Su Li suddenly realized, but she did not see Su Yao in the crowd.

At this moment, a kind-faced middle-aged woman in the room stood up, her gaze sweeping over the faces of the group before finally settling on Su Li, her eyes revealing a mixture of scrutiny and amusement:

"This must be Li Yatou, right? She's so pretty. The girls in the Su family are all so beautiful."

All eyes turned to Su Li, who remained calm and composed, bowing slightly and returning the greeting gracefully: "Hello, Auntie."

The atmosphere inside the room grew increasingly lively, with everyone discussing the various matters related to the wedding.

Su Li quietly went back to her room to change her shoes and socks, which were soaked by the snow, and then went to the main hall to eat.

In the dining room, the square table was filled with farm-style dishes. Although they could not compare to the delicacies of wealthy families, they were all carefully prepared and steaming hot.

It's obviously made by the Hu family.

Another table of food was set up next to the square table to serve the female guests.

The old master of the Wang family was the first to stand up, steadily raising the wine cup with both hands, and said to the old master of the Su family with a smile:

“Brother Su, our two families have a deep connection. We’ve known each other since we were young, and now we’re going to become in-laws. We’ll be helping each other out for a long time to come. My son has always been honest and kind, and he will definitely treat Yao’er well.”

Having said that, he tilted his head back and drank the wine in the cup in one gulp.

Grandpa Su also smiled broadly, his wrinkles at the corners of his eyes revealing satisfaction, and nodded in agreement:

"Of course. I trust you in your character and conduct, and Yong'an is just like you. He seems reliable and capable. What could I possibly worry about?"

Wang Yong'an, whose name was called, immediately stood up, his tall figure leaning slightly forward, and respectfully presented the wine cup to Old Master Su with both hands. His dark face flushed red, and his eyes beneath his thick eyebrows were full of sincerity.

"Grandpa Su, don't worry, I don't have any great skills, I just know how to work hard in the fields. If the harvest is good, I will definitely give it to Yao'er first!"

His loud voice echoed in the room, and everyone couldn't help but laugh at his eagerness to show his loyalty.

Grandma Su sat to the side, her eyes fixed on Wang Yong'an.

As soon as the young man from the Wang family entered the door, he quickly helped move stools and serve tea, running around without stopping. He also brought freshly dried goods from his own home, wrapped them in clean coarse cloth, and placed them neatly.

Grandma Su felt more and more that this child was considerate.

Look how strong and sturdy he is. He must be a good worker. What farmers want in life is to be down-to-earth and honest.

Although my son is studying at the academy and has a promising future, he can't be so short-sighted as to only think about climbing the social ladder.

This marriage is good because, firstly, the two families know each other well, the two old men have a long-standing friendship and are trustworthy; secondly, Yao'er will have no worries about food and clothing and can live a stable life with him, which is better than anything else!

Those wealthy families are beyond my reach now; even if I married into one, I might suffer some mistreatment...

Thinking of this, Grandma Su's smile deepened. She took Wang Yong'an's hand, patted it gently, and said, "Good boy, sit down and eat. Don't bother."

His tone was so gentle, as if he were a completely different person; all the former sharpness and bitterness were gone.

However, Uncle Su and Mrs. Zhou sat to the side, their smiles forced, their eyes darting around.

While smiling and dealing with the Wang family, Zhou was actually clutching the handkerchief tightly in her hand, looking preoccupied.

Even the Wang family members sensed something was wrong, but they didn't dare to ask.

Su Li watched silently from the side, secretly surprised.

While they were adding rice, she quietly went into the courtyard and peered through the crack in the door into the east room.

Su Yao sat alone on the edge of the bed, clutching a half-embroidered wedding dress in her hand, the silk threads hanging haphazardly.

Her eyes were slightly red, her lips were tightly pursed, and her brows were furrowed. Where was the shyness of a bride-to-be?

The scene she witnessed in front of the restaurant in town that day couldn't help but flash through Su Li's mind...

At that time, Su Yao got off the carriage and followed a young man into the restaurant. That man was obviously not Wang Yong'an. So who could it be?

Su Li shook her head slightly, turned around and left quickly, showing no intention of going in to ask. She had no intention of meddling in other people's business. Her mother had cooked a lot of good food today, so she should fill her stomach first.

After the meal, because of the heavy snow outside, Grandpa Su specially asked the Wang family to stay at the Su family's house for the night and return the next day.

The Su family didn't have enough beds, so Old Mrs. Su asked her family members to squeeze in first to make room for the Wang family.

Therefore, Su Yao was assigned to Su Li's room.

This was the first time the two sisters had ever slept in the same bed.

Outside the window, the wind and snow howled, battering against the windowpanes.

Inside the room, the candlelight flickered, and Su Li sat quietly under the candlelight, flipping through the account books in her hands.

She meticulously recorded her daily income and expenses in a notebook so she could reconcile the accounts with her sister-in-law, Taohua, later.

Su Yao was forced to share a bed with her, and reluctantly lay on her side next to her, looking up at Su Li.

Su Li's black hair was loosely tied up, with a few strands falling down her fair and slender neck.

Bathed in the warm yellow candlelight, her features were even more distinct, and even in coarse linen clothes, she could not hide her unique charm.

Unlike the overly effeminate young ladies in the restaurants, or the well-behaved and naive girls in the academy, Su Li exuded a confidence and resilience from within, a feeling that Su Yao had never experienced before.

Su Yao felt increasingly uncomfortable and gritted her teeth inwardly.

She couldn't help but speak with a hint of sourness:

"Look at you, always so secretive, what treasure are you flipping through your hands? It's so late and you still can't bear to go to sleep? I heard you set up a stall at the dock and made a fortune, almost as rich as those young ladies from wealthy families. Why are you still wearing these tattered clothes?"

Su Li glanced at her indifferently, without even moving, and replied in a nonchalant tone, "If you're sleepy, go to sleep first, don't worry about me."

Seeing Su Li's perfunctory attitude, Su Yao became even angrier and pressed on, "Hmph, don't try to fool me! Where did you get so much money to send your brother to school? It can't be just from setting up a stall!"

As she spoke, she sat up, crossed her arms, and stared intently at Su Li.

Su Li gently closed the booklet and placed it back on the table before turning to look at Su Yao, her face revealing no emotion.

"I earned this myself through hard work. Why do you have the time to ask about me? You should worry about your own wedding dress instead."

After saying that, she lay down on her side, pulled the corner of the blanket over herself, closed her eyes, and ignored Su Yao.

"you!"

Su Yao was so angry that her face turned red and her chest heaved, but in the next instant, her eyes suddenly lit up, as if she had suddenly realized something.

She stared intently at Su Li's face, her eyes widening as the annoyance in them seemed to dissipate in a gust of wind. Her sullen expression gradually faded, and a smug smile slowly crept onto her lips.

Su Yao couldn't help but let out a soft groan, and then lay down and closed her eyes...

The next day, after the Wang family left, the Su family went back to normal.

Grandma Su still looked at everyone with displeasure, and every now and then she would stand in the yard with her hands on her hips, making veiled insults.

However, everyone has long been used to this.

Within a few days, the property deeds for the dockside shops were issued.

Su Li pursed her lips slightly, a hint of joy in her eyes, and slowly took her parents' hands, excitedly announcing:

“Father, Mother, I’ve found a shop at the dock. The location is good and the price is reasonable. I’m thinking we should take it over and run it together as a family. Our lives will definitely get better and better.”

"Therefore, I hope you two can come with me to the shop to help out!"

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