A Maid's Survival Story in a Noble Family Mansion? Rich Landlords Are More Appealing.

He rubbed his hands together excitedly, his mind already racing with calculations.

The Wang family is wealthy, so the bride price must be generous. If this marriage is arranged, he will have more face at home, and becoming in-laws with a wealthy family in town will make things easier in the future.

Furthermore, his son Chen Yanxin will be getting married in the future. He has a wealthy brother-in-law in town, which will increase his social standing.

He became increasingly pleased with himself, almost bursting into laughter, repeatedly saying, "Excellent, excellent! This is a match made in heaven! Qiuju is so lucky. Her mother, don't you think so?"

He looked at Aunt Chen, hoping for her agreement.

Aunt Chen was stunned for a moment, then a look of joy appeared on her face.

She knew the Wang family; they were indeed wealthy. If her daughter could marry into such a family, her life would be a hundred times better than in the village, and she might even be waited on hand and foot like Chen Wanxing.

As a mother, her first thought was to be happy for the good days that her daughter might have.

"The Wang family is really well-off," Aunt Chen murmured, her eyes shining. "If Qiuju could marry into that family, at least she wouldn't have to worry about food and drink. I can't say she'd wear gold and silver, but she'd certainly be able to wear fine cloth and silk."

She no longer needs to toil away with us in the fields, digging for food, or doing her embroidery every day, which nearly ruined her eyesight.

She imagined her daughter dressed smartly, living in a spacious courtyard in town, and even the fatigue from working in the fields all day seemed to disappear.

But then, the deep-seated perception and worry about the difficulties of being a daughter-in-law, inherited from her own mother, quietly surfaced.

As her joy faded slightly, she hesitated for a moment, her brows furrowing slightly. "But Qiuju will only be thirteen after the New Year. Isn't it a bit too early to discuss marriage now?"

Being a daughter-in-law is not as comfortable as being a girl at home. I was thinking of having Qiuju stay at home like Xiahe, at least until she was sixteen before giving her away.

Besides, the Wang family has high standards and many rules. Qiuju is gentle by nature; if she goes there, she'll have her in-laws above her and her sisters-in-law below her—a whole large family. It will be difficult to get along with them.”

"What's the big deal? No matter which family you marry into, you won't have to serve your in-laws. It's Qiuju's good fortune to have such a good marriage. So what if she's thirteen? She should seize the opportunity. There's no need to wait until she's fifteen or sixteen."

As Uncle Chen spoke, he was still thinking that Xiahe was able to stay at home until she was sixteen because her mother probably wanted to delay it so that Xiahe could earn money for two more years. Both of these girls were very good at needlework, which could really help supplement the family income.

Now that the family has separated, he originally planned to keep her for a few more years to save as much money as possible. However, compared to the marriage with the Wang family, this small amount of money is insignificant.

However, Aunt Chen still hesitated, remembering how she had been trembling with fear when she first married into the Chen family, especially after giving birth to three daughters in a row, serving her mother-in-law, managing the household chores, and not daring to relax for even a moment.

With the Wang family being so wealthy, their rules must be even stricter.

Grandma Chen then spoke slowly, her voice carrying the composure of an elder: "The Wang family is indeed considered wealthy in town, and their oil mill business is stable. However, it's not enough to only value these things."

A marriage alliance is not only about the goodwill between two families, but also about the two children living together for the next few decades. It is essential to carefully inquire about the character of the Wang family's son, whether he is kind and generous, the atmosphere within the Wang family, and whether his parents-in-law are reasonable.

Qiuju is steady and diligent, skilled in needlework and cooking. She is a good person, and no matter where she marries, she is well-behaved, respectful to her parents-in-law, and kind to her husband, so she always lives a good life.

She glanced at Uncle Chen's overly excited face and said, "But don't be too happy yet. Right now, they've just given us a heads-up and asked a matchmaker to inquire. It's not even close to being confirmed yet."

The specifics will have to wait until the Wang family officially sends a matchmaker to discuss the matter, and then we'll see what their terms are, how much the betrothal gifts are, and what requirements they have for the girl.

I remember their youngest son isn't very old, so it's likely that the Wang family had already been looking for someone. Even if they've really decided on our Qiuju, I reckon the wedding won't be in the next couple of years.

Aunt Chen took Grandma Chen's words to heart and nodded in agreement, saying, "Mother's considerations are thorough. We should inquire more. Just having money isn't enough if the mother-in-law is powerful and the husband is a scoundrel; it's a living hell."

But Uncle Chen was filled with joy at the prospect of marrying into a wealthy family and anticipation of a generous dowry, and he was rather dismissive of Aunt Chen's worries and Grandma Chen's caution.

"Of course we have to find out. But with a family like the Wangs, how could their children be anything but good?"

Besides, given Qiuju's looks and temperament, since the Wang family has taken a liking to her, what complaints could they possibly have? The betrothal gifts will certainly be substantial.

He then turned to Aunt Chen and said, "Don't worry about it. Your daughter is married well, so you, as her mother, also benefit from it."

Yanxin doesn't have a good maternal grandfather to help him, but maybe he can get some help from his brother-in-law in the future and go to school for a while.

His words weren't pleasant to hear, causing the faces of the people from the main branch of the family to stiffen slightly, especially Hui Niang.

But these words did indeed subtly touch upon Aunt Chen's innermost thoughts. Yes, if a daughter marries well, not only will she enjoy happiness, but her family will also benefit.

Chen Yanxin was the apple of her eye; if he really had the chance to study and succeed, then…

If Qiuju could really marry into the Wang family, even a little bit of money leaked between her fingers would be enough to help her younger brother. It seemed like a good thing for everyone.

The scales in her heart swayed a few times, but finally, the hesitation on her face gradually faded, and a smile returned. She took her daughter's hand and gently patted it.

"Your father is right, this is your good fortune. A family like the Wang family, so many girls would love to marry into it but couldn't. Our Qiuju is a lucky one."

She then said to Chen's mother and grandmother, "Sister-in-law, Mother, we still need to help us keep an eye on this matter. If the Wang family is truly sincere, we should give it a good consideration."

Chen Qiuju kept her head down. Her parents' expectations seemed to come through a thick layer of water, buzzing and crashing heavily into her heart.

She opened her mouth, but her throat felt blocked, and she couldn't utter a sound. All the unspoken resistance ultimately manifested only as her head and neck drooping lower and her shoulders becoming slightly stiff.

None of the other people at the table paid much attention to the unusually silent girl in the corner, who seemed to be shrinking into the shadows.

Apart from Chen Wanxing.

"Alright, let's leave it at that for now." Seeing that Uncle Chen was still excited, Grandma Chen changed the subject. "It's not even close to being settled yet, so don't go around talking about it. It's not good for the girl's reputation."

"Let's wait until the Wang family makes a real move before we talk about it. Second son, stop daydreaming. If the bride price is high, your dowry will have to be higher too. Instead of thinking about these things, you'd be better off helping to clear the dishes in the kitchen."

Outside the window, night had completely enveloped the village, and lights began to twinkle one after another.

After washing up, Chen Wanxing turned to the light of an oil lamp and began to peruse a collection of miscellaneous notes that she had recently bought.

Han Feng and Liu Shi had already retired for the night, and the courtyard was quiet except for the occasional chirping of insects.

The spring night breeze, carrying the lingering sweet fragrance of locust blossoms and the scent of earth, gently caresses the village, tender yet slightly cool.