Lin Tao left the island early the next morning, went to the department store and bought four gift boxes of cigarettes, alcohol, candy and tea, and carried them toward the Hao family.
Hao Mei got up early; there were many people in her family, and she hadn't slept well the night before.
"Mom, how is Hao Jia? It's been over a year since she left."
"Sigh, what can we do? We can't eat or sleep well there, and we have to send money back every month."
Hao's mother was also very worried about her youngest daughter who had gone to the countryside, but once she got there, there was nothing anyone could do. She didn't have a job, and she couldn't ask her daughter-in-law to give up her job for her daughter; that was simply impossible.
"They're going down in batches, and we don't know when they'll be back. Do you and Lin Tao have any connections to get your sister transferred back? She's already eighteen..."
Hao Mei was at a loss. Many doctors and nurses in her hospital had their children sent to the countryside. If there was even a sliver of hope, how could she not consider her child's future? She really had no other options; Lin Tao was also a nobody with no connections.
Hao's mother knew she was putting her eldest daughter in a difficult position, and she was also very anxious, so she tried anything out of desperation.
Because his eldest daughter's boyfriend was coming, Mr. Hao took half a day off, and Mr. Hao's eldest brother also took a break; they were all waiting for Lin Tao.
Hearing the knock, Hao Mei quickly went to open the door.
"Come in quickly."
"Mom and Dad, older brother, this is Lin Tao. Lin Tao, these are my parents and older brother."
Hao Mei made introductions, and the two looked each other over.
"Hello, Uncle and Aunt, hello, elder brother, I am Lin Tao."
Putting everything else aside, the Lin family has good genes. Lin Tao is 1.8 meters tall, with thick eyebrows and big eyes, exactly the kind of look parents liked in that era. Plus, he looks very upright in his military uniform.
"Yes, please sit down."
When Hao's father spoke up, Lin Tao quickly sat down.
"I've heard some things about you from Hao Mei. Now tell me about your family situation. After all, marriage isn't just about the two of you; it also involves your families."
Lin Tao knew that Hao's father was in charge of the Hao family, and since the old man had spoken, he had to give a proper answer.
"Uncle, let me briefly introduce my family's situation."
Lin Tao straightened his posture, placed his hands on his knees, and adopted a more serious attitude.
“My grandparents are both alive and in good health. There are three brothers and one sister in my family. My eldest brother is married and has children, my younger brother is in the navy, and my sister is also married. My father is the captain of our brigade, and my mother works at home.”
"After Hao Mei and I got married, I spent most of my time in Beijing and only came back occasionally during holidays. My parents told me to find a time when my uncle and aunt were available for them to visit and discuss the wedding arrangements."
Lin Tao's words were true, and Hao's father had nothing to complain about.
"Mom and Dad, we have limited time. Let's set a date as soon as possible. I still need to spend a few more days with his family."
Hao Mei has a cheerful and outgoing personality, which her father greatly appreciates. However, today, he's not very happy. A daughter grows up and leaves home; trying to keep her only leads to resentment.
"Alright, be a little more reserved. Since you've already registered your marriage, we won't bother with those customs anymore. Just do the betrothal gifts according to local custom. It's not easy to take the things you buy with you anyway, so let's just leave it at that. If you need anything, you can get it when you get back."
Although Mr. Hao valued his son more, he did not mistreat his daughter and gave her everything she deserved.
Especially the eldest daughter, whose personality is unlike that of the younger daughter, doesn't like to act spoiled and can endure hardship, so they tend to pay less attention to her. Now that she's getting married, they can't afford a very impressive dowry, but they also won't ask for an outrageous bride price.
"Hao Mei, after you enlisted, your family didn't take your allowance; you kept it all yourself. When you get married, you can take the bride price with you, and we'll give you another hundred yuan as a dowry. We won't prepare any other dowry; it's too far away."
"Dad, no need, I have enough money of my own."
At that moment, Hao Mei knew that she was about to leave home, and when she returned, she would be a guest.
“What’s yours is yours. We, as parents, don’t have much, but we won’t be completely unprepared. Tomorrow, have your parents come over to set a time for you to hold the wedding on the island. We won’t be hosting a banquet.”
"Understood, Uncle and Aunt."
Lin Tao felt that Hao Mei's father was quite reasonable, just a bit serious.
During this time, neither Hao's eldest brother nor Hao's mother said a word; Hao's father did everything on his behalf.
After a fairly hearty lunch, Lin Tao and Hao Mei went for a stroll to discuss the arrangements at home.
"Hao Mei, because we came back so suddenly, my family wasn't prepared, and the rooms might not have had time to be cleaned again. My mother said that the new bedding I prepared in advance is for us to buy when we return to Beijing, and they don't have the tickets."
Lin Tao didn't want to get married himself and have Bao Ni help him with the arrangements; he had already benefited greatly from her help.
“I understand. We just want a simple wedding, for both families to get to know each other, and we can prepare the rest later. I still have some savings, enough for now.”
“I have some too. During the years I was in the army, my family didn’t ask for my allowance, and I didn’t spend it much. I’ve basically saved it all, and I’ll give it all to you when the time comes.”
The two discussed with great enthusiasm how to decorate their new home when they got back. A little while later, it was time to set sail. Lin Tao boarded the boat, promising to come back with his parents the next day. The two parted reluctantly.
Lin Tao went home and told his parents about the Hao family's requirements. Bao Ni's parents thought this in-laws were not bad, mainly because they had their eldest daughter-in-law to compare with.
The next day, the three of them brought some more seafood to the door.
Although they lived by the sea, the Hao family didn't have the same access to seafood as the Lin family. Moreover, the Lin family had some decent dried sea cucumbers and dried abalone.
Both families wanted their children's marriage to have a good background, and the arrangements went smoothly. Bao Ni's mother said they would give 88 yuan as a bride price and another 200 yuan as a settling-in allowance. This was because Lin Tao had been receiving his own allowance for many years.
Both families were very satisfied, and the matter was settled. They checked the calendar and found that the day after tomorrow was an auspicious day for the wedding. They would come over in the morning, distribute some wedding candy to the neighbors, take a boat to the island in the afternoon, and have the wedding feast the following morning.
After the matter was settled, the two families had a meal at a state-run restaurant, which was paid for by Lin Tao.
After dinner, Bonnie's parents and Lin Tao went to the supply and marketing cooperative and bought a lot of fruit candies and some odds and ends, which they would need on the wedding day.
On the boat back, Lin Tao kept chuckling to himself. Bao Ni's mother thought to herself, "He's finally come to his senses; he knows it's good to get married." He didn't stop smiling the whole way. Bao Ni's father was also happy. Their whole lives had been about watching their children get married and have children, generation after generation.
Back home, Lin Tao's room had been tidied up by his relatives and friends. Han Weidong had already moved back to the educated youth settlement. He was recovering well and couldn't stay at the Lin family's house indefinitely!
The room had new wallpaper and "double happiness" decorations, and the newly made red quilts clearly indicated it was a newlywed's home. There wasn't time to redo the furniture, and they hadn't brought much luggage back with them.
Everything is ready, and we're just waiting for the newlyweds to move in.
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