The warm winter sun shone sparsely through the gaps in the window paper onto the earthen bed, adding a touch of coziness to the small space.
Cherry, with her round, chubby belly, leaned lazily against the soft blankets, the sunlight casting a gentle halo around her.
She reached into the melon seed dish on the kang table, grabbed a handful of melon seeds, and began cracking them open with practiced ease. As she cracked them, she casually remarked, "Then why not just marry Gu Bin?"
She paused, a smile appearing on her face, "Anyway, I see that he dotes on you completely, and that guy has money, so if you marry him you won't have to work anymore!"
Yu Yuehui sat to the side, nodded slightly, and looked thoughtful.
She felt that Cherry made sense. After all, Zhang Linghui and Gu Bin were both sent-down youths and would eventually return to the city. Building a house would indeed be an unprofitable waste.
The earthen bed was heated to a warm temperature, as if creating a comfortable atmosphere for their discussion.
Zhang Linghui bit her lip, a faint blush rising on her fair cheeks. She lowered her head slightly, her fingers unconsciously fiddling with the hem of her clothes, her eyes revealing a hint of confusion and bewilderment.
She said softly, "But my dad said that men are unreliable, and you can't get married so early after you start dating. You have to carefully examine the other person."
"If he knew I was here so early, he'd kill me!"
Yu Yuehui and Yingtao exchanged a glance, understanding each other perfectly.
Yu Yuehui looked at Zhang Linghui with a serious expression and gentle gaze, and asked cautiously, "So what do you think?"
Zhang Linghui smiled slightly shyly, her smile carrying a hint of bashfulness and sweetness. "I am actually very satisfied with Gu Bin, and after spending this time together, I feel that we are quite compatible in every way."
“We have feelings for each other, which is much better than many arranged marriages.”
At this point, she gently brushed a strand of hair behind her ear and said shyly, "Besides, after the New Year, we'll have to go back to work. To put it bluntly, if I marry Gu Bin, at least I won't have to work in the fields."
After saying that, her cheeks flushed instantly, and she stuck out her tongue shyly, "Am I being too snobbish by saying that?"
Cherry couldn't help but laugh; her clear, melodious laughter echoed in the warm room.
She waved her hand and said, "What's so materialistic about this? A woman marries a man for food and clothing. You're a perfectly good young woman. If you marry Gu Bin, he can't even provide for your basic needs. Why would you marry him?"
Yu Yuehui nodded in agreement, saying with certainty, "That's right! If you still have to work in the fields and do everything yourself after you get married, then why get married at all!"
"To be honest, two people can't get married just by liking each other. Realistically speaking, liking someone can't put food on the table."
"As the saying goes, poverty-stricken couples face a hundred sorrows. While this is not an absolute truth, it is true for the vast majority of cases."
"When two people get married, it's to make each other's lives better, or to put it simply, you have to have something to gain from the marriage." She tilted her head and smiled playfully. "For example, I got married because Xie Yan is handsome and a nice person!"
Cherry jokingly added, "I'm just after the kids!" After saying that, the two looked at each other and laughed.
Yu Yue turned to Zhang Linghui and asked, "And you!"
After hearing their words, Zhang Linghui chuckled, her eyes crinkling. "Then I want even more. Gu Bin is a good person, and I'll have a house to live in. Most importantly, if I marry him, I won't have to work in the fields!"
After saying that, she added seriously, "Am I being too greedy?"
Yu Yue smiled and shook her head, "What kind of greed is this!"
Cherry said directly, "That's right. Now that you know what you're after, think about the worst possible outcome after you get married. If you can accept that worst outcome, then you can go ahead with the marriage."
Zhang Linghui blinked, a relaxed smile spreading across her face. "The worst-case scenario is that we can't make it work, so we'll just get a divorce!"
“I’m different from others; I’m not afraid of divorce.”
"If I get a divorce, I'll go back home and live off my parents. They'll at least have a place to live and a bowl of rice to eat.
"Besides, my brother isn't the old-fashioned type. If I get a divorce and go back home, they won't look down on me."
After saying that, she felt as if a huge weight had been lifted from her heart, and she felt much more relaxed. She said gratefully to the two of them, "Thank you, Sister Yueyue and Sister Cherry. I feel much better after talking to you."
When I get home, I'll write to my family and tell them about it, and see what they say.
Cherry sighed softly, a hint of envy flashing in her eyes, "It's obvious that you have a very good relationship with your family."
Zhang Linghui laughed, her eyes sparkling with happiness. "It's alright! I'm the youngest in my family, so everyone spoils me!"
Yu Yue tilted her head slightly, her eyes full of curiosity, "Then why did you go to the countryside?"
Logically speaking, given how much Zhang Linghui is pampered at home, she would never go to the countryside!
Zhang Linghui's smile vanished instantly, replaced by a look of utter dejection.
She sighed helplessly and said, "It makes me really angry when I think about it."
"Sigh! I originally had a chance to pass the exam and get a job, but I suddenly caught a bad cold a few days before the exam."
"I felt so dizzy and couldn't take the exam at all."
Isn't that infuriating?
"If I miss that exam, it will be very difficult to get a job again." After saying that, she shook her head gently, her eyes full of disappointment.
Her mother had to go through a lot of trouble to find out about that exam, and she just wasted it.
She still feels the pinch when she thinks about the money her family spent trying to find out about jobs.
Upon hearing this, Yu Yue felt a pang of sympathy. She gently patted the woman's shoulder and comforted her, "It's alright. Going to the countryside is great too. Look how wonderful our village is!"
"The scenery is beautiful, and although the transportation is not as convenient as in your city, there are still many good things to see. When the wild vegetables come into season, I will take you to pick them."
"Let me tell you, the wild vegetables here are delicious. Some impressive person even said that our wild vegetables are highly nutritious!"
"This is something you absolutely can't get in the city."
"Moreover, there are plenty of wild game on the mountain. As long as you have the ability, you won't have to worry about not being able to eat meat."
Zhang Linghui swallowed hard; clearly, she preferred meat to wild vegetables.
Seeing her like this, Cherry laughed, "Maybe you'll be able to go back again for the New Year."
Zhang Linghui covered her mouth and laughed. Although she liked hearing these words, she also understood that the possibility of returning to the city was slim.
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