By the Willow, We Farm

Blurb: Liu Qishuang has his eye on the village bully and is determined to marry him. Liu Qishuang's father married into the family. Over the years, he has nearly stripped the Liu family of everything, abused Liu Qishuang's grandfather, and even tried to marry Liu Qishuang off to his nephew, who has a broken leg, so Liu Qishuang can serve him. To stop his father from getting his way, Liu Qishuang sets his sights on the powerful Wan family, the biggest clan in the village. He wants to marry their ill-tempered third son, Wan Dongyang, and have Wan Dongyang deal with his father. "Wan Dongyang, will you marry me?" Liu Qishuang says this when he is utterly exhausted. He thinks it is only a wish he has uttered in his heart, and that Wan Dongyang did not hear him. But not long afterward, the Wan family really does come to ask for his hand in marriage. After the Wan family comes to propose, the villagers say that even if the marriage goes through, Liu Qishuang won't have an easy life there, because Wan Dongyang doesn't like him at all. Liu Qishuang couldn't care less about the villagers' gossip. All he knows is that the Wan family are good people! Wan Dongyang's parents are honest and kind, his eldest brother is clever and capable, his eldest sister-in-law is virtuous and good at managing a household, his second brother is hearty and strong, and his second sister-in-law is assertive and fiercely protective of her own. Wan Dongyang may have a sharp tongue and a bad temper, but he's even better at making money. So what if Wan Dongyang doesn't like him? It is enough that he likes the family. It is not until the day they return to his parents' home after the wedding that he realizes he really did choose the right person. "Isn't beating up your father-in-law your family's tradition? I'm just following the rules." Wan Dongyang looks at the bruised and swollen man before him with an innocent expression. Liu Qishuang stares at him in a daze. Just as his mother is about to scold him, Wan Dongyang points at her and says, "I've dealt with Father-in-law, so I won't hit you, Mother-in-law, for now. But don't just stand around. Go make a table of good food and wine for your son-in-law, who knows how to follow the rules." (This is a farming and family-life story set in a world where men can marry and bear children. Daily life takes center stage, with romance on the side and the occasional bad guy getting put in his place for a little variety.) A few notes before reading: 1. The gong doesn't follow the rules. Men and women, young and old, are all the same to him: if they deserve a beating, he'll give them one. 2. The shou grows over time. He's already clever, and gradually becomes more confident. Theme: Be brave and move forward. Happiness is in your own hands.