They suddenly remembered that Du Tieshan had married into the Old Yun family without any dowry or jewelry, not even a decent hairpin.
In the past, if a girl got married, the more generous her dowry, the more favored she would be in her husband's family.
Although the Old Yun family didn't care about these things, they couldn't let Shanshan be too shabby!
Gu Shi looked at Xiao Xinling and said, "We can't take the money, thank you for your kindness, Miss Xiao..."
After speaking, she looked at Erman, "Erman, Mom will give you some money. Tomorrow, you take Shanshan to the county town. If you see any headwear or fabric you like, buy it. Don't be stingy with your money!"
"Mom!" Du Tieshan wiped the table with a rag, stood up, and said, "There's really no need. We've already spent a lot of money on my wedding with Erman. I won't wear any gold or silver jewelry even if I buy it, so why waste the money?"
She was already content with such a grand wedding. What was the use of all those accessories?
She usually didn't have anywhere to wear them while working...
Who has ever seen a wife wearing gold and silver while feeding pigs, carrying water, chopping wood, or cleaning the stove?
Zhao Guihua heard this, looked at Du Tieshan, then at Gu Shi, and felt a little unbalanced.
She remembered that when she first married Daman, she only wore a silver bracelet, which was considered her dowry...
Why didn't her parents offer to get her some headwear back then?
Over the years, she had been busy managing the household. Let alone buying her a gold locket, they should have at least given her a nice hairpin and earrings.
Fu Daqiang's wife, Wang Suzhen, had even shown off to her a few days ago, with necklaces and earrings.
And look at her, she had nothing...
"Shanshan, just listen to your mother. Dress up beautifully on your wedding day!" Old Yun smiled and said.
Du Tieshan lowered her head slowly, her cheeks slightly flushed.
Seeing this, Zhao Guihua put down her chopsticks with a 'snap', picked up Xiao Zhuzi, and went back to the room.
The whole family: "......"
What's going on?
Who are they putting on a long face for?
Yun Erman kicked Daman under the table, "Big brother, go and see what's wrong with sister-in-law!"
Yun Daman was also confused, "How would I know what's wrong with her?"
She was fine when they were shelling corn during the day.
Yun Daman rolled up another dry pancake and walked into the west wing...
Seeing Zhao Guihua sitting on the kang, feeding Xiao Zhuzi, he smiled and asked, "Guihua, didn't you eat enough? Here, I rolled you a dry pancake. Eat it while it's hot!"
Zhao Guihua turned her head away, "I'm not eating, take it away!"
Yun Daman: "......"
What is she playing at?
Who offended you?
Yun Daman placed the dry pancake on the kang table and sat down next to Zhao Guihua, "What are you doing? No one in the family has offended you, so why are you putting on a long face?"
"I'm not putting on a long face!" Zhao Guihua glared at him, then started to cry, "I... I just feel wronged and upset, sob!"
Yun Daman: "......"
Good heavens, why is she crying now?
"Guihua, Mom and Dad treat you well. What are you feeling wronged about? Are you missing Jinhe? He won't be back until the New Year!" Yun Daman said.
"Daman, do you think Mom and Dad are biased?" Zhao Guihua finished feeding the baby, put Xiao Zhuzi on the kang, and covered him with a quilt. "Have I ever asked for anything from the family all these years? If nothing else, just this hairpin..."
As she spoke, Zhao Guihua took off the peach wood hairpin from her hair and threw it to Yun Daman. "How many years have I been wearing this hairpin? You know, and don't Mom and Dad know?"
"It's one thing that they don't let me open a restaurant, but they won't even buy me a decent set of headwear. Shanshan was treated like a biological daughter as soon as she came to our house. They held such a grand wedding, bought her jewelry, and made her new clothes. How can they be so good at handling things?"
Yun Daman: "......"
So, it was about this.
He thought the sky was falling.
"Oh, Guihua, why are you making such a fuss!" Yun Daman nudged her. "Mom and Dad are holding a grand wedding not just to let Shanshan marry in style, but also to ward off bad luck. Besides, Shanshan has been doing all the chores since she came to our house, like washing, cooking, carrying water, and feeding pigs. She never shirks her duties. What's wrong with Mom buying her a set of headwear..."
To get so worked up over this is truly inexplicable.
Unexpectedly, instead of comforting her, his words only made Zhao Guihua angrier.
"No, Yun Laoda, are you speaking human language?" Zhao Guihua raised her voice and stood up from the kang.
She usually worked quietly at home, speaking softly, rarely crying or shouting...
This shout was heard even by Old Yun and Gu Shi, who were eating.
"Haven't I been washing and cooking, carrying water, and feeding pigs at home? All the credit goes to her, and I get nothing? It's my fault for working myself to death?" Zhao Guihua cried and shouted, feeling extremely wronged.
"Oh, what are you howling about!" Yun Daman quickly closed the door and nudged Zhao Guihua, "Aren't you embarrassed? If Mom and Dad hear this, how sad they will be..."
"Hmph, let them hear!" Zhao Guihua wiped away her tears, took out a handkerchief, blew her nose, "I've realized it now. In this family, even if I work myself to death, no one will care about me!"
Yun Xiaozhu heard the commotion and started to cry, 'wuwuwu'.
Yun Daman quickly picked up his son and coaxed him, "Xiao Zhuzi, don't cry. Your mother is just being dramatic. She'll be fine once this passes..."
"You're the one being dramatic!" Zhao Guihua pinched him.
Yun Daman chuckled, "If not dramatic, then what is it? What's so good about gold and silver jewelry? I wouldn't want it even if it were given to me for free. It's just you women who compare yourselves all the time, saying this is good and that is beautiful. Wait, when I earn money, I'll buy you a whole box of it, and you can wear them in different styles every day, okay?"
Zhao Guihua was amused. This silly guy actually knew how to comfort people...
Even if Daman didn't buy her jewelry, his words warmed her heart.
She picked up the dry pancake from the kang table and slowly started to eat.
Jin Huaihua cleared the table and washed dishes with Du Tieshan in the kitchen. Xiao Xinling walked around the duck frame, glanced at the rooster perched on the windowsill, licked her lips, and went back to sleep...
Main house.
Old Yun sat on the kang, puffing on his pipe, and sighed, "Old woman, tomorrow you also give Daman some money, and let him buy Guihua a skirt or something. I can see she's unbalanced, that's why she's putting on a long face!"
Gu Shi sat beside him knitting a sweater and smiled, "Alright, it's getting cold, and everyone in the family should change into padded clothes!"
She knew very well why the eldest daughter-in-law was angry.
So, after everyone in the family had fallen asleep, Gu Shi opened her jewelry box...