Chapter 1392 Who Will Pay for the Expenses
Qiao Mei could not possibly serve mediocre food if the banquet was held at her place, so she would have to make an application to get some seafood and fruits from the Xia family's special supply. The family had used up a lot of their entitlement during the Spring Festival, so they probably did not have much left now. At the end of the day, she might even need to spend a fair bit of money to obtain the ingredients from the black market.
It was not an issue for Qiao Mei to pay for the engagement banquet, but the wedding banquet was on a much bigger scale. If this was Xia He's wedding banquet, it would not matter to her even if she had to spend all her money. However, if it was for Shao Yin, it was out of the question.
"Since you want to use my house as the venue to hold the wedding banquet, then what about the expenses?" Qiao Mei asked with a smile.
"Expenses… What expenses?" Shao Yin pretended not to understand the question.
"Don't tell me you want to hold your wedding banquet at my house and also want me to pay for everything? Then in the first place, you might as well come right out and say you want me to sponsor your wedding banquet." Qiao Mei almost blurted out something disrespectful about Xia Guang, but she managed to hold herself back. Under normal circumstances, these were things that the groom's mother should take care of. Based on the family hierarchy, she would never need to be involved at all.
"Third Cousin-in-law, we've only just arrived in the capital and don't have much money… The Xia family is the one paying for my family's accommodation at the guest houses, so perhaps the wedding banquet…" Shao Yin said greedily.
By right, the Xia family should be the one forking the bill for the wedding, but even then, the bill should not just go to anyone from the family. Why should the eldest son or second son pay for the wedding for the third son's son?
"Go back and discuss the issue of the wedding banquet with Brother Xing. If you have no money, there's nothing I can do for you. My own humble little family depends on my husband's salary to support us and my in-laws also give me some support along the way. Let me know when you manage to get the money," Qiao Mei said.
Shao Yin panicked. She did not expect to be presented with an actual problem. Qiao Mei said that she could only help with the wedding banquet if Shao Yin could pay for it. Shao Yin wondered if that meant that she did not need to pay for the engagement banquet herself.
Qiao Mei could tell what she was thinking at a glance. This woman really would not give up until she could take advantage of Qiao Mei, so Qiao Mei said resignedly, "I can help you plan something for the engagement banquet the day after tomorrow. I don't know if the invitees will come or not though."
Shao Yin was glad to have settled at least one issue. After thanking Qiao Mei, she quickly left Qiao Mei's house, worried that Qiao Mei would go back on her word if she got into a bad mood. Shao Yin was sure that if she mentioned this issue at the engagement banquet, someone from the Xia family would naturally step forward to foot the bill for the wedding banquet.
Qiao Mei frowned slightly as she sat in the living room, feeling worried. She did not know what Xia Xing saw in Shao Yin. Even if Zhou Hua did not take good care of Xia Xing from when he was young, Xia Xing's life was not that tough either. At most, he just lacked some familial care and concern. Could it be that Shao Yin was able to shower Xia Xing with the care and concern that he lacked?
She did not look like that kind of person though. It was already good enough if she did not go around causing trouble for Xia Xing!
If Qiao Mei was the one who informed the other Xia family members about the upcoming event, they would attend the banquet even if they had to reschedule important appointments. She decided to wait for Xia He to come back before doing anything.
Xia He only returned in the evening when it was almost time for dinner. Qiao Mei had thought that Xia He would be spending the night out.
"How is it? Are the two of you as good as new?" Qiao Mei stood at the door curiously and looked around. Deng Fan stood at the entrance of the alley far away and watched Xia He walking back to Qiao Mei's house.
"What's so good about that! I'm back to settle scores with you! You spout so much nonsense earlier in the day and you don't even want to give me anything to eat from Auntie Xu's kitchen. You just want to make me go out with Deng Fan," Xia He pulled Qiao Mei's ear and said in exasperation.
"My good sister~ I did that so that the two of you can go back to being lovey dovey as soon as possible. I put in a lot of effort! You can't misunderstand me like this!" Qiao Mei pouted and said aggrievedly.
"Fine, fine, fine! You've succeeded! We have reconciled," Xia He said as she let go.
"That's great! I just know that Brother-in-law can definitely get it done!" Qiao Mei said proudly.
"You still address him as Brother-in-law? We're not married yet. Don't spout nonsense! It'll be terrible if others hear us!" Xia He said as she looked around warily.
As long as a couple was not married, they were not a real couple in the eyes of other people. Before marriage, a man and a woman could not get too close to each other. Otherwise, if others saw them, they would be criticized for being indecent!
"Alright, alright, come in quickly. I still have something to tell you!" Qiao Mei pulled Xia He into the study and told her in detail about what happened with Shao Yin this afternoon. Xia He was instantly hopping mad.