Deng Min then followed up on Deng Lan's words, saying, "This kid is making a lot of money now, but there's one thing: he doesn't have a girlfriend yet. He usually doesn't see many women all year round at the blacksmith shop. Last time I took him out on a blind date, but he didn't say a word to the girl he met, and she even thought he had a problem with her."

Seeing Deng Min looking worried, Deng Lan said, "What's the point of having someone so eloquent? We should just find a reliable and hardworking man."

“We think this way, but the girl doesn’t think that way. We don’t have any requirements, as long as she doesn’t have any ulterior motives and we can live a good life together. We don’t care if there are any men of similar age in our village.

“What are you saying? Your brother is so good-looking, why would he just pick anyone? I think he can make money and he’s good-looking, he could find any girl in town.”

When Deng Lan was sending Deng Min off to her wedding, she saw Bai Shibao once. At that time, Bai Shibao was still a teenager, but he had already grown up. He and Bai Shihai were brothers, so how could they be bad-looking?

Deng Min was somewhat tempted by Deng Lan's suggestion: "But I don't know anyone in town. Otherwise, I'll go ask Xiao Hua later."

However, both Deng Lan and her sister knew what kind of life Deng Lan was living in her husband's family. It was good enough if she wasn't looked down upon. She didn't have the energy to go out and help find a husband. The main thing was that Deng Hua had only been married for a year and didn't know many people.

Deng Lan thought for a moment and said, "Speaking of people from town, didn't our Xiu Gu marry into the town? She seems to have a daughter, but she's only about seventeen or eighteen. But you can ask her if any of her neighbors know anyone suitable to introduce to Shi Bo."

Deng Xiuxiu was one of Deng Min's cousins. She married a worker at a cannery in town, which gave her a foothold in the town and allowed her to build up her connections.

"It's been so many years since we last met, I had completely forgotten about it if you hadn't mentioned it."

After thinking about it, Deng Min realized it was a good idea.

Just as Deng Lan finished cooking the chicken, there was another knock on the door. When she opened it, Deng Hua had a face that was a mixture of bitterness, anger, and amusement.

"What, did Father send you to urge me?"

"Yes, big sister. They've already eaten half of it and were wondering why you hadn't come back yet, so they asked me to come and find you."

Deng Hua smelled the aroma of chicken: "Are you planning to eat this at your house?"

"Well, you can stay and eat with us too. I'll cook the chicken your second sister brought."

Deng Lan called Deng Hua into the house. Deng Hua swallowed hard and said, "Is this a good idea? Dad will be angry later."

“Let him go if he wants. Let’s eat first, so as not to let Ning Cuicui have a good time. It’s been so long since the three of us sisters had a proper chat. Come on in.”

Deng Lan then went inside, rummaged through her pockets and pulled out five cents, giving each of the five children a cent as a New Year's gift: "I don't have much more, so don't mind it."

"Oh, no need!"

Deng Lan declined for a while before finally accepting the New Year's money.

Deng Min said, "You two can share the fried noodles I originally got for Mom and Dad. They're great when you mix them with hot water; I think they're just as good as malted milk powder. You two can also share the bag of pastries. It's a real headache to carry all these bags back."

"I can't accept this!"

Deng Lan was not as ungrateful as Ning Cuicui. Fried wheat flour was made from grain, and a big jar of that stuff must have weighed at least two pounds. It was a very precious thing.

They even send snacks; even if you're doing well financially, you can't afford to spend like that.

"Big sister, Xiaomin is right. You should accept them. These things were originally meant for you. If we take them back, we won't be able to explain it to my father."

Upon hearing Bai Shihai's words, Deng Hua immediately agreed: "Eldest sister, this is my third sister's kind offer."

Deng Lan had nothing to say, and the three sisters reminisced at the dinner table until it was almost dark before Deng Min finally went home.

The Bai family almost had lunch and dinner together. Bai Jiaojiao and the others had just left when Bai Shihai and Deng Min returned.

Shen Heng doesn't usually drink much at home, but today he drank a couple more cups with his father-in-law, getting Li Shuxian and Bai Shibao drunk. This worried Bai Shiqing so much that she had to go back and call Li Shutao over to help Li Shuxian home.

Bai Shibao, needless to say, was an apprentice who had never touched alcohol in all these years and was sleeping soundly on his father's kang (heated brick bed).

Shen Heng was still smug all the way: "How about it, Jiao Jiao, isn't your man amazing?"

After all, he walked straight out of his father-in-law's house on his own.

Bai Jiaojiao pinched him: "No matter how much you can drink, you can't drink this much. You'll ruin your health if you keep drinking like this."

"It's alright. Look, I only drink this once a year during holidays, so please be lenient with me."

Shen Heng snuggled up to Bai Jiaojiao from the side of the road. During the New Year, the children were running around outside. They saw Shen Heng leaning against Bai Jiaojiao and laughing at the two of them.

Bai Jiaojiao blushed deeply and nudged Chen Heng, saying, "Hurry up and go home. Walk properly!"

Are you in a hurry to get home?

Shen Heng straightened up and asked.

"Ah, hurry up! Hey! Shen Heng!"

Bai Jiaojiao was caught off guard when Shen Heng picked her up, and she was so frightened that she called out Shen Heng's full name.

After drinking a bit, Shen Heng lost his mind and started acting crazy. He picked up Bai Jiaojiao and ran home. Bai Jiaojiao bit Shen Heng's neck, but he wouldn't let go. Bai Jiaojiao was so angry that she rubbed her teeth against the flesh on Shen Heng's neck.

They stayed at the Bai family's house for a day. The fire under the kang (a heated brick bed) had gone out, leaving only residual warmth.

Shen Heng put Bai Jiaojiao on the kang (a heated brick bed), kissed her repeatedly, and then reluctantly went back to fetch firewood to heat the kang.

"Are you cold? Let me warm you up."

It would take some time for the kang (heated brick bed) to heat up, so Shen Heng stretched out his long arm to hug Bai Jiaojiao.

Bai Jiaojiao was still angry and didn't want to talk to the drunkard.

Their kang (heated brick bed) was big, so Bai Jiaojiao moved to the other end.

Shen Heng leaned against the wall, looking at Bai Jiaojiao's energetic self, and felt a surge of affection for her. He moved closer to her, saying, "Hurry up, don't let Heng-ge's little darling get cold."

Bai Jiaojiao's face flushed red: "What nonsense are you talking about?"

Shen Heng usually knows to keep his mouth shut, but once he drinks, he starts saying things he would never normally say.

Still a little baby!

Shen Heng complains about Bai Jiaojiao's sarcastic remarks every day; how could he have the nerve to say such words?

Bai Jiaojiao pushed him away in disgust: "You reek of alcohol."

Shen Heng pouted and kissed Bai Jiaojiao's lips twice, then reached out and began to undress her.

"Brother Heng!"

"Jiaojiao, I'm so pitiful, I'm in so much pain. Feel me, look at what I've become." Shen Heng acted like a rogue, leaving Bai Jiaojiao unable to advance or retreat. The main problem was that she couldn't retreat even if she wanted to, as Shen Heng held her tightly.

Isn't she the pitiful one?

Bai Jiaojiao gave in: "Brother Heng, be gentle."

"Okay, if you can't take it, bite me, bite me hard, it's okay."

Shen Heng agreed readily, but ended up with several pairs of fingernail marks on his shoulder from Bai Jiaojiao, and he seemed oblivious to it.