Zhu Lingling took full responsibility and invited Aunt Luo for guidance.
The banquet was prepared according to Aunt Luo’s budget, with twelve tables.
Due to the village custom of everyone coming to eat after giving a gift, she found it strange that the main banquet was in the morning.
Aunt Luo explained that the bride’s main banquet is in the morning, and the groom’s main banquet is at noon.
Those bringing dowries usually co the night before, so they attend two als.
Zhu Lingling, not quite understanding, hired a chef recomnded by Aunt Luo. The chef prepared a nu, and Chun Ning went with Uncle Luo to buy lots of chicken, duck, fish, and pork. The chef’s banquet was called the "Nine Big Bowls."
The banquet was so well-prepared that even Mrs. Xu praised it.
Soft-fried stead pork, stead ribs, stead beef, stead soft-shelled turtle, stead whole chicken, stead whole duck, stead pork knuckle, sandwiched at, salt-baked white," Aunt Luo said: "These are the dishes of the Nine Big Bowls. Typically, only wealthy families have such richness. Farmhouse versions would replace so expensive dishes with stead kelp or vermicelli."
Thus, the banquet for Chun Nuan’s wedding was already at the standard of a wealthy family.
The night before, people bringing dowries ca continuously.
Aunt Luo’s dowry was a new solid silver bracelet.
"Aunt Luo, isn’t this too precious? You should keep it for San Ya’s dowry."
For a farming family, a solid silver bracelet is a highly presentable item for a daughter’s dowry or a son’s bride price, and Aunt Luo gave it to her, which Chun Nuan felt a bit overwhelming.
"Chun Nuan, I don’t see you as an outsider." Aunt Luo insisted, putting it on her wrist: "Even the best aunts can’t afford this, and lesser ones would be embarrassed to give it."
"In the past, forget silver bracelets; even giving one tael of silver felt like giving my life." Aunt Luo said, "Since your family arrived and you taught Uncle Luo massage, and Xiao Gang worked with Chun Ning, and San Ya helped make pills, our family has accumulated quite a bit of silver. This amount was sothing I never dread of having before."
Aunt Luo truly didn’t treat Chun Nuan as an outsider and directly told her that they had saved one hundred and twenty taels of silver. After the New Year, they planned to renovate their large house and purchase so land to finally escape the life of tenant farrs.
"Congratulations, Aunt Luo."
Chun Nuan smiled knowingly, the result of diligent and earnest effort.
When one is poor, one seeks change; with change cos opportunity, and with opportunity cos success.
When a family is in poverty, they must learn to strive, for even if nothing cos of it, there’s no loss.
However, once they strive correctly, they can turn their lives around and sing in success.
"It’s all thanks to you, Chun Nuan. You’re our family’s benefactor. Giving you this dowry was a family decision; it’s our sincerity, and you can’t refuse it."
"How could I refuse when I like it so much," Chun Nuan said. "Then I’ll accept it. Thank you, Aunt Luo."
Reciprocating kindness, since Aunt Luo’s family could afford it, she accepted, knowing she wouldn’t overlook them in the future.
Luo Xiaogang learned a lot working with Chun Ning; San Ya had a knack for making pills and could likely continue working long-term, even after marriage she could earn so money to help the household.
Aunt Zuo also joined the neighbors, bringing gifts like a wooden basin, a pair of embroidered pillowcases, or a thermos... Various useful small items were piled in the corner of the Xiao family courtyard.
The Xiao family understood well that a modest gift carries deep affection, and they wouldn’t mind at all.
Mrs. Xu, fearing any mishap, personally oversaw the jotting down of the dowry list from beginning to end.
Seeing so much added, she felt a bit worried.
"Are there many from the Zhao family to receive the bride? The dowry needs to be lifted in one go, with no second trips allowed."
"Mother, don’t worry, the new groom sent word that there are thirty-two people coming to receive the bride, so I prepared an additional four tables of food."
"That’s good then."
Thirty-two platforms, not a small number.
Mrs. Xu checked, and indeed, Nuannuan’s dowry was quite presentable.
Of course, the truly valuable items were those Zhao Minghua secretly added for Nuannuan.
The valuable items on their side were brought from the Capital by Chunyu through the rchant firm, and their family’s bit of silver only bought Nuannuan an estate and a shop.
The dowry the Xiao family gave was less than half of what Xiao Chunyu received back in the day, which made her feel sorry for Chun Nuan.
When Mrs. Xu once again ntioned this to Chun Nuan, Chun Nuan quickly comforted her.
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