Making money, taking exams and supporting the family

chapter 82: Matchmaking at the Jia Family

Unless when it's about matters of the heart, Lin Ze remained quite calm and preferred to think things through, believing the world was darker than it appears, and it's always good to be more cautious.

He didn't want to overly doubt the Jia family, but anything involving Chen Shuju made him prefer to err on the side of caution. If something went wrong, it couldn't be easily remedied. Moreover, marriage is a significant matter and should be approached with caution. If the Jia family truly wished for this marriage, they wouldn't mind answering a few more questions.

"Since Uncle and Aunt have mentioned it, I won't hold back. We in the Lin family don't particularly care about the bride price; the amount doesn't matter as long as our little sister is well cared for. However, Uncle and Aunt mentioned wanting the wedding to take place next month. Isn't that a bit too rushed?" Lin Ze asked with a gentle smile, his fingers tapping lightly and rhythmically on the table.

This small gesture was a psychological hint used during negotiations to create a subtle sense of urgency or pressure on the other party, potentially yielding unexpected results. But it was just a small supplementary tactic; the main strategy was to control the situation through his demeanor.

The matchmaker's flattery about the bride price wasn't particularly important. In reality, families who genuinely cared about their daughters wouldn't be overly concerned about the amount of the bride price. Typically, when preparing a dowry, the bride's family would match the bride price or even double it, to support their daughter and give her face. This is why daughters have historically been seen as financial burdens.

Thus, the matchmaker's words could be largely disregarded. The mention of an early wedding, however, piqued Lin Ze's curiosity. Lin Xiaolian wasn't of an age where marriage needed to be hurried. Planning a wedding for next month seemed too rushed.

"No, it's not rushed at all. Our son, Dongsheng, is already 21. He has always refused to marry because he hadn't met anyone he liked, which worried us. Now that he has agreed to marry, we naturally want to bring our daughter-in-law into the family as soon as possible. We've already prepared everything for the wedding," Jia Bo and his wife said with smiles, their words quite reassuring.

"Indeed, my daughter is the prettiest girl in the village. If you marry her, it's your good fortune," Chen Shuju, flattered, added proudly.

Although she had often called Lin Xiaolian a financial burden, at this moment, she was eagerly promoting her daughter to secure a good bride price.

Lin Sangui, finding her excessive pride intolerable, took over the conversation.

"Jia family, I also think that getting married next month is too rushed. The marriage talks came up suddenly, and we haven't had time to prepare a proper dowry..."

"No worries. We are marrying Xiaolian and don't care about her dowry. You can prepare whatever you like," the Jia family appeared very generous and understanding.

But Lin Ze found these pleasantries superficial.

Such words were mere politeness; no family that truly valued their daughter would take them seriously. A proper dowry takes time to prepare. If time was short, they would compensate with money, never allowing their daughter to marry off in a shabby manner.

Lin Ze maintained his composure and continued,

"Uncle and Aunt, your words are kind, but we cannot allow our little sister to leave in a humble manner. As her brother, I must prepare a proper dowry for her. Otherwise, what face would the Lin family have if word got out..."

"This... Scholar, please don't mind. It's our fault for being eager to have grandchildren and rushing things. What do you suggest?"

The Jia couple exchanged glances, smiling apologetically, careful not to show any negative emotions toward Lin Ze's words.