Early in the morning of January 10th, Shi Xingchao and Shi Xinghuo were taken to the Anshan Town bus station by Shi Zhen, who drove a tractor.

They need to wait here for the bus to the provincial capital. There is only one bus a day, which will pass by and stop at the bus station in Anshan Town around 8:00 AM.

After Shi Zhen parked the tractor, he helped Shi Xingchao and Shi Xinghuo unload the goods from the vehicle.

Because they were going back this time to bring their family members out of the mountains, they didn't bring much, but they still had several bundles.

"Why is it so heavy?" Shi Zhen frowned as he carried one of the bundles.

“This is a bottle of water,” Shi Xingchao said.

Shi Zhen peeked through the gap in the bundle and found a large Coca-Cola bottle filled with water. This large bottle weighed at least four or five pounds.

That's a bit of an exaggeration.

Shi Zhendao said, "The bus station has hot water..."

Shi Xingchao said, "You have to pay for everything!" Hot water at the bus station costs one cent per thermos! People usually don't carry thermoses when they go out; they carry a kettle or a glass jar or something. So, if you give them one or two cents to get some water, they won't say anything.

But... it costs money!

Shi Zhen felt he shouldn't have brought it up.

"Spark, Star Dynasty!" Just then, Shi Dalin's voice rang out.

The Shi family knew that Shi Xinghuo and his group were leaving today, and Shi Dalin made a point of not setting up his stall this morning to come and see them off.

"Uncle!" Shi Xingchao grinned. "Why are you here? We didn't need to see you off!"

Shi Dalin smiled and took out a bundle for them: "I packed some food for you to eat on the road."

"Thank you, Uncle," Shi Xingchao said.

Shi Xingchao and Shi Xinghuo were grown men, so Shi Zhen and the others didn't need to specially see them off to the car. They exchanged a few words and then left.

Shi Zhen had one more thing to do today—take Zhao Meiyun to have her cast removed.

Zhao Meiyun is old and her recovery is slow; the cast can only be removed now.

When Shi Zhen and Shi Dalin arrived at the Shi family's house, it was not yet eight o'clock.

Shi Ting has already gone to school, Zhao Qiujuan is still selling rice balls outside, Zhao Dongjuan is nowhere to be seen, and only Zhao Meiyun is at home.

Upon seeing Shi Zhen, Zhao Meiyun immediately smiled and asked, "Zhen, Xinghuo and the others have left?"

"They're probably still waiting at the station," Shi Zhen said.

"Did they bring enough clothes? It's been very cold outside lately." "They brought enough... Aunt Zhao, let me carry you to the tractor." Shi Zhen bent down in front of Zhao Meiyun.

"Oh..." Zhao Meiyun was moved again and climbed onto Shi Zhen's back.

There was a bamboo chair on the tractor that Shi Xingchao and the others had sat on before. Shi Zhen carried Zhao Meiyun up and let her sit on it, and then pulled Shi Dalin onto the tractor.

The tractor was secondhand. Shi Zhen had recently used it to load bricks, and it hadn't been washed since. It was actually quite dirty, but Zhao Meiyun and Shi Dalin sat on it, beaming with joy and looking smugly at the pedestrians on the roadside.

They have a tractor now!

Shi Zhen couldn't see Shi Dalin and the others' expressions. He drove them to the hospital, but because they arrived a bit early, the doctor hadn't come yet, so they had to wait on the side.

Shi Zhen waited with them until 8:30, but it still wasn't their turn. After giving them some instructions, he went back to Guanjia Village first.

The delivery truck for the sweaters should be here around nine o'clock.

Shi Zhen unloaded the sweaters the driver brought from the car, then loaded the sweaters he had sorted out yesterday back onto the car, and distributed them to the people who were eager to collect their sweaters... It was almost eleven o'clock.

This time he didn't drive the tractor, but rode a tricycle to the hospital. As soon as he arrived, he saw Shi Dalin helping Zhao Meiyun walk slowly in the hospital.

"How is Aunt Zhao's leg?" Shi Zhen asked.

Shi Dalin said, "The cast has been removed. She just had a check-up, and her leg is recovering well, except for the broken leg, which is now a whole size smaller."

“If you don’t move for a long time, your muscles will atrophy… You’ll get better if you exercise more,” Shi Zhen said.

"That's good," Shi Dalin said, and Zhao Meiyun also breathed a sigh of relief.

Shi Zhen didn't drive the tractor; instead, he had Zhao Meiyun ride on the tricycle. He rode slowly, with Shi Dalin following beside him, and they returned to the Shi family home together.

Riding in a tricycle didn't give her the same commanding feeling as riding in a tractor, but Zhao Meiyun was still very happy to be driven by Shi Zhen.

Her leg is healed, and she's in a particularly good mood today.

When they arrived home, Zhao Qiujuan had already prepared dinner: "Dad, Mom, you're back? Dinner is ready."

Zhao Meiyun helped Shi Dalin off the tricycle and subconsciously asked, "Where's Dongjuan?"

Zhao Qiujuan said, "I didn't see her."

Zhao Meiyun pursed her lips and remained silent, her joy greatly diminished.

"Meiyun, the cast on your leg is off?" A neighbor from the same alley came out, greeting Zhao Meiyun while watering the garlic she had planted in a styrofoam box. "Yeah, it's off," Zhao Meiyun replied with a smile.

The man then looked at Shi Zhen, curiously asking, "Is this your son? He's really tall."

"Yes," Zhao Meiyun said with a smile when someone praised Shi Zhen. Shi Zhen didn't live here, so many people here had never seen him before.

"By the way, Meiyun, is your youngest daughter really going to marry that Wang Zugen? That family is not easy to get along with. Wang Zugen's mother has been telling people a lot lately that your youngest daughter is practically throwing herself at him..." the neighbor reminded her. What Wang Zugen's mother was saying outside was that she didn't think much of Zhao Dongjuan, and that Zhao Dongjuan really liked her son and went to her house to do chores every day, which is why she agreed to the marriage.

The smile on Zhao Meiyun's face vanished instantly.

Shi Zhen hadn't interfered in Zhao Dongjuan's marriage before, lest Zhao Dongjuan feel that he was trying to sabotage it.

He had been wandering around the countryside and didn't know many people in the town. His knowledge of Wang Zugen was limited to their last meeting.

Now it seems... Wang Zugen's mother is not someone to be trifled with.

No wonder Wang Zugen, a town dweller with a formal job, is over thirty years old and still hasn't found a partner.

After being told off by her neighbor, Zhao Meiyun lost her appetite and ate the dishes Zhao Qiujuan had prepared in a half-hearted manner.

Seeing this, Shi Zhen said, "Aunt Zhao, if you want your legs to heal, you need to eat more meat, otherwise your calves and thighs will easily become bulging. In the future, you shouldn't do heavy work, and you should go out for walks more often."

Zhao Meiyun responded softly, "Mm."

As they were eating, a woman Shi Zhen had never seen before, probably in her sixties, of medium build, with a long face and drooping upper eyelids that obscured her triangular eyes, came in from outside. As soon as she entered, she said, "In-law... are you eating?"

Is this Wang Zugen's mother?

This was the first time Shi Zhen had met the Wang family, and Zhao Meiyun's expression was even more unpleasant.

The man came in from outside and first looked at the dishes on the table: "You're eating quite well, with fish and meat. Even people on the street wouldn't dare to eat like this."

Shi Zhen was coming over for dinner today, so Zhao Qiujuan steamed a piece of salted fish that she had previously pickled, boiled a bowl of pork belly in plain water, and also stir-fried two kinds of vegetables.

In the past, the Shi family could only eat this during festivals, but since they came to Anshan Town, Shi Zhen has been making sure they eat well every day, so they have gotten used to eating better.

However, Wang Zugen's mother said that people on the street wouldn't dare to eat like that, which is an exaggeration.

It is indeed a very small minority of people in the countryside buy meat every day. Many rural families do not have the habit of buying vegetables. They usually only go to town to buy meat when there is something going on at home. However, there are quite a few people in town who buy meat every day.

“You have plenty to eat and use, and you live in big houses. Your youngest daughter is studying here even though we paid for her tuition. You must have plenty of money. How can you not give her any dowry? We even bought three gold pieces for your Dongjuan. Why don’t you buy my Zugen a gold ring?” Wang Zugen’s mother came over, picked up a piece of pork belly, dipped it in soy sauce, and stuffed it into her mouth.

Shi Zhen: "..."

Shi Zhen had some understanding of his father.

Although his father was not talkative, he was sentimental. For example, in his previous life, Zhao Meiyun broke her leg and had it amputated. Afterwards, she was in a bad mental state and always lay in bed crying. His father stayed with her and took care of her without any impatience.

His father had always liked Zhao Qiujuan very much and had repeatedly told him in his past life to take good care of her.

But Zhao Dongjuan...

Shi Dalin said, "Zhao Dongjuan is not my biological daughter, and I have no say in her affairs."

"I've called you Dad for so many years, it's not right for you to ignore me!"

"If you want me to manage things, then I, as the father-in-law, should at least send cigarettes and alcohol, and the bride price should be given to me as well," Shi Dalin said irritably. He disliked Wang Zugen more and more the more he looked at him.

“We don’t do betrothal gifts in our area!” Wang Zugen’s mother said. If Zhao Dongjuan hadn’t brought the money back to the Wang family, she wouldn’t have been willing to give betrothal gifts!

“We don’t dowries where we’re from. If you don’t want to give a bride price, that’s fine with you,” Shi Dalin said.

Wang Zugen's mother was speechless. She didn't actually want to give a bride price either, but if she didn't... Zhao Dongjuan wouldn't agree! Zhao Dongjuan said that bride prices were customary in their area, and it was unavoidable not to give one.

"Dongjuan's mother? Your husband talks like that and you don't even say a word?" Wang Zugen's mother asked Zhao Meiyun.

Zhao Meiyun was already unhappy because her family knew she was going to have her cast removed today, but Zhao Dongjuan hadn't shown up all morning. When Wang Zugen's mother arrived, she kept rehearsing what to say.

At this moment, Zhao Meiyun mustered up her courage and said, "I only have two daughters. They are supposed to take care of me in my old age. They can either take care of me in my old age or leave their dowry money to me as my retirement money."

Zhao Meiyun didn't really want the bride price. She knew what the Wang family, and even her youngest daughter, were thinking, so she deliberately said those words to provoke them.

As expected, Wang Zugen's mother left, cursing and swearing.

After Wang Zugen's mother left, the neighbor woman who had spoken a few words with Zhao Meiyun earlier came in from outside and immediately asked, "Why is she here? Is she here to ask for her dowry?"

"How so?" Shi Dalin asked.

"Sigh, she's made a scene so many times, always thinking her son is the best in the world... Her son has been on many dates before, but none of them worked out." After saying this, the person shut up, looking like he wanted to say something but was too embarrassed to.

"What exactly happened?" Zhao Meiyun asked. "Just tell me."

The man said, "You're the one who wanted to hear this... You two discussed this marriage too quickly, without even asking each other. By the time I found out about it, you had already decided to get married, so I was too embarrassed to tell you anything..."

This person was clearly a gossip, and without mincing words, he went straight to the various outrageous things the Wang family had done.

For example, when Wang Zugen was young, he met a girl from a well-off family. She wasn't particularly beautiful, but she was at least of average looks. However, her family complained about her appearance every day and demanded that she provide a house for the marriage...

Of course it didn't work!

The girl was a teacher, and later the Wang family probably felt that the girl could take care of the family if she was a teacher, so they insisted that she must be a teacher.

Then, naturally, they couldn't find a suitable one.

"Actually, a couple of years ago, Wang Zugen got engaged to a girl from the countryside and even invited her to stay at their house. That girl was naive and actually came... After she got pregnant, they made her go for a checkup, saying they would only get married if the baby was a boy... That girl was really stupid; she actually agreed. Luckily, her father dragged her back, and she had an abortion."

"This..." The Shi family was stunned.

The neighbor said, "But they've learned their lesson, they probably won't dare to do it again... Will your Dongjuan... suffer a loss?"

"That's not necessarily true," Shi Zhen said.

Shi Zhen didn't really think Zhao Dongjuan would suffer a loss, after all, Zhao Dongjuan's ideas were different from those of ordinary people.

After this wedding takes place... it'll probably be quite a lively affair.

Shi Zhen was right.

Shi Zhen attended the wedding, and nothing went wrong throughout. However, things started to escalate after the wedding.

Zhao Dongjuan asked Wang Zugen's parents for the money given by the guests: "The money given by the guests is for our young couple."

“These are all favors we gave out before, so of course they’re ours to take back.” Wang Zugen’s parents, of course, refused to give them away.

"How can you do this? What family doesn't give wedding gifts to the newlyweds?" Zhao Dongjuan demanded aggressively. "You have to give me the wedding gift, or I'm not going to get married!"

"You're already married, so why are you saying you're not getting married?" Wang Zugen's father was dumbfounded.

"We haven't even registered our marriage!" Zhao Dongjuan said matter-of-factly.

Before marriage, she had been subservient to the Wang family, working for them every day, and had long since grown impatient with it.

Now that she's received the betrothal gifts, she's already taken the time to deposit them into her savings account and bought the three gold pieces... Now it's the Wang family who should be worried about her running away, not the other way around.

If she's so capable, she shouldn't give her the gift money! Then she'll leave!

The bride price is non-refundable!

The Wang family members instinctively looked at the Shi family members.

Most of the guests have already left, and only the Shi family remains.

Shi Zhen got up and left, followed closely by Shi Dalin and the others. Even Zhao Meiyun, who had just had her cast removed, walked very quickly.

The entire marriage was arranged by Zhao Dongjuan herself, negotiating with the Wang family. They didn't interfere at all, nor could they control the process.

It would be strange if Zhao Dongjuan listened to them!

The Wang family: "..."

After Zhao Dongjuan got married, the Wang family came to the Shi family several times, which annoyed the Shi family.

But the Wang family was just an ordinary working-class family, not at all like Wang Zugen claimed, knowing this and that. In fact, because of their many eccentricities, their relatives and friends didn't like them.

They didn't dare to make too much of a fuss... they were really afraid Zhao Dongjuan would run away.

Leaving aside the bride price and the three gold items, they spent a lot of money on the wedding alone!

So... the Wang family coming to them didn't have much of an impact on the Shi family.

It's just a little annoying at most.

Shi Zhen, hiding in the countryside, was largely unaffected.

He was actually in a pretty good mood—Guan Baiyu was about to have his winter break.

Shi Xingchao and Shi Xinghuo will move out after the New Year, so Shi Zhen tidied up Guan Baiyu's house, leaving only his own bed in the outer room.

This makes the room much more spacious.

Shi Zhen knew the day Guan Baiyu would be home for vacation, so when the time came, he rode his tricycle to the bus station to wait for Guan Baiyu.

As it turned out... when Guan Baiyu came out of the bus station, he was accompanied by several classmates, including Qiu Yunxin, the female classmate Shi Zhen had met before who was clearly interested in Guan Baiyu.

Shi Zhen was stunned for a moment, then subconsciously looked at Guan Baiyu.

Guan Baiyu was in a bad mood.

After they finished their exams, they stayed at school for two more days for extra classes until the results came out, at which point they were allowed a break.

Winter vacation has finally started, and he's eager to see his brother, but... Qiu Yunxin and several of her friends actually want to go to Anshan Town with him.

With so many people around, he couldn't even have a proper conversation with his brother!