After the Scholar Rejected Me, I Married the Rogue and Got Rich - Chapter 27

Lin Sang continued, her tone slightly playful: “What? Does that mean Aunt Zhou’s marriage proposal to my house last time is no longer valid? Or has Brother Zhou… fallen for another girl?”

“No! I didn’t!” Zhou Han hurriedly and awkwardly explained, his face flushed red. “It’s just… I don’t understand, why… me?” His voice lowered. “I have a bad reputation, they all say I…”

“Because you are you, different from others, and different from the you that others talk about,” Lin Sang interrupted him, her eyes clear and firm. “My heart can feel it, Brother Zhou, you are capable and responsible. I like men who are capable and can protect the people around them. This makes me feel at ease and makes me feel that I am not fighting alone.”

Zhou Han was deeply shocked, and a surge of scalding heat coursed through his entire body.

“They all say I fight like I’m crazy… Aren’t you afraid?” he asked in a hoarse voice.

Lin Sang countered with a clear look in her eyes, “Would you hit me?”

“Absolutely not!” Zhou Han said firmly.

“That settles it then,” Lin Sang laughed. “Don’t show mercy to those who deserve a beating. Some people only learn to be afraid when they feel pain.”

Looking at her, Zhou Han felt as if the woman before him was radiant, so insightful, so brave, so… understanding of him. He was overwhelmed with emotion and could hardly speak.

“So, Brother Zhou,” Lin Sang looked at him and said clearly, word by word, “I’ve accepted your mother’s marriage proposal. What about you?”

An immense joy exploded in Zhou Han’s mind like fireworks. He was so excited that his fingers trembled slightly. He tried to steady his voice and solemnly promised, as if making a vow, “As long as you don’t despise me, from now on, the Zhou family will be under your control! If you tell me to go east, I will never go west!”

Looking at the undisguised sincerity and fervor in his eyes, Lin Sang smiled with satisfaction: “Remember what you said today, Zhou Han. I hope I haven’t misjudged you.”

“Absolutely not! I swear!” Zhou Han promised again.

Once they opened up about their feelings, the atmosphere between them instantly changed, filled with an invisible intimacy and tacit understanding.

Zhou Han became even more self-righteous in helping with the work, as if it were his own business. Wang quietly pulled Lin Sang aside, and Lin Sang said, “I’ve already agreed to the marriage proposal from the Zhou family in front of Brother Zhou.”

Upon hearing this, Wang pinched her arm and exclaimed, “You…you really agreed? How dare you, child! You are utterly rebellious!”

Lin Sang patted her mother’s hand reassuringly: “Oh, Mother, observe him for a while longer. If you still feel he’s not good enough by then, then we’ll talk about it.”

Looking at her daughter’s resolute expression and then at Zhou Han, who was diligently helping out, Wang finally sighed and said nothing more.

Business was booming on the first day. All the ingredients they brought were sold out just after noon. People who arrived later but didn’t get any food complained, and the Lin family had to apologize repeatedly and promise to prepare more for the next day.

While packing up the stall, Zhou Han was still busy running around. Lin Sang advised him, “Brother Zhou, you should go and get busy. Don’t delay your business.”

Zhou Han watched the mother and daughter pack their things and said, “It’s alright. The manager isn’t here today. It’s your first day of business, so I’ll help you pack up so you can go home and rest earlier.”

Seeing his insistence, Lin Sang said, “Then we can’t do this again tomorrow.”

Zhou Han readily agreed, “Okay.”

After everything was packed up and everyone was about to leave, Zhou Han brought over several packets of pastries and dried fruits wrapped in oil paper—he had just asked someone to go to town to buy them.

He handed the item to Madam Wang, speaking respectfully: “Auntie, this is a small token of my appreciation. Please accept it.”

Madam Wang quickly declined, saying, “How can this be! You’ve helped us all day, and we haven’t even thanked you yet. How can we accept your things!”

Zhou Han replied sincerely, “It’s only right that I help. If you need anything in the future, just send someone to call me, and I promise I’ll be there whenever you call. These little things are for my younger siblings, just some snacks. They’re nothing, so please don’t refuse.”

Upon hearing this, Wang knew what he meant. Before she could say anything more, Lin Song, who was standing nearby, quickly grabbed the package and said with a grin, “Thank you, Brother Zhou!” Then, fearing that his mother would beat him, he ran off towards the dock.

Watching her youngest son slip away, Wang cursed him, annoyed that neither of them knew how to be reserved. She sighed inwardly and could only thank Zhou Han in the end.

Without delaying a single household, they immediately rushed to the market to purchase the lamb offal and bones needed for the next day.

When the owner saw them come back, and with an even larger quantity than yesterday, he couldn’t stop smiling: “Young boss, your business is booming! It seems my lamb offal has found a good customer!” He even gave them two extra big bones.

Filled with the joy of the harvest and the ingredients, the Lin family returned home in the warm sunshine.

The first thing I did when I got home was count my money! When the copper coins were poured onto the kang (a heated brick bed) and piled up into a small mountain, all my fatigue vanished. Although the cost of mutton soup was higher than that of chestnuts, the profit was also more considerable. After careful counting and deducting all costs, I made a net profit of 120 coins on the first day!

Seeing this solid income, everyone felt that all the hard work was worth it!

Wang declared, “Let’s stick to the old rules: put the money together first, and then settle the accounts and distribute the profits at the end of the month!”

Everyone agreed without question. But after the initial excitement, a practical problem arose: the scallions and cilantro from their own vegetable garden were no longer sufficient to meet demand.

Lin Sang thought for a moment and said, “Mother, it seems we have to buy it in the village. Let’s ask around among the people we know first, and then we can consider buying from outside when the quantity is larger.”

Wang nodded: “Okay, I’ll go out and ask.” With that, she got up and went out the door, heading towards the homes of several neighbors with whom she had a good relationship.