Good? Good is the easiest to change.
What is the hardest thing to change? Beautiful appearance and figure, and a good family background.
Sun Minghui couldn't change this.
Ning Tang asked, "Have you ever been to his house? Not just from what he said, but actually seeing him there?"
Zhao Qing shook her head hesitantly.
Ning Tang smiled. "Then I'll make a bet with you. After the New Year, your mother and I will accompany you to visit the Sun family. If you still think this family is okay and want to marry Sun Minghui, then I promise I'll persuade your parents."
Zhao Qing knew that Mrs. Luo listened to Ning Tang very much, and Political Commissar Zhao and Shen Lie also got along well.
His eyes lit up immediately, "Are you serious?"
"Really." A smile flashed in Ning Tang's eyes.
Don't regret it, little girl.
As soon as the Lantern Festival was over, Zhao Qing urged Mrs. Luo and Ning Tang to go to the Sun family.
She had probably been arguing with Political Commissar Zhao all year long, and she wanted to find two helpers as soon as possible to persuade her father.
On the morning of February 14th, Zhao Qing, Mrs. Luo, and Ning Tang took a boat to Hailang Island.
On the boat, Zhao Qing kept reminding them, "When you get to Minghui's house, don't say anything careless. Don't be critical of him. Minghui's family may not be well off, but don't discriminate against them. Don't make him feel uncomfortable."
Ning Tang smiled and nodded, "Don't worry, right?"
Mrs. Luo opened her mouth several times but still didn't say anything.
After getting off the boat, Mrs. Luo asked, "Where is Sun Minghui?"
Zhao Qing pursed her lips, "He...he has something to do."
So there is no one here? Come and answer it.
Zhao Qing quickly changed the subject and said, "Let's go to the department store. We can't go to someone's house empty-handed."
Ning Tang curled his lips, "Qingqing has grown up and knows etiquette now."
Mrs. Luo retorted, "I've never heard of a woman visiting a man's house to introduce herself to him. She's not expected to bring gifts."
Zhao Qing stamped her foot and stretched out her voice. "Mom—" She curled her lips, "You just can't bear to spend that money. I have a job now, I have money, so why don't I just go out?"
While Zhao Qing wasn't paying attention, Mrs. Luo pulled Ning Tang aside and started to talk. "I do care about that little money. Her own salary isn't enough for her to spend, and she still has to rely on me and Old Zhao to subsidize her. We haven't said a single word of no to each other. I'm just afraid that she'll buy this and that and spoil the whole family."
Ning Tang patted Mrs. Luo's hand soothingly, "Just let her be. She's really rebellious now. She won't listen to anything you say."
Only when you hit your head against the wall do you know what it means to be broken and bloody.
So they went to the supply and marketing cooperative and bought a bunch of things. Zhao Qing said as she picked, "This piece of cloth is for Minghui's third sister, and this box of vanishing cream is for Minghui's fourth sister." She took out two bottles of malted milk and said, "These two bottles of malted milk are for Auntie to nourish her body." She also took out a bottle of wine and said, "I heard that Uncle likes to drink. This? It's perfect for him."
Mrs. Luo watched her choose, expressionless, "You're so thoughtful. Why don't you buy all the bones that the Sun family's guard dog eats?"
Zhao Qing's eyes lit up. "Should we buy two pieces of meat? It will be a good addition to our lunch."
Mrs. Luo held her forehead in anger. It seemed that she didn't listen at all.
Ning Tang pulled Zhao Qing over and led her towards the meat stall. "You can buy some, but it's getting late now. Don't be late. You can buy some next time."
Zhao Qing thought about it and felt that what Ning Tang said made sense. It was her first time visiting someone's home, and if she was late, it would leave a very bad impression on Sun Minghui's parents. So she gave up going to the meat stall.
Zhao Qing bought too many things and couldn't carry them all by herself, so she had to ask Mrs. Luo and Ning Tang to help her share.
After walking for about an hour, we still hadn't reached Sun's house.
Mrs. Luo asked, "Where is his home?"
Zhao Qing pulled out a small slip of paper with the address written on it from her pocket, glanced at it, and pursed her lips. "We'll have to walk a little further."
Mrs. Luo leaned over to take a look and was so angry that she almost turned back the way she came.
It is said to be in the old city of Jiang City, but in fact it is much more remote than the old city. It is in a village on the outskirts of Jiang City. It’s just that it is backed by the old city. How can you say that you live in the old city?
Mrs. Luo's evaluation of Sun Minghui dropped another level.
Ning Tang also labeled Sun Minghui as dishonest.
In fact, it doesn’t matter where you live. What’s important is that Sun Minghui, for the sake of his vanity, pretends that something exists when it doesn’t.
He could even lie about his address. It was hard to imagine how many of his words to Zhao Qing were true and how many were false.
I walked for more than an hour before I saw the gate of the Sun family.
Zhao Qing was carrying the most things in her hands, and sweat was breaking out on her forehead as she walked.
Sun Minghui was standing on the path at the village entrance. Seeing Zhao Qing, he smiled and walked over to her. "Qingqing, you're finally here! I was almost looking for you at the dock." He glanced at the things Zhao Qing was carrying and took them from her. "Why did you buy so many things? Isn't it heavy?"
Zhao Qing smiled sweetly, "No need, we'll be there soon."
Ning Tang complained in his heart, it was very fast, it took more than two hours.
Zhao Qing added, "It's not expensive. I bought them for your parents and your sister. It's a little gift from me."
Sun Minghui smiled even brighter than hers, "Too much money."
The two smiled at each other, full of love.
Mrs. Luo couldn't bear it anymore and coughed violently.
Sun Minghui seemed to have just realized what was happening and nodded modestly towards Mrs. Luo. "This must be Auntie, hello."
Mrs. Luo hummed in a low voice.
Sun Minghui looked at Ning Tang and asked hesitantly, "Who is this?"
He had never heard that Zhao Qing had a sister.
Zhao Qing said casually, "Oh, this is my mother's friend, the lover of Captain Shen of the South China Sea Fleet. Ning Tang, you can call her Sister Ning Tang, or Aunt Ning."
Ning Tang is young and looks young too.
Zhao Qing called her Aunt Ning because she usually called Chen Lie Uncle Shen, following Chen Lie's generation.
But in fact, Ning Tang is only a few years older than Zhao Qing.
The leader’s lover?
Sun Minghui's eyes flashed with a gleam, and he said sweetly, "This sister is so young, how can you call her Aunt Ning? You must call her Sister Ning Tang."
"Haha." Ning Tang laughed and didn't respond.
Sun Minghui was a little puzzled. With his face and mouth, he was always invincible in front of women. Why did he fail in front of Mrs. Luo and Ning Tang today?
This was the first time Ning Tang saw Sun Minghui in person.
Sun Minghui is not tall, just as Mrs. Luo said, he is only about 1.65 meters at most. He has fair skin, regular facial features, and is a little handsome.
Sun Minghui invited, "Let's stop talking at the door. Come in and sit down. Let's have lunch first and then talk slowly later."
He took Zhao Qing, Mrs. Luo, and Ning Tang and walked for ten minutes before arriving at his home.
Mrs. Luo frowned and looked around, "Is this your home?"
The two houses in front of him were not the two tiled houses that Zhao Qing had mentioned. They were simply built with wood and thatch.
Moreover, the outside was dusty, looked very shabby, and had some drafts.
Zhao Qing was also surprised and asked hesitantly, "Minghui...you live here?"
She was used to seeing the beautiful and exquisite two-story buildings in the military family compound on Hailang Island, so she was really scared when she suddenly saw these two thatched houses.
Sun Minghui lowered his head at the right time, and said in a low voice, "I know you think my family conditions are not good enough..."
Zhao Qing suddenly became anxious and took Sun Minghui's arm, "How could I complain that your family's conditions are not good enough? We will be a family from now on."
Mrs. Luo coughed and said, "Don't talk nonsense if it's not even a clue."
Zhao Qing stomped her feet, "Mom!"
Ning Tang even suspected that the drug Sun Minghui had given Zhao Qing had penetrated her brain. She had even seen the thatched hut, so why hadn't she woken up yet?
She shook her head secretly, forcing a smile on her face, "Let's go in."
Sun Minghui said, "Come in quickly. My parents and my third and fourth sisters have been waiting for you for a long time." He smiled at Zhao Qing and said, "Or maybe my eldest and second sisters happened to be busy today, so they had to rush back to see you."
Zhao Qing showed a hint of shyness on her face. "No, no need to trouble my elder and second sisters."
Ning Tang snorted in his heart, calling him already?
As Ning Tang entered the house, his vision suddenly darkened.
The Sun family's house was dark. Sun Minghui groped on the wall for a long time before he found the switch and turned on the dim incandescent lamp in his house.
This is broad daylight.
"You must be Minghui's girlfriend, or her family, right?" A woman walked into another thatched cottage, lifting the cotton curtain. "I'm Minghui's third sister. My name is Sun Xinan."
"Ah!" Mrs. Luo was startled and looked up and down at Sun Xinan in surprise.
The third sister of Sun Minghui in front of me is very petite.
To say she is petite is a compliment. Mrs. Luo doubts whether Sun Xinan's waist is as high as hers.
Ning Tang's heart was beating like a drum and his eyelids were twitching non-stop.
Mrs. Luo might just think that Sun Xinan is unusually short, but Ning Tang is from the modern era and has taken biology and genetics classes.
This height, these small hands, these small feet, isn't this dwarfism!
Ning Tang tried to calm his heartbeat and forced a smile. "Where are Minghui's third sister, Minghui's parents?"
We have to meet Sun Minghui's parents to confirm whether it is real dwarfism.
"Oh, my mom and my fourth sister are cooking in the kitchen. My dad is right there." Sun Xinan called out, "Dad."
The layout of the Sun family's thatched house is that there is a square table in the middle, and then there is a wooden bed against the wall about an arm's length away from the table.
Sun Xinan shouted, and a very hoarse voice came from under the layers of bedding on the wooden bed, "Hey."
Ning Tang looked in the direction of the voice. The Sun family's bedding had not been washed for who knows how long. It was black and hard, and there were several layers of bedding. Sun Minghui's father's face was completely covered by the bedding. No wonder they didn't notice it when they came in just now.
Every time Mrs. Luo looked at the Sun family and their relatives, her heart sank into an ice cellar. She had a cold face and refused to speak.
Zhao Qing tried to warm up the atmosphere and pulled Mrs. Luo to talk to Sun Minghui and Sun Xinan, but Mrs. Luo did not respond and the conversation did not start.
She looked at Ning Tang for help, "Aunt Ning——"
Ning Tang said, "Minghui, I heard from Qingqing that you love her very much. If she marries into your family, she won't have to do any housework."
Speaking of this, Zhao Qing sweetly took Sun Minghui's arm and looked at Sun Minghui with her big eyes full of love.
Sun Minghui glanced at her lovingly and replied, "Of course. Qingqing told me that she never did housework at home, so I definitely won't ask her to do housework when she comes to my house."
"Is that so?" Ning Tang smiled. "One more question: Can you do housework? Also, who does housework in your family?"
"I don't know how." Sun Minghui said without thinking, "My mother and my third and fourth sisters do the housework."
Ning Tang nodded. "Let me be frank. Your mother will pass away sooner or later, and your third and fourth sisters will also get married. You can't do housework. This housework—" She stretched out her voice and glanced at Zhao Qing. "Sooner or later, it will fall on Qingqing, right?"
Mrs. Luo's eyes lit up, and she said, "Then what do you mean by 'no need' to do housework? Is that just empty talk?" She deliberately said, "Doing housework is hard work. You have to get up early and stay up late to cook, sweep the floor, wipe the table, and wash clothes. What if Qingqing happened to be pregnant? Doing this while pregnant..."
Ning Tang said, "If you don't feel bad, we do."
Zhao Qing's heart skipped a beat when she heard this. She looked at Sun Minghui, "Minghui—"
Sun Minghui's eyes flickered, but he didn't answer directly. Instead, he patted Zhao Qing's hand and said soothingly, "Don't worry, my mother is in good health, and my third and fourth sisters won't be getting married soon, so they can help."
Before Zhao Qing wanted to say something else, two women, one old and one young, came in, lifted the cotton curtain, and brought the dishes to the table.
After introducing each other, Sun Minghui's mother and his fourth sister Sun Ting were not talkative people, and the conversation became dull after a few sentences.
Ning Tang looked at them a few more times. Both of them were of normal height. If Sun Xinan hadn't been standing there, she would have thought she was overthinking it.
Sun Minghui was a little embarrassed and pointed at the dishes and said, "You must be hungry after all this journey. Come, let's eat quickly."
Sun Minghui's mother called out to the bed, "Old man, it's time for dinner."
Sun Minghui's father responded, lifted up the layers of bedding and jumped out of bed.
When Ning Tang saw Sun Minghui's father, his eyelids twitched wildly. The reason was simple: this was another dwarf.
Sun Minghui's father is very short, about the same height as Sun Xinan, with the same small hands and feet.
His father is darker and has rough skin, and looks like an "old child".
No wonder Sun Minghui said that his father could only do odd jobs. With such a defect, it is really difficult to find a normal job.
Moreover, Sun Minghui mentioned that his father had problems with his legs and feet. Ning Tang took a quick look and saw that Sun Minghui's father walked with a limp, didn't he? It didn't look like he had any problems.
Zhao Qing was startled. Her eyes flicked from Sun Xinan to Sun Minghui's father, and she hesitated, "Minghui?"
Before coming, Sun Minghui warned her that his father and third sister were not very tall.
But Zhao Qing never thought that he would be so short.
She was very tall, and standing next to Sun Minghui's father and his sister, she looked like she had accidentally entered a "Lilliputian country".
Mrs. Luo also felt that something was wrong. In a family, it was actually quite normal for one person to be short occasionally. But among the five people in the Sun family, two were short, and they did not look like normal short people. How could anyone be so short that even their hands and feet were "short"?
Sun Minghui's heart skipped a beat when he heard Zhao Qing calling him. He forced a smile and pointed at the food, "Let's eat first and talk while we eat."
Maybe Sun Minghui had given some notice in advance, so today's dishes were very rich, with chicken, fish, meat and vegetables.
Ning Tang observed secretly and found that during the meal, Sun Minghui was taking care of Zhao Qing all the time. He would pick fish for her and carefully remove the fish bones. From time to time, he would ask Zhao Qing what dishes she wanted to eat and then pick them for her. He would also make soup for her and carefully place the soup bowl in front of her. He took very good care of her.
No wonder Zhao Qing was so determined to hang on this crooked tree. This Sun Minghui really has some extraordinary qualities.
After dinner, Sun Minghui's mother, Sun Xinan and Sun Ting cleared the table, and the two families sat facing each other at the table.
Although Sun Minghui's father was very petite, his intelligence was normal and his speech was quite coherent. However, what he said was very unpleasant to the ear. "Mother-in-law, why didn't father-in-law come?"
As soon as she finished speaking, Mrs. Luo frowned, "Sun Minghui's father, the two children are still in the dating stage, please don't yell."
Sun Minghui lowered his head at the right moment and said, "Auntie, I know you don't like me."
Mrs. Luo hadn't said anything yet, but Zhao Qing got angry and said, "My mother doesn't dislike you." She winked at Mrs. Luo frantically.
Mrs. Luo really wanted to strangle her to death, but she couldn't give her face outside, so she said in a muffled voice, "His father is in trouble."
Political Commissar Zhao has a meeting today, so he would have come along too.
Zhao Qing also chose this day on purpose, fearing that Political Commissar Zhao would come and ruin everything.
Sun Minghui's father nodded. "I heard Qingqing's father is a political commissar. As an official, he should be busier than ordinary people like us."
Mrs. Luo didn't know how to respond to this. She was not good at speaking, so she nudged Ning Tang with her elbow, indicating that Ning Tang should say a few more words for her.
Ning Tang looked around and said with a smile, "If the Sun family really marries the Zhao family, how much do you plan to give Qingqing as a betrothal gift, and where will the wedding banquet be held?"
Sun Minghui was stunned. He had obviously never thought about this question. "Dowry, betrothal gift." His eyes rolled around. "I'll give Qingqing whatever she wants."
These words almost made Ning Tang laugh out loud. It turned out that he had guessed that Zhao Qing was a silly girl who was unwilling to let him spend more money.
As expected, upon hearing this, Zhao Qing quickly said, "I don't want a betrothal gift. That's an old custom. It's no longer popular." She glanced at Sun Minghui shyly and lowered her head. "As long as the two of us live happily, nothing else matters."
Seeing that the two were about to start being affectionate again, Ning Tang coughed, "You don't want it, your parents do. Do you think your parents spent little money to raise you to this age?"
Mrs. Luo understood, "I don't want more either. Three turns and one ring, plus forty-eight legs."
Sun Minghui's father's face suddenly darkened, "I can't afford it."
Ning Tang stood up and said, "Sister-in-law, Qingqing, shall we go?"
Sun Minghui was anxious. He also saw that Ning Tang had a lot of say in this matter. "Sister Ning Tang, don't be anxious." He gritted his teeth and said, "I can give it to you. I can add to it slowly in the future."
So it's just a matter of dragging it out.
Ning Tang didn't want to waste any more time talking to this family. "What about the wedding banquet?"
Sun Minghui's mother said, "Wedding banquet? Why have a wedding banquet? Just prepare a table of food and have the family eat together. It's lively and that's all." She muttered, "When I married his father, there was no wedding banquet."
So since you don't have it, why don't you let Zhao Qing have it?
Zhao Qing shuddered when she heard there was no wedding banquet.
How could a girl, especially a girl like Zhao Qing who has been pampered since childhood, not fantasize about a lively wedding? When she heard that the Sun family would not hold a wedding banquet for her, she had an indescribable feeling in her heart.
Ning Tang glanced at Zhao Qing and, seeing she finally reacted, added to the story. "If Qingqing is pregnant, will she go to the hospital in Jiang City for regular checkups, or will she go to the neighboring city of Long City to give birth? And which hospital will she go to?"
"Hospital?" Sun Minghui's mother was stunned. "Why go to the hospital? Hospitals are all a rip-off. I can just wait at home and help her deliver the baby."
Ning Tang said, "I'm afraid it's not possible for you to deliver the baby."
Sun Minghui's mother smiled wryly at Mrs. Luo and said, "Dear... Qingqing's mother, don't worry. I've given birth to five children and raised them all. I can definitely ensure that Qingqing's baby is born safely."
Mrs. Luo's face darkened and she didn't respond.
Mrs. Luo was once pregnant with Zhao Qing's brother, but the baby died before birth because of improper care. She had even been to the hospital and consulted a doctor.
Zhao Qing would occasionally hear Mrs. Luo mention this matter. When she heard Sun Minghui's mother say that she couldn't go to the hospital, her heart skipped a beat and she became inexplicably scared.
Seeing the fear on Zhao Qing's face, Ning Tang gritted his teeth and used his trump card, "Sun Minghui's father, forgive me for being nosy, but you are a little shorter than ordinary people, right? Minghui's third sister is the same. Is your short stature hereditary? What if Qingqing also gives birth to a child?" He didn't finish his words, leaving others with endless room for imagination.
She is not discriminating against people with dwarfism. Compared with normal people, people with dwarfism do have some defects, but they have hands and feet, and are actually not much worse than normal people.
Just look at Sun Minghui's father and you will know that he does not delay anything, including getting married and having children.
If it wasn't for Zhao Qing, she really didn't want to expose anyone's scars.
Sure enough, after hearing Ning Tang's words, Sun Minghui's father's face suddenly turned dark.
Zhao Qing got anxious when she saw that Sun Minghui's father looked unhappy. She winked at Ning Tang and said, "Aunt Ning! Stop talking!"
Ning Tang glared back, "You're the one who kept your mouth shut."
Mrs. Luo slapped Zhao Qing hard. Ning Tang was helping her, but she couldn't see it. This girl was so stupid!
Mrs. Luo ignored Zhao Qing and let Ning Tang continue.
Ning Tang continued, "Have you been to the hospital for this situation? What did the doctor say?"
Being shorter than normal people? This fact is a lifelong scar for Sun Minghui's father. "What are you looking at? No, there's no need to look. I'm not sick!"
Mrs. Luo said, "If you're not sick, then why don't you go to the hospital and get a checkup so you can rest assured."
Sun Ting was a rather reserved person, remaining silent throughout the meal. Suddenly, she said, "Everyone in my family is fine. We don't need any tests."
Sun Xinan's eyes flashed with a fierce look. "If you think there's something wrong with us, then fine, we'll get married and leave!"
"Let's go." Mrs. Luo didn't want to stay any longer. She would feel itchy all over if she stayed for another second. She pulled Zhao Qing and Ning Tang and went out.
Zhao Qing was being dragged away. She and Sun Minghui looked at each other from a distance. She stretched out her hand towards Sun Minghui and shouted, "Minghui!"
Sun Minghui glanced at his family and rushed out the door.
The three of them had already walked a distance when Sun Minghui hurried over, "Auntie, Sister Ning Tang, let's discuss anything slowly."
He gritted his teeth and said, "I know you dislike my family's shortness, but this is not their choice."
Ning Tang stopped and said, "I just want to ask you one question, have you been to the hospital?"
Sun Minghui stammered, "I've seen it...once."
When Sun Xinan was six years old, he was about the same height as a three-year-old child. Sun Minghui's father and mother took Sun Xinan to a big hospital for examination. The doctor said that he seemed to have dwarfism or some kind of disease.
Sun Minghui had asked about this before, but whenever he mentioned it, his father's face turned dark and he wanted to beat him, so he didn't dare ask again.
Sun Minghui patted his chest and assured Zhao Qing, "Qingqing, don't worry. My father and my third sister are just a little shorter than average. Look, there are five children in our family, and only my third sister is short. The chances are very low. When we have children in the future, it's impossible for every one of them to be my third sister. It's not that coincidental."
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