Courtyard House: In this life, I have a new home!

16

She reached out and took the letter of appointment, her voice soft and sweet: "I do."

"I've also prepared something for you."

Fang Chengxuan, acting mysteriously, pulled out a box from his person, about the size of an A4 sheet of paper in later times.

Rong Xinrui took the package and opened it, first stunned, then her eyes widened in surprise. But after the initial surprise, she became a little suspicious, frowning as she asked him, "Where did you get all this?"

"I had someone exchange some gold for mine, and then secretly had a master craftsman melt it down."

He scratched his head. "I originally wanted to make something bigger, but right now I can only come up with this little thing."

The box contained eight pieces of gold jewelry, each as big as an adult's head.

A golden comb symbolizing phoenixes in flight, a golden abacus symbolizing good fortune, a golden phoenix hairpin symbolizing the arrival of phoenixes, a golden openwork bronze mirror, a ruler symbolizing a hundred sons and a thousand grandsons, a scale symbolizing marital bliss and harmony, and golden scissors symbolizing wealth and prosperity.

"From the day you agreed to be my girlfriend, I secretly hired someone to do it. The master is very skilled, and it took a lot of effort to get him to take on jobs on the side."

Fang Chengxuan pushed the box in front of Rong Xinrui with a smile on his lips.

Rong Xinrui stared at him for a long while, her smile growing wider and wider, before she threw herself into his arms: "The best thing I ever did in my life was choosing you without hesitation."

Fang Chengxuan pulled his arm around her waist, his voice low and soft: "Same."

Rong Wenyao glanced over from the side and said impatiently, "That's enough, there are still people inside!"

Rong Xinrui turned her head and snorted at her brother, saying in a coquettish tone, "I just like being close to you, brother, are you jealous? If you're so capable, why don't you find yourself a sister-in-law!"

Rong Wenyao shook his head, choked by the remark, and clicked his tongue twice: "It's true what they say, daughters grow up and leave home; they're already siding with outsiders after just getting engaged."

"Hmph, I'll just steal it!"

Rong Xinrui was still laughing and joking.

Fang Chengxuan stood to one side, his gaze fixed on her, his eyes and brows full of smiles. The sight of the two of them so close together made Rong Wenyao feel a tightness in his chest.

"Alright, dinner's ready."

Rong Wenyao was too lazy to look any further and turned to leave.

"I'll go pack the things."

Rong Xinrui smiled sweetly at Fang Chengxuan.

The two walked to the table together.

Fang's parents were already chatting with Rong's parents, recounting amusing stories from the village. Fang Chengxuan watched this scene, a slight smile playing on his lips.

After the engagement banquet, the wedding date was set. In the afternoon, before leaving, Fang Chengxuan looked back at Rong Xinrui several times before departing with his parents.

No sooner had they left than the Rong family's courtyard became lively.

"Rong family, I saw Xinrui's boyfriend arrive with his parents and a radio. Is he here to propose marriage?"

As soon as someone asked a question, all the neighbors around peeked out to look in their direction.

The Rong family was in a good mood today, and when asked, they laughed heartily: "It's an engagement. We love our daughter and want her to stay for a couple more years."

"Fang Chengxuan's parents are also reasonable people. The two families have agreed to get engaged first and then hold the wedding in two years."

"That boy insisted that he couldn't let Xinrui suffer any injustice, and he wouldn't proceed with the betrothal until he had collected the three turns and one ring. No matter how we tried to persuade him, he wouldn't listen, so we had no choice but to let him be."

Rong's mother explained to people with a smile.

"This child is responsible and cares about Xinrui. As parents, what we hope for is that our child can meet a caring and reliable man."

The people in the courtyard nodded in agreement: "That's right. Whether a man is caring or not can be seen by whether he's willing to prepare these things for his wife."

"Xinrui has good taste."

"Indeed, it seems that status and such are not that important."

After Rong's mother chatted casually with the people in the compound, the news of Rong Xinrui's engagement spread.

The object is Fang Chengxuan.

Once he had collected the three rings and one jingle (a traditional Chinese stringed instrument), presented the betrothal gifts, and the two of them got married.

The news made many people extremely envious.

Shu Qianxue listened as her neighbors kept praising Rong Xinrui for her good taste, saying that she hadn't liked any of the many blind dates she had been set up with, but she had chosen this one, and most importantly—that the other person really cared about her.

They were all women.

Who can't tell if a man is sincere or just going through the motions?

Shu Qianxue curled her lip, her face full of disdain: "Isn't it just 'three turns and one sound'? Which family doesn't prepare these for a wedding? Is this what you call being responsible?"

"It's obvious that Rong Xinrui insisted on marrying a poor boy from the countryside, and the Rong family is just trying to save face by pretending to be rich."

By this time, the Rong family members had already returned to their house.

Rong Xinrui placed the letter of engagement from Fang Chengxuan and the wooden box on the table. After the family members read them, none of them said a word.

Rong Wenyao spoke first, his tone serious: "Xinrui, have you thought this through?"

Rong Xinrui gently touched the eight small gold ornaments in the box with her fingers, her eyes bright and determined: "Brother, in this life, besides you and our family, no one else will ever treat me as well as he has."

"I've made up my mind, I'm staying."

She took a deep breath, as if speaking to herself.

"I believe that no matter what happens in the future, he will never let me suffer."

Her voice wasn't loud, but it carried an undeniable certainty.

Rong Wenyao glanced at her, then turned to look at his grandparents.

"Grandpa and Grandma, you're getting old, why don't you come abroad with us?"

The two elderly people looked at each other, clasped their hands tightly, and looked up at their grandson: "We're old now, and we've spent our whole lives in China."

"My roots are here; I don't want to die out here."

Rong Wenyao's brows furrowed: "But—"

"Your grandfather and I have already made a decision about this. As long as we are still alive, this will always be your home."

Rong Wenyao frowned even more deeply.

He couldn't persuade his grandparents, so he turned to his father and said, "Dad, can you talk to them?"

Mr. Rong remained silent for a long while.

"We members of the Rong family learn from a young age to walk our own path and bear the consequences ourselves."

"Since your grandparents have already made their decision, let them have it."

After he finished speaking, he took a deep breath.

Rong Wenyao opened his mouth, as if to say something more, but in the end he swallowed it back.

The family dispersed and went to rest.

Rong Wenyao walked to his father's side and lowered his voice: "Dad, Xinrui wants to stay because of Fang Chengxuan. That kid is indeed capable of protecting her, I'm not worried about that."

"But my grandparents are getting old."

Mr. Rong took out a cigarette, lit it, and took a puff: "Don't you know your grandparents' tempers? What's the point of trying to persuade them?"

"These next few days, give Fang Chengxuan a heads-up and leave him some options. After we're gone, your grandparents and Xinrui will all be counting on him."

Smoke slowly escaped from his mouth.

As the smoke dissipated, a face etched with dejection was revealed.

"We really can't hold on any longer. If there were any other way to survive, your mother and I wouldn't leave."

Rong Wenyao sighed.

"Okay, I understand."

"Don't take Leng Si with you. Let him stay and help Fang Chengxuan. His courtyard..."

He didn't finish his sentence, leaving only a meaningful expression.

In the courtyard house.

Fang Chengxuan looked at his parents who were packing their luggage and asked, "Aren't you staying a couple more days? I'll show you around."

Mr. Fang waved his hand: "I'm not going to move anymore. The land at home is still lying around; I don't feel at ease."

Fang's mother nodded in agreement: "I feel uncomfortable staying in the city, but it's so comfortable in the countryside."

"Okay, have you memorized the bus routes? When you get home, go to the convenience store next to the bus station and call to let them know you're safe."

Fang Chengxuan helped pack, and casually stuffed a wooden box into the bundle.

After seeing the two off, he went back to his room to make the bed and touched something hard—another wooden box left by Fang's father.

There were two ginseng roots lying inside.

Mr. and Mrs. Fang didn't get home until the afternoon. When they opened the bundle and saw the ginseng, their eyes welled up with tears.

Thinking back to when my son wrote to me complaining, and they ignored me with cold faces, a wave of fear washed over me.

That side of the courtyard house.

Fang Chengxuan also found the ginseng and sighed.

At the door, Qin Huaiying, holding Fang Lianyun, peeked in with half her face visible, hesitant to speak: "Chengxuan, the deaf old lady wants you to come over."

"A deaf old lady?"

Fang Chengxuan's brows furrowed unconsciously.

Ever since He Yuzhu's incident became public, he had completely severed all ties with the deaf old lady.

Should we call him now?

Who came to her room?

Fang Chengxuan asked.

Qin Huaiying lowered her voice: "Lou Xiao'e is back. She's here to divorce Xu Damao."

"Lou Xiao'e?"

Fang Chengxuan narrowed his eyes, a mocking smile playing on his lips: "This old lady wouldn't still be trying to matchmake Lou Xiao'e and He Yuzhu, would she?"

"Using this as leverage to get me to release them?"

He gave a cold laugh.

"Forget it, let's go see what she's up to."

Fang Chengxuan put the ginseng left by his parents into the small courtyard and walked towards the room of the deaf old lady.

When I got to the door, I raised my hand and knocked twice.

"Grandma, what are your orders?"

He entered the room and spoke first, then chose a seat and glanced at Lou Xiao'e's face.

Lou Xiao'e's eyes were swollen, clearly from crying.

"Here's what happened: Xiao'e and Xu Damao couldn't get along anymore, so I thought I'd introduce her to Shazhu. Xiao'e agreed herself."

The deaf old lady hesitated for a moment, but still spoke.

"With Xiao'e keeping an eye on Shazhu from now on, he definitely won't dare to bother you again. He's been locked up long enough over there, so write a letter of forgiveness."

Fang Chengxuan smiled.

Sure enough, it's this matter again.

He turned to look at Lou Xiao'e: "You want to marry He Yuzhu?"

Lou Xiao'e glanced at the deaf old lady and nodded.

Fang Chengxuan sneered: "What grudge does Xu Damao have against He Yuzhu? Do you think he would let you marry him?"

Lou Xiao'e frowned, her face turned cold, and she remained silent.

Fang Chengxuan thought to himself: Well, she probably did this on purpose.

but……

"Xu Damao has been blackmailing you with the divorce, trying to extort money from you, hasn't he?"

Fang Chengxuan spoke casually.

Lou Xiao'e looked up abruptly, her face full of astonishment: "How did you know?"

"He's pursuing a woman who comes from a wealthy family and spends money lavishly. Xu Damao is short on cash, so how can he not try to raise some money?"

"I'm telling you, you can't even handle something as trivial as a divorce."

"It would be a piece of cake for Xu Damao to deal with you and He Yuzhu."

The deaf old lady looked a little annoyed. Fang Chengxuan met her gaze and smiled, "Grandma, don't glare at me."

"It's just a letter of understanding, I'll write it."

"Can you release Keren? Don't come looking for me."

After saying that, he picked up the paper and pen that had been prepared on the table and quickly wrote a few lines.

As I wrote, I pondered: it's time to bring those people back.

Otherwise, how could he manage to subdue people so completely?

After finishing writing, Fang Chengxuan put down his pen and said in a calm voice, "Deaf old lady, starting tomorrow, I won't be delivering your meals anymore. You can decide for yourself."