Chapter Seventy-Five: Marrying into the Family
The news that the Xiong family was marrying off their daughter again, and that she was marrying into the Xiong family again, spread incredibly fast. Soon, everyone in the small village of Zhuohe knew about it, and it became the talk of the town.
"Sigh, if you ask me, the Xiong family is really doing well. Look at Zixiang, he married Xiaoyi, and they've really made a good living. Now that Zijuan left the Song family, her life is getting better and better, and she's even married into another family."
The matter was now completely settled. To the surprise of Zhang Yili, Xiong Zixiang, and even many gossipy people in the village, Wang Tiezhu, who usually worked silently at the dock, was actually such a thoughtful and considerate person.
He did not show the slightest contempt or carelessness because he was a second-time bride and had married into the family.
He was absolutely clear about proposing marriage.
Two days later, they actually invited an old woman surnamed Sun from a neighboring village to act as matchmaker.
This old woman, Granny Sun, was quite well-known in the surrounding villages. She was upright, quick-witted, and extremely particular about etiquette.
She arrived at the Xiong family's door in a proper manner, carrying a square wooden box covered with red paper containing four kinds of delicate pastries.
Granny Sun entered the main room, first congratulating Old Man Xiong and Madam Song, before sitting down to talk.
Upon entering the house, she immediately explained the whole story behind the marriage, how grateful Tie Zhu was for him when he became a widower and had to settle at the dock, how much he respected Zi Juan's character, and how heartbroken he was that Xiao Bao was left with only his mother.
She spoke with such sincerity that every word touched the hearts of Old Man Xiong and Mrs. Song, and even brought tears to the eyes of the villagers who were listening.
Finally, Granny Sun took out a small package wrapped tightly in red cloth from her bosom and solemnly placed it on the table.
“Brother Xiong, sister-in-law, this is what Tiezhu asked me to bring. It’s five taels of silver as a betrothal gift. He said that although it’s a marriage into the family, all the proper etiquette must be observed, and he absolutely cannot let Zijuan suffer any grievances. This money is a token of his heart, earned by carrying bags and sweating, one copper coin at a time.”
Old Man Xiong looked at the heavy five taels of silver wrapped in a red cloth. Five taels of silver was no small amount for Wang Tiezhu, a laborer who relied entirely on his physical strength for a living.
This is more substantial than any sweet words.
Song's eyes welled up with tears, and she held Granny Sun's hand, her voice choked with emotion: "This child... is so thoughtful!"
The Xiong family was already kind-hearted, and seeing Wang Tiezhu being so proactive and considerate, doing everything according to etiquette, they felt even more comforted.
The villagers watching were filled with envy; this man was truly an honest person.
When discussing the dowry, Old Man Xiong didn't hesitate for long before deciding: "We can't let Tiezhu down. Since he's marrying into the family, we'll be family from now on. He'll be the pillar of our Xiong family. Give Zijuan eight taels and eight strings of cash as a dowry, for good luck! Consider it a small foundation for Tiezhu to settle down in our family."
This is considered an extremely respectable wedding in Zhuohe Village.
The number 8 taels and 8 ounces is a homophone for "prosperity" and is also an even number, symbolizing a perfect pair and a thriving family business.
When the news reached Wang Tiezhu, who was carrying bricks at the dock, this man, who was usually quiet and only knew how to bury himself in his work, was stunned for a long time.
Sweat streamed down his dark cheeks. He raised his hand to wipe it away, and his eyes felt a little sore and swollen. He hadn't expected the Xiong family to treat him so kindly, not only not looking down on his status as a son-in-law, but also giving him a dowry far exceeding what was customary.
Without saying a word, during his lunch break that day, he went to the market and carefully selected a pair of large, plump ducks that were lively and had glossy feathers, and also bought five bolts of thick, durable indigo-blue coarse cotton cloth.
She personally delivered the items to the shop she had been eyeing and handed them to Xiong Zijuan. When Zijuan took the items home, Song was busy delivering red-wrapped wedding candies and fragrant roasted melon seeds to relatives and friends in the village.
These past few days, the smile lines on her face haven't faded. She tells everyone she meets, her feet barely touching the ground: "Look at Tiezhu, how honest and polite he is! He has a clear conscience!"
The elaborate and solemn process of proposing marriage, matching birth dates, and exchanging gifts was carried out smoothly and without any omissions, all thanks to the meticulous arrangements made by Wang Tiezhu and Matchmaker Sun.
Even the fortune teller who analyzed their birth charts said that the two were compatible and were a good match for each other.
After some back and forth, the wedding date was quickly set for July 19th. According to the almanac, it was an auspicious day for marriage.
If you count the days, there are only about ten days left.
Business wasn't too busy at the shop that day.
Xiong Zijuan held a worn-out rag and wiped the gleaming table by the window repeatedly, her movements somewhat absentminded.
As she wiped, she couldn't help but sigh, her brows furrowing slightly.
Zhang Liuli was carrying a bowl of freshly cooked, just-cooked pig ears from the stove, and the steaming aroma filled the air.
She put down the basin, wiped her hands, and came over: "Sister, why are you sighing? Worried about your wedding dress?"
Xiong Zijuan stopped what she was doing, her fingers unconsciously twisting the corner of the rag.
"Yeah, how come the date was set so quickly..."
She looked up at Zhang Xiaoyi, her anxiety evident on her face: "My wedding dress is nowhere to be seen yet! The one I had before... I can't wear it anymore."
After she became a widow, those bright clothes had long been relegated to the bottom of her trunk. When she picked them up again, her state of mind was completely different.
Moreover, the popular styles have changed.
For her, there was simply not enough time to sew a decent wedding dress in just over ten days.
Zhang Liuyi pulled her to sit down on the bench next to her: "Sister, what's the rush? There are still more than ten days left. We can make the most of each day and finish it. Besides..."
She leaned closer and lowered her voice: "If there's really no time, why not just give it to the embroiderers at Qiaoshou Cloth Shop? They're very skilled. They can embroider those necessary patterns quickly and steadily, like dragons and phoenixes symbolizing good fortune or peonies symbolizing wealth and nobility. Their stitches are dense, and the designs are always fresh. If you're willing, you can embroider some decorative patterns for the collar or cuffs yourself, like lotus scrolls, or even characters from your and Tiezhu's names. As long as the meaning is there, it'll show your thoughtfulness and save you the trouble! Why worry about it yourself?"
Xiong Zijuan's eyes lit up as she listened: "This... will it work?"
She had stubbornly insisted that her wedding dress had to be sewn by herself, stitch by stitch, to show her respect and sincerity.
“Why not?” Zhang Xiaoli smiled, her tone relaxed. “Back then…” She paused halfway through her sentence, a hint of embarrassment flashing across her face.
Xiong Zijuan immediately noticed and her curiosity was piqued. She quickly sat down next to her, grabbed her arm, and pressed her for an answer: "What happened to you back then? Tell me! Don't keep me in suspense!"
Unable to withstand her sister's persistent questioning, and glancing at Li Xiulan who was pretending to be busy but actually listening intently, Zhang Liuyi had no choice but to confess, her voice trembling with embarrassment.
"Back then... I didn't embroider my wedding dress myself. It was... it was Zixiang. You all know my skill level. If I were to sew it myself, my hands would be covered in needle marks. He... he secretly took the fabric and went to Qiaoshou Fabric Shop to order it! He even picked out the pattern! I've never even stepped into a fabric shop!"
After saying that, she felt her face getting hot and quickly lowered her head, pretending to adjust her apron.
Xiong Zijuan was stunned for a moment, then burst out laughing, her shoulders shaking and tears welling up in her eyes.
"Oh, my little brother... he really... even before he was married into the family, he doted on you so much! He was always worried that you would get even a little tired!"
Her anxiety about rushing to finish her wedding dress was instantly dispelled by this heartwarming and amusing incident, and Li Xiulan also covered her mouth and laughed beside her.
Looking at Zhang Xiaoli's slightly flushed cheeks, and thinking about her younger brother's genuine thoughtfulness, she inexplicably felt more anticipation for her second marriage. Life is about the person you spend it with, and sincerity is more important than anything else.
The shop was filled with the rich aroma of braised food, and a faint festive atmosphere also filled the air.
Xiong Zijuan felt a sudden sense of relief, and her hands and feet became lighter as well.
She deliberately laid out neatly cut squares of red paper on several prominent tables in the shop, and arranged several plates of fragrant roasted peanuts, melon seeds, and plump red dates.
They folded a few small plates out of red paper and filled them with maltose cubes.
The red paper lining the food made it look especially festive: "I'm sharing this joy with you all, you're getting married soon," she explained with a smile to the curious guests.
She handled the matter meticulously, personally packing several packages of the finest roasted nuts, along with an invitation that read: "We cordially invite you to a celebratory feast at our humble abode on the 19th of July. We are honored to have you here. Mr. Xiong, Mrs. Song, along with their daughter Xiong Zijuan and son-in-law Wang Tiezhu."
Wrapped in a clean blue cloth, it was solemnly handed over to Uncle Zhao, the old diner who had introduced Wang Tiezhu to the dock.
Uncle Zhao lived on a street next to the dock and ran a small grocery store.
He took the invitation, unfolded it, and then weighed the heavy bag of roasted nuts in his hand. He grinned from ear to ear, and the wrinkles on his face smoothed out.
"Great! Great! I'll definitely go! Tiezhu is so lucky, and Zijuan has found a good husband too! I, Old Zhao, am definitely going to the wedding banquet! I'll have to ask for a drink then, to make it a real celebration!"
The shop closed at night.
The fire in the stove went out, and the noise subsided.
The small bed in the attic was unusually lively tonight.
Li Xiulan didn't go home either; the three of them, aunt and sister-in-law, huddled together affectionately.
The attic was low, with the windows open, and you could hear the slow flow of the muddy river outside, as well as the faint croaking of frogs in the distant rice paddies.
When a person rests, their body is tired, and their mind is easily distracted.
Xiong Zijuan rolled over, and the straw mat creaked.
After a while, she turned back to face the wall, but her breathing didn't sound like she was asleep.
Zhang Liuyi lay next to her, her eyes closed, but she could still feel the movement beside her.
She turned to the side, and by the dim moonlight streaming in from the window, she could see her sister with her eyes open, staring at the low roof, clearly not sleepy.
"Sister," Zhang Xiaoyi said softly, her voice clear in the quiet attic, "Go to sleep early, we have to get up early to open the shop tomorrow. There are still more than ten days, no need to rush. We need to be well-rested before we can get things done."
Li Xiulan, on the other side, was also still awake. She turned to her side, propped her head up with her elbow, and looked at Xiong Zijuan's silhouette in the darkness, her tone filled with genuine envy.
"Zijuan, to be honest, this marriage of yours is really good. Not only is the man moving in with his wife's family, which saves a lot of trouble, but there are no parents-in-law yet on the other side, which will be great in the future."
Her voice held a hint of longing: "You can be your own boss, living your own life behind closed doors, without having to pay respects to your parents-in-law morning and evening, without having to worry about the troublesome issues between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law! How carefree! So many people envy that!"
As Xiong Zijuan listened in the darkness, the corners of her mouth unconsciously curved upwards.
Yes, there are no in-laws to carefully serve, and no complicated family relationships to deal with.
After Wang Tiezhu married into the family, the young couple and their baby lived together in the familiar courtyard of the Xiong family.
Although there is less reliance from elders, there is more freedom to be in charge.
She thought of Wang Tiezhu's sincere eyes, the heavy trust he placed in her when he entrusted her with several months' wages, and the thoughtfulness he showed when he brought her the pair of plump ducks flapping their wings and the thick bolt of cloth...
My heart felt like it was being soaked in warm water, warm and comforting, and I felt very at ease.
Those vague anxieties about the unknown future were gradually replaced by this solid anticipation.
Xiao Bao will have a loving stepfather, and she will also have a caring companion.
"Mmm..." Xiong Zijuan responded softly, her voice filled with a satisfied smile, and her body relaxed: "Go to sleep."
The attic fell completely silent, with only the gradually even and long breaths of the three women mingling together.
Zhang Liuli listened to her sister's breathing gradually become steady and deep, knowing that she had really fallen asleep. She was relieved and drifted off to sleep herself.
Li Xiulan yawned slightly, turned over, and soon began to snore softly.
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