After Shen ng left, Zhu Juying was completely stunned. She sat alone in the main room for a long ti, not responding even when Lu Xiangxiang called her. By the ti Lu Xiangxiang returned from delivering at soup to the first and third families, Uncle Guai was bringing in the prepared als.
"Old lady, what are you spacing out for? I’ve been watching you sit there motionless for quite a while. What’s wrong with you?"
"Mom, are you feeling unwell sowhere? Tell , and I’ll go call Doctor Lu."
Lu Xiangxiang, seeing her mother about to run outside in panic, grabbed her.
"Xiangxiang, my dear daughter, you must treat Shen Xiaobin’s parents well in the future. They’ve been so good to you, keep that in mind. And also Xiaobin’s two elder sisters-in-law—they are kind for the sake of family harmony. You must treat them well and not be like your second sister-in-law, lacking human decency."
"Mom, I know. And Sister-in-law ng too. I will get along well with them. But what did you an by ’going to work’? What work are you talking about?"
Uncle Guai thought Lu Xiangxiang was soon going to get engaged to the Shen Family, and thought the old lady was just excited. As long as she was fine, he wasn’t too concerned about the rest of her words. He pulled his bowl towards him and was about to start eating when:
"Your Sister-in-law ng has secured a position for Xiaobin at the textile factory. He’ll start working there after the New Year, and then he’ll have a stable job."
"What?"
Uncle Guai’s chopsticks clattered to the floor in disbelief, and Zhu Juying stared at Lu Xiangxiang, who also widened her eyes, unaware of this developnt.
That evening, Lu Zhenping boiled water for the children to clean themselves thoroughly. One by one, their eyes brimming with tears, they looked plaintively at Shen ng. Lu Mingkai even burrowed into Shen ng’s embrace, turning his back on Lu Zhenping.
"Mix so milk for them and let them sleep early!"
Lu Zhenping’s eyes flashed; this fitted right into his plans. He diligently prepared the milk for the children and coaxed Mingkai into sleeping over at Mingyang’s place, then swiftly went to wash up himself.
Shen ng’s face felt warm. By dinnerti, she had anticipated sothing was going to happen. Earlier, taking the opportunity to visit the toilet, she had slipped into her space to clean herself up thoroughly, leaving Ming Liang mistakenly thinking she had diarrhea.
The night was long, and Lu Zhenping had abundant energy, while Shen ng was exhausted...
Two days later, Shen Fugui and Wang Guizhi’s family arrived at Lu Family Village with two ox carts. Director Guo, dressed in a brand-new cotton-padded jacket and a red scarf, had been waiting at Uncle Guai’s doorstep since early morning. Seeing the two ox carts approaching, his face lit up with joy. Xiangxiang was a good girl, and people in the village who were close to Uncle Guai and Zhu Juying hoped for her to have a good marital ho. After the incident with Lai Zi, they were quite upset, fearing it could affect Xiangxiang’s future; but, unbeknownst to them, Shen ng had quietly taken an interest in Xiangxiang and had brought her over to his family.
"They’re here, they’re here, weird brother, hurry let Xing’an and Xingwang set off the fireworks, Shen Family’s people have arrived."
"Alright, alright, Xing’an hurry up. Xiaobin is here, quickly go set off the fireworks. Xiangxiang, Xiangxiang what are you doing? Hurry out, they are almost at the doorstep, why are you still inside?"
Uncle Guai hurried towards the doorway, feeling sowhat embarrassed while looking at Director Guo.
"Aunt, you’ve worked hard."
"It’s nothing, I’m just happy thinking Xiangxiang could have a good mother-in-law’s family. When Little ng ca to to arrange the match, I was overjoyed. I even gained a big carp for it!"
Zhu Juying and Lu Xiangxiang hurried out as well, Zhu Juying still murmuring on her way.
"Today is a big happy event, shouldn’t Xiangxiang dress up nicely? And you, old man, be mindful when you talk with the in-laws later, smoke less of your dry tobacco, you hear ?"
"Got it, got it."
Shen ng and Zhenping also brought their child over, and she looked at Lu Xiangxiang, who was wearing a patterned cotton-padded jacket with a rosy face, and beca more and more satisfied with this sister-in-law.
"How’s it, Xiao ng, ca to see your sister-in-law, are you satisfied?"
"Satisfied, very satisfied, it won’t be long before Xiangxiang will be calling ’sister’, and then we’ll truly be one family."
The little girl’s face turned even redder due to their back-and-forth, as red as a peach, utterly embarrassed.
When the ox cart arrived at the doorstep, Shen Xiaobin jumped down first, took out a pack of cigarettes from his pocket, and distributed one to each, under the introduction of Lu Xing’an. What he had was factory-made cigarettes priced at eight cents a box, which although cheap, was rarely bought in the countryside. People usually rolled so tobacco in a piece of newspaper or bought a smoking pipe, which could last them a long while.
Nobody fussed over the inferior quality of the cigarettes; everyone felt honored to receive them, and they were overjoyed.
Lv Qinlan and Su Xiaoi each carried a bag of loose hard candy, distributing them to the people there, each person got a piece. After so cordial talk at the doorstep, everyone then entered the house.
Shen ng watched with relish, it was her first ti seeing such a grand scene of a rural engagent, she found everything fascinating.
Shen Yutian and Shoutian brought in all the items they had brought; two fish, one for the Lu Family, one for the matchmaker, five kilograms of pork fat, fifty kilograms of wheat and one hundred kilograms of corn, two Da Qiann [a type of Chinese cigarette], liquor, candy, shortbread, cake, six ters of cloth, a pair of cotton shoes, and two red and green silk scarves, and finally, a small box, filling an entire table.
Zhu Juying and Uncle Guai both had teary eyes, not so much because of the quantity of gifts but because the Shen Family valued their Xiangxiang so much.
Lu Xing’an and Lu Xingwang, as elder brothers, also felt very happy.
"Elder sister, seeing you again really feels familial, finally we’ve beco in-laws."
"Indeed, I’ve been looking forward to elder sister-in-law coming over soon. Having these two kids’ marriage settled also eases a big worry for her dad and ."
"Isn’t that the truth!"
Zhu Juying and Wang Guizhi chatted warmly, holding hands, while Shen Fugui and Uncle Guai moved stools to sit to the side to smoke, occasionally giving each other an awkward smile, and saying,
"Have so water, have so water."
"No rush, no rush."
Shen Xiaobin and Lu Xiangxiang stood by their respective parents’ sides, occasionally glancing at each other, then, with blushing faces, quickly turning their heads away.
Shen ng, watching amusedly from the side, Zhenping pulled her aside, then she suppressed her sowhat indecent smile.
"Juying, our Shen Family truly likes Xiangxiang and sincerely wants her to marry into our family. Rest assured, I dare not claim to treat her like my own daughter, but the way I treat Xiao ng, Qin Lan, and Xiao i, I’ll treat Xiangxiang the sa, she definitely won’t be mistreated."
"I believe you, I truly do. Xiao ng has always taken great care of our family and Xiangxiang. Both her dad and I genuinely like Xiaobin, and we are just hoping the two kids can settle down soon!"
Wang Guizhi took the small box from the table, handed it to Lu Xiangxiang in front of everyone.
"Good girl, this is a Butterfly brand wristwatch for you, and also a Forever brand bicycle; Xiaobin’s dad and I will also prepare these for you when you get married. Whatever other families have, we won’t let you be less fortunate. You’ll have more than others, never less."
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