I Became the Alchemy Master by Picking Up Trash-Chapter 54 - 53: Marriage Proposal

Li Xing rode the tricycle, and as soon as she entered the courtyard, she heard Li Yi shout like a lion:

"Get the hell out——!"

Li Yi definitely wouldn’t dare speak to Anna like that, so who was he talking to?

Li Xing quickly parked the tricycle and hurried into the house, only to be surprised to find Yang Zhou calmly sitting in the living room, legs crossed, drinking tea.

"Principal Yang? Why are you here?"

"I’ve come to back you up."

Li Xing was puzzled: "Huh?"

Yang Zhou smiled, pointed upstairs, and signaled Li Xing to sit down and enjoy the show.

Not long after, footsteps echoed down the stairs, with Li Yi leading the way with a grim face, followed by an equally displeased Anna. The last person was someone Li Xing didn’t recognize, parting his well-greased hair in the middle, dressed like a wealthy caretaker.

Seeing Li Xing was back, Li Yi’s expression grew somewhat awkward, deliberately avoiding eye contact, as he said grumpily to the caretaker:

"Housekeeper Wang, please make sure to convey to the City Lord that our entire family is not interested in the proposal from him and the City Lord’s wife! This matter ends here, no need to bring it up again."

So that person really was a housekeeper, and from the City Lord Mansion no less. Though Datang City was a small place, the City Lord was the highest-ranking official, and just a stomp from him could shake the city. What business did his housekeeper have with the Li Family?

"In front of a prime minister’s gate, even a servant is of second rank." Though Housekeeper Wang was a servant, he had no shortage of people flattering him daily. It had been years since he had to consider the opinions of commoners. Now that the main party had returned, the fire within him, suppressed by Li Yi, reignited.

"Mr. Li, it’s not right to speak like that. As far as I know, Miss Li is an orphan, and you and your wife are her legal guardians, not her biological parents. Now that she has reached the age of sixteen, your legal obligations are over, and Miss Li can decide matters for herself.

Moreover, of noble dual-black lineage, you with your ordinary status are hardly in a position to decide life matters for a dual-black young lady. I think you should consult Miss Li’s own opinion. You should know the conditions City Lord has proposed are extremely favorable, offers even noble ladies from Upper City could hardly receive!"

"You—!"

Li Yi’s face turned livid, his fists clenched tightly. If not for the fear of implicating Li Xing and Anna, he surely would have crippled this fellow today.

Li Yi was so furious he was at a loss for words. Housekeeper Wang, feeling smug, turned to Li Xing with a smile, "So this is Miss Li Xing, right? Indeed, the most beautiful woman in Datang City!"

Housekeeper Wang finally understood why the City Lord was so insistent on completing this matter. Not just in Datang, but even in Middle City or Upper City, such a fair and genuine dual-black is rare.

Before other noblemen have their eyes on this delicate beauty, it’s best to cook the rice while it’s still raw, lest complications arise later.

Li Xing’s mind raced, finally understanding what Yang Zhou meant by backing her up, feeling thoroughly fed up.

She was still so young, and yet someone was already scheming?

"Housekeeper Wang, is it? You’re right, I’m indeed adopted, but the kindness of being raised surpasses that of birth. Uncle Li and Aunt Anna’s relationship with me isn’t just confined to a piece of adoption paper. They are my elders. Even though we share no blood, we will always be family, whether I’m sixteen or sixty. They both have the right to bypass me and make decisions on my behalf."

"Housekeeper Wang, whatever the City Lord has proposed, Uncle Li and Aunt Anna have already refused on my behalf. Their decision is my decision. There’s no room for change in this matter. If you continue to pester, don’t blame me, Li Xing, for turning hostile!"

Li Xing had considered pulling out the Heavenly Wolf Saber to intimidate him, but since Anna was present, she didn’t want the Evil Qi of the saber to accidentally hurt her, so she decided against it.

"This..." Housekeeper Wang hadn’t expected Li Xing to value Li Yi and Anna so highly. They were merely commoners. How could they make decisions for a dual-black?

"Principal Yang, what about you on this matter..." Two commoners overstepping bounds was one thing, but Yang Zhou, also a dual-black himself, should offer some dissenting opinion, right?

"My view? It’s not my business! A rejection is a rejection. Does the City Lord of Datang intend to forcefully take a maiden?"

"Dare not, dare not!"

Hearing Yang Zhou’s sharp tone, Housekeeper Wang broke out in a sweat.

This young man was from the Yang Family. Though he was purportedly banished to Datang, it was more to protect him. Rumor had it the current Family Head of the Yang Family valued him highly, and perhaps the next Family Head might just be this Yang Zhou.

An appointment as a small city lord was merely at the whims of the upper gentry. Even if the City Lord himself were here, he wouldn’t dare act up before Yang Zhou.

"Go back and tell Wang Jin, without the Primordial Spirit, even marrying a Dragon Girl won’t produce a Kirin child. Give up such unrealistic fantasies, find a mutually affectionate ordinary person to marry, and stop coveting swan meat!"

Only Yang Zhou dared to mock the City Lord’s son as a toad.

"Yes, yes." After being reprimanded, Housekeeper Wang slunk away in dejection.

"Aunt Anna, what’s wrong with you?" Housekeeper Wang was chased away by Yang Zhou, yet why was Anna still wiping tears? Even Li Yi had red eyes, were they feeling more aggrieved in hindsight?

"It’s nothing, I’m just so happy... Xiao Xing, keep Brother Yang company for a while, I’ll cook us a delicious meal to celebrate tonight!"

Anna gave Li Xing a strong hug before turning to the kitchen. 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝕨𝕖𝗯𝚗𝚘𝕧𝕖𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝕞

Xiao Xing said they’d be family for a lifetime, and she was so overjoyed.

"Na Na, let me help you."

Li Yi, acting proud, brushed past Li Xing and followed into the kitchen, muttering as he went, "This girl’s sweet words are deadly... wonder which lucky boy will win her favor..."

In all these years, Li Xing hadn’t changed how she addressed them as mom and dad, which Li Yi and Anna understood, considering she’d been six when they adopted her and already understood so much.

Maybe it was because Li Xing knew she was adopted, and thus couldn’t treat Li Yi and Anna as if they were her biological parents. Li Yi and Anna never blamed Li Xing for this, though it did leave them with some regrets.

Today this child said that the kindness of being raised was greater than that of birth, and that they were truly family for a lifetime; at that moment, any small regrets Li Yi and Anna had dissipated into nothing.

Ah, it was worth it!

Li Xing sat back across from Yang Zhou, poured herself a cup of tea, gently clinked the rim of Yang Zhou’s cup, and said:

"Principal, thank you."

Yang Zhou chuckled, raised his cup, and downed it. "I didn’t expect you to respond so swiftly."

Li Xing rolled her eyes. She wasn’t some naive little girl. If she couldn’t figure out Housekeeper Wang was here to propose, she might as well not live.

"You came back halfway, so you don’t know what conditions the City Lord offered. Would you like me to tell you?"

"What conditions?"

"Housekeeper Wang said, if you agree, the City Lord would gift a luxury villa in the city center and ten profitable street-front shops to the Li Family as gratitude for raising you ten years. The bride price was up to you, no matter what you asked, plus one-thousandth stock ownership of Wan Tong Department Store."

Wan Tong Department Store is the largest chain across the federation, with branches in every city. One-thousandth of its stock equity would be an enormous wealth.

"Whoa— is this a marriage proposal or a purchase!" Honestly, the feeling of being offered money for a loveless marriage wasn’t pleasant.

But money is tempting, and Li Xing knew that for the impoverished Li Yi and Anna, refusing such a vast estate required enormous courage.

Li Xing understood in her heart that these two truly considered her their own daughter, and they could never sell her for glory.