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Li Yonggang hurried home under the fading dusk, still carrying the faint earthy scent of the native chickens he had been selling that day. He had deliberately chosen a few of these village chickens to sell, hoping to scrape together a bit more money during this critical moment. His mind was occupied with the promise he had made to Lin Junwan just days ago. Her tear-filled eyes seemed to linger before him, silently pleading about the family’s relentless pressure to marry, urging him to find a way to come and formally propose.

Li Yonggang swore to himself that he would bring Lin Junwan home with honor and pride.

Yet, as soon as he stepped through the door, he was met not with the warm glow of the kerosene lamp, but with his mother’s anxious face.

“Xiaogang, quickly go check on Xiaowan. I heard Lin Aimei has pushed her to the brink!” Her words struck him like a thunderclap, shaking him to his core.

He realized then that the “marriage pressure” Lin Junwan mentioned was not just about her—it was about an arranged marriage to replace her brother’s fiancée.

Without hesitation, Li Yonggang took off toward Lin Junwan’s home. After a few minutes along the village’s winding paths, he reached her courtyard and called out.

“Who is it? Coming this late,” came the slightly impatient voice of Lin Aimei from the kitchen, mingled with the clatter of pots and pans.

Lin Junsheng lazily appeared at the door, squinting into the moonlight at the blurred figure outside.

“Nothing much, just calling me to check on the pigs,” he lied casually, not wanting his mother to know Li Yonggang was there.

“Be careful on the dark road. If you’re worried, bring your sister along,” Lin Junsheng said dismissively to his mother before striding toward the gate.

Li Yonggang was about to call out when Lin Junsheng shot him a sharp glance, signaling him to be quiet. Then, in a low, stern voice filled with urgency, he said, “Keep your voice down. Follow me. This is important!”

“Brother Lin, what’s going on?” Li Yonggang asked, confused but lowering his voice as he followed closely behind.

They crossed the winding rural path and stopped beside a quiet earthen ridge under the bright moon and gentle breeze, the nearby wheat fields alive with the croaking of frogs.

Lin Junsheng halted and turned, his gaze piercing as he fixed Li Yonggang with a fiery look.

“Comrade Li Yonggang, you’ve grown up playing in this mud with my sister. Now that the woman you care for is almost gone, and you’re still hesitating here? If you’re too late, it will be separation by death—regret beyond measure! Why won’t you come to my house and propose?”

Li Yonggang lowered his head, staring at his muddy, worn-out shoes, feeling the sting of poverty.

“But my family is poor,” he muttered.

Lin Junsheng sighed deeply, a mix of helplessness and urgency in his voice. “Your family’s had it tough these years, poor as can be. But so is mine. Our match is just right. That’s not the main point—the key is your background. Being from a poor peasant family is a blessing now.”

Though the reforms and opening up brought new opportunities, they also bred envy and disdain for the poor. The main cause was the fierce competition with state-owned enterprises for raw materials and markets. Last month, to curb this harmful trend, the government launched a crackdown on speculation and profiteering. Those once famed figures, like the so-called “Eight Kings of Wen City,” became wanted men paraded in public disgrace.

Now, being from a poor peasant background was considered a valuable asset.

An economist once commented on this intervention during the reform era: “Unify and die, die and call out, call out and release, release and chaos ensues, chaos and unify again.”

Inspired by Lin Junsheng’s words—and for the love of his beloved—Li Yonggang felt a surge of determination.

Yet, suddenly he realized: wasn’t it because of Lin Junsheng that Lin Junwan had been dragged into this ridiculous swap marriage ordeal?

The harsh truth hit him—he, the so-called “brother-in-law,” was at the root of this mess.

Anxiously, he asked, “Brother Lin, I heard Xiaowan almost drank pesticide today. How is she now? Is she alright?”

Lin Junsheng’s brow furrowed, pain flickering in his eyes. “She’s stable for now, but what about the future? It’s my fault—since I injured my leg, the family started thinking of swapping her marriage. Yonggang, you have to act fast and get that proposal done.”

Li Yonggang scratched his head, helpless. “Brother Lin, you know I tried before, but your mother wouldn’t agree. She said Xiaowan’s still too young, no rush to marry.”

Lin Junsheng sighed, calculating. “Isn’t your mother still on good terms with mine?”

Li Yonggang gave a bitter smile. “Yeah, but it’s all about money. Without it, you can’t get anywhere these days.”

Lin Junsheng patted his shoulder firmly. “Tell me, do you want to marry my sister or not?”

Li Yonggang’s eyes lit up instantly. “Of course! I dream about her at night. Brother Lin, you’re my real big brother now. I’m not too smart. Help me figure out what to do.”

Lin Junsheng smiled faintly, finally getting to the point. “Have you ever heard of ‘rumors and gossip’?”

“Yes, but what about it?” Li Yonggang looked puzzled.

Lin Junsheng lowered his voice, speaking mysteriously: “It means exactly what it says—you have to use it, and use it wisely.”

Li Yonggang was momentarily stunned, then suddenly understood, nearly leaping with excitement as he embraced Lin Junsheng.

“I get it! But won’t this affect Xiaowan’s reputation?”

Lin Junsheng gently pushed him away, his expression serious. “Don’t go overboard. Our goal is to bring about a good union, not to ruin her.”

Li Yonggang nodded vigorously, grinning as he walked away, completely forgetting to check on Xiaowan.

Lin Junsheng watched him vanish into the moonlight, feeling that the young man was somewhat unreliable but hoping fate would be kind this time.

Having given Li Yonggang his counsel and seeing the glint of understanding in his eyes, Lin Junsheng quietly turned and made his way home.

The night was deep, moonlight like liquid silver spilling over the winding path.

Inside the house, the kerosene lamp burned softly and warmly, like a beacon guiding the way home.

Lin Junwan had already lit it, sitting quietly in a corner with needle and thread in hand, though her mind was elsewhere.

She kept glancing toward the door.

“Brother, why have you been out so long? Where’s that fool?” she asked eagerly as soon as Lin Junsheng entered.

Lin Junsheng chuckled lightly, “After I ‘woke him up,’ he went straight home. Probably figuring out how not to be such a fool.”

Lin Junwan frowned slightly, a hint of confusion in her eyes. “Why did he just leave? Did you say something harsh and scare him away?”

Lin Junsheng shook his head, walked to the table, picked up the porcelain teapot, poured cold water into an enamel basin, and drank deeply before speaking slowly.

“Ah, you little girl, why don’t you trust me? I spoke kindly, told him that a real man should take responsibility and not leave you worrying all the time. He understood; it wasn’t fear that drove him off.”

Lin Junwan smiled softly. “That’s good. So, what’s your plan then?”

“...”