CHAPTER 266: CHAPTER 257: HEARTBROKEN

Qi Dalian sat on the red kang blanket, feeling at a loss. Sun Fengshou stepped forward and lifted a corner of the blanket, revealing a thick stack of red envelopes inside. He handed the envelopes to Qi Dalian and said with a foolish smile, "Why are you standing there stunned? The child is calling you mother!"

"Ah!" Qi Dalian responded, raising her head to drink the tea cleanly, then picked up a heavy red envelope from the pile and gave it to Sun Hu.

Sun Hu thanked her, took the red envelope, and stepped back.

The other children also came forward one by one to greet Aunt Dalian, and Qi Dalian gave them each a red envelope. After meeting the bride, the children ran out one by one joyfully, clutching their red envelopes.

Yu Xiaolian closed the door, leaving Sun Fengshou and Qi Dalian to talk privately.

"Thank you!" Qi Dalian blushingly said to Sun Fengshou.

Sun Fengshou wasn’t actually that attentive; the red envelopes were prepared by Yu Xiaolian. But his niece had told him not to mention her, saying Qi Dalian should just remember his kindness, and nothing else mattered.

"We’re already husband and wife, no need to say thank you." Sun Fengshou scratched his head with a foolish smile.

Qi Dalian felt it necessary to discuss the dowry with Sun Fengshou to avoid any discord between them in the future.

"I have something to tell you..." Qi Dalian twisted her hands together, terribly nervous.

"Go ahead!" Sun Fengshou was quite straightforward.

"I...according to the custom, I’m supposed to bring back half of the groom’s gift money. But...but my mother only made me two sets of clothes. I don’t have any other dowry. I know this may be disappointing to you, but as long as you don’t send me back, I promise to live well with you in the future, wholeheartedly working with you." Qi Dalian lowered her head, closed her eyes, and said everything in one breath without ever daring to meet Sun Fengshou’s gaze.

Sun Fengshou wondered what the matter was. Qi Lizheng had warned him in advance, saying that her brother spent all the family’s money on studies, and considering her mother’s bias for her son, it was likely there wouldn’t be much dowry for Qi Dalian. He asked Sun Fengshou to be lenient and not make things difficult for Dalian.

Having received a heads-up from Qi Lizheng, Sun Fengshou was prepared, and he had already communicated with his family. So, when Qi Dalian nervously finished her speech and looked secretly at Sun Fengshou’s reaction, Sun Fengshou directly threw a pouch of silver onto Qi Dalian’s lap.

Qi Dalian was dumbstruck.

What did it mean?

Let her manage the finances?

Not even officially married yet, and let her manage the finances?

Qi Dalian felt a bit confused and didn’t dare to touch the money pouch that Sun Fengshou tossed onto her lap.

Sun Fengshou said aloud, "The gift money is the betrothal gift for your family, a token of appreciation to your parents for raising you. Not bringing it back is also as it should be.

This pouch of silver is all our family savings, and you’ll manage it from now on.

One thing, I’ll say the harsh words upfront: If you secretly give this silver to your family without discussing it with me, then I..."

"I won’t, I won’t!" Qi Dalian interrupted Sun Fengshou’s words.

"Trust me, I will wholeheartedly live well with you."

Qi Dalian’s urgent tone suddenly mellowed, "Actually... actually, ever since my father passed away, my mother hasn’t treated me well. I’ve long wanted to leave that family.

This time she took thirty taels of gift money, yet didn’t even give me a pair of camphor wood boxes. Inside, I... I actually resent her."

A pair of camphor wood boxes, two sets of red quilts, are essential dowry items for every bride. Those who are well-off will additionally give the bride two sets of good quality clothes.

In the village, poor girls marrying into wealthy families sometimes brought back the entire betrothal gift so they wouldn’t squat lower. It wasn’t unheard of.

But her mother...

Qi Dalian felt genuinely heartbroken.

If her father were still here, her wedding day wouldn’t be so impoverished.

Her father would let her bring the betrothal gift back, and would prepare dowry for her.

Qi Dalian felt a deep sadness; she missed her father...

Sun Fengshou didn’t actually give Qi Dalian all his family possessions, fearing Qi Dalian might act like Xu Shi, who sent gifts to her family at every opportunity.

The Sun family and Xu Shi’s family were several villages apart and didn’t stop Xu Shi’s tradition of giving money to her family. Now, Qi Dalian’s family being in the same village made Sun Fengshou’s approach a testing one.

Even though Qi Dalian gave him her solemn assurances, Sun Fengshou was considering this with some long-term views.

Now seeing Qi Dalian seemingly about to cry, Sun Fengshou’s heart softened all at once.

He sat next to Qi Dalian and comforted her, "Don’t cry, as if I’m bullying you."

Qi Dalian forcefully held back her tears and pulled a smile, picked up the money pouch and handed it to Sun Fengshou, "Mother is still around, how could a daughter-in-law manage the money? Let mother handle it?"

Sun Fengshou pushed the pouch back, "My mother said to let you manage it."

Qi Dalian was surprised. Typically, a new daughter-in-law would be given rules by her mother-in-law, and there was no reason to manage money on the first day.

How is the Sun family different from others?

Is this money so hot to touch?

Qi Dalian still wanted to say something, but the door to the bridal chamber was knocked, and the matchmaker came in carrying items.

A plate of semi-cooked dumplings, a pair of ladles tied with red strings, and a pot of wine.

Under the matchmaker’s cue, Qi Dalian bit a small mouthful of dumpling, blushingly said, "Raw."

Then, with Sun Fengshou, drank the wedding wine using a ladle split into two.

After saying auspicious words, the matchmaker tied Sun Fengshou and Qi Dalian’s hair together and retreated.

Sun Fengshou knew, after drinking the wedding wine, the wedding rituals were complete. Having gone through it once before, he had the experience, and in the countryside, there wasn’t any tradition of disturbing the bridal chamber.

Qi Dalian shyly leaned against Sun Fengshou, with tied hair compelling her to rest in Sun Fengshou’s arms.

Sun Fengshou’s heart was stirred, feeling excited.

He finally had a family again.

For Sun Fengshou’s wedding, Su Jingchen brought Su Jingyue along, and Yu Xiaolian asked Su Jingchen, "Are you comfortable staying at the inn?"

Su Jingchen smiled, "It’s alright."

Su Jingchen never imagined Yu Xiaolian held such prestige among the students in Luocheng, nor had she ever mentioned teaching at Jianyin Academy.

It was only when he went to Yin Academy and heard discussions about the female teacher that he realized the female teacher was her.

In just a year, how did she make those proud scholars bow to a young girl?

He was quite curious.

Yu Xiaolian didn’t really know how she became famous; she was just as confused, thinking it probably had a lot to do with Dean Yin.

Yu Xiaolian discussed with Yu Changhe about having Su Jingchen and his brother stay in Taohua Village for New Year’s, and Yu Changhe agreed, surprisingly, Su Jingchen declined.

Su Jingchen said, "I plan to take Jingyue to my maternal grandfather’s home in Funan, leaving tomorrow, and came today specially to bid farewell to you all."