Journey to the West: Starting by taking Sun Wukong as my disciple!-Chapter 734 - 733: Does the Hero Take a Fancy to My Daughter?
"Well..." Gao Cuilan bit her lower lip and reached out to tug on Tian Peng’s sleeve, "Hero, would it be possible for you to stay another day?"
The saying goes: Heroes are vulnerable to the charms of a beautiful woman. Tian Peng felt a jolt through his body at Gao Cuilan’s slight gesture. He coughed and his gaze drifted to the left, "Well then, I’ll heed Miss Gao’s wishes and stay another day."
The Elder Village Chief and his wife exchanged a smiling glance and then said, "That’s wonderful. Since the hero is willing to stay one more day, I’ve already prepared food and good wine for you. Please, hero, partake."
Tian Peng felt somewhat embarrassed and only replied after Chen Gong nudged him, "Ahem, alright then, let’s go."
At the table, the Village Chief’s wife began to inquire about Tian Peng’s background, "May I know where the hero hails from? By your appearance, you seem to be from the Central Plains, am I right?"
"Ah, yes, I’m from the Central Plains," said Tian Peng.
"Which hometown in particular?" The Village Chief’s wife had expected Tian Peng to continue after her initial question, but when he stopped after his brief reply, she had to ask even more specifically.
Tian Peng frowned, wondering how the conversation had suddenly turned to his place of origin.
"The hero mustn’t overthink it; this old woman is just curious," the Village Chief’s wife hastily explained upon seeing Tian Peng’s suspicion.
Chen Gong just smiled without saying anything, as he now understood the situation. Even though the Great General was of an age to be established in life, he still acted like a young boy.
"Oh, it’s fine, I’m from Huang’an Town in Bianzhou," Tian Peng stated.
"Are your parents still well at home? Being that your home is quite far from here, your parents must worry about you," said the Village Chief’s wife, softening her tone considerably after realizing her earlier questions may have been too direct.
Sure enough, with the softened approach, Tian Peng failed to catch the underlying implications and replied, "I have no parents; they passed away when I was young. I’m the only one in my family, with nothing to tie me down."
"Ah? Is that so?" Although it was a sad revelation, the Village Chief’s wife was quite pleased. If he had no parents, then he wouldn’t be tied down no matter where he was.
"I see you’re in a hurry to continue your journey. Where are you planning to head to?" she asked.
"I’m heading to Chang’an," Tian Peng answered.
"What are you going to do in Chang’an?"
Tian Peng opened his mouth but did not respond this time.
This Village Chief’s wife was really too curious for her own good, incessantly asking questions during a simple meal, a question for every answer, without end—far more than even the officials at the city gates.
"Don’t take offense, hero. My wife is simple-minded and likes to chatter excessively. If you are displeased, I will have her go rest," the Elder Village Chief said.
Tian Peng couldn’t possibly send the Village Chief’s wife away, so he hurriedly said, "No need, no need. I am not displeased, I understand the lady didn’t mean any harm."
Gao Cuilan, standing behind the Village Chief’s wife, gently pushed her and whispered a complaint, "Mother, don’t ask so much."
"Alright, alright, I’ll stop asking," the Village Chief’s wife said helplessly.
Throughout the feast, Tian Peng was continuously urged to drink by the Elder Village Chief. Although he didn’t want to drink, he couldn’t resist as the Elder Village Chief was insistent, offering toast after toast.
Considering his age in the world of mortals, he was an elder, and it would be impolite not to drink when offered a toast by someone of such standing, so he ended up drinking glass after glass.
By now, Tian Peng was feeling tipsy and light-headed, and after revealing all in his drunken state, he slurred, "Elder Village Chief, no more toasts, please. I, uh, I really can’t drink anymore. If I drink any more, I’m truly going to be sick."
The Elder Village Chief exchanged a glance with his wife. They had inquired about all there was to the hero, and at this moment, they were quite satisfied with him.
"Very well, very well, I won’t press you with more drinks," the Elder Village Chief said, then called out to Gao Cuilan, "Cuilan, don’t just stand there. The hero has indeed had a bit too much to drink. Quickly offer him a cup of tea to help sober up."
Gao Cuilan nodded, "Eh, got it, Dad."
Tian Peng drank the tea Gao Cuilan had served to rinse his mouth, feeling much more comfortable and then leaned back in his chair to rest.
Clasping his daughter’s hand, the Elder Village Chief asked, "Hero, what do you think of my daughter?"
"Very beautiful, gentle, and virtuous," Tian Peng slurred his response.
"Seeing as you, hero, are of such an age and yet remain unmarried, and my daughter has not yet chosen a suitor, with you both being unwed, if I were to offer my daughter’s hand to you, how would you feel about that?" the Elder Village Chief inquired.
Gao Cuilan’s face turned beet red with embarrassment as she withdrew her hand and gently pushed at the Village Chief, "Dad, why are you being so direct?"
"If I’m not direct, I fear the hero wouldn’t be able to wrap his head around what I’m saying," said the Elder Village Chief with a smile.
"Dad!" Gao Cuilan feigned annoyance, indeed twisting her handkerchief while waiting for Tian Peng’s answer.
Tian Peng truly hadn’t realized what the Elder Village Chief was getting at, he paused before asking, "Huh? What do you mean?"
"I mean, are you willing to marry our Cuilan?" the Elder Village Chief made his question even more straightforward.
Tian Peng was foggy-headed and it took him several seconds to understand what the Elder Village Chief meant. He abruptly looked up, glancing at the Elder Village Chief, then at Gao Cuilan.
"Elder Village Chief, are you offering your daughter to me?" he asked.
"Yes, hero, would you be willing?" the Elder Village Chief asked.
"This is not a matter of willingness," Tian Peng waved his hand dismissively, "This is really too direct. I haven’t even had a chance to react, and moreover, why not ask Miss Gao for her opinion? If Miss Gao is unwilling, then wouldn’t this discussion be in vain?"
"She is willing," the Elder Village Chief looked at Gao Cuilan, then added, "Now it’s all down to whether you, hero, are willing."
"Ah?" Tian Peng sobered up a bit more. He truly hadn’t expected that after simply playing the hero once, the Elder Village Chief would actually want to marry his daughter to him.
"Hero, are you willing?" Gao Cuilan asked, biting her lower lip.
The Village Chief’s wife also approached, smiling at her daughter, "Our Cuilan has asked you directly, hero. Are you willing to marry our Cuilan? Please, give us an answer; if you’re willing, in a few days we’ll start preparing the wedding, alright?"
"Madam, it’s not that I’m unwilling to marry Miss Cuilan, it just really isn’t appropriate," Tian Peng spoke.
The Elder Village Chief appeared to be somewhat displeased. His daughter had a gentle and virtuous character. Although she was not a beauty who could make fish sink or geese alight, she certainly was a delicate jade of the home.
Otherwise, how could she leave the house and immediately catch the eye of that bully? Yet here was this hero, they had put it so frankly, and he was actually refusing; it was hard to understand what he was thinking.
"What’s inappropriate about it?" the Elder Village Chief asked, clearly puzzled, "Hero, you seem to have blurted out your rejection without a second thought; could it be, you already have someone in mind?"
Tian Peng hurriedly waved his hands, "No, no, that’s not it. I don’t have someone in mind. It’s just that I’m not currently interested in marrying; my work is not suited for marriage."
"Why is it unsuitable?" The Elder Village Chief had asked him about his job earlier with his wife, but they hadn’t learned much.
