The engagement between Xie Shengyu and Luo Ying had concluded. The next task was to renovate the bridal chamber. The Xie household was spacious, and Shengyu already had his own room. However, the furniture required attention: usable pieces needed repainting, while broken ones had to be replaced. This process was tight, consuming several months.
Meanwhile, Luo Ying returned home. Her parents immediately gathered to ask about the Xie family. Although they had met Xie Zhong and Qiao Er, they relied on their daughter’s personal impression for the final judgment.
Luo Ying’s father looked at her with concern. Her mother asked, "A Ying, how did it go? Was everything smooth at the Xie family’s?"
Luo Ying nodded, her face glowing with joy. "It went very well. Father, Mother, you have met Shengyu. her character is so good, so her family must be decent too. her two nieces are lovely. They were the ones who hosted me today. They are beautiful and have such good temperament. I have never seen such pretty girls."
"Is that so? Then I am relieved," Luo Ying’s mother said, nodding in satisfaction. She added, "What did your mother-in-law give you?"
Luo Ying did not hide anything, though her cheeks turned slightly pink. "A leather suitcase containing two sets of clothes and a pair of shoes. There was also sixty yuan as betrothal money. Besides these, my mother-in-law privately gave me a wristwatch and a gold ring." She extended her hand, showing the watch and ring already on her wrist.
Seeing these items, Luo Ying’s mother finally felt at ease. The quantity of gifts reflected how much the future in-laws valued their daughter. The watch and gold ring clearly showed that the Xie family respected Luo Ying. "The gifts your mother-in-law gave show she truly accepts you. When you move in, you must be filial to your parents-in-law. I heard they are kind people. Do not learn from your sister-in-law." The mother was most dissatisfied with her own daughter-in-law, a troublemaker who brought no peace to the house.
Luo Ying nodded, her face red. "I will. Shengyu also told me in secret that she will try to get me a sewing machine in a few days. she said our family’s conditions are not very good, so she can only provide a sewing machine and a bicycle. she cannot give anything else."
Luo Ying’s mother’s eyes lit up. "These are major items! Most families can only afford one major item. Shengyu is buying two major items for you, plus the watch from your mother-in-law makes three major items. This is remarkable. All of these require ration coupons." The more gifts the groom’s side gave, the more they valued the bride. How could the mother not be delighted?
"A Ying, when Shengyu comes, tell him that if the coupons are hard to get, do not buy them," Luo Ying’s father spoke up from the side. "We are not selling our daughter. As long as you two are happy as a couple, that is enough." The father had seen the world and knew how difficult it was to obtain such coupons.
"Yes, I will tell her when she comes." Luo Ying felt fortunate to have such open-minded parents who did not covet their son-in-law’s wealth. Thinking of Wang Xiaoya from the neighboring village, she felt she was living in heaven.
While the Luo family discussed this, the Xie family was discussing it too.
"Father, the furniture is manageable, but the coupons for the bicycle and sewing machine are hard to obtain," Xie Shengyu said.
Xie Jingyu, listening nearby, felt a twinge of discomfort. He knew that because the family’s life had improved, Shengyu could speak this way. Yet, he still felt uneasy. When he had married, he had received only two quilts and not even a house. "If there are no coupons, do not buy them. Just give your wife more money instead."