Xianglan was taken aback but pretended not to hear, instead steering the conversation to other topics with Second Sister-in-law Xia. Seeing Xianglan ignore her, Third Sister Xia grew anxious and tugged at Xianglan’s sleeve, saying, “I told you, your hairpins and hair ornaments are lovely too!”
Xianglan nodded and replied, “Thank you for the compliment.”
Third Sister Xia asked, “Then why won’t you give me one?”
Second Sister-in-law Xia reached over and slapped Third Sister Xia twice, scolding, “You shameless girl! You’ve utterly disgraced us!”
Third Sister Xia immediately looked aggrieved, opening her mouth as if about to cry.
Xianglan hurriedly intervened, saying, “Never mind, never mind, Second Sister-in-law Xia, don’t scold her.”
After reprimanding Third Sister Xia a few more times, Second Sister-in-law Xia forced a smile and said to Xianglan, “This silly girl has no worldly experience, little sister, please don’t be angry… Ah, it’s also pitiable that at such a young age, she’s never even worn a copper hairpin. You’re a generous person, sister—why not give her one?”
Xianglan was dumbfounded, feeling that even after two lifetimes, she had never encountered such people. Before she could respond, Second Sister-in-law Xia quickly pulled Third Sister Xia and said, “She’s going to give you a hairpin—hurry up and thank your Sister Chen.”
Third Sister Xia was no longer upset and chirped brightly, “Thank you, Sister Chen!” After speaking, she stared eagerly at Xianglan’s hair.
Xianglan said nothing, only offering a faint, cold smile.
Fearing that Xianglan might refuse, Second Sister-in-law Xia hastily added, “Little Sister Chen, you’re kind-hearted and well-off—surely you can pity your little sister for never having worn anything nice? It’s just a hairpin—would you really begrudge such a trifle?”
Xianglan sneered, “I had no idea there were people in this world who demand things like this. I’m no fool to be taken advantage of.” With that, she ignored them and walked over to Xue Shi, picking up the teapot to refill the tea.
Third Sister Xia widened her eyes and said, “What does she mean? I already thanked her—is she giving me the hairpin or not?” She made as if to throw another tantrum.
Second Sister-in-law Xia pinched her and snapped, “You disgrace! Shut your mouth this instant!”
Third Sister Xia, who had always been intimidated by Second Sister-in-law Xia’s authority, immediately fell silent.
Meanwhile, Madam Jin had been lavishing praise on Xia Yun from head to toe, saying, “Since childhood, fortune-tellers have told me that our Xiao San’er is a celestial body descended to earth, destined to become an official or even a minister. They also said I have great fortune ahead and will enjoy boundless wealth and honor. I didn’t believe it at first, but now I see it’s all coming true!”
Xue Shi felt irritated and seized the excuse of having Xianglan refill the tea to interrupt, saying, “Older sister, have some tea before you continue.”
Madam Jin paid no heed and rambled on, “The county magistrate also thinks highly of our Xiao San’er. When he heard he wasn’t married yet, he was so regretful he could’ve knocked his head against the wall, saying if he’d known there was such a handsome Recommended man, he wouldn’t have betrothed his daughter so early. Tsk, tsk, but if you ask me, even if the county magistrate’s daughter were available, our Xiao San’er might not necessarily fancy her! Soon, when our Recommended man passes the imperial exam and becomes an advanced scholar, he’ll be a genuine high official. So, when it comes to choosing a wife, she must be both talented and beautiful, and her family must be wealthy. As for ordinary girls wanting to marry into our Xia family—pah! Not a chance!”
Before she finished speaking, Second Sister-in-law Xia cut in, “That’s right, ordinary ones certainly won’t do! Forgive my bluntness, but I think Sister Lan would be a perfect match for our Xiao San’er—a couple made in heaven, don’t you agree?”Xue Shi quickly smiled and said, "Our Lan girl dare not aim too high. In the future, she should just find a well-off and honest farmer. Young Master Xia is destined for great success—he ought to find a bride who's one in a hundred. I'd say not only the county magistrate's daughter, but even the emperor's daughter might be within his reach."
Madam Jin felt thoroughly pleased upon hearing this. Covering her mouth, she giggled for a while before replying, "Sister Xue is right. Your daughter's temperament is too sharp-tongued—she needs someone kind and patient to tolerate her!"
Xue Shi and Xianglan exchanged a glance, then both turned their faces away, pretending not to hear as they looked out the window.
Second Sister-in-law Xia slightly furrowed her brows, opened her mouth as if to speak, but ultimately said nothing.
The three Xia family members stayed for lunch at the Chen residence before departing. Once outside the Chen household, they walked slowly back home. Second Sister-in-law Xia said, "Mother, did you notice the Chen family's intentions today?"
Madam Jin was taken aback and asked, "What intentions?"
Second Sister-in-law Xia explained, "Their Xianglan is nearly sixteen this year, and our Xiao San'er is about eighteen or nineteen. What do you think they could mean?"
Madam Jin immediately scowled and said, "No! Absolutely not! A toad lusting after swan flesh—she's delusional! That shameless little hussy, so arrogant she's practically bursting at the seams, must be some gossipy vixen transformed! She makes me so angry I'd like to slap her a few times!"
Second Sister-in-law Xia laughed and said, "Oh mother, why are you being so narrow-minded? If you ask me, if the Chen family is willing, we should be delighted! The Chens are so wealthy—they even use five-colored gauze for window paper. One bolt of that is worth a whole bundle of Fine Cloth! Look at their food, clothing, housing, and furnishings—every aspect is two or three levels above ours. Chen Wanquan knows how to appraise antiques—who knows how many treasures they have stored away! The Chen family has no sons, and they've lost contact with their former relatives. Whoever marries Xianglan would inherit this entire fortune!"
Madam Jin's heart raced as she thought about the Chen family's house and furnishings, but then she shook her head and said, "Xiao San'er is now a Recommended Man—what wealthy family's daughter couldn't he marry? Just the other day, a matchmaker was telling me about the daughter of a pastry shop owner!"
Second Sister-in-law Xia continued, "Mother, there's something else you don't know. This Chen Xianglan has another advantage—she can paint. Nowadays, a single painting of hers is worth dozens of taels of silver! Whoever marries her would be holding a golden-egg-laying hen. You should calculate this account properly, mother."
Madam Jin exclaimed in surprise, "Dozens of taels of silver? Really?"
Second Sister-in-law Xia said, "That's what everyone says. Though she claims she doesn't paint, I suspect it's probably her work."
Madam Jin felt both envy and jealousy, clicking her tongue as she said, "Good heavens, dozens of taels of silver! That's practically making a fortune, no wonder the Chen family is so wealthy!"
Second Sister-in-law Xia agreed, "Exactly. Xiao San'er works himself to death at the Government Office for only three or four taels of silver—how can that compare? Recently you've been arranging matches for Xiao San'er, but the upper-class families look down on us for being poor, while we ourselves look down on the lower-class families. There are a few middle-class families, but Xiao San'er either finds their daughters too fat or too ugly—none to his liking. I've noticed he's always hovering around Chen Wanquan. When I quietly asked him about his intentions, he hemmed and hawed as if he's interested in their daughter."
Madam Jin frowned and said, "But that girl's temperament..."Second Sister-in-law Xia sneered, "Hah, once she marries in, won't she be completely at her mother-in-law's mercy to be molded however she pleases? If you ask me, such a money-making lady should be enshrined like a goddess—just one of her paintings could feed our entire family for a year!" Meanwhile, she thought to herself, "The Chen family's daughter seems generous. Such fine flowers, given away so easily. Today, it was only because that wretched Third Sister Xia demanded them too eagerly that she lost her temper. If we coax her properly in the future, who knows how many treasures we might squeeze out of her?"
Madam Jin grew more and more tempted the more she thought about it. She halted in her steps and turned back, but Second Sister-in-law Xia quickly grabbed her, saying, "Hey, hey, Mother, where are you going?"
Madam Jin replied, "I'm going back right now to discuss this matter with Chen Wanquan's wife."
Second Sister-in-law Xia sighed and said, "Let's wait a couple of days. You offended them with your words today—there's no way they'd agree to anything at this point."
Madam Jin raised her eyebrows and glared, "If our family is willing to agree, it should be considered a stroke of luck for the Chen family's ancestors! Why wouldn't they agree?" She then complained to Second Sister-in-law Xia, "Why didn't you tell me about all these advantages of the Chen family earlier?"
Second Sister-in-law Xia rolled her eyes inwardly, thinking, "How was I to know you'd get so carried away with your sudden rise in status and offend them right off the bat?" Outwardly, she forced a smile and said, "It was my oversight."
Madam Jin muttered under her breath, "Later, I'll have to inquire further. If her paintings really can earn that much silver, we might as well let Xiao San'er endure this small grievance. In the future, when we see someone better, we can get him a few more concubines."
Second Sister-in-law Xia agreed verbally but privately thought it was utterly unreasonable. When they reached their doorstep, Madam Jin entered the house first. Second Sister-in-law Xia glanced back and saw Third Sister Xia standing by the water vat in the yard, admiring her reflection and posing coquettishly with the flower in her hair. Second Sister-in-law Xia strode over and roughly snatched the flower from Third Sister Xia's head.
Third Sister Xia was taken aback and rushed to grab it back, crying out, "My flower! My flower!"
Second Sister-in-law Xia scowled, hands on her hips, and snapped, "What do you mean, your flower? Such a fine thing would be wasted on you. I'll keep it for you for now!"
Third Sister Xia opened her mouth to wail, but Second Sister-in-law Xia pinched her cheek and warned, "Cry, go on and cry! All you know is crying! If you dare make a sound, you'll regret it!"
Third Sister Xia had been raised by Second Sister-in-law Xia since childhood and had suffered plenty of beatings and scoldings. Second Sister-in-law Xia, being smooth-tongued, had won Madam Jin's favor. Sometimes when Third Sister Xia tried to complain, Second Sister-in-law Xia would always find ways to punish her afterward. Terrified, Third Sister Xia didn't dare make another fuss and could only hold back her tears, retreating to cry in private.
Seeing Third Sister Xia obediently enter the house, Second Sister-in-law Xia finally relaxed. She walked over to the water vat, tucked the flower into her own hair, and admired her reflection from left to right, feeling quite beautiful. Humming a tune, she returned to her room.
That afternoon, when Chen Wanquan returned home, Xue Shi recounted the day's events from beginning to end. Frowning, she said, "What kind of disorderly people are this family? I think even Lu Ershenzi's family was more manageable than the Xias. If you dare betroth our Lan Jie to such a household, I'll hang myself and be done with it!"
Chen Wanquan, being a snobbish man, felt that half the benefits of Xia Yun becoming a Recommended man and securing an official position vanished upon hearing that the Xia family was still struggling financially. He frowned and said, "I thought Young Master Xia was an excellent man—who knew his family would be like this? Forget it. If it's not meant to be, it's not. We'll just have to look for another match."
For the time being, nothing else happened.Two days later, Madam Jin visited the Chen family again. This time, she set aside her pride and put on an exceptionally warm smile, lavishing praise on Xianglan without pause. Xue Shi merely nodded in response, offering little in return. When Madam Jin came again later, no matter how she knocked at the gate, the Chen family refused to answer. Resentment simmered in Madam Jin’s heart—she couldn’t bear to give up, yet she didn’t know how to proceed. She discussed the matter with Second Sister-in-law Xia, and they decided to send a familiar matchmaker to convey their intentions.
Before this plan could be carried out, an unexpected incident occurred.
Thank you to Sasa, yu21yu21's Little Yellow Chick, and thank you to Little Magic Beast ABC for the Peace Talisman. Ah, the plot is finally about to take an interesting turn ^_^
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