Young Madam Yang knew her younger brother had stayed up late patrolling the previous night, so she didn't wake him in the morning.
It wasn't until near midday that her brother got out of bed, his ears red, clutching his clothes as he went to wash them.
This was the first time he had gone to wash clothes first thing in the morning. Seeing her brother's embarrassed demeanor, Young Madam Yang vaguely sensed something.
This child has truly grown up. It's time he got married.
She wondered how Granny Zhong was doing.
Granny Zhong, as expected, wasn't idle. Within a couple of days, she brought over a mother and daughter from the same village, claiming they were there to consult with Hu Da Niu on how to farm.
The girl was named Sun Xiuzhi. While not exceptionally beautiful, her features were regular, and she was slender, giving her a rather fresh appearance.
As Hu Da Niu explained farming methods to the mother and daughter, Young Madam Yang also called Yang Ming over. Granny Zhong seized the opportunity and introduced the two to each other.
Sun Xiuzhi's eyes were shy as she looked at Yang Ming, a smile lingering on her lips, indicating she was extremely pleased with him.
However, Yang Ming didn't even look at her directly throughout. He gave a perfunctory nod, then excused himself, saying he had to go on patrol, and turned to head towards the stables.
Seeing this, Sun Xiuzhi's eyes instantly welled up with tears.
Granny Zhong and Young Madam Yang exchanged a look and immediately smoothed things over, saying, "This boy didn't sleep at all last night patrolling. He's probably still groggy. After he rests for a couple of days, his sister and I will have a good talk with him."
"Then we'll have to trouble Granny Zhong and Madam Yang," Mother Sun said with a fawning smile.
She was very pleased with this potential match. Although they had just moved to Hongshu Village, everyone knew Yang Ming was highly valued by Magistrate Lu. If her daughter could marry him, their relationship with the magistrate's household would quickly improve, and they wouldn't have to worry about good days ahead.
Her daughter was diligent and capable, and there were many suitors in the village, but her daughter didn't like any of them. Upon asking, she discovered her daughter had long been fond of this boy Yang Ming.
Among the young men in the village, Yang Ming was indeed outstanding. It was right for her daughter to like him. They, as parents, also supported it.
Unexpectedly, the renowned Granny Zhong of Hongshu Village also felt her daughter and Yang Ming were a good match and had proactively approached her household to arrange a meeting.
It was under Granny Zhong's recommendation that the mother and daughter came to Hu Da Niu's house under the guise of learning to farm.
However, Yang Ming seemed completely uninterested in her daughter, and Mother Sun couldn't help but feel a little disappointed.
Upon hearing Granny Zhong and Young Madam Yang's words, she rekindled her hopes. Although Yang Ming had lost his parents, he still had an elder sister, and his sister had the final say in his marriage.
Judging by Young Madam Yang's attitude, she seemed quite satisfied with their daughter.
When Yang Ming returned, Young Madam Yang eagerly asked him about his feelings for Sun Xiuzhi.
Yang Ming looked at his sister and said earnestly, "Sister, I've told you, I'm not interested in getting married. I don't want to marry right now. If you truly care about me, don't let anyone come to the house casually anymore. Otherwise, I'll become a monk. I mean what I say."
Young Madam Yang knew her brother's stubborn nature. She looked at him and said helplessly, "You're sixteen now, it's time to get married. You're the only male heir in the Yang family, you need to continue the lineage. Besides, everyone eventually gets married. Having a wife to warm the bed, children running around your knees, and hot food and dishes in the pot – isn't that good? It's better than being alone."
"I like being alone. If I can't be with the person I like, I'd rather be alone. Moreover, even when I'm alone, there are still hot meals and dishes in the pot," Yang Ming said in a deep voice.
Young Madam Yang's eyes lit up. "So, you... you have someone you like?"
Yang Ming exclaimed, "No! No! Sister, don't guess wildly. I just don't want to get married!"
Young Madam Yang stared at him intently, trying to find any clues in his eyes, but the boy was too good at hiding it. She couldn't see anything.
"I'm going to eat!" Yang Ming picked up his bowl and headed towards the embankment.
Young Madam Yang was also nearing the end of her confinement. Like Madam Da, she wasn't observing the traditional postpartum rules.
After Granny Zhong finished her dinner, she went to chat with her about her brother's affairs.
"Granny Zhong, I think we should forget about Sun Xiuzhi. My brother said he doesn't want to get married at all. I'm really sorry to have troubled you for nothing," Young Madam Yang said apologetically to Granny Zhong.
Granny Zhong slapped her thigh and exclaimed, "Young Lady Yang, what are you saying? Yang Ming is my grandson too. What trouble? This old woman just doesn't understand why this boy doesn't want to get married. Boys his age, aren't they all eager to get married?
He's full of youthful vigor, doesn't he feel uncomfortable holding back? Look at Xiao Ma, Cheng Tuo, Zhu Gan, and Gou Dan; they all try to please me, hoping I'll find them beautiful wives in the future. They're even two years younger than Xiao Ming."
Young Madam Yang also wore a worried expression. "That's why I also find it strange, and that's why I came to talk to you. I know Yang Ming's temper best. He said if I push him any further, he'll become a monk! He's a person who does what he says. He's been a stubborn donkey since he was little."
Granny Zhong paused for a moment, patted Young Madam Yang's hand, and comforted her, "Then we shouldn't force him anymore. In a couple of days, I'll talk to him."
"Ah, you're truly troubling Granny Zhong," Young Madam Yang said gratefully.
"You child, I told you not to be so polite, yet you're still so polite," Granny Zhong chided her with a glare.
Granny Zhong sought out Yang Ming privately.
Yang Ming first expressed his immense gratitude to Granny Zhong, but his reasoning for not wanting to marry was the same as what he told Young Madam Yang.
"Xiao Mingzi, tell Grandma who the person you like is. Grandma will go through fire and water to help you get her," Granny Zhong said boldly.
A complex look flashed in Yang Ming's eyes, but his expression was calm. "Grandma, I really don't have anyone I like. You and my sister shouldn't guess wildly.
The girls you found are not my type. Since I can't marry someone I like, I might as well not marry at all.
So, please, Grandma, just ignore me from now on. You should pay more attention to Xiao Ma, Zhu Gan, and the others. They are desperate to find wives."
Granny Zhong chided, "Those boys haven't even grown all their hair yet, and they're already thinking about wives. Look at you, you're sixteen, and you're not in a hurry at all. You child, are you perhaps inadequate in that regard? Or do you simply not like women?"
Having lived in Hongshu Village for a long time, Granny Zhong had become quite bold and would say anything. It was a case of the upper beam being crooked, leading the lower beams to go askew.
As soon as Yang Ming heard Granny Zhong mention he was inadequate, he immediately became displeased. He glanced around, saw no one, and then, blushing and with his neck stiffened, said in a gruff voice that he was very capable, exceptionally capable, and that he liked women, not men. He did not have a homosexual inclination!
Granny Zhong chuckled, "Since you're very capable and don't like men, why don't you find a wife?"
Yang Ming helplessly put his hand to his forehead. "Grandma, not every man needs to find a wife to live. If I really can't hold back in the future, I'll go to a brothel.
But I won't give my heart casually to a woman I don't like at all!
I won't argue with you anymore. I'll say it one last time: I don't want to find a wife yet. I'm fine alone right now. You and my sister should calm down, or I'll really become a monk."