Transmigrated as an Unwanted Ugly Girl

Chapter 477: Chapter 250: Give Huai Zi a Try

After they finished eating, Qingmu, Zhang Huai, and Zhang Yang went out as planned to shovel the snow blocking the courtyard gate. Juhua watched the three dark figures bustling about in the snow, occasional bursts of muffled laughter drifting over. She found it both amusing and heartwarming, feeling she had thoroughly enjoyed the evening, completely unaware that her future was about to be sealed. ’After all, I can’t be an exception. It’s already a blessing to have an advantage over others. How could I really get to date someone before deciding on marriage!’

Now that life was better, heavy snow days weren’t so detestable and difficult to get through. Instead, they had become a reason for people to relax. Zheng Changhe had spent the entire evening chatting with Zhang Dashuan. He was heading home, thoroughly satisfied, when he spotted three dark figures bustling in the snow before he even reached his courtyard gate—the kids were actually shoveling snow this late at night!

His good mood surged, and he let out a great laugh, calling out, "Yangzi, what’s all this? Shoveling my snow for me? Looks like I’ll have to treat you to a meal!" His voice was bold and hearty, carrying far in the snowy night and shaking the snow on the tree branches, causing it to rustle down.

Startled by the sudden laugh, Zhang Yang jumped, and his heart leaped into his throat. He nearly dropped the hoe in his hands.

Yang Family and He came out the door, chiding him, "What are you caterwauling for? It’s the middle of the night, people are trying to sleep."

He then called to her son, "Come on, let’s go home to bed. We’ll see if you can get up tomorrow morning. Juhua, all this noise must be giving you a headache, right? Pay them no mind, you go get some sleep!"

Juhua laughed. "I’m making a racket right along with them!"

Having had her fill of fun, she fell into a deep, sweet sleep until daybreak. The next day, the sun was brilliant, as if it had forgotten the wind and snow of the day before. It shone nonchalantly on the silver-white landscape, its rays so dazzling one could hardly open their eyes.

After breakfast, Qingmu left for the sausage workshop, while Zheng Changhe shoveled snow outside the courtyard. Yang Family, finished with her household chores, came out onto the covered porch. She pulled up a small stool and sat beside Juhua, joining her to bask in the sun and do needlework. In an age of handmade garments, there was an endless supply of sewing to be done year-round. Even if a family couldn’t afford new clothes and socks, the old ones still had to be mended.

Yang Family made small talk with Juhua for a few moments, then chose her words carefully and asked softly, "Hua’er, what do you think about getting engaged to Huai Zi at the end of the year?"

Juhua was in the middle of sewing new clothes for herself—she had grown so much that her padded jacket and trousers had to be remade. At her mother’s words, she nearly jabbed her finger with the needle. She froze, needle in hand, and stared blankly at Yang Family for a long time before asking, stunned, "Why?"

Yang Family gave her a look of exasperation. "Oh, you silly child. The way you and Huai Zi are now... if you don’t get engaged, how can things continue?"

She didn’t want to be too blunt, feeling she had made herself clear enough. But Juhua, completely baffled, asked, "What about us? Aren’t we just the same as always?"

’My mother can’t possibly think Huai Zi and I have secretly pledged ourselves to each other, can she? I’ve been very proper! I only gave him a pair of gloves. Okay, I admit, that was a little... suggestive. But he’s treated me like a little sister since we were children. Giving him gloves shouldn’t be a big deal, right?’ she thought to herself.

Yang Family looked at her daughter’s clueless face with a resigned sigh. "Even a fool can see what Huai Zi feels for you. And you... you’re not angry with him anymore. Our two families live right next to each other, and you two are always together. If this goes on for too long without an engagement... Besides, wouldn’t it be more convenient if you were engaged? It would make it easier for him to come and see you."

She had wanted to say, "If you’re not engaged after all this time, people will start to gossip," but she remembered what He had said and quickly changed her tune, focusing on the benefits of an engagement. She also couldn’t very well tell her daughter to her face that she had feelings for him, too—she was afraid of embarrassing the girl—so she simply said that Juhua was no longer angry at him.

Though she spoke vaguely, Juhua was not some naive little girl. She understood her mother’s meaning at once and froze, her mind going blank.

’Just last night, I was delightedly thinking about getting to experience a romance, and now we’re jumping straight to the main event. If I weren’t still so young, would Mom and Dad be trying to set the wedding date as well?’

She cautiously studied the expression on Yang Family’s face. "Mom," she asked, "have you talked to Aunt Zhang about this?"

Seeing that Juhua seemed reluctant, Yang Family put down her needlework and spoke to her earnestly. "Hua’er, Mom isn’t trying to rush you out the door. I’m just thinking of what’s best for you. If you don’t like Huai Zi, we’ll drop the subject. But if you do fancy him, and he’s so fond of you, then why not get engaged?"

Juhua snapped out of it as if struck by lightning. As she thought it over, she realized she had truly been indulging in fantasy. ’Imagine, wanting to date for two years before making a decision. By what right?’

’If I had no feelings for him, that would be one thing. But since I do, who would let me get so close to him without an engagement? That would just give people ammunition for gossip.’