Ouyang Meihua not only brought back two large bundles of steamed bun wrappers but also her own luggage and dowry.
Because her father heard that she finally had someone wanting her, he immediately told her mother to pack her clothes and the dowry that was almost sold. Without even looking at what her elder son-in-law looked like, or caring where he lived, he directly told her younger brother to kick her out.
Her younger brother then used a cart to haul her belongings and sent her over.
Enraged, she came to find Tian Jing as soon as she got off the cart, disregarding her clothes and dowry.
"...Lass, Tian, tell me, is there such a father? Without even a wedding ceremony, he doesn't need to prove to the neighbors that his eldest daughter is married by holding a wedding? Doesn't he need to save face?"
Tian Jing remained silent. She guessed that this father knew where the elder son-in-law was from, which was why he skipped the wedding ceremony, fearing it would be a disgrace rather than a gain of face.
"Can you beat your father?"
"You've asked the wrong question; you should ask if he can beat me. Otherwise, he would have kicked me out of the house long ago."
"You should patiently live your life first, teach Dà Mài and Xiǎo Mài well, and take them back to call their maternal grandfather during the New Year."
"Ah? Hahahaha."
After a moment of stunned silence, Ouyang Meihua burst into laughter. "Right, right, I still want him to give the children lucky money. He can't give too little."
"No, he has to make up for all the past ones. The children of my second sister and younger brother have never been missed out on year after year."
"Then you must teach Dà Mài well. That girl is sensible."
"Mm-hmm."
Sensible Dà Mài was pushed over by her paternal third aunt. "Mother, Third Aunt says we'll have a simple ceremony for you and Father here tonight."
Ouyang Meihua was still a bit dazed, and it took her a moment to realize Dà Mài was calling her.
"Dà Mài, my dear, I'm still not used to my new identity. However, is it convenient here at your Third Aunt's place?"
"It's convenient." Before Dà Mài or her mother-in-law could respond, Tian Jing answered. "My elder cousin and Zhèng Gē had a very good relationship before. Let's treat it as a family now."
"Alright, a ceremony is necessary, otherwise, I won't feel like I'm married, especially since I've been prepared to be alone for many years."
...
Li Rongguo came to borrow a cart and pushed his wife's clothes and dowry one bundle and one item at a time towards home.
The men in the village were envious.
The bachelors without wives openly expressed their envy and teased.
The men who had wives only dared to think about it secretly in their hearts, wondering if they divorced, would there be women like Sister Ouyang who would fancy them?
Zhang Fangcao, with her pregnant belly, stood with Lin Silai at the gate of the Lin family's second branch courtyard. "Silai, do you regret it?"
Lin Silai turned his head. "No. Nothing and no one can replace your place in my heart."
Zhang Fangcao leaned her head on his shoulder. "Thank you, Silai. You've shown me how to be a woman."
Lin Silai raised his arm to hug her shoulder, resting his chin lightly on her head. "Silly girl, why are you saying this to me? You know all I want is your heart."
While speaking tender words, his eyes were icy, and a sneer played on his lips.
It was quite good. He had a child with normal intelligence, and a wife he married for only fifty yuan. A buy-one-get-one deal, very cost-effective.
At the gate of the Lin family's first branch courtyard, Fang Qiuhong glanced dismissively to the west.
She thought she was dealing with a particularly cunning woman, but she was still deceived by a man's sweet talk and gentle facade.
She, at least, was living a normal life with clarity, while Zhang Fangcao's future awaited her: abandonment after her beauty faded and her childbearing value was exhausted.
Hmph! Idiot, provoking a master again and again, only to have the master retaliate in kind.
The experienced one, trapped in the situation.
Thinking of this, Fang Qiuhong shivered. Fortunately, her second uncle had scolded her into realizing her mistake, otherwise, she didn't know what her fate would have been.
...
Looking at the room filled with the warmth of human presence, Li Rongguo's face was full of happiness.
When returning the cart, he pulled his wife back, embracing her. "Mei Mei, should we change the bed?"
His wife's dowry turned out to be the 'four big items' plus 'thirty-six legs'.
The four big items were: a watch, a radio, a bicycle, and a sewing machine.
The thirty-six legs were: a bed, a three-door wardrobe, a five-drawer chest, a dressing table, a square table, and four stools.
This was the standard for marrying a bride in the city, yet it was his new wife's dowry.
Her father hadn't even met him, yet he had pushed his daughter out. He would follow Zhèng Guó closely, so that Mei Mei wouldn't be looked down upon by her family because of him.
"Change it!"
Although this bed had sentimental value, it had been slept in by that woman. Today was her wedding night, and she didn't want to sleep in a bed that someone else had slept in.
She rolled up her sleeves, ready to help. Li Rongguo quickly pulled her aside.
"Mei Mei, I'll mention her one last time. She never did these rough chores, and I won't let you do them either. I will work hard to treat you well, so you'll never regret your life."
"You just sit here and watch. If I do anything wrong, you tell me."
Never having been treated so gently by any man, Ouyang Meihua felt her heart tremble. "Li Rongguo, I..."
"Call me Rong Guo, or call me whatever you like, just don't call me by my full name, it's too formal."
They were already strangers, having only met once.
However, facing the man looking down at her, her words changed direction on their own.
"Rong Guo, I don't like being treated as someone who can't even lift a chicken. I also can't watch others work while I sit idly by."
"Her preferred way of interacting might not be what I want. I like to participate."
Li Rongguo was stunned for a moment, then quickly explained. "You... I, I don't like people when I'm alone, but once I like someone, I'll try my best to treat them well."
"I, I, I want to treat you well now, so well that you'll have no regrets, so well that when you speak of me, it's with a heart full of happiness."
"I, I don't know what's considered good treatment for you. You can tell me, tell me what you want, and I'll do my best to achieve it."
"You like me?" Ouyang Meihua was surprised.
"Yes. After we... after that. I don't care about your temperament or your martial arts. When I decided to take responsibility for you, I gave you my heart."
"You? No... You speak so well, how could she still have wanted to find someone else?"
Ouyang Meihua was startled and stammered.
"Zhèng Guó taught me. He told me to always express my feelings. He said women don't like men who only speak or only act; they must do both simultaneously, and also communicate promptly about any misunderstandings or conflicts between the two."
"So, you used me as an experiment?"
"No, I'm changing. Then we'll adjust to each other. I want to be with you for a long time. I'm afraid you'll regret it, that you'll want to leave me. My conditions are too poor, and I'm remarried, so I... I consulted Zhèng Guó."
"For me, you consulted and learned?"
"Yes."
Considering how diligently this man had tried, Ouyang Meihua decided to also put in the effort and manage their marriage well.
After all, she couldn't get a divorce, or her father would bring people to kill her.
"Okay, let's communicate more. Now, I want to decorate our bedroom for the rest of our lives with you."
Li Rongguo was very excited. Mei Mei was willing to take their future seriously.
"Mei Mei, I want to kiss you."
Saying this, he lowered his head and pecked her once, not daring to linger.
Ouyang Meihua felt the man's cautiousness, a mischievous smile curved her lips, and she reached out, pulling his collar down.
"I want to kiss you too."
The temperature in the room rose steadily.