Ren Xiaoxi also sat at the table, listening with his face supported by his hands.
When she heard about the two pieces of red silk, Ren Xiaoxi said quickly, "You can take this red silk with me as my dowry when the time comes."
Upon hearing this, Old Man Ren was immediately unhappy, "You haven't even married yet, but you've already set your sights on someone else's family, wanting to take all the good things from your husband's family."
"It's ok for me not to take it with me, but Dad, please take out the dowry list you prepared for me. Do you want me to marry into the Jin family empty-handed?"
Old Man Ren smoked his pipe without saying a word. Ren Xiaoxi said angrily, "The new daughter-in-law of the Li family who jumped into the pond doesn't have a penny. Are you trying to force me to death?"
Old Man Ren slammed the table and said, "It's just a piece of cloth. I'll give it to you."
Ren Xiaoxi was illiterate, but she was still careful and asked Ren Xiaomei to make a mark next to the red silk satin.
The father and daughter listened to the list of betrothal gifts, discussing them item by item.
Seeing this, Mrs. Shu ran to the kitchen to complain to Mrs. He, "I think even if my sister-in-law marries well, our family may not be able to benefit from her. Now that she hasn't even married yet, she's already thinking about the betrothal gift..."
He didn't answer, she just put down the water scoop and went to the living room.
The two were still arguing over a pair of gold earrings. Ren Xiaoxi said without showing any weakness, "Dad, you are a grown man, what do you want to do by hoarding a pair of earrings?"
"All the gold must belong to me. With this, you don't have to worry about anything from now on." Old Man Ren said.
Ren Xiaoxi wanted to say something, but He slammed the table and cursed, "Alright!"
"Those who know you are father and daughter will think you are enemies, while those who don't know will think you are enemies. You keep making fun of our family." He scolded.
Old Man Ren pointed at the gold earrings on the engagement form and said, "Old lady, I asked for these earrings for you."
"Since ancient times, it has been believed that the way you distribute betrothal gifts is unacceptable." He took the betrothal form from Ren Xiaomei's hand.
Ren Xiaoxi's face changed. She knew that her mother had always been pessimistic about her and Jin Shaoyang, but she didn't expect her mother to be so cruel and not intend to give her anything.
He slapped the betrothal gift list in front of Ren Xiaoxi and said, "Don't keep anything written here. All of it will be given to you as a dowry. There's not much we can buy at home, so you'll have to rely on yourself in the future."
Ren Xiaoxi swallowed back all the grievances in her heart before she could say them out loud.
Hearing that none of the betrothal gifts could be left behind, Old Man Ren immediately became unhappy. He glared at him and scolded, "Your daughter is the legal wife of the Jin family, not some concubine or mistress. Can't you save some face? Can't you let your daughter live a smoother life in the second half of her life? If you dare to think about the betrothal gifts..."
After He finished speaking, he pulled out a kitchen knife from his waist, chopped it on the table, and said sternly, "If you have the guts, don't close your eyes tonight, old man!"
The three people in the room turned pale with fright, and even Shu, who was looking out from outside, retracted her head.
After Ren Xiaoxi reacted, he felt hot in his heart.
"No, no!"
Old Man Ren kept backing away until he was against the wall, then he waved his hands and said, "It's so unlucky to go out with a kitchen knife in broad daylight. Put it back quickly, I'm just joking with Xi girl."
As he said this, Old Man Ren's legs were shaking. It was Ren Xiaomei who dragged a bench and put it under his butt. He sat on it for a long time before he recovered.
After being married to He for so many years, she is really ruthless this time!
With the support of He, Ren Xiaoxi said, "Father and mother, I want to go to school to learn how to read and write."
Old Man Ren first glanced at He He, then hesitantly said, "Read...what books to read."
Ren Xiaoxi had read so many novels, and he knew that the romantic gentlemen were always attracted to talented women or young ladies. He had never seen any gentleman fall in love with an illiterate peasant girl.
Although she took advantage of Jin Shaoyang's young age and managed to win him over, this was not a long-term solution. Rather than being outdone by others in the future, it was better to plan early.
But if I say that, my father will definitely not agree.
Ren Xiaoxi said, "Brother Shaoyang said that even though he is a bastard, he still has property. If I can't read and do accounting, then he can only marry a woman who can manage the family business. Then I will only be a pretty vase."
Old Man Ren frowned. Although the girls in the village school didn't have to pay tuition, the writing brush, ink, paper and inkstone were still an expense...
After thinking for a long time, Old Man Ren gritted his teeth and thought that if you don't sacrifice the child, you can't catch the wolf. Since there is no hope for the betrothal gift, he should at least help Xi girl gain a foothold in the mansion. This will also bring a lot of benefits in the future. So he said, "Okay, ask your mother to send you there tomorrow."
"As a girl, why don't you just learn some embroidery? Why do you need to go to school?" Shu heard this when she came in to deliver water and muttered to herself.
Old Man Ren had just been frightened by He, and after hearing this, he got angry, "You useless woman, our girl is going to marry into Mr. Jin's family soon, that's a golden nest, how can she be the same as you? If you didn't eat and drink for free all day and didn't make a penny, would our family be so poor?"
"Okay," He said, "Eldest wife, go make some tea."
After sending the man away, He said, "Xi girl is a little older, it's good for her to know a few words. Rich people are different from us, they need to have a good brain to stand firm."
Old Man Ren turned to Ren Xiaoxi and said, "Girl, you must study hard. Even if we have to starve to death, we will let you marry in dignity. Don't forget your father's kindness in the future."
"When I get married, I will still need my father and mother's support. How dare I forget them?" Ren Xiaoxi said with a smile.
This father and daughter are really the same character. They are like enemies when they quarrel, and they are very hypocritical when they make peace.
He dressed up Ren Xiaoxi and brought a basket of dried vegetables to the Song family.
Although Ren Xiaoxi is also from Taoyuan Village, she is so old after all. If she wants to learn to read now, she is afraid that Song Yuehua or Master Yi will not accept her.
Moreover, Old Man Ren and Mrs. Shu had gone to work for the Guan family before...
Thinking of this, He couldn't help but sigh.
"Mom, what's wrong?" Ren Xiaoxi asked somewhat worriedly.
He smiled and said, "It's okay, it looks pretty good."
If that didn't work, she would just kowtow to Song Yuehua a few times and say more nice things. As long as the school could accept Xiaoxi and tell her to live a happier life after getting married, it wouldn't matter.
In fact, Song Yuehua really didn't have so many grudges. She looked at the mother and daughter of the He family in front of her. They were both from the village and it was fine for them to go to school. It was just that Ren Xiaoxi was already 16 years old this year.
"There is no problem with admission, but according to the academic division, you have to sit in the same class with Dabao and Xiaobao..." Song Yuehua was asking Ren Xiaoxi.
Ren Xiaoxi nodded and said, "Boss, I know all this, I will learn it well."
As long as he can accept it, Song Yuehua took the person to the school and handed him over to Xie Yu.
"Boss, thank you very much." Ren Xiaoxi said in a low voice with a red face.
Song Yuehua smiled and said, "By the way, congratulations. I will go to your wedding banquet on the wedding day."
Ren Xiaoxi smiled shyly and her face turned even redder.
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