The wicked mother-in-law doesn't try to whitewash herself; she only abuses her awful children.

After Gu Ruinian finished reading the list, he was rushed aside by excited wives and aunties to serve as a backdrop.

He clenched his fists.

Since Gu Taohua, this time-traveling woman, couldn't take the imperial examinations, she created a list that was exactly the same as the imperial examinations.

She's letting these illiterate women get all excited with her.

What's the point? It's ultimately unsuitable for serious social interaction.

Gu Ruinian thought that the weaving workshop was Gu Taohua's idea.

He was both jealous and resentful.

Will your leg ever get better?

Gu Ruinian carried the water home. Because his right leg was weak and he had never done physical labor in his life, he had to rest after walking a few steps.

It was Xu Xinghua who stopped him from speaking.

Gu Ruinian looked coldly at the girl standing in front of him, a feeling of disgust rising in his heart.

When Xu Xinghua was a child, she had a rash that left pockmarks on her face. To cover the pockmarks, she covered her face with a thick layer of powder.

Gu Ruinian felt that if you poked her face, you could make a dent.

Xu Xinghua is three years older than Gu Ruinian.

In Gu Ruinian's eyes, Xu Xinghua was not as good as Wu Na, at least Wu Na was young and had no pockmarks on her face.

"Whether my leg is okay or not is none of your business," Gu Ruinian said coldly.

Xu Xinghua chuckled and said, "Even after all this, you're still so arrogant? Your father and my parents are discussing arranging a marriage for us. If you were a scholar like Gu Jingzhe, I might reluctantly agree, but you're just a novice with a limp, so I wouldn't even consider you."

After saying that, he looked Gu Ruinian's legs up and down.

That look made Gu Ruinian feel a sharp pain all over his body.

This illiterate village girl with a pockmarked face actually looked down on him.

Is there any justice left?

“But I agreed,” Xu Xinghua said.

Gu Ruinian's shoulders trembled, and he suddenly turned his head, his face filled with disbelief.

Xu Xinghua said, "What? What good can someone like you possibly say? You want to be like Gu Jingzhe, the daughter of a top scholar? You think you're worthy? Your father has agreed to let you become our Xu family's son-in-law. From now on, you'll live a good life with me in the Xu family. My family has fertile land, so you won't have to worry about food and drink. The children you have will be descendants of the Xu family. After you come to live with us, my family will take you to the prefectural city to treat your leg. I've heard that the famous doctors in the prefectural city are very good at treating leg diseases."

Xu Xinghua glanced at Gu Ruinian's legs, unable to hide the disdain in her eyes, and said, "Your legs can walk now, so go to the prefectural city to get them treated properly. Maybe they can be cured. After they're cured, I'll support your studies and send you to Wanliu Academy. You can earn me a title of 'Scholar's Wife,' 'Scholar's Wife,' and 'Imperial Lady.' Then I'll be as proud as Tong Dajiao in the village."

Although Qinghewan has few scholars and has never produced an official, the villagers all know that officials are not chosen for their physical ailments because Gu Daqiao dropped out of school due to a leg injury.

Only those from aristocratic families or imperial relatives were exempt from these restrictions; anyone who relied on studying and taking the imperial examinations to pursue an official career would face such limitations.

So Xu Xinghua told her parents that it was okay for Gu Ruinian to come to their home, but he had to be treated for his leg.

When Xu Xinghua's father, Xu Yong, was still the village head of Qinghewan Village, many people came to propose marriage.

But Xu Xinghua was not satisfied with any of them.

She wanted a scholar, and his family couldn't be too poor.

Those who came to visit were either poor scholars like Fan Tong, or wealthy but poorly educated playboys from rural towns.

Those who were good at studying and came from wealthy families looked down on Xu Xinghua's appearance and temperament.

There's never a perfect solution, so Xu Xinghua picked and chose until she was left with only one.

She used to be in no hurry because she was the village chief's daughter, but since Xu Yong was removed from his post as village chief, fewer people have come to propose marriage.

Only a few times, either he was someone's second wife, or the other party was simply not presentable enough.

She couldn't keep delaying, as an old maid wouldn't want to get married, which would affect the marriage prospects of other girls in the clan, and also her brother's marriage prospects. So when Gu Youtian came to visit, Xu Yong was willing to agree to the marriage, on the condition that Gu Ruinian had to marry into the family.

Otherwise, if the Xu family helped Gu Ruinian treat his leg and supported his education, what if he later became independent and left? Wouldn't the Xu family have lost everything? Xu Yong was only removed from his position as village chief, but his mind wasn't.

Xu Yong wasn't sure if Gu Ruinian's leg could be cured. He thought that even if it couldn't be cured and he couldn't become an official, the marriage would still be worthwhile. It would be worth it to support him until he became a Juren (a successful candidate in the provincial civil service examination) and for the magistrate to make him a local gentry.

He also wanted a well-mannered, well-educated man from a good family, but such a man was not available to Xu Xinghua.

Looking at Xu Xinghua chattering away in front of him, Gu Ruinian felt like dying.

Gu Youtian's demand that he marry Xu Xinghua was already beyond his ability to accept, and then he even asked him to become a live-in son-in-law in the Xu family.

Xu Xinghua's cousins, Xu Dabao and Xu Erbao, would humiliate her from time to time.

Gu Youtian has no regard for the bond between father and son.

“I do not agree to this marriage,” Gu Ruinian said to Xu Xinghua.

Xu Xinghua was furious.

From the moment Gu Ruinian returned to the village, Xu Xinghua's eyes were fixed on him.

An outstanding student about to pass the imperial examination, Gu Ruinian's family fortunes have declined, but that doesn't matter, since he is handsome and young.

She encountered him several times in the village and greeted him. On the surface, Gu Ruinian maintained the image of a gentle and refined scholar, but Xu Xinghua knew the contempt in his eyes, as if he was silently telling her that she was not worthy.

Then came the shocking news that he had failed the imperial examination and was having an affair with his cousin.

This scholar is nothing special.

What right does he have to look down on her? What right does he have to refuse this marriage proposal?

In this marriage, Xu Xinghua felt that she was the savior.

Xu Xinghua raised her head and said, "Do you think you're Gu Jingzhe, handsome and the best in the imperial examinations, able to pick and choose any girl in the city? Don't dream. You're just a cripple who has an affair with a widow. If my family were willing to let you marry into our family, Gu Youtian would have to burn incense at your family's ancestral graves. What good is it if you disagree?"

Xu Xinghua is ruthless. Knowing that Gu Ruinian is determined to compete with Gu Jingzhe, she deliberately punctures his lungs.

She had to subdue him, otherwise he would take advantage of his scholarly arrogance to manipulate her.

"I don't know what you're so proud of. Alright, go back and get ready. When Dad picks a good day, and the firecrackers go off, just come to our house."

Gu Ruinian gripped the bucket tightly, his knuckles turning white.

Xu Xinghua raised an eyebrow.

She wanted to see if Gu Ruinian could maintain his arrogance after marrying into the family.

Xu Xinghua ridiculed Gu Ruinian for a while, then turned and left.

Enraged, Gu Ruinian slammed the bucket to the ground. The freshly drawn well water was icy cold, and the shock of the cold water instantly cleared his head.

He seriously considered this marriage that made him unhappy.

They are willing to help him treat his leg and support his education, so it's a good match for him right now.

He just couldn't bring himself to like Xu Xinghua.

Gu Ruinian felt resentful. He didn't mind being a live-in son-in-law, but he was not happy at all about being the live-in son-in-law of the ugly daughter of a former village chief.

If his and Lian Er Gongzi's plan had not been exposed by Gu Taohua and Tong Huaqiong, how could he have ended up in this situation?
Laughter and cheerful voices echoed through the village.

The girls and wives who were hired by Tong Huaqiong's weaving workshop smiled at everyone they met.

The laughter was extremely grating to Gu Ruinian's ears.

Looking up again, he saw the main branch of the family standing in front of the weaving workshop. A crowd of people swarmed around them, flattering Tong Huaqiong and Gu Taohua. Chen Sufeng stood to the side with her pregnant belly, which made Gu Ruinian even more annoyed.

"Ouch, are you blind? You bumped into someone while walking?"

While Gu Ruinian was lost in thought, someone bumped into his shoulder hard. (End of Chapter)