An Eight-Bearer Dowry

The mountain stronghold had everything; there were over a dozen trees, and we carried a lot of things down there.

Zhou Fusheng found a family in the village and arranged for Zhou Xiaoyan to stay there first.

That evening, Zhou Wanwan and the women from the village decorated the house simply.

After decorating Daniu's house again, Zhou Wanwan walked into Zhou Xiaoyan's room with a red wedding dress and said, "Sister Xiaoyan, try this on and see if it fits."

Zhou Xiaoyan took the wedding dress and was immediately stunned, her eyes wide with disbelief.

It was a bright red wedding dress, made of silk mixed with gold thread embroidered with peony and lotus patterns, draped softly, and adorned with tiny pearls at the edges, shimmering with light with every movement.

Zhou Xiaoyan's hands trembled slightly as she held the wedding dress, and she quickly shook her head:

"I... I'd rather not wear it."

This wedding dress is so beautiful and expensive, I'm afraid I might accidentally get it dirty or damaged.

Zhou Wanwan chuckled, "It doesn't matter if it gets dirty, it's your wedding dress after all."

She then pushed several pieces of gold jewelry from a brocade box in front of her: gold hairpins, gold bracelets, earrings, and necklaces, each piece exquisitely crafted.

"Keep these pieces of jewelry; they're a gift from me to add to your dowry."

Zhou Xiaoyan was completely dumbfounded. She had never owned a piece of silver jewelry in her life, so how could she dare to accept such a generous gift?

She hurriedly waved her hand to decline, her eyes slightly red.

"Wanwan, I can't accept it."

You've already helped me so much. If I accept this more, what kind of person would I be?

Zhou Wanwan gently held her hand and said:

"On the day I came back, you were the only one who took the initiative to tidy up my room, showing genuine care for me."

Others may not care, but I've always kept it in my heart.

Zhou Xiaoyan was stunned for a moment and said, "I was very careful at the time, and I didn't let anyone else know?"

Zhou Wanwan smiled and said:

"So, we're all sisters, so naturally we should help each other out."

These things are from my younger sister, and I want you to have a better life in the future, so please don't be shy about them."

Zhou Xiaoyan's eyes reddened slightly. "Wanwan, thank you so much. If it weren't for you today, I'm afraid... I'm afraid I would really be gone."

Zhou Wanwan quickly patted her and said:

"Alright, it's all in the past now, things will get better and better."

Also, my mother has prepared an eight-bearer dowry for you..."

Liu Su'e walked in and said:

"Hey! You two sisters, keep quiet tonight."

Xiaoyan Yan, go to sleep early. Look, your eyes are all swollen. Don't cry, or you won't look good tomorrow.

Don't worry, we'll definitely make it a big success tomorrow.

Let those people see this too.

Zhou Xiaoyan hugged Liu Su'e tightly and said, "Fourth Aunt, wouldn't it be wonderful if you were my own mother? Could I... could I call you 'Mother'?"

Liu Su'e looked at her and said, "Sure! Tomorrow... tomorrow I'll send you off on your wedding day. Your fourth uncle and I will be your biological parents."

To be honest, Liu Su'e was also kicked out of the Zhou Family, so she naturally knew Zhou Xiaoyan's pain.

Zhou Xiaoyan hugged Liu Su'e and cried her heart out for a long time.

Liu Su'e gently patted her shoulder and said, "Go to sleep early! You'll get better."

Old Madam Zhou was furious at home:

"Nobody takes me seriously anymore. We found her a butcher, and she's still complaining about everything."

What's wrong with her marrying into that family? She'll be the legal wife from the start, and she'll have four sons, each a pillar of the family."

Qian Huihui sighed and said, "Xiaoyan usually seems quite well-behaved, but I didn't expect her to be so disobedient at a crucial moment."

Old Madam Zhou looked at Zhao Zhaodi and said:

Look at the daughter you raised, is she even human?

I want to see just how good her life will be from now on.

Qian Huihui nodded and said:

"Everyone knows Daniu's family is. They probably can't even afford to hold a banquet."

I heard that their family is hosting a feast for the whole village tomorrow!

Old Madam Zhou was so angry she felt like she was going to vomit blood. "What? Daniu's family is hosting a feast for the whole village tomorrow? Why aren't we included?"

Qian Huihui shook her head and said, "They definitely don't want to invite us!"

Zhao Zhaodi sneered:

"The Erniu family is so poor they're barely able to afford food. Are you suggesting we feed them corn porridge and wild vegetable buns?"

I don't want to go!

Zhou Mei snorted coldly and said, "She only deserves to marry into a poor family like this. She deserves to spend her whole life digging for wild vegetables and never having enough to eat."

Old Madam Zhou looked at Zhou Fukang and Zhao Zhaodi and said, "Let me tell you, they're getting married tomorrow, and they'll definitely invite you. Don't just go because they invite you, okay?"

Zhao Zhaodi scoffed, "I'm not going! It's too embarrassing!"

Zhou Fukang glared at her and said, "She's still a girl after all. If she invites us, we'll go!"

Old Madam Zhou grunted twice and said:

"If they invite me to a banquet tomorrow, I won't go so easily unless they make me kneel down and kowtow."

Then I'll reluctantly go and have a meal.

Qian Huihui nodded and said, "Father, Mother, you should go to bed early!"

Old Man Zhou smiled and said, "That's right, we can have the feast tomorrow. Go to bed early, go to bed early."

Just as dawn was breaking, Zhou Family Village was awakened by a string of crackling firecrackers.

The villagers all flocked to Zhou Xiaoyan's courtyard, crowding the entrance.

As soon as I stepped into the courtyard, everyone's eyes widened in astonishment.

Eight large red betrothal gifts were displayed outside the courtyard, wrapped tightly in silk and outlined with gold lacquer, clearly indicating their great value.

The children crowded at the front, each clutching handfuls of wedding candy; the crisp sound of unwrapping candy wrappers mingled with their laughter.

The villagers of Zhou Family Village stood at the door, discussing, "My goodness, an eight-bearer dowry! That's incredibly grand!"

"Look how lavish this dowry is! The chests are decorated with gold and embroidered with phoenixes. I wonder what's inside!"

Someone in the crowd muttered quietly, "That's strange. Zhou Xiaoyan was just kicked out of the Zhou Family yesterday, how come she suddenly has such a respectable dowry? Where did it come from?"

Someone nearby quickly chimed in:

"I heard that it was Liu Su'e and Zhou Fusheng who provided it!"

I never expected them to be so generous; they really have a conscience.

Some people shook their heads in puzzlement:

"The village shaman had previously said that the two of them were selfish and Gu Family."

Look at this dowry, it doesn't look like it at all!

Someone scoffed, "This dowry is probably just for show. You actually believed it?"

"An eight-bearer dowry? How could that be real? Besides, Zhou Xiaoyan is just their niece."

Some villagers, driven by curiosity, went over and, taking advantage of a moment when no one was looking, simply lifted up all the red cloth.

While lifting the lid, he shouted, "Everyone come and see! Let's see what good things they've got in their dowry!"

The village loudspeaker couldn't help but scoff, "What good stuff could it possibly have? Look at that shabby appearance, it's probably just a pile of junk. I wouldn't even glance at it if it were given to me for free."

"I heard she was originally going to marry a butcher, wouldn't that be wonderful?"

"She insists on marrying Zhou Dazhu. How poor is Zhou Dazhu's family? Does everyone in our village not know?"

"Oh my! You have no idea, yesterday Zhou Dazhu took fifty taels of silver and bought the two sisters home, that's a whole fifty taels!"

"What money could he possibly have? He probably borrowed it. Poor Zhou Dazhu, he got married for fifty taels of silver, he probably won't be able to pay it back in his lifetime."