Unlimited estates for rural beauty

Xueyan Country, the fifteenth year of Emperor Hongze's reign, winter. Feng Family Village in Longgang Town.

In the quiet afternoon, the main gate of a farmhouse in Feng Family Village was violently kicked open, only to see someone barge in and bellow, "Feng Xi, Feng Xuxu, grandma wants you to stop by the old house, there's something important."

Feng Xi stepped out from the house and saw it was his elder cousin Feng Jiang, and asked, "What does grandma want with us?" Feng Jiang glared at Feng Xi, twisting his neck and tilting his chin up as he snarkily responded, "How should I know? Hurry up. Where's that cheap wench Xuxu?"

Feng Xuxu had heard everything from inside the house. Despite her good education in the twenty-first century, she couldn't endure being called a cheap wench by a bratty nine-year-old kid. She promptly came out of the house, stood by her brother's side, and cheerfully asked Feng Jiang, "Whom are you calling a cheap wench?" Feng Jiang blurted out in response, "I'm calling you the cheap wench!" Feng Xi and Feng Xuxu heard this and snickered, leaving Feng Jiang red-faced with anger. He lunged towards Feng Xuxu to hit her. Feng Xi, seeing his sister about to be hit, intervened; grabbing hold of Feng Jiang's collar and hauling him out. After all, Feng Xi was a good eight years older and well accustomed to the physical labor of farming. The strength was not something a little brat could match. As he dragged him out, he looked back at his sister and said, "I'll take Feng Jiang to the old house first, lock the door properly after me."

Meanwhile, Feng Jiang was struggling and yelling, "Feng Xi, let me go right now, or I'll have grandpa beat you to death. You know he favors me the most." Once they were outside, Feng Xi let go of Feng Jiang, who, upon gaining his freedom, dashed a short distance away, turned around, pointing at Feng Xi, and shouted, "You damn orphan star! Just you wait, I'm going right back to tell grandpa that you hit me for that cheap wench." After saying this, he ran off into the distance. Soon, he was out of sight.

Feng Xuxu caught up with Feng Xi and shook her head as she saw Feng Jiang hurling insults at her brother. Spoiling a child like this was akin to damaging them; if raised this way, the kid would surely be ruined. Seeing Feng Xuxu catch up, the siblings headed to the old house together.

Feng Xi pushed open the gate of the old house, leading Feng Xuxu inside the courtyard, where they saw quite a few people gathered. Feng Xuxu scanned the scene and spotted both uncles, aunts, the younger aunt (Feng Dongzhi), two female cousins, and a male cousin—all there, an entire family assembly. Full of curiosity yet remaining silent, she followed her brother and respectfully saluted their grandparents, calling out "grandpa" and "grandma."

The grandfather acknowledged them with a grunt, and soon led everyone into the main hall. After the grandparents settled down, the second uncle and his wife took their place below the grandparents, followed by the third uncle and his wife. Seated in the last position was the grandparents' younger daughter (Feng Dongzhi). The younger children played inside the room, while the older ones gathered in a corner, quietly conversing.

Quick-witted, Feng Xuxu stepped forward to pour a cup of tea for her grandparents. The grandfather glanced at Feng Xuxu without saying a word, but the grandmother happily took Feng Xuxu's hand and patted it, saying, "Such a good child, smart and quick, and pretty to boot. You never fall behind with chores, a rare gem indeed. The family that marries you is going to wake up laughing from their dreams."

Upon hearing this, Feng Xuxu's heart tightened, but she didn't show it on her face and shyly said, "Grandma, I'm not as good as you say. I'll be just thirteen after June; I don't want to get married so soon! I want to spend more time with you, to serve at the feet of my grandparents for a couple more years," she said with a coy twist of her body.

Grandma feigned anger and glared at Feng Xuxu. She tapped Feng Xuxu's forehead with her finger and said, "What kind of girl doesn't want to marry? Are you planning to become an old maid at home? Besides, your brother and your several male cousins are still here. Are you worried that we two old folks will starve?"