Time passed unnoticed. Just the day before, Huang Yujin had been talking about his child’s temperament, but now he was getting married. For the first time, he regretted it.

“Xiao Lan’er, why don’t we reconsider this marriage? After all, your father has some wealth, and I can support you,” Huang Yujin suddenly suggested, surprising his son.

Yesterday, he had been enthusiastically preparing a dowry, but now he seemed to have changed his mind.

“You’ve already announced our marriage to the town. The invitations have been sent, guests will come, and we’ve even received the betrothal gifts. You can’t back out now.”

“My child… Ah, I can’t bear to part with you. I raised you from when you were so small, from being a short child into a tall young adult. Thinking about you belonging to someone else’s family is painful for me,” Huang Yujin lamented.

Huang Zilan was taken aback by his father’s words. The metaphor about being “short, small, and tall” was peculiar. It seemed that his father was struggling with the idea of losing his child.

“If I marry someone else, I won’t be your child anymore. You arranged this marriage, and I’m content with it. When I’m older, I’ll marry someone else too. So, please don’t interfere,” Huang Zilan replied.

Huang Yujin sighed and tried to express his concerns, “Xiao Lan’er, you’re much better than that boy in many ways, but why aren’t you a man? That boy may not be successful as a scholar, but in times of trouble, your intellect and strength may not be enough. That boy…”

Before he could finish his sentence, Huang Zilan interrupted, “Father, let’s focus on the joy of today. This is a special day.”

Huang Yujin finally seemed to consider his child’s happiness and said, “I understand. Take care when you leave this house. Don’t act as you did at home. You must be more responsible now.”

Huang Zilan nodded and forced a smile to hide his inner turmoil.

.

Huang Hao came over, having dismissed outsiders’ inquiries, and found his uncle sitting in despair on the rockery.

“Are you okay?” he asked with concern.

Huang Yujin looked at his nephew and questioned, “Will he be happy? My nephew, I only have one child, and I’ve cherished him like a jewel. I’ve heard that Liao Tingyu’s mother is quite a shrewd. Will my child have a good life?”

Huang Hao placed his arm around his uncle’s shoulder and assured him, “You must believe in Zilan. Liao-xiong is the most important person to their family. He’s a scholar. With Zilan’s intelligence and capabilities, he’ll surely earn his respect. As long as he earns it, his parents won’t dare to mistreat Zilan. He’s just a country boy.”

That’s right? Isn’t it because of this reason he agreed with the marriage?

Otherwise, he could have chosen a wealthy man from other town, county or even the capital. But he ended up choosing a country boy who just passed the examination for scholar fame.

He just wanted the family to be simple and accepted his child. But later, he didn’t knew that his luck was so good. The son-in-law candidate actually became an official in a few months.

Huang Yujin hoped with his child would be intelligent, morally upright, and capable of killing dog and chicken.

.

With the joyous sound of wedding salutes, a long-anticipated wedding began. People watched in awe as 18 large boxes were carried out from the Liao family’s home.

Mother Deng observed the grand procession outside the door, her eyes squinting with amusement.

Villagers couldn’t help but envy the affair. The spread of delicious dishes on the tables was already impressive, but the grand procession exceeded all expectations.

“This is how officials celebrate their happy occasions!” the village chief marveled.

The villagers nodded in agreement. This spectacle was enough for them to brag about for a lifetime. They now realized that mother Deng wasn’t just a shrewd person, and they couldn’t help but acknowledge the wisdom in her choice of life.

Indeed, there was no other way forward but through education.

.

Huang Zilan was a little perplexed when he noticed that after the wedding, mother Deng stayed with them for a few days and then returned to her eldest son and daughter-in-law’s house.

Huang Zilan was concerned, “Did I do something wrong? Why didn’t your parents stay?”

“Ever since we moved into this mansion, they haven’t stayed with me for long. According to them, they follow the eldest son’s family. We just need to live our own simple lives. Besides, they can’t bear to part with their eldest grandson,” Liao Tingyu explained.

Huang Zilan had been worried about how to get along with mother Deng, but he had been pleasantly surprised by how smoothly things had gone.

.

As mother Deng returned home, she immediately let herself go and exclaimed, “Old man, did you see our youngest son with his wife? My goodness, they were all hugging and speaking so tenderly. Their words were so affectionate. It’s infuriating.”

Once she started talking, she couldn’t stop. “And his hair accessories and clothing, all so expensive. How much would they cost if we exchanged them for silver?”

Liao Ming replied, “You can see that after living together for so long.”@@novelbin@@

“Exactly! Where could I look except these? This is a rich family’s child, not a commoner like us. If I teaches him the rules, won’t I be asking for a trouble? Besides, our son is now an official, and he can support himself.” Mother Deng lamented.

She wasn’t wrong. These two old people couldn’t accept it.

Yes, living mother Deng meaning eating meat every day was a luxury to her.

.

Liao Tingyu observed Huang Zilan’s somewhat downcast mood and offered comforting words, patting his shoulder. “It’s okay, don’t feel guilty. I believe everyone is adjusting well this way. My father also trusts us to take care of each other. And you see, they’ve had a frugal life, and aren’t used to this luxury!”

Liao Tingyu remembered how his mother, had anticipated this day for a long time but appeared overwhelmed when the reality arrived.

He squeezed his wife’s tender hand gently and reassured him, “Don’t overthink it now. Let’s focus on living our life together. Honestly, I don’t have any other skills, except for this official position.”

Huang Zilan gazed at Liao Tingyu who looked humble with a sweet smile. But beneath it, he was a playful and foxy man.

In truth, that moment when they gazed at each other in the Huang Mansion had etched itself into Huang Zilan’s heart and mind.

Liao Tingyu affectionately touched Huang Zilan’s silky hair, letting him rest against him, enjoying the serenity of the moment.

Feeling somewhat bored, Liao Tingyu went to his study and took all the money he had earned from the books he had written. After counting the funds in his small treasury, he realized he had accumulated several hundred taels.

He handed all the money to Huang Zilan, explaining, “These are all my earnings from my books. I plan to give my parents ten taels of silver every month, and maybe we can buy some more things. What do you think?”

Huang Zilan looked at the money, feeling a sense of fulfillment in being trusted. His husband’s willingness to share his financial plans revealed his importance in Liao Tingyu’s eyes.

“You’ve shared your plan with me, so you don’t have to ask. Since you’ve contributed your entire earnings, why don’t we invest in some properties to ensure our parents have a more comfortable life?”

In line with their words, they examined the several land deeds on the table.

Liao Tingyu was in awe, exclaiming, “This is like finding a large gold brick. I must have accumulated blessings from several lifetimes.”

Huang Zilan playfully pushed Liao Tingyu’s head away from his shoulder, joking, “Get up! It’s too heavy, and you’ll hurt my shoulder. You’ll crush the gold brick, and we won’t find it again. In the future, you must take good care of me.”

Liao Tingyu quickly replied, “Of course, but how about taking good care of me and demonstrating it to your husband?”

Their playful banter continued until they were lying on the bed, having a heartfelt conversation. “I plan to open a study. It has been my dream for a long time. In our town, there are only two, and I want to be part of them,” Liao Tingyu shared.

Huang Zilan laid lazily on the bed, anyway, there was no elders in their mansion, “We should be able to purchase properties. Now that we have money and influence, you should go ahead with your plan.”

Liao Tingyu thought it was feasible and contemplated seeking help from his friends and teachers.

As they discussed the choice of the shopkeeper, Liao Tingyu’s attention turned to his husband. This would be their first property, and he trusted Huang Zilan to manage it.

Within a month, they inaugurated the town’s unique Chinese Study House. Amidst the joyous sounds of firecrackers and the celebration of well-dressed successful individuals, their study was unveiled.

With shelves of books neatly organized, each room offered tables, benches, and a charming potted plant. The shopkeeper’s table included a tea set, providing a space for people to read or enjoy snacks.

It was rare and unique study. Teacher Li sighed with some emotion, “This didn’t look like a study but more like a tea house.”

“Well, I have this purpose. The environment is good for studying. This is the place where we have books for examination… these tables and chairs are for reading. If you are tired or hungry, you can order snacks or drink here.” Liao Tingyu explained as he toured around.

One curious businessman couldn’t help but inquire, “Sir, do you plan to sell these books, or are they only for reading?”

He was able to come here because of Huang family’s connection. When he got the invitation, he thought it was a prank!

Unexpectedly… it was such a rare for a scholar to welcomed them inside.

“All the books here can be read but couldn’t be sold. If you want, you could copy them here. I will write a price list and hang it at the door.”

The county magistrate and Chen Yi also came to join the fun. They nodded with satisfaction while browsing the books and sat down to read it.

A study like this, where you could read at will, could benefit a lot of students.