With that, Su Nuanru rose and walked over to a cabinet. From the very back, she took out a locked box and set it on the table. Then she went to the wardrobe nearby and took out a key. Returning to the table, she sat down again, unlocked the box with the key, and took out a purse.
“This is the dowry my parents prepared for me. There are five taels of silver inside—enough to open a shop.”
Huo Hanye’s expression changed drastically.
No man would covet his wife’s dowry unless he was utterly incapable. Since he had gone to such lengths to marry her, he naturally hoped to give her a good life. He had never considered touching her dowry.
“I won’t allow it!”
Seeing Huo Hanye’s cold expression, Su Nuanru shrank back slightly. She truly had not expected him to object at this moment. He had already agreed to let her open a shop and do business, so why was he opposed to her using her dowry?
In her previous life, Old Mrs. Zhen had known that she had five taels of silver in her dowry and had done everything she could to get her hands on it. One day, she would say that the family had no money to buy Scholar Qian writing brushes and ink; the next, she would say that Scholar Qian could not come up with his tuition fees. Those five taels of silver were her security, and she had been reluctant to use them. In the end, however, she had taken them out when Scholar Qian went to the prefectural city to sit the provincial examination.
At the time, Scholar Qian had been delighted. He had constantly thanked her and promised that he would treat her well for the rest of his life. But in the end, he had broken his promise. Once the money was handed over, Old Mrs. Zhen’s attitude toward her had grown increasingly cold as well.
Seeing the fear in Su Nuanru’s expression, Huo Hanye realized that his tone had probably been too cold just now. He softened his voice and said, “I’ll find a way to get the money, but you can’t touch your dowry.”
In Su Nuanru’s eyes, this was a good thing for Huo Hanye. She could not understand why he was refusing. Thus, she suppressed her fear, mustered her courage, and asked, “Why?”
Huo Hanye gazed deeply at Su Nuanru. “Your dowry is your own money. Now that you’ve married me, you shouldn’t have to spend your own money anymore.”
Su Nuanru froze for a moment. So that was how he saw it.
Huo Hanye was truly different from Scholar Qian. Scholar Qian had looked down on her father for having done business, yet he had always coveted her dowry. Huo Hanye respected her parents and would not let her touch her own dowry. The Huo family’s circumstances were clearly much worse than the Qian family’s, but Huo Hanye still had no intention of coveting her dowry.
She had been utterly foolish in her previous life. She should have seen Scholar Qian’s true nature sooner. Scholar Qian had never shown any real concern for her family. That he would abandon her once he rose to prominence had been entirely predictable.
Su Nuanru said, “I’m the one who wants to open the shop, and there’s no telling whether it’ll make money in the future. The family’s circumstances aren’t very good either. Mother and Father need money for their medicine, and we also have to save up a dowry for Hehua, so we should use my dowry after all. That way, even if the business loses money in the future, it won’t have much of an impact on the family.”
At that moment, Huo Hanye hated himself for being incapable. He could not give his wife the life she wanted and even had to let her spend her own dowry.
“I’ll find a way to raise the money. You’re not allowed to touch your dowry.”
Hearing Huo Hanye say that he would raise money to open the shop for her, Su Nuanru was deeply moved. The Qian family had not wanted her to do business, disdaining the thought of her becoming tainted by commerce. Huo Hanye, on the other hand, was trying to find a way to help her open a shop.
But time waited for no one. She wanted to take advantage of the current low rent and rent the shop in advance.
“Of course I believe in your abilities, but raising the money will take some time. I’m afraid news will be released in the next few days. By then, the shop’s rent will definitely go up.”
Su Nuanru did not remember exactly when the news had been released. She only remembered that cargo ships would start passing through here on the first day of next month. There were still ten days until then. An opportunity once missed might never come again. If they waited even one more day, the imperial court might issue the edict and news might spread through the county. By then, it would be too late.
Huo Hanye did not speak for a while.
Su Nuanru noticed his hesitation and vaguely felt that he was not as difficult to persuade as her father. She wanted to try one more time, so she raised her hand and gently tugged at his sleeve.
“Husband, just say yes.”
Husband…
Hearing that form of address, Huo Hanye felt his heartbeat quicken slightly.
This was the first time Su Nuanru had taken the initiative to show him affection. Looking at the anticipation in her eyes, Huo Hanye truly could not bring himself to refuse her, but neither could he bring himself to say something as shameless as agreeing to use his wife’s dowry.
Seeing his hesitation, Su Nuanru pressed on and shook his sleeve. “If you feel uncomfortable using my money, you can pay me back once you’ve earned money in the future. Would that be all right?”
Huo Hanye still said nothing.
Su Nuanru grew anxious, and her eyes reddened. In her previous life, she had already missed this opportunity once. In this life, she did not want to miss it again.
Seeing the tears in Su Nuanru’s eyes, Huo Hanye’s heart clenched. His mouth moved faster than his mind.
“Don’t cry. I agree.”
Su Nuanru’s tears immediately subsided, and a smile appeared on her face.
Huo Hanye felt somewhat regretful for agreeing on impulse, but when he saw the smile on Su Nuanru’s face, his regret faded. Since he had already agreed, there was no reason to go back on his word.
“I’ll repay you tenfold for your dowry in the future.”
Su Nuanru smiled. “All right. I believe you.”
Huo Hanye would become a great general in the future. Forget tenfold—even a hundredfold or a thousandfold would be within his means. Besides, she did not need him to repay her. With this opportunity, she believed that she could use her own abilities to build a livelihood and assets of her own.
She could rely on herself.
The trust in Su Nuanru’s eyes filled Huo Hanye’s heart with warmth.
His parents were in poor health, and the family had little money to spare. Many people in the village looked down on his family. Yet the Su family had never looked down on him. His father-in-law had always treated him warmly. Although his wife had once rejected him, she had never looked down on him either. There had been more fear than anything else in her eyes.
He did not want to betray her trust.
“I’ll speak to my parents.”
“Thank you!”
Now that the matter had been settled, Su Nuanru felt at ease and went to rest on the bed.
Huo Hanye sat for a little while before leaving. He was gone for half a day, and by the time he returned, it was almost dark.
Old Mrs. He had wondered aloud a few times that afternoon about his absence. When she saw her son return, she asked, “What did you go off to do today? Why’re you only getting back now?”
Su Nuanru was curious where Huo Hanye had gone as well, and she looked over at him.
Huo Hanye glanced in Su Nuanru’s direction. “Nothing much. I walked around near the wharf with Shunzi.”
Old Mrs. He said, “What’d you go there for? There’s hardly anyone over there.”
“I also walked around the North Wharf and the county town. I wanted to see if I could find some work.”
Hearing this, Su Nuanru understood. Huo Hanye had gone out to look at places where they could open the shop. He truly was destined to become a great general; he was already making plans. She had only just told him that the South Wharf might reopen, and he had immediately gone to take a look.
She did not think about it any further and bent over to continue drawing water.
Old Mrs. He asked, “Oh, is that so? Did you find anything suitable?”
“There’s nothing long-term, but there’s work that pays by the day.”
As he spoke, he took ten copper coins from inside his clothing and handed them to Old Mrs. He.
“I earned them unloading cargo this afternoon.”
Old Mrs. He accepted the copper coins. Her son simply could not sit idle. The family already had four mu of land, and he had rented another six mu, making ten mu in all. Even after planting so much land, he still found time to go out and earn money.
“Don’t tire yourself out. You’ve only just gotten married a few days ago, so get some proper rest.”
“I know, Mother. I’m not tired.” As he spoke, Huo Hanye walked toward Su Nuanru. Without saying anything, he took the wooden bucket full of water from her hands, carried it in one hand, and headed toward the kitchen.
Old Mrs. He said, “Come eat once you’re finished.”
“All right, Mother.”
As Su Nuanru watched Huo Hanye walk away, warmth flowed through her heart. Scholar Qian had never helped with the household chores. No matter how tired she was, he had never lent her a hand. Tongsheng Qian had been the same. In her memory, the father and son had rarely even entered the kitchen.
When she and Scholar Qian had first married, he had occasionally wanted to help her, but Old Mrs. Zhen had nagged about it for a long time whenever she saw him. After that, he had never lifted a finger to help again.
The Huo family had no such rule. Whenever Huo Hanye saw her working, he would come over to help, and Old Mrs. He had never once told her son not to do any chores.
She was truly fortunate that in this life, she had married Huo Hanye.