Bride Swap Backfire: My Cousin's Rebirth Made Us a Power Couple-Chapter 73 - 47: Almost Exposed (Part 2)

Near the end of the marriage contract were two names. One was "Li Cun." As for the other, just as Li Cun was about to take a closer look, Mr. Li cried out in alarm, "You silly boy, be careful! This is a marriage contract! If you burn it, where am I supposed to find you another wife? Hold that candle properly! Oh, the wax is about to drip!"

Startled, Li Cun quickly moved the candlestick in his hand to the side.

After moving the candlestick away, he turned his head to look again, only to see his mother carefully folding the marriage contract. She handed it to him, saying, "Weren’t you going to show your father? Go on, go light a stick of incense before his memorial tablet and let him have a look."

Li Cun looked at his mother’s calm and open expression, then recalled the image that had just flashed through his mind.

He had only managed to clearly see the two words "Chen Wan." When his mother shouted, he got distracted and didn’t see the last character. But he had seen the ’月’ component.

’The character ’清’ in ’Chen Wanqing’ has ’月’ at the bottom, doesn’t it?’

’Then there’s no mistake.’

With his mind at ease, Li Cun let out a sigh of relief.

Although he was still dying of curiosity and wanted to unfold the marriage contract to get a clear look at her full name, he was afraid of hurting his mother’s feelings by doing so.

However, seeing his mother’s relaxed posture and smooth brow, he was certain nothing was amiss. It was his own mind, worked up by all that gossip, that had made him think ill of his mother.

Li Cun was feeling guilty toward his mother just as Mr. Li discovered an eye peeking through a tear in the window paper.

The eye’s owner, sensing trouble, turned to flee.

Furious, Mr. Li grabbed the candlestick and gave chase.

"Li Qiaoxin, you little troublemaker! You’re the one who’s torn all the window paper in this house! You think we’re still well-off like before? Nowadays, we have to stretch every single coin! You poked a hole in my window paper, and now I’m going to freeze this winter."

Li Qiaoxin pleaded, "You can just buy another piece and patch it up. It doesn’t even cost much."

"You don’t run the house, so you don’t know how expensive everything is! What in this family doesn’t cost money? We only have a set amount of Silver, and that’s all being saved for your older brother’s education and his wedding! I’d rather freeze to death myself than spend it on window paper!"

The courtyard was filled with clamor, while the room inside was dim and dark.

In the pitch-black room, Li Cun clutched the marriage contract in one hand and placed the other over his heart, swearing to himself that he would give his mother a good life in the future.

Li Cun went back to his room to study. Mr. Li returned in the darkness and, for a long time, didn’t dare to relight the candle.

When Qiaoxin came back from visiting the neighbors, her shout for her mother startled Mr. Li.

"Mom, it’s the middle of the night, so dark you can’t see your hand in front of your face! I know you’re frugal, but couldn’t you at least wait until I’m in bed with my clothes off before putting out the light?"

Mr. Li’s voice came from beside the round table, making Li Qiaoxin jump in fright.

"What are you shouting for? Your mother isn’t old, and my ears aren’t deaf yet! If you dare disturb your older brother’s studies, see if I don’t tan your hide."

Only then did Mr. Li rustle around, take out a fire starter, and light the candle.

Li Qiaoxin was surprised. "You didn’t light the kerosene lamp today? Mom, weren’t you just lecturing me about being frugal?"

Mr. Li’s gaze swept past the memorial tablet in the room. When she saw the marriage contract placed neatly folded before it, still in the same state as when she had handed it to her son.

Her son hadn’t opened it again.

Upon realizing this, the heavy stone that had been weighing on Mr. Li’s heart finally dropped.

The next moment, she blew out the candle and felt her way to the bed in the dark.

"It’s getting late. Get undressed and go to sleep. This is our own home; we know where the bed is. No need to waste oil and light."