The first family is surnamed Wang, residing in the same town and related to Li Cuimei’s maternal family. The prospective groom is the same age as Lin Cui’e and also studies in Shengcheng, sharing a classroom with Lin Wen. Their financial situation is modest, with three brothers in the family. The youngest son, who is close to Lin Wen, has visited the Lin household to play. The two elder brothers are already married: the eldest is a carpenter who once worked with Liulang in the same furniture shop—honest and hardworking—while the second brother has mild intellectual disabilities but is skilled at playing the suona. He is often invited to perform at weddings and funerals, earning enough to support his family.
The second family is surnamed Liu, based in Shengcheng and long-established merchants. Their financial standing matches the Lin family’s. The groom is the eldest legitimate son, a year younger than Lin Cui’e at fourteen, renowned as a child prodigy who has already earned scholarly honors. He has two younger half-brothers, and with his mother deceased, Lin Cui’e would become the household’s matriarch upon marriage.
The third family is surnamed Liang. The groom, now twenty, is orphaned and runs a private school. His uncle, the county magistrate, had his wife attend the competition to scout for a match. After inquiries, they deemed Lin Cui’e suitable and proposed.
The fourth family is surnamed Lan, a long-term tenant herb merchant at the Lin residence, familiar with Dalang. They had previously mentioned having a son of marriageable age for Lin Cui’e, but as multiple tenants made similar remarks, Dalang dismissed it as casual talk. After the competition, the family formally sent a matchmaker. Their conditions were comparable to the Lin family’s.
Lin Cui’e immediately rejected the Lan family—no matter how outstanding the son or how amiable the family, their home was too far from Liangping Town, and she refused to leave her sister-in-law. Lin Fang teased her, “Now you cling to my mother, but if your future husband becomes an official and must leave town, will you abandon him and your children to stay with her?” The aunt and niece bantered playfully.
The Wang family required no further inquiry, as they were already acquainted.
During Dalang’s time as a shopkeeper in Shengcheng, he had interacted with the Liu family, though not closely. This time, he personally went to Shengcheng and learned that Gao Linglong had married into this Liu family. Originally betrothed as the principal wife, Gao Linglong’s attempt to marry Dalang—by seeking Li Cuimei’s recognition and forcing her way into his home—led Li Qingyun to storm the Gao residence in fury, threatening to ruin the Gao family unless they dealt with her. Frightened, Old Man Gao pressured the Liu family to hasten the wedding. Upon learning of Gao Linglong’s actions, the Liu family demoted her to a concubine. Now, the Liu family’s fortunes were declining, with frequent additions of concubines. Despite the groom’s intelligence and capability, Dalang and his wife couldn’t bear to subject Lin Cui’e to such a household.
The Li family had longstanding connections with local officials, so Li Cuimei asked her natal family to investigate the Liang family in the county. A few days later, they reported: The Liang son’s sole property was his small school courtyard. Inflexible and proud, he had declared since childhood that he would never rely on his wife’s family, refusing to “live off a woman.” He rejected matches from wealthier families, while poorer families hesitated to marry their daughters to a man with no prospects. Thus, he remained unmarried at twenty. The magistrate’s wife, learning of Lin Cui’e’s close bond with her sister-in-law and Li Cuimei’s brother’s official position in the capital, saw potential benefits for her husband’s career and persuaded the reluctant Liang son to propose.
With three families dismissed, only the Wang family remained. For thoroughness, Dalang and his wife decided to wait until Lin Wen returned from two months of schooling to inquire about the Wang son’s character before finalizing Lin Cui’e’s marriage.
Frequent matchmaker visits irritated Lin Juan, who hid in the tailor’s workshop by day, ignoring Li Cuihong’s attempts to engage her. Seeing her granddaughter’s reluctance, Granny Tong told matchmakers that the girl was still young and to return in a few years. The matchmakers outwardly flattered but inwardly scoffed—twelve was hardly too young for marriage. Did the Lin family think no one was good enough? Little did they know better matches existed.
Granny Tong knew their thoughts but cared only for her granddaughter’s wishes.
One morning, Lin Fang rose early as usual, practicing the Five-Animal Exercises before needle-throwing. Her balance had improved—she stumbled less and no longer fell—but her needle skills lagged. Most days, she rarely hit the cork target, often stabbing her own legs with the blunt needles. For safety, Li Cuimei made her abrasive cloth shoes and pants, uncomfortable but protective.
“Ouch!” A cry followed Lin Fang’s throw. She turned to see Li Mingzhu, eight months pregnant, clutching her waist and belly. “Auntie Ten, are you unwell? Is the baby kicking like a ball?” Lin Fang joked.
Li Mingzhu laughed. “Your little brother objects to being hit by flying objects.” Lin Fang sheepishly retrieved the needle near Li Mingzhu’s feet, handing it to Xian’er behind her. The rogue needle had bullied the unborn child.
Li Cuimei, still home, hurried out, scolding, “You’re due soon—why risk coming yourself? Send someone else!” Leaning on Xiaoqin’s support, Li Mingzhu explained, “Father-in-law has worsening abdominal pain, difficulty passing stool, and blood. Dr. Wang’s medicine didn’t help. I suggested Auntie examine him, but he refused, and Mother-in-law accused me of trying to kill him. Today, his pain was severe. With Shilang away and no one willing to fetch a doctor—fearing blame—I came myself. I don’t know which clinic to choose, so I came to ask Third Sister’s advice.”
Lin Fang’s heart sank. Abdominal pain and bloody stool—could it be colon cancer? Though not a doctor, her oncology work had ingrained cancer associations. Early rectal cancer often shows no symptoms, progressing to altered bowel habits, bloody stool, tenesmus, constipation, or diarrhea. Advanced cases involve obstruction, weight loss, and invasion of nearby organs. While Lin Bosi’s symptoms matched, hemorrhoids or fissures could also cause them—it wasn’t definitive.
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