Joyful Motherhood in a Rural Family

Chapter 272:  270: Preparing the Engagement Gifts, Ms. Xin’s Skillful Tactics

Of course, the Di family was lively all day.

Originally ignorant, YingEr stood beside Zhang Yun with a smile on her face. When asked if she was willing to spend a lifetime with Zhang Yun, Liu Sisi thought YingEr wouldn’t understand. Unexpectedly, she lowered her head and thought for a moment, looking at Liu Sisi and then at Zhang Yun.

“YingEr wants to spend a lifetime with Brother Yun! This way, YingEr can see mom every day, and also see Dad and brother. YingEr likes Auntie, and Auntie also likes YingEr!”

“Ah, our YingEr’s little mouth is so sweet!”

Guihua’s face broke into a big smile, as she hugged YingEr and showered her with affection.

Ironically, the happiest person was the blushing Zhang Yun standing nearby, grinning from ear to ear.

Di Xuan, on the other hand, had a dark expression without any hint of a smile on his face. Ye Lei tried to put on a happy face. Seeing this scene, his eyes became red. Zhang Peng saw and gently patted his shoulder, which made him reluctantly smile. Then he went in and drank with everyone.

Old Mr. Di, whose face was full of wrinkles, also wore a full smile and kept repeating the same word: “good, good!”

The next day, Ye Lei and Zhang Peng went to the Goddess of Mercy’s temple again to have the birthdate information matched for Zhang Yun and YingEr.

The result was a match made in heaven, and the two of them came back with crooked smiles, obviously very happy.

After that, the preparations began in full swing!

Although it was just the engagement ceremony, both families did not intend to make it simple, so naturally, there were many things to prepare.

Meanwhile, Liu Sisi had her share of troubles. Zhang Shixin would appear every time she showed up at the bookstore. No matter how she tried to drive him away, he would linger outside, making her annoyingly restless!

Recently, when she got home, she would either be busy experimenting with the movable printing system or burying herself in sewing wallets at home.

According to tradition, a wallet symbolizing love needs to be given to the groom at the engagement ceremony. YingEr, being young, naturally couldn’t sew it, so Liu Sisi had to do the work. When the wallet was almost done, YingEr would sew the final stitch to represent her feelings.

Thus, this wallet couldn’t be done poorly! Liu Sisi had to rack her brains for it.

Luckily, YingEr was sensible. Although her small hands couldn’t hold a needle yet, she learned from Auntie Guihua and made a beautiful fortune knot for the wallet.

This fortune knot symbolizes good luck and hangs below the wallet.

Although the wallet wasn’t finished, Zhang Yun loved the fortune knot and couldn’t let go of it. If it weren’t for the wallet’s significance during the engagement ceremony, he’d want to snatch it away right away.

Seeing this, Liu Sisi kept shaking her head, hoping that Zhang Yun would treat YingEr well for a lifetime.

The day was still early, and while Liu Sisi was embroidering mandarin ducks on the wallet, Di Yelei came back early.

As soon as he returned, he went straight into the inner room to find his father. The two talked for quite a while without coming out.

“What’s wrong? Your face doesn’t look good?”

She put down the wallet in her hand and looked at him curiously.

Di Yelei hesitated to speak and sat blankly at the table for a long time, his gaze fixed on the writing pen of Xuan’er who was nearby.

Nowadays, Xuan’er’s calligraphy had become exceptionally proper; although he hadn’t formed his own style, there was a charm within it, especially his sitting posture, which was very much like a scholar.

“Why don’t you say anything? Could it be that there was an incident in the governmental office?” Liu Sisi suddenly thought of a question.

Ever since they met Heir Luo and Prefecture Princess Luo a few days ago, Di Yelei had received many strange looks when he returned to the office. Even County Magistrate Su had personally summoned him, asking in detail about the incident, and treated him with great courtesy afterward, making Di Yelei feel creeped out.

Some colleagues especially saw him as someone who climbed up through skirt connections, and factions gradually formed. A group of people tried to please him every day, while another group slandered him, causing him great distress.

At the moment Liu Sisi mentioned it, Di Yelei still shook his head: “No!”

“Then, what’s wrong with you? Is there anything that we, as husband and wife, can’t talk about?” Liu Sisi raised an eyebrow.

Di Yelei turned his back, unable to meet her clear eyes.

Liu Sisi realized that something was seriously wrong and hurriedly put down her wallet, sat down beside him.

“No matter what happened, since we are husband and wife, we should face it together. Even if I can’t help you with certain things, I can still discuss them with you. As the saying goes, ‘When one person’s plan is short, two people’s plan is long, and three people walking together can surpass Zhuge Liang,’ so if you tell me about it, I can give my opinion too.”

Looking at Liu Sisi’s eyes, Di Yelei sighed deeply, rubbing his face and remaining silent for a moment before saying: “Nothing’s wrong! Really, nothing’s wrong…”

However, moments later, he fell back into his own thoughts.

This nearly choked Liu Sisi with frustration!

Just as she was about to get angry, the sister-in-law Xin’s soft voice came from outside the door.

“Third Sister-in-law! Are you home?”

Ever since Xin, also known as Little Cui, started accompanying Ms. Zhao almost every day, she and Ms. Zhao gradually began to visit the Di Family from time to time.

It was not hard to see that Ms. Zhao indeed had feelings for Elderly Mr. Di. Every time she saw Mr. Di, tears filled her eyes, but every time Elderly Mr. Di saw her, he would turn and leave.

This made Liu Sisi wonder what kind of knot between them could make Elderly Mr. Di hold a grudge against her!

No matter what, the two had spent most of their lives together, and now, at their age, they seemed to be more like enemies.

Since Xin had come, Liu Sisi naturally had to go out and greet her.

It turned out that Xin sent a pair of cotton pants for Elderly Mr. Di: “Although I haven’t been married into the Di Family for long, I still have to maintain proper etiquette. Seeing that Dad has several cotton coats for rotation, but only a few pairs of cotton pants that Third Sister-in-law added, I made a pair of cotton pants. It can also be considered as fulfilling my duty as a daughter-in-law.”

Looking at these thick cotton pants, Liu Sisi looked up at her.

Thinking carefully about Xin’s entry into the family, although there had been storms in the old house, it seemed that ever since she married into the Di Family, Di Ah-Bao, the lazybones, had changed his past recklessness and was tightly controlled by Xin.

Xin’s husband-controlling technique was truly superb!