Chapter 12: Betrothal Gift — 1888

At the beginning of the meal, everyone had been cheerful and chatty, but after Hongmei came and caused a bit of a stir, the atmosphere had grown a little awkward.

Shen Juan glanced at the two kids and said as if nothing had happened: “Don’t just sit there. If you don’t start eating soon, the food’s going to get cold. Come on, eat up.”

Only then did everyone pick up their chopsticks.

At first, the mood was still a bit tense, but after a while, it was Bai Yaotian who broke the uncomfortable silence.

“Xiao Lu, right?”

Facing Lu Siting, Bai Yaotian remained serious as he asked: “What do you do? I think my daughter mentioned you’re in the military?”

Putting down his chopsticks, Lu Siting turned slightly and replied: “Yes, Uncle. After I graduated, I joined the army. Right now, I serve as a Battalion Commander.”

To hold the position of Battalion Commander in his twenties—it was clear Lu Siting was a capable young man with a promising future. No one could say just how far he might go in the years to come.

As Bai Wei’s father, Bai Yaotian understood what kind of men his daughter liked. The man before him was exactly her type.

Moreover, even though Lu Siting was a Battalion Commander, he wasn’t someone who threw his weight around.

They had met through a blind date, and this was his first time visiting their home. Yet, he had gone into the kitchen and prepared such a large spread. He didn’t show even a hint of male chauvinism. No wonder young women these days preferred men like him.

Bai Yaotian quietly observed him and nodded to himself.

Even though they hadn’t known each other long, from the moment Lu Siting entered the house to when he cooked the meal, all his actions showed nothing to fault. He had carried himself extremely well.

In Bai Yaotian’s heart, he was already quite satisfied with this son-in-law.

As long as the man had good character and treated his daughter well in the future, there was nothing more he could ask for.

After the meal, they sat down and began to discuss the matter of marriage.

Although the two had already registered their marriage, and formal betrothal ceremonies and engagements were no longer necessary, the essential customs couldn’t be skipped—like the bride price and the dowry.

“Xiao Lu, now that you two have registered your marriage, we’re family. Still, we need to make things clear. What’s the situation on your side? How much are you offering for the bride price?”

In those times, the bride price usually wasn’t much money, but families with some means would prepare the “four big items” or even the “eight big items.”

In rural areas, the typical bride price was 66 yuan, 88 yuan, or 188 yuan. If someone could afford a cash register or sewing machine, it would become an event big enough to draw the attention of the entire village.

In town or county areas, bride prices were higher, often based on auspicious numbers—like 666 yuan or 888 yuan. That was already considered very generous.

If the bride price also came with four or eight traditional gifts, it was considered a perfect wedding.

Of course, the higher the bride price, the better the family’s financial condition.

Lu Siting was a soldier—and a Battalion Commander at that—so his monthly salary shouldn’t be low.

But he and Bai Wei had only known each other for a day before getting married. Even if it had been love at first sight, there wasn’t much emotional foundation between them. How much could he be expected to offer?

Bai Wei glanced sideways at Lu Siting.

Even though she didn’t care how much the bride price was—after all, she could earn her own money—there was a saying:

A man who’s willing to spend money on you might love you. But if he’s not even willing to spend money on you, he definitely doesn’t.

Even if it was too soon to talk about love when they’d just met today, at the very least, it was a sign of how much he valued her.

So Bai Wei still cared.

Lu Siting didn’t think for long. He glanced at Bai Wei, then turned to Bai Yaotian and said: “One thousand eight hundred and eighty-eight yuan. What do you think?”