Over here, the Lin family's courtyard was filled with congratulatory gifts from the village.
Now that everyone had more money, they added to the bride's dowry according to the village's customs.
There were also red envelopes hidden under the gifts, which were for the newlyweds.
Cao Dezheng helped carry the gifts up to the second floor.
Since we'll be setting up a table the next day, we'll try not to put anything downstairs.
When Lin Ziyan and the others returned from the ancestral hall, almost all the gifts in the courtyard had been moved upstairs, while Fatty was sitting in the main room eating an apple.
The chubby girl had a very big belly. She was wearing a dress and Aunt Chen kept nagging her, saying that she ate too much, which was why her belly was so big.
"Just stay at home. Your belly is so big, don't run around, lest you get bumped or hurt," Aunt Chen put down her basket and started nagging again.
The chubby girl rolled her eyes, too lazy to argue back with her mother.
The Lin family's courtyard was decorated with "double happiness" characters everywhere.
The trees were covered with red lanterns, and each lantern had a "double happiness" character pasted on it.
These were all cut by my great-grandmother, and even the lanterns were pasted by her.
We're also preparing for the new house.
"Ayan, how did you feel after paying your respects at the ancestral hall?" The chubby girl pulled Lin Ziyan to sit down.
Jiaojiao and Xiaoxiao returned home and immediately ran upstairs to watch TV.
Er Gouzi and Hu Zi followed behind them, each grabbing a handful of candy.
Lin Atai was afraid they would fall, so she followed them upstairs.
"I didn't feel anything," Lin Ziyan said honestly.
She just felt the atmosphere was nice and festive.
Now every room has couplets pasted on it, which were still written by my great-grandmother who cut the paper.
Uncle Chen was discussing with several elderly people in the village who would write the invitations, who would be responsible for inviting people into the village, and how the young men who would serve the food would form teams.
He took on almost everything that Lin Ziyan's father wanted to arrange.
"Ah Yan, are we really not going to accept any gifts?" Uncle Chen frowned, somewhat disapproving.
Lin Ziyan smiled and said, "No, please enjoy your meal and drinks, and let's add to the festive atmosphere."
Uncle Chen nodded, understanding what she meant.
The Lin family has few relatives, and they invited all the villagers who came to help to a feast so as not to burden anyone, and they did not accept any gifts.
When helping out as a relative, no money is accepted; only a dowry is provided.
“Ayan, your father’s relatives have come to visit, saying they’re here to help.”
Lin Ziyan looked towards the door, her eyelids twitching.
What you say comes true.
Uncle Chen suddenly stood up, the smile on his face vanished instantly, and his hands clenched tightly.
Lin Ziyan knew what Uncle Chen was thinking; he was speaking out for her father.
Such relatives are better off not being around; they won't even come to funerals.
In Uncle Chen's heart, this meant the end of their kinship.
"Ayan..." Uncle Chen called out, then sighed.
"Uncle Chen, you all go back first. I'll go and meet my father's relatives." Lin Ziyan gave him a reassuring look.
Seeing this, several elderly people in the village understood and left the Lin family together.
Cao De, with his arm around the chubby girl, did not leave.
"Ayan, don't be afraid, they won't dare to do anything." The chubby girl's eyes were full of worry.
Lin Ziyan nodded. Of course, they wouldn't dare to do anything, but they must have had a purpose.
Saying I'd help was just something I told outsiders.
"Don't say a word for a while." Lin Ziyan watched the group enter and calmly sat down in the main room to drink tea.
Seeing her expression, the villagers who were leading the way slipped away as if their feet were greased.
After entering the room, Uncle Li glanced at the furnishings and showed no intention of looking for his niece.
When he came to his senses, he saw that none of the villagers who had crowded in were there, and his heart sank.
Li Qiang recognized Lin Ziyan at a glance, simply because she was the only one with the strongest aura in the main room.
When he saw Lin Ziyan, he acted as if he were seeing the factory manager, and dared not utter a sound.
"Ayan, don't you remember your second uncle?" Uncle Li asked, adopting the demeanor of an elder, his eyes scrutinizing.
Thinking to himself, this niece is just like his sixth brother, cold-hearted and lacking in manners, not even serving tea to the elders when they come.
Lin Ziyan said, "Second Uncle? When my father and mother passed away at the same time last year, neither of you came. I thought this marriage was over."
"What, did I misunderstand?"
Li Qiang touched the tip of his nose guiltily, not daring to look his cousin in the eye.
The other young men didn't dare to speak either, and all looked at their second uncle.
Now that their eldest uncle is gone, they listen to their second uncle in everything.
Uncle Li pulled up a wooden chair next to him and sat down. "We were busy with farming at the time, how could we have time to attend a funeral?"
"Besides, my younger brother married into the Lin family, so it's understandable that he wouldn't come to the funeral."
Lin Ziyan was amused by his statement. So accepting gifts during holidays is acceptable, and not attending a funeral is considered giving face to the Lin family?
There is no such etiquette in the world.
"According to you, we can also sweep away uninvited guests with a broom," Lin Ziyan said unhurriedly.
Uncle Li glanced at her, cursing his niece a thousand times in his heart.
However, he didn't show it on his face, instead adopting the demeanor of an elder.
"How dare you speak to your elders like that? My younger brother is the most polite person in the family. How did he raise a daughter like you?"
"I heard you dropped out of school to go into business? That's ridiculous!"
"You're getting married in a couple of days, so hand over the family business to your cousins to manage. That way, outsiders won't swallow up the Lin family's assets and leave them without any descendants."
"We will take care of your two younger sisters..."
The chubby girl's eyes widened. She'd seen shameless people before, but never anyone so shameless.
Aren't they considered outsiders?
They claim to be my uncle and cousin, but they're actually robbers. They were nowhere to be found when the Lin family needed help before.
How dare you now ask for the Lin family's assets?
The chubby girl was about to curse when Cao De stopped her.
He had seen these people's true colors before; weren't his older brothers at home just like that?
"Li Er, who gave you the audacity to call yourself an elder in front of my granddaughter?"
Grandma came downstairs with a gloomy look in her eyes.
Uncle Li saw Aunt Lin, paused for a few seconds, and then quickly got up.
“Grandma Lin, my brother and his wife are no longer here. Their family property cannot be given to outsiders.”
He spoke with a guilty conscience, his eyes darting around, avoiding the old man's sharp gaze.
Lin Ziyan was about to speak when her grandmother stopped her and patted her hand.
Lin Atai said calmly, "Our Lin family's affairs are not for outsiders to decide."
"Even if I'm gone, Ayan and the others will still have the surname Lin, and they have nothing to do with your Li family."
“But she’s about to get married, Grandma, you’re getting senile, you’ll be left without any descendants…” Uncle Li continued, speaking as if it were his own daughter.
"Who said my granddaughter is getting married?" Grandma Lin retorted.
The younger members of the Li family were all stunned.
Uncle Li looked bewildered, glancing at the "double happiness" characters scattered throughout the house.
"Should I not get married, or should I marry into his family?"
The chubby girl was also stunned; she had always thought that Ayan was getting married.
"There will only be a banquet, no wedding ceremony. The children can take the surname Lin or Lu." Grandma said calmly, looking at the group of people.
A group of villagers had gathered at the entrance, and they were all stunned when they heard what she said.
The Lin family has always been special. In the past two generations, the Lin family members married into the Lin family. Now, they have even set a precedent by not marrying into the Lin family.
"Impossible!" Uncle Li's temples bulged with veins, his eyes filled with panic.
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