “Old man, what are you talking about? Don’t you know our son wants to marry that Huang girl? If she marries someone else, he’ll never marry in his life!” She burst into tears again. “Do you want your son to remain a bachelor forever?”

Though she was annoyed by the Huang family’s outrageous demand, she couldn’t deny that her son liked the Huang girl.

Who knew what spell he had fallen under, insisting on marrying her?

As his mother, she couldn’t bear to see him remain single forever. She had no choice but to compromise.

Old Li furrowed his brows tighter. He smoked in silence for a few more drags before speaking again. “A real man doesn’t lack a wife. Why stick so hard to that Huang girl?”

“And what good does it do to tell me this? Go talk to your son! If you can persuade him, then go ahead!”

Madam Liu acted as though she didn’t want to interfere, which gave Old Li a headache. “Where’s Laifu? Call him here! How can I reason with him if he’s not here?”

“He didn’t take it well when he heard the Huang family might marry their daughter off to someone else. He went to his room,” Madam Liu said, standing up from her chair. “I’ll call him out. You try talking to him; I can’t persuade him!”

With that, she strode toward Li Laifu’s room.

At the door, she called out several times. Li Laifu sluggishly opened the door, asking weakly, “What’s the matter, Madam Liu?”

She made a face and waved him out loudly: “You need to come! Hurry!”

Li Laifu raised an eyebrow at Madam Liu, lowered his head, and followed her to the main hall.

“Father, did you want me?”

Seeing Li Laifu’s listless state, Old Li’s eyes showed a flash of disappointment.

As the eldest son, Li Laifu was supposed to inherit the family’s affairs and take care of his parents. Old Li had high hopes for him.

From a young age, he had given his son everything, hoping he would achieve something in life.

But the son had not lived up to those expectations. He studied for years but didn’t even pass the civil service exams. Back on the farm, he couldn’t even work properly.

Who knew what he could do?

“Do you really have to marry that Huang girl?”

Li Laifu looked up at Old Li quickly, then lowered his eyes and said, “I want to marry her, but we have no betrothal silver. What can I do?” He let out a deep sigh, sank into a chair, and looked completely dejected.

Old Li squinted at him and took another drag of his pipe. “You’ve studied so much, and you still don’t get it? A real man doesn’t lack a wife. Why be fixated on that girl?”

Hearing Old Li’s formal words, Li Laifu pressed his lips together and said softly, “I’ve seen so many girls, and I only like her. If it weren’t for her, I wouldn’t want to marry anyone my whole life.” He was determined to marry Huang Meiniang. “Father, don’t try to persuade me. My mind is made up.”

Old Li gritted his teeth, irritated. He snorted coldly. “Then don’t marry. Remain a bachelor your whole life!”

For a girl, making yourself miserable—what kind of accomplishment is that?

Thinking of the younger son he had lost, Old Li felt a wave of melancholy.

If only he had stopped his wife back then, perhaps the younger son would still be alive.

But alas…

“You’re so heartless! You’d rather see your son remain a bachelor forever? Is that something to be proud of?” Madam Liu shouted, slapping her thigh. “I don’t care! Since our son likes the Huang girl, let him marry her!”

Hearing this, Li Laifu’s heart leapt with joy, but he didn’t dare show it. He clenched his fingers, trying to maintain his mournful appearance.

Old Li tapped the pipe on the table and said to Madam Liu, “The money’s in your hands. Give some silver to Laifu for the betrothal!”

Madam Liu’s face stiffened. Sheepishly, she said, “Where would we have that much money? If we did, I’d have arranged the betrothal long ago. There’s no way we could wait until now.” The money she held couldn’t be spent lightly.

“No money, then forget about the Huang girl,” Old Li said with iron resolve. “Their demand for so much silver shows their character isn’t exactly good. If we marry her in, it’ll be trouble, like your previous daughter-in-law.”

He was displeased the moment he heard the Huang family’s outrageous demand.

Li Laifu bit his lip hard before looking up at Old Li. “Father, the Huang girl can read and write. It’s understandable they want that much silver.” Seeing Old Li’s darkening face, he didn’t argue further. “Fine, we’ll do as you say. No marriage, then no marriage.”

He shook his head and sighed, turning to go back to his room.

But the moment his back was turned to Old Li, he signaled Madam Liu with his eyes.

Madam Liu understood immediately. She ran over, grabbed his hand, and started crying loudly, scolding Old Li as she wept.

No one knew how long she went on. Old Li’s head started to throb from the noise. He slammed the pipe on the table and shouted, “Enough! Stop crying!”

Startled by his shout, Madam Liu paused. Li Laifu quickly reached out to pinch her to stop her crying, but she continued.

“Laifu, your mother is sorry! I’m no good, no money to get you a wife, leaving you a bachelor for life. I’ve failed our ancestors!”

Old Li rubbed his temples, softening his tone. “Enough, stop crying. My head hurts. Tell me, how much silver is left? I’ll figure something out.”

They only had this one son. He, as the father, could never truly let him remain a bachelor.

Since his son loved that Huang girl so much, he had to go along with him.

Madam Liu and Li Laifu exchanged a glance, and then she spoke. “Old man, do you know about Xiaoling’s upcoming marriage?”

“Yes, I heard,” he replied. On his way back from the fields, villagers had congratulated him. He felt proud of his granddaughter.

Madam Liu sat beside Old Li and whispered, “Since we’re Xiaoling’s grandparents, shouldn’t her marriage expenses come from our family?” If Old Li agreed, the matter would be much easier.

No matter what, she would make him agree today.

Old Li thought for a moment. With the younger son’s wife gone and Li Qingling’s situation special, as her grandfather, he had a duty to handle it. “It’s best if she marries from our family.” This way, no one could gossip later.

Hearing this, Madam Liu’s eyes lit up. She pressed on, “Then the betrothal from the Liu family should come to us. We’ll help Xiaoling prepare her dowry.” She stared at Old Li, silently praying for his approval.

Old Li turned to look at her, studying her for a moment, and asked suspiciously, “Weren’t we talking about Laifu just now? How did this turn to Xiaoling?” He had been married to Madam Liu for decades; he knew her well. “Are you angling for Xiaoling’s betrothal money?”

If Madam Liu didn’t have this in mind, she wouldn’t have mentioned it out of nowhere.

Old Li’s eyes were sharp; he saw through her.

Madam Liu met his gaze and calmly nodded, speaking with full confidence, “Xiaoling is our granddaughter. It’s only right that we receive her betrothal. As her grandaunt, we must consider her uncle’s interests too, right?”

Which family doesn’t collect the betrothal for their daughters to give to their sons or grandsons?

“Are you crazy?” Old Li stared at Madam Liu in disbelief. That she could even say such things—she was truly crazy.