Chapter 152: Chapter 120: The Premeditated Dowry
Li Jianjun hadn’t left for long when Mr. Lin gave his wife a meaningful look, "Finding a partner needs to be like this, knowing how to advance and retreat, strong ability, anything else is empty. Both of our sons-in-law have no family background, but they’re dragons among men."
After speaking, he checked the time, frowned, and angrily pointed outside, saying to his wife, "Look at this, she’s still not out, doesn’t she know the elders at home are waiting for her? Forget it, with this attitude, if the Yang family is willing to accept her, just send her over quickly. I have no patience to wait anymore. I’m going to work first, just let her be, with this attitude, sigh, I’m done talking."
Mrs. Lin watched her husband get into the car accompanied by Xiao Zhou in the courtyard, then returned to the living room. As soon as she entered, she saw her eldest daughter-in-law glaring angrily at her eldest granddaughter, and looked at her younger daughter in confusion, what’s going on again?
Lin Liyin shrugged her shoulders, shook her head, and gestured to glance at Lin Xueling.
After a long time, Chen Jingru slumped down on the sofa, frowning as she looked at her daughter, "So you’ve decided to marry him? You have to tell me what you see in him? Family background? Looks? Character? Mom is doing this for your own good, at least I need to be sure of his character, his temperament. I have to find someone to investigate first, it’s almost New Year, getting married next year is still on time, why the rush?"
Lin Xueling, with a cold face, stared at her, "I’m already 22, I have my own thoughts, I understand what I want. I don’t want to wrong myself for some money in the future, I just want stability. Except for being a bit short, his family background and job are both okay. I don’t want to be like the good sisters from the Big Courtyard, casually marrying a soldier, barely seeing them a few times a year, having to bear everything on my own, endure hardships, and constantly worry about job transfers. Why would I leave a perfectly good life in Beijing to follow a husband everywhere? Am I crazy or suffering from a brain fever? There’s only him in the Yang family, his father is the director of a hospital, and his grandfather is in the Ministry of Health. How many people are keeping an eye on such a family? What’s wrong with it?"
Chen Jingru was silent for a moment, looking at her resolute expression, and persuaded, "Even so, there’s no rush, wait and let Mom take another look, I’ll go investigate their family. What if something goes wrong with a hasty decision? Besides, your father will be back soon, he should have a look too."
Lin Xueling shook her head, smiling at her grandmother and aunt, "Grandma, Auntie, there’s no need to persuade me, when Dad comes back, I’ll explain it to him, he will support me. Grandma, just prepare the dowry for me, I don’t want to just bring a sewing machine like Zhou Jiao and have the Big Courtyard laugh their heads off."
Mrs. Lin smiled warmly and said, "Let’s not talk about your dad not agreeing yet. As for the dowry, three rounds and a sound, you have them, what more dowry do you need? The best dowry I’ve seen for girls in the Big Courtyard, besides the three rounds and a sound, is just a wardrobe, new quilts, and a new coat."
Lin Xueling’s expression changed at these words but she quickly concealed it. She smiled sweetly as she approached, shaking Mrs. Lin’s arm and stamped her foot, "I don’t believe Grandma won’t give me some jewelry, I know Aunt secretly prepared a lot of dowry for Zhou Jiao. My mother claims she loves me, yet hasn’t prepared anything for me. Grandma, I’ll rely on you, I can’t be worse off than Zhou Jiao, a rural girl who has two sets of Beijing courtyards in her name, not to mention all the stuff Aunt has been preparing for so many years. Why don’t you take me to have a look, I could reference what I need to prepare."
Mrs. Lin’s smile froze for a second, and she looked down to cover it, "You silly child, how can our family compare with Zhou Jiao, you have several siblings below you, who is preparing dowries? Zhou Jiao’s father left family assets, and your aunt only has Zhou Jiao as a daughter, if she doesn’t give it to her, who will she give it to? Grandma has kept a few things, but not much, and can’t give them all to you, there are still three younger brothers below you, who will soon need to start families too."
Chen Jingru’s face turned red with embarrassment, she glanced secretly at her sister-in-law, and sure enough, saw her looking coldly at Xiao Ling. This child is really too foolish, who keeps an eye on the elders’ personal belongings like that? Most of the stuff Mrs. Lin has is only given to grandsons, not even daughters, let alone granddaughters.
Lin Liyin sneered a few times, and when Lin Xueling glared at her, she was so angry she ignored the signs from Mrs. Lin and said, "Don’t glare at me, you wanted to see Zhou Jiao’s dowry, didn’t you? You think no one understands your intentions. Better not look, or you won’t be able to sleep."