From behind, Huo Zheng’s voice suddenly rang out. Liu Hongmei stiffened, fear rising uncontrollably in her heart.
Wasn’t that disaster not at home? Why was he back all of a sudden?
On her way here, she had already asked around and found out that Huo Zheng had been going out to work these days. Only after confirming that did she dare to come.
Huo Zheng walked in from outside carrying little Huo Jibei in one arm. His gaze swept over Liu Hongmei coldly and fiercely.
The little one hadn’t seen Su Qi’an all morning and immediately stretched out his arms excitedly for her. Su Qi’an smiled and took him.
The glare from Huo Zheng made Liu Hongmei’s back go cold. She quickly tried to explain, scrambling for words.
“It—it’s a misunderstanding. I didn’t try to instigate her to divorce you…”
The more she spoke, the less confident she became, because she had indeed meant something like that earlier. She had no idea how much Huo Zheng had heard.
But then she thought again—Huo Zheng and Su Qi’an were already married, yet he hadn’t even given a cent of betrothal gift. Wasn’t he trying to take advantage for free? Where in the world was there such a free lunch?
She was, after all, an elder.
With that thought, Liu Hongmei straightened up and even began lecturing him, no longer afraid of his notorious reputation.
“Huo Zheng, you two already registered your marriage and didn’t even come to inform the family. You even made me come here personally. That’s just improper.”
“And what about the betrothal gift? How much are you planning to give? If it’s too little, our Su family won’t agree.”
Thinking of how Su Qi’an had just said she didn’t want a betrothal gift, she grew even more anxious that it might be true, especially now that Huo Zheng was here. Perfect chance to settle it.
“Before this, Su Qi’an followed you without a clear status and even gave you a big fat son. The betrothal gift should be more, not less.”
Huo Zheng’s expression remained unreadable. He asked calmly, “How much do you want?”
Su Qi’an looked at him in shock, trying to speak, but he stopped her.
Hearing this, Liu Hongmei became excited—it was working.
“Two hundred…” She paused, seeing no reaction on his face, then quickly changed it. “Two hundred eighty yuan.”
Su Qi’an looked at her like she was insane. From two hundred to two hundred eighty—how dare she even say that?
Two hundred eighty yuan—what did that even mean? In this era, who in the countryside would spend that much just to marry a wife?
Was she out of her mind?
“Not to mention two hundred eighty—even eighty won’t be given,” Su Qi’an said angrily.
Liu Hongmei’s face darkened.
“You little wild—” she stopped herself, then continued, “What do you know? In this day and age, what girl doesn’t require a betrothal gift? You should be grateful you’re worth this much.”
Other girls were married off for just ten or twenty yuan. She was already exceptionally “valuable” in the whole town.
“You—”
Huo Zheng stopped her before she could continue.
He looked at Liu Hongmei again. “Anything else?”
Seeing that he was actually entertaining her demands, Liu Hongmei immediately became delighted, her eyes rolling as she schemed.
“Of course. When do you plan to hold the wedding? Since Su Qi’an is marrying out from our home, you must also give every member of our family a ten-yuan ‘change of address fee’ on the wedding day.”
That would be another good haul.
Ten yuan per person—there were quite a few people in their family.
“Fine,” Huo Zheng agreed straightforwardly.
Su Qi’an stared at him in disbelief.
“Huo Zheng, you…”
She couldn’t even finish her sentence.
That would add up to several hundred yuan for a wedding.
Even selling everything they owned wouldn’t be enough.
But Liu Hongmei didn’t care whether they could afford it—she only heard the agreement and was overjoyed.
Just then, Huo Zheng asked calmly, “What about the bride’s dowry?”
“Dowry?” she asked in confusion.
Huo Zheng clicked his tongue. “Groom gives betrothal gift, bride brings dowry. Fair and reasonable. You don’t plan to prepare anything?”
Su Qi’an also looked at him, confused. Was he paying a huge betrothal gift just so she could have a dowry? That didn’t seem worth it at all.
Liu Hongmei hesitated. “Her parents are gone… so there’s no need for a dowry.”
She had no intention of preparing one anyway. She wasn’t her parents. She still had her own daughter to take care of.
Hearing this, Su Qi’an immediately found her rebuttal.
“Aunt, by your logic, since my parents are gone, doesn’t that mean the betrothal gift also doesn’t need to be given?”
After all, betrothal gifts were originally given to the bride’s parents.
Liu Hongmei screeched, “How can that be the same?!”
“It isn’t?” Su Qi’an asked.
“I raised you since you were little—you ate and drank my food. I count as half your mother. The betrothal gift should go to me!”
“Then since you raised me like a daughter, shouldn’t you also prepare a dowry?”
Liu Hongmei was left speechless, glaring at her in anger.
That little brat—when did she become so sharp-tongued?
Huo Zheng finally spoke again. “If there’s no dowry, then the betrothal gift and change-of-address fee don’t need to be so high either.”
Hearing that he might back out, Liu Hongmei panicked.
“No!” she quickly said, then compromised, “Fine, I’ll go back and discuss the dowry with the family.”
“Good. Don’t take too long. I’ve already had someone pick an auspicious wedding date—it’s at the end of next month,” Huo Zheng said casually.
Su Qi’an’s mind exploded.
When had he even gone to pick a date?
Liu Hongmei hadn’t expected it to be so soon either. Her expression immediately soured, but she nodded anyway.
Before leaving, her eyes still lingered on the food in the house. Huo Zheng frowned.
“Want to stay for lunch?”
“No, no,” she quickly refused and left unwillingly.
Su Qi’an looked at Huo Zheng with complicated eyes. She had many questions but didn’t know where to start.
After thinking for a moment, she asked, “Why did you agree to give her so much money?”
Huo Zheng paused slightly at the kitchen doorway. “Let her be happy for now.”
Whether she could actually spend it—or whether it was even real money she’d end up with—was another matter.
Su Qi’an: “?”
What did that mean?
He didn’t explain further and went into the kitchen to prepare lunch.
After thinking for a moment, Su Qi’an followed in with the baby.
“Also… when did you have someone pick the wedding date? How come I didn’t know?”
“Early this morning,” he replied calmly while working.
Since they already had the marriage certificate, and her injury would heal by next month, the wedding should be held soon.
Thinking of something, he took out a small jar from his pocket.
“This is scar-removal ointment. It works pretty well.”
In the past few days, her wound had started scabbing over, and at night she would stare at it in the mirror for a long time, worried.
Looking at the small jar in his hand, a warm feeling rose in her heart. It was as if someone had noticed the problem she was silently struggling with—and already found a solution for her.
Last night, she was even thinking about covering the scar with her hair. After all, no girl would willingly accept a big scar on her forehead.
“Thank you, Huo Zheng,” she said softly.
Her voice was sweet and soft, making a strange numbness spread through his spine. For a moment, his mind flashed back to that rare night of closeness between them.
Then, unconsciously, he leaned closer…