After the Scholar Rejected Me, I Married the Rogue and Got Rich - Chapter 52

Lin Fu and Song Jinhua’s faces immediately darkened when they saw the meager betrothal gifts. Song Jinhua’s lips, in particular, drooped so much that an oil bottle could practically hang from them.

Lin Jiao’er felt as if she had been doused with a bucket of ice water; all color drained from her face, and her carefully applied makeup could not conceal her disappointment and humiliation.

But what could they say? Lin Jiao’er had been eager to marry him, and the Zhang family had made it clear beforehand that the betrothal gifts would be halved. Now that the deed was done, Lin Jiao’er’s reputation had already been damaged by the incident of the forced marriage. If the engagement were to be called off, it would be even harder for her to find a good family.

They could only suppress their displeasure and reluctantly agree, setting the wedding date for next summer, on the eighth day of the sixth lunar month.

Lin Fu glanced at his parents and hesitated, “Isn’t the date too rushed? Logically speaking, Sangsang is the eldest sister, she should get married first…”

The usually silent Old Mrs. Lin suddenly snorted coldly, interrupting her son, her tone filled with annoyance: “What’s the point of all that formality? She’s already lost all face! Keeping her at home is a hassle, I can’t stand seeing her! I want to live a few more years, so hurry up and get her married off, out of sight, out of mind!”

These words were spoken without any mercy, and the room fell into a deathly silence. Lin Jiao’er dug her nails deep into her palms, but dared not refute them.

The clan chief had only come to sit down because of Zhang Mingyuan’s status as a scholar, but seeing the desolate scene, the meager betrothal gifts, and the host’s unpleasant expression, he felt ashamed and even his polite words came out awkwardly.

Lunch was even more perfunctory, consisting of a few simple home-cooked dishes, a stark contrast to the lavish meal served at the second branch’s engagement ceremony the previous day. The clan chief hurriedly ate a few mouthfuls of rice before leaving under the pretext of having something to do.

After dinner, Lin Jiao’er could no longer hold back. She pulled Zhang Mingyuan to the backyard, tears streaming down her face as she sobbed, “Mingyuan… look… how can I hold my head up in the village now? My cousin…”

Looking at Lin Jiao’er, who was crying her eyes out, Zhang Mingyuan felt little pity. Instead, he felt an indescribable irritation and displeasure.

He was already embarrassed in front of his classmates because of the betrothal gifts, and now seeing Lin Jiao’er still complaining, he couldn’t help but say coldly, “Jiao’er, it’s too late to say anything more! You already know my family’s situation. It’s not easy for my mother to support my studies on her own. Do you really want to force my mother and me to sell our house and land and ruin my future for this little bit of betrothal gifts before you are satisfied?”

Lin Jiao’er was startled by his unprecedentedly cold tone. Her sobs faltered, and she looked up at him with disbelief through her tear-filled eyes: “Mingyuan, how…how could you say that to me? I just…”

“But what?” Zhang Mingyuan interrupted her, his tone impatient. “Mother is right, a wise man worries about the Way, not about poverty! If you truly care about me, you should understand my difficulties and help me through this tough time, instead of constantly comparing yourself to others and adding to my troubles! If you feel wronged, it’s not too late to back out now!”

After he finished speaking, he turned away and refused to look at her again.

Lin Jiao’er stood there blankly, watching Zhang Mingyuan’s resolute back. She felt a chill run through her body. Only then did she realize that the title of “Scholar’s Wife” that she had schemed so hard to obtain was actually so despicable and cold inside.

Tears fell silently. This time, it was no longer a calculated performance, but a genuine expression of despair and regret. But it was too late to say anything more.

———

As the weather gets colder, the Lin family’s mutton offal soup stall is doing increasingly well, and the covered oxcart has become a new sight at the dock.

However, with fame comes trouble. There are always a few envious and envious people, or idle men who had no prior dealings with the Lin family and simply couldn’t stand seeing others do well, who would occasionally come to cause trouble.

That day, a man dressed in a tattered short jacket, reeking of alcohol, sauntered up to the stall. He glanced sideways at the bubbling broth in the pot, then at the sturdy yellow ox tied to the side, and spoke in a sarcastic tone:

“Tsk tsk, Sister-in-law Lin, your business is booming! With oxen and carts, you’re really making a fortune! We poor folks toil away all day carrying heavy loads, earning only a pittance, and it all probably ends up in your pot, doesn’t it?”

Wang was busy collecting money when she heard this. Without even lifting her eyelids, she deftly gave change while retorting in a neither soft nor hard tone, “Li Laosan, what you’re saying doesn’t make sense. We work from dawn till dusk, making sure the soup is plentiful and the pancakes are substantial. We earn our money through hard work, clean money! People are willing to come and eat here because they trust our skills and conscience. If you’re envious, find a proper business to do. It’s better than talking nonsense here.”

Old Li choked for a moment, his face flushed red, and he wanted to say something more, but the regular customers waiting for their soup nearby were displeased:

“Li Laosan, stop causing trouble here! If you don’t like drinking, go away and don’t delay our meal!”

“Exactly! Lin’s stall is affordable and the food is delicious, we’re happy to spend the money!”

“Can’t you stand to see others doing well?”

Seeing that he had angered everyone, Li Laosan spat in frustration and slunk away.

Another day, two old women were pointing and whispering nearby, their voices just loud enough for Lin Sang to hear: “…Look at those earrings on Sang’s ears, are they new? Silver ones, right? She’s only been engaged for a few days, and she’s already wearing them. It’s obvious she has money…”

Lin Sang was chopping cilantro when she heard this. She looked up with a calm smile on her face and replied clearly, “You two aunties are joking. It’s just an ordinary item. We make money by setting up a stall, relying on our strength and honesty. The money we earn is clean. Is it not allowed to buy ourselves a little something?”

Her tone was neither humble nor arrogant, and her eyes were clear and upright, which made the two gossiping old women feel a little embarrassed, and they quickly changed the subject.

The Lin family didn’t take these minor incidents to heart.

The docks are a melting pot of all sorts of people. As long as they’re not deliberately causing trouble, they just ignore these sarcastic remarks and continue to focus on running their small businesses.

When Wang Shi had a moment of leisure, she put down the dough in her hand, leaned closer, and examined it carefully. A knowing smile immediately appeared on her face, and she teased, “Oh! This pendant looks so pretty! When did you buy it? How come I didn’t know?” She looked at her daughter’s face, which flushed red instantly, with a teasing gaze.

Lin Sang straightened up somewhat embarrassedly, subconsciously touching the earring with her hand, and said softly, “I didn’t buy it… Brother Zhou gave it to me before he left.”

Upon hearing this, Madam Wang’s smile deepened, filled with relief and satisfaction: “That boy Zhou Han, he seems so quiet, but I didn’t expect him to be so thoughtful! He knew to bring you something. This pendant has a simple design, it suits you, it looks beautiful!”

She paused, looking at the undisguised tenderness in her daughter’s eyes, and felt happy too.

“Sangsang,” Wang said, her tone becoming considerate and practical, “Zhou Han must have had a hard time on his journey, traveling in freezing weather. I was thinking that if you have some free time these next few days, you could go and get some thick, durable coarse cloth, stuff it with some new cotton, sew him a pair of knee pads, and make him a pair of thick gloves.”

His work, done in the wind and snow, makes his knees and hands very susceptible to cold; this genuine care is more valuable than anything else.

Hearing her mother’s words, Lin Sang’s eyes lit up, and she immediately nodded: “Mother is right! I’ll go buy cloth and cotton after I close up shop this afternoon! I’ll definitely make him something thick and sturdy!”

The thought of Zhou Han wearing something she made herself to ward off the cold filled her with warmth and motivation.