"Yinhua, save me, ahhh..." Han Zhiyuan shouted as he forcefully slammed his arm to the ground.
The little black dog slammed its back against the ground, refusing to let go of its grip.
"Xiao Hei!" Song Yinhua's voice came from inside the house.
The little black dog finally let go.
"Han Zhiyuan, if you don't leave, you'll get bitten again."
Han Zhiyuan, no longer able to bother Song Yinhua, opened the courtyard gate in fright and stumbled away.
"Big sister, Xiao Hei is really amazing!" Song Caixing felt relieved to stay here. "After you get married, leave Xiao Hei here to guard the house."
Song Yinhua agreed.
"Big sister, are you really going to marry Brother Huo?" Song Caixing wanted to persuade him, "His family has so many problems, you'll suffer if you marry into it."
"No matter who you marry, there will be problems; nobody's perfect." Song Yinhua is very open-minded. "The important thing is that the person is reliable."
Song Caixing: ...
-
The wedding took place the next day.
The entire Song family arrived at the new house at the foot of the mountain early to prepare for the girl's wedding.
Song Yinhua, dressed in a bright red cheongsam, was picked up in the back seat of Huo Jianguo's car amidst a string of firecrackers.
Qiao Guilan wiped away her tears, reluctant to see her daughter get married.
The courtyard was surrounded by villagers, making it impossible to move.
Some people were discussing it, some were just watching the fun, and some children were asking for wedding candy.
"Gui Lan's eldest daughter has finally gotten married!"
"I heard that the groom's family gave a lot of dowry money, it seems to be more than 300 yuan, plus three turns and one ring. Considering that the groom's father died when he was young and his mother is mentally ill, I didn't expect that they could come up with so much dowry money."
What did Erzhuang's family give their daughter as a dowry?
"I heard it was quite a lot. The bride price given by the groom was all taken away by the eldest daughter. She also received two thermos bottles, a washbasin stand, two quilts, and some daily necessities as part of her dowry. Baogen paid for all of it."
Li Wenxiu overheard the villagers' conversation and wondered why her mother-in-law only gave her two thermos flasks and a washbasin stand as dowry when her sister-in-law got married.
She accompanied her mother-in-law to the market in town to buy it, and then had Baogen deliver it to the man's family.
Li Wenxiu ran into the house and asked Song Baogen how much her sister-in-law's dowry was.
"Just two thermos flasks and a washbasin stand, you and Mom went to buy them," Song Baogen said.
“But I just heard people in the village talking about how much dowry our family received, and that it was all paid for by you,” Li Wenxiu said. “Did you secretly pay for your older sister’s dowry behind my back?”
"Don't listen to the villagers' gossip." Song Baogen hated these gossipy villagers to death. "Today is my eldest sister's wedding day. We can talk about it tomorrow."
"Caixing!" Li Wenxiu immediately called out to Song Caixing, "Caixing, come here for a moment."
"Why did you call me Cai Xing?"
“Cai Xing, you just told me that your eldest sister brought a lot of household items with her dowry, is that right?” After listening to the villagers’ discussions, Li Wenxiu asked Song Cai Xing about it before questioning her husband.
Song Baogen desperately tried to signal Song Caixing with his eyes, telling her not to say anything.
“My eldest sister’s marriage is a big deal. Our family gave a lot as a dowry. Didn’t my second brother tell you?” Song Caixing didn’t understand Song Baogen’s expression and innocently asked her second brother, “Second brother, why didn’t you tell your second sister-in-law about this?”
In Song Caixing's mind, her second sister-in-law, Li Wenxiu, had a very good relationship with both her and her eldest sister.
Li Wenxiu and Song Baogen started arguing. "You still lied to me and said you didn't! You paid for the dowry, didn't you?"
"Cai Xing is here. Let's talk about it when we get home tonight..."
"Why don't you dare let your sister know?" Li Wenxiu was determined to make a big scene today. Her aunt and uncle had taught her how to deal with this family and protect her interests. "Your eldest sister is a jinx, she'll bring you bad luck, and you still want to pay for her dowry? Have you thought about me and the child in my belly?"
"Fortune tellers are all liars, don't believe their nonsense!"
"Go and get your money back, and you're not allowed to have anything to do with your older sister again!"
Li Wenxiu's words left Song Caixing stunned.
She didn't know when her second sister-in-law's relationship with her eldest sister had become so bad.
"Second sister-in-law, what happened between you and my eldest sister?" Song Caixing asked.
Li Wenxiu told Song Caixing everything, deliberately making a big fuss and getting it to Song Yinhua's ears so that Song Yinhua would realize her mistake and stay away from them.
“…Caixing, your eldest sister is a jinx; she'll bring death to her family. She should stay away from us, return Baogen's money, and not drag our family down with her…”
"What are you saying?" Song Baogen interrupted angrily. "My eldest sister raised our whole family for ten years, and in the end, all she got as a dowry was two thermos flasks and a washbasin stand. Is that appropriate? What family gives such a small dowry to their daughter?"
“But she will bring you bad luck!” Li Wenxiu cried out.
"Nonsense, that's all a lie. I told you not to believe that nonsense, why wouldn't you listen to me?"
Villagers and relatives outside the room heard arguing coming from inside, so Song Baogen quickly closed the door.
While holding her granddaughter, Tang Suxiang noticed that Baogen and his wife seemed to be arguing inside the house.
She gloated as she coaxed her granddaughter in her arms, telling her to take the granddaughter, who was carrying a bag full of wedding candies, to Qiao Guilan to ask for more wedding candies and red envelopes.
"Then why don't you believe me?" Li Wenxiu asked, crying. "You took all the money to buy your older sister's dowry. What about me and the baby? When I get more pregnant, I won't be able to work anymore. How can you support the baby and the whole family on your salary alone?"
"I won't let you starve!"
"I don't care, if you don't go to your older sister and get the money for your dowry back, I'll abort the baby and divorce you!"
"Don't keep talking about divorce or abortion. You married me, have I ever deprived you of a single thing? You give money to your parents every month and buy this and that for your brother, have I said anything about it?"
"What's wrong with me being filial to my parents? They raised me, and now that I can earn money, I married into your family to serve my in-laws and have your children. Is it any of your business if I give my parents some money or buy things for my brother? I'm spending my own salary!"
“I’m using my own salary to buy some dowry for my older sister to repay a favor I’ve done for her, and that’s none of your business!”
"You're trying to divide us up now?" Li Wenxiu had secretly learned from Tang Suxiang how to firmly control the family finances. "You're not treating me like your wife!"
Song Baogen couldn't stand her anymore. "Can you stop arguing? We can talk about it when we get back tonight."
"I want things made clear right now!" Li Wenxiu's voice rose. "Are you going to help your older sister get the money back for her dowry?"
"I'm not going!"
“If you won’t ask for it, I will!” Li Wenxiu turned around and was about to go to Song Yinhua to ask for the money.
Song Baogen and Song Caixing, brother and sister, quickly stopped her.
Today is my eldest sister's wedding day, and she went to her husband's family to ask for money. What do they think of her?
Unable to bear Li Wenxiu's nagging any longer, Song Baogen compromised and said, "I'll go see my older sister in a couple of days."
"No, we can't wait two more days..."
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