“Yes, yes, you’re right.”

Jiang Tianhua nodded. The family already had the ‘three turns, one sound, and one snap’ prepared by Song Dechao, so there was no need to keep Jiang Rao’s set. Letting her keep it for daily life would be better.

Who knew how poor that boy Lu Shen’s family was? Maybe his house was bare and didn’t even have proper furniture.

“Alright, then it’s settled.”

Chen Cuihua saw that they didn’t even discuss it with her, and the father and daughter decided on their own, which made her grit her teeth in anger.

Did this father and daughter pair not put her in their eyes at all?

But since the matter was already settled, it was too late for her to say anything.

This little bitch, don’t get too proud after getting so many things from her. She might end up being exploited by those black-hearted in-laws, and she would still live a bitter life in the end.

Thinking of all the fabric tickets, grain tickets, and meat tickets she had worked so hard to save being given to this little bitch, Chen Cuihua’s anger rose uncontrollably. She wished Jiang Rao would live hand-to-mouth every day and turn into a yellow-faced woman sooner.

The marriage was thus settled, and the villagers who had gathered to watch eventually dispersed.

That very day, after Jiang Yu slept with Song Dechao, she followed him to stay in town. Jiang Rao and Lu Shen returned home. Jiang Rao changed into clean clothes—a white long floral dress and a pair of pink embroidered cloth shoes. Her black hair was braided into two fishtail braids hanging at her sides. Her lips were red, her teeth white, her skin like congealed cream, and her dark, clear eyes were like a lake under moonlight, shimmering with ripples.

Standing there, she was like a lotus emerging from water, so beautiful that one couldn’t look away.

Lu Shen, drenched before, had changed into Jiang Tianhua’s clothes. When he walked out from the inner room and saw Jiang Rao dressed up, his Adam’s apple bobbed, his face burned, and his palms became sweaty.

His wife was truly beautiful. In the future, he had to earn a lot of money and let his wife wear beautiful clothes every day.

With the engagement settled, Lu Shen wrote an IOU for four hundred yuan as the betrothal money and signed a gift list for the ‘three turns, one sound, and one snap,’ pressing his fingerprint on it, and then prepared to go to Qingshan Village with Jiang Rao.

Before leaving, Jiang Rao asked Chen Cuihua for her dowry. Chen Cuihua’s face turned so dark it looked like she had swallowed a dead child.

“It must be my debt from a previous life.” She unwillingly handed a small bundle wrapped in indigo cloth to Jiang Rao.

When Jiang Rao grabbed it, Chen Cuihua refused to let go. Her eyes were fixed tightly on the bundle, unwilling to look away.

“Jiang Tianhua, look at her.” Ever since Jiang Tianhua married Chen Cuihua, Jiang Rao had never been willing to call him “Dad” again.

“What are you doing, Cuihua? Hurry up and give the dowry to Xiao Rao.” Jiang Tianhua sat on the yellow wooden chair, picked up a dry tobacco pipe, lit it, and drew a sharp puff with a frown.

Chen Cuihua had no choice. She glared fiercely at Jiang Rao, but still had to let go.

Jiang Rao was not in a hurry to leave. She opened the small cloth bundle and began counting, “One, two, three…”

Chen Cuihua’s heart was about to bleed.

All the family property saved up for so long was given to this little wretch.

When she counted to the end, Jiang Rao curved her glistening eyes and smiled sweetly, “There are still two big unity notes missing.”

She just knew Chen Cuihua would not be willing to give her everything.

“You’re not even leaving a single note for us? If we give it all to you, the family will have nothing to eat but the northwest wind.” Chen Cuihua’s face turned ashen.

“But don’t you still have the 400 yuan betrothal gift from Song Dechao? That 400 yuan is not a small amount. Yet you’re being so stingy you won’t even give me two big unity notes…” Jiang Rao hooked the corner of her lips, “I cannot live through hard days. If even one big unity note is missing, I will make a scene.”

Chen Cuihua was truly afraid of this little wretch Jiang Rao now. Under Jiang Tianhua’s urging, she had no choice but to hand over the remaining two big unity notes, speaking in a strange, sarcastic tone, “Fine, take them.”

Hurry up and leave, go live your bitter days from now on.

Give her these things and send her off quickly, so she won’t be an eyesore.

Only then was Jiang Rao satisfied, putting all the money into the small cloth bundle.

“It’s getting late already. From Lushui Village to Qingshan Village isn’t exactly close. You two should hurry up and go.” Chen Cuihua did not even want to look at Jiang Rao.

“Although Qingshan Village is next door, it’s actually quite far.” Jiang Tianhua blew out a smoke ring. “Lu Shen, how did you get here?”

“I walked over,” Lu Shen scratched his head and smiled.

He had come to Lushui Village to help his mother deliver a sack of edamame to relatives. He did not expect that on the way back, he would see someone jump into the river, and even less expected that the girl who jumped into the river would become his wife.

Everything happened so quickly that Lu Shen felt completely unprepared.

To be able to marry such a beautiful wife was like a dream. Everything felt unreal.

“Walking such a long distance, you must be exhausted.” Jiang Tianhua was not worried about Lu Shen being tired but rather worried that his precious daughter would be worn out.

Xiao Rao had been pampered since she was little. Walking such a long way, wouldn’t her heels get blistered and torn?

“Not tired, I’m used to it.” Lu Shen had been doing farm work since childhood, so walking this distance was nothing. He glanced at the delicate little wife beside him. Even if he was tired, it didn’t matter. He could not let his wife get tired.

“There just happens to be a Phoenix-brand bicycle at home. It was part of Xiao Yu’s dowry from Song Dechao. You can ride the bicycle and take Xiao Rao along.” Jiang Tianhua took a puff from his dry tobacco pipe and spoke with a slightly hoarse voice.

“Tianhua, what are you saying? That bicycle is brand-new. How can we let them ride it?” Chen Cuihua’s face fell, “Those two together weigh at least 200 jin. If the bicycle gets damaged or if the tire gets punctured, repairing it will cost quite a bit. Besides, if Xiao Yu finds out, she won’t feel good about it either.”

“No need.” Lu Shen never planned on riding their bicycle anyway: “We’ll just walk ourselves.”

“Our son-in-law is the considerate one.” Chen Cuihua forced a smile, but in her heart, she snorted coldly.

From their house to Lu Shen’s home in Qingshan Village, walking would take at least over an hour. That little wretch Jiang Rao would be exhausted.

Hopefully, her heels would get rubbed raw, blisters would form, and they’d burst so badly that she wouldn’t even be able to walk.

“Father, Mother, we’ll be going now.” After politely bidding farewell to them, Lu Shen crouched down in front of Jiang Rao, “Rao Rao, I’ll carry you on my back.”

Chen Cuihua widened her eyes, “You’ll carry her?”

It already takes over an hour to walk there alone, and now carrying another person, wouldn’t he be exhausted to death?

【Hahahaha, Lu Shen is truly the ultimate good man. Jiang Rao looks to be about 168 cm tall. Even though she’s very slim, she should weigh over 80 jin. Carrying a whole living person for several kilometers — even if he’s not tired, just watching it makes me exhausted.】

【Even weightlifters don’t work this hard, hahaha.】

The live comments floated past Jiang Rao’s eyes.

“I don’t want to be carried on your back.” Jiang Rao always loved beauty. Being carried would make her look like a sack of sand, completely lacking elegance. Her eyes turned slightly, “I want you to carry me in your arms.”

From Lushui Village to Qingshan Village, walking was out of the question. She did not want to be tired.

Lu Shen’s tanned face slowly flushed red. “Alright, then I’ll carry you in my arms.”

He walked to Jiang Rao’s side. His bronze, slightly gleaming arms wrapped around her palm-sized waist, and without even using much effort, he lifted her up by the waist.

Jiang Rao’s feet left the ground, and her slender, fair arms circled around the man’s neck. Leaning closer into his embrace, her voice arrogant and willful, “Don’t you dare drop me.”

When he saved her from the river, Lu Shen had only thought about rescuing her and didn’t pay attention to anything else. But now, with this soft, fragrant body pressing against him, the delicate sensation made his whole body tense up, his arm muscles stiffening.

The young girl’s body carried a faint rose fragrance, the scent lingering around him. Lu Shen’s breathing grew hot, and holding her in his arms as he walked made him feel lightheaded, even causing his steps to go out of sync.

Watching them leave, Chen Cuihua snorted coldly, “The daughter you raised is truly spoiled. This rough man is in for bitter days ahead.”