BXBX NOVEL Chapter 168 - 168: Borrow
Zhu Cuiying had been worrying about Qiao Dazhu’s marriage for years.
She had seen how the Sun Family bullied Qiao Changshun’s family over the years and she had grown accustomed to the Sun Family’s arrogance and tyranny. Therefore, she also wanted to find a docile daughter-in-law she could manipulate to flaunt her power as a mother-in-law.
However, apart from finding a compliant daughter-in-law, Zhu Cuiying also wanted to pick a family with decent lineage.
With the promise of Sun Junyan becoming an official and pulling her family up, she honestly didn’t respect those who, like her, lived off the land, and always felt a faint sense of superiority towards them.
Bearing this in mind, her future daughter-in-law’s family conditions couldn’t be too poor.
She wanted both docility and a wealthy family background. With these two requirements in mind, she had been looking for suitable candidates since Qiao Dazhu was twelve or thirteen years old.
But now Qiao Dazhu was seventeen, and the suitable candidate had yet to appear.
Those who were docile came from very poor families.
Those who were not poor, looked down on her family’s poverty – not everyone was optimistic about Sun Junyan, the scholar, and therefore saw Qiao Dazhu as a potential asset.
So, after dragging things on and on, Qiao Dazhu was suddenly of an age that made him a bit old to be single.
Zhu Cuiying panicked, stopped being choosy, and widened her search.
Then, a suitable girl appeared.
Qiao Dazhu was honest and kind, industrious and simple, and the girl was also kind and diligent. They were both satisfied with each other at the first meeting, so both parents started to discuss the details.
The notoriety of the Sun Family was widespread, and the girl’s parents were resolute in their refusal to let their daughter live under the same roof. They forcefully demanded that Zhu Cuiying and Qiao Changfu separate Qiao Dazhu and provide him with a new house or else they would not agree to the marriage.
This caused Zhu Cuiying to worry again.
Building a new house, even a very ordinary one, would cost several taels of silver. Then adding the cost of a banquet and buying things, she’d spend at least ten taels of silver.
She had saved just over ten taels of silver over the years. Having to spend most of it all at once was heart-wrenching!
After discussing the matter with Qiao Changfu, she set her sights on Qiao Xiaomai.
Having sold several recipes, Qiao Xiaomai was definitely rich.
But considering Qiao Qinghe’s violent reaction last time, Zhu Cuiying did not dare to go to Qiao Xiaomai on her own and decided to consult Qiao Qinghe first.
Naturally, Qiao Qinghe did not approve.
They weren’t penniless, there was no need to borrow.
Zhu Cuiying was worried again and was considering going to Qiao Xiaomai in secret when Xiaomai voluntarily came to her. How could she pass up this opportunity? She openly stated her need right away.
“Xiaomai, whether your big brother Dazhu can get married depends on you!” Zhu Cuiying focused her earnest, bead-like eyes on Qiao Xiaomai.
Qiao Xiaomai raised an eyebrow, “How much do you plan to borrow?”
Upon hearing this, Zhu Cuiying was delighted. She had thought that Qiao Xiaomai might flatly refuse. She was about to say something when Qiao Qinghe angrily arrived, “Borrow what? She has money.”
“All, father, Changfu and I together have less than 8 taels of silver, how can we afford to build a house!” Zhu Cuiying hastily played poor. She was speaking to Qiao Qinghe, but her eyes were locked on Qiao Xiaomai, “Xiaomai, can you lend us twenty taels? Your big brother Dazhu will pay you back for sure!”
Qiao Xiaomai chuckled, reaching into his pocket and pulling out five taels of silver, “1 don’t have more. This debt is on Dazhu’s account, and 1 won’t lend any more until these five taels are paid back..”