After the Scholar Rejected Me, I Married the Rogue and Got Rich - Chapter 45

Why? Why could Lin Sang find such a man? That focused gaze, that generous betrothal gift, and especially that oxcart adorned with red flowers, constantly flashed before her eyes, stimulating her senses.

Song Jinhua followed closely behind, closed the door, and looked at her daughter’s shoulders shaking with sobs. She felt both heartache and frustration.

She walked to the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed) and reached out to pull Lin Jiao’er up: “Oh my little darling! Stop crying! Get up quickly, or you’ll ruin your eyes!”

“I won’t get up!” Lin Jiao’er forcefully shook off her mother’s hand, her cries growing louder, filled with deep resentment. “Why! Mother! Tell me why! How can Lin Sang, who has been jilted before, find someone like Zhou Han! Those dowry, that oxcart… Waaah… My Mingyuan brother… Besides reciting a few sentimental poems, what has he ever given me?!”

Song Jinhua was speechless at her daughter’s question. She felt a pang of jealousy, but she had to console her: “Oh dear, why are you comparing yourself to her! What’s so great about Zhou Han? He just has a few stinking bucks. Who knows if his money is clean? Have you forgotten his reputation? Fighting, a vicious thug! If you marry him, you might get beaten up by him any day! He’s nowhere near as good as your Mingyuan brother!”

“What’s so good about it!” Lin Jiao’er suddenly raised her head, her eyes brimming with tears as she retorted, her delicate makeup ruined by the crying. “Zhang Mingyuan’s mother is incredibly stingy, and he himself is a bookworm who knows nothing about practical matters! What can he give me besides fame and fortune? Look at the way Zhou Han looks at Lin Sang… He… he clearly cherishes Lin Sang! When has Zhang Mingyuan ever looked at me like that?!”

She recalled Zhou Han’s silent yet resolute demeanor, and the focused yet gentle gaze he cast upon Lin Sang, and felt a sharp pain in her heart, a pain that a woman could truly feel—a feeling of being cherished.

Song Jinhua was speechless, utterly bewildered by her daughter’s words. She had seen Zhou Han’s gaze, and she too had been stunned by the lavish dowry. But she couldn’t admit it, and could only force herself to say, “Can looks feed you? Silly girl! That Zhou Han is just a brute! Your Mingyuan is a scholar! He’ll pass the imperial examinations and become a high-ranking official! Then you’ll be an official’s wife, adorned in gold and silver, with servants at your beck and call. What can Lin Sang, a mere street vendor’s wife, compare to you? She’ll only be envious of you!”

She sat on the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed), lowered her voice, and said with an almost hypnotic certainty: “Jiao’er, listen to your mother, we need to have a long-term vision! Don’t let these little things in front of you blind you! That Zhou family is just nouveau riche, they have no real foundation! Our scholar’s future is real and solid! Once you become an official’s wife, oxcarts and silver bracelets will be nothing to you!”

Lin Jiao’er sobbed, her mother’s words acting like a shot of adrenaline, temporarily suppressing the turmoil in her heart.

Yes, Mingyuan is a scholar, a person with official rank, and he will become an official in the future… She kept repeating these words in her mind, trying to convince herself, but the image of the oxcart decorated with red flowers, the pair of shiny silver bracelets, and Zhou Han’s heart-stopping gaze flashed through her mind again.

She angrily pounded the kang mat, buried her face back in the quilt, and her crying gradually subsided, turning into suppressed, resentful sobs.

Seeing her daughter’s expression, Song Jinhua knew that she had taken some of the advice to heart, but also knew that the knot in her heart was hard to untie.

She sighed and could only continue to mutter about the bright prospects of being a “scholar’s wife” and “official’s wife,” trying to soothe her daughter’s real disappointment and jealousy with this vague future.

Inside the room, only Lin Jiao’er’s suppressed sobs and Song Jinhua’s repeated attempts to persuade her remained, forming a stark contrast to the festive atmosphere at the second branch of the Lin family.

———

In stark contrast to the gloomy and stifling atmosphere surrounding Lin Jiao’er and her daughter, the courtyard of the second branch of the Lin family was now enveloped in unprecedented joy and liveliness.

The main room, the courtyard, and even a few tables borrowed from a neighbor were all filled with people.

The table was laden with dishes carefully prepared by Wang and her aunts who were helping out—the braised pork was glistening and tempting, the whole fried fish symbolized abundance year after year, the stewed chicken was fragrant, and there were also various seasonal vegetables, tofu, and various stir-fries made with pork sent by the Zhou family. Although they were not delicacies, they were a very sumptuous feast for a farmer.

The air was filled with the aroma of food and wine, as well as the cheerful laughter of people.

As the absolute protagonist of the day, Zhou Han naturally became the target of everyone’s “attack.” The clan elders, the Lin family’s uncles, and even some familiar neighbors all brought wine bowls to toast him.

“Well done, Zhou boy! We’re family now, so you’d better finish this bowl of wine!”

“You tough guy, you’d better treat our Sangsang well from now on. Here, let me toast you!”

“Brother Zhou, congratulations!”

Zhou Han accepted all offers of wine. He was already quite a heavy drinker, and today he was in high spirits. No matter who offered him a drink, he would hold the bowl with both hands, say “thank you,” and then tilt his head back and drink it all in one gulp. His movements were swift and decisive, without any hesitation, which drew cheers from the crowd.

Although his face was slightly flushed, his eyes remained clear, showing no signs of drunkenness.

Watching from the side, seeing him drink bowl after bowl of wine, even though she knew he had a high alcohol tolerance, she couldn’t help but feel sorry for her future son-in-law.

She carried a bowl of sour soup to help him sober up, stopped another man who wanted to offer a toast, and said with a smile, “Alright, alright! You guys, that’s enough! Do you really want to get our future son-in-law drunk and embarrass him? Let him eat some food to fill his stomach! Hanzi, come on, have some soup to sober up!” She shoved the bowl of sour soup into Zhou Han’s hands, her tone full of undisguised protectiveness.

Upon seeing this, everyone burst into laughter and made jokes:

“Oh my! She’s not even married yet, and the mother-in-law is already feeling sorry for her!”

“Look! Look! Wang’s heart is almost completely biased towards her!”

“Zhou Han, you’re a lucky guy! You haven’t even gotten married yet, and you’ve already won over your future mother-in-law’s heart!”

Wang blushed slightly at his words, but put her hands on her hips and laughed, scolding, “Get lost! I feel sorry for my son-in-law, so what? If you’re so capable, go find a son-in-law as capable and honest as him!”

Holding the bowl of warm sour soup, Zhou Han listened to Wang Shi’s protective words and the others’ teasing, feeling warm inside. He bowed slightly to Wang Shi and said softly, “Thank you, Auntie.”

Then she obediently drank a few sips of soup and ate a few bites of vegetables. This thoughtfulness and obedience made Wang Shi smile with satisfaction.