“I’m serious,” Zhou Bin said earnestly, his eyes filled with anticipation as he looked at Shu Beiqiu.

Shu Beiqiu held the bamboo doll, meeting Zhou Bin’s gaze for a moment before lowering his eyes and carefully placing the doll aside. He then sat down and tapped the table lightly. “Speak properly.”

“Ahem, well… I lost the birthday gift I got for my partner. Could you ask your partner to make a bamboo-woven birthday gift for me?”

Zhou Bin asked eagerly.

“You lost it?”

Shu Beiqiu frowned. “I remember you bought a jade Guanyin necklace. How did it go missing?”

“I brought it home and left it on the table before rushing to take a bath. But then my sister came back, thought it was for her, and just took it to wear…”

Zhou Bin sighed.

Shu Beiqiu was speechless. “Are you serious? And your sister just took it without asking?”

What was up with these siblings?

“My sister has been spoiled by us. I didn’t have the heart to tell her it was for her future sister-in-law. Even if she gave it back to me, it had already been worn,” Zhou Bin scratched his head.

If she had only tried it on for a moment, it wouldn’t have been a big deal. But the problem was, she had worn it out for an entire day, and even her friends knew about it.

“If my partner finds out, do you think I’ll get away with it?”

“…I can’t decide for my partner,” Shu Beiqiu thought for a moment before saying, “When I go back in a couple of days, I’ll ask for you. But I can’t guarantee anything.”

“Alright! Don’t worry, if she agrees, I’ll pay for it!”

“…Did you think you wouldn’t have to pay?”

“No, no, of course not. Hehehe.”

Seeing a chance, Zhou Bin grinned happily. “My partner was born in the Year of the Rabbit. If possible, could you ask for a bamboo-woven rabbit? It just needs to be about the size of my palm.”

“You haven’t even gotten an answer yet, and you’re already making requests.”

“I’m just preparing in advance,” Zhou Bin said with a wide smile.

Shu Beiqiu gave him a look, feeling like something about this situation wasn’t quite right.

Did his sister really not know the necklace wasn’t meant for her?

Two days later, Shu Beiqiu and his family arrived at the Lu household with large bags in tow to formally propose marriage.

Fifth Aunt was invited over, sitting in the center with a warm smile as the elders of both families began discussing the wedding date. In the end, Grandma Lu chose the closest auspicious day, which was in half a month.

Lu Yanyan was also present. She glanced at the gifts piling up in the main hall and recalled how, in her past life, her cousin’s engagement was nothing more than Tan Chang’an showing up with a flashy new bicycle and little else.

Today, while there were plenty of gifts, their total value probably didn’t match that single bicycle.

Once the wedding date was set, Lu Qingyuan and Shu Beiqiu were quickly shooed outside by their elders to take a stroll up the mountain path.

“You never told me you were coming today.”

Recalling their meeting two days ago, Lu Qingyuan looked at him.

“I wanted to surprise you.”

Shu Beiqiu smiled.

“It certainly was a surprise,” Lu Qingyuan chuckled. “Are you that happy?”

He had been smiling the whole time.

“Of course,” Shu Beiqiu’s smile deepened. “I’m extremely, extremely, extremely happy.”

Their wedding date was set. In just half a month, he would get to see and be close to the love of his life every single day. How could he not be happy?

“I’m happy too,” Lu Qingyuan admitted. “Even though I always knew marriage was inevitable, now that it’s official, I realize this feeling is hard to put into words.”

Hearing that, Shu Beiqiu’s smile widened even more. They locked eyes for a moment before both blushed and quickly looked away.

Up ahead, Chunhong and Zheng Xiaoxin were walking toward them. Since their last encounter, Zheng Xiaoxin had warmed up to them quite a bit.

Lu Qingyuan playfully winked at Shu Beiqiu. Shu Beiqiu also recognized Zheng Xiaoxin and greeted them.

Chunhong and Zheng Xiaoxin exchanged a teasing glance before grinning at Lu Qingyuan.

“Alright, alright, we won’t interrupt you two.”

“Exactly, let’s go.”

They giggled as they walked away.

Once they were far enough, they started chatting about Lu Qingyuan’s relationship.

“He’s tall, looks good, and he matches Qingyuan well.”

Zheng Xiaoxin’s expression carried a hint of envy.

She could tell that when Lu Qingyuan and Shu Beiqiu were together, there was a connection between them that no outsider could intrude upon. It reminded her of how she used to feel around Secretary Chen.

No wonder she could never win him over. Maybe they truly weren’t meant to be, because love is a two-person affair.

She had chased after him for so long, exhausting herself, while he had probably grown tired of it.

Despite her outgoing nature, Chunhong was surprisingly perceptive at times. She grabbed Zheng Xiaoxin’s hand and said,

“I’ll allow you to think about him one last time. After that, no more.”

“I won’t think about him anymore,” Zheng Xiaoxin said with a tearful smile. “Never again.”

As they left, a figure emerged from a nearby path.

Secretary Chen had seen Zheng Xiaoxin from a distance and, remembering their argument a few days ago, he had hidden behind a tree. Since she had her back to him, she didn’t notice.

But he still overheard their conversation.

Watching her walk away, he felt a strange discomfort.

They had grown up together, and he knew her well. If she was willing to open up about their relationship, it meant she had truly let go.

She wouldn’t chase after him anymore.

That was good.

So why did it feel unsettling?

Lowering his gaze, Secretary Chen turned and walked toward the educated youth quarters.

Lu Qingyuan never told Shu Beiqiu about finding Zheng Xiaoxin crying in the bamboo forest. She had promised to keep it a secret.

She only mentioned that her relationship with Zheng Xiaoxin had improved and that she was a bold and passionate person when it came to love.

Shu Beiqiu nodded. As they passed the bamboo grove, he suddenly thought of the bamboo doll. “That doll is beautiful. I really like it.”

“I’m glad,” Lu Qingyuan smiled. “Actually, it’s a pair. I made two of them.”

“Can I see the other one?”

Shu Beiqiu’s eyes lit up.

“Of course. I’ll show it to you when we get back.”

Lu Qingyuan nodded.

Shu Beiqiu then mentioned Zhou Bin’s request, and Lu Qingyuan readily agreed. “That’s easy. I can weave lots of different things.”

“If anyone else needs something in the future, I’ll make a note and have you do it.” Shu Beiqiu said.

“Sounds good.”

Back home, Lu Qingyuan took out the little bald-headed doll and showed it to him.

Shu Beiqiu held the bald doll in his hands, looking at it as if he were seeing a miniature version of himself. “I was thinking I’d never let you see me bald in the future.”

Well, now it was too late. Not only had she seen it, but she had even made a doll out of it.

“I think it looks great,” Lu Qingyuan clasped her hands behind her back, her face slightly flushed as she spoke softly. “I really like it.”

Shu Beiqiu’s mind went blank for a moment. “Then… should I shave it again?”

“There’s no need,” Lu Qingyuan chuckled, glancing at his already short-cropped hair. “You look just fine like this.”

Shu Beiqiu scratched his head and grinned.

At lunchtime, two large round tables were filled with people. Lu Qingyuan and Shu Beiqiu sat together, chatting and laughing. Across from them sat Lu Yanyan and her younger brother.

Lu Qinghong noticed that Lu Yanyan kept staring at their cousin, so he gently nudged her arm. “Sister, what are you looking at?”

“I’m just wondering… when I get engaged, will it be as lively as today?” Lu Yanyan murmured.

Hearing this, Lu Qinghong turned to look at her. “So, are you finally going to tell us who your partner is?”

Although he was still young, he strongly disapproved of his sister choosing someone without informing the family. No matter how much they asked, she refused to reveal any details about him, which made Lu Qinghong uneasy. He was afraid his sister was being deceived.

“Don’t worry. His family background is excellent, and he’s very good-looking. Maybe it won’t be long before he comes to propose,” Lu Yanyan said.

In just half a month, her cousin would be married. By then, Tan Chang’an would be completely hers.

Lu Yanyan lowered her head and continued eating. Beside her, Lu Qinghong let out a small sigh.

Lu Qingyuan had long noticed the way Lu Yanyan was looking at her. There was something strange about it.

Her words were odd too. When she left, she even asked out of nowhere if she would regret this decision.

Lu Qingyuan’s lips twitched as she recalled the conversation about the shoes. “Why would you ask that? Did you hear something bad about him?”

“No, no,” Lu Yanyan quickly waved her hands. “I just couldn’t help asking. Maybe when my own wedding approaches, I’ll also wonder if I’ll regret it. After all, once I marry, I really don’t know what the future will be like.”

“If you don’t know, then don’t think too much about it. Just live in the present. Even if you regret it later, at least you’ve lived each day well,” Lu Qingyuan replied after a moment of thought.

Lu Yanyan was stunned for a moment before nodding. “You’re right.”

In the afternoon, everyone from the Shu family except for Shu Beiqiu, returned home first.

Shu Beiqiu went with Lu Qingyuan to cut bamboo, helping out where he could.

It wasn’t until dusk that he finally left.

Grandma Lu smiled as she watched Lu Qingyuan weaving a bamboo rabbit. “Your skills are getting better and better. If your grandpa could see this, he’d be so proud.”

Lu Qingyuan’s hands didn’t stop as she responded with a soft laugh. “When I was little, my brothers couldn’t sit still while learning this and got scolded by Grandpa every day. My younger brothers, on the other hand, were too small and would hide behind me, afraid Grandpa would make them learn.”

“That’s right. And after all these years, you’re the only one who stuck with it,” Grandma Lu said warmly. “Qingyuan, I’ve prepared a dowry for you. Come with me, I’ll show you.”

“Grandma, it’s still early,” Lu Qingyuan said, looking over.

“It’s not early at all. Only half a month left,” Grandma Lu smiled. “In half a month, my Qingyuan will be getting married.”

When she reunited with her husband in the afterlife, she would be able to tell him that their dearest granddaughter had settled down. The young man was kind, and his family was good. They could finally rest easy.

“Come on now,” seeing Lu Qingyuan hesitate, Grandma Lu took her hand and led her away.

Lu Qingyuan responded and put down the half-finished bamboo rabbit before helping her grandmother back to the room.

Grandma Lu opened the cabinet and took out an old wooden box.

She sat on the bed and opened the box, revealing stacks of money and ration tickets.

“Your grandpa and I divided the bigger portions of our assets when your father and his brothers split the household. What remained, we kept for you grandchildren to use when you started your own families.”

Grandma Lu gently patted the box. “Your brothers have already received their shares. Qingguo, Qingguang and Qingjun’s portions were given to their parents a long time ago. This one is all yours.”

“You’re a girl. When a daughter marries, she should have a good dowry so she has confidence in her new home. So, your grandpa and I were a little biased and prepared more for you.”

Lu Qingyuan looked at the items in the box, her fingers lightly tracing the edge, and before she realized it, her eyes had turned red.

Their ancestors weren’t from a wealthy family. Her grandfather used to work as a butcher at the meat processing plant and secretly took on bamboo weaving work on the side. Through these two skills, he supported their large family. She had no idea how many years it had taken them to save up this money and these tickets.

“Qingyuan,” Grandma Lu reached out to smooth a loose strand of hair from her forehead.

“You must live a good life. And you have to take care of these things. Xiao Shu is wonderful now, but I can’t say for sure what the future will bring. If he ever picks up bad habits, it’s best if you have something to rely on. Do you understand?”

“Mm, I understand,” Lu Qingyuan took a deep breath, forcing back her tears. “But Grandma, you’re giving me everything? Shouldn’t you keep some for yourself?”

“I haven’t been to the market in years. I have no need for money or ration tickets,” Grandma Lu chuckled.

“You’re still young and beautiful. If you see something you like, buy it for yourself. Life is only a few decades long. While you’re still young, wear nice clothes and beautiful shoes.”

“When I married your grandpa, he was willing to let me spend money, but I couldn’t bear to. There were so many children, I had to plan for them. How could I just spend as I pleased?”

“I didn’t bring much with me when I got married, so I always felt I had no security. But now, you do, and that makes me very happy.”

Grandma Lu looked at her, her gaze filled with affection. “For women, life isn’t easy. After marriage, there will be even more things beyond your control. I just hope that having something to fall back on will give you the confidence to make decisions without hesitation in the future.”

Grandma Lu spoke a lot, and Lu Qingyuan listened quietly.

Later, when Mother Lu brought dinner into the room, Lu Qingyuan carried the box back to her room and put it away.

She picked up the bald bamboo doll by her pillow and stared at it for a while. Just then, a voice came from outside the door—Jiasheng was calling her to dinner.

“I’m coming.”

Lu Qingyuan responded, put down the bamboo doll, and went out.

The next day, Shu Beiqiu came again.

He only had three days off, so of course, he had to come over as much as possible.

【In this era, once a man and a woman were engaged, the man would eagerly come to the woman’s house to help out, letting others know about their engagement.】

【Work hard, Xiao Shu! You’re the strongest!】

【Damn! When I read the text updates, it said the male lead was a little bald guy, but now that I’m watching the livestream, that image is gone!】

【Too bad we can’t take screenshots. Otherwise, I’d show the sister upstairs.】

As Lu Qingyuan was weaving a bamboo rabbit, red text from the live barrage kept flashing over Shu Beiqiu’s head.

Shu Beiqiu clumsily followed her in learning bamboo weaving. His hands were too big, and the bamboo strips for weaving were shaved very thin, making it quite difficult.

Jiasheng and Lusheng stood by his side, watching.

They had also learned from Lu Qingyuan before, but neither of them had the patience for it, nor did they have the talent. So, they simply gave up.

Now that school had started, Lu Qingming had gone back to class, and Lu Qingtian had returned to work at the supply and marketing cooperative.

After the spring plowing, there wasn’t much work to do in the fields, so Father Lu and the others had gone up the mountain to collect firewood.

Since Lu Qingyuan and Shu Beiqiu didn’t have much time to see each other, when Shu Beiqiu offered to go with them, Father Lu refused.

Shu Beiqiu looked at the bamboo mat he had woven. It was supposed to be a simple up-and-down weaving pattern, but his result was crooked and ugly.

“Uncle, this looks terrible.”

“Yeah, you’re really bad at this.”

Jiasheng and Lusheng’s serious evaluations made Shu Beiqiu’s face turn red in an instant.

【The ultimate insult to a man: You’re not good at it.】

Lu Qingyuan burst out laughing, unable to hold it in.

Shu Beiqiu calmly took it apart and started over. “If I can’t do it, I’ll just learn. Come on, you two join me.”

His words scared them off immediately.