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墨書 Inktalez
As soon as the Xia Family opened the door, they were startled by the sight before them. A pile of items was stacked at the entrance, and Er Dan was panting heavily as he wiped the sweat from his brow.
The one who opened the door was Summer Forest, who was taken aback by Er Dan's appearance and asked in confusion, "Er Dan, what are you... doing?"
Aunt Xia followed closely behind him and was equally astonished by the scene at the door.
Er Dan wiped away a bead of sweat and took a few deep breaths before saying, "Uncle, Aunt, this is the betrothal gift!"
Er Dan hadn't slept well the night before, and before dawn, he had rushed to the market without even drinking a sip of water. After working hard for half a day, he was not only exhausted but also so hungry that his stomach felt like it was touching his back. At that moment, he felt a bit dizzy, and his palms were slick with sweat. He forced himself to stay calm, but seeing Uncle and Aunt Xia silent made him even more anxious. He pointed at the items at the door with trembling fingers and said, "Uncle, Aunt, I may not have much ability or knowledge, but this is fabric for both of you, this is for Grandpa, this is for Iron Tree's family, this is for Muxin and his wife, and this is for Songzi, Xue Er, and Small..."
He had been explaining for quite some time when Summer Forest and his wife stood there dumbfounded.
However, Er Dan was meticulous; he hadn't left anyone out. Jihua had endured hardships in her early life, but marrying someone as honest and responsible as Er Dan would surely be a blessing.
"What are you doing buying so many things? Is this hard-earned money easy to come by?" Aunt Xia's eyes were already misty. How could they refuse such a good child?
"Come inside and sit down; Jihua is already making breakfast. We'll eat right here!" Summer Forest said as he pulled Er Dan into the house. Since these items were betrothal gifts, there was no way to return them; they would just have to prepare more dowry to take over later.
Early in the morning, the Xia Family was filled with joy over the happy occasion. The Summer Old Man readily agreed to the marriage of the two, and no matter how much Xia Jihua tried to decline, it was already futile.
Xia Muxin was even more straightforward; she directly handed over two hundred taels of silver to Er Dan and cheerfully said, "Uncle, take this silver to build a bigger house. Our family has many relatives, and it will be advantageous when they come over!"
"This can't be accepted, it can't be accepted," Er Dan stared at the large bundle of silver for a long time before finally realizing what Xia Muxin meant. He quickly refused, startled. He had never seen so much money in his life. Besides, working at the Xia Family paid well enough; if he saved diligently, he could set aside over ten taels a year—something that would take an entire decade for a family in the village to save.
Moreover, receiving such a large sum of silver suddenly made him feel as if he were taking advantage of the Xia Family. If word got out, it would tarnish Xia Jihua's reputation; people might think she couldn't find a husband and needed her family to pay off her suitor.
Xia Muxin noticed all of Er Dan's reactions, and so did several elders in the family, who were increasingly satisfied with him. There was no way she would take back the silver she had offered; instead, she pressed on with her reasoning: "Uncle, please don't refuse. This money is an advance for you. You and my aunt work here; you earn several dozen taels a year. This amount will be covered in just a few years."
Seeing that he remained unmoved, she continued, "Besides, when my aunt marries over, you'll need to build a bigger house. If your family grows and you have children, you won't want to add more rooms later. And since my grandfather is getting older and this is his only daughter, you should at least let him stay with you for a few days after she marries."
She kept listing reasons with determination. The family had long since surrendered to her persuasive tongue, especially since her arguments made sense. They nodded along in agreement until Er Dan finally had no choice but to accept the money under their watchful eyes.
While joy filled one side as they discussed the wedding plans, the Wu Family was not one to sit idly by. Early in the morning, while washing clothes by the riverbank, one of them raised her voice about how Er Dan was blind to pursue Xia Jihua, whom she called a faded flower. As soon as she shouted, a dozen women washing clothes gathered around to gossip.
"Hey, did you hear? Er Dan is usually so honest and straightforward; who would have thought he’d actually have such good fortune? He’s going to connect with the Xia Family! From now on, he'll rise in status and become someone important in this village."
"Indeed, look at Muxin, how generous she is. My son and daughter-in-law work for her, and this month their pay is a hundred coins more than what they would earn elsewhere. Plus, she provides two meals a day! You wouldn't find such a deal even if you searched with a lantern. And these two kids, I've heard that Muxin and her family are very filial; they prepare food and necessities for the elderly at home. Whenever they receive money, they buy fabric and snacks for us, treating us like children."
"Exactly! My child also says that this family is incredibly generous. If they have food, they will definitely share it with everyone. And when they return from out of town with local specialties, everyone gets to taste them."
"Er Dan really knows how to make a move. Just a few days ago, some of the older bachelors from Village End were inquiring about Jihua's sister. But because of the high status of the Xia Family, they didn't dare approach. Who would have thought that Er Dan would take the initiative first?"
"......"
These women were all over fifty years old. Before the Xia Family opened their supermarket and workshop, it was the daughters-in-law who did the laundry. But now that the Xia Family's business was thriving, both husband and wife were busy, and their lives were getting better and better. Everyone praised Xia Muxin's family endlessly, which infuriated Wu Family. She hadn't washed clothes in the river for years and had come here today to take up space, originally hoping to embarrass Xia Jihua. But unexpectedly, everyone was enchanted by that vixen Muxin, speaking in her favor instead. The sound of her beating clothes became increasingly forceful, each strike louder than the last, particularly grating among the crowd.
"I really don't understand what’s so good about this discarded flower; just because she has some money doesn’t mean she can clean herself up. They're all worthless! Er Dan must be blind; you all are blind too—just a bunch of short-sighted women."
As if creating such a ruckus wasn't enough, she had to throw in some sarcastic remarks. Her words provoked a chorus of responses from the ten or so Aunts present.
Today, Wu Family truly experienced the power of numbers; she couldn't even get a word in edgewise. In the end, she hastily finished washing her clothes and left in disgrace.
Upon returning home, she handed over the laundry duties to Zhou Guilian and pulled You Shi aside to scold her without hesitation:
"I say, Cai Lian's Liulang—alive or dead? Why hasn't he been released yet? Isn't he just a county official? How could he just go in without coming out? You all insisted on forcing Cai Lian to marry; now look at this—she's young but living like a widow."
You Shi was left bewildered by the accusations but felt increasingly uneasy as she listened. What did she mean by forcing Cai Lian to marry? Wasn't it Wu Family who made all the decisions back then? Everyone listened to her! Besides, she had collected the bride price from Feng Family herself; when Feng Liulang was at his peak, she had benefited greatly from it. Now all blame was being placed on her.
However, due to Wu Family's authority, You Shi didn’t argue back too much. Her mind was solely focused on finding a good match for Gui Lian. Two of her four daughters had married but ended up with poor outcomes; Xiao Lian was still young and had a temperament that was hard for her to manage. Now all hope rested on Gui Lian.
"Mother, that's all in the past; why bring it up again? Cai Lian is already pitiful enough as it is. We are her family; how can we treat her like this?"
She moved her thoughts and wiped away her sorrowful tears, saying with deep sadness.
Seeing that You Shi had cried after just a few words, the Wu Family members exchanged glances but said nothing more and went back inside.
Right now, she was relying on the eldest son’s family for support. The third and fourth children were still young, and since they were all boys, they were her precious darlings. Moreover, both daughters-in-law worked outside and would bring back a few coins when they returned. If she went to the other two families, she would have to help with cooking and laundry. Only in the eldest family were there two unmarried daughters who could help with everything. If she fell out with You Shi, she would miss out on benefits, so she dared not go too far...
“Mother, how long has Father been gone? We’re almost out of rice and oil at home. If this continues, we’ll have to gnaw on tree bark.”
After hanging up the clothes, Zhou Guilian saw You Shi standing in a daze and spoke up.
She had naturally heard their conversation earlier, but she felt no sympathy for Zhou Cailian; it was her own doing. Fortunately, Heaven had eyes; if that incident hadn’t happened back then, today’s widow would be her.
Moreover, the Feng Family's reputation was now notorious. Which household wouldn’t ask about Feng Liulang’s foolish crime that landed him in jail? Every time this happened, Feng San Niang would go on a mad tirade, sometimes even chasing others with stones while insisting her son was an important official and she was the wife of a high-ranking officer. Over time, everyone came to regard her as mad.
Zhou Cailian was now doing all sorts of work. Several times she had seen her picking up firewood—a huge bundle that she carried back herself—and she was also responsible for cooking and laundry at home. It was evident that life was very difficult.
However, she now understood that if her father didn’t bring money back soon, their family might end up living like Zhou Cailian as well. Besides, there was a baby to feed.
She still wanted to find a good husband, wear a brand new wedding dress, and adorn herself with beautiful accessories for her marriage. But without silver in her mother’s hands and no money from her father, where would she get funds for her dowry?
“Let him die out there; if we rely on him, we’d starve to death.”
Upon hearing this about Zhou Yousheng, You Shi became furious. Such a useless man who only knew how to waste time outside! He had sent back only one hundred twenty wen in a month—what could that buy? She immediately raised her voice and began to scold him.
The Wu Family was also very dissatisfied with their son. Ever since he went to town for work, he hardly returned for one or two months at a time. Even when he did come back, he wouldn’t buy anything to show his respect for her. You Shi knew exactly how much money he had in hand; that’s why several months ago she took charge of the household. Otherwise, with such a large family needing food, they would have dug into her savings for burial expenses.
"Mother, this won't work if we keep going like this. How about we apologize to Second Uncle and Aunt Er, and ask them to let us work in the Workshop? I heard their pay is better than in Town. We owe them for what happened before, so I’ll be the one to bow my head first."
Seeing this, Zhou Guilian turned her attention to the Xia Family. After all, they were relatives; even if they didn't look at respect, they could at least consider family ties. Besides, her mother was known for being lazy. Once they got there, no one would expect her to work. It was said that the food they made was delicious, and with food to eat and money to earn, who wouldn't want such a win-win situation?
"What Gui Lian said makes sense. No matter what, I've served Old Immortal for several years. Even if they're heartless, they wouldn't go that far. You should give it a try. If they dare refuse you, spread the word about it and see how they manage their business and maintain their standing in Daimiao Village."
With Zhou Guilian's words, the Wu Family, who had already entered the house, came back out with raised eyebrows and exchanged glances.
They say a stepmother is still a mother. Besides, Xia Muxin had already married off; she was still living at her mother's house. Was her husband someone without a family of his own? Did he really have no shame staying at his wife's family all day long?
After discussing this, they decided to take action immediately. The You family hurriedly made their way toward the Xia Family.
At this moment, Er Dan had not yet returned; he was waiting for Xia Muxin's drawings. He liked the big house of the Xia Family. Although he couldn't build a five-story building with his two hundred taels of silver, he could certainly manage a two-story one. Moreover, he didn't need too much land; just a courtyard would suffice without needing too many extra rooms. With that amount of money, he could even host a grand banquet.
Thinking about this made Er Dan grin from ear to ear.
He felt incredibly fortunate to meet someone from the Xia Family and to marry such a capable and kind-hearted Jihua.
Xia Jihua was shy; after finishing breakfast, she cleared the table and ran into the kitchen to wash the dishes. She had been gone for almost half an hour without coming out, which made Er Dan feel a bit embarrassed.
"Is anyone home?"
Suddenly, a shout from outside caught Er Dan's attention. Turning around, he saw You Shi and immediately frowned. What were they doing here?
The shout from You Shi not only attracted Er Dan's attention but also piqued the curiosity of those still busy in the Workshop. After all, these two families had nothing to do with each other since the Xia Family was kicked out. Moreover, You Shi and the Wu Family had such a bad reputation in the village that their arrival surely meant trouble. Some women paused their work and stretched their necks to eavesdrop on what was happening.
"Aunt You, are you looking for my Aunt? They're busy in the back room."
As Er Dan and Zhou Guilian entered the courtyard, they had barely taken a few steps when Python Brother and Python Sister emerged, two small snakes in tow, glaring at the two women. Instantly, the mother and daughter felt a wave of intimidation wash over them, prompting Er Dan to speak up.
"Get lost! Call Summer Forest and her husband out here. We're here for them, not you."
Er Dan waved her hand impatiently, her disdain for Python Brother's family evident. An outsider could come and go as they pleased, yet she had a connection to the Xia Family through marriage. How could it be that an outsider was calling the shots?
Er Dan was straightforward and well aware of the relationship between the two families. Currently, the head of the household was Muxin, and with her presence, the Zhou family would gain nothing from this encounter. She turned and walked inside. Before long, Summer Forest and her husband approached, looking puzzled at the sight of Er Dan standing at the entrance.
"What brings Sister Zhou here?"
Summer Forest was well aware of Er Dan's tactics. In the past, she would have been intimidated by their family, but things had changed. It wasn't just because her own family had prospered; it was more about seeing through the Zhou family's true nature. She felt no need to remain submissive any longer. Besides, their families had long since severed ties; addressing her as 'Sister' was already a show of respect.
"Forest, just call me sister-in-law; there's no need to be so formal," Er Dan said with a thick-skinned smile, her eyes roving over Summer Forest. She had never noticed before how attractive Summer Forest had become. Dressed in fine clothing, she exuded an air of elegance reminiscent of a noblewoman. Moreover, Summer Forest's physique had improved significantly compared to her late husband; it was clear that a good life led to better appearances.
Not to mention Aunt Xia's skin looked much better too; that hairpin on her head must have cost several taels of silver.
If only she could wear such attire and adornments, she would undoubtedly look far more beautiful.
"Sister Zhou, just say what you need to say. There's no need for all this formality. Your family is surnamed Zhou while mine is Xia; how can we be considered one family?"
Noticing Er Dan's gaze lingering on Summer Forest, Aunt Xia emphasized her words.
What did Er Dan mean by this? A woman constantly eyeing another's husband? If outsiders caught wind of this, who knows what rumors would spread? With a slight shift in position, Aunt Xia stepped in front of Summer Forest, blocking most of Er Dan's line of sight.
Hey, it hasn't been long, but Aunt Xia's temper has certainly grown. I wonder whose influence she is relying on. If this were in the past, she wouldn't dare to make a sound. However, the You family knows how to read people's expressions. Now that she is on someone else's turf, if she were to casually dismiss this matter with a few words, where would she find good days ahead?
Suddenly, her expression changed, and she smiled warmly, swaying her waist and pretending to be shy as she said:
"Look at what my sister is saying. I came here today just to ask for a job for Gui Lian. You see, your brother is quite useless; he hasn't managed to teach her much in the past month. We have an elderly mother to support at home, and we are almost out of food. I heard your family is short-handed, so I came to inquire."
When Feng Liulang became the county magistrate, she often had to watch Feng San Niang's face. Through this back-and-forth, she developed a silver tongue that could even charm Feng San Niang. She didn't believe she couldn't handle you, Summer Forest, a pair of foolish spouses.
"Where did Sister Zhou hear such rumors? My family has plenty of hands. Look, there are still a few idle mouths at home; we don't need anyone else to work," she replied.
Previously, her daughter had warned her that the Zhou family from Daimiao Village should never be invited in because they had ulterior motives. If they were to tamper with the food and make someone sick, it could lead to legal trouble. This matter could not be taken lightly; they couldn't let their daughter be harmed.
"What are you talking about, Aunt Xia? Aren't you just Zhou's wife? You have no say here; Summer Forest hasn't even spoken yet. Step aside. Forest, come out and talk to your sister-in-law. Let's see what kind of work we can arrange for her and her daughter. We're waiting to do it. Besides, a stepmother is still a mother; even if she has made countless mistakes in the past, that's all bygone now. You are still brothers after all. Are you willing to just watch your elder brother's family starve without fearing retribution?"
But You was calculating in her heart that Aunt Xia was merely a woman who couldn't take charge of anything significant. She immediately shouted impatiently, taking on an authoritative tone with Summer Forest.
"Sister Zhou is right; besides, I have no brothers—only Jihua as my sister. My father was driven out by your family! And yes, there's still that divorce document; everyone in the village can testify to it! What are you doing coming after my family now?"
She cherished her own wife dearly and wasn't afraid of confronting Aunt Xia directly. After all, everyone in Daimiao Village knew about their families' relationship; she wasn't worried about what others might say.
Everything was according to her daughter’s wishes; her daughter had already given them a warning long ago, and they were always on guard.
"Hey! Call Dad out! What's going on here? I've already lowered myself to speak with you all; are you giving me face or just being shameless?"
- End of Chapter -
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