After officially getting engaged, the groom-to-be often visits his future in-laws frequently to make a good impression. He might fetch water, chop wood, or even help with farm work, all to win over his future wife. This method, though old-fashioned, is effective. After a period of consistent effort, the initially critical future in-laws will start to feel reassured.
Take Wang Ming, for example. Normally a little tyrant, he still goes over to help out after getting engaged.
However, Qiao Yue, who was forced to wake up early, was not pleased with this.
“If it’s an engagement, both sides should make an effort. Why is it just me?” he complained.
Xia He replied, “You brat, it’s fine to say that in front of me, but if you dare say it outside, see if your dad doesn’t come looking for you tonight.”
Qiao Yue sat slouched, confidently saying, “If my dad comes looking for me, it’s because he misses me, not to hit me.”
Xia He was at a loss for words, realizing it might actually be true.
With another mouth to feed at home, Xia He, who was initially a bit happy, looked at his son’s posture and worriedly suggested, “Shanzi, how about I teach you how to raise silkworms?”
“Why are you bringing up silkworms again?” Qiao Yue asked. Xia He sat on the chair next to him and explained, “To earn a bit more.”
But Qiao Yue was unwilling. Raising silkworms is very labor-intensive. Don’t think he doesn’t know; his cousin recently went back to the academy with a lot of silver.
However, seeing Xia He’s gloomy expression, he started talking about the honey.
The beehive was doing well, and soon they could start harvesting honey. Actually, they didn’t need to raise silkworms; just the honey alone could earn them enough for a family of three or four.
… As for other things, they could rely on his cousin in the future.
Xia He didn’t realize his son already had a “live off others” mindset. Hearing they could earn several taels, he immediately perked up. If it was as Shanzi said, he wouldn’t worry about raising silkworms anymore. Raising silkworms was hard work for little money, while selling honey could earn several taels at once.
As long as they didn’t encounter life-threatening labor or military service, it would be enough for their expenses.
Seeing Xia He so happy, Qiao Yue relaxed and slouched again, watching as his little dad dug into his pocket and handed him a piece of silver.
“Tomorrow, take it and go to the county with Yue Ge’er. Buy whatever he likes.”
Qiao Yue took the one tael of silver, “Don’t I need to buy things for the banquet?”
Xia He replied, “No need, the banquet is covered by the public funds. Just spend this silver freely.”
The Fang family asked for six taels as a bride price, with the public funds covering half. The banquet was naturally fully covered by the public funds. The remaining three taels were covered by the five taels from the Zhao family, leaving two taels… Xia He kept one and gave one to Qiao Yue, also to show the big house.
Qiao Yue laughed, “Then I’ll spend it all.”
Xia He shook his head, thinking anyone who heard him would think he was going out with ten or eight taels.
With the go-ahead, Qiao Yue got ready to leave, taking Qiao Xiaoyuan with him.
The river shimmered, green as silk, with distant mountains lush and green. The wind carried the scent of the forest after rain.
Qiao Yue felt his heart open up.
Life is unpredictable, with one thing after another. In just a few days, he went from being an older unmarried man to an older soon-to-be-married man. The leap was quite a stretch.
Qiao Yue felt unsettled but couldn’t find anyone to talk to.
He used to chat with Tian Zhuzi and Wang Ming, but not this time.
Seeing the scenery around him, Qiao Yue sighed, “Truly, ‘standing at the peak, all mountains seem small’…”
“Big brother, is this even a mountain?” Qiao Xiaoyuan asked, his eyes darting around the hillside, tugging at Qiao Yue’s pants curiously.
Qiao Yue was pulled back to reality, annoyed, “A mountain over ten feet high isn’t a mountain? It’s a hillside, so what else would it be? And look at those mountains in the distance.”
Qiao Xiaoyuan obediently looked.
“See, those tall mountains grew from small hills, just like you. You were this small, and now you’re as tall as your big brother.”
Qiao Xiaoyuan nodded like a pecking chicken, exclaiming, “Wow, big brother, so hills grow into mountains.”
“Yue kid, I didn’t expect you to be so articulate,” Ma Ershen, passing by with her sister-in-law, couldn’t help but comment.
Qiao Yue raised his head, “Of course.”
Ma Ershen slowed her pace, curiously asking, “Do hills really grow into mountains? How many years does it take?”
“Uh…” Qiao Yue was fine with fibbing to kids, but being taken seriously by others was different. He awkwardly replied, “Probably hundreds or thousands of years, otherwise how would they grow so tall?”
Ma Ershen nodded, “That makes sense.”
Qiao Yue asked, “Auntie, where are you going?”
“Oh, I’m heading to the back mountain. Can’t chat, or I’ll miss the good spots for picking wild vegetables.” Ma Ershen hurried to catch up with her sister-in-law.
Qiao Xiaoyuan waved, “Goodbye, Auntie.”
…
With the relationship with the Wang family like oil on fire, ready to explode, Qiao Yue couldn’t borrow a bullock cart from them. He planned to pick up someone and see if he could find a cart on the way.
Fang Chuyue, hearing this, quickly brought out the family donkey cart. It wasn’t as stable as a bullock cart, but having a cart was better than nothing, and Qiao Yue didn’t mind driving it.
The donkey’s hooves pressed heavily into the mud, the cart tracks following closely behind.
“Yue kid, going out with Fang Ge’er?” a villager teased, seeing the donkey cart and recognizing it as Fang’s.
Qiao Yue nodded, “Yes, uncle, taking my little brother to the county.”
The man, Wang Laizi, had a connection with Wang Lizheng. But with so many Wangs in Qingshan Village, he couldn’t ignore all of them, so he called him uncle.
Qiao Xiaoyuan, hearing the voice, peeked out from the window, waving, “Uncle~”
Wang Laizi noted he really brought his little brother, then changed the subject, “Why are you using Fang’s donkey cart? Yue kid, that’s not right. We men shouldn’t use our in-laws’ things. It’s embarrassing.”
The quick engagement couldn’t be hidden, and while many understood, there were also those who enjoyed the spectacle.
Qiao Yue frowned, having no grudge with Wang Laizi, assuming he was venting for Wang Lizheng, he asked, “Uncle, can I eat at your house?”
Wang Laizi looked at him as if he said something outrageous, “Are you crazy? Our Wang family isn’t like your Qiao family.” Even little kids didn’t get to eat at others’ tables.
No family was wealthy enough to give away food.
“If I can’t eat at your house, and haven’t eaten a grain of your rice, then you Wangs should mind your own business.” Qiao Yue rolled his eyes, driving the donkey cart away.
The donkey sneezed at Wang Laizi, giving him a disdainful look before trotting off.
Wang Laizi, covered in saliva, was stunned. By the time he recovered, the cart was out of sight.
“Damn it!!”
Qiao Yue drove the cart, with Qiao Xiaoyuan’s laughter filling the air. Initially shy around people, he now clung to Fang Chuyue, calling him brother.
“Fang Chuyue, do you have a grudge with Wang Laizi’s family?”
Fang Chuyue quickly braided his hair, tying it with a yellow ribbon, “Done.” Qiao Xiaoyuan touched his hair, moving to the front, “Big brother, does it look good?”
“Good.”
“You didn’t even look!”
Qiao Yue had to examine the head in his arms, sincerely praising, “Our Xiaoyuan is indeed good-looking.”
Qiao Xiaoyuan giggled, leaving his brother to cling to Fang Chuyue.
Fang Chuyue poked his little hand, then explained the grudge with Wang Laizi’s family, a story of wanting to marry into a family for inheritance and being resented.
Qiao Yue regretted not cursing more.
“All show and no substance, who’d want to marry into their family.” If not for being on the road, Qiao Yue would have jumped up to curse.
Fang Chuyue smiled, not mentioning how he scared Wang Laizi’s family into staying home for days.
With Qiao Xiaoyuan around, the awkward atmosphere between them eased. After the story, Qiao Yue forgot his shyness, openly cursing Wang Laizi’s family.
The donkey cart soon reached Qingshui County.
Qiao Xiaoyuan, visiting the county for the first time, was like a country bumpkin in the city. He exclaimed at the entrance fee, the bustling market, the street performers, and drooled at the sight of candied hawthorns.
Qiao Yue waved to the vendor, “Uncle, give me three skewers, the big ones.”
Fang Chuyue stopped him, “Two is enough, we can share.” He didn’t like sour things, better not to waste.
“Two people sharing one…” Qiao Yue’s gaze fell on those soft pink lips, “That’s not right, let’s get three…”
Fang Chuyue didn’t catch on at first, but seeing where he was looking, he glared, “What are you thinking!”
“Nothing.” Qiao Yue looked away, cursing himself.
He rubbed his nose, then his chin, fumbling with his purse, sweating as he struggled to find a coin.
Embarrassed, he looked up, “The purse is tied too tight.”
Fang Chuyue chuckled.
“Yay!”
Beside him, Qiao Xiaoyuan, who had been stomping impatiently, held up his purse triumphantly, “Big brother, I untied it!”
“Not hard at all, haha~”