The next morning, Shen Xingshan appeared at Lin Xiaomin's house.

He happily told Lin Xiaomin about it.

But Lin Xiaomin looked unhappy: "Sixty-eight taels of silver? That's too little!"

Shen Xingshan paused, then subconsciously said, "That's quite a lot. In the area around here, the bride price for a wedding is no more than ten taels of silver."

Even in the town, very few people could afford a betrothal gift of sixty-eight taels of silver.

His parents have really spoiled him.

Lin Xiaomin said, "If my parents were willing, they would have agreed two years ago. By doing this, doesn't it make it seem like my family has wasted all our time?"

"Besides, before it was just me, your parents were willing to give me sixty-eight taels. Now that I'm pregnant, you're offering a buy-one-get-one-free deal, but it's still sixty-eight taels. That doesn't make sense, does it?"

"Or are you saying you don't care about the child in my belly at all? Xingshan, this is your first child. How can you feel comfortable with it being treated so unimportantly?"

Lin Xiaomin has a pair of fox-like eyes, full of allure, with upturned corners that seem to have hooks.

She had a captivating figure, and her facial features were quite ordinary except for her eyes, but it was precisely because of those eyes that her overall beauty was enhanced.

At this moment, Lin Xiaomin gently tapped Shen Xingshan's chest a few times with her fair fingers, her eyes alluring yet sorrowful.

“I’m not doing this for myself, Xingshan, I’m heartbroken for our child. And…”

Lin Xiaomin burst into tears, as if she had become a different person, staring at her fingers with a look of fragility and helplessness.

A scent of small white flowers wafted over.

“My parents raised me with great difficulty... I have no choice but to accept these parents. Xingshan, as long as you agree to my parents' conditions, I promise to live a good life with you from now on.”

If you also refuse to accept me, then I'll have no choice but to die with the child.

Her gentleness was tempered with unwavering resolve.

She possesses a captivating charm tinged with tenderness.

Lin Xiaomin's methods are so sophisticated that even a dozen men, let alone Shen Xingshan, might not be able to escape her clutches.

As expected, Shen Xingshan immediately felt sorry for Lin Xiaomin.

He said frantically, "I don't want you to die, and I feel sorry for the child too. But what about my parents... Xiaomin, my parents have already given in, can you try to persuade them?"

If my parents can hold out for five years without backing down, it means that this is their bottom line.

Even though his parents were unwilling, they still gave in for his sake.

Shouldn't the Lin family also make some concessions?

"Xingshan..."

No matter what Lin Xiaomin said or what methods she used, the other party refused to back down any further.

Even honest people can be stubborn.

Lin Xiaomin was furious, but she managed to suppress her emotions well and said only in despair.

"Xingshan, I will try my best to persuade my parents, but... I can't guarantee it, but I will try my best for you and the child."

"Xiaomin, it is my greatest fortune to marry you."

Shen Xingshan was deeply moved.

But when he came to see Lin Xiaomin the next morning and learned about the Lin family's conditions, his expression changed.

Suppressing her anger, Lin Xiaomin said incredulously, "Xingshan, you're not going to refuse all these conditions, are you?"

“Eighty-eight taels of betrothal gifts are acceptable… I’ve saved up quite a bit of money at my uncle’s winery over the years, but my mother didn’t want any of it. My parents will give sixty-eight taels, and I’ll make up the remaining twenty taels.”

Shen Xingshan began to respond to the Lin family's conditions one by one.

“A pair of gold earrings, a pair of silver bracelets, a pair of gold hairpins… I will try my best to persuade my mother. If my parents are unwilling, I, I… I will borrow money to send it to you.”

It's perfectly normal for young women to like jewelry.

He doesn't have the ability to make people who like him buy whatever they want.

But he'll find a way.

"It's just for your two uncles, six cousins, six cousins' wives, and four cousins..."

Just counting the number of people made Shen Xingshan's face turn green.

"Letting them work at my uncle's winery... that's probably not appropriate."

Lin Xiaomin wasn't entirely satisfied with the first two points, but they were acceptable.

So the first thing she refuted was the last point.

She said with a bitter face, "I know there are too many people, but... it doesn't matter who we use at Uncle's distillery, we can feel more at ease using our own people."

It's not like I want money!

Why is it so difficult?

If she weren't so old and hadn't missed out on Shen Xingshan and had no better options, she would have stopped serving him long ago.

He's so slow and indecisive, he has absolutely no manliness!

“But my uncle’s distillery doesn’t need any workers…” Shen Xingshan retorted silently.

We don't lack anyone now, let alone a dozen or twenty more coming at once.

Lin Xiaomin opened her mouth to tell them to fire the other people and replace them with her family members.

But she knew Shen Xingshan's temper well, so she held back and used a retreat as a strategy to advance.

"Xingshan, are we really going to give up on each other because of this? Your parents have backed down, and so have my parents. Can't you try a little harder?"

Seeing Lin Xiaomin cry, Shen Xingshan's heart was in turmoil, and he hurriedly went to wipe away the woman's tears.

“Xiaomin, if that were my family’s distillery, I would definitely agree to it, but it belongs to my uncle.”

His father had repeatedly warned him that if he dared to take advantage of his uncle or not work properly, his legs would be broken!

Therefore, his father absolutely refused to allow so many members of the Lin family to go to his uncle's winery last week.

"Why don't you go and beg your uncle? Waaah, Xingshan, why don't you give it a try? What if it works? If not, we'll think of something else."

"...Okay, okay, stop crying, I'll go beg my uncle."

"Xingshan!"

"Xiaomin!"

After a reluctant farewell, Shen Xingshan went to find Shen Wanli without stopping.

Hesitantly, he recounted his story.

"Should we bring in members of the Lin family to work?"

Shen Wanli was hesitant, unsure whether to agree or not, and worried about embarrassing his nephew.

However, his nephew's next words quickly dispelled all his embarrassment.

Because Shen Xingshan immediately started saying, "Xiaomin has two uncles, five cousins, five cousins' wives, and..."

“Xingshan,” Shen Wanli interrupted his nephew, who was still counting people, with a twitch at the corner of his mouth. “If you had only asked for one or two, I would have agreed even if the distillery didn’t need more people. But… there are too many people.”

"With so many people, I don't need more. Even if I gave them money for free, would that make me look good? What would people say about me?"

It's fortunate he's my nephew.

If it were his son, he would be so angry he'd faint!

What is that?

Are you stupid?

Or we could just give the distillery to them.

"...Uncle,"

Shen Xingshan hadn't expected his uncle to refuse so decisively, and then he thought of the method Xiaomin had suggested...

Shen Xingshan gritted his teeth.

There's nothing we can do.

I'm so sorry, Uncle!