Transmigration: On the Gossip Front-Chapter 971 - 972: Countryside Orphan Girl 16

Did Liu Yuanchao knock on the door? Zhang Yu knew the Liu Family would probably come today, but she waited and waited.

Even after the elderly couple from the Jiang Family came and went, there was still no sign of the Liu Family. Zhang Yu assumed they hadn’t reached a consensus and stopped waiting, deciding to get some rest.

However, she didn’t expect that just as she was getting ready to relax, they’d show up at her doorstep.

"It’s late. Come back tomorrow." Zhang Yu turned off the lights without hesitation.

She wasn’t joking—she had work the next day. As a newcomer, she needed to arrive early to make a good impression.

Liu Yuanchao hadn’t anticipated Zhang Yu’s outright refusal, or that she wouldn’t even consider coming out to talk.

"I’ll just say a few words." He had no other choice; anger aside, he could only endure.

"You didn’t come earlier, and I have work tomorrow. I don’t have time for your rambling."

"If you expect me to write a letter of forgiveness, you’re dreaming." Zhang Yu made it clear she wouldn’t be writing any such letter.

Agh! Liu Yuanchao had already prepared himself for a cold rejection when he decided to come over, but facing it in reality still left him feeling highly dissatisfied.

He stormed back home and slammed the door shut with force.

Meanwhile, Feng Lan and her two sons were quietly watching from the window as Liu Yuanchao went to find Zhang Yu. Although his movements were subtle, they had been keeping an eye on him and quickly noticed his every move.

"See? Defeated and humiliated," Liu Ke sneered. "Our dear big brother really thinks he’s some sort of big shot."

"As if he could still act all superior in front of Zhang Yu."

"Look, in the past he’d still greet Grandpa and Grandma and exchange pleasantries with our family. After this, it’s total animosity."

Liu Ke didn’t have much fondness for Zhang Yu either—he disliked her—but compared to his feelings for Liu Yuanchao and Liu Jianshe, his hostility was somewhat milder.

"I used to think we could manipulate them here and there, but now it’s clear that’s not possible." The Zhang Family had three rooms; who wouldn’t try to scheme over them?

Liu Ke had often imagined how nice it would be if the three rooms could all go to their family. That’s why he’d previously supported Liu Dashan in plotting against Zhang Yu.

"What’s there to scheme?" Feng Lan said with annoyance. "Don’t even think about it anymore."

"That family is ruthless. The moment they realized there was a theft, they immediately reported it to the police."

"And she works at the police station." Feng Lan had once considered bullying them a little and grabbing some advantages, but now she had totally abandoned such thoughts.

"They are definitely ruthless. Working at the police station, having connections in the Yamen. Grandpa and Grandma won’t be plotting against her anymore after they return either."

Liu Ke stared at the three rooms across the way. "Seriously..." Such a spacious house—who knows who might benefit from it?

Too bad they were only cousins. If either he or Liu Yang could marry into that family, it would’ve been an excellent solution.

Then again, they couldn’t marry in. But among their relatives, there wasn’t a lack of suitable candidates. "Mom, what do you think about having one of our cousins marry into their family?"

Feng Lan hadn’t expected her son, after staring for so long at the house across the street, to come up with such an idea. "Have you lost your mind? Do you think either your uncle’s family or your aunt’s family would agree?"

"But they have three rooms and money. Think about Second Uncle’s pension."

"With so many cousins needing to get married, is it such an easy thing to do?"

"Housing is tight for every family, and marrying a wife requires a lot of money. Can they manage that?"

"Becoming a live-in husband might not sound appealing, but shouldn’t they at least consider their own situation?"

"No money, no house, no decent job, yet they dream of getting married? Ridiculous!"

Feng Lan didn’t like hearing such talk. "Liu Ke, how can you speak this way? They’re still your cousins, no matter what."

"And so what? Life is already tough enough. It’s laughable how they still cling to dignity and refuse to face reality."

"Mom, just think: if a cousin marries in, Zhang Yu could be made to give up her job. With us supporting things from behind the scenes, could their tiny household possibly oppose us?"

"The house would belong to our cousin; the job would go to our cousin, too. Even the children would take the father’s surname."

"Who could call that marrying in?" Liu Ke argued that everything could be redefined.

Now that Liu Ke’s words had broadened Feng Lan’s thinking, she said, "You’re right. Why didn’t I think of this?"

"Your uncle’s son, Feng Hao, is quite good-looking." Feng Lan instantly had someone in mind.

Liu Yang, quietly listening all this time, spoke up in confusion. "Brother, why are you suggesting such a great opportunity for someone else?"

"You’re an idiot. We can make an agreement with Uncle’s family—one of the three rooms would go to us."

"I’ve thought it through. With the three rooms from Grandpa and Grandma’s house, once they pass away, our family should get at least one and a half of the rooms. Combined with one room from over there, it’d be enough for both of us to marry and settle down in."

Liu Ke had already calculated everything. "I wouldn’t do something that foolish."

Recognizing Liu Ke’s hidden plans, Liu Yang nodded repeatedly. "That’s my brother for you."

If there weren’t any benefits involved, Liu Ke wouldn’t bother stepping up.

When Feng Lan heard that their family might get one of the rooms, she suddenly became excited. "That’s right. This would resolve the marriage issue for them while also solving your housing problem."

Just thinking about it put Feng Lan in a very good mood, but as she mulled it over, something felt off. "Wait a second—they wouldn’t agree, would they?"

"Our family isn’t exactly on good terms with them. Zhang Yu’s family knows we’re from my maternal side. They wouldn’t agree." She had been so thrilled she’d forgotten the most crucial point.

"Mom, think about the impression this commotion must’ve left on everyone. What do you imagine people are saying about them now?" Liu Ke sighed at the lack of strategic thinking. He had to explain things clearly, even if it required patience—for parents, after all, one must endure.

"They must be thinking they’re way too aggressive." Feng Lan felt unsettled, realizing just how ruthless Zhang Yu was. "She’s a cold-hearted person."

"Exactly. That’s what everyone will think. Who would want to marry such a woman as their daughter-in-law?" Liu Ke understood well the typical expectations families have for daughters-in-law.

Don’t ask how he knew—just think of Zhou Xia’s standards for Liu Yuanchao’s wife: someone docile, obedient, and skilled at housework.

"With someone like Zhang Yu, how many mothers-in-law would be satisfied?" Liu Ke urged Feng Lan to consider carefully.

Feng Lan couldn’t help but shudder at the thought of Liu Yuanchao eventually marrying someone like Zhang Yu. "That would mean constant turmoil in the family."

It dawned on her, "So, what you mean is that when no one else proposes marriage to them, that’s when your uncle’s family should step in?"

Right, it could still be guided in that direction. Liu Ke nodded affirmatively. "Exactly. You should find time to talk to Uncle and bring it up so they can make early preparations."

Feng Lan was already worrying about her nephews’ marriages. With their family’s average living conditions, mediocre jobs, and cramped housing, getting a wife wasn’t easy.

If one nephew’s marriage could be sorted out, wouldn’t that ease a lot of trouble?

Feng Lan cracked her first smile of the day. Liu Ke knew it was because she was happy to help out her maternal relatives.

Liu Ke sipped water, thinking to himself that if it weren’t for the prospect of getting a house out of this, he wouldn’t bother helping the Feng Family at all.