Under Grandma Xia's intimidation, Li Shi and Zhao Shi scurried back to their rooms.
Xia Tian's mother went to the kitchen to prepare breakfast for the family. Xia Yue and Xia Chen also went to help, leaving Xia Tian alone in the room.
Xia Tian surveyed the small room and opened the bundle sitting on the large wooden chest. Inside were a few old clothes the original owner had worn, as well as a pair of coarse, cyan-colored cloth shoes that her older sister, Xia Yue, had secretly given her last night.
After they had gone to bed last night, Xia Yue had rummaged through the wooden chest on the kang bed for a long time before pulling out a pair of shoes. She said she had made them for her and told her to pack them in her bundle when she got married tomorrow.
This was the only new item in her dowry.
Xia Tian touched the shoes, understanding in her heart that Xia Yue had made them for her own wedding. Xia Tian's marriage had only been announced yesterday; how could Xia Yue have known she was getting married?
Xia Tian accepted the shoes with thanks, mentally acknowledging her debt to her older sister, Xia Yue. She would repay her sister in the future if she had the chance.
This was the first warmth Xia Tian had felt since transmigrating.
At the first light of dawn, the Xia Family's breakfast was ready. The entire family gathered around the tables in the main hall. Because there were so many people, they ate at two separate tables: one for the men, and one for the women and children.
At the men's table, Xia Lao Han and Grandma Xia sat at the head. To their right were the Xia family's eldest uncle, Xia Zheng Ping, and his three sons, Xia Shan, Xia Chuan, and Xia He.
To their left were the third uncle, Xia Zheng Feng, and his eldest son, Xia Dong. At the very end of the table were Xia Tian's father, Xia Zheng'an, and her eldest brother, Xia Yang.
The fourth uncle, Xia Zheng Nian, was still studying in the county town and only returned once every few months.
At the women's table, on the right, were the eldest aunt, Li Lanxiang, her daughter, Da Ya, her eldest daughter-in-law, Li Ying, and the Xia family's two-year-old great-grandson, Xia Xiang.
On the left were the third aunt, Zhao Gui Lan, and San Ya, along with the newly six-year-old Xia Nan. At the end of the table was her mother, Chen Taohua, with her four children.
The seating arrangement at mealtime alone was enough to show the status of their second branch within the Xia Family.
After the food was served, Grandma Xia said, "Let's eat." For a moment, the only sounds were the clatter of bowls and plates and the slurping and swallowing of food.
The Xia family's breakfast consisted only of coarse grain porridge and pickled vegetables. Only the men at their table were each allotted a coarse flour flatbread. At the women's table, only two-year-old Xia Xiang and six-year-old Xia Nan each got half a piece. Even Xia Shi got none.
Grandma Xia's favoritism was obvious, but she was the one in power, so she decided who ate what.
The original owner used to argue with Grandma Xia about this and was beaten frequently as a result.
No one spoke at the table, and the meal was finished in less than a quarter of an hour.
Xia Tian felt as if she hadn't eaten at all.
After the meal, Xia Tian's mother took Xia Yue and Xia Chen to clear the table. Xia Tian watched as her eldest and third uncles' families returned to their own rooms, pursing her lips but ultimately saying nothing.
For this matter, the second branch had to toughen up themselves.
Otherwise, no one could help them.
Xia Tian didn't go to the kitchen to help either. She moved a small stool and sat under the eaves, staring blankly into the courtyard.
Around six o'clock, Matchmaker Liu arrived to fetch the bride.
Although she was here to "fetch the bride," only Matchmaker Liu herself had come. It was truly a perfunctory effort.
Seeing the groom's family's attitude, Xia Tian no longer held any illusions about her future meal ticket.
There was no excitement to be seen on the Xia family's side either. Only a few neighbors were peering into the courtyard from the main gate.
Everyone knew the truth. To put it nicely, they were marrying off a daughter. To put it bluntly, they were selling Si Ya to a sickly, dying man to be his wife.
This Xia Family was truly shameless. They weren't even willing to put on a superficial show, yet they prided themselves on having a scholar in the family.
When they first heard the betrothal gift was thirty taels, everyone was quite jealous, wondering why such good fortune hadn't fallen upon their own families.
Later, when they heard she was being married to that sickly, dying man who had fled from the famine, their envy and jealousy vanished. No matter how much of a money-losing proposition a daughter was, she was still their own flesh and blood. Quite a few people felt it was a raw deal for Si Ya.
But in this era, selling sons and daughters was common. No one had the spare energy to worry about other people's affairs. It was just something to be mentioned as a joke before being forgotten.
Watching Matchmaker Liu enter through the courtyard gate, Xia Tian remained seated.
In the courtyard, Grandma Xia greeted Matchmaker Liu. "Sister Liu, you're here. Si Ya will be ready in a moment. Please, sit and have some water first."
Swinging the handkerchief in her hand, Matchmaker Liu walked in, smiling cheerfully as she replied, "Sister Xia, is the girl ready? If she is, let's set out early so we don't delay your work in the fields. You know the situation with the groom's family. He's the only one left now. His younger brother just passed away, and he's still in mourning, so he asked me to come fetch the bride personally. Please don't take offense, old sister!"
"Not at all, not at all. I understand the situation."
Grandma Xia poured a bowl of water for Matchmaker Liu. While chatting with her, she urged Xia Tian, "Si Ya, what are you doing sitting there like a fool? Aren't you getting ready? Hurry up, don't waste your Grandma Liu's time."
"Grandma, did you forget to give me something?" Xia Tian looked up at Grandma Xia, her voice cool.
"Old sister, please have a seat for a moment," Grandma Xia quickly said to Matchmaker Liu before turning to glare fiercely at Xia Tian. She walked over to her and hissed in a low, unpleasant voice, "Come inside with me."
Xia Tian followed her in. Grandma Xia raised a hand to pinch her arm.
Xia Tian wasn't about to indulge her. She grabbed Grandma Xia's wrist and asked coldly, "Grandma, do you still want me to leave this house today or not?"
Looking at Xia Tian's icy gaze, Grandma Xia finally didn't dare to cause more trouble. She muttered under her breath, "Money-losing baggage. Don't you dare come back to this family ever again." She then pulled one tael of silver from her clothes, stuffed it into Xia Tian's hands, and turned to leave.
Xia Tian snorted. As if anyone would be eager to come back!
Inside the room, Xia Yue, Xia Shi, and Xia Chen had been pressed against the edge of the kang bed, so scared they didn't dare to breathe, terrified that their grandma would get angry and start hitting someone.
Xia Tian looked at the three of them clutching their chests and breathing out in relief, and she chuckled, ruffling Xia Shi's and Xia Chen's hair.
"Fourth Sister is leaving. You two have to be good."
Xia Tian smiled and pinched Xia Shi's cheek, instructing him, "Shi, you're a boy. You have to protect your older and younger sisters and not let anyone bully them, understand?"
"I know, Fourth Sister," Xia Shi said in a muffled voice, tugging on Xia Tian's sleeve.
"If you miss Fourth Sister in the future, you can come find me. But don't come by yourselves. You can have Eldest Brother bring you, okay?" Xia Tian felt a pang of reluctance.
The two little ones nodded vigorously.
In the courtyard, Xia Yang, who was organizing the farm tools, saw Grandma Xia come out. Without a word, he put down the tools and walked towards Si Ya's room.
Xia Tian didn't have much to pack. She grabbed the bundle from the top of the cabinet and prepared to leave.
Just as she turned, her mother came in. She stuffed a worn, coarse cloth pouch into her hand and whispered, "Si Ya, don't blame your mother," then lowered her head and went out.
Xia Tian looked at Chen Shi's hastily retreating back with complicated feelings. She hadn't wanted to take it, but then she thought, it was, after all, a mother's love for her daughter. She would accept it on behalf of the original owner as a token of her mother's affection.
Xia Tian tucked the pouch into her clothes, then went over to hug Xia Yue and her two younger siblings, who had been watching her reluctantly from inside the room. "I'm leaving," she said, then turned and walked out.
Just as she reached the doorway, her eldest brother, Xia Yang, lifted the door curtain and came in.