Chapter 51: To Help (II)
Chapter 51: To Help (II)
After Ruan-shi finished speaking, everyone turned their attention to Cheng Yujin. Although Ruan-shi’s request was exorbitant, what else could be done? Cheng Yumo’s marriage was so important to Yichun Marquis manor, which made the second branch so prideful that they could so righteously snatch things from others.
Old Madam Cheng did not speak, and Qingfu Junzhu was not here. Everyone glanced at Cheng Yujin with a sigh, but no one spoke out in her defense. Amidst the heavy silence, only Cheng Yujin’s words could be heard. With an unchanging smile, she said: “Second aunt is in a hurry. As s junior, it is my duty to help. How can I accept second aunt’s money? Second aunt can just take anything you like, and you can pay me back slowly. But the furnitures in my room have been used for a long time, and some parts are full of scratch. If second aunt wants to use it for second sister’s dowry, you probably will need to have them repainted.”
“Wait.” Ruan-shi was dumbfounded, “The furnitures in your room?”
“That’s right, the furnitures in my room are the ones I’m currently using.” As if expressing her regret, Cheng Yujin sighed: “It’s a pity that my usage is not light, and many of the furnitures have been worn out. I’m actually ashamed to let second sister use it. I heard that a new bride should use new furnitures. Taking second-hand ones with her is a bad omen. But since second aunt doesn’t care, then I have nothing to say. Using second-hand furnitures doesn’t necessarily mean that she wants to marry twice. Second aunt has a broad mind and doesn’t care about those false superstitions. On the contrary, I am so narrow-minded.”
Ruan-shi quickly interrupted Cheng Yujin: “Eldest girl, what are you saying? Your sister is about to get married. Why are you cursing her like this?” Ruan-shi’s delicate eyebrows twisted into a deep frown and her voice almost broke into a yell.
Standing behind Cheng Yujin, Lian Qiao almost couldn’t hold her laughter. What ‘wants to marry twice’? Eldest Miss was truly skilled in scolding people.
Cheng Yujin’s expression was calm and composed, but there was a doubt in her tone: “Didn’t second aunt say you want to buy furniture from me? Which else do I have?”
Ruan-shi’s lips trembled, and she couldn’t utter a word. Cheng Yujin seemed to have noticed something, and let out a long exclamation: “Oh, is second aunt referring to my dowry?”
Hearing Cheng Yujin’s words, the atmosphere in the room instantly showed a visible tension. It was one thing to have this kind of thought, but to say it aloud was another. Cheng Yujin ignored other people’s startled faces and slowly said: “But that’s my dowry. If second aunt takes it, what should I do in the future?”
Although this was precisely Ruan-shi’s plan, when Cheng Yujin so blatantly put it into words, she still couldn’t help but feel embarrassed. Ruan-shi fell silent for a moment, unable to admit. In the end, she could only try to deny: “I didn’t mean this way…just temporarily borrowing. Mo’er’s wedding is approaching so quickly, and we don’t have enough time to prepare. Later, I will pay you back as is.”
“Since it’s an emergency, second aunt should go and buy ready-made furniture. Second aunt wants to borrow from me, and later also buy from the shops to pay me back, isn’t it just moving the same things back and forth? Since it’s so, second aunt better buys ready-made ones from the beginning and save some hassle. Second aunt, don’t you think my idea is more applicable?”
Ruan-shi almost couldn’t maintain her smile. If she had the money, of course it would be easy to get anything she needed. But the problem was…she had no money.
Ruan-shi gave up trying to use a soft approach to Cheng Yujin. Since she couldn’t win over Cheng Yujin’s rhetorics, she put her hope on the Old Madam. Ruan-shi turned to Old Madam Cheng with a look of expectation and said: “Mother, you also see how much betrothal gifts Huo family gave us today. They sent so many valuable things, which shows how much they value Mo’er. If she cannot bring a decent dowry with her, Huo family will surely look down on her, and put our family’s name into a shame.”
Old Madam Cheng squinted her eyes, but still did not speak. Anyway, these dowries were bound to be taken away by the married granddaughters and not the real property of their manor. Whoever took what made no difference to Old Madam Cheng. However, if a more promised granddaughter got more share, in the future, it would give a better return for Yichun Marquis manor.
Cheng Yujin has been paying attention to Old Madam Cheng’s reaction. Seeing the Old Madam half-closed her eyes and seemingly fell into deep thought, Cheng Yujin immediately took the initiative to say: “Didn’t grandfather arrange the dowry for us before passing away? It’s now less than one hundred days, and grandfather’s soul is still wandering in this world. Can we bear to break grandfather’s last message like this?”
Ruan-shi finally realized Cheng Yujin’s firm rejection. Her face sunk, and she said accusingly: “Eldest girl, are you deliberately refusing to help your sister?”