Before long, Yang Yuelan walked in carrying a steaming bowl of dumplings, smiling as she said, “I brought some dried shrimp from my hometown and made a seaweed soup with dumplings. See if you like it.”
Plump dumplings floated in the seaweed soup, sprinkled with a few green scallions—much better than the dry dumplings from before.
It was a feast for the eyes, nose, and palate.
“Thank you, Mom. I really like it.” Xu Qingning’s eyes lit up. She was genuinely hungry and started eating as soon as she took the bowl. The dumplings were filled with pork and scallions, and the taste was decent.
Yang Yuelan’s broth was also quite good. Although Xu Qingning felt a bit nauseous, she still finished the entire large bowl.
“Just tell me what you want to eat, and I’ll make it for you if I can.” Yang Yuelan glanced at Xu Qingning’s flat stomach and sat down beside her. “Your appetite tends to be poor during the first three months, but it’ll get better after that.”
Zhao Jingyu had returned in early March, and now it was early May.
By the timeline, Xu Qingning should be about a month or so pregnant.
“Mom, your cooking is really good.” Xu Qingning beamed. “I’ll be troubling you from now on.”
Good-natured, skilled in the kitchen, and kind to her—this mother-in-law was someone she could get along with.
“It’s no trouble at all. You’re my daughter-in-law, so it’s only right that I take care of you.” Yang Yuelan grew more and more satisfied with Xu Qingning. Who would have thought that rascal of a son would find such a good wife?
With that thought, she got up again, went out to fetch a bundle, and closed the door behind her.
“Mom, what’s this?” Xu Qingning looked puzzled.
“I don’t have much to give you, but these were left by Jing Yu’s grandmother. Before she passed, she said they were for Jing Yu’s wedding.” Yang Yuelan took out a square rosewood box from the bundle, opened it for Xu Qingning to see, and whispered, “I kept them at home, always worried your two sisters-in-law might see them. Now that you’re here, they’re yours.”
The rosewood box was divided into two sections by a partition. One side held a gold bracelet and a gold necklace, gleaming and dazzling.
The other side held six small, colorful stones, translucent and lustrous—likely jade or gemstones.
“Thank you, Mom, and thank you, Grandma.” Xu Qingning accepted them without hesitation, picking them up with interest and examining them closely.
The two gold pieces together weighed about fifty or sixty grams—quite valuable for this era.
The bracelet was an old-fashioned style, engraved with a dragon and phoenix motif, wide and thick, clearly meant for an older person.
The necklace had a teardrop-shaped gold pendant, which was quite pretty.
The jade stones had good clarity and color, pleasing to the eye and enjoyable to hold and admire.
Who would have thought Zhao Jingyu’s grandmother was such a wealthy woman?
The book hadn’t given detailed descriptions of Zhao Jingyu’s mother or grandmother, only mentioning them in passing.
It seemed these hidden plotlines were like opening a blind box—quite a pleasant surprise.
“As long as you like them.” Yang Yuelan sighed in relief. “You rest now. I’ll go wash the vegetables.”
As long as her son and daughter-in-law didn’t look down on her, she was willing to come and take care of them.
For so many years, she had carried a sense of guilt toward Zhao Jingyu, with no way to make up for it.
“Mom, I’d like to wash my hair.” Xu Qingning casually placed the rosewood box in a drawer. Since arriving here, she hadn’t washed her hair or taken a bath, and she felt her hair had started to smell.
“I’ll go heat water for you right now, just wait inside.” Yang Yuelan agreed, then reminded her, “Don’t come out to wash, you’ll catch a cold.”
Without a hairdryer, washing hair meant drying it with a towel.
Xu Qingning was just drying her hair when Zhao Jingyu pushed the door open and walked in.
Her collar was half-open, revealing her fair neck, with delicate skin faintly visible inside the collar. Without a word, he averted his gaze, closed the door, and stepped back out.
“Qingning, dinner’s ready.” Yang Yuelan knocked on the door. She had made a pot of lamb soup and baked some flatbread.
The room was filled with steam, bringing back a long-lost sense of warmth and life.
“Mom, I’m not hungry, you all eat!” Xu Qingning replied cheerfully. She had just eaten dumplings and was still a bit full.
Hearing this, Zhao Jingyu was quite surprised.
He had only been out for a short while, and she was already getting along so well with his mother?
This woman certainly knew how to read the situation.
Just as the family of three were eating, Xu Jianguo and Jiang Yumei arrived, both with stern faces, looking ready to demand answers.
When marrying off a daughter, one holds their head high; when taking a bride, one lowers it.
How could they let their daughter be taken advantage of by Zhao Jingyu for nothing, like catching a wolf with bare hands?
“Uncle, Auntie, you’re here.” Zhao Jingyu greeted them with neither warmth nor coldness.
He had gone to their home sincerely to propose and deliver the betrothal gifts, only to be bluntly rejected by Xu Jianguo, with Jiang Yumei showing no intention of speaking up for him.
If Xu Qingning hadn’t been willing to come back with him, he wouldn’t have planned to see their family again.
He knew Xu Jianguo looked down on him.
Upon learning they were Xu Qingning’s parents, Zhao Futang immediately stood up and said politely, “The in-laws are here, please sit.”
Yang Yuelan, meanwhile, busied herself heating water to make tea, hurriedly pulling some pumpkin seeds from a bundle to serve the two, smiling as she said, “We were just saying we should go see you, and here you are.”
“In-laws, you’re too kind. Our daughter is already living in your home, how could her father and I dare expect you to visit us?” Jiang Yumei glanced at the lamb soup on the table and understood the situation.
So, they weren’t planning to return the betrothal gifts after all.
Look, they’re already eating them themselves.
Their family truly lacked any sense of propriety.
Yang Yuelan smiled awkwardly.
After all, it was her son who was at fault first. As a mother, she had nothing to say when being criticized by the girl’s parents.
“In-laws, this matter is ultimately my son’s fault. I apologize to you. But at this point, aside from having them marry, there’s no better solution.” Zhao Futang also felt his face burning with shame. He quickly took a cigarette from his pocket and offered one to Xu Jianguo.
Xu Jianguo hesitated for a moment but accepted it.
Zhao Futang personally lit the cigarette for Xu Jianguo: “We originally planned to invite you over tomorrow morning. Since you’re here now, let’s properly discuss the children’s marriage.”
“Your family has already taken back the betrothal gifts, what is there left to discuss?” Jiang Yumei was fixated on this. Xu Jianguo hadn’t wanted to come but was dragged here by her.
She had heard that the Zhao family was holding the wedding banquet tomorrow.
If they didn’t come tonight, they’d have even less chance to get the betrothal gifts back.
Xu Qingning was inside organizing her luggage. Hearing Jiang Yumei’s words, she couldn’t help but step out: “Auntie, I’ve already accepted the betrothal gifts Zhao Jingyu gave. Are you trying to get double the amount?”
Auntie?
Zhao Futang and Yang Yuelan exchanged a glance—so she wasn’t the biological mother.
“Qingning, the bride price is meant to thank parents for raising you. What does it mean for you to take it?” Jiang Yumei was angry seeing Xu Qingning defending her in-laws at every turn. “I’ve never heard of any daughter bringing the bride price back to her husband’s family untouched.”