The heavens set sail from the courtyard

Wang Gang had no idea that his mention of betrothal gifts had made He Wenyuan remember it and even bring it up in front of Erqing's mother.

Erqing's mother didn't want her son to marry He Wenhui, who had been married before, and when she heard that she would have to pay a bride price, her face immediately darkened.

“Erqing’s mother, although my sister is remarried, she has never been touched by Lao Liu. She is still a virgin. Why can’t she ask for a bride price?” He Wenyuan was very indignant when he heard Erqing’s mother’s words.

"Wen Yuan, don't talk nonsense." Yu Qiuhua stopped her daughter in time and said to Erqing's mother, "This child is used to being unruly, please don't mind him."

Erqing's mother forced a smile and said, "Don't blame the child, it's just that we don't have the custom of giving bride price when we get married!"

He Wenyuan exclaimed, "I remember when Lao Liu married my sister, he not only gave her a bride price, but also gave all the wedding gifts to my mother."

Erqing's mother's face changed completely. She never expected that marrying He Wenhui would come at such a high price. She should have known better than to agree to the marriage.

Yu Qiuhua didn't stop He Wenyuan at this moment; she also wanted to see Erqing's mother's sincerity.

“Qiuhua, you know our family’s situation. Daqing is just a factory worker, earning only about thirty yuan a month. He can barely afford to hold a wedding banquet. If we give your family the wedding gift money, we really can’t afford it,” Erqing’s mother said with a troubled expression.

Yu Qiuhua understood what was going on and sighed inwardly, but on the surface she remained calm and said, "Don't listen to Wen Yuan's nonsense. Of course, the wedding gift money is for the young couple. As for the betrothal gifts, you can give a little as a token."

Erqing's mother asked, "What does this mean? How much is it?"

Yu Qiuhua said, "Give as much as your family can. After the wedding, Wenhui will take every penny of the money with her."

Erqing's mother finally breathed a sigh of relief, but He Wenyuan was not having it.

"Mom, if you let my eldest sister take everything, then our family will have nothing left, and we'll have lost a daughter for nothing," He Wenyuan said with dissatisfaction.

"Shut up and go back to your room to do your homework," Yu Qiuhua said unhappily.

"Mom," He Wenyuan said, "My sister is a soon-to-be college graduate; she can't marry someone so shabby!"

Erqing's mother raised an eyebrow and whispered, "Your eldest sister didn't go to university in the end, she went to work in a factory!"

Yu Qiuhua's face darkened when she heard Erqing's mother's words.

He Wenhui was unable to attend university due to the burden on her family, which has always been a source of pain for Yu Qiuhua.

Erqing's mother didn't hold back in exposing the wound, which was a bit like slapping her in the face!
He Wenyuan had a bad temper and couldn't keep secrets. He immediately jumped up and said, "Erqing's mother, my sister was admitted to university. How many people in the whole school could get in?"

I remember Daqing didn't even get into high school!

Erqing's mother retorted, "My Daqing never intended to go to university. He went to a vocational school early on and started working to help support the family. He's so sensible!"

He Wenyuan asked anxiously, "If my older sister wanted to, she could take the college entrance exam now. Can Brother Daqing do the same?"

Erqing's mother said coldly, "No matter how good your eldest sister is, she's still a factory worker in a textile factory. If you ask me, she shouldn't have gone to high school in the first place; it was a waste of money to study."

If I had gone directly to a vocational school, I would have been working long ago and wouldn't have had to go through all this trouble. I'm still a factory worker now!

Yu Qiuhua's face darkened further, but she couldn't refute Erqing's mother. After all, her daughter would have to deal with the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law relationship after she married into the family. If the relationship between the two families became strained, it would be her daughter who would suffer.

"Wen Yuan, stop talking and go inside to do your homework," Yu Qiuhua said to He Wen Yuan with a stern face.

"Mom," He Wenyuan said, unconvinced.

"Hurry up and go! What I'm saying now won't work anymore!" Yu Qiuhua shouted, and He Wenyuan reluctantly went into the house.

"I'm sorry, Wen Yuan has always been a wild child. I will definitely discipline him more strictly in the future," Yu Qiuhua said to Erqing's mother.

"We really need to keep a close eye on Wen Yuan. With his personality, he'll definitely suffer if we ever get married," said Erqing's mother, raising her chin in a condescending manner.

Yu Qiuhua forced a smile despite her discomfort. He Wenhui was busy cooking in the kitchen and was unaware of what was happening in the living room.

When she finished cooking a dish and brought it out, she asked Erqing's mother, "Would you like to stay for dinner tonight?"

Erqing's mother glanced at the stir-fried cabbage that He Wenhui had made, pursed her lips, and said, "No need, I've already cooked dinner and will be back soon."

After saying that, Erqing's mother stood up, greeted Yu Qiuhua, and left.

After everyone left, Yu Qiuhua sighed and said, "Wenhui, when you marry into the family, you must try to please your mother-in-law. Erqing's mother is a difficult person to get along with."

"Mom, I understand." He Wenhui put down the dishes and said, "I'll go call Wenyuan and the others to come out for dinner."

Yu Qiuhua closed her eyes and nodded heavily.

Now the entire burden of the family rests on the shoulders of the eldest daughter, which makes Yu Qiuhua feel very bad.

He Wenhui quickly called her younger sister and brother out for dinner. When He Wenda saw that there was only a plate of stir-fried cabbage on the table, he immediately looked distressed.

"Big sister, is it stir-fried cabbage again today? Can we have something else?"

"Didn't we have stir-fried shredded potatoes yesterday?" He Wenhui gave her younger sister and brother a steamed bun each.

"One day you stir-fry potatoes, the next day you stir-fry cabbage, can't you make a third dish, sister?" He Wentao said with a bitter face.

For the past month, the He family has been eating potatoes and cabbage to the point of nausea; the smell alone makes them want to vomit.

"I'll learn another dish later," He Wenhui said shyly.

“I’m going to Erqing’s house for a free meal,” He Wentao said, standing up.

“I’ll go too,” He Wenyuan said.

"Sit down, all of you!" Yu Qiuhua slammed her hand on the table and shouted, "From now on, no one is allowed to go to Erqing's mother's house for a free meal."

"Why?" He Wentao asked, puzzled. "After my eldest sister marries Brother Daqing, we'll all be family. What's wrong with me going over for a meal?"

"Because we're family, you should visit Erqing's mother's house less often in the future, and avoid causing trouble for your older sister," Yu Qiuhua said.
"I'll take a job pasting matchboxes on the street later, and you can all come back and help me after school."

He Wenyuan said reluctantly, "Mom, the teacher said I have musical talent and wants me to learn to play the flute."

He Wentao also said, "Mom, I'm meeting up with my classmates after school, so I don't have time to make matchboxes."

He Wenda stared with innocent eyes and asked, "Mom, do I have to make paper boxes too?"

"No one can be missing." Yu Qiuhua said heavily, "From now on, your eldest sister can't support this family alone. If you want to eat, you have to work for me."

"Why should we!" He Wenyuan retorted, "Even when things were tough at home before, you never made us do any work! Now that my eldest sister has married Brother Daqing, our family's life will only get better and better!"

“After your eldest sister got married, we will try to trouble her as little as possible,” Yu Qiuhua said.

“Mom, Daqing has promised me that he will help take care of the family after we get married,” He Wenhui said.

“People change, Liu Hongchang is the best example. We still have to rely on ourselves,” Yu Qiuhua said earnestly.
"Wenhui, after you get married, live a good life and don't repeat the mistakes you made before."

He Wenhui said dismissively, "We are family, it is only right that I take care of you."

"Sigh, you still don't understand what I mean." Yu Qiuhua felt utterly exhausted. (End of Chapter)