On her way home carrying groceries, Ye Yunniang was knocked down by a person walking hurriedly.
The chicken, meat, vegetables, and sour dates in my hands were scattered all over the ground.
The person who bumped into Ye Yunniang left without stopping for a moment.
Ye Yunniang paused on the ground for a moment before getting up and starting to pick up her things.
The chicken's feet were tied, and it clucked a few times.
The meat got dirty and needs to be washed carefully when you get home.
The problem is the sour jujubes, which have rolled all over the ground.
Someone came over, squatted down to pick up the sour dates, and said, "Let me help you."
Ye Yunniang looked up and saw Ma Hui.
"I can manage on my own, you go ahead and do your thing."
"I'm not in a hurry." Ma Hui squatted down and helped pick up the sour dates.
"Really, no need, I can do it myself," Ye Yunniang said, speeding up.
"Hurry up, you two." Ma Hui didn't get up to leave.
After picking up the last sour jujube, Ma Hui put the sour jujube in his hand into Ye Yunniang's basket.
"Thank you." Ye Yunniang took two steps back, creating some distance.
“We’re all neighbors, no need to be so polite,” Ma Hui waved his hand.
"Here, have some sour dates." Ye Yunniang grabbed a handful of sour dates and handed them to Ma Hui.
"No need, it's just a favor. I'll be going now." Ma Hui walked in the opposite direction from Ye Yunniang.
Watching Ma Hui leave, Ye Yunniang picked up her basket and continued walking towards home.
After Ye Yunniang left, Ma Hui and Wang Qiang emerged from around the corner of the alley.
"Brother Hui, why didn't you take her home?"
"Qiangzi, let's just live our lives well and not think about anything else," Ma Hui advised Wang Qiang.
Wang Qiang always felt indebted to Ma Hui and wanted his brother Hui to have an heir.
It won't end up like me, with no descendants left.
"Brother Hui, trust me one more time. I'm absolutely sure." Wang Qiang grasped Ma Hui's hand. "Don't you want a child to call you 'Dad'?"
How could Ma Hui not want to? "Qiangzi, my elder brother and sister-in-law, adopting a child is a good idea. How about..."
"No way." Wang Qiang disagreed. He insisted on raising Ma Hui's biological son. Adopted children were all bastards, ungrateful wretches that could never be tamed.
Ma Hui couldn't persuade Wang Qiang otherwise, so he agreed to follow his plan.
"Will this really work?"
"Don't worry, I've planned everything. There won't be any problems." Wang Qiang smiled confidently, as if everything was under his control.
The two people talking didn't notice Tong Mo squatting on a tree branch above them.
After hearing the two men's scheme against Ye Yunniang, a murderous glint appeared in Tong Mo's eyes.
Ye Yunniang returned home and boiled water to kill a chicken.
Now, Ye Yunniang can kill a chicken and bleed it without batting an eye.
The chicken is stewing on the stove.
Ye Yunniang went to wash the dirty sour dates.
After washing it clean, I filled a bowl and took it to Liang Maimiao next door to pick up Li Ping and take her home.
Liang Maimiao pulled Ye Yunniang aside and told her the latest news she knew.
"Wang Qiang and Ma Hui are going to hold their marriage ceremony next month."
"A marriage alliance banquet?" Ye Yunniang asked, puzzled. What kind of banquet was this?
Liang Maimiao explained to Ye Yunniang that the so-called marriage banquet refers to two men deciding to get married and live together like ordinary men and women.
Since it goes against the balance of Yin and Yang, it cannot be called marriage between men. To outsiders, it is said that they have formed a sworn brotherhood.
The marriage banquet, to put it simply, is a wedding feast for the two people.
After listening, Ye Yunniang sighed, "People in big cities really have so many tricks up their sleeves."
Are you all going?
"I said I would definitely go."
"How should the gift money be given? How much should it be?"
“When neighbors get married, those with closer relationships give thirty coins, and those with more casual relationships give eighteen coins,” Liang Maimiao said, explaining the amount her family usually gave.
Ye Yunniang made a note of it and told Cai Damei about the betrothal banquet that evening.
Next month, Cai Damei will be six months pregnant, and she won't be able to stay in Wanxia Lane.
Cai Damei was worried about Ye going alone, so she suggested that she go with her.
"Mother, we may hide this time, but there will be another time." Ye Yunniang didn't want to hide; there was no reason to guard against thieves for a thousand days.
"You should be with Mai Miao or Chun Yao that day, don't be alone," Cai Damei reminded her worriedly, looking at her belly and feeling that she had come at the wrong time.
Ye Yunniang listened attentively and took notes of Cai Damei's instructions.
After that, Ye Yunniang would run into Ma Hui whenever she went out.
Ma Hui always greeted Ye Yunniang warmly, and unsuspecting people would think the two were very familiar with each other.
Ye Yunniang maintained a distant attitude towards this. No matter how enthusiastic Ma Hui was, she remained indifferent.
When someone saw them and asked, Ye Yunniang explained that the two were just neighbors and not familiar with each other. She didn't want anyone to have even the slightest chance to gossip about them.
Ye Yunniang's stubbornness made Ma Hui want to give up again.
Wang Qiang reassured Ma Hui, "Don't worry, Brother Hui, Ye Yunniang won't get away." Wang Qiang had made meticulous arrangements to ensure his lover got what she wanted.
Ye Yunniang was unaware of Wang Qiang's scheme; at that moment, she was packing Cai Damei's luggage.
Even thick autumn clothes couldn't hide Cai Damei's six-month pregnant belly.
After several discussions, Cai Damei persuaded Bao Min to agree that she would leave Jiangcheng to give birth in a secluded place. This place was not Ye Yunniang's farm, but one of Bao Min's estates.
Bao Min prepared a full range of care personnel at the manor, including midwives, doctors, and wet nurses.
When Cai Damei went out, she told others that she didn't have enough vegetables stored for winter and needed to go to the south to buy some.
After exchanging greetings with her neighbors, Cai Damei boarded the镖局 (bodyguard agency)'s carriage and set off.
Watching the carriage gradually disappear into the distance, Ye Yunniang felt a sense of emptiness. She quickly rallied her spirits; she had to take care of her three children, manage the small vegetable shop, and deal with Wang Qiang and Ma Hui.
Time quickly came to Wang Qiang and Ma Hui's marriage ceremony.
Ye Yunniang got up early to make breakfast and wake the children up for it. She then took Li Pan and Li An to the Du family school.
He returned and took Li Ping to the Xu family's house next door.
"Aunt Xu, thank you for taking care of Pingping." Ye Yunniang put Li Ping on Aunt Xu's bed.
Aunt Xu twisted her ankle a couple of days ago and is resting at home.
"No trouble at all. I should thank you for letting Pingping come and chat with me. I love chatting with Pingping. Don't you, Pingping?" Aunt Xu reached out and touched Li Ping's little face.
"Grandma Xu," Li Ping called out obediently.
"Oh, our Pingping is such a good boy." Aunt Xu liked Li Ping more and more as she looked at him. She wished her grandson was as well-behaved as him.
Ye Yunniang wrapped 18 coins in red paper and went to courtyard number 7 with Liang Maimiao.
There were many people standing inside and outside Courtyard No. 7.
The surrounding alleys hadn't hosted a marriage ceremony for decades, and many people came to watch the spectacle.
Wang Qiang and Ma Hui have many friends, and relatives from both families have also come.
Upon arriving at the accounting table, Ye Yunniang gave her name and handed over a copper coin wrapped in red paper.
After finishing the accounting, Ye Yunniang and Liang Maimiao went into the courtyard.
Chunyao was chatting with someone when she saw the two of them come in. She quickly beckoned Ye Yunniang and Liang Maimiao to come over.
Upon getting closer, Ye Yunniang realized that the person chatting with Chunyao was Hongyan.
Ye Yunniang was very surprised that Hongyan would come!
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