"You two dare to laugh at me? You deserve a beating!"
Lin Erxi got up from the kang (a heated brick bed) and pounced on it with a howl, and the room quickly became chaotic again.
Song Anxin, Lin's sister-in-law, and the others could only smile helplessly.
Actually, Lin Erxi was quite good-looking, with thick eyebrows and a dignified appearance, but she wasn't very popular in an era that valued gentle and graceful women.
Yu Zhiniang was overjoyed to receive the news. She was extremely satisfied with Huigong's family, and the Second Young Master Lin had even risked his life to save her Lin'er. She was sure she could entrust her daughter to such a good man.
Since Yu Zhiniang was to embark on her journey back to Liuzhou after the New Year, the marriage proposal process was rushed. Finally, the wedding date was set before the New Year, on the eighth day of the first lunar month. Yu Zhiniang also bought a house in Ningdu County, from which Yu Lin'er would be married.
On the 27th of the twelfth lunar month, all employees of Dafeng Factory received New Year's gifts and were given a holiday. On the 28th, the collective industry of Linjia Village distributed dividends. This year, with the booming production of cloud ear fungus, persimmon cakes, and the Linjia Village tourist area, all the villagers of Linjia Village have been lifted out of poverty and are now living a well-off life.
Linjia Village became the wealthiest village in the surrounding area, and the surrounding villages also saw their lives improve. That year, not only Linjia Village bought couplets, door gods, and firecrackers for the Spring Festival, but several surrounding villages also made their own.
On the 29th day of the twelfth lunar month, Song Anxin received a letter from Lin Fenghe. The letter said that he had arrived in the Northern Frontier with Lord Yan and told her not to worry. Judging from the date of the letter, he had probably been in the Northern Frontier for almost half a month.
On Lunar New Year's Eve, Linjia Village, Dawu Village, Shangyang Village... several villages were filled with festive cheer, and the sound of firecrackers crackled and popped incessantly.
The people of Ningdu County, Heyang County, Qi'an County, and other counties enjoyed a more sumptuous New Year's Eve dinner than usual due to this year's bumper harvest, and all had a truly wonderful New Year.
On the first day of the Lunar New Year, people flocked to Song Anxin's home to offer New Year's greetings. They included ordinary citizens, merchants, wealthy gentry, officials, and members of the elite...
After the New Year, Song Anxin began preparing for Lin Fengshou's wedding without stopping. She sent the betrothal gifts to the Yu family residence in Ningdu County in advance, wrote invitations (they had many visitors these days, and nearly a hundred invitations had already been sent out), decorated the house, arranged the banquet, and bought some ingredients in advance to store in the cellar...
Finally, the eighth day of the first lunar month arrived, and Song Anxin's family began to get busy. Lin Fengshou, dressed in a bright red wedding robe, led Xiaohe Fengyao and Dongzi... and the rest of them went to welcome the bride in a lively atmosphere.
As dusk approached, the sounds of gongs and drums filled the village road. The wedding procession entered the village. Lin Fengshou rode a tall horse with a beaming smile. Behind the bridal sedan chair followed many children and women. The old women and maids beside the sedan chair would occasionally throw out handfuls of lucky money, which caused people to scramble for them.
The villagers all exclaimed in amazement at how extravagant this wealthy family's wedding was!
The wedding procession quickly arrived at the gate of the house. After crossing the fire pit and completing the wedding ceremony, the bride and groom entered the bridal chamber. After lifting their veils and drinking the nuptial wine, the banquet began shortly afterward.
After the banquet, a group of people who were on good terms with Lin Fengshou invited him to the new house and insisted on making a ruckus in the bridal chamber.
Of course, Lin Erxi couldn't miss such a lively event. She immediately called to her two younger brothers, "Fengyao, Dongzi, let's go and make a ruckus in the bridal chamber."
Sister-in-law Lin looked on helplessly and said, "Sister-in-law, look at Erxi, she's already seventeen this year, but she still doesn't look like a girl. No wonder no one has come to our house to propose marriage. I'm so worried!"
Look at Liu Xiuhong, her reputation is so bad, yet she managed to marry a decent man and is living a good life now. Why is it that none of my family members can find a good man?
Since returning to the village, Liu Xiuhong had been living a quiet and hardworking life. The Fang couple found her another widower, an honest man who was still dirt poor and had a daughter. This time, Liu Xiuhong didn't mind and married him directly. The Fang couple even gave her a generous dowry.
Song Anxin comforted her, saying, "Sister-in-law, don't worry, Erxi's destiny hasn't arrived yet." She suddenly glanced at Erxi's side, and then she smiled deeply and gestured to her sister-in-law, "Who said your family can't meet a good man? Sister-in-law, look over there."
Following Song Anxin's gaze, Sister-in-law Lin saw Da Xi and Da Xiao Cao carrying a bucket of bowls and chopsticks, heading home. Qingshan, seeing this, immediately took the bucket from them, and Da Xiao Cao and Da Xiao Cao showered them with compliments.
"Wow! Uncle Qingshan is so awesome, so amazing!"
"Uncle Aoyama is amazing!..."
Lin Daxi said apologetically, "Brother Qingshan, it's alright, I can carry this stuff. Let me do it."
As he spoke, he reached for the bucket in Qingshan's hand, but Qingshan carried the bucket behind his back and said dryly, "It's nothing, I'm going that way anyway."
Without waiting for Lin Daxi's reaction, he turned and left. Da Xiaocao and Xiao Cao immediately followed. Qingshan slowed down to wait for Da Xiaocao.
Sister-in-law Lin looked puzzled: "What's wrong? Qingshan is a very good person, he likes to help others, and Da Cao and Xiao Cao like him very much. Your servants are all quite nice, sister-in-law. When I get old, I'll buy one to take care of myself, what do you say...?"
Song Anxin was embarrassed to see her sister-in-law going further and further astray, so she quickly interrupted her, saying, "Sister-in-law, look at the way Qingshan looks at Daxi."
Sister-in-law Lin then took a closer look. She had always thought that Qingshan was a kind and helpful person, but she hadn't paid much attention to him. Now, the more she looked, the more she felt something was off. Why were Qingshan's eyes always glancing at Daxi from time to time, and why did they seem to have feelings in them?
What?! Love!
Sister-in-law Lin was immediately shocked. Her eyes widened, and she covered her mouth, swallowing hard.
She whispered to Song Anxin, "Sister-in-law, does Qingshan have feelings for Daxi? You know Daxi's situation is rather special, and I'm not sure."
Song Anxin smiled and gave her an affirmative answer: "Sister-in-law, you're not mistaken, Qingshan is a good guy, right? But how come these two haven't made any progress after all this time?" She shook her head: "Qingshan is too unhelpful."
"Really! Qingshan is really interested in Daxi!" Sister-in-law Lin was overjoyed to hear this. "Oh my, Qingshan is so capable! He's steady, competent, and even knows martial arts. Sister-in-law, why didn't you tell me sooner? I've been worrying about Daxi every day."
Song Anxin touched her nose: "I just wanted the two young people to let things take their course."
"What do you mean by 'let nature take its course'? Qingshan is a nice guy, but he's a blockhead and doesn't talk much. If you hadn't reminded me today, I wouldn't have noticed. Daxi probably doesn't even know that Qingshan is interested in him." Sister-in-law Lin looked anxious. "No, I'm very satisfied with Qingshan. I can't let Daxi miss out. I have to try and match them up."
As she spoke, Sister-in-law Lin hurriedly went to catch up with Da Xi and the others.
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