Qingmu's jaw dropped when he heard what Juhua said, as if he hadn't expected it either. He said in surprise, "If he were asking you to inquire on his own behalf, that would almost make sense. But for Changming? That's really strange. I'm afraid it won't work out, though. It's not that Changming is a bad guy. The first problem is his family is poor, and the second is that Auntie Hua is just unbearable. If the girl were from another village, you might be able to fool them. But she's from our village—who here doesn't know her story? Changming gets dragged down by her, too."
Juhua said, "That's exactly it. That's why I didn't dare promise him anything. Besides, it's pointless to ask. Meizi will definitely listen to her mother. How could she possibly make the decision herself?"
Qingmu nodded and dropped the subject. He shouldered a carrying pole with two bamboo baskets, about to head to the sweet potato field to dig.
