Chapter 117, Bonus Chapter for 30,000 Nutrient Solution: Pearl Earring
"The magnolias and other flowers in the garden are in full bloom, and young girls love to see them."
Grandma Lu called Cuizhi over, "Take Miss Qiao and the others to stroll around the garden and pick a basketful for them."
Cuizhi agreed and gestured for them to proceed.
Cao Yuan was very good at reading people's expressions. Knowing that Old Madam Lu had something to say to her parents-in-law, she got up first and then went to see her fifth sister, saying, "Let's go see her together."
Qiao Mianmian was just about to go for a stroll, and she happily took her second sister-in-law's arm as they went out.
Cuizhi led the way, "Besides magnolias, there are peach blossoms and other flowers in the garden. It's all thanks to Third Master Qiao's care that the flowers in the garden bloom so beautifully. You can pick them to make rouge, use them for flower arranging, or make sachets; they're all very nice."
Cao Yuan and Hu Qianqian didn't know anything about flower arranging, so they couldn't keep up the conversation. Qiao Mianmian took the initiative and said, "Then please teach us, Sister Cuizhi, which ones we should pick. Otherwise, if we just pick them randomly, it won't look very elegant."
"It's actually very simple. Don't pick one tree and pluck it all at once. Just pick flowers from all the trees." Cuizhi led the Qiao family to the garden, where the spring flowers were in full bloom. She found some scissors and led them to pick flowers.
On the other side, Old Mrs. Lu looked at the Qiao couple and, seeing their restraint, offered them tea. "We've met before, so don't be so formal. I invited you here today to have a chat. Thank you."
As she spoke, Granny Kong brought over a box containing jewelry. "Last time I came in a hurry and didn't prepare anything. After returning to Bianjing, I specially had these prepared. I know your family has many women. These are the fashionable bionic flower hairpins in Bianjing. Take them back for your women to choose from."
The lifelike artificial flowers inside the wooden box are so realistic that you might mistake them for real flowers if you didn't look closely.
Lin thought the gift was nice, but not knowing the price, she still felt it was expensive. "Isn't this gift a bit too expensive? What we did was just ordinary neighborly interaction, nothing special."
"What may seem like nothing to you is a great help to me," Grandma Lu sighed. "To be honest, my eldest grandson is very stubborn. His father and I couldn't get along, so he ran away to Lin'an in a fit of anger. I've raised him with great care since he was little, and the thought of him coming to Lin'an with only a dim-witted Qingjiu by his side has made me worry day and night. I thought they would have a hard life, but thankfully your family can provide them with hot meals, which is why they've been raised so well."
"That's the truth," Grandma Lu continued. "I've come to terms with it now. Children and grandchildren have their own blessings. My grandson is stubborn and insists on staying in Lin'an to live a simple life, so I want him to have his own little family. As you know, last year I looked after many families for him in Lin'an, but none of them suited his taste."
Everyone in the alley knows this.
Hearing this, Madam Lin turned to look at Qiao Mancang, but she still couldn't figure out what Old Madam Lu meant.
"Later, I went back and thought about it carefully. Your family is truly harmonious. I would be at ease if my grandson were as happy as you are." Old Mrs. Lu stopped there, as things were still far from settled and it wasn't appropriate to be too direct.
Interpersonal relationships, especially when it comes to marriage, cannot be rushed at crucial moments. She needs to demonstrate the decorum of a large family and make people feel valued.
Lin was confused by what she heard, and although she had a thought in her mind, she was not quite sure she could believe it.
In short, I barely ate any of the afternoon tea; I was mostly trying to guess what Grandma Lu meant.
Once Qiao Mianmian and the others return, the Qiao family should bid farewell.
Grandma Lu asked Granny Kong to personally see them off. Granny Kong escorted the Qiao family to the door, saying, "My grandmother likes lively gatherings. You are welcome to visit anytime. Otherwise, such a large courtyard would be too deserted without anyone else to talk to."
After they had walked quite a distance from the Lu family residence, Lin Shi whispered to Qiao Mancang, "What do you think Old Madam Lu means by this?"
Qiao Mancang said he didn't know, "Judging from her expression, it's as if we saved Lord Lu's life."
In their view, these were all very ordinary things.
“I think so too. I almost misunderstood her actions. I thought she had taken a liking to our Mianmian and wanted to arrange a marriage between Lord Lu and our family.” At this point, Madam Lin turned to look at her daughter carrying the flower basket and whispered, “Lord Lu himself is impeccable, but the Lu family is far inferior to our family. Moreover, the Lu family is a prominent family in Bianjing, and we are not on the same level.”
Lin sighed inwardly, wishing that Lu Zhao's family background wasn't so good, and that he could get closer to them.
If they marry their daughter off to such a high position, they won't be able to protect her if anything happens in the future.
Lin thought long-term, while Qiao Mancang only thought Lu Zhao was not bad. If the Lu family really wanted to propose marriage, he thought it would be a good thing.
Qiao Mianmian was thinking about how to make sachets. She said to her two sisters-in-law, "I'll dry these flowers later, make them, and give them to you. Hang them in your house, and the fragrance will last for several days."
Cao Yuan laughed and said, "Giving it to us would be a waste. Your second brother smells terrible, and he'll ruin the sachets in no time."
“Tell your second brother not to come into the house until he’s clean,” Qiao Mianmian said. “We’re all clean ourselves, there’s no reason for the men to be dirty.”
She looked at the flower basket and said that it could also be used to make flower cakes. When she got back to the food shop, she asked her mother to knead the dough.
The flower cake is simple: first, salt the fresh flowers to draw out their moisture, then simmer them in sugar. As for the dough, spread ghee on it before kneading.
Qiao Mianmian was making flower cakes in the kitchen, while the rest of the Qiao family members were busy with their own tasks.
She made the flower cakes, and remembering that the flowers were picked by the Lu family, she asked her cousin, who was on his way to deliver them, to give them to the Lu family.
When Grandma Lu received the flower cakes, she picked one up and tasted it. The crust was crispy. "This Miss Qiao has quite a skill," she remarked.
"The fact that she thought of you shows that she is thoughtful. However, judging from the way Miss Qiao Fifth looks, she doesn't seem to care much about the eldest young master, nor does the Qiao family," said Granny Kong.
At first, Grandma Lu didn't quite understand why the Qiao family didn't have any improper thoughts about this, since they lived right across from each other and her grandson was good to her in every way.
At first, she wasn't very happy.
Later she realized that the Qiao family understood the difference between the two families and had no intention of letting their daughter marry into a higher social class.
“Don’t let the Qiao family’s humble origins fool you. Mrs. Qiao is very shrewd. We need to be more proactive so that they can be mentally prepared.”
Grandma Lu said, "Go and find Zhao'er's mother's pearl earrings and send them to the Qiao family tomorrow. Tell them that I really like the flower cakes she makes and that she should come and visit often when she has time."
Today's artificial flowers are given to everyone in the Qiao family, representing Old Madam Lu's respect for the Qiao family.
But the fact that the pearl earrings were only given to Qiao Mianmian has another layer of meaning.
The next day, when Qiao Mianmian returned home in the evening, she was shocked to see the pearl earrings her grandmother handed her.
"Grandmother, these two pearls are as big as my thumb." Qiao Mianmian meant that such valuable things shouldn't be accepted, right?
Zhang said, "It looks expensive. I said I couldn't accept it, but Granny Kong insisted on keeping it. What do you think we should do? Should we find an explanation to return it, or what should we say?"
The Lu family was very proactive in sending gifts, and Zhang, being an experienced woman, had figured out some of the tricks of the trade.
Qiao Mianmian didn't think too much about it; she just felt that the pearl earrings were too expensive, and if she accepted them, she wouldn't be able to repay the favor later.
She asked her elders to come up with an explanation, but she couldn't think of one herself.
However, Qiao Mianmian still took a look at the pearl earrings. The pearls were round and full, and they looked like good quality items.
She left the difficult problem to her elders, and when she went out to get some water, she happened to run into Qingjiu.
Qingjiu had just returned from fetching water when he saw Qiao Mianmian and greeted her with a smile, "Fifth Miss Qiao, your flower cakes are delicious. I heard the old lady sent you something, what did she send?"
“A pair of pearl earrings, the pearls are as big as my thumb,” Qiao Mianmian said.
"Pearl earrings? And are they with agate tassels hanging from them?" Qingjiu was a little surprised when she saw Qiao Mianmian nod. "Grandma is really generous. This was your mother's dowry. It seems Grandma likes you very much."
Upon hearing the words "dowry," Qiao Mianmian immediately realized something was wrong. As soon as Qingjiu entered the courtyard, she hurriedly ran back.
When Madam Lin heard that it was part of Lu Zhao's mother's dowry, she was equally stunned. "Is it really Madam Lu's dowry?"
"It should be, according to Qingjiu, it's probably about 80%. Mother, Old Madam Lu sent such a valuable gift, which was also part of Lord Lu's mother's dowry, isn't that..."
She never imagined that Old Mrs. Lu would choose her as her granddaughter-in-law.
Looking at the pearl earrings on the table, the other members of the Qiao family had different attitudes. Hu Qianqian said it was a good thing, "Lord Lu is young and promising, has a large family fortune, and is a good person. He is much better than Young Master Zhou!"
Cao Yuan was somewhat worried, "But our family is so different from the Lu family. Lord Lu's mother is gone, but he still has his father and grandmother. If Mianmian marries into the Lu family, will they like her?"
Qiao Jiaxing said, "I don't know what kind of person Master Lu is, but Old Madam Lu is kind and seems easy to get along with. Besides, other people's attitudes aren't that important; it depends on Master Lu's own intentions. I knew it! Fifth Sister is beautiful and capable; Master Lu sees her every day, so he's bound to have some thoughts about her. I think it must be Master Lu's own idea that Old Madam Lu sent the gift."
Qiao Jiawang had no opinion; he felt that everyone's words made sense.
Looking at her most beloved granddaughter, Zhang couldn't help but feel happy, but at the same time, she was worried. "Mianmian, what do you think? Would you like to marry Lord Lu?"
"I...I hadn't thought about this," Qiao Mianmian said truthfully. "It was too sudden."
Madam Lin nodded and said, "It was indeed unexpected. I never thought of it this way. I even considered Scholar Xu, but I never thought of Lord Lu. He is a good person, but... but the City God's Office is dangerous, and my family situation is complicated. For the moment, I can't figure out whether he is good or bad."
Qiao Youfu was very happy. If his granddaughter could marry into the Lu family, he would have a lot of face in the future. "If you can't think it through, then think it through more. The Lu family hasn't made it clear yet, which is to give our family a chance to think. But Mianmian, your grandfather thinks this is a good match. With our family's background, it is not easy for you to marry a young talent like Lord Lu. Everyone has flaws and no one is perfect. Think it over carefully and make a decision when you are sure."
Qiao Mancang chimed in, "Yes, think it over more, and then we'll talk about it."
Everyone took turns saying a few words, and they didn't disperse until late at night.
After lying down, Qiao Mianmian couldn't fall asleep. She made a hypothetical question: how would she feel if she really married Lu Zhao?
Do you find it offensive?
No.
She couldn't help but think of Lu Zhao's handsome face, and his well-proportioned and firm abdominal and pectoral muscles, and a sense of anticipation arose in her heart.
"You big yellow girl!"
Qiao Mianmian muttered, "How can you judge a book by its cover?"
She stared at the dark ceiling and quickly found an explanation for herself, "But Lord Lu's appearance is indeed first-rate. There is no more handsome man in Lin'an City. Moreover, in terms of character, Lord Lu is also a good person. He is humble and polite, and physically strong. It's just that he is a bit boring."
Qiao Mianmian was talking to herself, seeing both the advantages and some disadvantages.
Finally, she remembered what her second brother had said: Old Madam Lu's thoughts were one thing, but she didn't know what Lord Lu himself thought.
If it's just Grandma Lu's own idea, then there's no use in her thinking about it now.
"Go to sleep first," Qiao Mianmian told herself. "No rush."
She slowly closed her eyes, and when she woke up the next day, her cheeks were hot. As for what happened in her dream, she couldn't go into details.
"Mianmian, your mother wants you to go to the food shop early." Zhang brought breakfast to her granddaughter. "She's anxious. She probably didn't sleep much last night and wants to hear your thoughts as soon as possible."
Actually, Mrs. Zhang also wanted to hear the answer, but she wouldn't urge her granddaughter to give her a result.
"I haven't thought about it yet." Marriage is a big deal, how could Qiao Mianmian make a decision so quickly? She quickly finished her breakfast and went out.
As luck would have it, she ran into Lu Zhao at the door, who was about to leave. Their eyes met, and Qiao Mianmian thought she would feel awkward, but the thought that popped into her mind was—he really is handsome.
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