Chapter 48 The vixen promised 1,500, not a penny less! ...
Similar to the Chen family, Li Cuiping's family didn't have any relatives to visit. Her father's side of the family had been cut off since she and her brother changed their surnames to follow their mother.
There were many people at her mother's side, but Li Huandi only took her things back to see her parents and younger brother.
The snow was heavy on the first day of the Lunar New Year, so Li Huandi rode her bicycle there by herself.
I don't know what kind of shock she suffered at her parents' house, but ever since she came back, she's been acting like a complete jerk.
She would nitpick even when Li Cuiping was sweeping the floor, and she would complain that her cooking was not good enough. Her words were all meant to make things difficult for her.
She was wrapped in a floral cotton-padded jacket, her hair styled in big, newly permed waves for the New Year, and she leaned lazily against the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed).
With sunflower seed shells scattered everywhere, she said, "Pah, Cui'er, you must have made a lot of money in Xinjiang this year, aren't you going to give some to your mother?"
Li Cuiping didn't respond, but just kept working. After sweeping up the sunflower seed shells on the ground, she started making lunch.
She pulled out a few potatoes from under the table, washed them, and prepared to stir-fry some potato shreds.
Seeing that her daughter ignored her, Li Huandi was not angry. Instead, she rolled her eyes and looked her daughter up and down.
Li Cuiping is actually quite pretty, with thick eyebrows and big eyes, and she has a lot of energy. It's just that she has been doing a lot of farm work, and her skin is a bit tanned.
Judging from how efficiently she works, you can tell she'll be a thrifty person in the future. She just doesn't usually dress up, but recently her hair has grown long, giving her a touch of feminine charm.
Outsiders might not know, but Li Huandi, as the mother, knew perfectly well that her daughter had a great figure, with big breasts and a big butt, and looked like she could easily bear children.
She's reached the age where she can get married.
My daughter is growing up, and it's not a good thing for her to stay at home any longer, especially since my son and his sister seem to be getting closer lately.
That won't do. This girl has always been good at stealing men from her since she was little. When her father was still alive, she fought with her for her husband. Now that unlucky dead man is really dead, she's started fighting with her for her son.
Since she doesn't hand over the money she earns to me anyway, I might as well get her married off as soon as possible rather than let her stay at home and freeload off me.
She can also collect a hefty dowry.
It's a pity about the good marriage we found for her before the new year; the man couldn't wait and got married long ago.
Li Huandi frantically racked her brains for suitable candidates. They had to come from well-off families, be wealthy, and not be too far apart in age. There were really not many suitable people.
After a long while, she seemed to finally think of something. Her eyes lit up, and the corners of her lips couldn't help but curl up slightly. Her little thoughts were swirling in her mind.
Li Huandi jumped up, put on her shoes, and said, "Don't wait for me, I have to go out for a bit," before turning and disappearing from the house.
Seeing this, Li Cuiping didn't think much of it. Her mother had been going out to visit neighbors for a long time, and when asked, she said it was just a habit.
After finishing her meal as usual, she packed up her old clothes. There was nothing else to do at home, so she planned to leave in a few days.
But... I wonder if my friend will be staying at home for a while longer?
After tidying up her clothes, she stood in front of the mirror again, carefully combing her beautiful black hair.
Her hair was growing fast and had already reached her collarbone. Li Cuiping tried to measure it a couple of times and felt that in a few more months, she would be able to braid it.
She straightened it with satisfaction, and while her mother was out, she secretly turned on the radio and hummed along with the songs on the broadcast.
This radio was a gift from a widower in a neighboring village to his mother, probably because he wanted her to be his stepfather.
"Come in quickly, it's cold outside." Li Huandi returned with a smile, lifting the curtain behind her, followed by a man in his early thirties.
The man seemed to have difficulty walking, as he walked with a limp and was carrying many things in his hands.
Upon hearing the noise, Li Cuiping quickly jumped off the kang (a heated brick bed), not even having time to put on her shoes, and turned off the radio.
When she saw the people following her mother, she assumed they were there to ask her mother to help with matchmaking again, so she didn't think much of it and prepared to hide back in her side room.
“Don’t go, come sit down with us,” Li Huandi grabbed her daughter and introduced her warmly, “This is Qian Laosi from the next village, you can just call him Brother Qian.”
Li Cuiping sat down, completely bewildered, and gave a perfunctory smile, "Hello, Brother Qian."
"This is my daughter. What do you think? Isn't she just as beautiful as I described?" Li Huandi winked at the man with a smug look.
Qian Laosi grinned, revealing a mouthful of yellow teeth, and then looked Li Cuiping up and down with lecherous eyes.
The matchmaker, Li, really wasn't lying to him. She was indeed beautiful, with big breasts and a big butt, and looked quite attractive, although her skin was a little dark.
But when it comes to women, they're all the same when the lights are off at night; as long as they feel good in your hand, that's all that matters.
This person looks like someone who works in the fields regularly, so their physical condition should be better than before, otherwise a light pinch wouldn't leave a mark.
Meeting the disgusting gaze of the man opposite her, Li Cuiping suddenly felt as if she were being entangled by some damp, serpentine creature, and goosebumps rose all over her body.
A bad feeling welled up in her mind, and she hurriedly got up, pushed open the door, and ran out.
Li Huandi, who was inside the door, did not stop her anymore and let her daughter go out.
Now that I've met the person and she seems quite satisfied, the next step is to see if the bride price will meet her expectations.
She just smiled and remained silent, waiting for the man opposite her to name his price.
The man was indeed impatient, licking his dry lips. "I've already married three wives. How can I give such a large dowry every time? No matter how much money my family has, we won't spend it like this."
Li Huandi's upturned lips instantly vanished as she glared at the man opposite her. "What do you mean? I only told you about my daughter because you're a regular customer. Otherwise, how could I bear to let my precious daughter marry you!"
"You promised 1,500, not a penny less!"
"Eight hundred."
“Five thousand.” Li Huandi refused to budge an inch.
"One thousand is fine, that's all."
Li Cuiping was startled by the wind and snow as she ran outside. She quietly slipped back inside and hid under the window, wanting to see what her mother and this man were up to.
When she heard the haggling inside, just like at a market, she finally realized what awaited her.
Her heart suddenly felt as cold as an ice cellar, yet her mind was racing with excitement, so intense that her eyes turned red.
Before Li Huandi and the man could continue arguing about the bride price, she pushed open the door to the main room.
"Mom, I don't want to get married so early."
Li Huandi was surprised that she had returned, and looked somewhat embarrassed, but quickly resumed her persuasive efforts.
"Your brother Qian is honest and reliable; his family even owns a processing plant in the south."
If you hadn't come back to visit relatives for the Chinese New Year, you wouldn't have had the chance to get such a good marriage.
Besides, you're not young anymore. Your mother would never harm you. You'll be living a life of luxury after you marry him, like a pampered young lady.
After saying that, she winked at the man, signaling him to say a few words quickly.
Old Qian stepped forward with a lecherous grin: "That's right, as long as you come with me, you'll ride in a car and live in an apartment building from now on."
You don't need to serve your in-laws; you just need to take good care of me.
Li Cuiping felt nauseous at the absurd scene before her, and she bent over and dry-heaved a few times, but the man mistook her for being pregnant.
Old Qian was furious and turned to question her, "You were telling me about a virgin, what kind of act is this?"
Before Li Huandi could explain, Li Cuiping suddenly remembered the method Chen Mian had taught her. She touched her belly with one hand and looked at her mother defiantly.
"I'm so sorry, but I already have a fiancé and I'm pregnant with his child. We'll get married when I go back to Xinjiang."
Li Huandi was furious: "You! You're talking nonsense! How dare you do such a shameless thing?"
Seeing her mother's anger, Li Cuiping gave a sarcastic smile, said nothing, and just continued to push her belly forward with a smile.
Qian Laosi spat, grabbed the gifts from the table, turned and left, "Damn it, what bad luck!"
The door slammed shut with a bang. Looking at the smile on her daughter's face, Li Huandi's anger burned even brighter.
She stepped forward and grabbed the other person's collar, causing Li Cuiping to stumble.
Li Huandi: "Who taught you to be such a vixen, huh? You even dare to cheat on me! I'll beat you to death!"
Li Cuiping replied speechlessly, "I didn't, I was just making it up."
“I’ll teach you to talk nonsense,” Li Huandi pulled out a broom from behind the door and started hitting you. “Last time I wanted to find you a husband, but you ran away. This time I brought someone home, and you still managed to ruin it.”
You'll be 21 after the New Year, can you afford to delay a few more days?
"I think I'm delaying your money-making efforts. 1,500? You're really giving me too much credit." Li Cuiping retorted while nimbly dodging the broom.
"I was only doing that for your own good. You'd rather be a rich wife than work in the fields, right? You deserve to be poor!"
As the saying goes, experience is the best teacher. Li Huandi darted forward and grabbed Li Cuiping's hair.
"Ouch... Don't touch my hair!" Li Cuiping tried to struggle, but her hair was held in the other person's hand, and she couldn't move it easily.
"I think you just got carried away after your trip, even growing your hair long like other people, and you're trying to cheat on me, aren't you?"
Li Cuiping retorted defiantly, "You're allowed to perm your hair, but I can't even grow my hair long? Then who are you trying to seduce by perming your hair?"
"You brat, who gave you the guts to talk to me like that!" Li Huandi was so angry that she was on the verge of a breakdown. She looked around, looking for a handy tool to teach this brat a lesson.
There were scissors on the cabinet, and Li Huandi grabbed them. Before Li Cuiping could react, with a "snip," she cut off the hair that Li Cuiping had been growing for half a year.
It was too late when Li Cuiping heard the sound. She grabbed her mother's arm with both hands and struggled to break free, but all she could see was half a strand of hair in her mother's hand.
She pushed her mother away and ran to the mirror to look at herself. Her hair, which had grown to collarbone length, was now half long and half short, as if it had been chewed by a dog.
"Give me back my hair!" Li Cuiping was filled with hatred, raising her eyes to stare intently at the other person, her eyes bloodshot.
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Author's Note: Another day of not being able to write action scenes properly, please bear with it.
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