Chapter 18: A Family Chat

Liang Jin said with a smile, "Alright. Stay for a couple more nights. The house is well-stocked with food, so feel free to stay as long as you like, Big Sister."

Seeing how kind he was, Liang's eldest sister smiled and said, "I know you're good to us, but staying just one night is enough. Otherwise, if I return a day late, my mother-in-law might have something to say about it."

After all, as a daughter-in-law, she couldn't be as carefree as she was at her natal home.

Liang Jin knew his sister's mother-in-law was very old-fashioned and didn't want to make things difficult for her, so he didn't say anything more.

He walked over, patted his two nephews on their heads, and smiled as he asked them about their schoolwork.

The two nephews had been taught well by their mother; they were polite and carried themselves like children from a scholarly family.

Because Big Brother-in-law Chen was a *xiucai* (scholar), the Chen family was highly respected by their clansmen. Naturally, Big Sister had to educate her children well so they wouldn't hold the family back.

Thus, the two children were very well-behaved in front of their uncle, showing none of the naughtiness typical of other boys.

Seeing how obedient they were, Liang Jin tucked a small lucky pouch into each of their hands.

Big Brother-in-law Chen smiled and said there was no need, "Don't give them any more, we have some at home." Liang Jin laughed, "Don't refuse, Brother-in-law. It's just to bring them some festive joy."

Since he had said it, there was no need for further polite refusals, and the children said very politely, "Thank you, Second Uncle."

Liang Jin patted their heads with satisfaction and told them it was no thanks needed.

Watching from the side, Old Lady Liang felt very warmed by the scene. She even teased Liang Jin, "Look at how good your son is. While you don't have schoolwork to worry about right now, try your best to get another son with your wife."

Ideally, three would be best; one just wasn't enough.

Liang Jin: "..."

He was just talking, and she had already brought up having sons.

Especially since his sister and brother-in-law were still there; it was quite embarrassing for Liang Jin.

"Mother, please stop. What are you all planning to eat tonight?"

It was only just getting dark, so the family was likely just about to start dinner.

Old Lady Liang assumed he hadn't eaten at the Wu family's house and said displeasedly, "What? Did you come back on an empty stomach?"

Liang Jin replied, "Of course not. I ate quite a lot before leaving. My stomach hasn't even finished digesting yet."

As he spoke, he showed Old Lady Liang his slightly distended belly.

Old Lady Liang cast a sidelong glance, huffed, and continued to nitpick, "Eating so much just as it gets dark—aren't you afraid of indigestion? They don't know how to take care of you at all, truly."

Liang Jin was completely defeated by his mother; she could find a reason to complain about anything.

"That's just because my mother-in-law was afraid I'd be hungry on the road. She meant well."

Just as Old Lady Liang was about to retort, Big Sister came over and said, "Alright, alright. It's the New Year, don't keep criticizing your in-laws. I think the Wu family is quite good."

"Second Brother, the food the Wu family gave you must have been very sumptuous, right?"

Big Sister was quite tactful. She knew that sooner or later, her brother would take over the household, and if he did, it would be through his wife, Lady Wu. When their mother grew old one day, it would be Lady Wu who would look after her.

Therefore, one had to leave themselves a way out in life.

Liang Jin liked that his sister was such a sensible person. He smiled and said, "You guessed correctly, Sister. My mother-in-law made a full twelve heavy dishes for lunch. I ate so much I wished I had another stomach. The flavor was incredible."

As he was speaking, Liang Jin suddenly remembered something. "Oh no, shoot!"

When he was leaving, his mother-in-law had packed several pounds of smoked meat and ham for him to bring back to his sister, but he had been so happy that he had completely forgotten. He hurriedly went out to look for the carriage.

Fortunately, the young man driving the carriage had also noticed the cured meat inside and hurried back to give it to him.

Liang Jin hurriedly thanked him and gave him a few extra coins as a token of gratitude.

The man took it with a smile, saying to call him again next time they needed a carriage, and Liang Jin happily agreed.

He returned chuckling, carrying the cured meat and ham, and handed them to Big Sister.

"Big Sister, my mother-in-law insisted I bring these back for you. This smoked meat and ham are incredibly fragrant."

In this day and age, being able to give meat and rice meant having a very solid friendship.

Mother Wu knew that Big Sister was a good person, which was why she had specifically sent the smoked meat and ham.

Big Sister also thought the Wu family was wonderful. She smiled as she took them, "Thank you so much to my in-laws. They give so much every time."

In her opinion, her brother had married well. The whole Wu family were good people with excellent character; she was very satisfied.

Seeing her being "bought off" by such small favors, Old Lady Liang gave a childish huff. "I prepared so much for you today, yet I don't see you praise me even once, only others."

Big Sister was amused by her. "Well, we are mother and daughter, aren't we? What need is there for thanks with one's own mother, don't you think?"

Old Lady Liang was reluctantly amused, and only then did she allow the kitchen to serve the food.

"Fine. After this meal, tomorrow will be your last meal here, and then you can go back to your in-laws' house so you don't stay here to annoy me."

Big Sister smiled and said, "Yes, yes, I'm a nuisance. I won't come back next time."

Old Lady Liang glared at her, and only then did they all sit down to eat.

The house was lively that evening. Big Sister sat with her husband, the children sat obediently at the table, and Liang Qing, being the youngest daughter, sat next to Old Lady Liang.

Because Liang Jin had eaten his fill at his in-laws', he didn't eat much, instead sipping some hawthorn soup to aid his digestion.

The family chatted as they ate.

Big Sister looked at Liang Qing and said, "Mother, after the New Year, Little Sister will be fourteen. Isn't it time to start looking for a match?"

Although girls in town usually didn't marry until they were sixteen or seventeen, one had to start looking in advance to avoid a frantic rush to find a good son-in-law when the time came.

Old Lady Liang was also concerned about this matter, so she said, "I am looking, but nothing has quite met my satisfaction."

Although she favored boys over girls, her daughter was still her own flesh and blood; she couldn't just marry her off haphazardly, or it would ruin the girl's life.

"Many people came to ask during the New Year, but I didn't think any of them were quite right. I was thinking, perhaps after your brother becomes a *xiucai*, we can look for a match for your sister then. By then, we should be able to find someone with even better conditions."

Big Sister thought for a moment and said, "As long as the conditions are decent, the key is that their character must be good. Look at the Wu family's second daughter—didn't she marry a lazybones?"

It was only because Lady Wu wasn't home that they dared to speak this way; if Lady Wu were present, they wouldn't dare mention anything about the Wu family.

Old Lady Liang nodded. "That's true. Their family background just needs to be similar to ours, but the parents-in-law must definitely be good people."

If the elders in the family had poor character, the younger generation would inevitably turn out crooked as well.

She had to consider this carefully.

Liang Jin also added, "We do need to look closely. There's no rush. If we look at more families, we'll eventually find a suitable one."

Old Lady Liang also didn't want to marry off her youngest daughter in a hurry, so she naturally wanted to vet more families.

Just the day before yesterday, several families had come by the street to inquire.

But they knew those families; the old women were all gossips.

With that kind of mother-in-law, nine out of ten would make life difficult for a daughter-in-law, and she had no intention of marrying her youngest daughter into such a household.

Liang Jin also asked, "Does Big Sister have any good candidates in mind?"

Big Sister shook her head. "Not yet. I've been busy taking care of the house and haven't had time to look. I'll look once I get back. But Mother, are you really willing to let Little Sister marry into the next town over?"

Old Lady Liang was, of course, reluctant. She said, "Forget it, it's better to keep her close. She has a soft temperament; I'm afraid if she marries far away, people will bully her. It's only when she's near me that I can feel at ease."