◎Delivering the Betrothal Gifts◎
In recent days, the old men of the village had gathered under the large tree at the village entrance, gazing at the rice ears in the fields and discussing when to harvest the grain.
Harvesting rice could not be done too early or too late; one had to observe the weather. If they were unlucky enough to encounter rainy days and the grain was spoiled by the rain, it would be a disaster. Farming families toiled all year long, relying entirely on these few days. They dared not be careless or lazy in the slightest. During the harvest rush, they wished the whole family could pitch in day and night, working tirelessly to bring the grain from the fields into their homes before they could rest easy.
"Third Great-Grandfather, do you think it will rain in the coming days?" several hesitant men asked the oldest elder in the village.
Third Great-Grandfather looked up at the sky, his wrinkled, orange-peel-like face exuding a certain dignity. When he opened his mouth, a sparse set of rotten teeth was revealed. "I don't think it will rain, but who knows if He might change His mind midway." He pointed upward and sighed.
Just as they were talking, someone spotted Old Man Wei and his son about to leave the village.
The Wei family usually had little presence in the village. Due to Old Man Wei's former identity as a hunter, he was not particularly well-regarded by the villagers. Hunters were known for their fierce temperaments—what kind of gentle person could hunt large game? Back when the village initially opposed his settling here, they feared he would be difficult to get along with. If he were to get into a fight and injure someone, or even kill someone, he could simply disappear into the deep mountains with a pat on his backside, and no one would ever find him.
Now, nearly twenty years had passed since the Wei family settled in the village, and Old Man Wei had even married a local woman and had a son. Yet, whenever the villagers spoke of the Wei family at the foot of the mountain, they still found it hard to feel close to them.
But after all, they were fellow villagers, so when they saw each other, they would still exchange greetings.
An elder from Wei Dahu's maternal side called out, "Dahu, where are you and your father going?"
Even from a distance, the joy in Wei Dahu's voice was unmistakable. "Great-Uncle, I'm getting married! My father is taking me to the bride's family to deliver the betrothal gifts!"
After saying that, he cheerfully added, "When the time comes, I'll invite you to our home for the wedding feast!"
Whoa, his words stirred up a thousand waves.
"What? Dahu, you're getting married?"
"Which family's girl is it? What are you two carrying… Oh my, oh my, fabric! Look at how vibrant the color is! This fabric isn't cheap, is it?"
"Who are you marrying? To go to such lengths…"
A woman exclaimed loudly, "I saw a bolt of fabric at the cloth shop in town last time, and it wasn't even as good as the one Dahu is holding. Guess how much it cost? Three taels of silver! Three taels of silver!!"
"Oh my heavens, that's not fabric they're wearing—it's silver!" someone exclaimed in shock.
"Some people live in mud houses, with a few bundles of thatch for a roof, their tattered feet stepping on yellow mud, carrying manure on their shoulders. And guess what? The fabric they wear costs ten taels of silver per bolt? It's truly laughable!" A woman with a floral-patterned scarf wrapped around her head looked at the Wei father and son with a sour expression. Her biting words silenced everyone for a moment.
This Granny Huang was truly a case of sour grapes. Back then, she had demanded a betrothal gift of ten taels of silver to marry off her daughter. Although few people knew about this, since they lived in the same village, Granny Huang had been slighted by Wei Dahu and harbored resentment, always wanting to speak ill of the Wei father and son. She had made such a fuss that several neighbors knew she had privately tried to match her daughter with Wei Dahu, only to make an outrageous demand.
It just so happened that Wei Dahu hadn’t even taken a liking to her family in the first place.
Now, seeing the cloth in his hands, she was green with envy, her words dripping with sarcasm, almost sour enough to pierce the heavens.
The Wei father and son couldn’t be bothered to engage with her. After exchanging a few words with familiar families, they left.
Along the way, Wei Dahu remained in low spirits. Old Man Wei, seeing his sullen face, understood why he was dissatisfied. Wei Dahu had bought two bolts of cloth, two jars of wine, three packages of pastries, and one package of sugar in town. Among farming families who lived frugally, such betrothal gifts were already considered top-notch.
But precisely because they were too good, it wasn’t wise to present them all as betrothal gifts.
What kind of family was the Wei family? If they brought out all these things, those who knew their circumstances might at most say they were putting on a brave face, while those who didn’t would surely laugh behind their backs, mocking them for pretending to be wealthy despite being mere farmers.
When a girl marries, if her husband’s family gives her enough face, she gains honor as well.
But if the husband’s family is all show and no substance, the gifts shouldn’t be too lavish, lest there be a stark contrast later on. Moreover, it wouldn’t look good in the eyes of others. To avoid endless gossip in the future and prevent the new bride from being talked about in the village, it was better not to invite such talk from the start.
Thus, for today’s betrothal, Old Man Wei only brought one bolt of cloth, one jar of wine, one package of pastries, and one package of sugar.
This gift was already generous among farming families who toiled in the fields, especially the cloth, which, properly accounted for, was truly not cheap. The combined value of these betrothal gifts could even buy a small plot of poor-quality land.
It wasn’t particularly eye-catching, nor did it slight the girl. It was just right.
This was how Old Man Wei thought, but deep down, he still felt somewhat uneasy. After all, he was just a rough man. Matters of marriage should have been handled by the women of the household, and he worried he might have overlooked something.
Auntie Wang had been waiting at the crossroads. Seeing the father and son, she quickly greeted them with a smile and led them into the village.
The Qian family was all present today. As Wei Dahu followed his father into the main hall of the Qian household, he immediately felt several pairs of eyes fixed on him.
There were looks of astonishment, gasps of surprise, and even whispers.
Wei Dahu’s ears were sharp, and he overheard two young women murmuring about how exceptionally tall and sturdy he was.
“A joyous occasion, a truly joyous occasion! Today, I’ve brought the Wei father and son to present betrothal gifts to your family!” Auntie Wang’s cheerful voice rang out. She had never worked as a matchmaker before and didn’t know the proper procedures. Since both families were already aware of the situation, she skipped the empty formalities and simply praised the Qian family for having a diligent and filial daughter. Today, the Wei family from Dahe Village had come to present betrothal gifts, sincerely seeking to marry the Qian family’s daughter and hoping to unite the two families in matrimony.
Chef Qian and Zhao Sufen sat in the main seats, greeting the Wei father and son while discreetly observing them.
At Auntie Wang’s prompting, Old Man Wei presented the betrothal gifts.
Auntie Wang was exceptionally happy today, standing a little taller. The Wei family hadn’t skimped on the betrothal gifts, and as the matchmaker who had brought the two families together, she felt pleased and satisfied. Marriage was, after all, about mutual satisfaction.
Looking at the betrothal gifts on the table, Zhao Sufen felt a mix of emotions—both satisfied and dissatisfied. She was no stranger to quality goods, and the cloth alone was enough to show the Wei family’s sincerity in seeking the marriage.
Yet it only made the father and son seem even more like people who didn’t know how to manage their lives.
They had completely ignored everything she had said.
Ah.
Her gaze shifted from the betrothal gifts to the towering figure of Wei Dahu, who stood as imposing as a mountain. His features were quite handsome, certainly a good match for her Tao Hua, but his stature was a bit too large—Auntie Wang hadn’t mentioned that. He looked rather intimidating.
Zhao Sufen silently grumbled to herself, then glanced at Old Man Wei. Though he was taller and sturdier than the average man, he wasn’t as exaggeratedly large as Wei Dahu, who seemed tall enough to bump his head against the ceiling if he stood on tiptoe.
With such a physique, and her own delicate daughter…
Zhao Sufen forced herself to push aside these thoughts. The betrothal ceremony was merely a formality; everything that needed to be said or understood had already been discussed privately between the two families. Now, it was naturally a joyous occasion for all.
Only Wei Dahu felt a tinge of disappointment. He had hoped to catch a glimpse of his future wife, but looking around the main hall, there was no one who seemed to match her description.
Just as he was feeling let down, he suddenly felt a small tap on his leg. Looking down, he saw a young boy with a slightly chubby face, beaming an endearing smile.
Qian Gouzi craned his neck to look up at him and asked, “Are you the one who’s going to marry my sister?”
Wei Dahu deliberately feigned ignorance. “Who’s your sister?”
Qian Gouzi’s face fell, and he unhappily clasped his hands behind his back. “My sister is Tao Hua. How can you not even know her name?”
“Now I know. Your sister is Tao Hua,” Wei Dahu replied. His father had mentioned that his future mother-in-law had been married three times. The Tao Hua he was to marry was the eldest daughter, with two younger brothers, each from a different father. This little boy was likely the youngest of them.
He had quite the nerve, showing no fear in front of him. Wei Dahu felt a bit fond of him and asked, “What’s your name?”
“Qian Laifu,” Qian Gouzi replied without a hint of fear. “Everyone calls me Gouzi. Since you’ll be my brother-in-law, you can call me Gouzi too.”
“But not yet—you’re not my brother-in-law now,” Qian Gouzi cautiously added. After saying this, he tilted his head and studied Wei Dahu carefully for a moment before scurrying off on his short legs.
Wei Dahu was left utterly baffled.
While the commotion continued in the front room, Tao Hua, who had been hiding inside, was sewing shoe soles. She had just finished a stitch when the door was pushed open from the outside, and Qian Gouzi slipped in.
“Sister!” Qian Gouzi trotted over to her. “I took a good look for you. He’s not ugly, and he’s as tall as the roof. He and his father brought a bolt of red cloth, a package of pastries, a jar of wine, and a bag of sugar. Mom looked really happy and said she’d save the cloth for you to make your wedding dress. Sister-in-law didn’t seem too pleased, though.”
Tao Hua wiped the sweat from his forehead with a handkerchief. “Were you eavesdropping on Sister-in-law?”
“I wasn’t eavesdropping! She was talking to Second Sister-in-law, and I was just standing behind them,” Qian Gouzi stuck out his tongue. “Sister, are you really getting married?” he asked, his lips trembling as if he were about to cry.
“When you’re as old as me, you’ll be getting married too,” Tao Hua patted his head, not taking his comment about the man being as tall as the roof too seriously.
“Can I come visit you to play?” Qian Gouzi hugged her and whined. He loved his parents and sister the most. Though he was young, he often got into fights with the village children, who would taunt him for being the child of a thrice-married woman. His two older brothers didn’t like him either. At home, only his parents and sister treated him well.
To be precise, it was his mother and sister who treated him the best.
His father was good to his two older brothers as well.
Qian Gouzi thought about his sister getting married soon and felt unbearably sad. At the same time, he couldn't stop thinking about the pastries on the table in the main hall. With teary eyes, he asked, "Sis, after they leave, can I have one piece of the pastries on the table? Wuwu…"
Tao Hua didn't know whether to laugh or cry and repeatedly promised him two pieces. Only then did Qian Gouzi slowly stop crying.
The siblings had already settled the matter of the pastries in the room, and outside, the Wei father and son had left.
Under the hesitant expression of her eldest daughter-in-law, Zhao Sufen personally took all the betrothal gifts into her own room. Did they think she didn't know what they were scheming? Coveting the cloth? She wouldn't even leave them a single pastry!
"Hey, Mother, such a large piece of cloth—Tao Hua definitely won't use it all. How about…" Zhao Sufen didn't wait for her to finish before closing the door behind her.
She was in a cheerful mood today and couldn't be bothered to argue. Through the door and window, she called out loudly for Tao Hua to come to her room.
Zhao Sufen's face was beaming with smiles. When Tao Hua arrived, she told her to close the door tightly, shutting out the prying eyes of her eldest daughter-in-law outside. She pulled her daughter to sit by the bed, her tone full of laughter: "Now I can rest easy. That Wei Dahu doesn't seem to talk much, but he's very polite. My eyes are sharp—that boy is someone you can build a life with."
Tao Hua also noticed the red cloth and showed a look of surprise.
"Look at this color—it's so vibrant, and the fabric is good too. It's not ordinary cloth." Zhao Sufen didn't dare touch the cloth, worried that the calluses on her hands might damage it. "I'll save it for you to make your wedding dress."
Tao Hua's eyes reddened: "Mother, why would I need new cloth for a wedding dress? I can just borrow one."
Many girls in the village simply covered their heads with a red cloth when they got married. Being able to borrow a wedding dress to wear was considered a great honor. She had originally planned to just wear a red head covering and hadn't expected anything from the Wei family, so she hadn't thought of anything else.
"Why wouldn't you need it? Why wouldn't my Tao Hua deserve to wear a new wedding dress?" Zhao Sufen stroked her face. "The Wei family is giving you face, so you must hold your head high."
After saying this, she laughed again: "I asked Auntie Wang to pass on the message, but the Wei father and son didn't listen at all. Now they've probably brought out their entire family savings."
Tao Hua looked at her mother's face, which had aged noticeably over the past two years, and felt unbearable sadness. Her mother had worried endlessly over this marriage: "Mother…"
"That Old Man Wei doesn't seem like a harsh person. He's the only elder in the Wei family, so your life after marrying over won't be too difficult." Zhao Sufen patted the back of her hand, teaching her daughter: "You must learn to be filial and not disobey your elders. Remember, a family can only live well when everyone works together."
Tao Hua nodded silently.
Seeing the tears at the corners of her eyes, Zhao Sufen was also stirred by the emotions of marrying off her daughter. What mother in this world doesn't cry when her daughter gets married? It must be a debt from a past life, making her worry so much in this one.
"Life is something you only understand after living it yourself. I've muddled through my own life and can't really teach you anything. You'll have to figure it out on your own." Zhao Sufen thought about how she had married three men and felt a wave of sorrow. When it came to the experience of marriage, she had nothing to teach her daughter.
Tao Hua's tears flowed even more fiercely, and she could only nod.
"Mother can only take you this far. The road ahead will have to be walked by you alone." Zhao Sufen's voice was already choked with tears as she spoke.
Tao Hua wept bitterly.