Yu Dong smiled and bowed to the aunt, who genuinely congratulated her. "Thank you, Aunt. The wedding date is yet to be set, but you can rest assured you will be on top of my guest list."
"Oh, you have learned to jest now!" The aunt laughed. Indeed, some people disliked Yu Dong severely, believing her selfish rogue. Still, some villagers seriously liked Yu Dong. They thought her to be kind and hard-working, just like the aunt congratulating Yu Dong.
According to the customs, Yu Dong needed to bring the bride price to Fang Chi with her parents. She had neither of them. She could, of course, ask her grandparents to fill in for the absence of her parents, but Yu Dong wasn't close to her grandparents. Her grandmother was a reasonable woman with strict ethics and never wronged the original owner. But Yu Dong didn't want to get involved with her unvirtuous grandfather. The latter was talented in endless pestering and putting on airs. If she asked her grandmother to attend the ceremony in place of her mother, she would have to ask her grandfather to come, which would only lead to more issues.
Instead, why not avoid it by asking Aunt Wang and Uncle Fu to help her?
The villagers didn't question her actions, though some muttered that she was being unfilial to her grandparents. The voices and rumors stopped when someone retorted with the incident about when Yu Dong was kicked out of the old Yu house with a pregnant mer in tow.
The villagers didn't dare mention it, but Grandfather Yu, who was waiting for Yu Dong to come and ask him to tag along in the ceremony to bring the bride price, was distraught. He threw the resplendent robe he was wearing and scolded Yu Dong endlessly, "Really a worthless seed! Your daughter really gave birth to a dutiful daughter! We - her grandparents are alive and well, yet she went to that Wang woman with whom she has no relations to follow her in the ceremony! I say, isn't this slapping our old faces? I don't dare to control her, but you should have taught her a lesson! What will villagers say about us now? Our own granddaughter asked for help from outsiders! Wouldn't that make a joke out of our family? She has so much money, yet not once did she give filial respect to us! I said nothing because you stopped me from doing anything! Cheng Cheng needs money for his studies. We are waiting for him to become an official and bring glory to our household, yet you didn't ask that girl for a penny! Tong Tong needs money to buy a bridegroom, but you don't have money for that either! But you have money to give to that girl! Ten taels! You slapped me, snatched that money from our savings, and gave her that money! To that heartless girl who slapped our faces like this!" When Old Man Han didn't get a response, he gritted his teeth. He turned around to glare at his wife, who was calmly sipping tea, "Are you even listening to me?!"
Grandma Yu sighed and placed the teacup down on the table. She took a glance around the room and knew that her granddaughter, grandson, daughter, and son-in-law all were hiding in their room, listening to this farce. In their eyes, she was wrong while they were right. She cleared her throat and then began speaking, "Old man, have you forgotten who built this house? The one you are so proud of?"
When Grandma Yu put forward this question, Grandfather Yu's expression turned livid. It was his greatest shame - his daughter couldn't do what that man's daughter could!
"That's not what we are talking about! How is that related to -"
"How is that not related to this?" asked Grandma Yu calmly. "My daughter worked hard and saved enough to build this house. It was supposed to be Dong Dong's inheritance, but you kicked her out. I said nothing because Dong Dong was violent and had a terrible temper. I just wanted to teach her a lesson. But you took advantage of the trust I have in you. You went around and removed Dong Dong's name from the family genealogy. So with what rights are you asking me to ask Yu Dong to pay filial respect to us? When she isn't even a family member of our family, with her name removed from the family genealogy, she doesn't need to invite us either. It's not her being unfilial."
Grandmother Yu paused and took another sip of tea before continuing. "At that time, I wanted to add her name back, but you, our daughter, and son-in-law threw a tantrum, saying that I didn't know what was right for Cheng Cheng. I didn't pursue the matter anymore, as for giving the money to Dong Dong, that's what she deserves. We have wrongfully taken what belongs to her. We lived in comfort while she lived there in that dilapidated house. Have I finished answering all of your questions?"
Grandpa Yu's expression was indescribable. It was twisted and marred, but Grandma Yu ignored him and walked away after finishing her tea. But before leaving the room, she turned around. She once again spoke, "If you have nothing productive to do, teach that son-in-law of yours to stay at home and not go around causing trouble. Don't think I haven't heard what trouble he has been inciting all over the village. Tell him to learn his ways before my hand falls heavily on his face."
Then, without looking at the twisted and malevolent expression of her husband, she walked away.
In the town, the villagers greeted Yu Dong with a smile. They congratulated her as she distributed candies to the children who came to wish her well. On the way, she wondered whether she brought the bride price too early, as the sun still hadn't risen.
It would be pretty embarrassing if Fang Chi was still asleep.
Fang Chi, however, was awake all night. He was excited and anxious and couldn't sleep a wink, resulting in his eye bags darkening. He was currently being scolded by his grandmother.
"You are good! Really good! Just look at your eyes! You look like a panda! Who rolled in a pile of coal! Amazing work, Chi!" She slapped a cloth dripping with cold water on his face to reduce the swelling. She scolded her stupid grandson furiously. "I'm sure the second Yu Dong sees you, she will wonder whether she is marrying a mer or a panda! "
The panda Chi "....." I am sorry, I was just too excited!