Ger, So Proud

Chapter 62

Due to this unexpected incident, the three of them arrived at the Lin family’s courtyard halfway through the Hour of the Yi (9-11 am).

At this time, the sunshine was just right, and the courtyard gate was open. Lin Yu and Dad Zhang were sitting at the table, presumably having been informed by Matchmaker Wang beforehand and were waiting for them.

Sure enough, as soon as Dad Zhang saw them, he immediately came forward to greet them. Lin Yu’s foot injury seemed to have healed as well. After a pause, he glanced at He Ze and then followed Dad Zhang a few steps behind.

The three elders were all smiles and, after a brief exchange of pleasantries, they went into the house. In theory, Lin Yu should not have appeared on such an occasion. Although the village did not have so many formalities, the adults who could adhere to them would not be ambiguous about it.

For instance, He Ze had been nagged by Dad Li not to visit the Lin family these past few days.

Therefore, Lin Yu did not enter the house with them but sat down alone at the table.

He Ze, carrying some items, walked in last. As he passed Lin Yu, who had his head lowered, He Ze could vaguely see his slightly flushed face and the dimple at the corner of his mouth. Somehow, the impulse from that night long ago resurfaced, but he could only suppress it due to his hands being full.

The previous frustration dissipated in an instant.

“Wait here, I’ll be out in a bit.” He Ze suddenly bent down and whispered close to Lin Yu’s ear, then swiftly walked away.

Lin Yu raised his head, only to see his back disappearing through the doorway. He murmured, “In a bit?”

He pursed his lips, occasionally tapping the table with his palm, gradually forming a smile.

However, He Ze seemed to take longer than expected.

Lin Yu’s seat faced the main house directly. He occasionally tilted his head to look inside, but as soon as Dad Zhang caught him, he immediately averted his gaze. He could only see the few people talking without hearing any sound.

He Ze sat next to He Youcai and knew that Lin Yu was sneaking glances outside, occasionally glancing out himself.

However, his luck was not good, as every time he looked, Lin Yu had already looked away.

About half an hour passed before Lin Yu finally saw He Ze stand up and quickly step out of the house. “What, getting impatient?”

“Impatient for what? I wasn’t waiting for you,” Lin Yu glanced at He Ze and proactively pulled out the stool next to him. “What were you talking about? Why did Uncle He let you come out?”

“Want to hear?”

“No,” Lin Yu shook his head, then handed him a cup of hot tea. “But I think you definitely want to tell me, right?”

“…Father is experienced; how could he not let me come out?” He Ze took the cup, sipped lightly, and, seeing Lin Yu staring at him intently, couldn’t help but laugh. “Just now, Matchmaker Wang asked for our birth date characters and said we’re a match made in heaven.”

“Is that how birth dates are matched?” Lin Yu retorted sarcastically.

Not exactly. Wealthy families would ask reputable monks or nuns to calculate compatibility. In the village, most families exchanged birth date characters and placed them before the ancestral tablets for three days. If nothing unusual happened, it meant the match was approved.

“Don’t worry, nothing will happen. At this point, you better not think of backing out!” He Ze put down the teacup and paused before adding, “Is your foot healed?”

“Yes, it is.”

“Good. Remember, during the holidays you shouldn’t go up the mountain, got it? It takes a hundred days to heal bones and tendons. Rest well at home.”

“Mm,” Lin Yu nodded obediently. “Even if you didn’t say it, Dad wouldn’t let me go up the mountain this winter. Uncle Xu said I need to rest properly. If I get injured again, I might have to limp for the rest of my life.”

Understanding the reason for his compliance, He Ze quickly grasped the key point. “Uncle Xu is right. If you end up with a limp, I’ll… no, I’ll definitely find a new bride.”

“Don’t you dare!”

Before he finished speaking, Lin Yu glared at him fiercely.

“Hehe—”

Seeing Lin Yu’s face flush with anger, He Ze chuckled softly and after a moment said, “Just teasing you, don’t get mad.”

Perhaps noticing the lack of sincerity in the apology, Lin Yu turned his head away, refusing to acknowledge him, though he couldn’t help but sneak glances in his direction.

He Ze didn’t call him out on it, leisurely sipping his tea, and a long silence settled between them.

Time passed steadily, and just as Lin Yu couldn’t resist turning his head, he felt something being placed around his neck.

“A gift.”

“A gift?” Lin Yu looked up and met He Ze’s gaze.

“An engagement gift.”

He Ze spoke again. Lin Yu reached out to gently stroke the jade pendant on his chest and then frowned, “Do you need to give gifts when getting engaged? Isn’t it expensive?”

“I don’t know. Since Dad didn’t tell me, I guess it’s not necessary? But it’s a token of my affection. As for whether it’s expensive or not, it’s alright as long as you like it.”

“What do you mean by ‘alright’? It must be very expensive, you…”

Before Lin Yu could finish, He Ze suddenly stepped in front of him, successfully blocking him behind, and covered his eyes with his hand. He placed a quick kiss and said, “Alright, consider it returned.”

“…He Ze!”

Lin Yu, realizing what had happened, hurriedly pushed He Ze aside and, feeling guilty, glanced several times toward the room.

“They didn’t see.”

“What if they did! How can you be so bold…”

The warm sensation seemed to linger, and as he spoke, Lin Yu rolled up his sleeve to wipe his forehead several times. Being a young ger, his face was already flushed with embarrassment.

“What to do? Our birth dates are exchanged, we’re officially engaged, do you think you can run away?” He Ze pressed a fist to his forehead, quietly watching Lin Yu.

His eyes were burning.

Like a fire that could spread.

Meeting his gaze, Lin Yu, who was initially full of anger, found himself speechless.

After another moment of silence, and seemingly thinking of something, He Ze suddenly frowned, “I ran into He Bao’er on the way here.”

“He Bao’er? What did he want with you?”

“Nothing much, probably just feeling resentful. I sent him away.” Remembering Lin Yu’s reaction the first time He Bao’er returned, He Ze felt the need to explain properly.

“What do you mean?” Lin Yu glanced at him, his voice low.

“I told him that the previous incident where I supposedly risked my life for him was just an accident. I went up the mountain, slipped and fell, and later encountered a bear. When I returned to the village, rumors spread that I risked my life for him.”

“Really?”

“If it wasn’t true, would I lie? When you saw me at that time, if I wanted to risk my life, would I have fought the bear?”

“…”

“So, no more jealousy?” He Ze smiled.

“I’m, I’m not jealous!”

“Mm, I believe you’re not.” He Ze nodded seriously. He suddenly stood up, “Where are those two little ones?”

“You mean Wang Ji and Wang Fu?”

Wang Ji and Wang Fu were the names Lin Yu gave to the two puppies, simple and auspicious. They were kept in a small pen by the courtyard wall, a makeshift kennel Lin Yu had set up.

When the two of them walked over, the puppies were sleeping soundly with their bellies up. “They’re too young. Only on the first day did they have a good appetite, drinking a big bowl of porridge. After that, they became lethargic and only ate a little when hungry. Dad was so worried he went to Uncle Zhao’s house several times to ask for goat milk, and only then did their appetite improve.”

“They’re really spoiled!”

He Ze picked up a small stone from the ground and tossed it inside.

“Hey, what are you doing!”

The stone hit Little Black’s belly, and the next second it opened its eyes. Its shiny black eyes rolled around a few times before settling on He Ze. Its chubby short legs couldn’t get over its brother, and with a flail, it tripped and fell to the ground.

“Arf, arf arf—”

Little Yellow also woke up, clearly annoyed at being woken by Little Black. Its belly pushed out as the two puppies tumbled together.

But it didn’t take long for Little Yellow to push Little Black aside and move closer to He Ze outside the pen, sniffing around.

“Arf, arf arf—”

It started barking and scratching at the fence, seemingly trying to leap at He Ze. Little Black, a bit late, followed suit with the same action.

“They recognize you?”

“They should.”

He Ze pulled open the latch on the fence and squatted down. As soon as the fence opened a crack, the two little ones rushed into his arms, enthusiastically licking his chin with their tongues.

“Two ingrates, I’ve raised them all this time and they aren’t this affectionate with me!” Lin Yu complained, but then a smile appeared on his face. “They were just born, you were the first to hold them, and now they’re so close to you. You think they don’t see you as their Dad?”

“…”

“By the way, why don’t you take Wang Fu back with you later? I can’t go up the mountain, so I can’t find the fox. I don’t know if Xiao An likes dogs.”

“Xiao An?” He Ze raised an eyebrow. “Which one is Wang Fu?”

“This one.”

As soon as he finished speaking, Lin Yu poked the belly of the yellow and white one.

“Why not call them Little Black and Little Yellow? It’s easier to recognize.” He Ze paused, his hand stroking their backs one after the other. “Alright, I’ll take him back later.”

Poor Little Yellow—no, Wang Fu—still didn’t know what kind of owner he was getting.

Time passed quickly. The sun shone a little further into the courtyard, bathing the two of them in a golden light, serene and beautiful. Around noon, He Youcai and Matchmaker Wang finally came out from inside.

Dad Zhang followed behind them.

The smiles had not left their faces, indicating a pleasant conversation.

He Youcai and Matchmaker Wang greeted He Ze, said goodbye to Dad Zhang, and then left the courtyard. He Ze, holding Wang Fu, glanced at Lin Yu before leaving.

“Dad—”

“What’s wrong?” Seeing the three walk away, Dad Zhang turned back with a smile in his eyes. “Are you nervous now? Don’t worry, everything went smoothly.”

“What about the birth dates…”

“Although Matchmaker Wang can’t calculate them, he’s handled thousands of marriages over the years. If he says you two are a match made in heaven, it can’t be wrong!”

“Huh?” He Ze didn’t lie to him?

“So, relax! His father and I discussed it; the wedding can’t be rushed before the end of the year, so we’ll plan for a date next year. The money you’ve earned from hunting, aside from my medical expenses, I’ve saved all of it for you. I’ve been waiting for this day for years! I’ll make you a wedding outfit in the meantime, so everything will be perfect!”

“Dad!” Lin Yu’s face grew even more embarrassed.

“Alright, let’s go inside! Dad needs to take your measurements. Have you gained a bit of weight recently?”

Dad Zhang scrutinized Lin Yu with increasing amusement. Perhaps it was the joy of a happy occasion, but he looked much younger.

He had no choice but to comply and followed him inside. In the main room, on the wall in the center, incense curled in front of Father Lin’s memorial tablet. Beneath the incense burner, pressed under a piece of red paper, was He Ze’s birth date.

Lin Yu was taken aback for a moment, then couldn’t help but smile.

Warmth, purity, and…innocence, at this moment, his delicate features were overshadowed.

Author’s Note: I accidentally fell asleep last night, and then… ran off with a pot lid on my head Qaq. I saw some of you mentioning that He Ze was too gentle in handling the situation with He Bao’er. It’s true, considering the original owner. Can’t help but feel sorry for the original owner for a moment. After all, he did save my son’s life, so I’ll be the bad guy here, 233333.