NOVEL NEXT Chapter 37: A Generous Son-in-Law
Chapter 37: A Generous Son-in-Law
When the pickup truck pulled up at the house, Su Lina and her two grandmothers, who had heard the commotion, were already waiting outside.
Lu Yuan stepped down from the passenger seat and greeted his mothers-in-law warmly before reaching into his pocket to give Su Lina a handful of candies. All three stood speechless at the sight of the truck piled high with goods.
*All this for a wedding?* they wondered, eyeing the boxes of expensive liquor worth several dollars per bottle. Most impressive was the live pig—a massive creature weighing at least 200 kilograms. The cost of such an animal was substantial.
“Brother-in-law!” Su Lina was the first to recover, running to Lu Yuan with newfound familiarity. Unlike her shyness during his previous visit, she now embraced him eagerly. After all, he’d brought her candy, provided flour for the family, and promised she could attend elementary school. Lu Yuan smiled, lifting the little girl into his arms.
The two mothers-in-law finally regained their composure, astonishment evident on their faces.
“Yuan’er… this must have cost so much. There was no need to spend like this,” one said hesitantly.
Still holding Su Lina, Lu Yuan smiled reassuringly. “Don’t worry. Whatever we don’t use can be stored in the cellar for later.”
The women exchanged glances, both recognizing their son-in-law’s determined nature. Arguing would be pointless. Instead, they began helping the truck driver unload the goods.
Lu Yuan noticed villagers watching from a distance with undisguised interest. With a deliberate smile, he announced loudly, “Mom, I’ve been thinking about the wedding meal. Despite buying all these supplies, we shouldn’t feel obligated to invite everyone. Let’s focus on those who have good relationships with our family and have helped us in the past.”
The villagers froze momentarily before springing into action. Within seconds, more than a dozen of them rushed forward to help unload the goods. The calculation was simple—for the small gifts they’d given worth just a penny or two, they could enjoy a feast of meat and fine boxed wine. Plus, they might even be able to take leftovers home. What a bargain!
Satisfied with the response, Lu Yuan carried Su Lina back inside. The sun was too harsh, and he preferred the coolness of the house.
His mothers-in-law remained vigilantly at the doorway, supervising the unloading process. They couldn’t risk anyone with “sticky fingers” making off with their son-in-law’s generous purchases.
As the villagers worked, they offered flattering comments to Zhao Qiaoer and Jin Meijing: “Sister, Liyan truly found herself a good husband. With such a son-in-law, your family has a bright future ahead!”
Until now, some villagers had harbored doubts about Lu Yuan’s wealth. His previous visit with Greater China cigarettes, Su Liyan’s expensive new clothes and shoes—it had seemed suspicious. After all, what kind of public building or shop had more than ten rooms? No one had ever seen such a place. Some had even wondered if his worker’s blue uniform was merely purchased for show.
The skepticism was understandable. Su Liyan had failed to find a husband on two previous attempts, yet on her third try supposedly landed a man of means. But this truckload of goods was irrefutable evidence of wealth. The live pig alone cost more than 200 yuan—enough to buy a brand-new Phoenix bicycle!
Zhao Qiaoer and Jin Meijing beamed with pride. Though they worried about the expense, they couldn’t help but enjoy the admiration from neighbors. These expressions of respect and envy were familiar to them—they had once received such looks regularly, before the family’s misfortune had forced their move from a grand mansion in the imperial city to this ancestral home.
“Oh, once a daughter is married, she’s like spilled water,” Zhao Qiaoer said modestly, waving away the compliments. “She’s fortunate, but we’re not trying to take advantage.” Despite her humble words, her radiant smile revealed her true feelings.
Meanwhile, inside the house, Lu Yuan presented Su Lina with several bags. “These are new clothes and shoes I bought for you,” he told her with a smile. “Go try them on and show your brother-in-law how they look.”
With a sweet “thank you,” Su Lina happily ran into another room. During his last visit, Lu Yuan hadn’t been able to see her in person, making it difficult to buy properly sized clothing. Now that he had met her, he could purchase items with confidence.
As the unloading finished, the two mothers-in-law entered the yard. Approaching Lu Yuan before he could enter the house, Zhao Qiaoer advised, “Yuan’er, she’s just a child. Please don’t waste money on her in the future.”
Jin Meijing nodded in agreement. “Children grow so quickly. The clothes you buy today might be too small tomorrow. It’s an unnecessary expense.”
While they accepted his plans for a wedding banquet, spending money on children’s clothing seemed wasteful to them. Couldn’t children wear anything, even altered hand-me-downs from Su Liyan?
Lu Yuan looked at his beautiful mothers-in-law with a mischievous grin. “Don’t just think about Lina. I have something for you two as well.”
He handed them a large bag of clothing. “Try these on and see if they fit. If not, I’ll exchange them tonight.”
The women stared at the packages in shock. “For us?”
Before they could protest, Lu Yuan raised his eyebrows playfully. “Go on! If you don’t listen to me, I’ll be very upset!”
The mothers-in-law blushed deeply as they accepted the gifts.
This son-in-law was truly dominant—even controlling his mothers-in-law!