"Dad, I do owe some money, but don't worry. I'll figure out a way to pay it back."
Jewel believed she could start fresh in this new place. Back in the modern world, she had built everything from scratch, so making some money here, even with gambling debt, shouldn't be too hard.
Her father now knew she really was in debt, and his feelings were mixed...
Her mother passed away early, so he had always spoiled his only daughter. He never expected that as she grew older, she'd become more rebellious and even get involved with gambling. Still, now that she had survived a disaster and gotten married, he felt a little comforted, hoping she would settle down.
Her father's hands trembled as he pulled out a cloth pouch from his sleeve and handed it to her. "Jewel, this is all the money I have. I spent three taels a few days ago on your wedding, and there's a little more than four taels left. See how much debt you can pay with it. If it's not enough, I'll find another way."
Jewel looked at the old pouch in her hands—it felt so heavy. Not because of the silver inside, but because it carried her father's years of hard work and love.
Still, she took it. With these four taels as her starting point, she could find ways to earn more.
"Don't worry, Dad. I won't waste this money."
"Good."
Her father knew his daughter had made mistakes, but deep down she was a good person. Now that she had spoken honestly and made a promise, he trusted she would keep it.
The room fell quiet for a while, until they heard Xavi's footsteps. "Father, wife, lunch is ready."
Jewel's stomach growled. She stood up.
When the three of them reached the kitchen, Jewel saw three bowls on the table. One had thick white rice porridge, another had a steamed egg, and the last one had flatbread and pickled vegetables.
Just as she was thinking the food didn't look too bad, she saw her father and Xavi walk over to the stove and sit down on small stools by the fire.
Suddenly, she remembered—according to the original memories of this world, in this matriarchal society, men weren't allowed to eat at the table. So, the food on the table… was all just for her?
She walked over to the stove and saw two bowls of thin porridge with barely any rice, and a plate of cold mixed wild vegetables.
Seeing her father's curved back after years of hard work and Xavi's thin body, her heart suddenly felt heavy.
"Dad, we have a table, don't eat over there. Come sit at the table and eat with me."
Xavi looked up suddenly, surprised. Her father was also stunned. "You're still recovering. That food is for you. We'll be fine."
But Jewel insisted, and her father couldn't argue with her anymore. He joined her at the table.
Xavi hesitated. It was tradition—men weren't supposed to eat at the table. Even if Jewel wanted to take care of her father, she shouldn't drag him into breaking the rules too.
Besides, he was a newlywed. When a man first married into a family, rules had to be followed strictly. Even though the wedding had been simple, it was still official. As the main husband, he shouldn't break tradition or be seen as disrespectful.
Jewel noticed his hesitation and smiled gently. "In our home, we don't follow the 'men can't sit at the table' rule. Come on."
She reached out to take his wrist. Xavi paused but didn't pull away. He let her lead him to sit at the table.
Jewel brought over the food from the stove and kept the thin porridge and wild vegetables for herself. She poured the thick porridge into two bowls, split the egg, and gave half to her father and half to her husband.
Xavi sat a little stiffly, sneaking glances at Jewel. He was deeply moved. Before he got married, even in his own home, he had never been allowed to sit at the table.
"Dad, Xavi, from now on, we'll all eat together. We're a family," Jewel said seriously.
Her father felt warm inside. He could see his daughter had changed—she was more thoughtful, more caring.
This was good. A child turning back to the right path was worth more than gold. The future of their family finally looked brighter. He could face his late wife with peace in his heart.
Xavi was also deeply touched. Before marriage, even though his father cared for him, rules were still rules. Since childhood, he had only ever seen women eating at the table while the husbands and sons ate near the stove.
Since arriving at this house three days ago, he had been eating beside the stove with his father-in-law. Today, his wife had woken up and even though he and his father-in-law had saved the best food for her, she ended up sharing it with them instead.
He glanced at the wrist she had just touched. It still felt warm, and that warmth spread through his chest, tickling his heart.
He had thought this marriage—meant to bring luck—might leave him a widow soon. He imagined spending the rest of his life in a temple, alone. But now, his wife was alive, kind, and gentle. If she could always treat him like this, then no matter how simple the wedding was, or how poor the life, he'd gladly stay by her side.
After a while, when everyone had almost finished eating, Jewel spoke up. "I'm going to the town this afternoon. I'll be back before dinner."
"Alright. There's a cart at the village entrance. Be careful on the road," her father reminded her gently, guessing she was going to pay off some debt.
Xavi didn't say anything, but his eyes darkened a little. His wife didn't need to tell him what she was going to do. If she didn't say, he had no right to ask.
He had heard that she used to love gambling. Now that she was feeling better, was she going to gamble again?
Even though he knew she might not change just because they were married, it still stung a little to watch her leave without a word about where she was going.
Jewel noticed his sudden change in mood and wasn't sure what she had said wrong. "Xavi, come with me for a moment," she said, then brought him to the courtyard. "What's wrong? Why do you look upset?"
Xavi hesitated, unsure if asking would make her angry.
"We're a couple," she said. "There's nothing you can't ask me."
"What are you going to do? Can you tell me?"
Seeing her gentle and encouraging expression, Xavi finally found the courage to ask the question in his heart.