What happened in River Village was discussed by people for a long time. Madam Wei had also mentioned it a few times. Because she was not the kind of person who would abandon her daughter, she could not understand the behavior of those parents.

After a while, people gradually stopped talking about it.

Liu Sanniang asked Liu Zhi’er, Liu Hui, and Liu Ju to go shopping. Liu Ju’er was about to get married, so she had less work to do now.

All of them went to the cloth shop.

“Ju’er, what do you think of this cloth?”

Liu Sanniang chose a red cloth and asked.

When Liu Ju’er got married, her stepmother would not give her anything good, but as a bride, how could she not have new clothes?

Liu Ju’er looked at the red cloth and touched it. It was smooth. “It’s very nice, but it’s too expensive. Let’s look at something else.”

“There is nothing else we need to look at. This is it.”

Liu Zhi’er smiled. They were teens and were not rich, but they hoped that Liu Ju’er would be better.

Liu Hui and Liu Sanniang smiled at each other and went to pay for it.

They bought a twenty-foot red cloth and a twenty-foot gray cloth of good quality. They also bought some trinkets and hair ornaments. Then, when they got tired of walking, they went to the teahouse and asked for a private room to sit and drink tea. Liu Ju’er thought that they were going to use these clothes to make something, but she did not expect that they would buy these things for her.

Her eyes were red and she was crying.

“Zhi’er, Sanniang, Huihui, you… are too good to me. I will never forget your kindness.”

Liu Ju’er sobbed. Her heart was filled with sadness. Not only did her stepmother set the wedding date at the middle of July, known as the ghost day, but she just gave her a battered cloth to take along.

Her dowry was empty. She could not even take away the few hens she had raised. She could only take along the eggs that the hens laid.

She had no hope at all for this marriage. She felt that her life was filled with darkness, but now, she felt warmth.

Liu Ju’er did not know what she did to deserve such good friends.

Liu Sanniang had two brothers and parents who doted on her. When Liu Dalang and Liu Erlang first brought her to the field to play, Liu Sanniang was still a little girl. She was fair and looked very weak.

Liu Ju’er liked and envied her. She gave the wild fruits which she had picked to Liu Sanniang, and Liu Sanniang thanked her.

Liu Zhi’er and Liu Hui also liked to eat, so she picked some more for the three of them.

Later on, they liked to play with Liu Sanniang because Liu Sanniang was good at cooking.

After that, they found that Liu Sanniang was also good at embroidery and wanted to learn from her.

Liu Ju’er had always felt inferior because she did not have parents who doted on her. Only now did she understand that she was also lucky.

Liu Zhi’er couldn’t take it anymore. “Don’t cry. Didn’t Sanniang say that we’ll be fine in the future?”

Liu Ju’er wiped her tears and smiled.

Liu Sanniang said, “Jiu’er, believe me, you will be happy.”

Liu Ju’er nodded. She believed her. She believed her faithfully.

Liu Ju’er looked at Liu Sanniang and was a little embarrassed. “Sanniang, I feel that you’ve changed. I believe everything you say. If you say that I’ll be fine, I’ll believe you.”

Liu Sanniang smiled and looked at Liu Ju’er. How would a person who shone with rays of hope not be fine?

As long as she remained fearless in front of any difficulties, her life would only get better.

In the afternoon, they went home separately.

It was still early, so Liu Sanniang decided to prepare dinner for her family

At home, she had a big cooking pot made by an experienced craftsman.

Only restaurants and some rich families had such a huge pot. Ordinary people were not so particular about cooking.

However, Madam Wei was a chef, so she had higher requirements when it came to cooking equipment. The food she made was naturally delicious and even looked nice.

Liu Sanniang took some money from her purse and went out to buy fish.

She made two soup bases, both made from bones.

She stir-fried chili oil and mixed the soup into two types. She took out the small stove and placed it in the courtyard before moving the table out.

When Liu Erlang came back, he exclaimed. “Sanniang, you’re the best. I can’t wait to try what you made for me.”

Liu Dalang smiled. “Go, wash up.”

The weather was very hot, but Liu Sanniang made plum wine and chilled it in the well. The cold plum wine and the thick fruit juice were simply delicious.

Madam Wei was extremely proud. She was the one who had taught Liu Sanniang how to cook.

Mr. Liu ate silently, feeling extremely satisfied. The best thing he had done in his life was to marry Madam Wei.

When his parents were still alive, they praised Madam Wei endlessly. She was simply the best woman. She served his parents until they passed away and took care of their children. In this life, he had enjoyed all the happiness.

The family ate happily and Liu Erlang willingly went to wash the dishes.

Insects were chirping everywhere in the summer. It was normally annoying, but at this moment, it sounded extremely pleasant.

At night, Mr. Liu hugged Madam Wei and sighed. “Sanniang’s friend is getting married, right?”

Madam Wei said, “Yes, she’s getting married.”

Liu Ju’er’s stepmother was so vicious that she set the wedding date on the fifteenth of July. No one would marry off their daughter on that date.

“I wonder what her father is thinking. He actually agreed to it.”