"Then let's do this," Ye Xiaoxiao said, "the bride price will be two hundred yuan, plus some clothes and jewelry. Song Qing seems like a good young man; it's important to settle down and build a good life together."
Everyone agreed that this made sense. Xu Jinfeng then said, "Then it's settled. I'll have his parents prepare, and we'll send the gift money over in a few days."
Wang Dazhu said, "I think we shouldn't delay this. Let's get the wedding done before the summer harvest. We're all family anyway, no need for all the formalities."
Mr. Zhou nodded repeatedly. Although Ms. Zhou didn't speak, she couldn't hide the smile on her face.
[Task Completed: Find a suitable husband for Zhou Amei. Reward: 500 yuan.]
After seeing Xu Jinfeng and the others off, Ye Xiaoxiao asked Zhou Amei, "So, are you satisfied with Song Tao?"
"Yes," Zhou Amei nodded with a smile, "He's a very nice person. He's very patient when talking to me, and he even uses gestures to communicate with my dad."
"Of course, he served in the army for five years," Ye Xiaoxiao said. "And he's a very honest person; he won't mistreat you."
Zhou Amei's eyes were a little red: "Sister-in-law, thank you so much. If it weren't for you, how could I have found such a good person?" Zhou Amei was truly grateful. She had been on some dates before, but as soon as she heard that the man would be a live-in son-in-law, the good families were unwilling. Those who were willing were either divorced, very old, or disabled.
"No need to thank me, it's all fate." Ye Xiaoxiao waved her hand. "Alright, go back and get ready. We'll buy what we need gradually over the next few days."
After Zhou Amei left, Xu Jinfeng pulled Ye Xiaoxiao aside and said, "Xiaoxiao, are you serious about opening a small shop?"
"Of course," Ye Xiaoxiao said. "The policies are good now, allowing individual businesses to operate. There are so many people over there, you need somewhere to buy things, right?"
"That's true," Xu Jinfeng said, "but I don't know where to begin..."
"That's easy," Ye Xiaoxiao laughed. "You and your brother prepare two hundred yuan first, and I'll take you to the county supply and marketing cooperative to buy goods. If you don't know what to buy, I'll make a list for you."
"That would be great!" Xu Jinfeng exclaimed happily. "I'll have to trouble you then."
"Of course," Ye Xiaoxiao said, "but we'll have to wait until Zhou Amei's wedding is over."
"That's right, that's right." Xu Jinfeng nodded repeatedly.
A few days later, the Song family indeed arrived with the betrothal gifts. In addition to the agreed-upon two hundred yuan, they also brought two sets of clothes and a pair of earrings. Although they weren't anything particularly valuable, they represented their goodwill.
Zhou Amei was delighted, and seeing Song Tao made her feel even more that he was a reliable person. Unlike some people who talk a good game but then make excuses when it comes to the end.
They decided to set the date for early June. They wanted to get the wedding done before the summer harvest, so Song Tao could help with some farm work.
During this time, Zhou Amei was busy preparing her dowry, while Song Tao helped Zhou's father tidy up the yard and prepare the new house. The two got along very well, and everyone in the village said it was a good match between them.
Seeing Zhou Amei's cheerful demeanor every day, Ye Xiaoxiao felt happy too. This girl had a hard life, losing her mother at a young age, but now she had finally found a good home.
"Sister-in-law, is this enough?" Zhou Amei asked Ye Xiaoxiao, pointing to the dowry she had prepared.
"Let me see." Ye Xiaoxiao counted, "Four sets of bedding, a few pieces of clothing, and some odds and ends... that's about it. Anyway, Song Tao said that we're mainly concerned with daily life and don't care about these things."
"Yes," Zhou Amei said with a smile, "He said that as long as the person goes, nothing else matters."
Ye Xiaoxiao looked at Zhou Amei with satisfaction. This girl was lucky to have met such a reasonable person. Although Song Tao's family was poor, he was honest and hardworking, and he had a skill. A person like that would surely have a better life.
By early May, Zhou Amei's side began making arrangements for the engagement. Normally, a son-in-law who moves into the bride's family doesn't need such a grand affair, but he still wanted to give Zhou Amei a proper wedding.
"How about this?" Song Tao asked Ye Xiaoxiao, "I'll invite a few tables, one for Uncle Zhou's relatives and another for the neighbors."
Ye Xiaoxiao nodded: "That's a good idea. Even though it's an engagement, we still need to maintain a certain level of formality. That way, the neighbors will be happy too."
Song Tao said apologetically, "It's just that I'm a little short on money..."
"Don't worry about that," Ye Xiaoxiao said. "I'll lend you a hundred yuan, and you can pay me back later when you have the money."
"This...this isn't quite right, is it?" Song Tao hesitated.
"What's wrong with that?" Ye Xiaoxiao said, "You're Amei's man, so you're family. Besides, marriage is a big deal, and we should maintain a proper appearance."
Song Tao was deeply moved: "Thank you, sister-in-law. I will definitely live a good life and pay back the money as soon as possible."
On the day of the engagement, the whole village was bustling with excitement. Zhou Amei wore her new clothes, and her smile never faded. Song Tao was also dressed neatly, and he even wore his military uniform.
During the feast, everyone in the village said they were a perfect couple. Even those who usually loved to gossip couldn't say anything bad about them at this moment.
Not long after their engagement, Xu Jinfeng approached Ye Xiaoxiao and talked about wanting to open a small shop.
"Girl, what do you think of the timing?" Xu Jinfeng asked.
"The timing is perfect," Ye Xiaoxiao said. "I'll take you to the county town to buy goods in a couple of days. Now that the market is open, more and more people are doing business. If we don't act now, this good opportunity will be taken by someone else."
Xu Jinfeng nodded repeatedly: "Then I'll do as you say. How much money do you think we need?"
"Two hundred yuan should be enough," Ye Xiaoxiao said. "Mainly daily necessities, and also some candy and snacks. Write down what other people want to order, and we'll stock up on those next time."
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