The new bride had to serve tea to her in-laws, and Cheng Su's in-laws had long been seated in the main hall, waiting.
In her previous life, Cheng Su had died without ever having an official boyfriend, not to mention getting married, so the current situation made her feel exceedingly awkward and at a loss.
Qi Taiguo gave her a faint glance.
Cheng Su pursed her lips and looked at the two elders in their fifties or sixties, sitting on two worn Taishi Chairs, her eyes blinking a few times.
There they were, her father-in-law and mother-in-law. Poor her, she hadn't even dated and was already someone else's wife, destined to show filial piety to her in-laws and Friendly younger brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law, to serve this entire household from now on.
How ludicrous. What kind of test was Heaven giving her!
Could she live up to this role?
Cheng Su's eyelids drooped slightly, revealing a bitter smile.
Her mother-in-law, Mother Qi, saw her standing motionless like a block of wood, devoid of any cleverness, and liked her even less in her heart.
Look at this blockhead. What good could she be? She had long suggested that the old man return the goods. Now, the Qi family weren't so poor that they couldn't afford to pay back the money. Why sacrifice her son's marital happiness for such a trivial reason?
Her outstanding son deserved a fairy for a wife if possible, or at the very least, someone from a cadre's family. Relying on the Yue family's patronage, his future would have been unlimitedly bright.
What did Cheng Su have? Her ancestors were despicable capitalists, and she herself was a fierce and troublesome woman. Hmph.
Yet this stubborn old man insisted on saving face, talking about not forgetting one's origins or some nonsense, determined to bind their Qi family with the Cheng family. Just watch, once this bride entered the house, there would be no peace anymore.
Thinking of this, Mother Qi's gaze grew even more unfriendly. Seeing Cheng Su still not moving, she couldn't help but cough loudly.
Cheng Su lifted her head and met her mother-in-law's disdainful gaze, inadvertently raising her eyebrows.
Mother-in-law and daughter-in-law, ah. Looking at the way her mother-in-law detested her, their future relationship seemed unlikely to be good.
"What are you standing there for? If we two old folks aren't fortunate enough to drink your tea, then don't just stand there, go make breakfast. Your father-in-law still has to work in the fields after he eats," Mother Qi said with a dark face.
Right from the start, her words were jabbing and poking. Was this meant to intimidate the new bride?
Cheng Su glanced toward Qi Taiguo, who merely frowned slightly but said nothing, causing her to smile bitterly.
In her memories, Qi Taiguo had never shown her a pleasant face, because she always said he was the fiancé she bought. So, for the time being, she couldn't expect him to be on her side.
"The daughter-in-law has just come home and is still shy. What's the hurry?" said the father-in-law's voice, coming to Cheng Su's defense.
Cheng Su smiled gratefully, looking down to see the white porcelain tray with a peony and red design on the Eight Immortals table, on which a plump white teapot and several cups were placed.
She walked over, poured a few cups of tea, and first offered one to Father Qi, who happily accepted it, took a sip, and smilingly handed over a red packet, saying, "From now on, this is your home. We are family, no need to be formal."
"Thank you, Dad," Cheng Su said.
She then offered a cup to her mother-in-law. Mother Qi, intent on showing her who was boss, did not accept it right away, only saying, "Once married here, you are Qi family's daughter-in-law, you can't be as willful as when at home. From now on, you must prioritize your husband's family, prioritize Taiguo, show filial piety to your in-laws, and bear children for our Qi family soon, do you understand?"
After such a speech, Cheng Su's mouth twitched, thinking to herself that her mother-in-law must still be living in the Qing Dynasty to say something like that.
"Mother-in-law, please have some tea. I'll go make breakfast," Cheng Su said with a smile, placing the tea on the table next to Mother Qi, then turned and walked away.
She was a modern woman, unfamiliar with the notion that one should regard her husband as heaven, so, please forgive her for not understanding.