Chapter 61

Even after being persuaded by several relatives, including her sister who was already married to someone else, Sha Yang's sister couldn't hold back and came over to advise, "Father, mother, why don't we just accept this? With such a willing young guy delivered to our doorstep, do you still think you can't handle him?"

Sha Yang's mother glared at her angrily, "Do you have a say in this? When you came back for your brother's wedding, you only brought thirty coins as a gift! You're such an ungrateful thing; don't think that just because you're married, I won't take care of you! If it happens again, and you get beaten up by your husband, don't come begging for our help!"

Sha's third sister blushed and didn't dare say anything more. She quickly covered her face and ran away.

Although Sha Yang's mother appeared strong in front of her third daughter, she was also troubled. Seeing that no one was around, she looked distressed and said, "Husband, what should we do about this?"

Feng Ge was too ruthless; he even hanged himself while wearing the wedding clothes from when he married Sha Yang. Not only were their relatives scared, but they also worried about the well-being of their only son.

Sha Yang's father sighed, "Let it be, as Third daughter said, once he's married, we can handle him."

"But what about Ah Yang…"

Sha Yang's father and mother had a brief discussion and hurriedly left. Behind a pile of objects, Feng Ge watched their retreating figures with a contemptuous expression.

He knew this move would work! Moreover, even if Sha Yang's parents tried to "handle him," he wasn't afraid. If he dared to hang himself once, he would dare to do it a second time!

(T/N: This guy clearly doesn't know about the boy who cried wolf…)

The news of Feng Ge's hanging spread throughout the village on the second day.

Li Man Cang and Wu Gui Hua were originally worried, but seeing Feng Ge trailing behind Sha's family with full vigor, their concerns diminished…

After all, the three of them had spent a night sleeping in the haystack, and even Li Chang Sheng, who was young and strong, looked tired, let alone the two older ones. On the contrary, Feng Ge looked neat and tidy, wearing the same red clothes, and his expression appeared somewhat relaxed and content.

"Father, mother, big brother!" He leaned in when no one was paying attention and whispered to them, "Don't worry; after what happened last night, Third Uncle won't dare to do anything to you!"

Li Chang Sheng's gaze was complex, "Feng Ge, did you…do all this for me and father and mother?"

Feng Ge confidently nodded, and then skillfully tried to comfort them with kind words. However, after the previous instigation, Li Man Cang and Wu Gui Hua were somewhat skeptical, except for Li Chang Sheng, who was easy to deceive.

No matter how they looked at it, they knew that Feng Ge's main purpose wasn't for them but for himself. The resentful and patient expression from Sha Yang's family indicated that Feng Ge had probably achieved his goal.

Apart from Sha's family, there was another group of people who couldn't be happy—the Li family, who hadn't yet offered the five marriage gifts! Feng Ge didn't want to be a "gift-giver" and even dared to hang himself. How could those with the surname Li show their faces?

Li Man Cang's family didn't have any unmarried girls or boys, but the others still did!

Li San Ye was also in a difficult position. Originally, he planned to let the elders in the family decide and kick Li Man Cang's family out of the village. However, Feng Ge's drastic move not only scared Sha's family but also frightened Li San Ye's family. If they didn't drive them out, the compensation they owed would be unavoidable. Thus, it was necessary to open the Li family's ancestral hall.

When Cheng Duo brought Yong Ge over and heard about Feng Ge's stunt, they exchanged glances.

Cheng Duo had left so decisively yesterday because he was confident that Li San Ye wouldn't tolerate Li Man Cang's family any longer. However, he didn't expect Li Chang Feng to be so ruthless!

But upon further thought, Cheng Duo understood. If Li Chang Feng really wanted to die, why didn't he hang himself on a tree at the village entrance? Why did he have to hang himself in the courtyard of Sha's family, where there were so many people?

After all these twists and turns, perhaps Feng Ge would actually get his wish… Cheng Duo observed the expressions of Sha's family members and had a clear understanding in his heart.

"Yong Ge," Sha Yang saw Yong Ge standing beside Cheng Duo and couldn't help calling out. He felt so wronged, the brother he wanted to marry didn't come, and the one he didn't want to marry forced himself on him to the point of death… He was just a little anxious and used the wrong method. Why couldn't Yong Ge understand his heart?

Yong Ge felt a shiver from being stared at by Sha Yang, and he quickly moved closer to Cheng Duo.

Sha Yang had always liked to talk to himself, and now he didn't know what he was thinking when he called him. If Cheng Duo were a petty person, Sha Yang's clingy behavior might annoy him to death. Yong Ge couldn't believe that someone as grown-up as Sha Yang didn't even understand basic avoidance!

"Don't mind him," Cheng Duo comforted with a sentence.

Then he squinted his eyes and warned Sha Yang, staring at him until the other person shrank back and avoided his gaze. Slowly, Cheng Duo withdrew his gaze.

Yong Ge felt a sweet warmth in his heart. He had been standing shoulder to shoulder with Cheng Duo, and when he had shifted earlier, he had almost bumped into him. Now, with Cheng Duo standing up for him, he couldn't help but discreetly grab onto Cheng Duo's sleeve, using the hem of his clothing as a cover.

Cheng Duo had initially turned his head to listen to Uncle Li's words, but he felt the slight pull on his sleeve. He lowered his head to see Yong Ge's slightly red ears and his pretended serious expression. Amused, he wanted to give him a kiss.

(T/N: This translator wanted to translate that scene…)

"What's… what's wrong?" Yong Ge innocently looked at Cheng Duo, trying to maintain composure. "Don't keep looking at me; concentrate on listening to Uncle Li."

Cheng Duo's dark eyes carried a smile. "You're touching me; how can I concentrate?"

The two of them had slept together in a bed last night. Cheng Duo had already been in a bad mood in the morning, but now, with his wife flirting with him in front of everyone, he couldn't take it!

Yong Ge blushed and quickly turned his head. "I didn't touch you! Well, I won't pull your sleeve then…"

"No, you can't stop now; people will notice," Cheng Duo quickly stopped him, then blinked at him playfully. Yong Ge blushed even more and quickly turned his head away.

Cheng Duo chuckled softly, and Yong Ge also bit his lips slightly.

In fact, their interaction was noticed by Aunt Qian, Yu Ge, Shanzi, and others behind them, but Aunt Qian kindly shielded them from the prying eyes.

Yu Ge looked on with envy; he never expected that two people could get along like this! Yesterday, Cheng Duo personally fetched water to help Yong Ge wash his hands and face. He defended him in every way possible. Yu Ge thought that was already the limit. However, seeing how they interacted privately, it seemed like they were even closer than one person…

Shanzi, on the other hand, had a contemplative expression on his face. Though he was only eleven years old, some boys in the village got married at the age of fifteen. His family wasn't well-off, but maybe he could learn something from brother Cheng.

(T/N: Ah… we all would like a side story of how Shanzi grew up learning all these tricks from Cheng Duo.)

While everyone had their own thoughts, Wu Guihua had already started wailing. Uncle Li asked her to return the betrothal gifts to the Hong family and compensate them for the expenses of the wedding banquet, which alone amounted to eight taels of silver.

Their family had already spent six taels on the Hong family's betrothal gifts, leaving them with a deficit of fourteen taels. What made it even harder to accept was that Cheng Duo had also asked for two mu of land from their family on behalf of Yong Ge!

"Why should we return it? Yong Ge couldn't even marry into the Hong family!"

"You drugged their son and sold him; you still have the nerve to argue? If you don't agree, we'll report it to the authorities. We don't want the two mu of land either. We'll watch you suffer the consequences and consider it getting revenge for Yong Ge!" Cheng Duo looked at Wu Guihua and then at Li Chang Feng, sneering, "Don't think you can threaten me with hanging yourself in front of my house. I can knock that courtyard down and rebuild it anytime… Besides, I'm not afraid of ghosts!"

Indeed, you're much scarier than any ghost!

Those who witnessed Cheng Duo's actions couldn't help but mutter from the bottom of their hearts, saying that ghosts fear evil people, and Cheng Duo was probably fearless indeed.

Before Wu Guihua could react, Li Man Cang remembered what had happened more than two months ago in the county town. Cheng Duo was too formidable; even the scholar and constable gave him face. If he was willing to spend some money, they would never be able to leave the county yamen! Li Man Cang had seen exiled and executed criminals, and just thinking about the scene made him shudder. Instead of confronting Cheng Duo, he would rather give up the remaining fields.

"Don't… don't report it to the authorities. We'll give the two mu of land!" Li Man Cang lowered his head, feeling dejected.

Wu Guihua desperately pulled on his sleeve. "Head of the family, those few mu of land are our livelihood. Without the land, how will we survive?"

Li Man Cang clenched his fists and coughed. "Even a cripple like the second son can support a family. Don't tell me that both I and Chang Sheng, two able-bodied men, can't do it?"

"But Chang Sheng hasn't married yet!"

Hong Si Ge sneered, "What's the matter? Your son wants to marry, so our youngest brother's being deceived is deserved, huh?"

These people were truly stubborn and afraid of those who acted recklessly. With their large property, they were even afraid that someone would hang themselves in front of their house at night. The Cheng family's hunter was straightforward. Either give the land or send them to the officials. They weren't afraid even if someone hanged themselves. They were willing to demolish the courtyard!

The most aggrieved was probably the Sha family. They had also given a sixteen-tael betrothal gift, but Feng Ge was not what they wanted at all!

In reality, Li Man Cang and Wu Guihua had enough silver to compensate the Hong family, but they had debts to pay.

Seeing the financial situation of the Li family, the creditors refused to wait any longer. The Li family's fellow clansmen already resented Feng Ge's hanging, bringing shame upon them. Now, they all swarmed in to demand their debts.

"Dad, we borrowed five taels too…" Li Er Niu pushed his father from behind.

Li San Ye clenched his fist and coughed. As the village head and the one who borrowed the most, he didn't want to go. If he did, wouldn't he be pushing these people into a dead end? How could he demand payment?

Li Er Niu was speechless; his father was purely concerned about saving face and suffering. Moreover, he was too generous, borrowing five taels at a time. Now, it was terrible; they didn't know if they could collect these debts back!

The Hong family was also anxious. They should at least be compensated first, right?

In the end, Cheng Duo intervened and bought the Li family's last mu of land for twelve taels. Actually, it wasn't that he wanted to be generous; the title deed for the last three mu of land was linked together, so once he bought it, he got them all.

Li Er Niu's eyes lit up: If not now, when? Brother, you're the eldest; say something!

Li Da Zhuang: …

Both of them turned to stare at their father. Li San Ye wasn't that determined either and soon, under the anticipation of his two sons, tremblingly took out the prepared promissory note…

Everyone divided the money, leaving the Li family with nothing except their dilapidated house.

"What about us? We also gave a betrothal gift…" Sha Yang looked at Feng Ge disdainfully, then nudged his father with his elbow.

"Sha Yang, what do you mean? We're already married, isn't it right for your family to give a betrothal gift?" Since Feng Ge had bitten the bullet and accepted the marriage, he had completely overlooked the fact that it was a deceitful marriage. Now he spoke boldly and confidently.

"Li Chang Feng, are you out of your mind? We got married, but you tricked us into it!"

"I don't care; anyway, I'm already married…"

Yong Ge saw Sha Yang and Feng Ge arguing, with Sha Yang wearing a face of pain and frustration, unable to logically explain himself. Suddenly, Yong Ge felt a great sense of satisfaction.

Sha Yang always seemed to have trouble understanding what others said, but now Feng Ge stubbornly believed in what he thought was right. They were a perfect match!