Chapter 6: The Marriage Proposal is Settled

“Is someone at the door?”

The mother and daughter both looked out the window at the sound, almost simultaneously.

Su Yue saw Ling Xiangbei and lowered her voice to remind her mother,
“Mom, that’s Ling Xiangbei bringing his mother. The one in front must be the matchmaker.”

Shen Qiuxia nodded, adjusted her makeup in the mirror, then quickly went to the door to greet them.

She wore a polite smile on her face as she opened the courtyard gate and asked,
“You’ve arrived. May I ask who you are?”

Matchmaker Wang beamed with a broad smile, stepped forward enthusiastically, and said,
“Young lady, I’m Wang, the county’s matchmaker. Ling’s family asked me to come here especially to propose marriage for your daughter!”

She stepped aside to reveal Zhang Cuixi and Ling Xiangbei behind her, holding some gifts and wearing friendly smiles.

“Come in, come in!” Shen Qiuxia said as she invited them inside, then called out to the house,
“Yueyue, come out to greet our guests!”

At this moment, Su Yue had already brought tea from the kitchen. Ling Xiangbei spotted it at once, hurriedly put down his gifts, and stepped forward, his tone full of care,
“I’ll take it. Be careful, it’s hot!”

Su Yue’s cheeks instantly flushed as she glanced teasingly at Ling Xiangbei—both mothers were watching.

Ling Xiangbei realized and took the tray from Su Yue, placing it on the table.

Shen Qiuxia observed the scene with satisfaction and looked at Zhang Cuixi and Matchmaker Wang with an even warmer gaze, inviting them to sit.

Zhang Cuixi, seeing her usually clumsy youngest son now so attentive, felt as if he had been spoiled for nothing.

After everyone sat down, Matchmaker Wang cleared her throat and continued,
“This is Sister Zhang, she works at the steel mill’s cafeteria. Her husband, Ling Jianguo, is the head chef there! They have three sons and two daughters. The older three sons have all established their own families. Now only this youngest son and their daughter are left at home. This youngest son is promising—he works as a purchasing agent at our county supply and marketing cooperative, earning twenty-eight yuan a month! Sister Zhang has taken a liking to your daughter, so she asked me to come propose on their behalf.”

Zhang Cuixi smiled and added,
“I’m forty-six years old this year. May I ask how old Comrade Shen is?”

Shen Qiuxia smiled back,
“I’m forty-five, Sister Zhang.”

“Little Sister Shen, our son and your daughter were classmates. As soon as he graduated, he went to work at the county supply and marketing cooperative. Although he isn’t as outstanding as your Su Yue, he truly likes your daughter from the bottom of his heart. That’s why I’ve come, shamelessly, to propose marriage.”

Shen Qiuxia nodded repeatedly,
“Sister Zhang, what you say is very kind. Xiangbei is a steady and hardworking boy, clearly a good young man.”

Matchmaker Wang slapped her thigh excitedly,
“Looks like both families are quite satisfied. Then let’s talk about the bride price?”

Seeing both sides nod, Matchmaker Wang continued,
“As for the bride price, Ling’s family is sincere. They’ll give one hundred sixty-eight yuan plus a bicycle ticket. The young couple will live in a house, and all the furniture will be newly replaced—at least enough to have forty-eight table legs.”

Shen Qiuxia nodded, her face showing a bit of satisfaction,
“We will provide the bride price for Yueyue, and we’ll also prepare a dowry for her.”

At this, both Matchmaker Wang and Zhang Cuixi were momentarily stunned, their faces full of surprise and disbelief. These days, times are hard. If a girl’s natal family could only afford half the bride price, it was considered doting on the daughter-in-law. But to hear that the Su family not only did not demand anything but also gave a dowry, was unexpected.

“My daughter has been raised carefully in the palm of our hands since she was little. From now on, we only hope she lives a smooth and happy life with her in-laws, without any grievances.”

Zhang Cuixi immediately patted her chest in assurance,
“Little Sister Shen, rest assured. When Su Yue marries into our family, I will definitely treat her like my own dear daughter.”

Speaking of the dowry, Su Yue recalled the dowry from Youlan Courtyard and that from her marriage in her previous life after gaining favor. She remembered how she had demanded a dowry from that cold and heartless in-law family which nearly emptied half the general’s mansion. Even the newly built warehouse at Youlan Courtyard couldn’t hold it all, so she finally gave up.

Shen Qiuxia continued,
“Then it’s settled. But my eldest son is serving in the southern military, now a battalion commander, and my third son works at the machinery factory in the capital. I need to write to them and ask when they can come back. These two sons love their little sister very much, so I have to inform them about this.”

Zhang Cuixi was delighted upon hearing this. She hadn’t expected the two Su sons to be so capable, and wondered why her own foolish son hadn’t mentioned this earlier. At that moment, she couldn’t help but glare at Li Xiangbei.

Then, she pulled out a bulging red envelope from her bag and said,
“When I came today, I already put the bride price money in here. Since Sister Shen has agreed, please accept this bride price. As for the furniture and such, when Yueyue is on holiday, let her pick them out herself. How about that?”

“Big Sister Zhang, you are really straightforward. I won’t be fussy either. We’ll accept the bride price,” Shen Qiuxia said, handing the red envelope directly to Su Yue.

The smile in Zhang Cuixi’s eyes deepened.

Everyone chatted happily, the atmosphere warm and harmonious. The marriage was thus settled. Matchmaker Wang was also very pleased; she came once and without much hassle, the money was easily earned.

It was almost noon when Shen Qiuxia smiled,
“Let’s have lunch together here.”

Zhang Cuixi stood up and politely declined,
“Sister, I have to work at the cafeteria this noon. It’s getting late; we’ll head back first.”

Shen Qiuxia quickly said,
“Big Sister Zhang, wait a moment.”

She hurried to the kitchen and brought over a basket of vegetables picked from their private plot early that morning.

“These vegetables were picked by Yueyue and me from our own land, all homegrown and fresh. Take some back to try,” she said, dividing the basket of cucumbers, loofah, tomatoes, eggplants, and chili peppers into two portions.

Zhang Cuixi hurriedly waved her hand to refuse,
“Sister Shen, you can’t give us these. Keep them for yourselves.”

Matchmaker Wang, eyeing the vegetables, swallowed her saliva but also declined,
“Yes, keep them for yourselves.”

“In our countryside, everyone has a small private plot to grow vegetables. Don’t be polite,” Shen Qiuxia said.

Zhang Cuixi and Matchmaker Wang exchanged glances; these days, it really felt awkward to accept others’ food.

Su Yue brought out two mesh bags, ready to pack the vegetables.

Li Xiangbei took the bags from her and began filling them, saying,
“Yueyue, let me do it.”

Seeing this, Zhang Cuixi could only accept with a thick face.

“This kid, thanks so much, Sister Shen,” she said, then glanced at her youngest son, who was carrying the two mesh bags.

This future in-law family was really generous. She wondered where this brat got his luck, finding such a good wife’s family.

Watching the three figures walk away, Shen Qiuxia said to Su Yue,
“It’s still early. I’ll go help your father with the work. You cook lunch by yourself at home.”

It was the busy farming season, and the second son and his wife had taken leave. Since she was free now, she had to go to the field. If people saw her idle at home, they’d talk behind her back.