After the meal, they exchanged pleasantries for a while longer before Yang Defa and his family took their leave.
Liu Fugui and his wife walked them a long way out, which drew all the neighbors out of their homes to watch, wondering why the two families were acting so chummy.
Back at her eldest maternal uncle's house, Juhua's uncle and grandmother were in high spirits. They smiled, saying that everything was more or less settled today. Once Juhua's parents sent a matchmaker over for a formal visit, the engagement would be official.
Yang Defa said with satisfaction, "Liu Fugui was quite sensible today. He said he wasn't going to be fussy about the bride price. He's most at ease with his daughter marrying a fine young man like Qingmu—after all, how could a bride price be more important than the person? Not that Changhe and Cuizhi would shortchange a girl like Yunlan, of course."
