Chapter 503: Teaching a Son (Thanks to the book friend "Jinyiwei: Rongrong" for the reward)
"We're still working the land, we're still peasants, yet she looks down on peasants. Look at the kind of families she's found for Zhiniang." The old doctor said angrily, "Is she really doing this for Zhiniang's own good, or is she just after the extra couple of taels of betrothal gifts? Not really. That Shi family in the county town wasn't even willing to give her a betrothal gift, yet they're still trying to pay her. I don't understand what she's after."
Father Lu lowered his head in shame.
"Let me ask you, do you think this marriage into the Zhou family is a good one?"
Father Lu quickly said, "Of course it's good."
"What's good about it?"
Father Lu swallowed his saliva and hesitated for a while before saying, "Their family has a good tradition, and Zhou Wu is also honest and hardworking..."
The old doctor felt a little pain in his chest and asked, "Anything else?"
"What else?" Father Lu racked his brains, "And Zhou Wu, that kid has a good character..."
The old doctor slammed the table and shouted, "You're already engaged. Isn't their family's character and performance bad? Let me tell you why I chose the Zhou family!"
The old doctor's voice rose three degrees, and not only Lu Gui standing at the door, but also Lu's mother in the room could hear it clearly, "Besides what you said, it's also because the Zhou family's grandchildren are now studying in school! Not to mention our Dali Village, even in the town, how many families can afford to send so many children to school at the same time?"
"And the little girl who came with us today, Zhou Man, did you know that her medical skills are even better than your son's? She's only been studying for three years!"
Father Lu was shocked. How could this be possible?
"The little medical skills our Lu family has were acquired by your great-grandfather after nearly twenty years of hard work. He then passed them down to us, his descendants, as a means of establishing ourselves. But you can't learn them. Dalang did learn them, but how much can he use them?"
Father Lu lowered his head in shame, and Lu Gui outside the house also lowered his head.
"If we marry into the Zhou family, Dalang can come to them for advice if he has any illnesses he doesn't understand. At worst, when Guan Ge'er is older, he can go to his aunt's house to learn. After all, medicine is the foundation of our family."
The old doctor said, "This craft was learned and passed down by our ancestors with great difficulty. Even if we can't improve it, at least we can't lose the roots given by our ancestors."
Father Lu nodded repeatedly.
The old doctor's accumulated anger finally subsided a lot, and he said, "So tell your wife to calm down and stop thinking about marrying Zhiniang to the town or the county."
He snorted and said, "If the families she chose were good, I would naturally be happy to let Zhi Niang enjoy her life, but look at what kind of families she chose."
Father Lu lowered his head in shame.
"You and Dalang have both been on my medical rounds. We've been to not only the town but also the county. You've seen and heard all the people there." The old doctor said, "Even the most aggressive girl would suffer a lot if she married into a family like that. Your daughter is so gentle and kind. Are you going to let her be bullied?"
"As her father, you don't worry about anything except taking care of your land. Do you think that if you don't ask or tell her, this matter will have nothing to do with you?" The old doctor's anger flared up again. He said angrily, "Don't forget, you are her father! If you don't ask or tell her, you are wrong!"
"She's acting so arrogantly even with guests here today. Does she look like someone who can manage a household, like a grandmother?" The crying in the room had stopped, but the old doctor was still furious. "Her daughter-in-law is more sensible than she is. Go tell her that if she acts like this again, send her back to her parents' home and let Dalang's wife take over the family."
The old doctor's chest was heaving with anger. Father Lu worriedly tried to calm him down, but the old doctor pushed his hand away and stood up, saying, "I won't die yet, so I can't take advantage of you."
"Dad, you're really hitting me right in the heart when you say that."
The old doctor snorted coldly.
Old Zhou, who was walking on the street, snorted coldly and said to Zhou Wulang, "Your mother-in-law is not easy to get along with. Be careful when you go to Yue's family next time."
Zhou Wulang also felt that his mother-in-law was difficult to get along with, so he sighed worriedly and asked, "Dad, why didn't you choose my mother-in-law? Didn't you always choose when my brothers were getting married?"
"Your wife is capable, so I won't be picky." Old Zhou was happy again when he thought about the fact that the fifth brother had decided to marry the young lady from the Lu family. He said, "Your wife has been with the old doctor for a long time and has some medical skills. I heard that most of the medicinal herbs in their family are prepared by her. So you have to be more careful with me in the future and don't bully your wife, okay?"
After thinking about it and feeling uneasy, he reminded her again: "But don't listen to your wife in everything, especially when your wife listens to your mother-in-law."
Old Zhou quietly taught him, "Now you have to manage the family's money. By the way, how much money have you saved now?"
Zhou Wulang said vaguely, "Not much."
Old Zhou was a little unhappy, but still said: "Yes, you should say the same thing when your wife asks you next time."
Manbao, who was listening attentively, couldn't help but ask, "Dad, why did you teach Fifth Brother bad things?"
"How can it be considered bad behavior? Dad is just taking precautions," Old Zhou said, "Wait until your wife gives birth to a child. See if she values you two more, or her mother. You might as well let me hold your money for you."
Zhou Wulang quickened his pace and said, "Dad, I really haven't saved much money."
Old Zhou snorted, "Forget it, I won't help you get it. You should keep it with Manbao. When your wife agrees with you, you can take the money back from Manbao."
Zhou Wulang hesitated, and then he sneaked over to ask his mother, "Mom, what do you think?"
"Don't listen to your father," Qian glared at him and said, "Now that you're married, it's natural for you to manage your own money."
When Old Zhou was about to speak, Qian glanced at him and gave him a secret warning.
Old Zhou shut up and stopped talking.
"Once you're married, you'll need to spend money more often. Whether you or your wife is handling the money, both of you should keep track of the amount," Qian taught him. "If you're handling the money, you should tell her how much money you have and where it came from. If you need to spend money, tell her if the amount is large. It's best to discuss it."
"If she's in charge of the money, you have to know how she spends it and how much is left... What's the point of being the head of the family? If you don't even know your own financial situation, what kind of head of the family are you?"
Zhou Wulang nodded repeatedly, feeling that what his mother said made a lot of sense.
Manbao also nodded repeatedly, thinking that what his mother said was better than what his father said.
Qian said earnestly, "Since you're married, your little home will be yours alone. You can't lie to me and I to you. Otherwise, if both of you are like this, how are we going to get by out there?"
The next update will be around 9pm
(End of this chapter)
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