Ma Ruren calmed down and looked at his niece irritably.
"She has already paid for it, can aunty still take it from her head?"
Ma Juan snorted unconvinced,
"My aunt is too talkative. A country woman still wants to curry favor with my aunt. She has such a beautiful idea. She is reluctant to even give her a hairpin. There must be something wrong with her brain."
The shopkeeper next to him couldn't help but tremble when he heard Ma Juan's tone.
He just listened to it from beginning to end. It was flattering and sarcastic. I really don't know how this girl heard it. If he hadn't been able to offend the person in front of him, he really wanted to applaud Mrs. Bai just now.
People laughed lightly and teased and teased each other, but if you are greedy, you will be worse than those ignorant women in the countryside.
Madam Bai's words just now are very clear. Even if the country people are rough and ignorant, they will not rob other people's things. What's more, you are the wife of a high-ranking county magistrate and a family member of an official family. If you can't compare with a country peasant woman, then...
It's a joke.
"Auntie, what are you thinking? Hurry up, they will run away if you hesitate any longer."
Ma Juan stamped her feet anxiously, "If the gift you finally selected is gone, what will auntie do on the old lady's birthday?"
"Please calm down, my head hurts from the commotion."
Ma Ruren glared at her. This niece had very short-sighted eyes. No matter how much she was taught, she could not change her petty attitude.
In front of the shopkeeper, if she expresses the idea of asking for Bai's hairpin, within half an hour, the news will spread throughout the county, saying that she is a dignified wife of the county magistrate and bullies country women.
Thinking of this, Ma Ruren held the handkerchief tightly. Bai's cunning shrew was not only sharp-tongued but also dug holes for her at every turn.
"Shopkeeper Su, please bring out a few more styles of red sandalwood hairpins, and I'll choose others."
Listening to the tone of the county magistrate's wife, shopkeeper Su curled his lips shamelessly in his heart. Everyone's carving skills are not street stalls. You can get as much as you want.
He wanted to go back to his thoughts, but he still walked forward with a smile on his face and led the person to sit down in the chair, "I don't know something. There are not many good-quality rosewood trees. Coupled with the carving skills of the dealers, they are usually made of red sandalwood."
Solitary item."
Before Ma Ruren could speak, Ma Juan pouted and said, "Look, aunt, you are too soft-hearted and talkative, so people run away."
Listening to her niece's tone, Ma Ruren glanced at her, a cold look flashed in her eyes, which made Ma Juan tremble violently, lowered her head, and did not dare to speak.
Seeing her niece stop, Ma Rucai turned to look at Shopkeeper Su. Her words were still gentle and polite, and she didn't look angry at all.
"I know what Shopkeeper Su said, but when the old lady in my family celebrates her birthday, I always want to carefully select a birthday gift that will satisfy her. After much thought, I decided that the kind of old red sandalwood is suitable for the elderly. If it is not available, I
I’m not forcing it, I wonder if Shopkeeper Su has any other accessories suitable for birthday gifts?”
Listening to Ma Ruren's question, Shopkeeper Su felt troubled.
"Here... Ruren, please come with me. I will bring you all the recently launched styles. Based on Ruren's preference for old ladies, I can choose one that satisfies me."
After saying that, he turned around and went to the counter, took out a tray covered with red velvet, carefully put all the new jewelry on it, and brought it to Ma Ruren.
"These three models are newly arrived Hetian jade, which nourishes people and nourishes the heart. These two models are gold ornaments, and the hollow filigree craftsmanship is also made by everyone. There are also these old silver hairpins, both in terms of age and craftsmanship.
, all suitable for the elderly...”
Ma Ruren looked at the jewelry in the tray. There were hairpins and bracelets, which looked really good. No need to ask, the price must be very high.
She wanted to give something unique, but the price couldn't be too high. Now she had limited money, and she couldn't spend too much money from her husband. Plus the old lady's birthday banquet, she had already overspent this month.
As the matron of the house, her birthday gift cannot be too light to avoid being laughed at. Because of this, she was hesitant. Until now, she finally gritted her teeth and endured the pain and took out some money from her body to supplement it, but it was a pity that she missed a step.
, it was actually bought in advance.
These are beautiful, but she has a limited budget and cannot afford them.
Shopkeeper Su watched her frowning and staring at the accessories on the tray without urging her. He waited quietly aside, not forgetting to give the waiter a wink and asking him to serve him a cup of tea.
Ma Juan stood nearby, looking at the jewelry in the tray, with envy flashing in her eyes. If she had such an exquisite jewelry, she would definitely put it in the box as a dowry.
It's a pity that her aunt can't give her such gorgeous jewelry. Not only her, but also her cousins don't have many exquisite pieces of jewelry.
On the bottom of my aunt's makeup box, there is a set of exquisite gold hairpins, especially the gold hairpin with two rubies inlaid on it, which looks extremely noble. Unfortunately, my aunt only takes it out to look at occasionally.
Try it on a bun and never go out wearing it.
After a while, Ma Rucai sighed quietly, "Bracelets, gold hairpins and other accessories are too ordinary. The old lady has no shortage of them, and I can give them as gifts, but compared with other birthday gifts, they have no outstanding features."
The purpose of her birthday gift was to let the old lady and the old man know that she was a considerate mistress and a filial daughter-in-law. If the old lady and the old man were happy, they would give her a few shops and farms to take care of.
An income.
She is obviously the mistress of the Xie family and is in charge of the middle school, but who knows her hardships. The income from the house is limited, and she has to subsidize her parents' family every month, so her life is very tight.
Sometimes she couldn't help but smile bitterly. In the entire Song Dynasty, there was no mistress who was more miserable than her. She lived a life of demolishing the east wall to make up for the west wall every day, and the public income increased and decreased every month. If this continued, she would
You have to use your own little body to make up for it.
If the master finds out, not only will he not pity her, he will also say that she does not know how to take care of the middle class and is an incompetent housekeeper.
Think about her, and then look at Xie Yu, the rebellious son. Every day is very nourishing. There are several in the other courtyard alone, and they can't stay at home for ten days a month.
Every time he came back, he would always give the old lady something new, which would make her very happy. Then he would turn around and pick on her. Sometimes he would say that the food at home was poor, and sometimes he would say that the servants were not strictly managed, and he would always pick on her.
prick.
Every time she complained to the master and the old lady, they would either pretend to be deaf or dumb, or talk about him, but would not speak for her.
After all, it was still partiality. Her son was equally outstanding and would please the old lady, but his private property was limited, and without Xie Yu, a treacherous son who could cause trouble, he would always lag behind.
If her mother's brother hadn't come to ask for some money a while ago, she wouldn't have been so tight that she couldn't even afford a decent birthday gift.