Chapter 53 Meng Dongchun proposes marriage to Mingxi and Zhao Sulan...
When Mingxi and Zhao Sulan arrived, they saw Guan Lixin taking money with one hand, finding clothes for a customer with the other, and explaining to another customer that although the clothes were defective, they did not affect their wearability at all.
Guan Lixin's stall had the most customers, surrounded by a large crowd. However, Guan Lixin remained calm and composed in front of so many people, taking good care of each and every customer.
"Auntie, you said you wanted to buy this for your grandson but were worried it would be too big? I'm telling you, your worries are unnecessary. Your grandson looks about twelve or thirteen now. Kids at that age go through puberty and grow so fast; clothes can easily become too small. What fit perfectly last week might be too small next week. Buying it a size up eliminates that problem. Besides, this fabric is good quality and durable; it'll last two or three years without any problem, and the child will fit perfectly when he grows up. It'll be a loose fit now, and a fitted fit in a couple of years—one garment can create two different styles! You've really gotten a great deal!"
"What? You want to buy these to wear with your boyfriend? Wow, you have great taste! People in Hong Kong do this, they wear matching clothes with their partners, they call it couple outfits. That way, when you walk down the street, people can tell you're a couple and that you're in a good relationship."
"Hey young man, why don't you buy three instead of two? It's my first day at the stall, so I'm giving you a 25% discount. Buy three, and each one will only cost nine yuan. If you'd like, just buy three. Why? Because these clothes are breathable and absorbent. You can wear them alone in the summer, and they can also be worn as inner layers in spring and autumn. But if you can't wear them all by yourself, you can find some to add to your order at my stall. Buying three will save you two yuan, right?"
Guan Lixin's words were so persuasive that no one present could refuse, and they all pulled out their money to place orders.
Those who bought clothes left satisfied, while those who didn't immediately crowded around Guan Lixin with their money.
Zhao Sulan stared in disbelief. She asked in surprise, "Xi Bao, am I seeing things? Is that really Li Xin selling goods inside? Is this Li Xin's stall?"
Mingxi swallowed hard: "Mom, you didn't see wrong."
She never expected that Guan Lixin, who usually seemed so glib, irresponsible, and utterly unserious, would be so capable in business.
Mingxi and Zhao Sulan had only been there a short while when they saw that Guan Lixin's clothes were almost all sold out.
At this moment, Guan Lixin held up a sailor shirt: "Only six left, limited quantity, first come first served!"
Upon hearing this, the already bustling crowd in front of Guan Lixin's stall became even more lively.
In the end, it was one of the older women who beat all the competitors, squeezed in front of Guan Lixin, stuffed the money into his hand, and successfully bought the last six pieces of clothing.
Guan Lixin: "Don't worry if you didn't manage to buy anything yet. I'll be back at the same time tomorrow to set up my stall. Just look for the sign above my head!"
"However, there will be no promotion tomorrow, so those who want to buy will have to pay the original price of twelve yuan per piece!"
Those who didn't manage to buy it were delighted to hear this. Even though there was no discount, it was still cheaper than what they bought at the department store at full price.
After seeing off the customers at his stall, Guan Lixin took a breath and noticed Mingxi and Zhao Sulan not far away.
He stepped forward in surprise: "Aunt Zhao, Mingxi, when did you arrive? I didn't see you at all."
"You're such a busy person, it's not your fault," Mingxi teased. "We've been here for a while, but seeing how busy you are, we didn't want to bother you with your business."
She raised an eyebrow and patted Guan Lixin on the shoulder: "Speaking of which, you're quite something. I didn't expect you to be so good at business. You have a whole repertoire of clever phrases, you can come up with them so easily. I'm standing here listening and I'm tempted to buy a couple of items."
“Hey, we’re all family here. If you want them, why would you need to buy them? Just come to my house and take a couple of items.” Guan Lixin said generously.
Mingxi waved her hand: "No, I just knew you were good at talking."
She is quite eloquent, but it's no exaggeration to say that she couldn't do what Guan Lixin just did.
Guan Lixin grinned: "I'm good with words. Back in school, didn't my teacher say I was quick-witted and told me I could make a living with my words?"
Mingxi: "..."
My teacher did say that when I was in school.
But wasn't that because Guan Lixin was talking during class and even got the students around him to talk too, which led to the teacher criticizing him?
Zhao Sulan: "I think it's good to make a living by talking. Others don't have your eloquence, Lixin. You can't make a living by talking alone."
Guan Lixin scratched the back of his head: "I'm just a stinky street vendor, please stop talking, or I'm afraid I'll become arrogant."
Zhao Sulan: "Be proud! Don't think you're proud just because you're a street vendor. So what if you're a street vendor? You're earning money with your own hands, making a living. You're not stealing or robbing. You're earning money with your own abilities, letting others buy affordable things, and letting your family live a good life. You should be proud!"
Guan Lixin was genuinely embarrassed. He touched his nose and changed the subject: "Well, Auntie, my business is good today. To celebrate this great start, I suggest that you and Mingxi not go home for dinner. I'll go home and call my parents, and we'll go to a state-run restaurant together."
Zhao Sulan waved her hand: "That's too much of a waste of money. Let's not eat out, let's eat at home. Here's what you want to eat, Auntie will go buy it, and we'll eat at home."
Guan Lixin: "No way, cooking at home is too much trouble. It's so hot today, with oil fumes and fire, it's so hot. Besides, it's not just me, I'm planning to invite my buddies too."
“It’s that guy who does business with me,” Guan Lixin added. “We’re business partners, so we should meet up and have a meal together.”
Seeing that Zhao Sulan was hesitant and unable to make a decision, Guan Lixin turned to Mingxi and said, "Xiaoming, tell me, am I right?"
Mingxi chose to side with Guan Lixin, nodding emphatically: "Mom, I think Guan Lixin is right."
She wasn't there to freeload a meal; she mainly wanted to see what kind of person the other person doing business with Guan Lixin was.
Since Mingxi had already nodded in agreement, what could Zhao Sulan possibly say in refusal?
"Alright, let's have a meal together then."
Guan Lixin laughed out loud: "Okay, then I'll pack up my stall and go home to call my parents!"
After informing his parents upon returning home, Guan Lixin asked Mingxi to take both families to a restaurant to order food while he went to find his friend.
Mingxi arrived at the restaurant first with Zhao Sulan and Guan's parents. Since everyone dining together today was a close friend, Mingxi didn't stand on ceremony and directly took the menu to order.
We ordered all the dishes that everyone loves.
Not long after they ordered, Guan Lixin led a thin man in through the door.
Guan Lixin brought the man over: "Aunt Zhao, Xiaoming, let me introduce you two. This is Hou Wu, my buddy who does business with me. Wu means martial arts. But we all call him by his nickname, Skinny Monkey."
“Skinny Monkey, these two are Mingxi and Aunt Zhao, whom I told you about before.”
Skinny Monkey greeted them with a grin: "Hello Aunt Zhao, hello Comrade Ming, I'm used to you calling me Skinny Monkey. I've heard Brother Guan mention your names before, and I'm finally honored to meet you both today."
Zhao Sulan greeted him with a smile, thinking to herself, "This young man is quite polite."
Mingxi is the same.
Guan Lixin raised his hand and slapped the skinny monkey on the back of the head: "We're all family here today, why are you being so polite? Find a place to sit down."
Skinny Monkey wasn't annoyed at all by these words. He quickly found a seat and sat down. It was clear that he had a good relationship with the Guan family. As soon as he sat down, he began to inquire about the well-being of Guan's parents.
"Auntie, how have you been feeling these past few days? Has your back still hurt?"
Mrs. Guan smiled and said, "I'm much better. Ever since I put on the plaster you brought me last time, I haven't felt any pain."
Skinny Monkey: "Uncle, have your joints been bothering you lately? I heard there's an old Chinese medicine doctor in the suburbs who specializes in treating joint pain. If you're not feeling well, I can take you to the suburbs to see him sometime when you have time."
Mr. Guan: "No need, no need. The weather has been nice lately, and my joints don't hurt."
Mingxi was surprised to find that the skinny monkey had such a good relationship with Guan's parents, and looked at Guan Lixin with a puzzled expression.
Where did he find such a good friend?
Guan Lixin noticed Mingxi's curiosity and explained it to her in a low voice, and Mingxi finally understood.
It turns out that Skinny Monkey's family had a bad class background. His grandfather's generation ran an antique shop, but when class backgrounds were reassigned, they were classified as small business owners because they had employees in the shop. Later, when the Cultural Revolution was raging, this matter was brought up again, and the family was subjected to criticism and struggle sessions. His father developed many illnesses as a result, unable to work and requiring medication year-round. The family survived on the meager salary his mother earned sweeping the streets.
So after graduating from elementary school, Skinny Monkey and his brother stopped going to school and worked odd jobs in various factories, carrying heavy loads to earn money to support their family.
It wasn't until the year Guan Lixin graduated from high school that Skinny Monkey's father fell seriously ill. The hospital issued a critical condition notice, saying that surgery was needed to save his life. In order to raise money for his father's surgery, Skinny Monkey took a piece of jade Buddha that he had secretly saved at home and sold it on the black market.
Unexpectedly, they encountered a group of unscrupulous people who, seeing that the skinny monkey was alone and young, planned to steal the jade Buddha from his hand.
On his first trip to the black market, Guan Lixin, who was just trying his luck at doing business, happened to witness Skinny Monkey being beaten up by a group of people. By a twist of fate, he saved Skinny Monkey's life.
Knowing that the skinny monkey was trying to raise money for his father's surgery, Guan Lixin kindly bought the skinny monkey's jade Buddha and used the money to pay for his father's surgery.
After Skinny Monkey's father was successfully discharged from the hospital following surgery, Skinny Monkey went to Guan Lixin's house and recognized Guan Lixin as his boss. He said that Guan Lixin had saved his and his father's lives, and this kindness was too great for him to repay. Therefore, he voluntarily recognized Guan Lixin as his boss and would serve Guan Lixin like a slave for the rest of his life.
This isn't the old society anymore. Why would Guan Lixin need a living, breathing person like Skinny Monkey to be his servant? But no matter how many times he said it or how he tried to drive him away, he just couldn't get rid of Skinny Monkey.
Left with no other choice, Guan Lixin was forced to accept this subordinate.
Guan Lixin's initial business was repairing watches and radios. But if you really want to say he made money, it was Shouhou who did the hard work.
As mentioned before, after graduating from elementary school, Skinny Monkey followed his older brother to do odd jobs. Over the years, he made many friends, including one who worked at a scrap metal recycling station. The station collected many discarded items like radios and watches. Some were beyond repair, but others could be salvaged. Through his friend's connections, Skinny Monkey took all the scrap metal from the recycling station to Guan Lixin.
Guan Lixin repaired what he could and earned his first pot of gold by reselling these second-hand and refurbished radios.
Of course, Guan Lixin didn't forget about Shouhou either. Every time something was sold, he would give Shouhou a share of the profits. He also advised Shouhou to save the money and find a proper job.
Guan Lixin was unwilling to work a regular job in a factory, so he dabbled in these things, but Shouhou was different; he simply didn't have the means.
But Skinny Monkey was determined to follow Guan Lixin. He heard Guan Lixin save up money, but in the end, he used it to buy his brother a job in a transportation team. He continued to speculate and profiteer with Guan Lixin.
It was thanks to Skinny Monkey that he bought his brother a job in the transportation team, which later led to Guan Lixin and Skinny Monkey hearing that clothes were cheaper in the south and going there to buy and resell underwear.
After listening, Mingxi raised her eyebrows and remarked, "You could say that your good deeds have been rewarded."
Guan Lixin chuckled and said, "That's really true!"
He said, "You know, I've never done anything good in my life. I'm considered kind if I don't harm anyone. But that day, by sheer coincidence, I didn't know the way and turned into a dead end, where I saw five or six people kicking Skinny Monkey. To be honest, I didn't even think about helping him. It was those shameless bastards who saw me and tried to attack me. How could I stand for that? I beat those bastards up in no time. When I was leaving, I felt sorry for Skinny Monkey, so I took him with me. Later, when I heard about his father's situation, I don't know why, but I felt really bad, so I gave him all the money I had on me."
If I had to say, it really was fate.
Guan Lixin went to the black market that day to broaden his horizons, and he brought all his savings from childhood with him.
It costs over a hundred yuan!
It was precisely because of this hundred-odd yuan that the skinny monkey's father was able to raise enough money for his surgery.
Guan Lixin: "I was prepared to lose all my money, but who would have thought that Shouhou would bring me so much business later? I even started a clothing business because of him."
He said, "But after this incident, I realized that people really should do more good deeds."
Doing good deeds might just bring good fortune.
For example, when he went to Guangzhou this time, he just happened to help someone who had a heart attack on the street, and ended up making a good business deal for himself.
Mingxi nodded. Guan Lixin was right; people should do more good deeds.
Even if it's not for the possibility of good fortune, it's enough to live up to one's conscience.
As we were talking, the waiter brought over the dishes: "Your braised pork, sweet and sour fish, shredded pork with sweet bean sauce, scrambled eggs with onions... and the sauerkraut dumplings are all ready."
With all the dishes laid out on the table, Guan Lixin raised his glass: "It's not easy for so many of us to get together like this, and besides, my business is doing great today, let's raise a glass to celebrate!"
"Come on, let's celebrate!"
Let's all have a toast!
Mingxi doesn't drink alcohol, but she raised her cup of tea and clinked it with everyone's.
After the celebration, everyone sat down, and Guan Lixin said, "Alright, everyone, don't be shy, let's start eating!"
Eat up! Don't be shy!
As I said before, there were no outsiders at the table today, so everyone was very informal and started eating right away.
The state-run restaurant we came to today made the best sweet and sour fish. Mingxi didn't hesitate at all and picked up the fish with her chopsticks as her first bite.
Sweet and sour fish is crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, with a delicious sweet and sour flavor.
The next dish is braised pork belly. As the most popular meat dish, it's a staple in every state-run restaurant. However, different restaurants prepare it differently, resulting in varying flavors. Some have a sweeter, Jiangzhe-style version, some a spicier, Hunan-style version, and others a saltier, northern-style version…
The dish Mingxi ate today was prepared in the Northern style. The braised pork was savory and fragrant, and the three-layered pork belly was stewed for a long time, making it tender, flavorful, and not greasy.
There's also shredded pork with sweet bean sauce, and sauerkraut dumplings...
Mingxi ate with her mouth full of oil.
Everyone ate heartily, and the conversation never stopped.
Guan Lixin caught a glimpse of Skinny Monkey out of the corner of his eye and suddenly remembered something, saying, "Skinny Monkey, is your mom pressuring you to find a girlfriend?"
"Yes. My mom says that our family wasn't well-off before, but now we're living comfortably and things are better. I'm not getting any younger, so it's time for me to find a partner. She's not only urging me, but she's also urging my brother, but he's always away on the road and not home. So it's just me who gets nagged by my mom every day."
Skinny Monkey looked up and gave a wry smile: "My mom makes it sound so easy, but we're always busy, working in the wind and rain, how am I supposed to find a girlfriend?"
Guan Lixin: "Hey, you've finally made it today!"
He pointed at Mingxi and said, "Mingxi is the one who introduces people to each other. My girlfriend, your sister-in-law, was introduced to me by Mingxi. You should tell her your requirements and ask her to introduce someone to you."
Upon hearing about the business, Mingxi immediately perked up. She put down her chopsticks, looked at the skinny man, and said, "Comrade Hou, tell me what kind of partner you're looking for, and I'll see if I have any suitable ones."
Skinny Monkey was a little embarrassed. He pursed his lips and said, "With my conditions, what right do I have to be picky? As long as they don't mind, that's fine."
"Hey, you can't say that." Mingxi pursed her lips in disapproval: "If you ask me, Comrade Hou, you're pretty good. Although your family's conditions aren't great, you didn't give up on yourself. You worked hard and made your family's life better through your own abilities. You're much better than many comrades who rely on their family's wealth to enjoy life!"
Skinny Monkey was naturally shy, and upon hearing Mingxi's words, he lowered his head in embarrassment.
"If you won't tell me, then I'll ask you one by one. What kind of women do you like? Tall or short, fat or thin, single or double eyelids, high nose bridge or..."
Mingxi asked the question in a teasing tone, which made the skinny monkey even more embarrassed.
He blushed and said, "None of that matters! I don't have any special requirements about what a woman looks like; I just hope she's filial."
Skinny Monkey said sincerely, "My parents are both in poor health. My dad takes medication year-round, and my mom developed many health problems from working too much when she was young. My brother is a truck driver who often travels long distances and is rarely home. As the only one who lives with my parents most of the time, I definitely need to take good care of them. So I hope my partner can be filial. I don't expect her to do a lot of work; after all, they are my parents, not hers. It would be too much to ask her to work so hard to take care of them. I can't let her good daughter suffer after marrying me and become my family's free maid. I just hope that when I need to contribute money or effort, she won't mind."
When the skinny monkey first said that, Mingxi thought it was another case of someone wanting to outsource filial piety.
I never expected him to be this kind of person.
Judging from what he said, he actually wanted to find a female comrade who wasn't too calculating or petty.
That's easy to say.
Mingxi nodded: "Okay, I understand what you mean. Here's what I'll do: I'll go back and look through the information. If I find something that meets the requirements, I'll let you know."
Mingxi couldn't be happier than if she had managed to get some business while out for a meal.
Mingxi readily agreed to Shouhou's request, but when she actually started looking for a partner, she found it difficult.
Skinny Monkey's conditions, while seemingly good, weren't actually that great.
My family background is average. Although it's not as important as it was a few years ago, there might still be women who care about that.
Aside from the family background, let's talk about the family situation. Although the skinny monkey's family situation is not complicated, there is a father-in-law with poor health and an elderly mother-in-law with poor health, who are two big burdens. Families with good financial conditions and who love their daughters would generally not consider such a family.
And most importantly, the skinny monkey doesn't have a job.
Yes, he must have made a lot of money now that he's partnered with Guan Lixin in business. But most people still have the old mindset, thinking that setting up a stall to do business is speculation and that only unemployed vagrants would do it, and that no decent person would do it.
Besides, doing business isn't safe!
It seems that Shouhou and Guan Lixin are making a lot of money now, but you can't make money in business forever. What if something unexpected happens one day and they lose all their money?
Considering all these factors, it's really not easy for a skinny guy to find a partner.
Unless he can relax his requirements and is willing to marry a rural woman, then things will be better.
However, at this point, Mingxi realized that most of the information she had inherited from her mother about single gay men and women was from the city, and very few were from rural areas.
This is not surprising.
Zhao Sulan was quite famous as a matchmaker, but only in the city. People in the countryside had their own matchmakers, so naturally they wouldn't come all the way from afar to ask Zhao Sulan to introduce them to potential partners.
Zhao Sulan's information naturally doesn't include many people with rural household registrations.
However, Mingxi thought it wouldn't work.
She needs to expand her business and increase her pool of candidates!
Mingxi was thinking to herself that she would go to He Li's house in a few days when she had some free time and ask He Li if she knew any comrades who she could introduce to potential partners.
However, before Mingxi could have any free time, something else came knocking on her door.
This time, it was Meng Dongchun who came to visit.
Without wasting time on pleasantries, Meng Dongchun went straight to the point: "Comrade Ming, I've come here today to ask you to come and help me propose marriage."
Mingxi was taken aback. The woman was proposing marriage?
In the northern part of the city, the custom is usually for the man to send a matchmaker to propose marriage. Conversely, if the man is marrying into the woman's family, it is the woman who sends a matchmaker to propose marriage.
Mingxi asked doubtfully, "Comrade Meng, if you propose marriage, does that mean Lin Hai will marry into the family?"
Meng Dongchun: "No, that's not it. We just had a normal wedding."
She said bluntly, "I've come to your door to propose marriage. It has nothing to do with who I marry. I'm just in a hurry to get married."
"ah?"
Mingxi scratched his head.
Meng Dongchun: "I'm 28 this year, and I'll be 30 in less than two years. I don't have that much time to slowly date. I plan to have a child while I'm still young and my body is still functioning well. Otherwise, having a child later in life will be too damaging to my body."
She said, "I really like children, so I want to have one while I'm still healthy. Otherwise, if I wait until I'm older, childbirth will be too invasive and the risks will increase exponentially, so I don't plan to have any more children."
There's nothing wrong with that statement.
Everyone knows that childbirth at an advanced age causes significant physical damage to the body.
Meng Dongchun: "I also said this to Lin Hai. He knew what I meant, but he said that proposing marriage is an important matter and he needs to prepare seriously. Honestly, it's just proposing marriage, what else is there to prepare? I'm too lazy to wait for him to dawdle, so I'll just propose marriage myself."
Mingxi: "..."
That's exactly the kind of thing Meng Dongchun is capable of.
Meng Dongchun: "Comrade Xiaoming, I have everything ready and I have notified my family. If it is convenient for you today, would you like to come with me?"
Mingxi: "...It is convenient, indeed."
Meng Dongchun: "If it's convenient, let's go."
Meng Dongchun pulled Mingxi out the door. As soon as Mingxi came out, she saw four people standing at the gate of the courtyard. Meng's father, mother, younger brother, and Jin Juan were all there, and they were all carrying things.
Mingxi: It's a good thing she agreed, otherwise the Meng family would have made a wasted trip today.
Meng Dongchun came out, waved to the four members of the Meng family, and said, "Comrade Xiaoming promised to run a errand for me today. Let's go, destination: the Lin family, let's go!"
The four members of the Meng family followed Meng Dongchun's footsteps obediently toward the Lin family's house.
Having not visited the Lin family for some time, Mingxi found the Lin family had changed drastically upon her arrival. The Lin family courtyard, which originally only had one main gate, now had a separate small gate on the side. Meng Dongchun stepped forward, raised her hand, and knocked on the small gate, and someone quickly came to open it.
Lin's mother opened the door. Her eyes lit up the moment she saw Meng Dongchun: "Dongchun, you're here! Come in, come in quickly."
Lin's mother could only see Meng Dongchun; Mingxi and the Meng family members behind her were thus completely ignored by her.
Meng Dongchun: "Auntie, wait a minute, I didn't come alone today."
She turned to the side, and only then did Lin's mother see that there were so many people following behind her. Seeing that everyone was carrying things, she opened her mouth and said, "This, this is..."
Lin's mother was momentarily stunned.
Meng Dongchun: "Auntie, I've come today to propose marriage."
"A marriage proposal? Oh, a marriage proposal." It took Lin's mother a moment to realize what was going on.
"Well, let's go inside before proposing marriage."
After Lin's mother finished speaking, she led Meng Dongchun and her group into the house. Mingxi followed them into the courtyard and discovered that the neighbor Ai had not only opened a small door on the side but also built a wall around it, creating a separate small courtyard within the Lin family's large courtyard.
She blinked her eyes: "This is..."
Lin's mother laughed: "This was built by Dongchun's apprentice last time. She said that since we are going to separate the family, we should separate completely, including where we live, so that there won't be any shameless people who want to take advantage of us."
"And the household registration booklet. Dongchun is very thoughtful. After we finished the family division last time, he took us to the subdistrict office to get a certificate and we also divided the household registration booklet. Otherwise, we would have forgotten about the household division."
Lin's mother was secretly relieved that Meng Dongchun had reminded them to separate their household registrations. If they hadn't, Lin's grandfather might have caused some trouble when Lin Hai got married.
Lin's mother didn't think much when she spoke, but she didn't know that on the other side of the wall, Lin's aunt had heard everything she said.
It was quite a coincidence. Aunt Lin was about to go out when she saw Meng Dongchun leading people over.
As soon as Aunt Lin saw Meng Dongchun, she immediately forgot about what she was supposed to do.
She hated it!
Aunt Lin hated Meng Dongchun to death.
If it weren't for Meng Dongchun, the second branch of the family wouldn't have had the fight to separate. If they hadn't separated, the second branch would still be the hard-working family, and Lin's mother would still be able to take care of all the housework without Lin having to lift a finger.
You should know that she has had a very difficult time since the family split up.
With Lin's mother gone, all the housework fell on her and Lin's third aunt. Lin's third aunt was also cunning and treacherous. She would make excuses about having things to do at work and would slip away after breakfast every morning. She wouldn't come back until it was almost dark and time for dinner, so all the household chores fell on her shoulders.
Now she has to get up as soon as the rooster crows every day. She doesn't even have time to wash up before she has to clean the house. After cleaning the house she lives with Uncle Lin, she has to clean the house of the old man and his wife.
The elderly couple were old and had difficulty walking, so she had to take care of their bodily functions, which disgusted her. She just couldn't understand where all that bodily waste came from at their age.
That wasn't all. After cleaning the house, she still had to cook. Cooking for a large family of over ten people was already a lot of work, and the family had many demands. The old couple had bad teeth and needed food that was easy to chew and digest. Her husband didn't like porridge in the morning, he preferred soup, so she had to make soup separately for him, and for her third son's family too…
After dinner, she still had to wash clothes for her family. Uncle Lin and Aunt Lin were not particular about their clothes; they would throw both of their underwear to her to wash!
Aunt Lin couldn't help but shed a tear when she thought of all this.
These days, the more Aunt Lin works, the more she hates Meng Dongchun. If it weren't for Meng Dongchun's meddling in the division of the family property between the second and third branches, all this work would be the second branch's job, and she wouldn't have a chance to do it at all!
So as soon as Aunt Lin saw Meng Dongchun coming over, she immediately put everything else aside and only wanted to see what Meng Dongchun was here for.
She quickly darted back into the courtyard, squatted by the wall, pressed her ear against it, and heard what Mencius' mother said.
Aunt Lin was furious.
Who are you calling shameless? Who are you calling insatiable for taking advantage?
How come the second daughter-in-law is like a different person after the family splits up? Or was she never a good person before, and her honesty was just an act?
Aunt Lin was furious. No wonder people say that a dog that bites doesn't bark; in her opinion, Lin's mother was that biting dog.
Lin's mother, unaware that someone was eavesdropping on the other side of the wall, chuckled and said, "Look at me, I've gone off on a tangent. Anyway, back to that Dongchun, why did you come to propose marriage today? Well, we..."
She couldn't make up her mind for a moment, and said, "You go inside and sit down first, I'll go and call Haizi and his father."
Aunt Lin, who was on the other side of the wall, suddenly changed her expression upon hearing this.
What?! Meng Dongchun has come to propose marriage?!
She's going to marry Lin Hai?!
No, no, absolutely not! Meng Dongchun hasn't even married into the Lin family yet, and she's already stirred up trouble by causing the second son's family to split up. If she really marries into the Lin family, wouldn't she turn the whole place upside down?
Aunt Lin's heart tightened, and she instinctively wanted to go and inform Grandpa Lin.
But the next second she suddenly realized.
No, it wasn't Lin Hai who proposed marriage; it was Meng Dongchun who proposed marriage.
Wouldn't that mean Lin Hai would have to marry into the Meng family?
Aunt Lin breathed a sigh of relief upon thinking about it; it was good that it wasn't Meng Dongchun who had married into the family.
Moreover, it's a good thing that Lin Hai is marrying into the family. The second son's family only has one son. If he marries into the family, and the second son dies in the future, there will be no one to break the pot and set off the flag. The eldest son will have to come out and do it.
The rule in the northern part of the city is that whoever breaks the basin and raises the banner is entitled to a share of the family property.
Aunt Lin felt happy at the thought that all the money the second branch of the Lin family had worked so hard to save up over half a lifetime would eventually end up in her son's hands.
On the other side of the wall, Meng Dongchun led Mingxi and the Meng family into the house. Once inside, the Meng family laid out their things on the table. Meng Dongchun had prepared quite a lot: cigarettes, alcohol, tea, snacks, and new clothes and cosmetics prepared by Lin Hai's sister. The items were piled up haphazardly, taller than Lin's mother.
Lin's mother called out Lin's father and Lin Hai, who were also taken aback when they learned that Meng Dongchun had come to propose marriage.
Lin Hai: "You, how come...you weren't talking about me..."
Meng Dongchun: "I think you're dawdling too much..."
Seeing that Meng Dongchun was about to tell the truth, Mingxi quickly stepped forward to interrupt: "Haha, Comrade Meng just likes to joke. We just think that things are different now than before. We don't follow those old rules anymore. It doesn't matter who comes to propose marriage."
"The main issue is that Comrade Meng and Comrade Lin are both getting on in years. Let's finalize the marriage proposal as soon as possible so we can discuss when to hold the wedding."
“Aunt Lin, look, it’s already the end of June, and July is just around the corner. July and August are too hot, and the timing is too rushed, making it inconvenient to hold a wedding. If we postpone it to September or October, there will be a lot of weddings in those months. If we don’t set a date soon, we won’t be able to find a venue to hold the wedding. If we miss September or October, the weather will get cold soon, and getting married in the cold will be so uncomfortable. If we delay any longer, it will be next year. That will be a long way off.”
Mingxi chattered on and on, and Lin's mother and father couldn't help but nod in agreement.
When you do the math, the time is really tight.
Lin Hai subconsciously looked up at Meng Dongchun.
Meng Dongchun didn't bother to say much. She stared straight at Lin Hai and asked, "You don't want to marry me?"
Lin Hai quickly shook his head.
"Yes, I do!"
Meng Dongchun: "Then accept my marriage proposal."
Lin Hai: "I...I agree!"
Meng Dongchun curled her lips into a smile, sat down with an air of authority, and said, "Now that you've agreed to the marriage proposal, shouldn't we start discussing the wedding arrangements?"
She said, "Our factory has an important project coming up in the next two months, and I can't get away from it or find the time to have an engagement. Let's skip this step and just get married in September?"
What was supposed to be a discussion came out of Meng Dongchun's mouth as if he were issuing a direct order.
But the Meng and Lin families didn't realize anything was wrong.
The Meng family members nodded. Meng's father said, "September is a good month; the weather is cool as autumn approaches."
Mr. Lin nodded in agreement: "Yes, yes, September is a good month."
Lin's mother: "Then I'll check the calendar later and see which days in September are auspicious for marriage."
Mingxi: ...
Wait a minute, isn't this process wrong?
Shouldn't we discuss the bride price and dowry first?
Why did you set the wedding date so early?
However, seeing that neither Meng Dongchun nor Lin Hai, the two newcomers, said anything, Mingxi didn't say anything to avoid offending anyone.
While the Lin family was discussing the wedding arrangements with great enthusiasm, on the other side of the wall, Aunt Lin's strange behavior finally caught the attention of Grandpa Lin.
The old man, leaning on his cane, walked to the wall: "Ahem! Eldest son, what are you doing!"
Aunt Lin was startled by the commotion. She turned around and saw Grandpa Lin frowning, his face stern and gloomy.
Seeing the old man's expression, Aunt Lin instinctively assumed he already knew about Meng Dongchun's marriage proposal. Shrinking her neck, she said, "Dad, don't be angry. It was the second son's family's fault, but they didn't tell me about it. If you're going to be angry, don't take it out on me..."
Grandpa Lin: "What are you talking about? I'm asking you why you're squatting by the wall eavesdropping in broad daylight. Aren't you afraid of being seen by outsiders? Aren't you ashamed? What are you talking about with my second son? What's going on at his family's place?"
Aunt Lin then realized that Grandpa Lin was unaware of Meng Dongchun's marriage proposal.
She opened her mouth, then realized, "Oh no, the old man doesn't know yet. Did I just let something slip?"
Grandpa Lin slammed his cane down hard: "Tell me, what happened to the second son's family!"
"Second brother... It seems that Hai Zi from the second brother's family is going to marry into the family. I just saw Meng Dongchun come to propose marriage."
Aunt Lin glanced at Grandpa Lin's expression, but still answered truthfully.
Grandpa Lin stared wide-eyed, his eyes seeming to pop out of their sockets.
"He...he's going to marry into the family?!"
Grandpa Lin's arms trembled uncontrollably: "He's gone too far! How can the sons and grandsons of the Lin family marry into another family!"
His face was ashen, extremely grim, and he said, "No! I won't allow it!"
He instructed Aunt Lin beside him, "Eldest daughter, go and call the eldest and third sons here now, and have them come with me to the second son's house. I want to see if the second son's family is really going to rebel!"
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Author's Note: Happy Qixi Festival today! On behalf of Sister Meng and Xiao Lin, who successfully proposed to each other, I wish everyone a happy festival! [fireworks]
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