Chapter 35: Finding a Son-in-Law to Move In

“Dad, you better keep your mouth shut! Don’t let anyone talk you into giving our girl away!”
Old Mrs. Su warned her husband, worry etched deep in her voice.

Lately, folks from the village had been inviting her man out for drinks—every other day it seemed. And every time he stepped out the door, her heart clenched tight.

What if the old fool got drunk and accidentally promised their little daughter to some stranger as a bride? The thought made her shiver.

Sighing, Old Mr. Su gave his wife a firm nod. “Don’t worry. Is any of those village brats even good enough for our precious girl?” He huffed, arms crossed like a proud general guarding his kingdom.

Sure, he’d had to go out a few times lately—couldn’t refuse polite invitations no matter how much he disliked them. But whenever someone so much as hinted at marriage, he’d shut it down cold. No exceptions. Not even for close neighbors.

Even Old Man Wang had teased him: “You’re gonna end up taking in a son-in-law, aren’t you?”

And honestly? That idea had actually taken root in Old Mr. Su’s mind.

His little girl marrying off to some distant family… what if she got mistreated? What if she cried herself to sleep at night? Better to keep her right here under his watchful eye.

So one evening, as they sat by the fire, he turned to his wife and asked, “Honey… what do you think about bringing a son-in-law home?”

Mrs. Su blinked. Her eyes flickered—then suddenly lit up with a quiet spark.

Her fourth son. The one now living in town as a *shuān mén*—a son-in-law who moved into the family.

Back then, Old Mr. Su had raged against the very idea. “No way! A man should never be a door-to-door son-in-law!” Now he was seriously considering it for his own daughter?

She raised an eyebrow. “You really don’t care that a man would have to move in and live under someone else’s roof? That’s not exactly a man’s dream.”

Old Mr. Su opened his mouth—then closed it.

Of course he cared. But when he thought of his little girl, that tiny bit of pride? It just… vanished.

“Honestly,” he said, puffing out his chest, “no one’s good enough for her. So why send her away? Better to bring a man in than lose her forever.”

He didn’t know it yet—but this idea would come dangerously close to becoming reality.

Close, but not quite.

And thank goodness for that. Because if it *had* happened? Well… history might’ve changed.

Mrs. Su exhaled, finally at peace.

But she hadn’t counted on being too quick to relax.

***

Little Sugar Basket swung her little basket through the village gate once more, heading toward the grand house at the edge of the hamlet.

When Wang Zhong spotted her, his face split into the wide, serene grin of a Buddhist statue—benevolent, calm, and somehow always knowing.

After all, he’d heard *everything*.

A little girl tossing a handful of leaves onto a fire—and saving an entire village’s crops?

That wasn’t just strange. It was legendary.

And worse—this wasn’t just about one village. This could shake the whole world.

Wang Zhong had no doubt it’d reach the imperial court before long.

Who’d get the credit? That was another story entirely.

Little Sugar loved this smiling uncle. He let her play with the red lanterns, and always handed her sweet rice cakes.

In return, she pulled out her small cloth pouch and held it out proudly.

“Bōbō… cì sū sū…” she cooed, voice soft and thick with baby talk.

Wang Zhong stared. “Uh… huh?”

What in the world was she saying?

Sugar blinked, then sighed inwardly.

Okay, maybe she *had* bitten into a roasted grasshopper earlier and now her tongue hurt. Language was hard. So she’d show instead.

She opened the pouch.

Inside: a dozen crisp, golden grasshoppers, still warm from the fire.

“Bōbō cì cì…” she repeated, pointing at him. “Eat, bōbō.”

Wang Zhong froze. Then slowly, understanding dawned.

The girl wanted him to eat a grasshopper.

But—

“Hmph! Preposterous! How can one *eat bugs*?! Clearly, these people are ignorant and uncivilized!”

A sharp, sneering voice cut through the air.

Little Sugar didn’t need to turn around. She knew exactly who it was.

Among all the people in this big house, there was only one child who wasn’t cute.

And that one? Was standing right behind her.