Bride Swap Backfire: My Cousin's Rebirth Made Us a Power Couple-Chapter 72 - 47: Nearly Exposed (Part 2)
"Yes, I’ll remember that. I’m heading to the private school now."
Li Cun hurried out the door, but his steps slowed as he approached the mouth of the alley.
At this time of day, the alley entrance was already empty.
The neighborhood aunties had all gone home to prepare lunch. The alley entrance was so clean that only fine dust motes could be seen, floating gently in the sunlight.
Li Cun’s heart was just like that dust in the sunlight—drifting up and down, unsettled, with nowhere to land.
That evening, Li Cun returned home early.
He was back a quarter of an hour earlier than usual. At this time, Mr. Li was still in the kitchen making dinner.
Seeing her son return ahead of schedule, she was quite surprised. She glanced at the still-bright sky outside and asked, "How come you’re back so early?"
"The teacher said we should all come home at this time from now on. Winter is coming, so it gets dark early. He wants to prevent us from walking in the dark and falling and breaking an arm or a leg. The county examination is in two or three months. If something were to happen to us now, we might not be able to participate."
Mr. Li nodded repeatedly. "Your teacher is right. You should listen to him."
Li Cun put his book box back in his room and went to the kitchen.
"Mother, where is my marriage contract? Could you get it out for me? I want to show it to Father. I was in a hurry when I went out of the city today. I only told Father about my engagement, but I forgot to show him the contract."
Mr. Li was scalded by a spatter of hot oil. She grimaced in pain but dared not make a sound, gritting her teeth to endure it.
She knew her son had grown suspicious and couldn’t help but inwardly curse the gossips.
But she had already figured out how to handle this during the afternoon, so she replied unhurriedly, "You want the marriage contract? Alright, I’ll get it for you after dinner. No need to look at it right now. I just have this one last dish to finish. It’ll be ready in a moment. Let’s eat first."
For some reason, Li Cun let out a small sigh of relief. "That’s fine."
Li Cun and his mother ate the meal distractedly.
Normally, even though there were only three people eating in the Li family, the dinner table was always lively. Li Qiaoxin was a chatterbox, and Mr. Li would ask her son about every little detail of his day at the private school, so conversation never ceased.
But today, an animal-like sense of crisis kept Li Qiaoxin quiet. She didn’t dare make a sound.
As for Mr. Li and Li Cun, the mother and son pair nearly shoved their rice into their noses.
’Something is definitely wrong.’
After the meal, Li Qiaoxin obediently collected the bowls and chopsticks to wash them, but her ears perked up, listening to her mother and older brother talk.
Mr. Li said, "Cun, come with me to the main hall. I’ll go get the marriage contract for you."
Li Qiaoxin couldn’t help but ask, "Why get the marriage contract now?"
The moment the words left her mouth, Li Qiaoxin’s heart skipped a beat. For some strange reason, she recalled an odd tale about a girl promised to two families.
In that story, there was also a Li family.
And just before this odd tale started circulating, her mother had arranged a marriage for her older brother.
’It can’t be, can it?’
’My family couldn’t be the "Li family" from the rumors, could it?’
Li Qiaoxin’s eyes widened and her mouth fell open, looking just like a frog about to burst from all the gossip.
Mr. Li shot her a fierce glare. "Wash your dishes, and don’t worry about things that aren’t your concern. Cun, let’s go. We’ll go to the main room. The kitchen is too dark and greasy. It would be bad if your marriage contract got ruined."
"Alright, I’m coming."
The mother and son left together. Li Qiaoxin quickly finished washing the pot and bowls and ran to the window of the main room.
The main room’s window was covered with oiled paper.
Oiled paper was expensive and mostly used by wealthy families; common folk couldn’t afford it.
The oiled paper on the Li family’s window had been put up back when Li Cun’s father was still alive. But after so many years, it was no longer as bright as it once was, and long exposure to wind and sun had caused cracks to appear.
Through these cracks, she could clearly see the scene inside the room.
In the candlelit room, Mr. Li handed the candlestick to her son to hold while she went to a chest at the foot of the bed in the inner room. From it, she took out a book-like object wrapped in red cloth.
Tucked inside the object was a sheet of red paper. This was the marriage contract Li Cun had asked for.
Mr. Li walked over to her son and unfolded the marriage contract.
The document was headed with two large words: "Marriage Contract." The main text followed:
"On this joyous day, a fine ceremony is complete, and a favorable match is made... odes of Guan Ju... songs of Lin Zhi... may this union bring the prosperity of five generations... with one heart and one mind, they shall build a harmonious home... respecting each other as honored guests, may they forever enjoy marital bliss; supporting each other in sincerity, may they pledge an oath of everlasting love..."
Li Cun had no interest in reading the formulaic platitudes and blessings on the marriage contract. His eyes scanned past the beginning and fell hurriedly on the very end.
