"The weather is getting colder, and my mother has some chronic illness, so she’s not feeling well these past few days. Normally, she wouldn’t go out or handle affairs. Every item she prepared for your dowry was personally selected by her. She felt slightly better today, so she specially went to see you—it’s all because of our relationship."

"We will definitely have someone attend when the time comes," Lian Manman added at last.

Lian Manman’s words were very clear, leaving room for flexibility, so Shang Baorong had nothing further to say.

"In the future, we’re not too far apart, and your family has carriages, so we can keep in touch often. If it’s inconvenient for you to use your carriage, just send word to me, and I’ll send a carriage to pick you up," Lady Zhang offered.

From Guan Village to Thirty Mile Camp is only about four or five miles, a distance that girls from ordinary farmstead families could easily walk. But Shang Baorong has bound feet and usually doesn’t do fieldwork or walk much at home. It’s expected that she’ll need to ride in a carriage when returning to her parental home. Fortunately, both her natal and marital families own carriages, and she also has a substantial dowry, with the Guan Family being well-off.

When the engagement was arranged, the Shang Family made it clear that Shang Baorong wouldn’t be doing any hard labor after marriage, and the Guan Family readily agreed. Shang Baorong had been picky over the last two years, but finally settled on the Guan Family, which was not too high nor too low a match.

After sitting for a while, Shang Baorong took her leave, joined her father and brothers in the front courtyard, and returned home together.

Lian Shouxin then went to the backyard, soon followed by Wu Lang and Xiao Qi. The family gathered on the heated brick bed to talk.

"...They thanked us for the generous dowry gifts and specially invited me to bring Manman to the banquet that day," Lady Zhang told Lian Shouxin. "When I went to their house today, I told them we couldn’t make it. But then they came over again. Young girls can be shy, and I really didn’t know what to say, so Manman answered them."

"Manman is better at speaking, leaving room to maneuver."

"Your uncle also insisted that Wu Lang, Xiao Qi, and I must attend that day, saying he has arranged with the Old Guan Family to set a high-quality banquet," Lian Shouxin recounted Shang Huaide’s intentions. "Whether or not we attend is another matter, but what bothers me is how he said they’ve arranged a special banquet for us, which makes me uncomfortable."

Speaking of this, Lian Shouxin frowned.

"Does he mean he’s specifically told the Old Guan Family we’re coming, so they set a high-end banquet for us? Who organizes things like this?" Lady Zhang expressed some dissatisfaction.

"Judging by his actions over the past two years, I suspect that’s exactly what he did," Lian Shouxin replied. "I told him we are never those ostentatious people. We treat all relatives equally, the same dowry, the same courtesy. It doesn’t change just because I attend a banquet. Typically, when there’s a banquet in the neighboring villages, I go without expecting anyone to arrange anything special for me."

"With this, even if I originally wanted to go, I won’t be attending now."

Lian Manman stifled a laugh. Shang Huaide really misunderstood Lian Shouxin, trying to flatter, but hit the wrong mark.

Wu Lang and Xiao Qi both looked at Lian Manman.

"Big Sister, what are you laughing at?" Xiao Qi asked.

"Did I laugh?" Lian Manman raised her hand to touch her face.

"You did. Both Brother and I saw it," Xiao Qi nodded firmly.

Wu Lang also nodded in agreement.

"Then I guess I laughed," Lian Manman conceded and softly shared her thoughts with the two.

"Flattery is one thing, but he is using this for his own advantage to show off in front of the Guan Family," Wu Lang commented without hesitation.

Indeed, that was Shang Huaide’s character, and Lian Manman nodded in agreement.

"I was thinking about Baorong, that girl. If there was no other way, I might just go and sit for a while to see her, but now it really seems we can’t go," Lady Zhang sighed.

Liberal as Lady Zhang was minded toward Baorong, it’s a pity that whenever she was warm-hearted, Shang Huaide and Younger Lady Zhou would do or say something to pour cold water on her enthusiasm.

The saying "being too clever for one’s own good" seems almost tailor-made for Shang Huaide and Younger Lady Zhou.

"Dad, did you decide whether to go or not?" Lian Manman asked Lian Shouxin.

"We’re not going," Lian Shouxin replied. Of course, in front of Shang Huaide, he would be much more tactful, "We’ll stick to our previous plan, either send someone to check or just have Jiaxing send a message."

Lian Manman nodded, confirming that this was indeed the best course of action.

"Why didn’t they just have the grandmother press us this time, and came themselves instead?" Wu Lang remarked.

"How many of their family came earlier?" Lian Manman smiled.

"It’s proper that Baorong’s mother accompanies her," Lady Zhang noted.

But Younger Lady Zhou didn’t come. Of course, given her odd temperament, many times paralleling Lady Zhou’s, Younger Lady Zhou seldom paid visits. But today, she was indeed supposed to come.

So where was Younger Lady Zhou?

At the Lian Family Old Mansion, Shang Huaide, Shang Baogen, and Shang Baorong were just coming to pick up Younger Lady Zhou. They slowly walked out, with Lian Shouren, Lian Jizu, and Lady Chiang escorting them all the way to the main gate before returning.

In the Upper Room East Room, Lady Zhou was seated on the heated brick bed, watching Lian Yaya and Da Niuniu tidy up the fruit plates.

"Not many peanuts left, just split them between the two of you," Lady Zhou said.

Lian Yaya and Da Niuniu both laughed but, despite the directive, didn’t dare divide the peanuts themselves and instead brought the plate back to Lady Zhou. This pleased her, and she reached out to divide the half plate into two parts.

"This portion for you, and this portion for you." Lady Zhou shared the peanuts with her grand-nieces, her face looking unusually gentle under the lamp’s glow.

...

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