When Lao Liu returned to the village, it was time for dinner. Meng was so angry that she almost hit him with a spatula. Lao Liu didn't dare to tell her that he had quit his job at the restaurant. He just asked her if the date had been set.
It would have been fine if he hadn't asked, but when he did, Meng was even more furious. Since the split, the eldest brother and his family had been living a life of luxury, and she and Old Ding were deeply regretting the split. At the moment, the sixth brother's land was still in their name, and with hybrid grains expected to significantly increase production, they had secretly agreed to delay the sixth brother's marriage for a few years, until Old Ding could no longer work.
They didn't want to give Lao Liu's share of the land to him right now.
"Why are you in such a hurry? Are you unable to climb the road without a woman or what? It's only been a short time since the fifth brother left, and you're already so eager to get a wife. Have you grown up? After all, he's your fifth brother. It's not right for you to get married just because he's gone. Don't even think about marrying that bad boy this year. Give up on it as soon as possible!"
Lao Liu was furious when he heard this.
It's not like his parents are getting married because his father died. Why can't he get married when Lao Wu is gone? He is already 21 years old this year, and Xiaoyu is almost 19. What girl is not married at the age of 17 or 18?
Even if he could wait for Xiaoyu, he couldn't.
"I must have this kiss!"
Old Ding came back from the fields with his hoe on his shoulder. He glared at him when he heard this. "Are you going to bring this family a mountain of gold or silver? What are you going to get married with?"
"So much has happened at home in the past year, and your mother and I have never once bothered you about anything at all? We worked so hard to raise you, and you're all ungrateful!"
Old Ding was feeling angry. In the past, he led his sons to the fields and worked with full energy. Now that the family has divided up, everyone is doing their own thing. The land is still the same, and the people are still the same, but for some reason he just can't muster the energy.
When the family was divided, each of the five sons was given three mu of land. The sixth son was not married yet, so Lao Dingtou was originally supposed to farm the land for the sixth son. However, since the fifth son passed away, it took a while for Lao Dingtou to find anyone willing to rent the few mu of land from the fifth son.
As a veteran farmer who had spent most of his life tilling the fields, seeing other people's fields plowed and seedlings planted, while his own few acres of land lay abandoned, Old Ding felt a burning indignation. He then looked over and saw his older brothers working hard in their own fields, with no one coming to ask about him or offering to help with the hoeing. Furious, he grabbed his hoe and headed back home.
Who would have thought that there would be no peace at home? As soon as he entered the house, he heard Lao Liu swearing harsh words. He was so angry that he wanted to swing a hoe to teach Lao Liu a lesson.
Hearing Old Ding scolding Old Six, Mrs. Meng became even more excited. She dropped the spatula and put her hands on her hips. "You're running back home every few days for such a trivial matter. If you want to die, you should eat at the restaurant before coming back. You useless thing!"
"I'm telling you straight up, I didn't cook for you!"
"Who told you to come back like that without even saying hello? Get back here right now and do your job properly. If you're fired, I'll see if I have something to offer you! It's good that I don't expose your true self!"
The sixth brother was practically going crazy, his neck stiffening as he yelled, "Why is it different for me? Dad and Mom thought I was always good-tempered and easy to bully, what's that? They sent me to town to be an apprentice when I was twelve. I was beaten and starved out there, and who of you ever asked me a question? Every time I got my monthly salary, I rushed home in a hurry, handing all the copper coins to Dad and Mom before they even warmed them. Why do they treat me like this? Why?"
Lao Liu had never lost his temper like this before, and he frightened Lao Dingtou and Mrs. Meng for a while.
"What are you shouting about? What are you yelling about?" Meng reacted and used her ultimate move. She slapped her thighs with both hands, ran out of the yard, sat down on the ground and started howling again.
Liu and Gao both ran out, and Fang also came out. They were all busy in their respective kitchens preparing lunch for the men working in the fields. Hearing the commotion getting louder, the three of them came out to take a look. It was Fang who pulled up the sixth son, who was squatting on the ground with his head in his hands, and took him back to her house.
"You're usually quite clever, but how could you not see what Mom and Dad are thinking? Why are you arguing with them? Mom's sitting outside, crying, and it's fun to make a scene."
Fang said.
Lao Liu's eyes welled up with tears. He looked up at her and asked, "What are they thinking?"
"Eat first. After dinner, run over for me and take the food to your second brother. I'll tell you when I get back. I guarantee you'll marry the girl smoothly! Go wash your face first. You're almost a groom, but you're still losing your temper. Aren't you ashamed?"
Fang was a man of her own ideas, but she usually didn't get involved in matters concerning the Second House, and she never meddled in other people's business. When the Sixth Son returned from the fields with his food box, she told him, "Go tell your parents that the few acres of land you were given will be left to them to manage even after you get married. They can rent it out or farm it themselves, and you won't be responsible for anything. You won't ask for a penny from the sale of the crops. Do you think they'll stop you from getting married?"
Lao Liu followed his instructions and went to tell Lao Dingtou and Mrs. Meng, but they remained silent for a long time.
After a while, Mrs. Meng curled her lips and said, "We are your parents. Without us, how could you exist? Do you think we are coveting your little piece of land? Wait a few years. When your father can no longer farm the land, we will naturally return it to you."
Before Old Ding picked up his hoe and went to the fields, he said to Mrs. Meng, "Set a date."
Meng took the almanac and went to see the clan leader. When she came back, she told the sixth son that the wedding would be on the 16th of next month. Then she said, "Your father and I haven't even saved enough money to buy a coffin a hundred years from now. Last time, you said you would ask your boss for an advance on your wages before the wedding. Remember this. Send the money for the wedding banquet back three days in advance, otherwise don't blame us for not caring about you."
"Two taels of silver is just... that's all!" Lao Liu flicked his sleeves and turned away.
After leaving home, he first went to visit Jian Ning and told her that the date would be the 16th of next month. Jian Ning saw that he didn't look happy and asked, "Isn't this a good thing? Why do you look so unhappy?"
"Nothing, just a few words with my parents, it's all over."
"Are you really okay?"
After hesitating for a moment, Lao Liu mumbled, "Mother told me to pay for the drinks myself... Fourth sister-in-law, can you lend me some first..."
"What nonsense!" Jian Ning interrupted him before he could finish. "How much does it cost to hold a wedding banquet in the village? This money was paid by your fourth brother and his wife for you. Just say it's an advance on wages."
"No! Fourth sister-in-law, I will definitely return the money to you. You have four children to raise, it's not easy, and the money you earn doesn't come easily. I will run the inn with all my heart. Dabao goes to the county to study, and I will take good care of his three meals a day. If he loses a hair, Fourth sister-in-law can just blame me!"
"You're his uncle, so you should take good care of him. I'm not worried about him, I'm only worried about you. Making money is important, but your health is more important. Don't work yourself to death. Only when you take care of yourself first will you have the energy to take care of those around you, okay?"
"Yeah." Lao Liu nodded vigorously.
"I'll have Third Uncle take you back. The inn is now vacant. You take the key and have someone change the locks on the front and back doors. Your fourth brother has given the dimensions of the bamboo shed to Carpenter Xu. We've agreed on everything. We'll go over and install it in a couple of days once he's finished."
"How do you know it's vacated if you haven't been there? It's Ma, it's your uncle who's back. Didn't he tell you?"
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