Faced with Miao's mother's barrage of compliments, Jia Hua pretended not to hear them, her gaze falling on the four or five-year-old boy in her arms. A smirk played on her lips as she asked,

"This is...your son?"

When Miao's mother heard her respond, she became even more enthusiastic, "Yes, indeed." She was talking about her precious son, her mouth practically twisted with a smile, "He's five years old this year, isn't he chubby?"

Jia Hua glanced at Miao Fengying with a half-smile and said, "Is it meat?"

As far as she knew, this Miao mother was a widow, and had been widowed for more than ten years. Where did this son come from?

Miao Fengying lowered her head in embarrassment, but her mother didn't notice and continued to talk endlessly about her son.

Jia Hua, impatient upon hearing this, threw out thirty-eight yuan as a bride price.

Thirty-eight?

Miao's mother was taken aback and blinked. There was a lot of money, but why did the number sound so strange?

Miao Fengying looked up at Qiao Zhenjun with a start. Thirty-eight? Wasn't she talking about three hundred back then?

How could it have shrunk so much all of a sudden?

When money was involved, Miao's mother suddenly sobered up. Seeing her daughter's expression, she said, "Wasn't it supposed to be three hundred? How did it suddenly become thirty-eight?"

"Discuss? Discuss with whom?" Jia Hua glanced at Qiao Zhenjun, who was cowering like a coward, and sneered, "I'm the one who's paying the bride price, so naturally it's about discussing with me. Discussing with others is useless."

Miao Fengying pinched Qiao Zhenjun hard, signaling him to speak.

Qiao Zhenjun smiled bitterly to himself. What was he saying? He wasn't the one in charge of the family finances, and Miao Fengying had no idea what harsh conditions he had agreed to in order to marry her.

Seeing that he was no match for her, Miao Fengying had no choice but to step in herself. "But this is your son who wants to marry me, so of course you have to show some sincerity. Are you trying to fob me off with thirty-eight?"

Grandma Wu grabbed Jia Hua, gesturing for her to catch her breath. Seeing Jia Hua gasp for air and close her mouth, Grandma Wu looked at Miao Fengying, who was filled with anger.

“You’re mistaken, young lady. A beggar can’t possibly give that much.”

"Besides, this marriage is about forging a good relationship between the two families. The amount given depends on the family's ability. The Qiao family is currently short of money and can only offer a dowry of thirty-eight. The girl wouldn't want to see the Qiao family borrow money to get their son married, would she?"

"What's it to me!" Miao Fengying shouted in her heart, knowing she couldn't say it to his face. She turned her head away fiercely and remained silent. Anyway, there was no chance of him being thirty-eight.

Seeing that the stalemate was not going to work, Mother Miao took the initiative to speak up, "Thirty-eight is a bit too little. What kind of family is the Qiao family? We are all neighbors... How about we add a little more?"

“My daughter is already carrying the Qiao family’s child, so the marriage is definitely going to happen. Let’s all compromise and go with eighty-eight. How about that? It’s an auspicious number.”

"So you know you had a child before you were married?"

Jia Hua retorted directly, "Eighty-eight? Not that many, if you're going to marry, it'll be thirty-eight!"

Premarital pregnancy is indeed considered improper by the woman's family, but that's in today's context. Going back further, it would have been a crime punishable by being drowned in a pig cage.

Miao Fengying sneered and shook off Qiao Zhenjun's hand, saying, "Fine, I won't marry you then! Who cares about me!"

Jia Hua didn't linger and got up to leave. Qiao Zhenjun looked around anxiously, then stamped his foot, grabbed a pair of scissors from the table, and held them to his neck. "Marry me! I'll marry you!"

He turned his head and stared intently at Jia Hua's suddenly pale face. "Mom, it's just eighty-eight. I want to marry her, are you going to pay for it?"

"You won't go? I'll kill myself right now."

Grandma Wu acted swiftly and grabbed Jia Hua, whose legs had gone weak.

"Zhenjun?"

Miao Fengying covered her mouth and took two steps back. "Don't be impulsive. Everything can be discussed."

Jia Hua suddenly realized, "Yes, everything can be discussed."

A smug glint flashed in Qiao Zhenjun's eyes. "So, are you going to pay for it or not?"

"I'll go, I'll go."

Two black lines appeared on Old Mrs. Wu's forehead. The scissors were at least a fist's distance from her neck, clearly meant to scare Jia Hua.

Grandma Wu lifted her up from behind with both hands and whispered to her to calm down and watch carefully.

Jia Hua focused her gaze and discovered Qiao Zhenjun's trick; the cold sweat on her back quickly subsided.

She glared at Qiao Zhenjun. She couldn't go back on her word. She let Old Lady Wu talk to them while she sat aside like a cold-faced god.

Because of Qiao Zhenjun's outburst earlier, the subsequent conversation went exceptionally smoothly.

When Grandma Wu stepped out of the courtyard, she breathed a sigh of relief.

"Thanks to you so much." Jia Hua took out an envelope from her pocket and stuffed it into Old Lady Wu's arms. "This was agreed beforehand. Today we've accomplished something great. You must come to the wedding banquet on the seventh day of the seventh lunar month."

Grandma Wu's lips twitched. Looking at Jia Hua's serious eyes, she opened her mouth and said, "I'm afraid I won't make it in time. I'm leaving here in three days."

Jia Hua slapped her forehead, suddenly remembering that Old Lady Wu was going to the countryside.

"That's a shame."

"No regrets, no regrets," Old Mrs. Wu muttered to herself. This wedding was not honorable to begin with, and Jia Hua did not intend to hold a grand ceremony. There were only five tables of people in total, which was far less grand than the wedding of Director Jia's daughter.

Without even thinking about it, there will be more trouble later, so it's best not to get involved.

Jia Hua had a sudden inspiration, "Then why don't we have your son come? Aren't your eldest and third sons unwilling to leave?"

Grandma Wu declined, saying, "These men shouldn't get involved in the fun. I appreciate your kindness."

"All right."

Watching Jia Hua and the elated Qiao Zhenjun leave, Old Lady Wu, bathed in starlight, walked in another direction.

It was already late when they got home. As soon as Huang Mancang saw that Grandma Wu had returned, he hurriedly took the warmed food off the stove and placed it in front of her.

"You must be tired. Go and fill your stomach."

Grandma Wu had been talking to the Miao people all day and was exhausted and thirsty.

Huang Mancang considerately poured her a glass of water and placed it in front of her, tentatively asking, "How much of a red envelope did that woman give you?"

Old Mrs. Wu paused, "What's it to you?"

"No, it's okay..."

Grandma Wu rolled her eyes; she knew he was up to no good.

Huang Xiaofu put his hands behind his head, listening to the voices of Old Lady Wu and Huang Mancang outside, his heart filled with mixed feelings.

Huang Xiaoqiang patted him, then turned around and fell into a deep sleep, snoring loudly.

This heartbreak is hard to heal, take it slow. The image in Huang Xiaofu's mind gradually faded away, and he fell into a deep sleep accompanied by Huang Mancang's ingratiating voice.

The factory's affairs have been completely handed over, and Old Lady Wu will not be at home for the rest of her days.

As soon as it got light, no one was seen. Huang Mancang stirred the golden rice soup in the pot, muttering to himself.

"Dad, is dinner ready? I'm starving! If you don't hurry, I'll be late for work."

"Being late will result in a deduction from wages, but our family can't afford to lose a single penny right now."

Huang Mancang tapped the edge of the pot, "I really owe you guys something, I know!"

Huang Mancang prepared breakfast amidst his son's calls.