Transmigration: I Have Storage Space in the Apocalypse novel Chapter 46

Chapter 46: Chapter 045 Third Brother, You’re So Awesome

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Since Zhang Shanni met Xie Jingchen, this was the first time they embraced each other so closely. However, before she could enjoy this harmony further, footsteps began to approach from afar, gradually drawing nearer—

Indeed, in less than half a minute, the voice of the little aunt calling out rudely ’Third Brother, Third Brother’ from outside the room could be heard. Showing absolutely no understanding of propriety, she seemed ready to burst right in, prompting Zhang Shanni instinctively to push Xie Jingchen away.

Xie Jingchen felt his wife’s force and his entire demeanor darkened. Yet, seeing his little wife immediately stop crying and clearing her throat awkwardly, revealing to him only the back of her raven head, he sighed helplessly, "Stay inside and rest for a while, I’ll be right back."

Xie Jingchen managed to leave the inner room just before the younger sister barged in. The approaching Xie Jingzi was excitedly rushing forward, exclaiming, "Third Brother, Third Brother, you’re so amazing, you even caught a big wild pig—Big Sister-in-law sent me to call you out to help!"

The innocent and adorable little aunt was completely unaware that she, in fact, had been tricked by Big Sister-in-law and unwittingly betrayed her instead.

Hearing this, Xie Jingchen’s dissatisfaction with his sister-in-law grew another notch, but with a smile, he humored his sister’s words and took the lead out of the house.

The corner of Xie Family’s little sister’s eye caught sight of the dowry, filling the Third Brother’s room to the brim. Her earlier dissatisfaction with Shanni, having been replaced by sympathy after their mother had spent the day explaining Shanni’s unfortunate background, dissipated and left her without any intent to target her new sister-in-law.

Still, the young girl remained haughty and too embarrassed to apologize, just stealing a glance before hastily following her Third Brother out.

Zhang Shanni didn’t mind the little aunt’s mood swings. With everyone gone, she finally opened the old wallet that she had thrown onto the bed earlier, pouring out all the jewelry inside, only to discover a complete set of gold jewelry.

A gold necklace, gold bracelet, gold earrings, gold ring—the styles were very old-fashioned, but importantly, they were quite heavy. Likely heirlooms from the original host’s grandmother, the most valuable piece seemed to be the ruby pendant on the necklace.

Seeing these, Zhang Shanni both felt the original host’s grandmother might have been selfish, yet also sensed a considerable amount of affection shown towards her in private, as from the original host’s memories, her unreliable elder brother only had a single gold ring!

Such a comparison indicated that the original host held a significant place in her grandmother’s heart. Perhaps it was because among all her grandchildren, only the original host was the most filially pious and respectful. Even her own son and daughter-in-law did not inherit any valuable jewelry, instead, she distributed most of her private collection of precious gold ornaments.

Holding the jewelry, Zhang Shanni felt uneasy, suddenly in debt to the original host’s parents, a feeling that made anyone uncomfortable!

She could perhaps overlook the demands of the original host’s biological parents, but she couldn’t dismiss so lightly the true affection the grandmother had for the original host. After all, living in the original host’s stead meant she should duly inherit her feelings and resolve her unfinished karma.

With these thoughts, Zhang Shanni couldn’t feel joyful for the time being.

Besides, as a new bride, she didn’t need to go out to attend to guests or lend a helping hand; the original host’s sacrifice had turned out to be a blessing in disguise.

That night passed peacefully, and the Xie Family had prepared all the essentials for tomorrow’s feast—meatballs, fried pork, tofu—before ten o’clock at night.

The women and sisters-in-law who came to help would only need to wake up early the next day to do the lighter tasks, like washing vegetables, slicing spring onions, and cleaning bowls and chopsticks. Only the chef’s job would be the most strenuous.

The following day

Finally, the big day arrived, and in rural areas, a celebration like this usually lasts for three days—

The stag unexpectedly hunted the night before also weighed a few dozens of pounds. It was marinated, saved for the main feast today, while the bones were used to brew a rich deer bone soup, with some warming medicinal herbs added, making it a highlight of the banquet.

The population of Qingfeng Village, not many yet not too few, amounted to over a hundred households, nearly five hundred people. Just with the Xie surname alone, there were over thirty households. With Xie Tiesheng being a village cadre, those from the same room would usually bring their entire family. Those of the same surname or from the same village typically would send one representative per family. Only those families with especially close kinship would actually bring the whole family to visit.

Female relatives from the same room generally did not sit at the tables but ate in the kitchen instead. Typically, only the head of the household or the eldest son would sit at the table. Therefore, although there were several tables, nearly twenty tables were fully served in the end, thankfully with ample meat, otherwise, it would have been somewhat embarrassing.

After the banquet, everyone was served a bowl of brown sugar water, which was a sign of a generous host, especially since brown sugar was rationed during that period.

At that time, wedding banquets were still commonly held at noon. By three o’clock, the gathering was usually over, and the older sisters-in-law and younger wives who came to help would start to tidy up and leave.

Xie Jinghong, the Xie Family’s eldest daughter, also came back. She was married in Qingyun Town, which wasn’t far, but with in-laws above her and children to look after below, she really did not have much time to return home. Mainly because she had three children in three years, having twins first and then a son, securing her position in her husband’s family.

In three years, she gave birth to three children of her own plus her sister-in-law gave birth to a daughter and her brother’s wife also had a son. In the coming years, she would be trapped by her own household’s little ones, focusing solely on raising children.

The eldest daughter married no more than four years and had already had three children, which was quite the talk of the town in little Qingyun Town.

Because of her, many people said she brought good fortune to her husband, and now many were keen on marrying Xie Jingzi, but the girl herself had studied for a few years and was determined to stand out, unwilling to marry a farmer.

Someone like her brother-in-law would be a matter of fate. After all, Xie Jingchen’s colleagues hailed from all over the country; how could it be by chance that the good men were all in tiny Qingyun Town? Even in slightly more distant counties, suitable men were hard to come by.

Even further, and Mrs. Xie would be somewhat reluctant to marry off the youngest daughter so far away, barely getting to see her once a year.