Zheng Wei finished speaking and looked at Shen Cheng, then continued, "If you weren't saying marriage was acceptable, but if one is to marry, wouldn't there be dowry? My betrothal gift was 20 taels of silver. You should know how much you are supposed to provide as dowry."
Shen Cheng felt as if his face was burning. Being so openly slapped in the face, he could no longer claim to be a father-in-law.
"Since that's the case, then Shen Xiaoming should come back with me," Shen Cheng quickly changed the subject.
Xu Shi and Xu Xiao'e also remained silent. They had only intended to take Shen Xiaoming back anyway; whether they acknowledged this marriage was inconsequential.
"Alright," Zheng Wei replied calmly.
Upon hearing this, Shen Xiaoyan was about to retort when she heard Zheng Wei add, "Shen Xiaoming has been recuperating here, and the total cost for his care was 30 taels of silver. Give me the money, and I'll let him go with you."
"What? Thirty taels? Why don't you just rob us?" Before Shen Cheng could answer, Xu Shi exclaimed.
Thirty taels, a full ten taels more than the price of Shen Xiaoyan's indenture, if she had that much money, why would she need Shen Xiaoming? She could just hire someone to serve her!
"Does Shen Xiaoming eat ginseng and bird's nest? You ask for 30 taels upfront, I think you've gone mad from poverty." When it came to money, Xu Shi no longer feared Zheng Wei and began to shout loudly.
"The prescription is with me. You can go to the pharmacy in town and ask. If you can't pay, don't even think about taking him back," Zheng Wei said to Shen Cheng without even glancing at Xu Shi.
Shen Cheng was still the one who made decisions for the Shen family.
Shen Cheng's face was so unsightly at this moment that it was beyond description. To spend 30 taels of silver to bring Shen Xiaoming back, he would rather Shen Xiaoming die.
He glanced at Shen Xiaoming, then at Shen Xiaoyan, who remained silent, and Shen Cheng said, "Xiaoyan, what are you saying? Xiaoming is your own brother. How can you be so calculative about treating your little brother?"
"He is my brother, but more importantly, he is your son. Shouldn't you be the one raising him?" Shen Xiaoyan mocked.
Shen Cheng was surprised. He hadn't realized Shen Xiaoyan was so eloquent before. Had he paid too little attention to her?
"You wretched girl, how can you talk to your father like that? Hurry up and get this brat to come back with us, money or no money," Xu Shi said, then told Xu Xiao'e to pull Shen Xiaoming and prepare to leave.
Before Shen Xiaoyan could react, Zheng Wei stepped forward, pulled Shen Xiaoming behind him, and said to Xu Shi, "Without the money, let's see how you plan to take him."
"Is there no justice anymore? Heavens, how can there be such a person? This damned wretch, after marrying out, she abandons her parents' lives. With money to build such a large house, she still asks her parents for money for her own brother's medical treatment..."
Seeing Shen Xiaoming pulled to Zheng Wei's side, Xu Shi immediately sat on the ground, slapped her thighs, and wailed.
Shen Xiaoyan was stunned by this scene. She considered herself to have lived three lives, a total of several decades, and had never seen such a ridiculous person.
Her eyes swept to Xu Shi's slightly protruding belly. Shen Xiaoyan thought to herself that it was fortunate the belly was still small, otherwise, if Xu Shi sat on the ground, she wouldn't be able to pat her thighs with such a loud sound.
"I've said what I had to say. You decide what to do," Zheng Wei ignored Xu Shi and spoke only to Shen Cheng.
Shen Cheng felt like his lungs were about to explode, but looking at the tall and strong Zheng Wei and then at himself, he knew he couldn't resort to violence.
As for reasoning, that was even more out of the question, especially since he was in the wrong himself.
At this moment, Shen Cheng regretted why he had given Ding Ji to Shen Xiaoyan back then. If he had known this, it would have been better to let that brat Shen Xiaoming die of illness.
He thought this in his heart, and it showed on his face. Shen Xiaoyan and Shen Xiaoming had been watching him. Seeing him like this, Shen Xiaoyan really wanted to go up and beat him.
However, looking at the very uncomfortable Shen Xiaoming, she could only endure for now. "Since you're unwilling to pay, then don't come here to cause trouble again. If you don't find it troublesome, I find it embarrassing."
After speaking, she ignored the reactions of Shen Cheng and the other two and led Shen Xiaoming back into the courtyard.
Zheng Wei walked at the end, looking at the stunned trio, a smirk playing on his lips. "Take care of yourselves."
Shen Cheng and the other two looked at Zheng Wei's smile and felt a chill emanating from the depths of their hearts. By the time they recovered, the small door in front of them had closed.
With the situation as it was, the three could only leave in disgrace.
Inside the courtyard, Shen Xiaoyan gently comforted Shen Xiaoming. Fortunately, Shen Xiaoming was already accustomed to Shen Cheng's attitude. After a moment of discomfort, he went to play with Bai Bai and Luoluo again.
Shen Xiaoyan and Zheng Wei sat in the main room in silence.
"If I hadn't returned in time, what were you planning to do?" After a long silence, Zheng Wei spoke first.
"You think I'm someone who waits to be beaten?" Shen Xiaoyan raised her eyebrows, looking at Zheng Wei with a hint of confusion in her eyes. Did he think she was useless?
"He is your father," Zheng Wei said faintly.
The implication was, would Shen Xiaoyan still fight with her own father?
"I don't acknowledge him," Shen Xiaoyan pouted. She didn't want such a father. However, she couldn't let others think she was rebellious. "If I can't fight back, I can run."
After speaking, Shen Xiaoyan winked playfully at Zheng Wei, and they both laughed.
Although the sky was gradually getting longer, the time Shen Cheng and the others had spent had caused it to darken outside.
Shen Xiaoyan quickly prepared dinner. After the three of them ate, it was completely dark.
It was already the end of April, and May was just around the corner. The weather was starting to get hotter.
Shen Xiaoyan and Shen Xiaoming's clothes were all brought from the Shen family. Shen Xiaoyan had looked through Zheng Wei's wardrobe, and there were only two sets of clothes. With summer approaching, the three of them should get new clothes.
However, thinking of this, Shen Xiaoyan wore a worried expression. She didn't know how to make clothes.
It wasn't just her; the original owner didn't know how to either.
When the original owner was in the Shen family, she was busy like a spinning top every day, with no chance to touch needlework, and no one had ever taught her embroidery.
What should she do?
"What are you thinking about with that sorrowful expression?"
A sudden voice pulled Shen Xiaoyan's drifting thoughts back. Shen Xiaoyan's eyes slowly refocused. She turned her head and saw Zheng Wei looking at her with a leisurely expression.
Under the warm lamplight, the lines on Zheng Wei's face softened considerably. It was a pity.
"If you didn't have that scar on your face, you definitely would be..." Shen Xiaoyan, for some reason, looked at Zheng Wei and blurted out such a sentence, but she stopped halfway.
She looked at Zheng Wei cautiously. Seeing that he still had the same expression, she said again, "I didn't mean anything. Don't overthink it."
Zheng Wei raised his eyebrows slightly. "Overthink what?"
Shen Xiaoyan felt extremely embarrassed. She lowered her eyes and after a while, said, "How did you get that mark on your face? Do you remember?"