Chapter 17: The Bing family is a big fire pit, not worth marrying into... Bing Wengu...

After Nan Jinping left the house, she didn't go straight to Bing Wengu. Instead, she first looked around to ensure no one was nearby, then pushed open the fence gate and went behind the firewood pile.

Bing Wengu eagerly handed the willow basket to Nan Jinping like it was a treasure, "Here, I hunted a roe deer and saved the best, fattiest parts for you."

Nan Jinping didn't take it. Instead, she kicked at small stones on the ground with the tip of her shoe, muttering, "You still dare to come? Aren't you afraid of the village gossip?"

Bing Wengu immediately pledged his loyalty, "I'm not afraid. You're wonderful, nothing like what they say. You're not some unwanted, unmarriageable old Shuang Er. Haven't I been proposing to you all along? It's just that you've always looked down on me."

Nan Jinping looked up at Bing Wengu strangely. He knew himself better than anyone.

Though not as bad as the villagers claimed, he was far from ideal.

He wasn't good-looking, not the kind of delicate and slender Shuang Er that people nowadays liked. He had the build of a sturdy man. Just based on his physique, one might even believe he was a man.

The fertility mark on his forehead wasn't obvious, very faint, almost invisible if not looked at closely, dull and lifeless. The doctor said such a mark meant he would likely be infertile in the future.

Given all these factors, he really had little to offer in a marriage proposal. Saying he was unmarriageable wasn't unfair.

From the changes in Nan Jinping's expression, Bing Wengu roughly guessed his thoughts and immediately said, "You're amazing, truly. Those people are just spreading rumors, talking nonsense. Look, even Heaven couldn't tolerate it and punished them."

Thinking of the women who had been slandering him recently falling into misfortune, Nan Jinping's mood improved a bit. However, he wasn't so vain as to believe that Heaven punished them for slandering him.

"How about this: tomorrow, I'll send a matchmaker to your house early, and then you can refuse, showing the villagers that you're far from unwanted. On the contrary, you're very sought after. You're not married just because you're very selective about marriage, not just anyone can marry you so easily," Bing Wengu suggested. "This way, it will stop the village gossips from talking."

He wasn't picky. In fact, just yesterday, his mother had hoped that a decent-looking man would propose to him, and that would suffice.

"Wouldn't you feel embarrassed doing this?" Nan Jinping asked. "Being rejected by an unwanted Xiao Geer like me is quite humiliating, isn't it?"

"How could it be? Not in the least."

Really? Nan Jinping thought Bing Wengu must be very concerned about his reputation, otherwise he wouldn't have tried to drown himself over a girl he didn't even like marrying someone else.

"Absolutely not, being rejected by you would be an honor," Bing Wengu shamelessly said.

Chasing a wife, who needs pride!

How shameless, saying being rejected is an honor or some nonsense!

Nan Jinping had never been courted by a man before and didn't know if all men were this shameless when pursuing a partner, but he had to admit, it felt quite nice, even sweetening his heart.

Scholars have strong self-esteem, and Nan Jinping felt Bing Wengu's self-esteem was particularly strong. For a man with such strong self-esteem to humble himself and say such things to him, no matter what, such a heart must be exceptionally sincere.

With his conditions, to meet someone so sincere to him, probably only this one in his lifetime, if missed, there would definitely be no more.

Nan Jinping whispered, "Alright, when you have time, have someone come to my house to propose."

When he said this, Nan Jinping's face was red, hot enough to start a fire.

"That's right, so the villagers won't really think you're unwanted. When the time comes, you should refuse, don't worry about my face, or feel embarrassed or anything," Bing Wengu said carelessly.

"Can't I agree?" Nan Jinping felt as if his whole body was on fire.

"Of course you can," Bing Wengu instinctively repeated, then realized and immediately looked at Nan Jinping with shining eyes, his gaze so intense and direct, as if Nan Jinping was a delicious piece of fatty meat, about to be devoured the next second.

"Are you agreeing to me?"

Nan Jinping, embarrassed by Bing Wengu's gaze, ran back home, refusing to answer Bing Wengu's rhetorical question.

Bing Wengu called out after Nan Jinping, "I'll have a matchmaker come to your house tomorrow. Make sure your parents are home."

Nan Jinping, hearing this, grew even more flustered and hurried into the house.

Bing Wengu stood there, grinning to himself for a while before remembering that he hadn't delivered the roe deer meat he was holding. However, he didn't mind. If it wasn't delivered today, he could bring it tomorrow when he proposed. His future husband could then eat it openly, without having to hide it.

Bing Wengu whistled a tune as he carried the roe deer meat, happily heading home.

Meanwhile, Nan Jinping returned to his room. Miao Shi, busy with her work, asked casually, "Was that a cuckoo I heard outside?"

Nan Jinping, raised to be obedient and poor at lying, hesitated and stammered, unsure how to respond. Finally, he gathered his courage and blurted out, "Mother, Bing Dalang wants to marry me. I want to marry him."

Miao Shi's needlework clattered to the ground, and she was utterly stunned. The Nan household erupted into chaos, like a thunderclap, sending shockwaves through the family.

Miao Shi hugged Nan Jinping and wept, "My child, don't be hasty! Bing Dalang is no good match. The Bing family is so poor they can barely afford to eat!"

Nan's father took out his pipe, which he seldom smoked, and puffed on it nervously, his face full of worry. "No, let's look for another family."

Nan Dalang also chimed in, "Jin Geer, don't listen to that gossipy old woman Zhou Nan Shi and the gossiping women in the village. Take your time; you'll find a good match eventually. The Bing family is no good—they're practically starving. I absolutely disagree with you marrying into the Bing family."

Nan Erlang added, "I've seen the Bing family's children digging for wild vegetables on the mountain. They were so hungry they resorted to eating clay."

Nan Sanlang said, "Bing Dalang himself isn't a good person. His family is in such a state, yet he insists on studying. Studying isn't easy. It costs a fortune every year, enough to feed the whole family. It's a money pit. Brother, you can't throw yourself into that fire."

Twelve-year-old Nan Xiaomei, who already understood many things—after all, some girls in the village married at thirteen—knew what marriage meant. She anxiously advised, "Jin Ge, you can marry anyone, just not the Bing family. Their life is so hard; they're practically on the brink of selling their wives to survive."

The Nan family members spoke one after another, making Miao Shi even more sorrowful. She wailed, "Jin Geer, if you marry into the Bing family, you might as well stay unmarried at home. At least you'll have food to eat here. You're still young. Work hard for the family, and if you treat your nephews well, they'll surely care for you in your old age."

Nan Dalang immediately pulled over his two-year-old son, scared by his father's urgent tone, burst into tears.

Gu Shi, heartbroken, rescued the child from Nan Dalang's hands and glared at him. "Ping'an is still so young. What does he know? He can't even speak."

In truth, Gu Shi hoped that Nan Jinping would marry soon. Having an unmarried older brother made her feel ashamed in public.

Moreover, she had her own children. If they grew up with an unmarried uncle in the house, their marriages would undoubtedly be affected.

But her son was only two years old, so it was too early to worry about that.

Gu Shi wasn't evil to the core. While she wished for Nan Jinping to marry, she didn't want him to jump into a fire pit. So, even though she hoped Nan Jinping would marry soon, she didn't oppose the family's advice against marrying into the Bing family.

Given the current atmosphere in the Nan household, Gu Shi didn't dare speak up. She was afraid the agitated family members might tear her apart.

Nan Jinping glanced at his sister-in-law, understanding her thoughts. He knew that as parents, they would do anything for their children, and no one wanted their child to be burdened by an uncle.

Nan Jinping lowered his eyes. "Mother, I have to marry someone eventually. Rather than becoming a concubine or marrying someone missing limbs, I'd rather marry Bing Dalang. At least he's not disabled and has a decent appearance. Marrying him might mean a poorer life, but I'm not afraid of hardship."

Miao Shi cried, "The Bing family's life isn't just a little hard—it's a pit of bitterness, filled with water as bitter as coptis."

"But I can't just not marry. That would affect my younger siblings' marriages. With me around, they won't be able to find good matches."

Nan Erlang, Sanlang, and Nan Xiaomei all vowed that they weren't afraid.

Even if they weren't afraid, Miao Shi, as their mother, had to consider the consequences.

If Nan Jinping didn't marry, the children's marriages would inevitably be affected. They might have to marry into poorer families, leading to a lifetime of hardship.

The men might end up unable to find wives or marrying someone with physical or mental disabilities.

These were real issues Miao Shi had to consider.

The children might say they don't care now, but when it actually happens, and they endure daily hardships, how much of their current sibling affection would remain? By then, they might only resent Jin Geer.

By then, even if they had the means, they might no longer be willing to help Jin Geer.

Seeing Miao Shi wavering, Nan Jinping continued to persuade her, "Mother, even if my younger siblings aren't afraid of being burdened by me, what about my nieces and nephews? If their marriages suffer because of me, will they still care for me when I'm old and frail?"