Yun Lian finally got the hoped-for opportunity to study. She returned to her eldest uncle's room and had a good sleep.
In the midst of her drowsiness, Yun Lian dreamed of herself and Yun Xi's maternal grandfather.
It was the beginning of autumn three years ago. Yun Xi was 16 years old. The older generation would deem that as a marriageable age.
Yun Xi's maternal grandfather knew that Old Master Yun had arranged a child marriage for Yun Xi. The other party was the grandson of Old Master Yun's comrade. It was a good marriage. Yun Xi's maternal grandfather and maternal grandmother discussed getting Yun Xi a dowry.
However, every family in that era was not wealthy. Yun Xi's maternal grandmother found an emerald ring in one of her few jewelry boxes.
The ring was the medium through which Yun Xi could now open the [Space].
Yun Xi's grandmother was the daughter of the landlord's family, so her ancestors were rather wealthy. She had accumulated a lot of wealth before. It was rumored that the emerald ring was 'mined' from an emperor's tomb.
All of the wealth had been confiscated back then. As the ring was small, Yun Xi's great-great-grandmother was fortunate to hold it.
From then on, it was passed down from generation to generation until it reached Yun Xi's grandmother's hands.
Yun Xi's grandmother had two daughters and a son. Yun Xi's mother was the eldest in the family. When she was 17 years old, she married Yun Xi's father. Yun Xi's aunt got married in a remote village. Usually, she would only come back during the holidays. It was said that her husband was a businessman, so the couple's life was pretty good.
Yun Xi had an uncle who was only three years older than her. He was now in high school.
When Yun Xi's grandmother's two daughters got married, she was not willing to pass on the emerald ring to one of them.
She especially liked Yun Xi as her granddaughter. Perhaps it was because she heard that Yun Xi was not very popular with the elders in that family. That made her love Yun Xi even more.
It was said that Yun Xi's husband's family came from a rich military background. In order to prevent Yun Xi from being looked down upon after she got married, Yun Xi's grandmother took out the emerald ring that she had always treasured and gave it to her granddaughter as a dowry.
...
Just as Yun Xi's grandmother took out the ring from the jewelry box, Yun Lian was awakened from her sleep by her eldest aunt's cry. Although Yun Lian was regarded as a lucky star by the eldest uncle's family, she did not just do nothing and enjoy life.
Every morning, she would be forced by her aunt to start a fire and cook.
At that moment, the thought of preparing breakfast did not cross her mind. Deep down, she was thinking about the beautiful emerald ring.
Yun Xi and Yun Lian were both the old lady's granddaughters. Why did the old lady give the ring to Yun Xi instead of Yun Lian? Could it be because Yun Lian was adopted?
However, the dowry was given to Yun Xi for her engagement with Brother Zhou Mo earlier. Now that the engagement between Zhou Mo and Yun Xi had been broken off, the dowry would naturally be nullified!
The foolish Zhou Mo was now charmed by Yun Lian! He even boasted that he would only allow her to be his wife for the rest of his life!
If that was the case, such a beautiful emerald ring should belong to her, Yun Lian!
After making breakfast in a hurry, Yun Lian did not even bother to eat a few mouthfuls of food. She went back to her parents' room.
At this moment, only Yun Xi's mother was in the room.
Yun Shan had gone to work very early. Although Yun Shan worked as an accountant in the village, his salary was meager, so it was difficult for him to support his family. He could only farm a few acres of thin land to exchange for some crops.
Yun Xi brought her younger brother, Yun Yang, to the back of the mountain to find some wild fruits to eat in this barren period.
"Mom, I'm coming in."
Yun Lian gently knocked on the door and walked into the room.
Yun Xi's mother was sitting on the bed and sewing Yun Shan's clothes with a needle and thread.
"You're here, Lian Lian. What's the matter?"
Yun Xi's mother, Chen Li, put down the needle and thread in her hand and looked at Yun Lian at the door.
Yun Lian directly entered the house and sat on the bed to get close to Chen Li.
"Mom, did Grandma give Sister an emerald ring as a dowry back then?"
"Yes, she did."
Chen Li responded to Yun Lian after a moment.
She was very curious as to how Yun Lian knew about it. She had never mentioned it to anyone, including Yun Xi.
"Mom, that was a dowry given to Sister for her engagement with Brother Zhou Mo. But now that Brother Zhou Mo said he wants to marry me, could this emerald ring be used as a dowry for me?!"