"Oh, Xiaxia, you look so beautiful today." The Land Officerâs wife happily said when she saw Yang Chuxia.
"Indeed, sheâs dressed up like a flower. She might even outshine the bride, Qiuâer. But why steal the brideâs thunder on her wedding day?" Ms.Luo couldnât help but comment.
"You shut up and mind your own business," Yang Chuxia glared at her, then turned to the Land Officerâs wife. "Granny, Iâll go inside to have a look while youâre busy here."
"Oh, you go ahead."
Yang Chuxia entered the courtyard where tables and chairs were scattered about. Some tables even had items placed on them.
She went to the first branch of familyâs room and found a roomful of people of all ages, both men and women, cracking melon seeds.
Seeing this, Yang Chuxia guessed that they must be Ms.Liuâs relatives.
When the people inside saw Yang Chuxia, their eyes lit up, thinking sheâs a beautiful girl from who knows which family, and wondering if she was already spoken for.
"Sister Xiaxia." Yang Qingbao was also in the room, and she hurried over when she saw Yang Chuxia.
"Iâm going to see your sister."
Yang Qingbao nodded, "My sister is in the inner room." As she said so, she shouted to the inner room, "Big sister, Xiaxia is here!"
"Xiaxia, come in." Yang Ruoqiuâs voice came from inside.
Yang Chuxia nodded to the people outside before entering the inner room.
There were a few other girls in the inner room, two or three of whom she didnât recognize, but she did recognize Yang Dongzhi.
At this moment, Yang Ruoqiu was sitting on the bed, fully dressed and made up, with only her bridal veil remaining to be put on.
However, the makeup was really a bit too heavy and vulgar.
It had to be said that the makeup skills of this era were really not that great. She thought to herself that when itâs her turn to get married, she definitely wouldnât apply such makeup - it was just too hard on the eyes.
"Here, take this as an addition to your dowry."
Yang Chuxia handed a box to Yang Ruoqiu, who opened it to find a pair of silver hairpins, which looked quite heavy.
"Xiaxia, this is too valuable! I canât accept it."
Yang Ruoqiu thought that given the relationship between their two families, showing up for support was already more than enough, and she never expected to receive such an expensive dowry.
"Just take it. Itâs not like a usual gift, itâs part of your dowry and shouldnât be refused."
It was only a pair of silver hairpins, which really didnât mean much to their family now. From the gifts Ye Ziâan, Boss Mu, Mu Shaoling, and Old Mu among others had sent during the New Year, they had over a dozen pairs of silver hairpins like this, and some were even gold. She found it strange how these people had thought to include items like these with New Yearâs gifts.
But while the hairpins didnât mean much to their family, it was different for the others in the room.
They all looked at the hairpins with envy. Even Yang Dongzhi wished the hairpins were hers.
Upon hearing Yang Chuxiaâs words, Yang Ruoqiu was grateful and promised herself to change her ways, befriend the third branch of family, and show them proper respect.
"Xiaxia, thank you!"
Weddings in Yangshu Village were a bit different from those in the county town. Here, they usually had a morning wedding procession, a midday banquet, and a night-time banquet the day before. After the feast, people dispersed in the afternoon.
So it wasnât long before the wedding procession arrived, with people bustling around to move the dowry and block off the crowd. It was lively, to say the least.
In the crowd, Yang Chuxia saw Ye Ziâan carrying a small basket and walking behind the groom. The two men had handsome features and were about the same height, making quite an eye-catching pair together.