Chapter 74 Cold Noodles
Before the Li family arrived, Madam Lin gave them a few more instructions, "When you meet them later, say some nice things. You're so talkative at home, don't become speechless when you see a young girl. Do you understand?"
Qiao Jiaxing nodded, holding his teacup as if to drink, but was stopped by Madam Lin.
"Don't drink so much, or you'll keep going to the outhouse," Lin said.
"Second brother, are you particularly nervous?" Qiao Mianmian saw her second brother's tense posture. "It's not the first time, what's there to be afraid of? Relax, whether it works out or not is fate, it's not like it has to be the Li family."
Madam Lin looked at her daughter and said, "Don't relax too much. Your second brother has been looking at several families since the New Year. He's clearly a very good person, so why is it so difficult for him to find a wife?"
She was very kind to both of her sons, especially Qiao Jiaxing. When she first married into the Qiao family, Qiao Jiaxing was just a little boy. Children are easy to coax, and after feeding him a couple of times, he felt that she was good to him.
Qiao Jiaxing stared silently at the teacup without saying a word, while Qiao Mianmian was also very curious.
A little while later, the matchmaker brought over the Li family mother and daughter. Qiao Mianmian didn't dare to stare at them, but quickly glanced at them. The older sister of the Li family had a round face, was a bit plump, and had fair and rosy skin. Her face looked very pinchable.
She greeted Madam Li with a smile, saying, "My mother always praises Dr. Li's medical skills, saying that everyone in your neighborhood knows that Dr. Li is a miracle worker, very skilled."
Mrs. Li laughed heartily at the compliment, "Mrs. Qiao, your daughter is so eloquent, and quite pretty too. How old is she this year?"
"She will be of marriageable age in the autumn." Lin was pleased to hear her daughter praised, but her daughter was not the main character of the day. She had already looked Li Ling over and it seemed that the Li family doted on this daughter. She steered the conversation to the main character of the day, "I think Miss Li is also very nice. Please have some snacks. I didn't know what you liked to eat, so I just ordered three dishes."
The matchmaker continued, "Yes, let's have some snacks first."
The three plates of snacks were not cheap; they cost Lin ninety coins, not including the cost of tea.
If that doesn't work out, she'll have to choose someone from outside the family next time she goes on a blind date. Otherwise, she'll keep spending money without any results.
After they had eaten half of the snacks, Madam Lin and Madam Li asked what they wanted to know. They glanced at the matchmaker, who immediately understood. "Madam Li isn't looking for jewelry? There's a jewelry shop downstairs, why don't you go take a look?"
Lin added, "What a coincidence, I'd like to go take a look too."
The elders on both sides stood up together, and Mrs. Li patted her daughter on the shoulder, gesturing for her to sit down.
Seeing Qiao Jiaxing's demeanor, she was very satisfied. Although Lin was a stepmother, she seemed easy to talk to. After leaving the private room, she glanced at her daughter-in-law and left her at the door. They needed to give the two children space to talk, but someone had to be left at the door so that anyone outside would know immediately if anything happened.
Qiao Mianmian originally wanted to stay and eavesdrop, but Lin really wanted to show her daughter jewelry, so she took Qiao Mianmian to the jewelry shop.
The two people left behind, Qiao Jiaxing and his companion, were too embarrassed to look at each other.
At this time, marriage customs were not as rigid and outdated as in the previous dynasty. Moreover, they were all ordinary families in the city, and their children had to help with chores from a young age, so they couldn't stay at home at all.
About fifteen minutes later, Qiao Jiaxing had already drunk three cups of tea. He glanced at Li Ling across from him, his cheeks flushed, and said, "Um... I... you..."
“I’m the third child in my family, you can call me Miss Li the Third.” Seeing Qiao Jiaxing stammering for so long, Li Ling couldn’t help but grab a pastry and stuff it into her mouth. “The matchmaker said you were eloquent, how come you can’t speak now?”
"I..." Qiao Jiaxing looked at the tea in his cup, then drank it all in one gulp. "Miss Li, what do you think of our family?"
"Your family? The matchmaker said your whole family is capable, and I'll be able to enjoy a life of luxury after I marry into your family." Li Ling ate a plate of pastries in a short while. At home, her mother controlled her eating, but now that no one was watching, she ate one piece after another. "You can probably tell that my family dotes on me, so I'm not very good at housework. But I can lend a hand. At home, I only help with drying herbs. What about you? What do you do at home?"
Moreover, she heard that the Qiao family owned a restaurant, which was the place she was most excited about. If she went to the Qiao family, wouldn't she be able to eat as much as she wanted?
“Since we opened the food stall, everyone in the family has been very busy. I have to get up before dawn to sell noodles in the morning and cook dishes at noon. I also do the cleaning and tidying up in the evening,” Qiao Jiaxing said.
"So you didn't stop for a single day?" Li Ling's eyes widened.
Qiao Jiaxing nodded in agreement, “Our family business has just started to pick up, and we don’t have the money to hire too many people. We’re just earning a little money through hard work. From my grandparents to my fifth sister, everyone is very busy.”
The meaning is clear: he prefers people who are diligent.
Understanding Qiao Jiaxing's meaning, Li Ling frowned in distress. The matchmaker had said that she would enjoy a life of luxury after marrying into the Qiao family. She hadn't done much work at home, and she didn't want to do anything after getting married.
For a moment, looking at Qiao Jiaxing's handsome face, she lost all interest and turned her attention to the other snacks.
In the jewelry shop, Lin picked out a gold earring and put it on Qiao Mianmian, saying, "I think this is nice, what do you think?"
Qiao Mianmian looked at herself in the bronze mirror and shook her head, saying, "The style is too mature and is more suitable for you and Mrs. Li."
"Then take your time and see if there's anything you like. I'll buy you a set when you come of age."
Madam Lin let her daughter choose for herself, while she went to talk to Madam Li. The older generation of women discussed marriage arrangements, focusing on betrothal gifts and dowries.
When Madam Li inquired about Qiao Jiawang's betrothal gifts, she paused upon hearing the amount Lin mentioned. She then turned to the betrothal gifts of her neighbor's daughter, saying, "Her family is in a similar situation to mine. Besides a complete set of furniture, there was a betrothal gift of 188 taels of silver and a complete set of headdress and jewelry. There were also some other miscellaneous items. Her in-laws value her very much."
The "next-door neighbor" they were referring to was actually a request from the Li family.
Upon hearing this, Lin's hand holding the ring trembled, and the ring rolled several times, almost falling to the ground. Fortunately, Qiao Mianmian reacted quickly and held it down; otherwise, if it had been chipped or scratched, her family would have really bought it.
The bride price is 188 taels of silver? When Jiawang married the daughter of the Hu family, it didn't even cost 88 taels. This is far beyond Lin's budget.
If you add furniture and a banquet, it will cost at least three hundred taels of silver.
Perhaps because Lin's expression was too stiff, Madam Li asked, "What's wrong, Madam Qiao? Do you think it's too high? Or too low?"
“I made furniture for my eldest daughter-in-law, but the dowry… is far too low.” Madam Lin didn’t want to say it directly. “If one is higher and the other lower, it will cause discord between the sisters-in-law in the future. It’s better to keep them about the same.”
If the money is given as Madam Li suggested, Madam Lin will have to give Qianqian a portion of it. This is what she cares about most, otherwise she won't be able to sleep soundly, fearing that the Hu family will say behind her back that she is biased.
“That won’t do. We’re all neighbors, and my family is no worse off than others. If we are outdone, my husband will lose face.” Madam Li was unwilling to lower the dowry. She looked outside and said, “We’ve been out for a while now. If we don’t go back soon, the two children will be talking themselves hoarse.”
She tried to change the subject, and Ms. Lin immediately agreed.
After they returned, Madam Li took her daughter and left, leaving the Lin family of three behind.
Lin asked how it went.
Qiao Jiaxing was afraid of being scolded by his mother, but he still shook his head.
"Why is that?" Madam Lin was very curious about this. "I think the Li family's daughter is quite pretty. Why didn't you two have a good conversation?"
"Not really, I just don't think she's a good fit for our family," Qiao Jiaxing said. "She wants a life where she can be waited on hand and foot, but how could our family let her enjoy that kind of privilege?"
Thinking of Li Ling's delicate, white hands, and knowing that Li Ling was incapable of doing anything, Madam Lin couldn't help but sigh, "No one is born knowing everything. You can teach a wife slowly once she's married into the family. I ask you, are you dissatisfied with everything about her? Are you absolutely determined not to accept the Li family girl?"
If her son had any reservations, she would ask the matchmaker to mediate between the two sides. If the bride price could be lowered, the marriage could still be discussed.
Qiao Jiaxing remained silent, which made Lin Shi anxious. "Say something!"
Qiao Jiaxing took a deep breath, shook his head, and then the matchmaker returned.
"Oh dear, I say your family is too honest. How can you say everything so bluntly? If you're going to say something, you should at least say it in a nicer way." The matchmaker sighed as she looked at the Qiao family. "The Li family said that if you are willing to show sincerity, this marriage can be discussed. Otherwise, their daughter has no trouble finding a husband."
Madam Lin frowned, glancing at the matchmaker, then at her son, "Jiaxing, you..."
"No need. My family is what it is. Deception will never lead to a happy ending. Since we don't see eye to eye, we're not meant to be. There's no need to force it." Qiao Jiaxing finished speaking and left the private room. Qiao Mianmian immediately followed him.
As he walked, he said to his sister, "The girl doesn't have to do any work at her parents' home, so there's no reason for her to suffer at our home. It's not the Li family's fault, nor is it ours; it's just not a good fit."
“Yes, this one isn’t suitable. Let’s pick another one. There’s bound to be one that’s right,” Qiao Mianmian comforted. “Marriage is a big deal. We can’t just settle for someone. We only live once, so we have to choose the most suitable one.”
The brother and sister stopped at the entrance of the teahouse and saw Lin Shi come out with a dark face. Qiao Mianmian immediately went over to coax her, "Mother, don't be angry. Second brother is good-looking and hardworking. There are so many families in Lin'an City, there must be a suitable one. We appreciate your efforts and know that you have good intentions."
"Don't give me that." Madam Lin pushed her daughter away and snorted. "Don't think I don't know your tricks, you siblings. You're all always making me angry."
"Where is it? We love you so much we don't even have time to think about it." No matter how her mother waved her hands, Qiao Mianmian wouldn't let go.
"There are so many people watching on the street!" Unable to shake off her daughter, Lin had no choice but to give up. When she went to look at her second son, she could only sigh, "Fine, marriage is a lifelong matter. If you say it's not suitable, we'll continue to look. But you're not allowed to just walk away in the future. The matchmaker is working hard for you, running around doing all this. You have to give her face, understand?"
Qiao Jiaxing nodded.
The three of them headed home and saw a stall selling liangpi (cold skin noodles) on the way. Qiao Mianmian ordered two large bowls of liangpi.
This cold noodles shop didn't have any seasoning; you had to season it yourself at home. Qiao Mianmian took the cold noodles to the shop.
Lin wanted to go back and find someone to complain to, so instead of going to the shop, she went straight home to find her mother-in-law.
It wasn't dinnertime yet, but since everyone had eaten lunch early, they were all a bit hungry.
Qiao Mianmian added aged vinegar and chili oil, along with some crushed peanuts and garlic water, and mixed it all together with the cold noodles.
"Big brother, second brother, let's have some liangpi first!" Qiao Mianmian took a bite herself. The liangpi sold on the street had honeycomb texture and wasn't smooth enough. She could make it herself next time. However, the sauce she made was delicious, sour and spicy, and very appetizing. "Let's fill our stomachs first, there's still some time before dinner."
Qiao Jiaxing finished a bowl of liangpi (cold skin noodles) in a few bites. "It's delicious, even better than the ones I used to buy at the market."
Qiao Mianmian thought that the ingredients were still not enough. If there were some shredded cucumber and cilantro, it would be really delicious.
But it's good to have this as a snack to fill my stomach, otherwise I'll be drooling with hunger while cooking.
While Qiao Mianmian was clearing away the dishes, Qiao Jiawang pulled his younger brother aside and asked about the matchmaking event that day.
Seeing his younger brother shake his head, Qiao Jiawang became anxious, "You're not young anymore. If you keep being picky, Mianmian will be ready to get married!"
"Brother, why are you urging me too?" Qiao Jiaxing pouted, not really wanting to talk about this. "What's the rush? Wang Dazhu didn't get married until he was twenty-six. I'm much younger than him!"
"What are you comparing yourself to Wang Dazhu for?"
Qiao Jiawang frowned. "If you don't get engaged and keep dragging it out, what will people say about your parents?"
He wasn't a smooth talker, and that was all he could think of. "Alright, you know what's going on, we have guests coming."
An elderly man arrived at the lobby entrance, accompanied by a young woman. Qiao Jiawang quickly greeted him, "Hello, are you here for a meal?"
The old man pointed to Qiao Jiaxing behind the door, "Young man, just let him come over, you go and do your work."
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