Two days later, early in the morning, Jiang Hua saw Jiang Xingzhou and Xu Wanli walk into the neighboring courtyard.
"Er Ya, come back quickly!" Xu Wanli shouted to Jiang Hua.
The two Xu families, Xu Da Gui and Xu Xiao Shi, stared intently at the bag of silver in the village chief's hand, which contained a considerable amount of silver—the remaining thirty taels from the previous transaction.
However, Jiang Hua was in Aunt Liu's yard, and they were too embarrassed to ask her to come back. In the end, it was Xu Wanli who spoke up.
“Er Ya, it was agreed three days ago that your parents would marry you to Xiao Jiang for fifty taels of silver. Today he brought over the remaining silver. You should go back with him now,” Xu Wanli said.
As he spoke, he gave the silver in his hand to Madam Xu, and then gave one copy of the severance agreement that he had signed that day to Xu Dagui, kept one copy for himself, and gave the other two copies to Jiang Xingzhou.
"You've accepted the fifty taels of silver. No matter how well or badly Er Ya lives in the future, you must not go up and disturb them," Xu Wanli reminded them.
This was the first time such a thing had happened in the village, setting a precedent for Xu Dagui's family.
"I understand, village chief. This silver is ours now, isn't it?" Madam Xu asked greedily as she counted the silver.
“You’ve accepted the fifty taels of silver. I’ve already filed the severance papers you signed with the authorities. I’m taking the people with me now,” Jiang Xingzhou suddenly said.
Official registration?
Having lived to such an old age, this was the first time Da Xu had ever heard of this term, and she looked at Village Chief Xu with some confusion.
"What Xiao Jiang means is that if you change your minds later, you'll have to go to the authorities, get a beating, and go to jail," Xu Wanli patiently explained.
Go back on your word? Absolutely not.
"Take her away if you want. Anyway, this brat isn't really a member of the Xu family. If our Yaozu becomes the top scholar in the imperial examination, she'd better not come and take advantage of it." Madam Xu was like a plague carrier, wishing Jiang Hua would leave as soon as possible.
"Sister Er Ya, don't you feel any reluctance to part with your aunt and uncle?" Lin Shuyan asked, stepping forward with a sisterly affection.
Seeing that Jiang Hua did not answer, she looked at Jiang Xingzhou and said, "Brother Jiang, you must treat Sister Er Ya well in the future. She is still young, and she will definitely not be able to accept becoming a stepmother to a child without a mother."
"Thank you for your concern, Miss Lin," Jiang Xingzhou replied indifferently.
However, Jiang Hua clearly sensed a flash of coldness in Jiang Xingzhou's eyes, just as Lin Shuyan mentioned the child.
“Er Ya, even if you get married, this will always be your home,” Lin Shuyan said again.
"Your cousin is really kind." Jiang Xingzhou gave Jiang Hua a meaningful look.
“That’s right, it makes people feel like I’m the one living under someone else’s roof,” Jiang Hua nodded in response.
Upon hearing this, Lin Shuyan's expression froze instantly.
"Madam Xu, didn't you buy Er Ya a wedding dress?" Xu Wanli quickly changed the subject, looking at Jiang Hua's tattered clothes and asking.
“Village chief, we’re poor too. Where would we get the money to buy this girl a wedding dress? It’s so expensive!” Mrs. Xu cried out, pleading her poverty.
“Yes, village chief, our Yaozu’s annual tuition is quite substantial.” Xu Dagui quickly chimed in when he saw the village chief’s sudden change in expression.
As expected, Xu Wanli was speechless as soon as Xu Yaozu was mentioned.
"Let's go," Jiang Hua said to Jiang Xingzhou.
She didn't expect her parents and grandmother to prepare a wedding dress for her. After accepting the twenty taels of silver from Jiang Xingzhou, she couldn't wait to take Lin Shuyan to town the next day.
She bought several bolts of floral fabric to make clothes, and she was already deeply disappointed in the original owner of this body.
Jiang Xingzhou didn't want to stay any longer, especially since the woman in front of him kept looking at him with such pitiful eyes, which made him feel a chill.
Before Lin Shuyan could say anything more, Jiang Xingzhou had already taken Jiang Hua's hand and led her out of the courtyard.
"Er Ya, are you really going to marry this man?"
Jiang Hua was being led by Jiang Xingzhou when they stepped out of the courtyard and saw Zhou Yingxuan standing outside. Upon hearing Zhou Yingxuan's words, Jiang Xingzhou released her hand.
“I have been trying to hunt for the past three days to earn money, but unfortunately I have been unlucky and have not caught any big prey, so I have not been able to raise fifty taels of silver.” As Zhou Yingxuan spoke, he took out a peach blossom hairpin that he had carved himself from his bosom.
"Here, take this as part of your dowry."
Jiang Hua looked at the smooth peach blossom hairpin in Zhou Yingxuan's hand, and the various cuts on her hand from the knife. Before she could even speak, some people were already heartbroken.
"Brother Xuan, your hand." Lin Shuyan's tears fell without warning.
Sure enough, before she could even finish a sentence, tears started streaming down her face like they were free.
"It's alright, as long as Er Ya likes it. Although it's not worth much money, it's her only dowry." Zhou Yingxuan looked at the peach blossom hairpin in his hand, then at Jiang Hua, and said with deep affection.
vomit--!
"Zhou Yingxuan, who are you trying to annoy right now?" Jiang Hua completely ignored his affectionate expression and said without any mercy:
"Where were you before? Didn't you tell me yourself that I was dirty?"
"Er Ya, I... I was just angry before, and you spoke rudely to Yan Yan." Zhou Yingxuan explained anxiously.
"Sister Er Ya, look, Brother Xuan cut his own hand for you. Doesn't it hurt you?" Lin Shuyan looked at her with a pained expression and accused her.
"Why would I feel heartache? I don't even like him," Jiang Hua retorted.
You don't like him?
Zhou Yingxuan felt as if he was hearing something he could never have heard in his life, and looked at Jiang Hua in disbelief.
"Er Ya, what did you just say?" Zhou Yingxuan asked her in disbelief.
"Brother Xuan, Sister Er Ya doesn't like you, and you still have..."
Lin Shuyan was interrupted by Zhou Yingxuan before she could finish speaking.
"Er Ya, say what you just said again!"
"Zhou Yingxuan, if you have hearing problems, you should see a doctor," Jiang Hua said to him leisurely.
"No, no, Er Ya, you must be angry because I treated you like that that day. Er Ya, wait for me, I will raise enough money to redeem you from him."
Then, Jiang Hua saw the man in front of her turn around and leave. Lin Shuyan glared at her and chased after him.
That guy is an idiot.
"Er Ya!" Aunt Liu came out from her yard.
"Auntie, Uncle, Brother Tianming." Jiang Hua turned around and walked towards them upon hearing their voices.
"Er Ya, today is your wedding day. It's a bit rushed, so your aunties didn't have much to prepare." As she spoke, Aunt Liu took out a bundle wrapped in a handkerchief and carefully unfolded it. Inside was a silver hairpin.
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