Chapter 39: Gifts Exchanged

As soon as they arrived at the door of Linglong Pavilion, they were invited into the inner room by Lin Dongjia and Jiang Wanyi who had been waiting for a long time.

Lin Dongjia had tea and snacks served. Jiang Wanyi couldn't wait to sit next to Ye Mingzhu: "Miss Ye, did you bring the map?"

Ye Mingzhu did not delay and took out the drawings directly from her bag.

Jiang Wanyi immediately grabbed it and started looking through it.

"You even added color to it?" Jiang Wanyi exclaimed in admiration as she watched.

Ye Mingzhu smiled. With the color, it would be easier to distinguish which color of coral was used.

Lin Dongjia put the snacks and teapot in his hand on the table, squeezed next to Jiang Wanyi and started to check.

She owned this jewelry shop and had seen countless pieces of jewelry, but she was still shocked by Ye Mingzhu's drawings: "What's wrong with your brain? How did you come up with these patterns?"

Ye Mingzhu smiled without saying anything and invited Uncle Ye to have some snacks. She thought the two of them would have to watch for a while.

Ye Mingzhu's guess was correct. The two of them looked at more than a dozen pictures for a quarter of an hour. Mr. Lin even had the audacity to discuss with Jiang Wanyi whether he could give her one of the coral jewelry and put it in this store.

Jiang Wanyi looked through the pictures reluctantly and did not reply immediately.

She really couldn't bear to give it up, but the five hundred taels of silver she was short of was lent to her by Mr. Lin. If she firmly refused to give it, it would be a bit unreasonable.

"How about I leave this hairpin to you." Jiang Wanyi picked and chose, and then picked a hairpin and gave it to her.

She actually wanted to keep a ring, but she chose a hairpin because she was afraid of her sister-in-law's glare.

Lin Dongjia looked at the picture of the coral bracelet, and Jiang Wanyi quickly put it away: "Sister-in-law, I thought of taking these pictures to the capital. There are many craftsmen there, and I think the jewelry can be made quickly."

Lin Dongjia saw through her intention at a glance. She was afraid that she would keep the coral.

Is she that kind of person?

Jiang Wanyi smiled and started to act coquettishly again: "Sister-in-law, I'm getting married soon, right? I can't just wait here forever."

Lin Dongjia tapped her nose and said, "Okay, I'll listen to you."

Ye Mingzhu patted the snack crumbs off her hands, wiped them with the handkerchief she brought with her, and took out a few more pictures: "Here are two pictures of pearls, and two of gold and silver jewelry. Consider them my wedding gifts to Miss Jiang."

Jiang Wanyi was a little surprised: "Is it for me?"

Ye Mingzhu nodded: "I have already prepared the pearls on top, but I still need to trouble Sister Lin to ask the craftsman in the store to make them. I will pay for the labor."

Jiang Wanyi looked at the pictures, her face full of joy: "Although these pictures don't seem to use much materials, they are very exquisite."

Lin Dongjia naturally saw it, and she praised: "These pictures are very suitable for newly married young wives to wear."

Ye Mingzhu smiled and said, "If Sister Lin thinks it's good, we can make these jewelry a month after Miss Jiang's wedding. I just don't know if Miss Jiang agrees."

"You're asking me to promote it for you!" Jiang Wanyi gave her a reproachful look. "It won't take a month, maybe half a month. Then you can say it's the new look in the prefectural city."

Ye Mingzhu really wanted to give these pictures to Jiang Wanyi as a gift, but Jiang Wanyi took the initiative and she didn't refuse.

The happiest person was Mr. Lin. With the gimmick of the provincial capital, these pictures would probably sell better if they were made into jewelry.

Ye Mingzhu took out the coral she had taken away before. Jiang Wanyi couldn't wait to put it away and took out the remaining five hundred taels.

There were two notes of one hundred taels, two notes of fifty taels, five notes of twenty taels, and five notes of ten taels. The rest was small change and some copper coins.

Ye Mingzhu winked at Uncle Ye San, who tried his best to control his trembling hands to take the banknotes and change, and then took out all the pearls for Mr. Lin to check.

Lin Dongjia waved his hand: "As long as Sister Ye thinks it's okay."

Ye Mingzhu checked them one by one, her eyes full of approval.

Uncle Ye must have picked these pearls in advance. Both their color and size are of high quality and very suitable for making jewelry.

"Sister Lin, can you ask the craftsman to start making jewelry according to the drawings I drew? Although Daughter's Day (Qixi Festival) has passed, there will be some weddings in the fall. I will draw some festive designs and ask my third uncle to send them over later."

Lin Dongjia nodded and said casually: "You and your third uncle will come together when the time comes."

Ye Mingzhu lowered her head embarrassedly: "I won't come. I'm getting married in a few days."

Lin Dongjia and Jiang Wanyi were both surprised. Ye Mingzhu didn't look very old, so why did she want to get married at such a young age?

Jiang Wanyi was young after all, and she spoke her mind: "Miss Ye, how old are you? Why are you getting married so early?"

Ye Mingzhu explained: "I am already fifteen years old. In our village, a girl is considered an adult when she reaches the age of fifteen."

Although Lin Dongjia and Jiang Wanyi felt that it was a bit early, they had only known each other for a short time and many things were not convenient to say.

Uncle Ye sighed in his heart. What Ye Mingzhu didn't say was that any family that loves their daughter will keep her until she is sixteen or seventeen years old. Most girls in Yuanshan Village get married at around seventeen years old.

Most girls who get married at the age of fifteen are because their families are in urgent need of money and want to receive the betrothal gifts in advance.

But Ye Mingzhu's parents had passed away, and it was not easy for her to quarrel with her elder brother at that time, and no one spoke for her.

Uncle Ye felt more and more guilty. Ye Mingzhu was so good to his family, so why did he become so blinded by greed and not help Mingzhu, allowing her to get married so early?

He made up his mind that he would treat Ye Mingzhu as his own daughter.

Lin Dongjia chatted with her for a few words, then hurriedly took the pearls on the table to the workshop in the back. Jiang Wanyi waved her hand and said, "Sister-in-law, go and do your work. I'll chat with Miss Ye for a few words."

Uncle Ye was embarrassed to sit in the house with the two little girls, so he said he wanted to go outside and take a look.

After Mr. Lin and Uncle Ye left, Jiang Wanyi looked back at the door, took off a bracelet from her wrist and wanted to put it on Ye Mingzhu.

Ye Mingzhu didn't react and quickly waved her hands.

"Sister Ye, you've already prepared a gift for me, how can I not reciprocate?" Jiang Wanyi deliberately glared, not sternly, but rather endearingly: "This bracelet is from the dowry shop my mother gave me. It's not worth much, but just a token of my appreciation."

Ye Mingzhu glanced at the bracelet. It was a green jade bracelet with a white base. It had a white base and green spots. It looked clean and fresh, very suitable for young girls to wear. Similarly, it was not cheap.

"Put it on quickly." Jiang Wanyi put the bracelet directly on Ye Mingzhu's wrist and lowered her sleeve for her: "That's it."

Ye Mingzhu did not struggle any more. She reached into the bag she brought with her, actually took something out of the space, and stuffed it into her hand: "I don't reject Sister Jiang's kindness. Similarly, this is also my kindness."