“But the one getting married is my daughter, not this old bone of mine. I must ask for her opinion, and I hope my nephew will understand.”
The Xie couple couldn’t help but laugh at his words. Xie Donglin said, “Uncle speaks wisely. No matter how good we say this marriage is, it’s not as important as them liking it themselves. I share the same thought as Uncle; I hope my brother is satisfied with his marriage. When I was choosing my wife, my parents, who were still alive, let me decide for myself. I didn’t choose wrongly; she’s sensible and gentle. Now, I let my younger brother decide his own marriage, and I trust his judgment.”
Hearing her husband praise her so, Mrs. Li, Xie’s eldest daughter-in-law, felt extremely delighted, her expression growing even gentler. She silently decided that once her sister-in-law joined the family, she would treat her well, ensuring they would be the most harmonious sisters-in-law in the world, never causing her husband any worry.
The matchmaker chimed in, “Indeed, I haven’t met the eldest daughter-in-law of the Xie family who lives in the capital, but from her appearance, she seems very kind and magnanimous. Master Xie has an excellent eye. Our Miss Gu, whom I’ve watched grow up, is beautiful like a flower, with a gentle nature and treats people very well. The two best girls in the world have been chosen by the young master of the Xie family; what excellent taste!”
Her words filled everyone with joy, creating a very pleasant atmosphere. Gu Jinghan observed the expressions of the Xie family, feeling completely at ease. With such siblings-in-law, his daughter would certainly not be wronged. Most importantly, the Xie family had no in-laws, so his daughter wouldn’t have to go through the process of becoming a mother-in-law herself. With the brother and sister-in-law often in the capital, once married, the young couple would live independently, and his daughter could take charge of the household right away. In his eyes, this marriage was perfect. He then sent Changsheng to his daughter’s courtyard to ask her opinion.
Zixiang returned to the courtyard first to relay the conversation. Gu Mingyue was overjoyed, and when Changsheng came to ask, she had Zixiang convey her message. Changsheng returned to the main hall to report, “Master, Miss says everything will follow your arrangement.” That was her consent.
The Xie couple was overjoyed, and the matchmaker spoke at length about auspicious words. The Xie family had come prepared, presenting an expensive heirloom. Mrs. Li said, “These bracelets are a pair; I have one, and my mother-in-law, before she passed, instructed me to give the other to my brother’s future wife.”
Gu Jinghan looked at Mrs. Li, noticing the identical bracelet on her wrist, and smiled. With even the family heirloom handed down, the marriage was set. They would choose an auspicious date for the engagement banquet to announce it widely, deterring any further suitors from approaching the Gu family.
“Did she agree?” Upon hearing the news, Xie Nanlin was so excited he nearly jumped up. He and Gu Mingsheng had known each other since childhood, and he had been in love with Gu Mingyue since he was young, dreaming of marrying her. In his heart, Gu Mingyue was exceptionally excellent, so he had always strived to better himself, believing only the best version of himself could match the excellent Gu Mingyue. Over the years, he never slackened, always improving himself. Although he felt he was now quite excellent, he was still somewhat apprehensive about Gu Mingyue’s rejection. After his brother and sister-in-law left to propose, he was restless until they returned with this good news, which finally relieved him and filled him with joy.
Xie Donglin rolled his eyes, “Look at you, acting like a complete wife’s slave.”
“Husband, is it wrong to be a wife’s slave?” Mrs. Li asked from the side.
Xie Donglin immediately bowed his tall figure, “No, it’s very good. Listening to your wife can lead to promotions and wealth.”
Mrs. Li gave him a look that said ‘of course’, then turned to her brother-in-law, “Brother-in-law, did you hear that? Your brother says listening to your wife can lead to promotions and wealth. Take note.”
“Rest assured, sister-in-law, I will take my brother as my role model,” Xie Nanlin laughed.
Xie Donglin slumped his head, realizing they were a family of wife’s slaves, including their deceased father. Oh heavens, in the future, people would definitely say that all three men of the Xie family were wife’s slaves. How embarrassing. But as long as his brother was happy and the family was harmonious, being a wife’s slave was fine. Besides, if he hadn’t been one, he wouldn’t have become the chief clerk of the Prime Minister’s residence. This was all thanks to being a wife’s slave, something others couldn’t envy.
Xie Nanlin couldn’t contain his excitement and returned to his room to write a letter to Gu Mingyue. With so much to say, he struggled to express it, finally settling on writing just one sentence. When Gu Mingyue saw the sparse words on the letter, her eyes brimmed with tears.
When Gu Jinghan entered his daughter’s room, he saw her holding the letter, almost in tears. He glanced at it, seeing only the sentence: “In the years to come, I will cherish you as a treasure.”
Hmph! The second son of the Xie family sure knows how to sweet-talk, the little rascal, look how he’s made my daughter so happy?
“Father, why are you here?” Gu Mingyue, holding the letter, turned to place it on the table, subtly wiping the corners of her eyes, then calmly asked with a smile.
Gu Jinghan pretended not to notice her wiping away tears, saying, “Today is a good day; I’ve come to have a heart-to-heart with my daughter.”
“Please sit, Father,” Gu Mingyue poured a cup of hot tea for her father.
Gu Jinghan sat down, took the tea, sipped it lightly, and asked, “Do you know why Father agreed to this marriage with the Xie family?”
“Father, it’s because you want what’s best for your daughter,” Gu Mingyue replied. She guessed her father knew of her affection for Xie Nanlin and thus fulfilled her wish. Moreover, when her father had previously asked about her marriage, he mentioned agreeing to the Xie family’s proposal.
Gu Jinghan nodded, “Indeed, Father wants what’s best for you. My daughter is so beautiful and charming; there are bound to be many who covet your beauty. If you’re not careful and attract the attention of unscrupulous people, it could lead to trouble.”
