Chapter 34: The Huang Family Sends Betrothal Gifts

As soon as Jiang Xiaoxiao entered the sheep pen, the milk goat ran over with a "baa~" and rubbed against her hand.

Not only was its leg no longer lame, but it was also full of spirit!

Jiang Xiaoxiao felt it was novel. Could her water-attribute ability also have healing functions?

Afterward, she told her mother about this.

After hearing this, Jiang Wei said that her water-attribute ability had reached the second tier after such a long time of training and had preliminary healing functions.

Hearing this, Jiang Xiaoxiao was very happy and asked directly, "Then Mom, what tier is your space-attribute ability?"

Jiang Wei smiled and said, "Abilities are harder to upgrade the further you go. It took me ten years to barely reach the ninth tier."

The highest realm of abilities can reach the tenth tier.

Jiang Xiaoxiao was very surprised after hearing this. Her mother's ability was only at the ninth tier, and the space was already ten thousand mu in size. If it reached the tenth tier, what changes would occur?

Jiang Xiaoxiao looked forward to her ability upgrading quickly even more, and she was more diligent than ever when exercising her ability. Once her ability recovered, she would release water without stopping until her ability was exhausted to the last drop, leaving her panting for breath.

Jiang Wei was happy to see this and specifically moved several large vats out of the space for her to practice releasing water.

However, in the evening, Jiang Xiaoxiao, who had been training all day, was stretching and preparing to rest when Jiang Wei spread out the "Thousand Character Classic" bought in town during the day.

"Don't rush to sleep. Come and learn a few characters with me first."

Jiang Xiaoxiao: "..."

Fine, what had to come would come; she couldn't hide from it after all.

The next day was still a bright, sunny day with the scorching sun high in the sky.

Jiang Xiaoxiao went with Jiang Wei to Yuelai Restaurant to deliver the ice cream and snow cakes pre-ordered by Shopkeeper Zhou yesterday.

Fifty ice creams and ten snow cakes totaled five hundred and fifty wen.

Half a tael of silver was in hand.

Jiang Xiaoxiao touched the silver and smiled until her teeth were invisible.

The mother and daughter didn't stay long. After bidding farewell to Shopkeeper Zhou, they went to the street corner from yesterday to sell snow cakes.

This time, Jiang Wei had prepared a full one hundred snow cakes in the ice cabinet!

They arrived early, and there weren't many people yet, so Jiang Wei set up the sunshade umbrella made of oilcloth from last night, and placed a few small stools under the umbrella.

The large sunshade umbrella cast a large shadow. Even if they weren't buying snow cakes, passersby saw such a large cool spot and wanted to come over to rest their feet for a while.

Their stall quickly attracted many people.

Some recognized them as the ones selling snow cakes yesterday and were both surprised and happy, hurriedly saying, "Hey, girl, you finally came! Quick, quick, give me two of those snow cakes from yesterday!"

"Oh my, don't crowd! I was here first. Girl, give me one first to quench my thirst!"

Passersby who stopped to rest saw that the white, crystal-clear pastry looked delicious, and heard it was especially good for relieving summer heat, so they also took out money to buy some.

Soon, a long line formed in front of the stall.

For the first time, Jiang Xiaoxiao experienced the feeling of receiving money until her hands went soft.

Unlike the heat on the side of the Jiang mother and daughter, the Li family side was also unusually lively.

Today was the day the Huang family sent people to deliver betrothal gifts.

The matchmaker had two servants carry a large chest inside, asked for Li Xiufen's birth date, set the date for the wedding, and turned around and left with the people.

Old Man Li's face looked somewhat ugly.

Regardless, they would be in-laws in the future, but this matchmaker didn't even greet him, and even those two servants had their nostrils pointed at the sky, clearly looking down on them, these mud-legged people.

Xiufen would probably be bullied after marrying into the Huang family in the future...

Old Man Li was still worrying about Li Xiufen's life after marrying into the Huang family, while Old Madam Li took Li Xiufen and impatiently pried open the chest sent by the Huang family.

Inside were several sets of dark red and light red clothing, several pairs of brand-new embroidered shoes, some silver jewelry and hairpins, and five bolts of silk tied in a bundle.

The eyes of the Li family members lit up in unison, and Sun Shi couldn't help but reach out and touch them.

These sets of clothing were made of top-quality satin, bright on the outside, and felt excellent.

Clothing made of silk and satin was supplied for high officials and nobles to wear. Like them, ordinary commoners could only wear clothes made of coarse cloth, and farmers in the village mostly wore patched short jackets when working in the fields.

However, why did this satin feel somewhat old, as if it had been pressed at the bottom of a chest for too long...

Sun Shi felt puzzled for a moment, but before she could investigate further, Old Madam Li slapped her hand away and viciously lectured, "This is your sister-in-law's stuff, don't touch it with your dirty hands!"

After finishing, she used her own rough-skinned hand, with fingernails full of mud, to touch the fabric. While touching it, she shook her head and sighed: "This material is truly solid and good. It is worthy of being a famous rich family in the county; this display of wealth is truly generous!"

"Mom, you try it on quickly!" Li Xiufen was even more impatient to pick up the clothes to try them on.

Li Jinfeng on the side looked at the smooth satin surface, her eyes turning red.

At this moment, the ten taels of silver pressed at the bottom of the chest were revealed.

Li Shoude's eyes on the side lit up instantly, and he immediately stepped forward and said, "Dad, since the silver is collected, I will set off for the state tomorrow to take the academy examination."

"Ah, isn't the academy examination in August? There is still more than a month left; are you going so early?" Old Man Li said.

"Dad, the journey to the state for the examination is long. Of course, Shoude has to prepare early. He still needs to find time to review his books!" Seeing the situation, Sun Shi also followed up, "I have to pack my luggage tonight so we can set off tomorrow morning!"

Her face was full of joy that couldn't be hidden, but the little abacus in her heart was clattering loudly.

Li Shoude was going to the state for the academy examination, and she naturally had to follow to take care of him. By then, with these twenty taels of white silver, she could live the good life again, no longer having to work in the fields under the scorching sun, nor having to serve these two elders at home.

"What are you following for!" Old Madam Li scolded, "There is so much work to do at home. Shoude can go by himself. You, a woman, stay at home properly for me!"

"Mom, I'm worried about Shoude going to the state for the examination alone!" Sun Shi hurriedly defended, "I have to follow to take care of him!"

"Does he not have hands or feet? He's in his thirties, and he still can't take care of himself?!"

How could Old Madam Li not see Sun Shi's little thoughts? She directly scolded angrily, "Don't you have any crooked thoughts for me. That little bit of silver isn't enough for you to squander. You follow Shoucai's wife to work in the fields tomorrow morning!"

Zhu Shi in the corner saw this and curled her lips triumphantly.

In the past few days, Sun Shi had been responsible for cooking for the whole family at home, while their second branch family followed Dad to work in the fields, exhausted and miserable. Finally, it was her turn.

"But Mom..."

Sun Shi still wanted to argue, but Li Shoude on the side glared at her and also lectured, "Enough, stop talking nonsense. Just stay at home properly and listen to Dad and Mom. I'll go to the state alone!"

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 35 =====