Madam Gu was quite pleased to see Madam Xia agree, and immediately wanted to go downstairs to give orders. However, after a moment of thought, Madam Xia said, "How about this: go down and instruct them to prepare two extra dishes that Ting’er particularly enjoys. Then, have Ting’er come to my quarters tonight for dinner. I will encourage her to eat more then."

"Yes!" Having received the instruction, Madam Gu quickly went off to make arrangements.

Xia Wanting and Dong'er strolled in the garden for a while, then clipped some osmanthus branches, intending to place some in her own room upon return and send the rest to her mother.

As the two returned to their room, they were informed by a servant that Madam Xia requested Xia Wanting join her for dinner that evening.

Xia Wanting had originally planned to send a maid with the flower branches she had clipped to her mother, but since she would be dining with her mother now, she decided it would be better to deliver them herself then.

In the evening, Madam Xia was even more delighted to see her daughter arrive with the osmanthus branches. "Come, come, quickly! Did you cut these flowers yourself? They look lovely. Madam Gu, please find a vase and arrange them immediately." Then, Madam Xia turned to her daughter, "I noticed you seem much more spirited today, so I ordered two extra dishes sent up and asked you to join me for supper."

Xia Wanting looked at the dishes on the table—most were her usual favorites—and a pang of guilt immediately struck her. Her mother cared for her so deeply, yet not only had she failed to show reciprocation, but she had caused her mother endless worry these past few days. It truly was inexcusable.

Xia Wanting sat down with Madam Xia and began to eat. Lately, Xia Wanting had been consumed by sorrow, which had severely dampened her appetite, leading her to eat very little. Now, faced with such a spread, she felt little inclination to eat, but determined not to worry her mother further, she forced herself to consume more until she could simply eat no more.

Madam Xia watched her daughter eat a respectable amount, deeply satisfied. She was finally recovering; otherwise, she truly hadn't known what she would do.

Meanwhile, back in Wang Village, Zhang Shi looked at her distressed daughter and her anger vanished, replaced by overwhelming heartache as she softly comforted her, "Caidie, these are the best matches I could find. There won't be anything better."

Wang Caidie felt immense sadness listening to her mother. Must her whole life be spent marrying into such households, enduring endless toil, bearing and raising children? Wang Caidie felt deeply resentful. Even if she couldn't find a family as excellent as her elder sister’s in-laws, surely the match shouldn't be that much worse?

Zhang Shi also felt heavy-hearted, but despite her feelings, she could no longer allow her daughter to be so selective. After all, she deeply feared her daughter might end up like her sister-in-law, Wang Guifang, who picked and chose until she settled on the Liu family, suffered unimaginable hardships there, and was eventually divorced. It was only because her sister-in-law was fortunate enough to have Li Wu still devoted to her after the separation that her life turned out quite well now. But her own daughter? Zhang Shi lacked that confidence. If her daughter faced a similar situation, could she secure such a good outcome afterwards? The hope for that seemed exceedingly slim.

When Wang Caidie heard the conditions of the few families Zhang Shi had presented, she cried out mournfully, "Mother, is it wrong for me to wish for a slightly better family? Why won't Heaven grant me this?"

Hearing her daughter, Zhang Shi felt a sharp pain in her heart. Indeed, her daughter’s wish wasn't wrong; the fault lay with her and her husband for being useless and unable to secure a better match for their daughter.

"Good child, it is your parents who are lacking, unable to find you a better home." Zhang Shi gently stroked her daughter’s head.

Hearing Zhang Shi blame herself, Wang Caidie felt a touch of guilt. "Mother, I don't blame you and Father, it's just that..."

Zhang Shi nodded. "I know, I know everything. Everyone wants a good match; I wanted one too, back then. But, Caidie, there’s something I need to tell you. Finding a suitable husband isn't just about wealth. Think about it: your aunt married into the Liu family; weren't they wealthy? But what was the result? Your aunt suffered terribly in that household."

Wang Caidie nodded upon hearing Zhang Shi’s words.

Zhang Shi continued, "The families I've mentioned to you now, although their living situations are modest and not opulent, you must understand, these families consist of people with kind and honest temperaments, not sharp-tongued or severe individuals. If you marry into one, you won't suffer."

Wang Caidie remained silent. After all, changing a deeply held belief wasn't something that happened in a moment; she needed time to consider it properly.

Zhang Shi sighed and patted her daughter's head. "Think carefully about what I’ve told you."

Wang Caidie nodded.

Seeing her daughter agree, Zhang Shi left. Although she desperately hoped her daughter would agree immediately, she preferred her daughter to come to the understanding on her own, so there would be no lingering resentment, allowing her to live peacefully in the future.

After Zhang Shi left, Wang Caidie began to wrestle with her thoughts. On one hand, she acknowledged her mother’s reasoning—wealth wasn't the most crucial factor; what mattered was whether she would suffer after marrying. But on the other hand, Wang Caidie yearned for a wealthy family, especially since her elder sister had married into such a fine household. She felt she was no worse than her elder sister, so why should her future in-laws be inferior?

Thinking this, Wang Caidie found herself oscillating: one moment she persuaded herself to settle for one of these matches right away, and the next she argued for waiting longer, hoping a truly superior family might appear. Wang Caidie struggled between these two opposing notions.

Although Zhang Shi had told her daughter to think it over, she remained anxious, feeling distracted in whatever she did and frequently glancing toward her daughter's room.

After an indeterminate amount of time, Wang Caidie in her room finally reached a conclusion. The door creaked open from the inside.

Seeing her daughter emerge, Zhang Shi hesitated, almost afraid to ask what she had decided, merely staring blankly.

Wang Caidie walked up to Zhang Shi and said, "Mother, I have made up my mind. I will choose from those few families you presented."

Hearing this, Zhang Shi burst into a joyous laugh. "Oh, it's best that you’ve seen reason. I'll go find your Second Aunt immediately to discuss which one to choose."

Wang Caidie nodded. "Mm!"

As soon as her daughter agreed, Zhang Shi rushed off to find Yang Shi, unwilling to waste a moment. The sooner this matter was settled, the better; she feared her daughter might change her mind otherwise, so she immediately sought out Yang Shi.

Yang Shi was playing with her son and granddaughter when she saw Zhang Shi rush in breathlessly. She asked with surprise, "What is wrong with you? Why the rush? You’re walking so fast, you must be out of breath! Come, have some tea to moisten your throat."

Zhang Shi followed Yang Shi’s advice, drinking two cups of tea before feeling somewhat better.

"It’s just that Caidie finally agreed to choose one among the families I found for her. My heart leaped with happiness, so I rushed over to discuss it with you. I want to settle this quickly, lest she changes her mind later," Zhang Shi explained.

Yang Shi was somewhat surprised by Zhang Shi's words. She knew how much worry Zhang Shi had poured into her daughter's marriage prospects, only for Caidie to be completely unappreciative, which had deeply saddened Zhang Shi at the time. Now that Caidie had suddenly consented, Yang Shi couldn't help but feel curious.

"What kind of families did you find for her? Why did Caidie agree this time?" Yang Shi inquired.

Zhang Shi sighed upon hearing Yang Shi’s question. "Caidie agreeing this time wasn't because the families I found were exceptionally good, but because I told her about our sister-in-law’s situation, telling her she couldn't be picky anymore, or else she might end up weeping with nowhere to turn, just like our sister-in-law did back then."

Hearing Zhang Shi's words, Yang Shi clearly recalled the sister-in-law’s past experiences. "You are right. When it comes to a daughter's marriage, it is indeed best not to be overly selective."

"Exactly, that's what I think too. Moreover, I told her that a wealthy household isn't necessarily a good one; the most important thing is to look at the character of the prospective in-laws—whether they are severe or not. If they are harsh, even if the family is rich, she won't have a happy life after marrying. Then Caidie thought it over herself, understood, and finally agreed," Zhang Shi recounted.

Yang Shi nodded. "It's best that she managed to see reason herself. Now, tell me about the families you found; I can help you analyze them."

Zhang Shi nodded and then recounted the details of the families she had located to Yang Shi. Zhang Shi knew some of the information through matchmakers, and some she had people inquire about privately, so she had quite a lot of knowledge.

After listening to Zhang Shi, Yang Shi helped her analyze them one by one—which family had slightly better conditions, which mother-in-law might have a milder temperament, or even which prospective groom showed more potential for future success.

Zhang Shi kept nodding as Yang Shi analyzed, feeling that Yang Shi's points were very valid. In the end, the two narrowed it down to two families: one whose young man showed better prospects for advancement, and another whose mother-in-law appeared gentler.

Seeing Zhang Shi’s hesitation, Yang Shi suggested, "Why don't you go back and ask Caidie her preference? After all, these matches are for her, so her opinion should be sought." (To be continued.)