The entrance to a long-established restaurant in Suyang.
The vermilion-lacquered gate exudes a unique, rustic charm.
Xu Xinghe glanced at the stone lions on either side, took a deep breath, and suppressed the tension in her heart.
There were hardly any people in the restaurant.
Guided by the waiter, the two arrived at the door of a private room called Pine Crane Hall.
The moment Xu Xinghe pushed open the door, she froze.
She thought there would only be five or six people at most today, but to her surprise... the large round table in the private room was completely full!
A dozen or so people were staring at them intently.
The lively laughter and chatter suddenly stopped, and even the air seemed to turn cold.
Zhang Xueqin was the first to stand up, breaking the deadlock, "Let me introduce Xinghe."
She first looked at the elderly man with gray hair, wearing a Zhongshan suit, sitting in the main seat, "This is Lin Chuan's grandfather."
Xu Xinghe quickly bowed and greeted, "Hello, Grandpa Jiang."
Grandpa Jiang put down his teacup, glanced at her face, his originally serious expression softened, and he nodded slightly, "Good child, sit down."
Then Zhang Xueqin pointed to several middle-aged men and women next to her, "These are Lin Chuan's eldest uncle, second uncle, and two aunts. These are Lin Chuan's maternal uncle and aunt... We came in a hurry this time, so we didn't bring the younger generation of the family. You'll be able to meet them when you get married."
"Hello, Uncle, Second Uncle, Aunts, Uncle and Aunt..." Xu Xinghe bowed and greeted them one by one, her voice clear and her attitude respectful.
Jiang Linchuan followed beside her and greeted everyone one by one. Although his eyes were still not particularly warm, they no longer held the aloofness of the past.
Everyone responded, and the previously cold atmosphere finally eased.
Zhang Xueqin pulled Xu Xinghe to sit in the empty seat next to her.
As soon as she sat down, she took out a jade bracelet from the brocade box she carried with her.
Jade has a warm and lustrous color and a translucent texture, making it immediately apparent that it is of considerable value.
“Xinghe, this is the Jiang family’s ancestral jade bracelet, passed down only to daughters-in-law throughout the generations.” Zhang Xueqin held her wrist and gently slipped the bracelet on. It fit perfectly. “Now, it’s yours.”
Xu Xinghe quickly declined, "Auntie, this is too precious, I can't accept it..."
"Take it, this is the rule." Old Master Jiang spoke, his tone carrying the unique authority of an elder. "Since she was chosen by Lin Chuan, she is our Jiang family's daughter-in-law, and the proper etiquette cannot be neglected."
Xu Xinghe smiled, touching the jade bracelet, feeling a warmth in her heart.
Regardless, the Jiang family did give her the respect she deserved.
Then the other elders also took out the gifts they had prepared.
My eldest uncle handed me a beautifully carved Hetian jade pendant, and my second aunt gave me a set of pearl jewelry.
My uncle and aunt gave me a thick red envelope, which contained at least several hundred yuan.
Each of these sentiments is precious.
"Thank you, Grandpa, thank you, Uncle..." Xu Xinghe accepted the gift and carefully put it away close to her body.
The aunt liked Xu Xinghe more and more as she looked at her. "Xinghe is so pretty. She looks so gentle and sensible. She and Linchuan are a good match."
"That's right, I never expected Lin Chuan to find such a wonderful girl."
"Xinghe, if anything happens in the future, tell your aunt, okay? Life isn't easy for us women. Don't carry everything on your own. Otherwise, what's the point of having men?"
Her uncle, who was standing next to her, coughed lightly and quickly gave her a meaningful look.
It's one thing to keep to yourself at home, but when you go out, you have to give him some face!
Xu Xinghe covered her mouth and chuckled. She hadn't expected that Jiang Linchuan's uncle, who looked so big and burly that he could fit two of his aunts in his arms, would actually be henpecked.
Jiang Linchuan sat to the side, listening to his family's approval of Xu Xinghe, and the corners of his mouth unconsciously turned up.
This was his first time attending a family gathering, yet he felt no discomfort whatsoever.
And all of this is because of Xu Xinghe.
The dishes were served one after another, all of which were local specialties of Suzhou and Yangzhou.
Sweet and sour squirrel-shaped mandarin fish, stir-fried shrimp, braised eel in sizzling oil... a table full of Jiangnan flavors.
The elders kept putting food on Xu Xinghe's plate.
"Xinghe, try these shrimp. They're very fresh. It's good for girls to eat more shrimp."
"Xinghe, this squirrel-shaped mandarin fish is quite good."
Xu Xinghe ate in small bites, her previously tense mood completely relaxed.
The eldest uncle took a sip of his drink, looked at the two of them, and said in a deep voice, "Our Jiang family doesn't have so many rules. You two can live your lives however you want from now on. We, as elders, will never interfere. Lin Chuan is a cold-hearted boy, so please be more tolerant of him in the future. If he dares to bully you, we'll help you deal with him!"
"Uncle, you're joking. Lin Chuan treats me very well." Xu Xinghe quickly waved her hand, unable to hide the smile in her eyes.
Zhang Xueqin patted her hand, "Yes, if you need anything in the future, just tell me, don't be shy."
Xu Xinghe had always heard people say that mothers-in-law and daughters-in-law are natural enemies.
In the Jiang family, there are no enemies, only appreciation and acceptance.
She turned her head to look at Jiang Linchuan and found that he was also looking at her, his eyes full of tenderness.
He was very happy.
It seems this trip to Suzhou and Yangzhou was definitely the right decision!
As the dinner party ended, the sun outside the window was just beginning to set in the west.
Zhang Xueqin held Xu Xinghe's hand tightly and wouldn't let go, while her second aunt and aunt-in-law also came over.
"Xinghe, come on, let me take you to the jewelry store! We haven't got all three pieces of gold yet, so we'll have to pick some out today."
"Yes, Baoqing Silver Shop, the most famous jewelry store in Suyang, is nearby. Their gold jewelry is of excellent quality. Let's go and pick out a few that you like."
Before Xu Xinghe could refuse, she was surrounded by several elders and led out.
Zhang Xueqin turned around and waved to Jiang Linchuan, "You men go ahead and do your work, the rest of us are going to pick out some things, we'll meet up at the school gate later."
On the other side, Grandpa Jiang, leaning on his cane, said to Jiang Linchuan, "Come with us, let's go sit in the teahouse up ahead."
My uncle and the others followed along, and the group walked towards the teahouse not far away.
Inside a private room at the teahouse.
The brewed Biluochun tea has a delicate fragrance.
Grandpa Jiang took a sip of tea and looked at Jiang Linchuan. “Linchuan, you used to be single and could live however you wanted, but now that you’re starting a family, you need to know how to live your life.”
The uncle put down his teacup and continued, "Yes, once you're married, you're an adult. You can't shoulder everything yourself like before. Husbands and wives need to be considerate of each other. Xinghe is a good girl; you have to treat her well."
My second uncle was even more practical, saying, "I know you're a strong person, but you can't let your wife suffer with you. If you encounter difficulties in the future, don't keep them to yourself. Tell the family, and we elders can lend a hand."
As he spoke, the uncle took out a wad of brand-new bills from his bag and placed them in front of Jiang Linchuan. “This is a small token of my appreciation. It’s for you two to have some household expenses.”
My second uncle and maternal uncle also took out their money and placed it on the table.
Just as Jiang Linchuan was about to decline, Grandpa Jiang took out a savings book wrapped in red cloth from his pocket and handed it to him, saying, "There is 10,000 yuan in here, which is what Grandpa has saved over the years."
He pressed down on Jiang Linchuan's hand, which was trying to push it back, his eyes serious. "You two are living your own lives, but family is someone you can rely on. Before, you were alone, and it didn't matter how much hardship you endured. Now that you have Xinghe, you can't let her suffer with you. In the future, if you encounter something you can't handle, don't try to tough it out. Your family will always be your support."
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