Chapter 29 The Auspicious Day Arrives

After finishing speaking, Bu Rigude looked at Barth with expectant eyes.

Bart's eyes flickered for a moment upon seeing this.

Then she looked at him with suspicion.

Those tiger-like eyes stared intently at the man opposite them, a complex mix of emotions flashing within them.

Luo Yin felt that the other side hadn't said a word.

When peeking inside, all you could see were two strong, muscular figures.

I can't see anything else!

She waited a while, and then she heard someone else speak.

"Hey, why are you looking at me like that? I'm not lying, and it's not what you think. Anyway, this is an opportunity, and I really want to go and see."

Burigude tried his best to explain himself, but seeing Bart's strange expression, it was clearly not effective.

Seeing his reaction, Burigude gritted his teeth, thought for a moment, and quietly moved a little closer to him.

She deliberately lowered her voice and whispered a few words in his ear.

Luo Yin stuck half her head inside, watching their unusually intimate actions, and really wanted to lean closer to listen.

But because of what her father had said earlier, she knew she couldn't just go in rashly.

So he could only suppress his impulse and curiosity, staring intently.

Sure enough, Bart let out a gasp of surprise.

"You're insane!"

"Are you out of your mind?!"

"Hey, shh, I didn't."

"Don't be impulsive, it's not that serious. This is what's provoking you, so tell me what happened."

Bart was genuinely frightened by what he said.

He initially thought the old man was impulsive and careless; but the old man was truly impulsive, pulling off this unexpected move that caught him completely off guard.

"Get out, get out, I don't care about your business."

Luo Yin heard her father roar angrily, but Abaga remained inside for quite a while.

She then guessed that they were indeed hiding something from her.

After thinking about it for a long time, she simply left.

Instead of wasting time here, we should inquire from other sources.

Luo Yin ran out and quickly went to her mother's side, where she was helping her process the furs she had collected earlier.

Herding families have a lot of animal fur and leather items.

They are usually either used for project completion or kept for personal use.

Because of the business deal that Luo Yin brought in, the number of animals slaughtered at home was more than double that of previous years, and naturally, the amount of food accumulated was much greater.

In addition, I need to organize my older brother's wedding banquet at the end of the year.

The hardworking and capable Urina began preparing the betrothal gifts well in advance.

Previously, Luo Yin attended the wedding as part of the bride's family, but now, as part of the Southern family, the wedding process is different.

At this moment, the Xizhumuqin Grassland region is still predominantly inhabited by Mongolians, although half of the herders are now registered as urban residents and enjoy the same benefits as workers.

However, most families still follow the traditional Mongolian wedding customs.

Therefore, the families in the south prepared the gifts well in advance.

The most important auspicious day has been set, and the younger generation of both sides, witnessed by their elders, have decided on the auspicious date to get married and start a family.

What followed was a series of tedious and solemn details.

The betrothal gifts and the wedding house are the key items. Due to regional differences, after further negotiation, the family plans to prepare a fixed amount of gold and silver jewelry, cabinets and furniture, clothes and fabrics, as well as a number of cattle and sheep for the eldest sister-in-law's family.

These items were collected year by year, almost starting from when I was a child.

What worries Urina more is the arrangement of the wedding room.

Hada's yurt could certainly serve as the new bride's bridal chamber, but they would have to live together after the marriage. Therefore, the forestry station needed to devise some unusual plans.

This requires considering another aspect: whether or not to spend money to buy it.

The eldest brother has only been working for a short time, and the factory has only assigned him a single room for rest.

But with the eldest daughter-in-law gone, the young couple certainly wouldn't have enough room.

After much deliberation, she decided to go there and see if she could find a place to live for the young couple.

Urina naturally hoped that they could live a better life, but the family lacked a source of income, and the money they had been earning these days was basically from their youngest daughter.

Luo Yin noticed that she had been frowning for a long time, and seemed to have been lost in thought ever since she arrived.

I couldn't help but step forward and gently pat her shoulder.

"Mother, what's wrong?"

Weren't you happy before? Why are you starting to worry again after just a short while?

"Oh, why did you come out? Have they finished talking?"

Urina snapped out of her daze and looked at the small face that was leaning closer.

He smiled and gently rubbed her cheek, a conflicted look flashing in his eyes.

He seemed unsure how to begin, and hesitated without realizing it!

Luo Yin noticed that her gaze was on her and that she seemed to want to say something, so she couldn't help but ask her.

"What's wrong, Mom? Is there something you want to say?"

Urina's cheeks, flushed from the wind, felt slightly hot.

Feeling quite embarrassed, she avoided her gaze, as she always felt awkward making eye contact with her.

At home, however, she hardly had anyone she could talk to.

"Huahua, I have something I want to ask you."

"Go ahead and say it, I'm listening."

She gestured for him to speak, and her gentle tone gave her a lot of confidence.

"That's right, your older brother is getting married at the end of the year, you know that, right?"

As Urina spoke in a low voice, she kept an eye on her expression. Loin nodded, indicating that she understood.

"Yes, please tell me what happened. I'm so curious."

"Actually, I've thought about this a lot, and I'm only telling you this because I have no other choice. It's about the wedding house. No matter what Hada and Aruna choose, they won't be in the same place. Although their workplaces aren't far apart, they're in different areas. If the family doesn't put in some effort, I'm afraid they won't be able to share a place to live."

Speaking haltingly, Urina unusually avoided looking at her.

She felt like she was losing all her dignity.

They actually entrusted such a task to a junior, even though she was already a teenager.

At their age, they would be of marriageable age.

But even so, she is still her junior.

Even the most straightforward person feels a little embarrassed to hand over trouble to a younger person.

"Oh, is that so? Then let your brother and sister-in-law move out. Find a place that's convenient for them to go to work; it's better for them to live outside than in the factory."

She was used to this kind of thing and had no complaints.

"Actually, if we could find people, it would be better to prepare a few small, detached houses for them."

"Mother, can the properties over there be bought and sold?"

When Luo Yin mentioned this, she asked her with some curiosity.

"ah?"

Urina had intended to bring this up with her, but to her surprise, she had already brought it up herself.

"I don't know either."

As soon as she finished speaking, someone else came out as well.

Bu Rigude emerged from the yurt with a serious expression.

The solemnity in his eyes hadn't faded when their gazes met.

Before Luo Yin could respond to her mother, she saw him beckoning her over.

Luo Yin raised an eyebrow and moved closer to him.

"Mother, please wait a moment."

"Abaga, what can I do for you?"

Bu Rigude, who had been serious and indifferent just moments before, smiled at her.

"Hahaha, Luo Yin, it's been a long time! You look like you've grown quite a bit taller than before."

As he spoke, he pulled something out of his sleeve.

Luo Yin's eyes lit up, and she eagerly moved closer.

"Hehe, you have indeed grown quite a bit taller."

Her eyes, however, were fixed on his large palm.

He stretched out his hand and laid it out in front of him.

In the palm of my hand was indeed a colorful gemstone bracelet.

Luo Yin was completely stunned!

I never expected him to pull out something like this.

Based on her more than ten years of experience, she was captivated by this gemstone necklace, not only because the gemstones themselves were extremely rare, but also because of its dazzling color scheme.

A sparkling bracelet is made by mixing and matching six or seven different colored stones: red, yellow, green, blue, purple, and pink.

"Here, this is for you."

After hearing those words, her heart started pounding uncontrollably.

"pengpengpeng~"

"For me?"

Seeing that she hadn't come to her senses yet, Bu Rigude was already overjoyed.

His stern face somehow managed to pull a wide smile.

"Hahaha, of course it's for you. Keep it. It's just for looking at. The stone itself isn't worth much."

Fearing she might not want it, I made a point of explaining.

Luo Yin mentioned that he said it was worthless, but the fondness in her eyes had not faded.

And his hand did not reach out either.

She looked around and saw that her mother had indeed pushed her father out from behind.

Bart, sitting in his wheelchair, walked towards her.

Bart's expression remained unchanged upon witnessing this scene.

When he saw her looking over, he even nodded at her.

"Keep it, you can carry it around for fun, it's not really worth much."

Urina glanced at it, and when she saw it again, her eyes narrowed. It was as if she was recalling something, but seeing Bart's words, she remained silent.

Luo Yin glanced at the group again and saw him stretch out his hand.

After not hearing any more words of refusal from her parents, she happily accepted it.

He immediately took the bracelet in his hand and examined it carefully.

It was only then that she realized the bracelet was made of some kind of metal and was indeed pure black.

At first, she only focused on the gemstones.

When I took it in my hand, I found that the bracelet had a slightly cool texture but was very light.

When worn on the wrist, it seems like you're not wearing anything at all, except for the weight of the gemstone.

Seeing her put it on so happily, Burigude raised an eyebrow at Bart with a smug look.

It's as if they're saying, "Look how much your little girl likes the gift I gave her. You, as her father, don't even like it as much as my daughter does."

Bart felt a pang of sadness, but he still glared at him fiercely.

He felt that this old guy was just trying to cause him trouble.

He gestured for him to leave quickly, as he wasn't going to stay for dinner.

Bu Rigude dusted off his clothes, greeted the group, mounted his horse, and rode off into the distance.

Once the person was out of sight, Bart called out to Loin, gesturing for her to come in.

Luo Yin followed her parents to their yurt.

Luo Yin was still fiddling with her bracelet; for some reason, she really liked it.

He kept fiddling with the gems on it, examining each one closely.

Bart asked Urina to take the box out of the cabinet.

As if she had been prepared, Urina took out a mahogany box from the very back as soon as he finished speaking.

Luo Yin only raised her eyes briefly when she came in, but quickly lowered her head again after hearing some noise.

Upon noticing the movement, one would find a large pile of things laid out in front of them.

"Father, Mother, what is this?"

Looking at the glittering gold, silver, and jade artifacts in front of me.

Luo Yin admitted that she was envious!

She felt that her eyes were almost turning into the shape of money at that moment.

She had heard rumors about the extravagance of families on the grasslands, such as how the cost of school fees could be covered by buying one or two cows.

But looking at the dozen or so gemstones and agates of various sizes and colors in front of me, there were also several golden bracelets and gold cakes next to them.

Luo Yin was completely dumbfounded!

"Dad, Mom, what's wrong? Don't scare me."

She looked at the two of them with suspicion and lingering fear.

Why are you revealing your family's wealth now? Is something about to happen?

Luo Yin's mind conjured up many unpleasant memories from the past, and her eyes sparkled.

Baturina and the other woman looked at each other, with the latter feeling that the other woman was overthinking things.

He couldn't help but interrupt, "Ahem, what nonsense are you thinking?"

"Hua Hua, I called you here because I have something to tell you." Urina stepped forward to explain to her, and then pulled her to sit down next to her.

Bart looked at her with affection. "That's right. Your eldest brother is getting married at the end of the year, and your second brother's wedding won't be far behind. Besides them, you'll be the next one in the family."

Loin's pupils dilated violently!

He looked at his parents in shock, "Dad, Mom, are you going to arrange a marriage for me?"

Recalling the days when her second brother was being pressured to get married, Luo Yin felt as if she were watching a play unfold, and the hairs on her body stood on end.

"What nonsense are you talking about?" Bart couldn't help but tap her on the head.

Urina couldn't help but pat her back lightly.

Although she's reached marriageable age, how could they feel at ease with this girl acting like this?

Despite being double-beaten by her parents, Luo Yin grinned happily, showing off her bright white teeth.

"Hahaha, that's good, that's good."

“What I mean is, since your eldest and second eldest brothers are getting married, then as the youngest in the family, you will naturally have your day too. Although you are not a child of our family, we have become as close as family over the years, and Hua Hua, you have long been integrated into this family.”

When Bart spoke of what followed, he clearly had something on his mind.

Her eyes welled up with tears, but she quickly suppressed them.

“These past few years, because of what happened to me, you started planning to earn money early on, and your father knows all of this. Your father is grateful for your efforts. So your mother and I discussed it and decided that we should divide these things up in advance and give them to you three siblings.”

Luo Yin looked at the two of them in astonishment.

She hadn't thought about anything else at first, only that they had called her over to discuss something.

"These..."

Urina chimed in, "Some of these were passed down from Ani's wedding, some were part of my dowry, and some were collected by your father in his younger days. Anyway, they'll eventually be passed down to you all. I called you here so you can pick out what you like and divide them up!"

"I don't want it, give it to my older brothers instead, I'm still too young."

Luo Yin tore her gaze away from the pile of things and said seriously.

She really thought so; these things had been passed down through two generations.

She really couldn't bring herself to accept it.

Bart and Urrina exchanged a glance, clearly knowing she would refuse.

Urina said directly, "It's okay, Huahua. We've already agreed to this. Your older brothers have both agreed. These things will be divided equally. You can choose which of these gems you like and replace them in advance."

The second half of the sentence, clearly carrying a seductive tone, reached her ears.

Luo Yin glanced at it a few times with a mixture of anticipation and curiosity.

She quickly looked away again. "Dad, Mom, when did you tell my eldest and second brothers? Why don't we talk about it when they get back?"

Seeing her like this, Bat gave Urina a wink.

Urina was slightly discouraged and had no choice but to put the things away.

"Alright, I'll keep watch for now, we'll talk about it later."

Luo Yin nodded, and then asked about her father's property transactions.

Bart's gaze quickly fell on Urina, and Loin offered a few words of explanation, saying that buying the house was better than being dissatisfied.

The text focuses on explaining the changes in the town over the past few years, especially in comparison to the grasslands.

She actually wanted to stay, as the nomadic life was still pleasant and free.

But Chinese people are still more suited to a stable, pastoral life.

Luo Yin still retains a Han Chinese mindset at heart; it's just that her lifestyle over the past ten years has made her not dislike Mongolian customs!

If given the opportunity, I would still like to buy property and settle down.

"Okay, I understand. I'll find out when I get the chance."

After the matter was settled, she continued to go to school in town.

After another holiday, Luo Yin was lucky enough to get in touch with Uncle Qin and successfully transported more than a dozen packages onto a train to the capital.

This trip cost me tens of yuan just for shipping and the favors I received.

Luo Yin also secretly gave Uncle Qin several bags of dried meat as a local specialty.

Although Uncle Qin waved his hand to refuse, Luo Yin knew from the smile on his face that he was satisfied.

Sure enough, she successfully left the bookstore.

Old Qin behind him kept sighing in admiration, saying that this girl was thoughtful and generous in handling matters.

Although he is young, he is very adept at handling interpersonal relationships.

Not only was she generous and considerate, taking care of his feelings, but she also knew how to handle things.

Given time, she'll definitely make a name for herself.

In mid-November, the school gave us a three-day holiday.

Luo Yin went with her family to the forest farm to find her older brother.

The forest farm where Hada lives is the largest state-owned forest farm in Xizhumuqin Banner.

The daily output is transported to the train station by large trucks and then shipped to all parts of the country.

Therefore, the forest farm is quite profitable.

Even someone like Hada, who has only been working for a few years, already earns a monthly salary of 43 yuan, not including overtime and bonuses.

If you add in the teachers' salaries at Aruna's school, the young couple would earn at least seventy or eighty yuan a month.

It's definitely more than enough to cover the young couple's living expenses.

The state-run forest farm is located in a place called Lingchuan.

It is traversed by that famous mountain range, which provides thousands of forests and groves for the locals to harvest and cut down.

When Luo Yin came with her family, her first impression was how cold it was.

Unlike the cold on the grasslands, here a thick layer of snow has already fallen.

Luo Yin huddled in the cart, watching the crowds coming and going with great curiosity.

The second brother was driving forward, while Luo Yin and her mother huddled inside the car watching.

Today they are settling on their new home, determined to choose one from several options.

It's said that it was through his father's connections that an uncle came to help them.

Sure enough, as soon as the car arrived, a bicycle was parked in the corner.

"Sister-in-law, it's me, Zhang."

Urina heard the noise and looked up.

A short man waved to them, and Mu Ren was the first to come down.

"Uncle Zhang, I am Mu Ren, the second son of the Bart family."

"Hahaha, it's me, Lao Zhang. You must be Mu Ren. You look just like your father. Hello, sister-in-law. Brother Ba has already given instructions. I'll take you there now."

A warm and earnest tone rang out.

Old Zhang got on his bike and led the way.

Feeling ignored, Luo Yin tugged at her mother's sleeve, "Mom, you know her!"

Urina pulled her sheepskin coat up a little.

"I've met him a few times in previous years, and he has a very good relationship with your father."

Seeing that she didn't say anything more, Luo Yin muttered to herself and continued to look around.

This town is much more lively than theirs, no wonder it's home to the largest forest farm; the infrastructure looks better than other places.

Luo Yin watched the surrounding facilities pass by one by one, thinking that her older brother and sister-in-law's life here wouldn't be too bad.

"By the way, are my older brother and the others coming too?"

"Yes, your older brother worked the night shift yesterday and said he would take us out for lunch."

"Okay, I want to eat out."

"well!"

Old Zhang led the group through a maze of streets, and they soon turned into a courtyard in a hutong (alleyway).

Luo Yin didn't understand where she was either, and simply got off the bus with the others.

When we arrived at the destination, we saw a group of people sitting by a rock.

"This is the place. Sister-in-law, there's a room here that's about 40 square meters. Do you think it's suitable?"

He greeted the people familiarly and led them inside.

People around looked at several unfamiliar faces, but could tell from their attire where they came from.

They exchanged a few words in hushed tones, but did not rush forward.

Urina pulled Loin along, pretending not to see her.

Mu Ren, however, turned around and looked back several times with sharp eyes.

Walking inside and through a large courtyard, the group finally saw the layout of the place.

It turned out to be a large courtyard divided into several rooms. Luo Yin frowned subconsciously when she saw the smoky atmosphere inside.

If someone were to move in there, there would probably be a lot of problems, right?

Old Zhang walked to an open door and knocked.

"Auntie, my relatives have come to see the house."

A woman who was over fifty years old and had white hair came out.

A pair of eyes swept over the group.

Upon seeing Urina and Luo Yin, his expression softened slightly. "Is it your family that wants to see this?"

The question was directed at Urina.

Urina nodded, somewhat nervously.

"It's for my eldest son's wedding!"

"Go inside. My house is fixed price. If you like it, buy it."

She pushed open a wooden door next to her, just big enough for one person to pass through, and the woman stepped aside to let them in.

Urina had been observing her surroundings ever since she entered, and naturally noticed the strangeness of the room.

But since it was arranged through her husband's connections, we'll have to see if it works out.

After taking my children inside for a stroll, I discovered that it was truly a hidden gem.

Unlike the layout of the large courtyard outside, once you enter through this small door, it truly feels like a small world inside.

The house is situated on a four-sided layout, with three blue brick houses.

Two of the rooms are side by side, one of which faces the small door, and there is still some space between the inner room and the door.

Urina instinctively reached out and touched the wall, feeling the rough, thick texture of the bricks in her hands.

It brought a touch of joy to her eyes.

If they could live in a house like this, they wouldn't have to worry about food anymore.

"Huahua, come quick."

She called Luo Yin over, and the mother and daughter toured the rooms one by one.

After taking a stroll, Mu Ren soon followed Uncle Zhang, and the two chatted about something.

"Mother, do you like it?"

Urina was quite pleased. "It's really very good!"

"It's really nice, but it looks like quite a few people live here from the outside." She looked outside.

Upon hearing this, Urina understood what she meant, and her excitement subsided considerably.

"Hmm, let's take another look."

When Lao Zhang saw them come out, he explained the low price and the situation in detail.

I explained the situation to the landlord again, promised to get back to him the next day, and then left.

The group then visited three more locations.

After we finished running all the races, it was already lunchtime.

Mu Ren took Uncle Zhang directly to a nearby state-run restaurant.

Sure enough, as soon as I arrived, I saw Aruna standing prettily at the door.

Upon seeing them, they quickly waved, "Hey, I'm here!"

The group came down and met up. Loin went up to Aruna and looked at her.

Aruna blushed slightly under her gaze, but things calmed down a bit after Urna spoke up.

The hada (ceremonial scarf) came out and greeted everyone one by one.

The group went inside, chatting and laughing.

I don't know what my brother did, but instead of sitting in the lobby, they went into a place that looked like a warehouse.

A table of food and drinks had been set out inside, and even the wine had been poured.

They're just waiting to be eaten!

"Please take a seat quickly."

Hada asked Uncle Zhang and his mother to sit down first, and then called to his younger siblings.

The group sat down politely and began to eat.

Luo Yin was already starving, and when she smelled the meat, she swallowed several times.

After running for so long this morning, I can't worry about anything else right now, let's start eating.

The delicious hand-pulled mutton, savory milk tea, and several authentically prepared side dishes left everyone present thoroughly satisfied.

Luo Yin didn't care about anything else; once she was about 70-80% full, she started chatting with her sister-in-law.

When asked how her life has been lately, she talked about work and life.

Although Aruna was somewhat taken aback, looking at the incredibly well-behaved Loin, she felt it was appropriate to confide in her.

Especially these days, as the wedding date approaches, her emotions are fluctuating greatly.

After listening to her analysis, Loin quickly realized the source of her troubles.

Her gaze involuntarily swept towards her eldest brother.

He was chatting and laughing with Uncle Zhang.

Compared to the youthful older brother in my memory, he now has a tanned complexion and is clearly much more mature.

He is also much stronger than before, and has grown a head taller.

The thick coat made him appear even taller and stronger, but not burly.

Luo Yin shook her head and quickly looked away.

She quietly approached her sister-in-law and whispered a few words in her ear.

When Urina saw her prospective daughter-in-law, her cheeks suddenly flushed, and her cheerful and generous face revealed a touch of girlish shyness, which startled Urina.

Then his gaze shifted precisely, and sure enough, he saw Luo Yin covering her mouth.

A sly glint appeared in his eyes, as if he had just done something wrong.

Urina sighed; she knew it must be this girl.

The meal was eaten quickly, and after Lao Zhang got up and left, only the family remained.

Urina then told them about the places she had visited that day.

After carefully explaining the background, he asked for the young couple's opinion.

Hada glanced at Aruna, then turned his gaze to his younger brother and sister-in-law.

“I’ll listen to her. The most expensive house is only a little over a thousand. We can save up and buy one in a few years.” He didn’t really want to use his family’s money.

After all, he knew perfectly well what that money was for.

Although Urina said it was bought with his salary, he didn't want to give that money to himself. The money was originally intended for the family's use.

Aruna was also a little embarrassed, and they decided to rent a place to live first.

But Luo Yin repeatedly persuaded them, and with that money coming in, plus their previous salaries, the amount they actually had to pay wasn't much.

Hada felt a little guilty.

I always felt like I was living a good life away from home.

Aruna, seeing that he was leaving the decision to her, thought for a moment and said...

"Why don't we wait two years and save up first? Let's choose a place to live first and then see how things go in two years before buying a house."

After she finished speaking, she went to observe the expressions of the people present.

Aside from her mother-in-law, only Luo Yin's expression was the most noticeable at the scene.

She decisively focused her gaze on her face.

Urina looked at her as well.

Luo Yin remained silent for a moment before shifting her gaze away.

Well, since her older brother and sister-in-law have made up their minds, let them have their way. Perhaps feeling burdened by doing so, she finally convinced herself after some thought.

He secretly noted down the prices of a few properties, wondering how much they would appreciate in two years.

Since you're renting instead of buying, there will naturally be fewer problems.

After troubling Lao Zhang again that afternoon, Aruna quickly selected a house near the school with her approval.

It is an old residential compound for family members.

The neighborhood is full of public officials, and the police station is just two streets away.

Aruna values ​​her neighbors very much; after learning that she was a teacher at a nearby elementary school, the landlord immediately reduced the price.

The rental agreement was signed quickly. The two rooms plus a small living room cost less than fifty yuan a year.

Urina felt both heartache and joy.

He and a group of helpers cleaned the house from the inside out.

They stayed in the house that night and got up early the next morning to tidy up.

While the soon-to-be couple went to work, she took them for a stroll in the neighborhood and bought a lot of supplies.

After tidying up and having dinner with her eldest son and future daughter-in-law, she took the children back home.

Time flies, and this past month has passed like a shooting star.

During her holiday, Luo Yin sent out the meat in batches.

The remaining funds that had been sent out earlier were also recovered, and Luo Yin received another considerable sum.

I gradually earned another three hundred yuan.

On the auspicious day, she asked the school for leave in advance.

I arrived home early, waiting for my elder brother's auspicious day.