Chen Lan paid no mind to how Xu Mingxuan and Xiang Xi, two grown men, communicated. She took out the gifts for sisters Yulia and Milana, as well as for their two sisters-in-law, from the canvas bag. This time, Chen Lan was impartial, giving everyone two pieces of jewelry each: a pair of purple-gold earrings and a purple-gold bracelet.
As for the gifts for the two young girls still attending school at home, each received a matryoshka doll and a purple-gold bracelet, with the items entrusted to their mothers for safekeeping.
No woman could dislike sparkling jewelry, so they naturally began trying them on with great joy.
Indeed, women become more captivating with jewels, and jewels become more radiant because of women.
Chen Lan and the other two did not have dinner at Third Sister’s aunt's house. After staying for a while, they returned to the mountain.
The next morning, the three of them had a simple breakfast. Chen Lan then retrieved Xiang Xi's well-digging tools from the system warehouse and placed them all in his old Dongfeng truck.
They loaded the supplies to be taken to Andrei onto Xu Mingxuan’s old Jiefang truck and then sent the two men down the mountain. After seeing them off, Chen Lan returned to the cave alone.
The reason Chen Lan did not accompany Xu Mingxuan on the delivery was that she needed to prepare a gift to visit Aunt Chang’s house. She knew that it was customary to give gifts when asking someone to act as a matchmaker. After all, one doesn’t ask for favors without offering something in return.
However, the matter of gift-giving was truly a bit of a headache! Chen Lan had no experience with such things in her previous life and didn't know what kind of gift would be appropriate for a matchmaker. A gift that was too meager wouldn't do, but one that was too extravagant wouldn't be right either. With no one to ask, it truly felt like a young maiden’s first time boarding a sedan chair – a real dilemma!
Chen Lan was pacing in the cave, scratching her head and feeling exasperated, completely at a loss as to what would be a suitable gift in this era. She piled up all the things she had considered onto the mat on the ground, unable to decide which pile was most appropriate to present.
Just as Chen Lan was agonizing over her decision, Xu Mingxuan returned. Chen Lan hadn't expected him back so soon. The moment Xu Mingxuan entered the cave, he saw the pile of items on the mat.
He then asked with a smile, "Lan'er, are you preparing gifts for your visit to Aunt Chang’s house?" Chen Lan nodded and asked, "Brother Mingxuan, you've returned at just the right time. I can't make up my mind. Could you help me decide which pile is more suitable to give?"
Xu Mingxuan cleared his throat lightly and suggested, "Lan'er, don't make it so complicated. Given the relationship between us as a couple and Aunt Chang’s family, an overly generous gift would seem distant. For the first visit, some food items should suffice! It will just show our sincerity. Besides, Aunt Chang won't agree to help us solely based on what we give her. We can present a more substantial gift later, once the match is made."
Chen Lan felt that he had a point. Thus, she stopped agonizing over it and put away all the items on the mat, leaving only edible items like biscuits, canned goods, candies, and sweet cakes.
Looking at the items, Chen Lan felt they were still a bit too few. Arranging a match wasn't something that could be accomplished in just one or two trips. Such a long distance, to have someone run back and forth for their affairs, would be both mentally and physically taxing. Chen Lan felt it was better to give something more substantial, so she decided to present Aunt Chang with a large pork leg to replenish her energy and encourage her to be more diligent in expediting the matter.
Without a word, Chen Lan placed an order from the system for a large pork leg weighing around twenty to thirty catties. Although this large pork leg wasn't particularly attractive, it was very substantial.
Xu Mingxuan also nodded upon seeing the pork leg and praised, "Good. A pork leg is a practical gift. Lan'er, this is fine. Presenting a pork leg signifies our gratitude to the matchmaker for her diligent efforts in traveling between Honghualing and Pogranichny Town for our marriage. We are giving a pork leg to express our thanks and to show that we know the matchmaker has been working hard for our matter, specifically to replenish her energy."
Seeing that the time was still quite early, the couple decided to set off immediately. They tidied up the cave simply, stored their bedding in the system warehouse, blocked the cave entrance with dry branches, and Xu Mingxuan, carrying the gifts for the matchmaker in a basket, led Chen Lan by the hand and set off.
The couple reached the mountain path in Honghualing Village in just over an hour. Chen Lan felt that since they were already back, they might as well replenish their remaining grain supplies. So, she took out over 30,000 catties of corn flour, over 20,000 catties of black flour, 10,000 catties of frozen fish, and 600 Vika sausages from the system warehouse. Additionally, she provided 500 catties of salt for pickling fish.
Xu Mingxuan put down the basket and told Chen Lan to wait for him while he shouldered a bag of grain and headed towards the village. Before he even reached the village entrance, he saw a group of people running out from within. He observed that they were quite well-trained, some pushing wheelbarrows, some carrying wicker baskets, and others with carrying poles.
Needless to say, the entire village had been mobilized. With everyone lending a hand, this batch of supplies was quickly brought back to the village. How to distribute it reasonably was no longer their concern; the remaining tasks were left to Elder Chang and the others to arrange.
The couple followed Aunt Chang to her home. Aunt Chang vigorously swept the heated kang twice with a broom meant for sweeping kang surfaces and then told the couple to quickly take off their shoes and come up onto the kang.
Xu Mingxuan handed the items from the basket to Aunt Chang. Aunt Chang looked at the pork leg in the basket with much confusion. Chen Lan then explained the other purpose of their visit: to ask Aunt Chang to act as a matchmaker for Xiang Xi.
When Aunt Chang heard Chen Lan’s request for her to help arrange a match, she readily agreed. She knew Xiang Xi and considered him a fine young man; she had always wanted to find a match for him. Hearing that it was for her niece, she was naturally very pleased. She didn't stand on ceremony and happily accepted the gift from Xu Mingxuan.
With that, Aunt Chang opened up. The three of them sat on the warm kang, and Aunt Chang began to reminisce: "Ah! I heard what my husband said about Third Sister’s family situation and knew that Third Sister was doing quite well over there, so I was relieved! It’s just that I heard my brother-in-law doesn't manage household affairs very well. Fortunately, the children are grown, and she has managed to get through it. Ah, it's all fate! Back then, Third Sister was such a wonderful girl! Beautiful and renowned throughout the surrounding villages for her capability. I don't know if my mother-in-law was swayed by the matchmaker, who said that family over there was the very best. Third Sister was thus forced by my mother-in-law to marry into such a distant family. I really don't know what she was thinking. My mother-in-law did regret it before she died, but what use was regret? She had ruined Third Sister's life!"
Chen Lan hadn't expected this unexpected turn of events. This explained why Third Sister’s aunt had insisted on marrying her two daughters back to their northeastern hometown.