Transmigrated as an Unwanted Ugly Girl

Chapter 391 - 207: A Parent’s Heart

After several days of spring rain, the green grew a shade deeper.

The village school was out for the day, so Zhang Huai went with He to weed the cabbage patch. This second crop of cabbage was almost ready for harvest. They had just been fertilized a short while ago and were growing very well.

The earth, washed clean by the spring rain, was a vibrant, emerald green. He spotted some wild mushrooms in the grass by the mountainside, so she picked them and set them aside. But as she searched here and there, she found more and more, wandering deeper and deeper up the mountain.

When Zhang Huai saw this, he called out loudly, "Ma, what are you doing? Why’d you wander up the mountain?"

He heard him and looked back to see that she had, without realizing it, strayed into a thicket on the mountain. She couldn’t help but chuckle, then headed back to the edge of the field, carrying the mushrooms she had bundled in her outer jacket.

She opened her jacket and called to Zhang Huai, who was crouched in the field, busy at work. "Huai Zi, look! Ma picked a lot of mushrooms. With the rain these past few days, a lot have sprouted on the mountain. Take these to Juhua, and borrow a Lanzi while you’re at it. Tell Qingmu and Juhua to come pick mushrooms with us. I remember Juhua likes eating mushrooms."

Zhang Huai came closer and saw the plump, grayish-brown mushrooms. They looked so delightful he couldn’t help but smile too. He’d heard Juhua mention a couple of times that she hadn’t had time to go up the mountain to pick mushrooms last fall, and that she’d been wanting to ever since.

He glanced back at the field, and before he could even speak, He said, "There aren’t many weeds left. I’ll just do a few more rows. When your pa gets here, he’ll finish up the rest in no time. He just went to take a quick look at the wheat fields. He should be on his way over now."

Zhang Huai nodded, took the mushrooms, and headed for Juhua’s house.

He watched her son’s retreating back, secretly pleased. She had dropped a hint to the Yang Family the other day, but to her surprise, the Yang Family had cheerfully replied that she’d long since seen what was on Huai Zi’s mind. She just hadn’t said much because she was worried it would be an awkward spot for Juhua.

"The youngsters have to sort out their own feelings," the Yang Family had said. "Otherwise, even if we arrange the engagement for them, they won’t be happy, and their lives together won’t be easy. I know Huai Zi didn’t mean it that year, but if Juhua still feels uncomfortable about it, then it’s just not right."

He had nodded. "You’re right. For one, Juhua is still young. For another, I think Huai Zi needs to learn a lesson too. A young man needs to go through some things. If he doesn’t suffer a little, he won’t know what’s truly precious. He has to take a few hits before he can become Old Cheng and learn to judge people better."

The Yang Family, however, spoke up for Zhang Huai sincerely. "I watched Huai Zi grow up, don’t I know his character? If I were to say that anyone unwilling to marry Juhua is a bad person, wouldn’t I have to hate every family? I’m not that foolish. He and Qingmu played with Juhua ever since they were little, and they’ve always treated her like a little sister. To be fair, you were a bit hasty when you asked him that day. He didn’t have that in mind at all, so of course he just answered honestly! Pardon me for saying so, but Liu’er is so pretty, yet my Qingmu doesn’t like her, does he? It’s a good thing Liu’er isn’t ugly, or she’d surely think Qingmu was rejecting her for her looks. With Juhua’s situation, she absolutely has to find someone who likes her from the bottom of his heart. Even if Huai Zi doesn’t mind her appearance, if he doesn’t actually like her, it’s still not a good match! This is just Juhua’s fate."

Tears welled up in He’s eyes. "Hearing you say that puts my mind at ease. You don’t know, that year... I... I felt just as bad as you did, if not worse. Her father and I felt like we couldn’t face you and Big Brother Changhe. But I couldn’t tell anyone. If I had just forced Huai Zi to marry Juhua regardless of his feelings, it would have only made things worse. You’re right, they have to sort it out themselves. And look, not long after that incident, Huai Zi came to his senses. That boy... Hmph. He’s young. He thought I was just speaking casually, but I saw things more clearly than he did. I’d actually had a vague idea about them for a while, but Juhua was still young, so I hadn’t given it much thought. That’s why I approached Liu’er’s mother about a match. And don’t be angry when I say this—I was originally planning on saving Juhua for Yangzi. It must be fate. If Liu’er’s mother had agreed, none of this would have happened, right? But since she didn’t, the idea popped into my head again. I felt that Huai Zi treated Juhua better and was a more suitable match than Yangzi, so that’s why I brought it up."

The Yang Family smiled and comforted her for a moment before adding, "It’d be a lie to say I wasn’t angry. My heart ached for my daughter, so of course I was angry. But I truly don’t blame you, and I don’t even blame Huai Zi. Think about it, isn’t arranging a marriage all about picking and choosing? Even for girls with nothing wrong with their faces, matches fall through all the time, don’t they? If every time someone turned you down, you accused them of looking down on you and treated them like an enemy, wouldn’t people be fighting endlessly all day long? If my Juhua’s face were fine, people wouldn’t be able to gossip like this. They’re just bored, with nothing better to do than stir up trouble. But look, after going through this, my Juhua is doing so well now. Her father and I both say it was a blessing in disguise."