Matchmaker Wang didn't beat around the bush and directly stated her purpose.
The Han family has set their sights on the fourth daughter of the Song family and wants to marry Song Caixing.
They came over specifically at night, hoping to finalize the engagement while the Song couple were both home.
"My husband went to work in the next village and hasn't come back yet," Qiao Guilan said, inviting Wang the matchmaker and Wang Naiyun to drink tea.
“You’re the child’s biological mother, you can make the decision,” Wang Naiyun said impatiently. “Your fourth daughter is here to enjoy life, to be a young mistress. She won’t have to do anything, she’ll just play with the children every day…”
Matchmaker Wang secretly glared at Wang Naiyun.
Do you really think everyone else is stupid, using such twisted language!
Qiao Guilan smiled politely and said, "The child's marriage is her own business. Although I am her biological mother, I can't force my little fourth son. Don't you agree?"
“Girls always listen to their mothers, Guilan. You should persuade your daughter Caixing. The dowry offered by the Han family is definitely the highest among the surrounding villages. They value your daughter very much and will never let her suffer any losses or grievances.”
Matchmaker Wang chose to say the nicest things.
“When other families get married, the standard dowry is over a hundred yuan, plus a bicycle or a sewing machine. Sometimes the sewing machine is part of the bride’s dowry. But the Han family doesn’t need your family to provide a dowry. They buy all these things themselves. They’re rich and don’t care about that little bit of money. Although there’s a sick person in their family, Naiyun told me that they’ve hired a caregiver to take care of them. Your fourth daughter doesn’t need to help. There are plenty of young girls who are eager to marry into the Han family.”
Matchmaker Wang's words were a mix of lies and deception. Song Baogen couldn't stand it anymore and rushed out to argue with her, "Then let someone else marry her. My fourth sister won't marry!"
"We're here to talk serious business, what are you doing here causing trouble? Go away, go away!" Matchmaker Wang waved her hand with a smile.
"Han Zhiyuan and Li Er's wife were caught having an affair in a dilapidated house at the foot of the mountain by the villagers. How dare you still come to be a matchmaker?" Song Baogen was not polite to the matchmaker and Wang Naiyun at all. "You two should leave now. Han Zhiyuan is a scoundrel. Don't even think about messing with my family."
Matchmaker Wang was stunned. "What do you mean, 'Li Er's wife'? What do you mean, 'messing around'?"
“Matchmaker Wang, didn’t she tell you?” Song Baogen asked deliberately. “Yesterday afternoon, her son was caught doing that kind of thing with his wife, who sells pork, in that small, dilapidated house at the foot of the mountain closest to our village. The villagers caught them red-handed. This noon, Li Er, who sells pork, went to the machinery factory where her son works and beat him up so badly he ended up in the clinic. This matter has become a big deal.”
Wang Naiyun couldn't stand anyone talking about her son like that. "What cat in this world doesn't steal fish? My son has women who like him, which means my son is capable!"
Matchmaker Wang apologized politely to Song Baogen, "Baogen, Aunt Wang didn't know about this. If she had known, she would never have come to your house to act as matchmaker. It was Aunt Wang's fault. Aunt Wang apologizes to you. Aunt Wang promises you that she will never mention this matter again."
As soon as Wang the matchmaker stepped out of the Song family's courtyard, she started complaining to Wang Naiyun, saying that her son had done such a shameful thing, yet he still had the nerve to ask her to be his matchmaker.
"What's so shameful about it? What man doesn't have a flirtatious side? The fact that a woman likes my son proves that my son is capable!"
"Your son is so capable, why would you need me to help him find a match?" Matchmaker Wang mocked. "Don't come to me with your son's affairs anymore."
Wang Naiyun begged Wang the matchmaker for help, promising her a reward if the matter was resolved.
Matchmaker Wang didn't want to get involved anymore, so she gave Wang Naiyun some advice: "Have your son Zhiyuan take the initiative. If he really wants to marry the girl, he should be more attentive to her, spend some money on her, buy her a couple of movie tickets to take her to a movie, buy her some cloth to make her a dress or something, and then he'll win her over."
Wang Naiyun objected, "What's so great about that movie? We're almost starving, and you're still going to the movies? It's a waste of money. And look at Zhiyuan's dad's condition now..."
"Look, look, look!" Matchmaker Wang pointed at Wang Naiyun, "Look at that girl, taking care of a sick person and three children, and she's still reluctant to spend money!"
"If the old man didn't need someone to take care of him, would I have taken a liking to his daughter? His family is so poor!" Wang Naiyun accidentally let slip.
"Don't bother me with your son's marriage again. I don't want to ruin my reputation!" After saying this, Wang the matchmaker left. Wang Naiyun followed and tried to reason with her, but when she couldn't get through to her, she asked for the commission she had given her for the matchmaking.
Song Erzhuang carried the two fish home. As he entered the yard, he saw Wang the matchmaker and Han Zhiyuan's mother walking and pulling at each other.
"They came to arrange a marriage for Cai Xing, but Bao Gen chased them out." Qiao Guilan took the two live fish from Song Erzhuang's hands. "Where did you buy the fish so late at night? Why did you suddenly decide to buy fish?"
“Why did I buy fish? Someone gave them to me.” Song Erzhuang took off his coat, which was covered in cement mortar. “On my way home from work, I saw someone catching fish in the ditch. I happened to be passing by, so I stood there and watched for a while, and they gave me two fish.”
Qiao Guilan picked up the thermos and poured some hot water into the porcelain basin, then added some cold water. "This person is really nice. Did you know each other before? The water is ready, wash your face first."
While washing his face, Song Erzhuang said, "I don't know him. The young man is quite good-looking. He fishes in the ditch after get off work and has caught quite a lot. His mother is so happy that she's clapping and jumping around on the table like a child."
Qiao Guilan handed the towel to her husband, "What are you talking about? What do you mean by clapping and jumping? You're talking like an idiot."
Song Erzhuang took the towel, wiped his face, and pointed to his head, "Something's not right here with his mother."
"Is he really a fool?" Qiao Guilan asked.
"According to what the villagers are saying, the young man's mother used to be a normal person, but after her husband died, she suffered a mental shock and went insane."
"How pitiful!" Qiao Guilan said with a look of sympathy.
"That's right, I heard that young man was only a few years old back then."
Qiao Guilan looked at him with pity, "How did a crazy woman raise a child who was only a few years old? The child's grandparents must have helped him a lot!"
"Don't even mention it. I heard people talking about how when the young man's mother went crazy, his grandmother wanted to kick them both out."
"Isn't he your own grandson? It's understandable to drive away your crazy wife, but how come you don't even want your own grandson now that your son is dead?"
“The young man’s father is not the old lady’s biological son; he was adopted.” After wiping his face, Song Erzhuang put the towel back on the washbasin stand. “When the old lady was young, she couldn’t have children, so she adopted one. Unexpectedly, the year after the child was brought back, she gave birth to a son. After that, she gave birth to six more children in a row. Including the adopted one, she had a total of six sons and one daughter.”
The couple talked for a while, then called their children to have dinner.
Song Caixing's eyes were red, and she refused to come out for dinner.
"What's the situation with Xiao Si?" Song Erzhuang asked.
Qiao Guilan explained to her husband in private, "I said a few words to her. You work hard outside all day to support her, and she actually said bad things about you, her father. I was being lenient with her."
Song Erzhuang didn't say anything more.
Song Yinhua and Song Baogen then carried the table out of the house. Qiao Guilan rushed over and called out from afar, "Baogen, you must be tired after a long day at work. These are all women's jobs. You're a boy, you don't need to do these things."
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