“What did you say? Su Qian’an and Huo Zheng have already registered their marriage?” Liu Hongmei exclaimed in shock, her eyes filled with disbelief.
The others were also stunned, staring at Su Jiaojiao in disbelief.
How had Su Qian’an suddenly gone and married Huo Zheng without anyone hearing a word about it?
Even Old Madam Su and Old Man Su were frowning tightly, their faces full of displeasure and shock.
They had never been fond of this granddaughter. Back then, they only kept her at home to feed her because they feared village gossip.
Last year, she got involved with someone like Huo Zheng and even got pregnant before marriage, causing the entire Su family to lose face in the village.
Su Jiaojiao bit her lip and nodded. “Mom, I heard it directly from Su Qian’an herself. It can’t be wrong.”
Liu Hongmei snapped, “This is outrageous! How can such a big thing like marriage registration not be reported to the family?”
Third branch daughter-in-law Liang Zhaonan also chimed in, “Exactly! They just registered without saying anything. Who knows where the bride price went? And how much it was?”
“There are still sons in this family who haven’t even married yet!”
At her words, the entire room’s expressions changed, each person with their own thoughts.
Old Madam Su had six children in total—two daughters died young, leaving three sons and one daughter. All of them were married.
Her second son, Su Qian’an’s father, had passed away years ago, leaving only two sons in the household now.
Each son had several children, but the family was poor. The eldest grandson was already twenty and still had no marriage prospects.
Originally, they had planned to marry Su Qian’an off to a widower from the neighboring village. But after what happened with Huo Zheng, that plan fell apart.
As for the bride price previously agreed upon with that widower, it was also abandoned—no one wanted to provoke someone like Huo Zheng.
Su Jiaojiao had gotten together with an educated youth from the city, and when that man later used connections to return to the city, the Su family had even considered it a good thing.
But unexpectedly, that educated youth abandoned Su Jiaojiao and left alone.
The Su family was furious and nearly wanted to drag him out for criticism.
Hearing this, Liu Hongmei also thought it made sense. Su Qian’an was still a member of the Su family—if she got married, the groom should have given a bride price to the family.
But until now, they hadn’t seen a single cent.
If it weren’t for Su Jiaojiao telling them, they wouldn’t even have known she had already registered her marriage.
No wonder she hadn’t been seen at home recently—they had thought she was sneaking off with some man. Turns out she had just gotten married.
Thinking about how her own son still hadn’t found a wife, Liu Hongmei became anxious.
She looked at Old Madam Su and said, after some thought, “Mother, how about I go to the Huo family tomorrow and ask about this?”
They couldn’t let the Su family marry off a daughter without receiving any bride price—that would be a loss.
That little wild girl, Su Qian’an, had eaten and lived in their house for so many years. As her aunt-in-law, taking some bride price wasn’t unreasonable.
Thinking this, Liu Hongmei grew more confident.
Old Madam Su was silent for a moment, then agreed. “Alright. Eldest daughter-in-law, go ask tomorrow and see what’s going on.”
Liang Zhaonan immediately objected, muttering, “Mother, why does it have to be the eldest sister-in-law? I want to go too.”
Old Madam Su’s face turned stern. “Go? Who’s going to work in the fields? Or are you trying to slack off?”
Liang Zhaonan fell silent, glaring resentfully at Liu Hongmei, who smiled faintly back at her with a hint of provocation.
Liang Zhaonan’s eyes turned red with anger.
She felt it was unfair—Old Madam Su used to favor both the eldest and third branches when the second son was alive, but now only the eldest branch was favored.
If the bride price was recovered, the eldest branch would benefit first again.
Her own son was also of marriageable age, and everything required money—why should everything go to the eldest branch?
Just as she was about to speak again, her husband Su Jianhua tugged at her sleeve and warned in a low voice, “Stop it. You’ll make Mother angry.”
Liang Zhaonan glared at him and silently cursed him useless.
At dawn the next morning, Huo Zheng cooked breakfast and left early, taking little Huo Jibei with him after he woke.
When Su Qian’an got up, the father and son were already gone, leaving only a bowl of porridge and two side dishes on the table.
After breakfast, she thought of the mushrooms she had picked yesterday and planned to take them to the supply and marketing cooperative to sell.
Coincidentally, Ma Youlan came to find her, and the two went to town together.
Just as Ma Youlan had said, the cooperative was buying mushrooms at eight cents per jin. She sold them for twenty-four cents—not much, but it gave her a small way to earn money.
Ma Youlan sold less, but was still satisfied.
On the way back, it was still early. Su Qian’an washed the clothes she had changed out of last night.
The weather was cloudy with a light breeze, very comfortable. Many people were already washing clothes by the river, including those young village women from a few days ago.
When they saw her, they smiled at her. She walked over with her wooden basin and squatted beside them, taking out a few fruit candies from her pocket.
“Thank you for helping me clear up the rumors. Have some candy.”
She had brought them on purpose.
The women’s eyes lit up, but they hesitated. “Th-that’s not a big deal… you don’t need to be so polite.”
Even as they said that, their eyes never left the candies.
Fruit candy was a rare treat in those days.
Seeing her insist, they finally accepted it happily.
“Ah, you’re too kind. We’re all from the same village, it was just the truth anyway.”
They laughed and chatted.
While they spoke the truth, coming from different mouths, the effect was different.
For example, if she had said it herself, no one would have believed her.
After finishing the laundry and hanging it up to dry, she returned home—but Huo Zheng and the child still hadn’t returned.
She wondered if he had taken the child to work.
Still early, and with the child not at home, she decided to scatter the seeds she had bought.
She divided the land into small plots—one for cabbage, one for radish—and watered them.
Not long after, Liu Hongmei arrived and cursed inwardly at the sight.
Not even working, yet living more comfortably than she was.
When Su Qian’an turned around, she saw a middle-aged woman standing not far behind her, with short ear-length hair and sun-darkened skin, staring at her.
She looked somewhat like Su Jiaojiao.
She immediately guessed who it was.