Chapter 127: Guest of Honor

More and more people gathered around to watch. Mountain villages rarely had visitors, let alone the head of the local police station, so coming out to rubberneck was inevitable. With some sharp ears in the crowd, Sha Leer’s name was soon overheard. Sha Leer’s reputation was quite famous nowadays, and since this place was only a dozen or so miles away from Xiasha Village—separated by just a few mountains and a couple of villages—how could anyone not have heard of him?

"Is that Sha Leer who runs the big company?"
"Damn it, he's so young! I heard he's worth millions."
"Any girl who marries him would live a life of pure luxury."
"Your family’s Yun girl would be a perfect match."

Everyone chimed in, making jokes and gossiping. In an instant, Sha Leer’s popularity completely overshadowed Xie Dapao.

"Matchmaker Wang is coming... Heh heh... This is going to be a good show."
"What the hell use is she coming? The police station chief is right here. Does a mere matchmaker dare to pick a fight with the police chief?"
"That’s the truth."
"She can usually talk the dead into living, black into white, and cats into dogs. Let’s see what kind of tricks she can pull out of her hat this time."
"She'll probably pull a dog’s tail out."

The crowd burst into laughter. Matchmaker Wang was walking at a brisk pace. As she passed Tao Youneng, she glared fiercely at him. Tao Youneng didn't back down; he glared right back and spat on the ground. Seeing the hatred in Tao Youneng's eyes made her a bit uneasy, so she quickly hurried into the courtyard.

"Brother Qingquan! Brother Qingquan!" she shouted before even entering the house.

"What the hell are you howling like a lost soul for?" Shen Qingquan’s wife stepped out from the side door. "You two-faced gossip, go stir up trouble at someone else's house! I don't care what kind of nonsense you spout, just keep it away from my home."

Shen Lili’s mother despised Matchmaker Wang to the core. Shen Qingquan had kept their daughter locked up for a full day and night. Lili refused to eat or drink, crying that she wanted to die. Her mother had been worried sick to the point of wanting to hang herself, her heart aching as if torn apart, but she didn't dare cross her husband—otherwise, she would have let her daughter out long ago.

She pinned all her resentment for this ordeal squarely on Matchmaker Wang.

"Er... Xinghua, what are you talking about?" Matchmaker Wang's expression turned sour. "I came here, didn't I, solely for the good of your Lili? Would you really be happy marrying your Lili off to a penniless pauper like that? How wonderful the Liu family is! All the brothers work away from home; even if they haven't struck gold, they easily have thirty or fifty thousand saved up. Marrying into that family means enjoying a life of ease. How can you blame me..."

"Why don't you marry your own daughter off to them, then? My Lili doesn't have that kind of good fortune."

Lili’s mother was in the middle of gathering firewood. Her anger flaring up, she hurled a whole armful of branches and weeds straight at Matchmaker Wang.

"I have no time to argue with an ignorant woman like you." Matchmaker Wang dodged the flying firewood, pushed open the door, and stepped into the house. "Brother Qingquan! Brother Qingquan!"

Shen Qingquan was sitting inside talking with Leer and the others. Annoyed to see Matchmaker Wang barge in and make such a racket, he frowned.

"It's broad daylight, what the hell are you howling for?"

"Oh... We have guests?" Matchmaker Wang didn't get angry; instead, she beamed when she saw Leer and the other two. "My, there's even someone in a police uniform. Must be from the police station... Say, I actually have a nephew working at the county public security bureau too."

"The hell you do! Which nephew of yours is in the public security bureau?"

Shen Qingquan knew Matchmaker Wang inside and out and showed no mercy in exposing her lies.

"The son of the cousin of the aunt of my second aunt's son-in-law's family—doesn't that count as my nephew?" Matchmaker Wang replied with lightning speed, showing not a shred of shame, rattling off her words like a machine gun. "What do you know... Oh, isn't this Village Chief Tao from Tao Sha Village? Ah, Village Chief Tao, come to think of it, we're actually relatives..."

"Alright, Matchmaker Wang, you probably have no idea why we're here, do you?" Village Chief Tao interrupted her. "We're here to put in a good word for young Youneng."

"Er... Brother Qingquan, we already made an agreement. You damn well can't play both sides!" Matchmaker Wang said anxiously. "I just finalized things with the Liu family today, and the bride price has already been promised; you just need to pick a date. They're such a good family—not to mention being among the best in Taochong, they have top-tier family standing. They can easily produce thirty or fifty thousand cash on the spot! As for that Youneng boy, don't I know him? Dirt poor! The ten thousand he scraped together was borrowed from pillar to post... Marrying into such a wretched, impoverished hole, wouldn't Lili be miserable to death?"

Shen Qingquan bitterly poured tea for everyone without saying a word. Xie Dapao simply smoked his cigarette and talked with Leer. Leer didn't usually smoke much, but he lit one up anyway, frowning as he listened to Matchmaker Wang's words.

"Matchmaker Wang, which Liu family in Taochong are you talking about? Care to spell it out for me?" Village Chief Tao finally spoke up. "I'm somewhat familiar with the Liu families in Taochong. Which household are you referring to?"

"This... it's Liu Ye's family."

"Oh... Is Liu Ye's family that wealthy? Dammit, I might not know much else, but I know Liu Ye's household. His wife is a sickly invalid who has burned through god knows how much money on medicine. Sure, compared to Youneng's current situation they're slightly better off, but barely. Besides, what makes you so sure Youneng won't become wealthy?"

"Better off by just a bit? It's the difference between heaven and earth!"

Village Chief Tao chuckled and took a leisurely sip of tea.

"Do you even know who this young man is?" He pointed at Sha Leer.

"This... I wouldn't know. Hmm... the young man looks decent, but compared to the Liu family's boy, he's still a bit lacking."

"Haha..." Village Chief Tao burst into laughter. "Lacking compared to the Liu family's boy? I think you're asking to be slapped across the face! You could turn a dog's tail into a golden cudgel with your silver tongue. His name is Sha Leer. Don't tell me you haven't heard of him?"

"He's Sha Leer?" Matchmaker Wang froze for a moment, then snapped back to reality and plastered on a flattering smile. "Oh, look at this foul mouth of mine! Nephew Leer, I'm so sorry... That Liu boy can't compare to you at all. He isn't even worthy of carrying your shoes."

Too lazy to engage with her, Leer simply gave a faint smile and took a sip of tea to ease the awkward atmosphere.

"Brother Qingquan, you see for yourself now. Like I said, you simply can't listen to a matchmaker's words," Village Chief Tao said, glaring at Matchmaker Wang. "Don't take offense, Matchmaker Wang, but damn it, you matchmakers never have an honest mouth. You go to the east side and badmouth the west, go to the Liu family and spin tales about the Li family, turning absolute garbage into solid gold."

Seeing that Matchmaker Wang wanted to argue, he raised a hand to stop her.

"Hear me out first before you say anything." Village Chief Tao took another sip of tea. "Brother Qingquan, listen to my piece as well. If, after hearing what I have to say, you still feel your sister shouldn't marry Youneng, we promise not to say another half-word and we'll leave immediately."

"Go ahead, Village Chief Tao, let's hear it." Shen Qingquan nodded.

"To be completely honest, Youneng's family can't hold a candle to Liu Ye's family in Taochong right now. However, if Lili marries Youneng, I dare say her life will far surpass marrying into the Liu family." Village Chief Tao smiled. "You might not believe it—who can predict the future? But I'm willing to bet on it. Why do I have such great confidence? Because of Leer here."

Matchmaker Wang tried to interrupt again, but Village Chief Tao cut her off once more.

"Looking no further than this winter, many people from our village went out to work. Saying they didn't make a little money would be a lie, but after factoring in food, lodging, and travel expenses, how much cash actually made it back home? But this winter, for just over a month now, the ones working at Leer's construction site have made more than they would have toiling away half a year elsewhere. Why is that? They eat from the same pot as their families, sleep in their own beds, saving all food and lodging costs, and every penny they earn goes straight into their pockets. Isn't that vastly better than breaking your back working for half a year away from home?"

Shen Qingquan nodded, and even Matchmaker Wang was forced to nod along.

"Youneng and Leer are the best of friends. Do you think Leer won't look out for him?" Village Chief Tao looked at Leer. "Leer needs a lot of manpower next year. If Lili and Youneng get engaged, she certainly won't continue studying. If she goes to work at Leer's site, conservatively speaking, the two of them together can easily bring home two to three thousand a month. Since they live and eat at home, twenty to thirty thousand yuan a year goes straight into their pockets without effort. After working three years, they'll have around a hundred thousand saved. By the time they get married then, wouldn't that be a magnificent sight?"

Shen Qingquan looked at Leer, and Leer nodded affirmatively.

"Youneng and Lili already talked to me. Once the holiday starts, they won't go back to school. Youneng will start working on the construction site right away, and when spring arrives, I'll have Lili learn a technical trade. Both of them are young and educated; they'll certainly do well in the future."

"Brother Qingquan, your horizons were a bit too narrow, you see."

Though Shen Qingquan's old face didn't flush red, he still looked rather sheepishly embarrassed.

"Indeed, put that way, my horizons were indeed short-sighted," Shen Qingquan admitted, nodding. "Your village is truly a great place, nothing like this isolated mountain corner of ours."

"Matchmaker Wang, what do you think?" Village Chief Tao asked, looking at her with a beaming smile.

"What else is there for me to say? You've already said all the good things," Matchmaker Wang said angrily. "Brother Qingquan, you better think carefully. There's no medicine for regret in this world."

"It was all just the flower-spinning tongue of this old matchmaker! I won't listen to your nonsense ever again. Xinghua, let Lili out and slaughter the old hen for a feast!" Shen Qingquan shouted happily. "Heh heh... Station Chief Xie, Village Chief Tao, and Leer, you all must take the seats of honor!"

"There are only two seats of honor at your table," Xie Dapao teased Shen Qingquan with a smile.

Just as Shen Qingquan was about to reply, his wife walked in.

"You stubborn old fool, you believe whatever wind blows by! I told you not to listen to a matchmaker's lies, but you wouldn't listen to me. Do you believe it now? Look what state you've driven my Lili into!" Shen Qingquan's wife finally mustered the courage to assert her dominance. "Matchmaker Wang, why aren't you leaving yet? Do you want me to grab a broom and chase you out?"

"Oh... Can't you leave me a shred of dignity?" Shen Qingquan smiled bitterly.

"Matchmaker Wang, still not leaving?"

His wife actually picked up a broom and strode forward.

"Hey... Xinghua, since you're butchering the old hen, surely you can spare a piece of chicken for me to eat?" The old matchmaker's skin was thicker than ever. "I still want to act as a matchmaker for Leer, you know."

"Haha..." Xie Dapao burst into laughter. "Alright then, hurry up and play matchmaker for Leer! Damn it, do you still have a younger sister at home who hasn't been married off? I'm dying to drink some wedding wine."

Helpless, Leer shot Matchmaker Wang a glare.

"Uncle, I... I'll go call Youneng inside. He must be exhausted from standing out there."

Without waiting for Shen Qingquan's permission, Leer hurried outside. He saw Tao Youneng and Lili talking happily, Shen Lili's eyes filled with tears as Tao Youneng gently wiped them away. If not for people watching, the two would have already embraced tightly.