Yanxia didn't drink a drop of water from the table.
She suspected that Zhu Xiaohua had been secretly spitting into it.
"Xia, since you've brought it up so directly, I'll give you a straight answer too. We don't need the wedding dress; after all, we're just farmers and can't afford such expensive things. So, we'll add it to the dowry. Wenjuan is my niece; I've treated her like my own daughter since she was little. If you hadn't divorced Shouguo, we'd be family. Can family compare to outsiders? Right? Wenjuan's parents have had a hard life, so please give them a little more—ten taels of silver. That'll settle the marriage."
Zhu Xiaohua didn't dare to make any definitive statements.
She secretly glanced at Yan Xia's expression.
Seeing that she didn't react, he continued.
"Then, as your aunt, I have a request. After all, Jinlu isn't the eldest son, and Jinfu has always been helping out with your shop's business. By the way, your eldest daughter-in-law has been married into the family for quite some time now, and she should be pregnant by now. Let Jinfu stay home to take care of his wife. Guihua is also 16 now, and it's time to arrange a marriage for her. There's a young man in my village who's very honest. I'll introduce him to Guihua later. Oh, I'm getting off topic. Since Jinfu and Guihua both have their own things to do, let Wenjuan and Jinlu help you at the shop after the wedding."
Wow.
This family is even more greedy than Zhao Yuefang's family back then.
Ten taels of betrothal gifts?
Is Zhu Wenjuan made of gold?
Even the daughter of a landlord in the next village only asked for seven or eight taels of betrothal gifts when she got married.
And that's not even mentioning the dowry.
They directly provided 10 acres of first-class fertile land as compensation for their daughter to take to her husband's family.
She doesn't need her daughter-in-law to bring much dowry, but she won't tolerate unreasonable demands.
"Hehe, all of that is easy to discuss. Now that you've decided on the bride price, you should at least mention the dowry."
When Xiaohe married into the family, Yanxia didn't even mention the word "dowry".
She was willing to pay for her son's marriage to any girl she found pleasing to the eye, even if she brought no dowry.
As for these greedy ones...
Yan Xia directly brought up her dowry to embarrass the other party.
Sure enough, Zhu Xiaohua's expression turned awkward.
"Marriage, dowry? Wenjuan's family is poor, where would she get a dowry? Xia, I'm not trying to criticize you, but you're not short of money, why are you making things difficult for Wenjuan? She and Jinlu are in love, as her mother, you can't break them up because of the dowry."
Yan Xia just wanted to laugh at her.
However, just as she was about to snap at someone...
The youngest son beside her spoke.
"Bring Wenjuan out; I have some questions for her."
Jin Lu exuded a chilling aura.
It feels like you could freeze to death in this sweltering summer heat.
So Zhu Xiaohua didn't dare to say anything more.
She went to her niece's room.
They brought her here.
On the way, he gave her a few more instructions, telling her to keep her close to Jinlu.
They forced Yan Xia to compromise.
"Brother Jinlu~"
As soon as Zhu Wenjuan entered the main room, she took Jin Lu's arm and started acting coquettishly, completely disregarding the fact that there were so many people in the room.
I don't know how my parents raised me.
Jin Lu did not soften his heart; he used his hands to pull Zhu Wenjuan off his arm.
"Wenjuan, I want you to say it yourself: if my family can only offer five taels of silver as a bride price, are you willing to marry me?"
His expression was very serious.
Zhu Wenjuan felt a sudden pang in her heart.
"I, I...."
Not knowing what to say, she turned to look at Zhu Xiaohua.
Seeing her aunt blinking, Zhu Wenjuan steeled herself and spoke.
“I’ll listen to my aunt. Besides, your mother runs a shop; it’s not like she can’t afford 10 taels. Don’t you like me? Are you really that stingy with 10 taels of silver? Who’s more important, me or the silver? Have all the feelings between us been fake? My aunt is only trying to help me…”
Jinlu was extremely disappointed.
He looked away, no longer looking at Zhu Wenjuan.
“We only have five taels of silver. If you’re willing, come with me now. If not, once I leave this door, we’ll pretend we’ve never met.”
After saying that, he strode out.
Seeing that his youngest son had already left.
Yan Xia also left with her eldest son.
The three of them left the Chen family's gate.
Apart from a few chickens defecating wildly, there was no one else in the yard.
Zhu Wenjuan didn't chase after them, nor did Zhu Xiaohua.
Jin Lu did look back once, and five seconds later, he sighed deeply.
“Mother, I was blind and deceived by this kind of woman. This marriage is off. Let’s go back, Mother.”
From the day Zhu Wenjuan confessed to him, Jin Lu knew that she was deliberately getting close to him.
Unexpectedly, he thought Zhu Wenjuan had fallen in love with him.
However....
It was all wishful thinking on his part.
Back home.
Jin Lu looked very dejected, and he sat in the courtyard in a daze for a long time.
"Mom, I'm going out for a walk."
After he finished speaking, he stood up.
He walked towards the door.
"Okay, come back soon."
Yan Xia thought he was going to see Zhu Wenjuan.
After all, it's a matter for the younger generation, and she shouldn't interfere, lest she appear to be the one breaking up the couple.
However, Jinlu did not go to the Chen family. Instead, he went to the riverbank and stared blankly at the water.
The Chen family at this time.
Zhu Xiaohua and her niece were sitting on the bed whispering to each other.
"It's a good thing your aunt held you back just now, preventing you from chasing after them. If you had gone out, they would have had them under their thumb. That brat Jinlu did it on purpose; he's putting on an act for you. Don't worry, as long as you ignore him for three days, he'll definitely get restless. When he comes begging to you, you can then really take control of him. That's how you'll have a good life after you marry him."
Zhu Xiaohua gently patted the back of her hand, indicating that she could rest assured.
"Your aunt has eaten more salt than you've eaten coarse rice. His family is very wealthy. Who knows, when he comes to ask you for a dowry in a few days, he might ask for more. Your aunt will ask for 15 taels of silver, plus a gilded hairpin. The hairpin will be your dowry. Your aunt saw that Guihua and the other girls are all wearing this hairpin, including your future sister-in-law. Your mother-in-law didn't think of buying it for you. Your aunt feels sorry for you and must help you get the gilded hairpin."
Zhu Wenjuan was deeply moved.
She rested her head against Zhu Xiaohua's chest.
My eyes became wet.
"Thank you, Auntie. You're the only one who loves me the most. My parents have never paid any attention to me, and my grandparents beat and scold me all the time. Only you, Auntie, are the best to me."
"Just so you know. So if you go to the Yan family's shop, make sure you get your cousins in. They've been kind to you, so they'll definitely back you up in the future. Let's see if Jinlu dares to bully you then."
Zhu Xiaohua followed the trend.
It revealed his ambition.
Unfortunately, Zhu Wenjuan was unaware of this. She was so engrossed in her aunt's embrace, craving the warmth, that she refused to get up.
"Yes, I'll do whatever Auntie says."
"Good girl, that's the kind of girl your auntie loves."
Zhu Xiaohua gently stroked her niece's hair, her eyes seemingly burning with passion.
Riverside.
Jinlu stood under the sun for a long time. Just as he was about to go home, his legs went numb, and he stumbled and almost fell into the river.
Suddenly, his arm was grabbed.
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