Chapter 100: Shui Lingling's New Target

The Wang family's stone house is still as neat and simple as ever.

Chen Pingping and her parents came and sat in the main hall of the Wang family to discuss how many dowries to make.

"Dongsheng, you also know that we don't have wood of our own. Last year, we went to Pingping's uncle's house to chop down trees on their mountain, but we could only make three or four dowries at most. Don't think it's too little." Pingping's father spoke with a look of superiority.

How could Wang Dongsheng dare to complain that the dowry prepared by his in-laws was too little?

If it weren't for the youngest son's mischief, the Zhu family's dowry would have been prepared long ago, and they wouldn't have to worry about it.

He smiled gently on his lean, dark face and waved his hands, "We've known each other for half a lifetime, why are you saying those awkward words?"

"Pingping and Zonghao are getting married, and we don't expect anything from them. You just need to do a few symbolic things."

If the Chen family gave so much dowry, they would have no place to put it.

The room where Wang Zonghao lived was quite small and could only accommodate a tall cabinet and a desk with drawers.

I wanted to put two chairs in there, but I couldn't turn around.

The Chen family also knew that the Wang family's room was not spacious enough, and they did not really want to spend money to buy a large and decent dowry for their daughter.

Pingping's mother looked at the carpenter Zhai Jiahao and said, "The wood we cut last year is enough to make a tall cabinet, a desk with drawers, and a few chairs. We don't plan to make a table because there is no place for it in their house."

"By the way, are you planning to make Zonghao's new bed together this time?" Pingping's mother asked again.

According to their customs, the bride's family will prepare furniture and bedding as a dowry. Families with more financial resources will also buy pots, pans, and utensils for their daughters to use for cooking after the separation of the family.

As for the groom, all he needs to do is make a new bed.

Wait until the bride comes back before you can make the bed.

Wang Dongsheng said quickly, "Yes, the wood drying in the yard is for making a new bed for Zong Hao. Uncle Baoer, go and see if it's enough."

"You're just making a new bed, so it doesn't take much wood."

Zhai Jiahao put down the enamel pot in his hand, stood up and followed Wang Dongsheng out to check the wood drying in the yard.

There were just a few thick logs, enough to make a bed and some left over.

"Sure! It's enough to make a bed."

"Then I feel relieved."

Wang Dongsheng smiled innocently.

After returning to the main hall and sitting down, Zhai Jiahao took the initiative to ask Pingping's father, "The wedding date hasn't been set yet, so when do you plan to start work?"

The adults in the main room looked at each other.

Wang Dongsheng smiled and said, "Let's go and match the horoscopes first. Once they match, we can set the wedding date. I think the sooner the better. How should I put it? Mainly because I think Zong Hao might need to work in the city."

I heard that the wedding date hasn’t been set yet, so they have to find a fortune teller to match their horoscopes. Zhai Jiahao was about to mock Wang Zonghao, thinking that maybe their horoscopes weren’t compatible.

After hearing the second half of the sentence, Zhai Jiahao couldn't laugh anymore.

"Zong Hao is working in the city?" Zhai Jiahao was quite surprised, and a question mark quietly popped up in his mind, "Zong Hao can actually work in the city?!"

Wang Dongsheng looked proud and pointed at his son-in-law Zhai Ximo with a smile.

The two families discussed dowry and wedding date, which had nothing to do with Zhai Ximo and his friends, so the couple sat on the bench and drank tea.

Zhai Ximo, who had been sitting in the stone house drinking tea, briefly mentioned Captain Tang's help in introducing the job.

Zhai Jiahao was very jealous because his younger brother did not seek benefits for the Zhai family but only cared about his father-in-law's family!

"This kid really doesn't know the seriousness of the matter! He has no conscience at all."

Wang Zonghao took Pingping to his room to play and showed her a photo of her sister.

Hearing the adults outside mention his job, Zong Hao said nonchalantly, "Well, I'm just going to be a chef. Look how happy they are."

"What's wrong with the chef? You go to work in the city first. If you have a chance, take me to work in the county. Then we can save money and live in the city." Chen Pingping began to plan for the beautiful life of the family of three in the future.

Wang Zonghao quickly responded, "Okay, okay! I'll listen to you from now on."

The two of them looked at the photos for a while, then came out one after the other to listen to the adults discussing serious matters.

After discussing, Pingping's father looked at Zhai Jiahao, then at Wang's son-in-law, "That's right, we have to go to Pingping's uncle's house to carry the wood back. It's not a lot, so I think a few of you will go with me to Pingping's uncle's house to carry the wood this afternoon?"

"As long as we bring the wood back, we can start making the dowry. If the wedding date is very close, I'm afraid we will have to rush the work."

Wang Dongsheng also agreed with his in-laws' idea and nodded quickly, "Okay, let's go this afternoon. Zong Hao, Zong Ming, you two, and Xi Mo, can you come with us to help carry the wood?"

Wang Ziru sat on a high stool, supporting her cheek with her hand. She really couldn't avoid this matter.

Then I heard the man say in a deep voice: "Okay."

"Second brother, you can come with us. We will carry back as much wood as is needed for the dowry."

"......Yeah." Zhai Jiahao never thought that he, a carpenter, had to follow them into the mountains to carry wood. He felt really wronged.

If he had known that the timber was still in the mountains, he should have waited until they brought the timber back before coming over to discuss the matter.

"Since you are in a hurry to work, I will come over tomorrow to start making the dowry. As a carpenter, I have no one to help me, so it will be difficult to make the dowry quickly." Seeing that the wood issue was resolved, Zhai Jiahao urged him to work as soon as possible, thinking about earning his wages quickly.

Pingping's parents had agreed early on that the wages for the dowry would be borne by the Wang family, so they didn't really care when the carpenter would arrive home to start work.

Wang Dongsheng nodded, "It's time to start work! Okay, Bao'er's second uncle, you can come over and start work tomorrow morning."

"Since you are in a hurry to work, then Bao'er's second uncle, you don't have to run back and forth every day during this period. Just live in our house." Pingping's mother said.

Zhai Jiahao also didn't want to run such a long distance back and forth every day. Each trip would take more than two hours and his legs would be broken.

The owner suggested that they temporarily stay at the Chen family's house during the construction period.

He was also happy, "That would be the best, it would save a lot of time."

"Then I'll redecorate Pingping's sister's room this afternoon..." Pingping's mother said to herself.

The Chen family's house was not spacious. After Sister Pingping got married, her room became empty. Usually no one lived there, and there was no bed made in it. There was a thick layer of dust in the room.

When Wang Zonghao heard that Zhai Jiahao would live in the Chen family during his dowry period, he suddenly felt unhappy.

He pulled Chen Pingping back to his room in a hurry, closed the door, and supported Chen Pingping's waist, "Pingping! If Brother Jiahao wants to stay at your house for a while, you can move in and live in my sister's room."

"Ah? How can that be possible? Won't their adults object?" Chen Pingping said shyly, biting her lip.

"We are getting married soon. Even if we do that tonight, no one will dare to say anything." Wang Zonghao suddenly approached and deliberately teased Pingping's face with the tip of his nose. Pingping was so scared that she turned her head away.

"It's settled!"

Wang Zonghao didn't expect Pingping to live in their house so soon. He couldn't hide his joy and suddenly whispered, "I'm going to work in the city soon. Pingping, will you miss me? Otherwise, you can stay in my room at night? Let's get things done first..."

I leaned over and whispered a few words into her ear, and Chen Pingping stamped her feet in shame.

Suddenly, her pretty face turned a peach-like red, and she kept beating Wang Zonghao's chest.

"You're so annoying! You're such a jerk!"

"Pingping, don't worry. Now that you have become my wife, Wang Zonghao, I will only love you more in the future. Let's be together tonight..." Wang Zonghao's heart was filled with joy. He couldn't stop his desire for that just by thinking about it.

After hearing what Wang Zonghao said, the adults of the two families, especially Pingping's mother, wished that their daughter would be pregnant with Wang's baby that night.

Only in this way can Wang Zonghao be tied down and stop him from thinking about Zhu Yan from time to time.

The Wang family also felt that it would be safer for Chen Pingping to move in.

Wang Zonghao ran to Chen's house and swung Chen Pingping's pillow in his arms, as if to tell the villagers that Chen Pingping was already the daughter-in-law of the Wang family.

It was early that day.

The two families agreed on the marriage and dowry, and the men and women of the two families acted separately.

Wang Ziru's mother and Chen Pingping's mother went to find a fortune teller from another village to match the couple's horoscopes and set a wedding date. The Wang family's men, along with three or four other strong men from the clan, went to Pingping's uncle's house to haul wood.

…

When they were almost at the town, Zhu Yan heard someone calling her name.

"Zhu Yan!"

Zhang Kang's neck was almost stiff. When he saw Zhu Yan from a distance, he was so happy that he hurried forward to greet her.

"What? It's really Zhang Kang! He wouldn't deliberately wait for me at the fork in the road..." Zhu Yan suddenly became so nervous that she couldn't even move forward.

Last night she also listened to her parents' opinions. They both felt that marrying Zhang Kang was definitely better than marrying Wang Zonghao.

Last year, the Zhu family hired a carpenter to prepare the dowry furniture, and all they had to do was paint it.

That bastard Wang Zonghao suddenly broke off the engagement, catching her off guard.

Zhu Yan's eyes collided with Zhang Kang's, and she suddenly felt nervous.

"…It's you, Zhang Kang."

Zhang Kang was just trying his luck, he didn't expect to actually meet her.

He smiled sheepishly, "Are you here to catch up with the crowd too?"

"Um."

Zhu Yan knew very well in her heart that she was the most beautiful girl in their village. She was gentle and capable. She was good at taking care of housework and could sew soles to make cloth shoes. She was one of the girls who was welcomed by her husband's family in all the villages.

When several nearby villages learned that her engagement had been rejected, matchmakers would surely come to their homes to propose marriage soon.

She was no longer surprised by such things, so on her way out of Longwang Village, she also thought carefully about Wang Ziru's words.

If she didn't want to be criticized by people around her and avoid rumors that she had some problems and was broken off, she might have no choice but to agree to Zhang Kang.

When I followed him to the army, apart from Wang Ziru's family, there was no other acquaintance who knew them.

In that case, she could indeed live a new life that she had never imagined.

Zhang Kang was very worried when he saw the girl bowing her head and not saying anything. He said directly, "Well, Zhu Yan, I am a straightforward person. I want to ask if you can consider my proposal?"

Zhu Yan slowly raised her eyes and felt that Zhang Kang was quite a generous person who spoke his mind openly.

"Don't worry! I will never have any bad thoughts about you. I simply think that you are a very good girl and I am also in need of a partner..." Zhang Kang didn't know what the girl was thinking or how she viewed his proposal.

For a moment, I rubbed my hands together helplessly.

After a while, Zhu Yan mustered up the courage to ask, "In your heart... do you still like Chen Pingping?"

When Zhang Kang heard the name 'Chen Pingping', the joy he once had gradually disappeared and he no longer had any unrealistic fantasies.

Seeing that Zhu Yan is very serious about the relationship between him and Chen Pingping, he is not sure whether they will have any lingering feelings.

Zhang Kang didn't dare to hide anything, he straightened his back and said hurriedly: "Listen to my explanation..."