Chapter 182 Dowry
Sun Baojun's meaning was also very clear: although they could not get married now, they could get engaged first, and Huo Chunyan agreed, which is why the two of them came to their hometown together.
Therefore, Sun Baojun also brought betrothal gifts. He prepared a sewing machine and a watch. The price of a sewing machine was already quite high, and a watch was an even rarer item. In this day and age, only people from very wealthy families would prepare such a thing.
As soon as he arrived in the village, everyone knew that Huo Chunyan had found a generous boyfriend.
In fact, Sun Baojun's family background wasn't particularly good, but his position was indeed quite good. He had been working in the military for many years, and the military's benefits were excellent. He had saved most of his income, so his savings were considerable. Naturally, he was willing to spend money on his first wedding.
He originally wanted to buy a bicycle as a means of transportation, but Huo Chunyan refused: "My mother doesn't need these things, and besides, she can't ride a bicycle."
As for Howard, he can't walk yet, so even if he bought a bicycle, there would be no one to use it, so in the end he didn't buy a bicycle.
Even so, they were still quite successful and glamorous.
When Mrs. Huo saw them arrive, she was very happy. She said with a smile, "I agree to this marriage. I am now preparing a dowry for Chunyan."
With the sewing machine, she planned to make some clothes and quilts for Huo Chunyan herself, but since Sun Baojun had prepared a very generous dowry, she also needed to prepare an even better one.
However, Mrs. Huo doesn't have much money right now.
She then secretly called Huo Chunyan into her room and told her about it: "Chunyan, Sun Baojun has prepared such a valuable betrothal gift. Logically speaking, I should also prepare an equivalent dowry for you, but I don't have much money on hand right now."
"As you know, I spent a lot of money after Howard's accident, and I don't have any extra money on hand right now, but I will do my best to get it done for you."
She still had a little over a hundred yuan in her hand, so she went to the craftsman at the village entrance to order a wooden bed and a dressing table, both made of solid wood and very heavy.
Huo Chunyan was already very satisfied with this: "Mom, this is already very good."
The two of them came in person only to tell Huo's mother about this matter, just to go through the motions; they didn't plan to stay here for long.
So the next day, Huo Chunyan prepared to leave.
However, when she was halfway there, she suddenly heard a commotion coming from the courtyard.
"Huo Xinran, you barren hen! I think you're sick in the head. I should never have married you. Ever since you came into our family, we've all had bad luck. I'm such a jinx, a useless thing!"
Huo Xinran...
Upon hearing that name again, a hint of disgust flashed in Huo Chunyan's eyes. She knew how much Huo's mother had been heartbroken because of Huo Xinran, that ungrateful wretch.
Later, Huo Xinran was determined to get married. Huo Chunyan thought it was a great choice, but she didn't expect that she wouldn't be very happy.
Li's mother was plump. She grabbed Huo Xinran's clothes with one hand and dragged her outside, hurling vulgarities at her: "You eat our food, wear our clothes, and don't do any work. I've never seen such a lazy wife. Get out of here right now! You're not welcome here!"
Huo Xinran clung to the door, refusing to leave. She retorted defiantly, "Now that I've married into this family, I belong here. I will never leave, and you have no right to drive me away."
No way, she's not stupid. If she leaves the Li family, where else can she go? She has nowhere to go at all.
She had already broken ties with the Huo family, and they would never take her in again. As for the Wang family, they had only been using her and would not let her go back.
If she goes back, they will definitely sell her a second time.
She has now realized that the Li family is a pit of fire, but if she leaves, it will be a second marriage. A second-marriage woman will find it even harder to find a good partner in the village. She will jump into a second pit of fire, and who knows, she might even be forced to marry a very old man. So rather than change, she might as well stay here.
Li's mother didn't really want to drive Huo Xinran away. After all, she had spent so much money to get her son to marry Huo Xinran, and she would feel unwilling if she didn't squeeze out Huo Xinran's value.
However, she felt unhappy with her daughter-in-law Huo Xinran, so she would argue with her every few days.
At this moment, she pointed at Huo Xinran and cursed, "Pah! You don't deserve it at all. You have no value whatsoever, yet you still have the nerve to stay in my house. What can you do besides eat with your mouth open? It's been so long, and you still can't have a child. I think you should go get an exorcism."
Li's mother said, "Go to the village entrance and find a witch doctor to exorcise the evil spirits from you. Maybe then you'll be able to get pregnant."
There was a witch in the village who was said to be able to do everything. When someone in the village got sick, they wouldn't go to a doctor, but would go to her instead, and she could usually solve their problems. She was very respected in the village.
Of course, Huo Xinran didn't believe it at all.
She thought it was superstition.
She grew up in the Huo family, a family with impeccable revolutionary credentials, and they didn't believe in such things at all. They also wouldn't allow Huo Xinran to have any contact with that witch.
Therefore, Huo Xinran refused to go at all: "Only someone with a mental illness would believe this stuff. It's all fake. Besides, is having a child my responsibility alone? I don't think I have any problems. It's Li Chao who has the problem. Why don't you let Li Chao go to the hospital for a checkup and see if he's infertile?"
She glanced at Li's mother and sneered, "Your Li family only has Li Chao as the only son, and I think it's very likely that he has some kind of illness."
These days, most people have a lot of children, usually three or more. Only Li's mother only had one child, Li Chao. She believes it's because their family's genes are bad that she can't have children.
Upon hearing this, Li's mother immediately flew into a rage. She jumped up and slapped Huo Xinran across the face: "You vicious woman, what nonsense are you spouting? I'll tear your mouth apart! My son is perfectly healthy, there's absolutely no problem with him. I think the one with the problem is you."
Huo Xinran's face was swollen from the slaps, and she couldn't bear it, so she also tried to pull Li's mother's hair. The two of them were tearing at each other, and the scene was very chaotic.
Just then, Li Chao woke up and came out of the house. When he saw this scene, he was furious. He strode forward, grabbed Huo Xinran, and punched her twice: "You bitch, how dare you bully my mother."
Li's mother cried out in despair, "Son, I can't live like this anymore!"
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