Chapter 1325: Chapter 1303: Perspective (Happy Birthday to the book friend “潇洒走一回”)
Manbao looked up and said, “Dad, Sixth Brother and Lichong and Lijun are staying in the capital to run the shop. Business is good during the New Year, and they couldn’t bear to close it.”
She didn’t ntion how Zhou SiLang had pawned Zhou Liulang and the shop to the Hu rchants. Instead, she continued, “Fourth Brother and Liwei brought in a batch of furs, and they parted ways with us in Mianzhou. They’re headed to Maozhou and Yizhou to sell them. It’ll probably take them a few days to return.”
Old Zhou wasn’t very knowledgeable about these business matters, but he appreciated Zhou SiLang’s initiative and Zhou Liulang’s hardworking attitude. He set them aside in his mind for now and cheerfully picked up his chopsticks, grabbed a piece of at, and placed it in Manbao’s bowl, saying warmly, “Alright, let’s eat first. Here, Manbao, have so at. You must be starving after such a long journey.”
Not exactly hungry, but it had been quite bumpy.
Ms.Qian glanced at Old Zhou’s undisguised joy and also placed a piece of at into Manbao’s bowl. Then she said, “Eat quickly. Your room has been tidied up by your Third Sister-in-law. A brazier has been lit inside. If it gets too cold tonight, we can add another quilt.”
Manbao nodded in agreent.
The family enjoyed a cheerful dinner together, and after the al, they lit the lamps and began distributing items.
The first branch, second branch, fourth branch, and fifth branch had all brought back good things for their families. Manbao naturally didn’t forget about Third Brother’s household either—she had prepared an entire box of goods for them.
However, these things weren’t the main event. All of these items had been sorted out back in the capital and were already delivered to the respective rooms. They would distribute them themselves.
The key highlight was that Manbao had brought back so books from the capital this ti—books she had bought specifically for the three heads.
Most of the books in the household were hand-copied by Manbao from her teacher and then recopied by the three heads from her. Even so, they barely had any books.
This ti, she brought back many books she had already read and morized. The three heads could start using them right away.
If that wasn’t enough, they could copy them themselves.
There were also fabrics and jewelry gifted to her by the Empress and the Crown Princess. She brought quite a bit back and was generous in sharing them with the family.
Ms.Qian touched the brocade briefly before retracting her hand, shaking her head. “This brocade is too smooth. I’m afraid my calloused hands will snag the silk threads. It’s not sothing us rural folks can use. Better to put it away.”
Manbao noticed that her sisters-in-law genuinely liked it, so she said, “Mom, let them keep it. Even if they don’t wear it now, they can save it for later or sell it for money.”
Ms.Qian glanced at her and didn’t oppose further. She then said to Junior Ms.Qian and the others, “Since Manbao said so, you can keep it. When the children are getting married or moving out, this fabric might co in handy.”
Upon this topic, Junior Ms.Qian couldn’t help but ask Manbao, “Manbao, when will Datou co back to discuss marriage?”
“Right, Erya is of marriageable age too,” Ms.Feng added. “I thought Erya would co back this ti.”
Manbao jumped in shock. “Second Sister-in-law, are you planning to arrange a marriage for Lijun already?”
Ms.Feng replied, “It’s about ti to start looking.”
Manbao thought about it briefly and then shook her head, saying, “Lijun is still working. Asking her to co ho for marriage probably won’t happen. Besides, marrying too young isn’t good for girls.”
“Why isn’t it good?”
Manbao explained, “It’s not good for their health. Getting married too young and having children can be dangerous. Better to wait until eighteen years old to consider it.”
Ms.Feng hesitated. “Eighteen seems too late, doesn’t it? By the way, what about Old Sixth?”
Everyone suddenly rembered that Zhou Liulang hadn’t gotten married yet.
The sisters-in-law all glanced toward Ms.Qian, and the atmosphere beca a little tense.
Manbao chuckled awkwardly, feeling slightly guilty.
Ms.Qian noticed and said to Ms.Feng and the others gathered in Manbao’s room, “It’s getting late. You should head back to your own rooms and rest.”
Ms.Feng and the others left with their allotted brocade fabric.
Ms.Qian said to Junior Ms.Qian, “Go heat another pot of water, so there’s enough for Manbao and the rest to wash up later.”
Junior Ms.Qian also left, and Manbao quickly pulled out a large bundle and handed it to her. “Big Sister-in-law, this is a fox fur coat for you. It’s very warm when you wear it.”
Junior Ms.Qian carried a piece of brocade and the large bundle back.
Ms.Feng and the others noticed and knew that Big Sister-in-law had received an extra bundle. However, at this point, they were mostly envious but had gotten used to it.
After everyone left, Ms.Qian pulled Manbao aside to ask, “Has your Sixth Brother fallen for soone in the capital?”
Manbao replied, “Mom, how did you know?”
Ms.Qian didn’t answer and asked, “What kind of person is it?”
Manbao scratched her head and said, “Sixth Brother asked Fourth Brother to co back and act as a matchmaker.”
Ms.Qian tapped her head lightly. “So you’re planning to hide this from until Fourth Brother returns?”
Manbao grinned sheepishly, glanced outside, and then leaned close to Ms.Qian’s ear to whisper, “It’s the daughter of the lamb restaurant next to our family’s restaurant. Her surna is Qiu, and she’s eighteen this year.”
Ms.Qian furrowed her brow. “Eighteen and still not engaged—is she, like your Sixth Brother, uninterested in marriage, or is there another reason?”
Manbao replied, “Their family only has this one daughter.”
Such a situation was all too familiar, and Ms.Qian imdiately asked, “Are they asking for a son-in-law to live with them?”
Manbao was about to say no but paused and countered, “Mom, would you agree to Sixth Brother becoming a son-in-law?”
“Absolutely not,” Ms.Qian said, her voice firm. “It’s not about the filial piety of your Sixth Brother—we have five other sons besides him, and your father and I have enough for our retirent. It’s just that being a son-in-law isn’t easy. Not to ntion the judgnt from outsiders, even within the family, he might be looked down upon.”
Ms.Qian continued, “Our family has no shortage of funds to marry a wife; why would he need to live with soone else’s family?”
Manbao said, “My biological father was a son-in-law, wasn’t he? Mom, didn’t you say that my grandfather and grandmother treated him very well?”
Ms.Qian, hearing her bring this up, realized what she was hinting at. She gently stroked Manbao’s head and said, “Yes, they treated him well. But tis are different now. Your biological father had nothing back then—not even his life—which was saved by your grandfather’s family. If he had married into their household back then, these complications wouldn’t exist today.”
Manbao asked softly, “What complications?”
Ms.Qian pinched her cheek and teased, “Asking questions you already know the answer to. What else could it be except the matter with the family register?”
Manbao sighed and said, “Mom, which na do you think sounds better: Zhou Man or Xia Man?”
Ms.Qian laughed. “Both sound good. It depends on which na you prefer.”
Manbao herself was undecided. She obviously preferred the na she had grown up with, but choosing it would reflect poorly on her biological father’s family and their integrity, given the original agreent.
Ms.Qian also sighed. “Your Sixth Brother better co back soon so your father can give him a good scolding.”
Manbao jolted awake at her words and quickly explained, “Mom, the Qiu family didn’t ask for Sixth Brother to live with them. They only ntioned that they’d like one of the children to carry their family na.”
Ms.Qian: …
She looked at Manbao silently.
Manbao smiled, trying to win her over. “I was just trying to see what you thought about the matter of being a son-in-law.”
Ms.Qian tapped her head, then began asking detailed questions about the Qiu family.
Manbao imdiately realized Ms.Qian was leaning toward agreeing. She couldn’t help but feel a bit cheated—looks like she’d have to get Fourth Brother to reimburse her with that ten taels of silver from Sixth Brother, since she was the one convincing their mother about this marriage.
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