This gossip is naturally about the Lu family.
The main parties involved are Lu Kai and Xu Zhenzhu, who are newly married.
Xu Ningyan and Gu Zhiyuan left after returning the money they had given as gifts at the banquet that day. Although Lin Hong did not attend the banquet, her home was not far from the Lu family's, and she witnessed almost the entire event that followed.
I've been wanting to share this gossip with Xu Ningyan for ages, and I've been holding it in until today. She's about to burst with pent-up curiosity.
Before Xu Ningyan could ask, he poured everything out in one go.
It turned out that after all the outsiders left that day, only relatives and close friends stayed behind, and they were determined to make a ruckus in the bridal chamber that night.
Since it was the first day of their marriage, according to old custom, they had to stay at the Lu family home for a month before moving out.
Xu Zhenzhu and Lu Kai returned to the Lu family, and about twenty members of the Xu family went with them.
It is said that the Lu family's house, which is so big, is always packed with people.
The Lu family doesn't charge outsiders for gifts, but they do charge relatives and elders for tea.
This is a custom in Jingshan County: after marriage, the newlyweds serve tea, which is actually brown sugar water, to their relatives and elders.
When relatives or elders take the tea and drink it, they put money in the teacup; this is called "tea money."
It is the support and care that relatives and elders have for the young couple.
In most families, the money received for tea from newlyweds is considered the couple's private savings. However, in families facing financial difficulties, the parents may ask for this money back.
On this day, the bride will serve tea to her parents-in-law. In front of relatives and friends, the parents-in-law will drink the tea and give her a "change of address fee".
There will also be a designated person to help receive the red envelopes and then announce in public which elder gave how much.
Mr. and Mrs. Lu were prepared. When Xu Zhenzhu changed her address to "Mom and Dad," they each gave her a sealed red envelope.
Upon opening the package, I found that each person received fifty, which was already considered a very generous gesture.
The relatives on Lu's side had also made preparations, and since the money for the wedding gifts had been returned, everyone simply added it all to the tea money and gave it to the young couple.
The amount of money given as a gift is already quite substantial, at least five or ten yuan, and when you add the same amount for tea, it becomes rather considerable.
After the Lu family's relatives finished their tea, the Xu family members came into the spotlight.
I don't know who was being mischievous, probably just someone who didn't like the Xu family, but someone shouted from the side, "The groom has already drunk his tea, so the bride's elders should drink some too!"
There is a local custom that the groom's family gives the bride's family a dowry, and the bride's family, upon receiving the dowry, will distribute some money and gifts to relatives and friends with whom they will have future interactions.
When these relatives and friends accompany the bride to the groom's home, if they happen to be having tea, they will take out the dowry money given by the bride's family as tea money. Those who are more particular will add a little, while those who are less particular will add less.
It's no big deal that he made such a fuss; he didn't know that the Lu family hadn't given any betrothal gifts!
It's a bit unreasonable to expect the bride's family to pay for tea without giving a bride price.
Mr. Lu hadn't expected this turn of events, and immediately stood up to speak, saying that it wasn't necessary, that their Lu family didn't have such a rule, and so on.
The people around them started to jeer, which actually put both the Xu and Lu families on the spot.
The Xu family's faces were naturally not good. Not only did each of them contribute a hundred yuan as dowry, but they also had to pay for tea.
Comparing the two sets of relatives, even if they contribute very little, they should at least give three or five yuan, right?
Moreover, as long as tea is served, regardless of seniority or age, one must pay this fee.
The Xu family has about twenty members. Apart from the few unmarried children, they will probably lose at least several tens of yuan.
Who would be willing?
Even Xu Yinlai stopped trying to smooth things over.
The atmosphere suddenly became tense.
Then, some reckless person from the Lu family shouted out from the crowd, "If your maternal family can't afford the tea, why did you come to the banquet?"
In short, both the Xu and Lu families changed their expressions.
Xu Yejun's wife couldn't hold back any longer and replied in a voice that wasn't too loud, "The Lu family didn't even give a bride price, so why should we pay for tea?"
"What a joke! How could there be no betrothal gifts?" The relatives from the Lu family naturally didn't believe it and retorted loudly.
Seeing the grim expression on Lu's father's face, he belatedly realized that he probably hadn't given any betrothal gifts after all.
At this point, the relatives on Lu's side also fell silent, and an awkward atmosphere filled the entire Lu family.
Xu Zhenzhu, who had been standing to the side, finally couldn't hold back anymore and burst into tears, rushing into the bridal chamber and refusing to come out.
Lu Kai hurriedly followed them inside to comfort them.
The relatives on Lu's side all looked embarrassed and awkward.
They had originally planned to make merry in the bridal chamber and have dinner before leaving, but they couldn't sit still any longer and all said their goodbyes.
Xu Yinlai and the others couldn't stay any longer, so they said goodbye.
Even the usually smooth-talking Mr. Lu didn't try to stop him. He had a sullen face and was still seething with anger.
How much is this bride price worth? Even if he's frugal, he won't give anyone cause for criticism on this matter.
Xu Zhenzhu whispered something in Lu Kai's ear, saying that she was sincere towards Lu Kai and didn't want to accept a bride price to tarnish their relationship! She also talked about equality! She said that she was also considering Lu Kai's feelings, and that the two of them shouldn't accept a bride price or pretend, in accordance with the policy, and so on.
They even said that their family had all agreed, saying they didn't want a bride price, as long as Lu Kai treated her well!
Xu Zhenzhu made a solemn promise, and Lu Kai believed her, so he believed her too!
But judging from what they said today and the behavior of the Xu family, I'm afraid that although they agreed on the surface, they probably have a lot of objections in their hearts.
The culprit, Xu Zhenzhu, actually has the nerve to cry?
The more Lu's father thought about it, the angrier he became. He forced himself to see all the guests off, then closed the door and gave Lu Kai a severe scolding.
The sound could be heard by two or three neighboring houses.
In addition, some of Lu's relatives were loose-lipped, and the news spread throughout the machinery factory the very next day.
It was fortunate that Lu Kai had a few days of wedding leave and didn't go to work on the second day, otherwise heaven knows how many people would have asked him how he actually got a wife for free without paying a bride price.
The next day, Lu Kai and Xu Zhenzhu returned to their parents' home.
They naturally returned to Xu Yinlai's house.
I went out in a bad mood this morning and came back in a huff, so it seems that my visit home for the bride's family visit didn't go very smoothly either.
That evening, I overheard the young couple arguing again, but it ended with Xu Zhenzhu crying and Lu Kai comforting her, which was considered a reluctant resolution.
Although Lu's mother hasn't said anything about it outside, the neighbors living next to the Lu family know about it.
Although the new bride, Xu Zhenzhu, was a country girl, she was even more spoiled than the city girls.
On the third day after becoming a new bride, she not only didn't get up to cook, but also slept in bed, waiting for her mother-in-law to cook and wake her up.
It's said that Lu's mother's face has been dark with anger lately since she went to work.
Many people in the machinery factory are already laughing at Lu Kai behind his back. After all that careful selection, he actually chose such a wife. He's going to have a lot of trouble in the future.
Xu Zhenzhu never expected that just because she was on her period and didn't go out, she would hear so much gossip about Xu Zhenzhu and her friends.
She was amazed by what she heard, wondering what was going on in Xu Zhenzhu's head.
They keep doing things that offend both sides.
From now on, neither my husband's family nor my own will be well-liked! That's just too good!
Upon hearing this good news, Xu Ningyan's mood immediately brightened.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
