Chapter 40 The box was pried open
Song Chunxue remembered that in her previous life, she hadn't arranged a wife for Sanwa so early.
If we calculate the time, it will be two years from now.
Song Chunxue was somewhat surprised that Xia Ying's brother still agreed to the proposal, even though it was made two years earlier than expected.
Is it because Sanwa and Xia Mulan are destined to be together, so they can be together no matter what?
Xia Ying lowered her head and sighed, "My brother's health is very poor. He knows his condition and says he won't last more than a few years. He wants to arrange Mulan's marriage as soon as possible."
As she spoke, Xia Ying's eyes reddened.
If you look closely, Xia Mulan and Xia Ying look very similar, especially their facial features.
Although one has a long, thin face and the other has a round, square face, their eyes, lips, and even noses are very similar.
It's often said that sons resemble their uncles and daughters resemble their aunts, and it seems that's true.
Xia Ying looked out the window, trying to hide the sadness on her face.
“People from my family’s village came here. I asked them to pass on a message to my brother. He said that if he really meets someone suitable who is willing to treat Mulan well, they can settle down and he will come to meet her in person at a certain time.”
Song Chunxue nodded. So that was the reason. She could understand.
“However, my sister-in-law insists that the gift money shouldn't be less. My brother's illness is quite serious and requires money. Although it's unfair to Mulan, our family is currently facing some difficulties, so you see…”
Song Chunxue smiled and said, "Of course. Mulan seems very reliable and capable. I'm willing to give her more money as a gift. How about three taels of silver?"
Although it was less than two taels of silver in my previous life, silver will be worth more in a few years.
Having been given a second chance at life, she felt that two taels of silver was indeed too much for Sanwa's wife.
Xia Ying was indeed taken aback, but still nodded. "I'll talk to my brother about it later. If he thinks it's feasible, I have no objection."
At this point, she laughed and said, "Mulan is a shy girl. I only mentioned once that her vest was given to her by you, and she was too embarrassed to wear it."
"I didn't expect you to like Mulan so much. Why did you find a wife for Sanwa so early? At first, I thought it was for the second son, but now it seems that you don't think Sanwa is as bad as others say."
Song Chunxue smiled bitterly. Yes, everyone knows she treats Sanwa badly.
They all saw it, but she herself never noticed.
If she hadn't died once, I wouldn't have known she was such a terrible mother.
*
Back home, Jiang Hongying put the child to sleep.
Sanwa has now moved to the west room, which is warmer than the south room, and he can even get some sunshine in the morning.
Thinking that Sanwa was too hot from herding sheep in the sun, Song Chunxue wasn't sleepy either. She turned around and went into the kitchen to make him some more cold noodles.
After Jiang Hongying woke up, she heard noises coming from the kitchen.
"Mother, when did you get back? Aren't you going to get some sleep?" Jiang Hongying walked into the house and saw Song Chunxue busy at work. She couldn't help but advise her, "Mother, you need to take care of your health. You'll regret it when you get old. Don't think about my mother-in-law, who is now so in pain that she can't even walk."
"I want to eat some cold noodles. You and the kids can have some too. I'll take a nap after it's done," Song Chunxue replied gently. "I'm not as hardworking as I used to be. Don't worry, I take good care of my health."
"How's Sanwa's marriage going?" Jiang Hongying asked with a smile. "Has he agreed yet?"
"It's almost certain. When Mulan's father comes next time, we can discuss the engagement."
As she spoke, Song Chunxue scooped the prepared jelly into bowls and plates.
This way it cools down faster, and we can eat it after the third child wakes up.
Jiang Hongying looked at her with some surprise, "Mother, I'm not used to you speaking so gently now."
"What, do you only feel comfortable if I yell at you?"
“No, it’s just…” Jiang Hongying touched her chin thoughtfully, “Sanwa is right, you have indeed changed a lot, the sun has risen in the west.”
Song Chunxue didn't speak. The sun hadn't risen in the west yet, but no one could have imagined that her soul was already seventy-eight years old.
"Mom, go and get some sleep. I'll take care of the rest. When you wake up, I'll go with you to the mountain to weed. I can't stand staying at home."
Song Chunxue put down her spoon. "Then I'm going to take a nap."
*
When Sanwa woke up and learned that his mother had made jelly, he happily ran to the kitchen, cut two bowls, and ate them.
He drank the broth from the stir-fried vegetables and ate the fragrant buckwheat jelly, thinking to himself that it felt like Chinese New Year every day lately.
No, it should be even happier than Chinese New Year.
Jiang Hongying watched as Sanwa squatted by the table, eating heartily, and couldn't help but feel curious.
"Third Brother, now that the second brother has gone to the army and the eldest brother has been separated from his family, don't you feel like you've suddenly become very valuable?"
"Mmm," Sanwa nodded subconsciously, "The jelly is really delicious, would you like another bowl?"
Jiang Hongying laughed. This kid is quite clever; he knows how to avoid the topic.
"Eat less, it'll be uncomfortable to walk if you're too full."
While drinking the soup, Sanwa said, "I'm not full. If I wasn't afraid of being full, I would have eaten another bowl."
After waking up, Song Chunxue ate two bowls of cold noodles before contentedly putting on her hat and heading to the fields.
Jiang Hongying wanted to take the child with her, so Song Chunxue took a lock and locked the courtyard gate.
However, she didn't expect that even though she locked the door, someone still got into her house.
Not only that, her box had also been chopped with an axe.
If it weren't for the fact that her dowry chest was lined with tin and made of apricot wood, everything inside might have already been taken away.
"Mother, what's going on?"
"Who dares to break into your suitcase in broad daylight? Aren't they afraid...?"
Jiang Hongying saw the broken lock and was about to start cursing when Song Chunxue covered her mouth.
She sensed something was wrong. "What? Mother knows who did it?"
Song Chunxue sat on the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed) and turned the badly damaged lock a couple of times.
"Hmph, who else could it be? When we left today, the eldest son and his wife hadn't even gone to the fields yet. And very few people knew that I hid this box under the blanket; they were all family members."
Jiang Hongying was stunned. She sat down in the chair, holding the child, shook her head slightly, and muttered to herself, "Impossible."
"Yes, I used to think it was impossible, but in the past month since he started clamoring to split up the family, I've seen it for myself. I've really spoiled the eldest son."
She tossed the lock aside, scoffed, and leaned against the wooden cabinet on the kang (a heated brick bed). "Nobody except our own family thinks I've raised so many of you, supported the eldest, second, and fourth sons through school, and even managed to save some money in the box."
She chuckled self-deprecatingly, "Everyone thinks it wasn't easy for me to raise you all, but I don't feel that way about the eldest child whom I've always taken the best care of."
Since giving birth, Jiang Hongying has understood Song Chunxue's sadness and has remained silent.
"grandmother."
The little girl Xiujuan, with big eyes in Jiang Hongying's arms, seemed to know Song Chunxue's sadness and reached out her hand in a childish voice, as if to cheer her up.
The sadness and disappointment in her heart suddenly faded away, and Song Chunxue reached out to hug the child.
"Come here, give Xiujuan a hug. Children are always cuter when they're little."
"Mother, what should we do? Where should we put this box tomorrow?" Jiang Hongying whispered. "If he dares to break it once, he'll dare to break it twice. Do you want to go and ask him in person?"
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