Chapter 22: Three Carts of Dowry Shock the Village

After leaving the guesthouse, they first had breakfast and then found a row of abandoned warehouses on the outskirts of the city. Once they confirmed everything was fine, they went to the automobile transport company and rented three trucks, arranging for one truck to go to the department store to pick up goods in an hour, while the other two trucks would pick up items from the warehouse.

During that one-hour interval, the two of them first went to the department store to inform the manager, then returned to the warehouse. Shi Qingqian closed her eyes and concentrated; in an instant, tables, chairs, benches, sofas, and other items filled the entire warehouse. Even though Xu Huaian was mentally prepared, he was still shocked and gaped at the sight.

The roar of the trucks arrived on time. The two drivers got off, and although they had transported many goods over the years, seeing a warehouse full of furniture still surprised them.

“Big brother, little sister, where did you get so much furniture? It looks really good,” the older driver said as he helped carry items and chatted.

Xu Huaian replied, “My fiancée and I are about to get married. These are her dowry.”

“Dowry…?” The driver stumbled. Another driver clicked his tongue in admiration. “It’s rare nowadays to see such a rich dowry. Your future life together is bound to be prosperous.”

Xu Huaian smiled and thanked them.

After half a day of travel, the three trucks slowly drove into Xiangyang Village. The loud roaring immediately caught the attention of the village children, who excitedly ran behind the trucks, chattering about what was inside.

The adults came out to see, and when they saw Xu Huaian stepping down from the truck, their expressions turned to surprise.

“Hey, isn’t this Huaian? What’s going on here?”
“Can’t you tell? I heard he’s getting married—this must be the bridal gifts.”
“This is incredible—so many good things! The blankets alone will last a lifetime.”
“And a sewing machine… what’s in those long boxes? I’ve never seen them before.”
“Three trucks full of bridal gifts for one bride—Zhang Lanxiang must be crazy.”
“Who knows? Maybe her family is wealthy. Her eldest son is a high-ranking officer, not someone like us who scrape by on the fields.”

As the villagers discussed and followed the trucks to Xu Huaian’s home, the Xu family yard quickly became packed. The trucks stopped at the gate, and Xu Huaian helped Shi Qingqian down.

Someone immediately asked, “Huaian, why did you buy so much stuff? Are you preparing for something?”
“Yes, Uncle. When we get married, you must come—we’ll save some good wine for you.”
“Of course, I’ll definitely come.”

Neighbor Aunt Yang had initially thought it was better that her niece hadn’t gotten together with Xu Huaian. Military officers sound good, but how often are they home? In a harsh sense, marrying him would be like waiting alone at home. But now, seeing three truckloads of dowry, Aunt Yang felt envious—these things could have almost gone to her niece, yet most ended up elsewhere.

Aunt Yang called out to Zhang Lanxiang, who was walking outside: “Lanxiang, you need to manage things properly. Life isn’t just about buying things. No matter how much you buy, a good wife also needs to take care of her husband and in-laws, and bear children.”

Zhang Lanxiang’s expression darkened. She snapped, “Aunt Yang, what are you saying? My son has married a good wife and is living well—there’s no need for your worry.”

“Ungrateful,” Aunt Yang muttered under her breath.

Xu Huaian knew that the villagers must think he bought all these things as his bride’s dowry. He loudly said, “Mother, call my eldest and second brothers to help move Qingqian’s dowry inside.”

The villagers were stunned to learn that all three truckloads were Shi Qingqian’s dowry. The yard fell silent before erupting in chatter.

“This is unprecedented—so much dowry! The girl must be from a well-off family,” an elder said, stroking his beard.
“Indeed. I’ve never seen such a lavish dowry. Qingqian’s family must be extraordinary,” another elder agreed.

Envious glances were cast at the couple. Xu Huaian’s parents stood nearby, full of joy and pride.
“The Xu family is really lucky. The son is an officer, the daughter-in-law is wealthy—their life will only get better,” someone said enviously.
“Yes, from now on, the Xu family will be the luckiest in the village,” others nodded in agreement.

Zhang Lanxiang smiled warmly and greeted everyone: “When Huaian and Qingqian marry, everyone must come to the wedding banquet.”

The village men helped carry the goods. The villagers had the habit of helping whenever needed, without being asked. With everyone working together, the three truckloads of dowry were quickly moved into the Xu household. Xu Huaian’s room was packed full; anything that didn’t fit was temporarily placed in his parents’ rooms.

Shi Qingqian gave each of the three drivers 20 yuan and handed a handful of candies to the villagers who helped carry things. The villagers, holding the candies, couldn’t stop smiling.

“This new bride is really generous. Huaian is lucky,” Xu’s father remarked, showing admiration.

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After the items were moved, Shi Qingqian faced another huge problem: the house was too small to store everything. Moreover, the household had been split, but the kitchen was still shared. Whatever she ate couldn’t be hidden, and with Li Guifang being cheap and prone to trouble, conflicts were inevitable.

Although Shi Qingqian felt she could win any verbal disputes, it was still tiresome. She discussed with Xu Huaian about asking her second uncle to allocate a piece of land next to their house so they could build a few more rooms.

Xu Huaian had no objections; he was rarely home, so he wanted Shi Qingqian to be comfortable.

“Let’s tell our parents first so I can ask second uncle. Hopefully, construction can start tomorrow.”
“No need to rush.”
“I only have a little over ten days of leave. The more people we hire, the better. I want it finished before I leave.”

Shi Qingqian held his hand: “I’ve calculated—we need to build at least one bedroom, a main hall, a kitchen, a bathroom, and a firewood shed. You figure out how much land we need.”
“Got it,” Xu Huaian replied.