My Fulang is a Delicate Flower Chapter 36 Part 3

Huo Shu glanced at the unfamiliar woman, whose features somewhat resembled Ji Yangzong’s, and guessed who she might be.  

He said nothing to her but took out the prepared betrothal gift list. "This is a draft. We can discuss any adjustments."  

Ji Yangzong took the list eagerly, and Huang Manjing, despite pouring tea, couldn’t resist peeking as well.  

Ji Wanglan was also curious, how much could the impoverished Zhao family and this adopted son possibly offer?  

She caught a glimpse of the dowry amount and nearly choked in disbelief. Before she could get a closer look, Ji Yangzong had already folded the list.  

"This is far too generous. We can’t accept this!"  

Huo Shu replied, "I have no property in the village, so I can only compensate with a higher dowry. This is just my sincerity in wanting to marry Tao ger."  

Ji Taoyu, hiding behind the door and eavesdropping, grew even more curious about the amount.  

He remembered Huo Shu once joking about the dowry the You family had offered. Surely he hadn’t added to that figure?  

This man, he had mentioned thirty taels would cover nearly all wedding expenses. Had he really offered that much just for the dowry?  

His loudmouthed third aunt soon blurted out the answer, solving his confusion:  

"One hundred and twenty taels for the dowry? You must be joking!"  

Ji Taoyu froze at the number.  

"Ji niangzi, betrothal gifts are no joke, they’re written into the marriage contract. Why would we jest?"  

Seeing Ji Wanglan’s dismissive attitude, Yuan Huiru didn’t hold back:  

"My adopted son is sincere in his proposal. Once he sets his mind on someone, that’s it. Unlike some people who haggle over dowries, offering meager gifts and insulting the bride or groom in the process, making them lose face."  

Ji Wanglan stiffened, her face burning. Her family’s earlier proposal to the Zheng family had fallen apart over dowry disputes.  

The Zheng family, unable to keep their mouths shut, had shamelessly spread the story everywhere after the failed negotiation.  

She forced a smile. "Our Tao ger is truly fortunate to receive such favor."  

One hundred and twenty taels, it was enough to marry three people! And it was all for a sickly little ger? Crazy!  

She stole another glance at Huo Shu. He didn’t seem foolish, he wondered why he was making such a reckless decision.  

She thought about it and realized the quiet young man, usually covered in dust, had hidden depths. If she had known earlier, her own ger, who was healthier than Ji Taoyu, would have been a better match.

For a moment, Ji Wanglan forgot why she had come in the first place, regretting not paying more attention to this newcomer in the village.  

Ji Yangzong said, "No matter how you look at it, this is too much. A modest dowry would suffice."  

"Whatever I have will belong to him after marriage anyway, so a higher dowry doesn’t matter."  

Ji Yangzong and his wife exchanged visibly satisfied looks.  

"If you insist, we won’t touch the money. We’ll add it all to Xiao Taozi’s dowry for your shared use after marriage."

Ji Yangzong beamed with joy. The betrothal gifts were not the main concern, what truly mattered was the face he had gained from this.  

"The next thing to discuss is the wedding banquet, should it be held here or at the Zhao family's place?"  

Ji Wanglan was utterly confused by this point. Never mind that her sixth brother was money-eyed, having just seen the betrothal gifts and already discussing the wedding banquet.  

What did it mean to hold the banquet here or there?  

Yuan Huiru said, "My thought is that the Zhao family are outsiders by surname and don’t have many relatives in the village. The village head’s family has many friends and relatives, so it’s bound to be lively. Since the two children will be living here afterward, why not hold the banquet here? It’ll save the villagers the trouble of traveling back and forth."  

"Good, good! Let’s have a lively celebration here, saves time and effort. If it’s appropriate, we can even hire the city’s Four Master Services and Six Specialty Teams for the occasion."  

Ji Yangzong was even more delighted. "We must also hire a gong and drum team."  

"That goes without saying. And we’ll need plenty of firecrackers too."  

Seeing how smoothly the discussion was going, Ji Wanglan finally understood, these two families had long since reached an understanding, and the matchmaker was merely a formality.  

A sour feeling rose in her heart, and she couldn’t resist a jab: "So he's a live-in son-in-law, then?"  

"Third Sister, your words are too harsh. Huo Shu simply doesn’t want Xiao Taozi to suffer from the journey or feel uncomfortable in a new place, that’s why the ceremony is arranged this way. What nonsense about live-in son-in-law!"  

Ji Yangzong’s face darkened as he retorted, then turned back to Huo Shu with a smile. "Today, we’ll finalize the marriage. I’ll put up celebratory couplets to announce it to the villagers. Once the date is set, we’ll prepare the invitations to spread the news, so you won’t have to keep running back and forth."  

Huo Shu gave a word of acknowledgment.  

"I’ve picked two dates, the eighth and the twenty-second of the eleventh month. Do they suit you?"  

"Both are auspicious for weddings, I checked the almanac too. Let’s go with the eighth. The twenty-second is too close to the New Year, when families gather for reunions."  

"That works for me."  

Ji Wanglan watched as the two families chatted merrily, realizing she was just an extra here. While they were deep in discussion, she slipped away without even saying goodbye.