Farming for Three Meals a Day [Farming Life] 20

Chapter 20

Just two days later, the fortune teller sent a message saying that he had chosen an auspicious date, suitable for both grooms and conducive to marriage, shortly after the Autumn Equinox.

Father Ye was very satisfied and said repeatedly, “After the Autumn Equinox is good! The grains are ripe, the melons and fruits are mature, a very good time.”

Liu Xiufeng also praised the chosen date and asked the matchmaker to give the fortune teller ten copper coins as a thank-you gift.

Ye Xi realized that was only half a month away. Fortunately, he was a fast embroiderer and had almost finished Lin Jiangshan’s new clothes. He had to hurry up and make the shoes.

Lin Jiangshan came in the evening, bringing a large watermelon. The family sat in the courtyard, enjoying the autumn breeze, and cut the watermelon open, revealing the red flesh and juicy sweetness.

Liu Xiufeng was pleased with her future son-in-law, but she was also mindful of money and couldn’t help but say, “This watermelon must have cost a lot, don’t spend money on these things next time.”

Ye Shan ate happily, devouring several slices of watermelon. “Hey, since he’s marrying our Xi-ge’er, can’t he treat us to a watermelon?”

His words made everyone laugh, and Lin Jiangshan smiled. “Yes, Brother Ye is right. It’s mid-autumn, and this is the last watermelon of the year. We have to enjoy it while we can.”

Since the engagement, the Ye family had truly treated him as one of their own. After wandering for years, he had finally settled down in Shanxiu Village. Soon, he would have his own husband, hardworking and kind in-laws, and a peaceful and simple life.

With his future in-laws, Lin Jiangshan had become much more lively and talkative.

Ye Xi sat on a low stool, taking small bites of watermelon, bathed in the bright moonlight. He looked tenderly at Lin Jiangshan, his eyes filled with love for his chosen husband.

Lin Jiangshan, across from Ye Shan, also looked at his future husband, a faint smile in his eyes. This was the family he would spend his life with.

As the wedding day approached, the gazes between the two became more affectionate, filled with unconcealed sweetness and tenderness.

The other members of the Ye family saw it clearly, and Liu Xiufeng smiled, pleased that the young couple had such a good relationship and that she wouldn’t have to worry about them in the future.

After eating the watermelon, Father Ye said he was tired and went back to his room to rest. Liu Xiufeng said the kitchen still needed cleaning and dragged the clueless Ye Shan away by his ear.

Only Ye Xi and Lin Jiangshan were left in the courtyard. The small courtyard became quiet, and the night wind rustled the fallen leaves.

Ye Xi asked, “Why have you become darker these past few days?”

Lin Jiangshan smiled. “I went to town these past few days to ask about work and worked at the docks for a few days. The late summer sun is strong, so I guess I got tanned.”

Ye Xi thought that the wedding expenses were high and had added to his burden. “Just keep the wedding simple, my family doesn’t require a grand ceremony. It’s just a formality, the quality of our life together is what truly matters.”

Lin Jiangshan comforted him. “Don’t worry, I have enough for the wedding expenses. It’s a big event, and I don’t want to shortchange you. I just wanted to earn some extra money to buy you something.”

Ye Xi blinked at him, puzzled. “Buy me what? You’ve already sent over the red cloth for the wedding clothes, and you’ve also earned the money for the meat and wine for the feast. What other expenses are there?”

Lin Jiangshan took out a cloth from his pocket, something wrapped inside. “When my mother and father got married, my father spent a few taels of silver to have a lotus-patterned bracelet made for her, with auspicious patterns. It made a crisp sound when worn on the wrist.”

As he spoke, Lin Jiangshan unwrapped the cloth. “Later, I went to the army, and I wasn’t able to return when my mother passed away. I don’t know where that bracelet is now.”

Inside the cloth was a silver bracelet, not thick, just a thin band, also engraved with lotus patterns, gleaming coldly in the moonlight.

Ye Xi looked at the silver bracelet quietly.

Lin Jiangshan said, “My mother used to joke that she would pass it down to my future wife or husband, a family heirloom passed down through generations. Now, I can only have a new one made for you. It’s not as heavy as my mother’s, much thinner, but it fulfills my mother’s wish.”

Tears welled up in Ye Xi’s eyes, and he sniffed slightly. “Such a precious gift, I’ll treasure it.”

He put the bracelet on Ye Xi’s wrist, and it looked exceptionally beautiful. Perhaps because his wrist was slender, the bracelet seemed even more delicate and exquisite.

“It looks good. I’ll save up more money and have a thicker one made for you later, preferably a pair,” Lin Jiangshan said.

Ye Xi admired the bracelet on his wrist in the moonlight and smiled. “I’m so fortunate to be able to wear a silver bracelet. My mother worked hard for decades and only has a thin silver hairpin.”

Few married young men in the village had silver bracelets. Life in the mountain village was simple, and not every family was wealthy. Money was spent on food and clothing, leaving little for jewelry and accessories.

Lin Jiangshan smiled. “I don’t care about others. Since you’re marrying me, you should have some jewelry as part of your dowry.”

Ye Xi’s eyes sparkled with a grateful smile, the moonlight reflected in his eyes.

He had found a good man that was unmatched in the surrounding villages. His future life would definitely be happy and harmonious.

Time passed like flowing water. As the leaves turned yellow, the temperature in Shanxiu Village dropped, and after a few drizzles of autumn rain, the chill deepened. Autumn mist lingered on the mountainside.

Ye Xi sat on the kang by the window, embroidering his wedding veil, and couldn’t help but yawn, his head resting on the kang cabinet, feeling drowsy.

Liu Xiufeng was in the courtyard, preparing for the wedding feast in two days. Lin Jiangshan was an outsider, with no family or relatives in Shanxiu Village, so the Ye family had to help organize the feast and invite their relatives, neighbors, and friends.

Liu Xiufeng went back and forth between the kitchen and the courtyard, the chickens and ducks occasionally clucking in their coop. After a while, some people arrived, the village women Liu Xiufeng had invited to help.

Village women were loud and straightforward. As soon as they entered the courtyard, their chatter filled the air, startling Ye Xi awake from his drowsiness.

“Mrs. Ye, such a large piece of pork, how many meat dishes are you making?”

Ye Xi could hear clearly from his room. This was Aunt Zhao from next door, quick and efficient, and had helped with many wedding feasts.

Liu Xiufeng replied, “Just four meat dishes, a good omen for ‘completeness’ and ‘perfection.'”

“How many dishes in total?” another woman asked.

“Nine dishes: four meat dishes, four cold dishes, and one hot soup, a complete set.”

Aunt Zhao praised, “That’s very impressive. Usually, even a six-dish feast is considered common. Your feast is very grand.”

Liu Xiufeng sighed and started preparing the pork offal, explaining to the women who came to help, “My straightforward son-in-law sent over this large piece of pork without any warning. Since he spent the money, it wouldn’t be right not to use it for the feast. He spent the money wanting to make the feast grand, so I can’t slack off either.”

The other women clicked their tongues enviously and started gossiping.

“Your outsider son-in-law is a good man, very practical, not like my Wu-ge’er’s husband’s family, so stingy! The betrothal gifts they gave were meager, and it took them a long time to deliver the two bolts of cloth. The feast was even more pathetic, only two meat dishes, two cold dishes, and one hot soup. You don’t know how embarrassing that feast was for our family. Many people left half-full, and they were still complaining about how much money they spent.”

“Isn’t that the truth! My daughter’s in-laws aren’t good either, always sending my daughter back to her parents’ house to get eggs and lard. Their family is poor and relies on us for food. My poor daughter, it’s all because we, her parents, had no vision and chose the wrong person for her.”

“The feast at the Lu family in the west end of the village a while ago was grand. I heard their son married into a wealthy family in town, with a two-courtyard house.”

“A young man can marry into a wealthy family in town? Look at the Lin family, they’ve been looking for a high-class family, discussing marriage with the Cao family in the next village for so long, but there’s still no news. All that talk for nothing.”

The women chatted, and before they knew it, the topic shifted to Yao-ge’er from the Lin family and the Cao family.

After finishing, they realized they had misspoken. The Cao family had been engaged to Xi-ge’er from the Ye family, but they broke off the engagement after Xi-ge’er burned his face.

The woman who misspoke smiled awkwardly and slapped her mouth. “Look at me, I can’t keep my mouth shut, talking about other people’s business.”

Although Liu Xiufeng felt a bit uncomfortable, she didn’t say anything. Her Xi-ge’er had found a good husband, and she didn’t want to bring up those unpleasant matters from the past.

The women started gossiping about other families in the village. Ye Xi listened half-heartedly, leaning against the window, embroidering.

After a while, Li-ge’er came to visit. He entered the room, pouting, and said, “Ever since you’re getting married, my mother has been nagging me every day, afraid I’ll be left behind.”

Ye Xi looked at him. “You’re only three months younger than me, Aunt Liu should start nagging you. Has she found anyone for you?”

Li-ge’er said, “The family we’re meeting recently is the second son of Li San the butcher from Zhao Village.”

Ye Xi smiled. “That’s not bad. Butchers are well-off, you’ll have meat every day after you marry him, and you’ll become plump in a few months.”

Li-ge’er curled his lip. “That Li San family is very simple-minded. I heard they only know how to butcher pigs and are big and burly.”

Ye Xi embroidered the petals, his head lowered. “Well, men should be strong and sturdy to be the head of the household. Do you also prefer those refined and scholarly types?”

Li-ge’er shook his head. “I don’t have such high aspirations. Marrying a man is about having food and clothing. I just want someone who can provide warmth and keep me fed and clothed.”

Ye Xi smiled. “That’s what I think too. That’s how life should be.”