After the Scholar Rejected Me, I Married the Rogue and Got Rich - Chapter 37

Seeing how straightforward he was, the manager stopped arguing and quickly completed the handover procedures.

After paying twenty-five taels of silver, Zhou Han did not leave immediately. Instead, he pointed to several carts parked in the corner of the cattle shed and said to the manager, “Find another sturdy cart that can withstand the daily bumps and jolts to and from town.”

Seeing his straightforwardness, the manager became even more enthusiastic and led him to see a flatbed cart with a thick axle and sturdy planks.

“Sir, look at this cart. It has a jujube wood frame and a locust wood floor. It’s very durable and can carry both goods and people smoothly. Normally, it would cost one or two taels of silver. But since you’re buying the cart and the ox together today, I’ll give you a round number: one tael of silver!”

Zhou Han carefully inspected the axle and rivets, and after confirming that everything was in order, he nodded in agreement: “Okay.”

He readily counted out another tael of silver. The steward took the money, grinning from ear to ear, feeling that this guest was generous and easygoing.

He was quick-witted and wanted to make a good connection, so he took the initiative to say, “Sir, you have both an ox and a cart, so you must be transporting things back and forth frequently. In this cold weather, you can’t do without some shade on the cart.”

He beckoned to his workers to bring out a semi-new but very sturdy bamboo cart frame from the warehouse, covered with a thick, waterproof tarpaulin coated with tung oil.

“This old shed was given to you by a regular customer. It’s really useful, providing excellent shelter from the wind and rain. Since it’s just sitting there anyway, I’m giving it to you today! Just put it on your cart and secure it properly. From now on, whether you’re hauling goods or carrying passengers, you’ll be less exposed to wind, cold, rain, and snow.”

Zhou Han looked at the shed; the bamboo frame was tough and the tarpaulin was thick—it was indeed a practical and good thing. He appreciated the gesture and clasped his hands in thanks to the manager: “Thank you.”

“You’re too kind! If you need anything for your livestock in the future, just come to me!” The manager quickly returned the greeting and then called on the workers to help secure the cart frame firmly to the cart.

So, Zhou Han led his newly bought ox, which pulled a new cart equipped with a windproof and rainproof canopy, and the group left the cattle shop in a rather conspicuous manner.

Looking at the complete set of “clothing,” he felt at ease. This “generous gift” for the marriage proposal would surely help the Lin family and better reflect his sincerity.

When Zhou Han led the newly purchased oxcart back to his small courtyard, Aunt Zhou was hanging clothes out to dry in the yard. Upon seeing this, she was so surprised that she almost dropped the wooden basin in her hand.

“Han’er! This…this is…” She circled the cow twice, both surprised and puzzled. “Where did you get the money to buy a cow? We don’t own any land, why would we buy it? How much silver must this have cost!”

Zhou Han tied the ox to the old locust tree in the yard, patted its sturdy back, and turned to his mother, saying, “Mother, this ox isn’t for our family; it’s for the Lin family.”

“Give it to the Lin family?” Aunt Zhou was even more surprised.

“Yes,” Zhou Han nodded, his tone steady and earnest. “It’s getting colder and colder. Sangsang and the others have to rush to town by oxcart before dawn every day, and then rush back after closing up shop. The old and the young suffer too much. You know the Lin family’s situation. They definitely can’t afford to buy an ox right away. This ox was bought with money from a red fox we hunted in the mountains a few days ago. We’ll let them use it for now.”

He paused, looked into his mother’s eyes, and continued, “This time when we go to propose marriage, we will prepare generous gifts and present this ‘grand gift’ to them. This will not only solve the Lin family’s urgent problem and save face for both families, but also show that we are sincere and genuinely want to form this marriage alliance, not just empty words. What do you think?”

After hearing her son’s words, Aunt Zhou was stunned for a moment, then her eyes reddened slightly. She reached out and stroked the docile ox, feeling both gratified and heartbroken.

What is gratifying is that my son is so responsible, thoughtful in everything he does, and considerate to his future wife and in-laws; what is bittersweet is that our family’s resources are limited, and we don’t have much to offer, so my son has invested all the money he has worked so hard to earn into this gesture of sincerity.

“Good…good child!” Aunt Zhou’s voice choked with emotion. “You’re right, you’ve thought it through! Sang is a good girl, and her family isn’t well-off either. We should help them out as much as we can! This cow is a good gift! It’s much better than any empty words! I support you!”

Seeing his mother’s understanding and support, Zhou Han’s cold and hard expression softened slightly.

He helped his mother sit down on the stone bench in the courtyard and asked, “Mother, have you found out everything we need to prepare for the marriage proposal? This time, we must go by the highest standards and not slight the Lin family or wrong Sangsang.”

Upon hearing this, Aunt Zhou immediately perked up, her face showing a serious expression: “I inquired! I specifically went to see Old Master Fu and Matchmaker Wang, the most polite people in the village, and asked them carefully several times!”

She counted on her fingers, listing each item to her son: “Old Master Fu said that for us peasants, a dowry of six to eight taels is usually considered generous, but you said you wanted a higher standard. So, Mother thought we’d grit our teeth and prepare sixteen taels! It’s a lucky number, and it also shows that we value Sangsang. Over the years, Mother has saved all the money you’ve earned from hunting and working outside. It should be more than enough to prepare the dowry and your wedding.”

“There are also betrothal gifts, tea and four kinds of dried fruits are essential, red dates, peanuts, longan and lotus seeds, which symbolize ‘early birth of a son’ and ‘abundance of children’. Two jars of wine are also needed, the best daughter’s red wine or our local good wine, which symbolize ‘longevity’.”

“We also need to prepare three sacrificial animals, two pairs in total: chicken, fish, and pork. They must all be whole to show our sincerity.”

“The betrothal cakes should weigh eight catties, so that the Lin family can distribute them to relatives and friends to spread the good news.”

“I’m thinking of getting some good fabric for you and Sangsang to make new clothes, and also some fabric for the Lin family’s younger siblings.”

“Jewelry,” Aunt Zhou said, carefully taking out a small cloth bag from her bosom. Inside was a pair of heavy, finely crafted silver bracelets. “These were part of my dowry when I got married. I never wanted to touch them. I’m giving them to Sangsang as a keepsake.”

Looking at the pair of silver bracelets, clearly treasured by his mother for many years and still retaining their warm luster, Zhou Han was deeply moved: “Mother, these are too precious…”

“What do you mean by precious or not precious!” Aunt Zhou interrupted him, carefully wrapping the bracelet. “It’s for my future daughter-in-law, so it’s worth anything! Besides, this is the only decent thing we can offer right now.”

She continued, “Then there’s the matchmaker. Matchmaker Wang has already agreed to be there. She’ll be there the whole time. She knows what to say and what etiquette to perform. Finally, there’s the auspicious day. Mother has already asked someone to choose one. Three days from now is an auspicious day, perfect for betrothal and name-asking!”

“Tomorrow you’ll accompany your mother to town again to buy the necessary gifts, and I’ll also have a new dress made for you so you can look presentable when we propose!”

As Zhou Han listened to his mother’s detailed arrangements, a warm feeling welled up in his heart. He nodded emphatically, “Okay! Mother, I’ll do whatever you say! We’ll prepare according to this plan!”

He looked at the yellow ox leisurely swishing its tail in the yard, then glanced in the direction of Linjia’ao, his heart filled with anticipation. This time, he was determined to settle his girl’s affairs in a grand and sincere manner.