Liu Guifang sighed heavily, as if she had made a very important decision.

This matter cannot be delayed any longer, there must be a result today.

A sharp knife is needed to cut through a tangled mess.

"Wipe the tears from your face and call Zhou Xingze in from outside."

Liu Guifang wiped her cheek with her sleeve and smoothed the corner of her clothes with her hand.

Sitting upright on the edge of the kang.

Ruan Xiaotang felt relieved when he heard this.

He suddenly raised his head and stopped sobbing.

She quickly wiped away the tears from the corners of her eyes with her sleeve, and with a pair of red eyes, she walked out of the house at a very fast pace.

Zhou Xingze was restless and anxious.

Pacing back and forth at the door.

The house is not soundproofed, and now it is a hot summer, so the windows in all the rooms are open.

How could he not hear the quarreling and sobbing in the room?

He was stabbing his chest with his fists because he felt so uncomfortable.

"Xingze, my mother doesn't agree either!"

With a heavy cry in her voice, she threw herself into his arms.

Her eyes, red from crying for him, pierced deeply into his heart.

His thin shoulders were shaking with crying, and his heart was broken.

It was all because of my own uselessness that she suffered so much injustice.

He held the person tightly in his arms and sighed with deep affection and resentment.

Is there really no room for change?

No, he doesn't accept his fate.

He will never give up until the last moment.

"Let's go find your mother."

Ruan Xiaotang slowly raised her wet face, opened her red eyes, and sobbed, "My mom asked me to call you in."

"Come on, let's go in."

Zhou Xingze took her hand and walked towards the house with a determined look.

Ruan Xiaohai, who had been squatting at the door, looked at their backs and sighed helplessly.

Getting married is such a hassle.

………………

"aunt……"

Liu Guifang interrupted him with a tough attitude and asked, "Xiao Zhou, now that things have come to this, you have to tell me the truth. If your mother still refuses to accept Xiaotang and threatens you with crying, making a scene, and even threatening to hang herself, how will you face it and how will you deal with it? It's none of your business. Just tell me what you think."

Zhou Xingze's heart was beating like thunder, but after hearing such questioning, he finally calmed down a little.

My aunt gave in for the sake of her daughter, with the purpose of getting a guarantee from him.

Zhou Xingze could hardly hide his excitement, and almost patted his chest to promise, "My mother is a strong-willed woman, she won't force me in this way. Even if she can't figure it out now, I believe she will figure it out in the future. There is no hometown that doesn't hope that their children will live well. Aunt, this is how I plan Xiaotang and my future. First, get the certificate first. Xiaotang may have to be wronged temporarily, but I promise that I will give her a grand wedding in the future. Second, in order to avoid friction and conflict between my mother and Xiaotang after marrying Xiaotang, I have now applied for a single room in the army for temporary transition. When the next batch of houses are distributed, I will definitely let her live in the big house. Don't worry, aunt, if my mother bullies Xiaotang in the future, I will definitely stand firmly on her side and never let her suffer."

Liu Guifang could see that Zhou Xingze was not just talking, he would definitely do what he said.

She had no doubts about his character.

However, the future in-laws do not agree with this marriage.

It has always been an unsolvable knot in her heart.

As a mother, it is inevitable that you will worry more about your daughter's happiness.

After taking a look at Xiaotang, he spoke up for her sake, "It would be best if everything you said could be realized in the future. The wedding can be held later, but the betrothal gift must be given today as a guarantee to Xiaotang."

"Mom, Xingze and I truly love each other. We don't need any external proof."

"You can love each other, but that doesn't stop you from asking for a bride price. This is a rule passed down by our ancestors. There are rules for what they are, and they can't be broken."

Liu Guifang rolled her eyes at the silly girl who was blinded by love.

Before she even got married, her elbows had already turned outward.

A woman who doesn’t ask for a dowry is just giving herself away and is stupid.

Even her cousin Ruan Xiaomei asked the man for a dowry of 50 yuan when she got married.

The beautiful young girl in her family not only asked for more, she also asked for double.

This was both a test of him and a test of his determination to marry Xiaotang.

Zhou Xingze pulled Xiaotang's sleeve and told her not to refute her mother anymore.

She remained calm and said firmly, "Aunt, I will accept any betrothal gift you ask for, without any complaints. If you don't have enough money for Xiaotang, I can borrow some."

This is exactly what Liu Guifang wanted him to say.

It is better for a man to put money on the table than to talk nonsense.

Liu Guifang calmed down, went against her heart, and plucked up the courage to tell the bride price, "Three turns and one ring, 36 legs, plus 200 yuan."

Such a dowry is unheard of in the surrounding villages.

After saying this, Liu Guifang herself felt that what she was asking for was too much.

I feel uneasy in my heart.

His eyes were wandering and he didn't dare to look at his daughter.

unexpectedly.

The next second, Ruan Xiaotang, whose elbows were bent outward, stood up.

"Mom, are you marrying off your daughter or selling her? Just stop it. Don't be so outrageous."

Ruan Xiaotang was really shocked by her mother's exorbitant price.

When did her mother become so materialistic? She is obsessed with money and is asking for too much.

In this era, 36 legs plus 200 yuan is equivalent to the total annual income of the middle-class family she passed through.

She didn't want to help her, she wanted to ruin Zhou Xingze's plan, make him give up and give up the idea of ​​marrying her.

She got angry when she saw her daughter protecting Zhou Xingze.

I felt a little bit uncomfortable at first.

Now I just feel that all of these are less.

Should add a little more.

He straightened his back and scolded his daughter, "You have no right to speak here, shut up. This is between Zhou Xingze and me, so tell me whether you can do what I ask for."

Zhou Xingze pulled over Ruan Xiaotang who had been muttering to himself.

I know she feels sorry for me.

He understands it all.

"Aunt, I agree with your proposal for a dowry. I already have a watch and a bicycle, now I just need a sewing machine. I will buy a wooden bed, a wooden cabinet, a table, chairs and benches. This is the money I saved from my military service. Here it is for you."

Zhou Xingze came prepared. He took out the passbook from his trouser pocket and handed it to the aunt sitting opposite him.

Liu Guifang was very surprised that he agreed so readily.

When she saw the passbook, she felt relieved.

He had made his decision before coming here.

Made up my mind.

Liu Guifang calmly opened the passbook and was surprised by the long string of numbers.

One, ten, hundred, thousand.