When entering the courtyard of the He family, it was actually not small at all.
He Shiyou had two sons and three daughters, and He Xiaoya was the youngest one in the family.
The three daughters were all married out, and the two sons were naturally also married long ago, but they did not divide up the family and all lived in this quite nice five-entry residence.
In Baichuan County, such a big residence could be considered a rich family, but in the suburbs of Yizhou Prefecture, it could only be regarded as middle class.
Hearing that He Xiaoya had come back, the families of the two elder brothers came out of the rooms all at once.
"Oh, isn't this Little Ya?" The elder sister-in-law said cheerfully, "You've been married out for almost a year, and you finally know to come back and take a look."
The second sister-in-law was even more sarcastic: "What's the use of taking a look? Coming back empty-handed is even worse than not coming at all."
"You shouldn't say that either," the elder sister-in-law said, "We all know Little Ya married into a family in the mountains, life is hard there, how could she have money to buy things."
"Poor people should not neglect propriety," the second sister-in-law said, "But it's normal for mountain folk not to understand propriety."
Da Zhuang's face turned red all at once.
Before leaving, his mother did prepare a lot of things, but those were all gifts for his father-in-law and mother-in-law.
As for gifts for his two elder uncles, it seemed he really didn't prepare any.
Seeing his honest and obedient appearance, not even daring to speak, the two elder brothers looked down on him even more in their hearts. They didn't know what Little Ya was thinking, insisting on marrying such a mountain man.
"Just sit in the yard," He Shiyou said, "Second sister-in-law, go buy half a catty of meat and make a dish for lunch."
The second sister-in-law left reluctantly.
However, she didn't go straight to buy meat, but went around telling everyone that He Xiaoya and her husband had come back, and they came back empty-handed.
Last year when He Xiaoya got married, many villagers felt sorry for her.
Several families with young men had intended to marry her as a daughter-in-law, but Xiaoya didn't look upon any of them. Later she was snatched away by a mountain man, and they inevitably felt resentful.
"Come sit at our house after eating, that husband of Little Ya is quite capable."
While in the He family's courtyard, the He Xiaoya family sat down, and they looked at Da Zhuang as if he were a criminal, making him feel that he didn't even know where to put his hands and feet, his mind a complete mess.
The words Xiaoya had taught him to say along the way, he couldn't recall a single one now.
Fortunately, He Xiaoya kept asking about her parents' situation, so the atmosphere didn't become too awkward.
But when it was time to eat, the awkward thing finally happened.
"The table is too small, there are too many family members, no room to sit," the elder brother said, "Brother-in-law, why don't you sit at the small table, you don't mind, right?"
"I don't...mind..."
After being at the He house for an hour, Da Zhuang felt like it had been an endless ten years, and he couldn't wait to go back home immediately.
Now hearing that he didn't have to eat at the same table with them, he naturally was more than willing.
But in He Xiaoya's eyes, it was different.
On the son-in-law's first visit to the wife's home, he wasn't even allowed at the main table, this was clearly looking down on Da Zhuang.
"Forget it," Da Zhuang whispered and pulled Xiaoya's clothes, "Mother said to keep a low profile and not cause conflicts."
He Xiaoya sighed inwardly, also not knowing why Mother would say this.
She herself was clearly very strong-willed, yet asked Da Zhuang to compromise everywhere.
"I'll sit at the small table with Da Zhuang," she finally said, "We won't disturb your family meal."
The young couple sitting at the small side table, the meal was naturally tasteless.
Of course, He Xiaoya was in a bad mood, feeling the maternal family was too bullying, while Da Zhuang simply felt the dishes were not tasty, incomparable to the meals cooked by his mother and Xiaoya, one being heaven and the other underground.
After lunch, at the "invitation" of the second daughter-in-law of the He family, villagers came one after another to the He family courtyard, all wanting to see what kind of person this husband of Xiaoya was.
With even more people surrounding him and looking at him, Da Zhuang was even more nervous. Coincidentally, He Xiaoya felt tired and went to take a nap indoors, without a single familiar person by his side, leaving his mind a complete mess again.
Just as he didn't know what to do, He Shiyou finally spoke to him.
"Da Zhuang, is your mother well?"
"Very...very well..."
"Hmm," He Shiyou continued to ask, "How much land does your family farm?"
"How much land?"
Da Zhuang was a little confused.
When Mother bought land, she just pointed to the hilltops and told him, that mountain, that mountain, that mountain... were all their family's. He didn't remember exactly how many acres, although Mother had said it at the time, after a long time he couldn't recall clearly...
"About...about..."
"Haha," the second sister-in-law laughed, "I'm afraid our brother-in-law's mind is muddled as well."
The other villagers also nodded.
Not even knowing how much land his own family had, not just muddled, he was probably stupid.
"I...I know," Da Zhuang said, "but I need to calculate it."
"Oh, your family has so much land that you need to calculate for so long?" the second sister-in-law said, "Why don't I get you an abacus?"
"I don't know how to use an abacus."
Everyone laughed again, this Da Zhuang really was a simpleton.
She was mocking you, yet you took it seriously.
Da Zhuang tried hard to remember, the family had bought land three times total, once was the land to build the house, and two other times were barren mountains. Not counting the land for building the house, one barren mountain purchase was 5000 mu, the other was 4800 mu, adding up to 9800 mu.
There was also the original paddy fields to add, 15 mu in total.
"Still haven't calculated it out?"
"I've calculated it." Da Zhuang said, "Our family has 15 mu of paddy fields..."
"Haha, you need to calculate so long even for 15 mu of land?"
"There's also the barren mountains." Da Zhuang quickly added.
"Oh, how many mu are the barren mountains?"
"There's...there's...9800 mu."
"How much?" The second sister-in-law's voice was like a chicken being strangled, "Are you making things up? 9800 mu? Make up something more believable, who are you trying to shock to death?"
"Haha, definitely bragging, 9800 mu of barren mountain, even the wealthiest wouldn't have that kind of resources."
"Pretending capabilities beyond one's means, this family is not honest!"
"My mother said, cannot tell lies." Da Zhuang said, "My family really has that many barren mountains, all bought by my mother!"
"Your family can't even afford meals, only gave 500 wen of dowry to marry Little Ya, how could you possibly have money to buy that much mountain?"
"My mother earned it!" Speaking of Li Yao, Da Zhuang's confidence instantly grew, "My mother is very capable, even the County Magistrate admires her, now the Magistrate's wife still lives in our home."
"Haha..."
The crowd laughed again.
"The Magistrate's wife doesn't live in the county government, but your home?"
"Blowing cowhide to this extent, who would believe it if this got out!"
"Looks like not just stupid, thick skinned too."
...
Da Zhuang wanted to explain further, but suddenly recalled Li Yao's words: When going out, do not argue with others.
Sigh, actually the good relations between his family and the Magistrate's wife were no secret, the He family's attitude of not giving them any regard was probably what Mother called...what was it called again...
A mantis trying to stop a chariot?
So he simply didn't say any more.