Read Novel Full Chapter 101 – Xia Chuan’s Love Story
Chapter 101 – Xia Chuan’s Love Story
Xia Chuan diligently picked some food for Ma Lili. After taking a few sips of wine, Mr. Ma sighed, “My third daughter, I’m not exaggerating, but she’s been capable since she was young. Because of her drive, I sold everything I had for her school. Even in nursing school, she’s always been at the top of her exams every year, and after graduation, she joined the county hospital. Her salary is not less than a man’s.”
“But now she’s all educated and can earn a lot, she will be leaving her parents and benefiting another family.” Mr. Ma added with a tinge of sorrow. “That’s why having sons is still better. You raise a daughter with all your heart, and in the end, it’s just raising her for someone else.”
“Don’t you all agree?”
The matchmaker chuckled, trying to smooth things over. “Lili really is one of the best girls in this area. The Ma family truly knows how to raise daughters.”
Everyone knew Mr. Ma was talking nonsense. It was obvious he was just hyping up his daughter to make an outrageous demand for a bride price.
On the side, Ma Wenwu added more chips to his sister’s value. “Isn’t that right? Hao Xufeng already promised my sister that she could go act with the film crew down in the south.”
“She’s even met the director. He said that my sister has the air of a rich young lady. She might even become a big star one day.”
“A big star can make at least a few thousand a month!”
At that point, he turned to Xia Mian and flashed her a smile. “You’re pretty good-looking too. If you want to act, I could ask around for you?”
“No thanks,” Xia Mian replied coolly. “I don’t like being a star.”
Ma Lili looked up at Xia Mian.
Xia Chuan frowned and turned to Ma Lili. “That Pomade Hao guy introduced you to acting?”
Ma Lili tried to suppress her smile and responded with feigned nonchalance, “Nothing’s set yet. The director is still casting for female roles, so I went to try out. He said I wasn’t bad.”
She clearly didn’t want to tell the whole story. Xia Mian’s gut told her things between Xia Chuan and Ma Lili might not work out—not because of the Ma family, but because of the girl herself. She clearly wasn’t someone content with her current life.
Everyone knew that a film was being made in Mingxi County. For the locals, it was big news—after all, something like filming a TV show, which used to feel so distant, was now happening right before their eyes, in their small town. How could people not be excited?
The production team was currently staying in the county’s southern district, renting the Jia family’s ancestral compound along with its adjacent family shrine, the most historically significant structure in Mingxi, purportedly to shoot a drama set in the Republican era.
When the crew first arrived, idle townsfolk swarmed over every day to watch the shooting. It took more than half a month for the excitement to die down.
When Xia Mian had just gotten back to Mingxi, Xia Chuan had planned to take her and Xiao Feng to see it, but neither showed much interest. Back when Mao Zhishan was filming in Yan City, the family had already experienced the excitement and even visited the set. That one even had wire-flying stunts.
The Hao Xufeng Ma Wenwu mentioned, and the Pomade Hao guy Xia Chuan referred to, were the same person—the son of the richest man in Mingxi County. The same guy who had once used dirty tricks to try to marry Mao Huimei. After the Mao family disappeared, the Hao family punished them ruthlessly, and in the end, forced another daughter of the family, the daughter of Mao Zhishan’s eldest brother Mao Huihe, to marry Hao Xufeng in place of Mao Huimei.
Xia Mian had been completely stunned when she first heard this. She asked Xia Chuan, “Why would the Hao family do this? Is that Mao Huihe really that good-looking?”
Xia Chuan said, “She’s average. Nowhere near Sister Huimei.”
Which only made Xia Mian more confused. “They’re the richest family—wouldn’t it make more sense to marry someone from an equal background? At least that would be helpful, right?”
Xia Chuan replied, “That Pomade Hao guy is such a piece of work. If he married someone with an equal background, it’d turn the two families into enemies.”
“His parents have spoiled him rotten. You have no idea—he’s absolutely lawless around here. Hits women whenever he feels like it.”
“His parents can’t control him anymore, so they’re just telling him to get married, have a kid, and they can raise the grandson properly to take over the family.”
“With a temper like his, of course he can’t marry a powerful wife. That would just lead to chaos.”
Xia Mian felt a chill run down her spine. “So they just wanted a woman as a baby-making tool?”
“Exactly.” Xia Chuan couldn’t help but feel sympathetic. “That Mao Huihe is really pitiful. The Hao family holds the Maos’ weakness, and Hao Xufeng hits her whenever he pleases. She doesn’t dare say a single word. I heard she once ended up in the hospital for over a month.”
“To him, she’s just a decorative object. He blatantly sees other women in public and plays around as he likes.”
“Rumor has it that when Mao Huihe gave birth and was still in confinement
1, Hao Xufeng brought a woman home and messed around with her in the bedroom. Neither she nor the Mao family dared to say a single word.”
Xia Mian was stunned. “Even his father can’t control him?”
Xia Chuan replied, “He definitely can if he tries, but he can’t bring himself to discipline his darling son, so in the end, he just lets the bastard be.”
“That’s exactly why. What kind of girl from a decent family would be willing to be treated like that? Mao Huihe wants to divorce, but she can’t—Hao’s family won’t allow it, and Hao Xufeng doesn’t want to either.”
This whole thing had truly shocked Xia Mian, but later she pushed it to the back of her mind. After all, that Pomade Hao guy had probably long forgotten about Mao Huimei. The Mao family brought this on themselves. If Mao Huihe wanted revenge, she should be going after her grandmother.
As such, it was unexpected to hear about Hao Xufeng again in a setting like this.
It was true that the county’s richest man Hao had connections with the film director. The Hao family had money, and the director needed it—he wouldn’t miss a good investment. So, Hao Xufeng used the excuse of “casting roles” and “cultivating future stars” to lure young girls.
Ma Wenwu had mentioned Hao Xufeng, and Ma Lili had said she had met the director. It was clear she’d already come into contact with Hao Xufeng.
This girl really did want to escape the Ma family and must have prepared several routes for herself. The only question was whether Xia Chuan was her backup plan, her first choice, or just a stepping stone.
But the person in question, caught up in the bliss of love, obviously hadn’t been aware of this. He just smiled and said, “Acting isn’t that simple. You need professional training. Now the whole county knows that Pomade Hao guy is going around tricking pretty girls. Lili, you should be careful. Isn’t being a nurse a good job?”
Ma Wenwu immediately snapped, “What are you trying to say? You think my sister’s like those girls? She’s already met the director, and the director said she’s got the right aura!”
Ma Lili remained silent, clearly confident in herself.
Noticing the chill in Xia Chuan’s parents’ expressions, the matchmaker hastily shifted the subject. “Let’s not talk about that—it’s all just speculation. We’re here to talk about the kids’ marriage, right?”
“No rush on that,” said Mr. Ma, who seemed very confident in his daughter and carried himself with great airs. “We’re just visiting and chatting.”
He looked at Xia Mian and smiled. “So this is the niece of yours who got to go study in Yan City because she saved some rich person?”
The way he said it sounded off.
The Xia family said nothing. Aunt-in-law merely smiled and replied, “She’s our niece, yes. She’s studying in Yan City.”
Mrs. Ma immediately became interested and asked Xia Mian, “Are you living with that rich family in Yan City?”
“Do they eat like on the TV? All plated meals, every time?”
“Studying in Yan City can’t be cheap, right? How much is tuition per year?”
“What grade are you in? Almost graduating?”
Xia Mian just kept her head down and ate in silence. Her aunt picked up a piece of meat for Mrs. Ma and said with a smile, “Sister, eat more.”
After taking a bite, Mrs. Ma picked up the thread again. “This niece of yours really is lucky. Saved a rich person and now she’s taken care of for life.”
Xia Mian didn’t even know where to start. In their eyes, someone else’s misfortune was her lucky stroke of meeting a wealthy patron?
But that wasn’t the end of it. Mrs. Ma continued with a smiling sigh, “This girl’s quite good-looking too—she’s no worse than our Lili. Her future surely will be as good.”
Next to his mother, Ma Wenwu nodded repeatedly, leering at Xia Mian with a mouth full of uneven teeth, making her hands itch. If it weren’t for Xia Chuan’s sake, she would have dumped a bowl of food on his head.
“Oh, and you said these two dishes were made by this girl?” Mrs. Ma said with a very satisfied tone. “Quite capable. Learned that in that rich person’s house, right?”
“Such skillful hands. Knows how to serve people. Clearly knows how to behave—no wonder they’re happy with you.”
“When you graduate from high school, they’ll probably find you a job over there. Then you’ll be a city person for good.”
“But a young girl alone in a big city isn’t ideal either. Best to seek help from your relatives and friends when you can.”
Mr. Ma chimed in, “That’s right. You see, these days, people working far away all need to stick together. Otherwise, it’s easy to get bullied.”
“Our Wenwu here…”
The eldest uncle cut in before Mrs. Ma could finish. “Mianmian, don’t you have something to do? Go take care of that first.”
Aunt-in-law added, “Yes, go on quickly.”
Mrs. Ma frowned, “What could be so urgent? We haven’t even finished eating. Why don’t we let our Wenwu help—”
“No need!” Xia He immediately stepped in front of Ma Wenwu, who had been eager to rise. Pressing a hand on Ma Wenwu’s shoulder, he forcefully pushed him back down. “You are guests—how could we let you do chores? Eat!”
Ma Wenwu couldn’t move and could only watch helplessly as Xia Mian walked away.
Back home, Xia Mian couldn’t shake off how absurd the entire conversation with the Ma family had been. She wanted to call Ning Shaobai, but remembering that her Dr. Ning was coming to pick her up, her mood improved considerably.
Hong Juan set out a bowl for Xia Mian and sighed. “That Ma family really is no good. I thought Ma Lili might be alright, but turns out she’s just another one with her head in the clouds.”
Li Fang had noticed it too. “Third Brother probably won’t be able to handle her.”
Hong Juan said, “I kind of hope he can’t. Let her dump him and go chase someone richer.”
Li Fang commented, “I think she knows that Pomade Hao guy is unreliable, so she’s latching onto our Third.”
Sure enough, everyone had basically figured it out—except Xia Chuan, who was still blinded by love.
“I’m afraid she might have her sights set on Mianmian too.”
Hong Juan said, “You mean… she wants Mianmian to take her to Yan City?”
Just as the three were talking, Xia Chuan entered through the front gate with Ma Lili.
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Post-partum confinement (坐月子): a traditional month-long recovery for post-partum women.