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墨書 Inktalez
"Master, I will do my utmost to ensure you are not disappointed," Liu Qingyan said firmly, his gaze following the teacher who was wholeheartedly guiding him.
"Good, I believe you can do it. The teacher is waiting for you to achieve fame and come back to share the good news with me."
I definitely will! Liu Qingyan vowed heavily in his heart.
Afterward, the two exchanged some new insights about studying, and Liu Qingyan presented the gift that Liu Qingxi had prepared for the Master.
It was a set of exquisite writing tools—ink, brushes, paper, and inkstone. For a scholar, the Four Treasures of the Study were the best gift one could give.
However, for someone like Master Zhu, even though he ran a well-respected school in town, he still lacked significant financial resources. Now that Liu Qingyan had the ability to give such a valuable gift, it was a notable gesture.
As expected, Master Zhu cherished it dearly but repeatedly declined, saying, "This is too precious. I appreciate your intentions; there's no need for such extravagance."
"Master, this is a token of respect from me to you. You must accept it."
Unable to refuse any longer, Master Zhu carefully put away the Four Treasures of the Study as if they were treasures. This was indeed the finest set of writing tools he had ever owned in his life.
It was impossible not to feel excited; he might never be able to afford such a set himself. He also understood Liu Qingxi's financial situation over the past few years and admired her greatly, which made him place it in the safest spot.
Later on, Master Zhu bid farewell to Liu Qingyan. Although he felt reluctant, he knew this was a necessary path for his student; there was a broader world outside waiting for him to explore.
That afternoon, Liu Qingyan returned to Ten Li Pu. Coincidentally, the next day was Liu Qinglian's betrothal day. The siblings planned to attend the ceremony and then head directly to Linyi County.
They would meet up with Yang Yichen and others and travel together to the capital.
On the second day, Liu Qingxi and Liu Qingyan woke up early. After tidying up and having a simple breakfast, they went next door to Liu Laowu's house. At that moment, Zhao was already busy in the yard.
Although a betrothal does not require a grand banquet for guests, it is still an important ceremony. In Biqi Town, the groom's family brings betrothal gifts to the bride's family to express their sincerity and intention to marry their daughter.
As for the bride's family, they naturally need to host their guests well. While it may not be a feast, the dishes served should not be subpar.
There are also some customs involved; if the food served is too poor, the groom's family might think that their daughter is not valued at home. This could become a reason for future neglect once she marries into their family.
In general, as long as the parents are not overly biased, they would not be vague about this matter.
Moreover, Liu Qinglian is their only daughter, so they naturally put in all their effort to do their best.
When Liu Qingxi arrived, Zhao was dressed in ordinary work clothes, and both Zhao and Zhang were rolling up their sleeves and busy in the kitchen. The kitchen was filled with freshly killed chickens, ducks, fish, and meat.
Additionally, there were pastries brought back from the town's shops. The beautifully crafted snacks were arranged on white porcelain plates, the translucent pastries paired with the bright white plates looked like a piece of art.
Liu Qingxi entered with a smile and didn’t put on airs; she rolled up her sleeves to help.
“Go away, you don’t need to help. Just the two of us are enough. NIVEA can take a break,” Zhao said as she pushed Liu Qingxi out and hurried back to pick vegetables and wash them.
Liu Qingxi had no choice but to help rearrange the tables and benches for receiving guests. After all, doing a good job with the preparations would benefit Liu Qinglian in the future.
They would consider Liu Qinglian's future responsibilities towards her parents more seriously.
There was no way around it; this was the reality of a backward society. Unlike the era she lived in before, where gender equality existed, here the disparity between men and women was indeed significant.
She had never thought about changing everyone’s deeply rooted concepts in this era by her own efforts; that was simply impossible. The ideas formed over millions of years needed to be gradually settled and changed over a long historical period.
As a boy who had studied for so many years, Liu Qingyan held a different status in Zhao's eyes compared to illiterate people; he was directly sent upstairs to rest.
Coincidentally, Liu Family's Fourth Branch had a good relationship with Fifth Branch, and Liu Qingshi was also present, allowing the two cousins to bond.
Throughout the morning, they slaughtered chickens and ducks, steamed, boiled, fried, and sautéed. Zhao and Zhang put in all their effort to prepare two large tables filled with sumptuous dishes for entertaining guests.
At noon, which was considered an auspicious time, Zhang Siliang led a group carrying betrothal gifts in a grand procession toward Zhang Wuliang's home.
The men were dressed in dark silk clothing while the women wore festive attire mostly in red. They greeted villagers along the way with cheerful smiles.
“Congratulations! You from the Fourth Liang Family are so fortunate to marry such a capable daughter-in-law like Qinglian,” said a woman in her thirties enviously; she wished her son could marry Liu Qinglian but found herself beaten to it.
And she wasn’t the only one envious; another person rolled her eyes: “Who wouldn’t want to marry a Liu Family Girl? Regardless of anything else, Miss Liu is family; isn’t this just hitting the jackpot?”
The conversation was filled with bitterness; who in the village didn't want to cling to Liu Qingxi's leg? She was a person of immense wealth, and being able to marry into her family was something everyone envied.
I couldn't help but blame my son for being too honest. How could he let Zhang Quanyong, that man who couldn't find a wife, get ahead? Just thinking about it made me furious, and the tone of my thoughts shifted.
Zhang Siliang wore a smile on his face, but his wife Yang's expression turned stiff, creating an awkward silence. There was no way around it; the connection between Liu Qinglian and Liu Qingxi meant that many in the village were gossiping.
Although there were rumors, no one had ever said anything to their faces.
But now? Even though they knew their son was capable and wouldn't rely on his in-laws, others wouldn't acknowledge that. They only saw him as someone living off others.
No one would be pleased to hear their son described like that.
This woman voiced what many present were thinking, and the atmosphere fell silent, becoming strangely tense.
The group proposing marriage included not only Zhang Siliang, Yang, and the Matchmaker but also Zhang Quanyong's Fifth Uncle, Zhang Wuliang, and Liu. They all understood the woman's implication.
Zhang Siliang and Yang were honest people who wouldn't speak up, but Zhang Wuliang and Liu had honed their skills over the years and were quite adept at handling situations.
Seeing the couple remain silent, Liu couldn't stand it any longer. She stepped forward to confront the woman, refusing to meet her gaze directly and instead turning her neck at a forty-five-degree angle to look at the crowd.
"Yes, there's nothing we can do. Our Quan Yong is quite capable; he's doing well at work in town and is about to get promoted." After saying this, she paused and noticed the change in expressions on the woman's face and those of others present.
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