Chapter 1460 - 1463: Be Prepared Before It Rains_1
Ms. Zhang took the banknote and chuckled, "Whether it’s given early or late, isn’t it still going to be given? I really don’t understand what you are thinking. What’s the point of skimping two lifts? Now look, you’ve just thrown in another two lifts for nothing."
What do they call it when someone takes advantage and then plays coy? Yang Qingrui could only think to laugh when he saw this.
After a pause, he heard her continue, "Father, I have to talk to you about this. What are you doing? You’ve run the shop for so many years and made quite a bit. You really don’t lack that stuff at all."
Ms. Zhang’s father was getting impatient inside. Missing a hundred taels of silver felt like his heart had been gouged out.
Hearing his daughter’s words, he couldn’t help but retort, "I just think you have too many clothes, there’s absolutely no need to waste. Money shouldn’t be spent so recklessly."
Speaking of which, he pulled Yang Qingrui over and said, "Son-in-law, let me tell you, a man has to prepare for a rainy day. You can’t be careless with money, and you have to save for times when you have none. Take you, for example, I’ve only seen you a few times, yet you’ve changed outfits so often. Your family has money, I know that, but you can’t show off like that, right? Look at me, I have only two outfits for the whole year, and I’ve worn them for many years. They aren’t broken, and after a wash, can’t I still wear them?"
"Don’t get upset when I say this, but it’s you who’s set a bad example for my daughter. Otherwise, why would she need so many clothes? She’s learned it all from you."
Yang Qingrui felt awful after being lectured like that.
It made him feel guilty, like he had committed a crime. If he admitted that he had several large boxes of unworn new clothes, would his father-in-law leap up in shock?
Perhaps it was better not to mention it.
However, in response to his father-in-law’s lecturing, he still replied, "Yes, Father-in-law, you’re right."
"Dad, that’s enough, really. Stop talking about all that nonsense. You’re just being stingy and miserly." Ms. Zhang’s brother couldn’t stay silent and he spoke up. "Brother-in-law, don’t listen to my dad. I really don’t know what he wants all that money for."
"Hey, how can you talk like that?" Ms. Zhang’s father became even more displeased and reached for a handkerchief to strike out.
Seeing the men conversing, Ms. Zhang’s mother pulled Ms. Zhang into the room to have a heart-to-heart chat.
She asked Ms. Zhang how well she had been treated at the Yang Family these past few days and whether her mother-in-law looked down on her for lacking two lifts of dowry.
"Mother, my mother-in-law probably doesn’t even know about this. My sister-in-law hasn’t told anyone."
"That’s good. Later, you can take the silver and restock at the store yourself, so people won’t notice anything amiss. Your father has been like this all his life; just ignore him," her mother worriedly tried to mediate, fearing her daughter would become estranged from her family because of this matter. "Even if not for your father’s sake, do it for your brother. We don’t have any reliable relatives to turn to in times of need. Thankfully, you married into the Yang Family. Although the Yang Family’s wealth is recent, it’s more substantial than ours. Your brother will have to rely on you in the future. You can’t let this affair drive a wedge between you and your brother."
"Mother, I know. Father is father, and brother is brother. I understand the distinction," Ms. Zhang assured her.
"That’s good to hear!"
Ms. Zhang’s mother went on to talk at length with her daughter, discussing nothing beyond the duty to honor one’s in-laws. It wasn’t until the afternoon when Ms. Zhang actually went to the store and replaced two chests of fabric, that she and Yang Qingrui returned to Yangshu Village together.
Yang Qingrui, looking at the two chests of fabric, said, "I don’t think you needed to be so meticulous, did you? Your sister has already made up for it. Why bother with all this trouble? Now your mother will find out about it too."
"If she finds out, then so be it. I was going to tell Mother anyway." Ms. Zhang paused before continuing, "I’ve told you before, ’A ding is a ding and a mao is a mao.’ The dowry should come from the bride’s family, as it’s meant to be. We can’t mess with that."