Chapter 50: I Don't Want to Marry Anyone

Tong Chuxue did not dwell on the matter too much and replied casually, "Why would I? What is there for me to struggle with? I don't care who Yao Tianyuan marries."

This answer failed to satisfy Luo Hui'an, who probed further, "What would you care about?"

"Hmm?" Tong Chuxue sensed a hidden undertone in Luo Hui'an's inquiry. He had never spoken to her in such a manner before, and this sudden shift left her slightly ill at ease. "What would I care about? I only care about making life better for my mother and myself."

Ever since arriving here, Tong Chuxue's goal had never wavered. She simply wanted to live her own peaceful life; as for other people, she could not be bothered to care.

"I had assumed that failing to marry Yao Tianyuan would leave you heartbroken," Luo Hui'an remarked.

"Heartbroken?" Tong Chuxue felt as though she had just heard the most absurd joke. "What on earth is there for me to be heartbroken about? I would be heartbroken if I *had* married him."

A chauvinist like Yao Tianyuan was simply not her type at all.

"What do you mean by that?" Luo Hui'an pressed on.

"To be completely honest with you, I don't want to marry anyone at all," Tong Chuxue said, her expression full of yearning. In this world, merely managing to live one's own life was already difficult enough.

Luo Hui'an gave Tong Chuxue a profound look, his expression unreadable.

After all, in this era, no ordinary woman could casually utter the words that she did not wish to marry. A woman alone in this society could barely survive; excluded from societal labor and unable to earn an independent living, even if they wished to remain unmarried, the combined pressure of family and society would force them into it.

If any other woman had spoken those words, Luo Hui'an would never have believed them. But Tong Chuxue was unlike other women; she was an entirely different sort of person.

Tong Chuxue had never revealed this thought to anyone before. She had only mentioned it half-jokingly to Xu Jinniang once, knowing how difficult it would be to win her mother's approval. Yet for some reason, she could share this so effortlessly with Luo Hui'an—perhaps forged through the bond they built during their late-night climb up the back mountain.

"Why aren't you saying anything?" Luo Hui'an's abrupt silence felt somewhat strange to her. She felt he shouldn't have been startled by such remarks.

"Why don't you want to marry?" Luo Hui'an finally asked.

"Why must one *have* to marry?" Coming from the apocalypse, where survival in a brutal, dog-eat-dog society meant that forming alliances required extreme caution, Tong Chuxue knew all too well that one could never be certain if the person sleeping beside them might turn a knife against them the next moment for resources.

Perhaps that kind of life made it difficult for her to trust those around her.

"No matter," Luo Hui'an suddenly chuckled, as if he had figured out some crucial point. "I merely thought you were grieving over Yao Tianyuan. As long as that isn't the case, it's fine."

Tong Chuxue shrugged. "He isn't worth it."

"Indeed, he isn't worth it," Luo Hui'an agreed.

The Tong household was completely deserted at the moment, as everyone had gone to the Yao family's estate to witness the ceremony.

Logically speaking, since Tong Chuxue had sent wedding gifts, she was entitled to a meal at the Yao residence. However, knowing full well that neither the Yao nor the Tong family welcomed her, she saw no reason to force herself upon them and invite disdain, choosing instead to return home.

Yet her decision to stay away stirred different ripples in the hearts of both Yao Tianyuan and Tong Wan'er.

It was a rare joyous occasion in the village, and because the Yao family wanted to save face, the banquet they prepared was exceptionally lavish. Nearly every dish featured shredded meat, alongside heavy dishes like braised pork belly, braised pork ribs, and braised pork knuckles, prompting the villagers to praise the Yao family's generosity.

Aside from the food, there was plenty of wine. As the groom, Yao Tianyuan had to make the rounds and drink with everyone. By the time he finished visiting every table, he was somewhat intoxicated, his steps unsteady as the Tong brothers supported him into the bridal chamber.

Seated upright on the bed, Tong Wan'er saw her cousin helping Yao Tianyuan in and hurried forward to greet them, only to be stopped by her cousin. "Wan'er, you are the bride today; you cannot run over yourself. You must wait until Tianyuan lifts the red veil."

Although Yao Tianyuan had consumed a significant amount of alcohol, he was still lucid enough to comprehend what was said. Hearing the Tong brothers mention lifting the veil, he reached out a trembling hand and pulled it back.

Seeing this, the Tong brothers gently laid him on the bed and quickly exited, pulling the double doors shut behind them.

The villagers outside had also finished eating and drinking their fill. With the groom gone, there was no reason for anyone to linger. The members of the Yao household politely saw the guests off and began clearing the tables.

Inside the room, glowing red wedding candles illuminated the space. Tong Wan'er's brows and eyes appeared even more radiant and captivating in the candlelight. She fixed her lovely, bashful eyes upon Yao Tianyuan.

She was indeed shy; the mere thought of the things her mother had taught her made her heart race with intense nervousness.

Yet Yao Tianyuan across from her remained motionless for a long while, merely gazing at her quietly, as if he were completely stupefied by the wine.

"Husband?" Tong Wan'er's voice was soft and sweet.

"Hmm," Yao Tianyuan acknowledged, still making no move.

Tong Wan'er found herself in a dilemma. As a maiden, was she expected to take the initiative? That simply wouldn't do.

Just as she was hesitating, Yao Tianyuan suddenly asked, "I heard this match was originally meant for Tong Chuxue."

Tong Wan'er's expression shifted violently, but the bright red double-happiness characters plastered around the room reminded her that today was her grand wedding day—she must not create any unpleasantness. "Husband, let's not talk about other people, alright?"

Especially when that person was Tong Chuxue.

"Do you like me?" Yao Tianyuan asked again.

Of course she liked him. From the very first moment she laid eyes on him in town, she had fallen for him. Now that he asked, Tong Chuxue—*correction*: Tong Wan'er nodded shyly.

"Heh," Yao Tianyuan chuckled softly.

Tong Wan'er could not understand why he let out such a laugh. "Husband?"

Yao Tianyuan's gaze cleared for a fraction of a second as he looked at her once more, his hand reaching out to stroke her cheek...

Night passed into morning.

Tong Wan'er woke up extremely early—or rather, she had barely slept at all.

She was in agony; her entire body ached. Yao Tianyuan had shown her no mercy the previous night. She had assumed he was merely a frail scholar, forgetting that even if he did no physical labor, a man naturally possessed far greater strength than she did.

Yet her heart was filled with sweetness. She had married Yao Tianyuan just as she wished, and in the future, she would bear his children. Then they would live happily together, driving that cheap wretch Tong Chuxue to bitter regret and jealousy.

Back at Tong Chuxue's house:

The Ganoderma lucidum cultivation shed had already been constructed, and the spores were ready. The current task was to initiate the growth of the fungus.

However, the cultivation substrate for Ganoderma was vastly different from ordinary crops; the soil inside the shed required specialized modification.

Preparing the specific substrate required cottonseed hulls, sawdust, wheat bran, cane sugar, and gypsum powder—fortunately, all of these materials were accessible in rural areas.

Tong Chuxue delegated the task of gathering raw materials to the Luo family and Liu Fen, while she herself made a trip into town because she needed one more crucial component: alcohol.