After dinner, the whole family sat together in the house, giving advice to Ruan Zhigao and Liu Xinghua, and discussing what gifts to buy when they went to Qian Chuan's house to propose marriage. It just so happened that Ruan Cuizhi had lived in the town and knew more about the customs there.
In fact, it all comes down to bringing some decent food to complement the atmosphere of a wedding, buying more sweet things, such as rock sugar, white sugar, egg cake, apple and orange fruit candies, and of course the indispensable betrothal gift.
Apart from the betrothal gift, other things could not be purchased in the mountains and could only be bought in the town. It is convenient to say this. I can go to the town to buy everything, then go to the Qian family to give the gifts, and the engagement will be completed.
Although Ruan Changsheng and Qian Chuan were in love on their own, when it comes to matters like engagement and marriage, all the proper etiquette must be followed and not be neglected at all. So the day before going to town, Liu Xinghua found a matchmaker.
The matchmaker's job was very hassle-free. She didn't have to run errands or speak in the middle, nor did she have to go back and forth to say good things to the other party. She could just pick a ready-made marriage and was so happy that her mouth was almost crooked with smiles.
Because Ruan Zhigao and Liu Xinghua were already old, especially Liu Xinghua's poor legs and feet, and she could not move back and forth as well as the young people, so Ruan Changsheng found a childhood friend who was a good friend of his, went to the tailor shop to carry the sedan chair over, and planned to carry the sedan chair to the town.
On the morning of the day they were preparing to set off, Ruan Zhigao and Liu Xinghua couldn't sleep and got up early. The two of them were whispering in the room, discussing which clothes would be appropriate and good-looking. Their son's marriage proposal was a big deal, and they couldn't afford to lose face for him.
Especially if the girl's family is from the town, it has to be more respectable.
Hearing their whispers, Ruan Cuizhi, Ruan Xi and Ruan Jie went in with smiles. Ruan Cuizhi helped Ruan Zhigao and Liu Xinghua find suitable clothes to wear, and then combed Liu Xinghua's hair, combing it neatly and putting it in a bun behind her head.
Liu Xinghua was satisfied and said, "It's just that the road is long. I'm afraid there will be chaos before we get to the town."
Ruan Cuizhi smiled and said, "Then I'll go with you?"
Liu Xinghua followed up with this and said, "It's not impossible. Let's take this opportunity to go over and have some fun. How long have you been staying in the mountains? For old people like us, forget it. You young people should go out more often to have some fun."
Ruan Cuizhi looked at Ruan Xi and Ruan Jie and asked quietly, "Do you want to go?"
Ruan Xi looked at Ruan Jie. Ruan Jie did not hesitate this time and quickly responded, "I'll go!"
Ruan Jie, who was so afraid of walking on mountain roads, wanted to go without hesitation, so Ruan Xi naturally nodded in agreement.
So after the family finished their breakfast, they all packed up and prepared to go to town together.
But if the whole family leaves and there is no one left at home, it is also a problem. After all, people in rural areas raise chickens and dogs, which all need people to take care of them.
Ruan Changgui and Sun Xiaohui were not reliable, and Liu Xinghua didn't want to trouble them because they didn't have a good relationship, so she went to find Grandma Zhao and asked her with a smile: "Help me feed the chickens for a few days, and the eggs they lay these days will be yours."
The pigs have already been fattened and handed in, so there’s no need to bother any further.
Grandma Zhao was naturally very willing to take the eggs, and she knew that Liu Xinghua went to the town to propose marriage to Ruan Changsheng, so she smiled and said, "Your little Wuzi is really good. He found a wife for himself without you having to worry about anything, and he found such a good one."
Liu Xinghua smiled and said, "My little Wuzi only has this much ability."
Grandma Zhao: "Is this a small skill? This is a big skill!"
There are so many men in the village, but I've never heard of anyone finding his wife on his own. They all have matchmakers to help them find and bring them together.
Liu Xinghua just smiled when she said that, and felt very comfortable.
She had to hurry to town and didn't have much time to waste, so she didn't talk to Grandma Zhao any more. She just said, "I have to leave quickly. Please help me look after the chickens. I'll treat you to wedding candy when I come back!"
Grandma Zhao smiled and said, "It's okay, just go ahead."
While Liu Xinghua went to find Grandma Zhao, Ruan Xi and Ruan Jie took the opportunity to run to the stilt house.
When I went over there, the Ling family had just finished breakfast.
After Ruan Xi greeted Ling Zhiyuan and Zhou Xueyun, she smiled at Ling Yao and asked Zhou Xueyun, "Auntie, my family is going to the town to buy New Year's goods today. We are all going with you. Do you want to come with us? It will be more lively if we walk together."
When Ling Yao heard this, he decisively picked up his schoolbag and put it on.
These days, Zhou Xueyun has indeed been thinking about when to go to the town, whether to go herself or let Ling Zhiyuan go. Now that Ruan Xi had come and saw Ling Yao like this, she no longer hesitated and smiled and said, "Then let's go together. I'll just pack up."
Zhou Xueyun packed up everything and left Ling Zhiyuan at home to look after the house while she and Ling Yao followed Ruan Xi and Ruan Jie away.
The four of them walked to Ruan's house, and Liu Xinghua just came back, and the matchmaker who was hired yesterday also arrived.
After everyone gathered, a group of people went to the town to attend the market together, chatting and laughing.
Ruan Changsheng and his childhood friend carried Liu Xinghua in a sedan chair, with Ruan Zhigao and the matchmaker beside them, making Liu Xinghua feel embarrassed. Zhou Xueyun and Ruan Cuizhi, each carrying a large cloth bag on their shoulders, followed behind, followed by Ruan Xi, Ruan Jie and Ling Yao.
After walking for a while, Ruan Jie suddenly said, "I want to make a wish. I hope I can see a movie showing in town this time."
Ruan Xi put her hand on her shoulder and said with a smile: "Then my wish is that your wish will come true."
Ling Yao continued: "Then my wish is that Xixi's wish can come true."
After saying this, the three of them laughed happily together. Zhou Xueyun and Ruan Cuizhi heard the laughter and turned around to look at them.
Zhou Xueyun also had a big smile on her face. She turned around and said to Ruan Cuizhi, "My Yaoyao is only this happy when she is with Xixi."
Ruan Cuizhi suddenly felt emotional. "I was really happy when I was a kid. Although I lived in poverty, I didn't have any worries or troubles. Being with good friends or eating a piece of candy would make me happy for days. Sometimes I would even wake up laughing in my dreams. It would be great if the three of them could always be together and happy like this."
But everyone has to grow up and move on to their own lives.
Zhou Xueyun glanced at Ruan Cuizhi, raised her hand and put it on her shoulder, "Just be happy while you can be happy."
Ruan Cuizhi smiled and said, "This really spoils my fun."
Since it's a bit of a spoiler, I won't say any more and change the topic to something happier.
Because of Ruan Zhigao and Liu Xinghua, it took Ruan Xi and his friends a little longer than usual to get to the town. It was early morning when they arrived, which was the day that Ruan Changsheng and Qian Chuan had agreed to go to the Qian family to propose marriage.
The group washed up in someone else's well. Ruan Cuizhi took out the comb she had prepared in her bag and helped Liu Xinghua to tidy up her hair again so that she could go to the Qian family in a decent manner.
Of course, Ruan Cuizhi, Ruan Xi and Ruan Jie did not go to the Qian's house. After Ruan Changsheng bought the gifts and took Ruan Zhigao, Liu Xinghua, the matchmaker and their childhood friends to the Qian's house, they stayed in the market with Zhou Xueyun and Ling Yao to buy things.
Five people went shopping for cloth. Ruan Cuizhi pulled up the cloth and put it on Ruan Xi and Ruan Jie to compare them, to see which pattern looked better on them, and then she would buy that pattern for them.
The five people stayed in the state-owned store for a long time and bought a lot of things.
Ruan Cuizhi saw a can of malted milk in the store. This was something that was rarely seen in the town and was extremely rare and expensive. So she asked the salesperson out of curiosity, "Excuse me, how much is that malted milk?"
The salesperson has been very busy lately, so naturally his attitude is worse than usual. He glanced at the goods and said, "Add four yuan for a pound of sugar tickets."
When Ruan Jie heard the price, her eyes widened - what could be so expensive? Can you become immortal by eating it?
Ruan Cuizhi looked at the can of malted milk and hesitated whether to buy it. She wanted to buy it not because she wanted to eat it herself, but because she wanted her family to try it, especially Ruan Zhigao and Liu Xinghua, who had never eaten such a thing in their lives, but also felt that it was too expensive.
A pound of pork costs only 70 or 80 cents, but this thing costs four pieces!
She asked Ruan Xi: "Just this one can, do you want it?"
Ruan Xi opened her mouth but hadn't said anything yet when she heard a voice from behind her: "Cuizhi?"
She turned around and saw an old lady standing in front of her. The old lady was holding a little boy of about five or six years old in the hand. Next to the little boy was a little girl about ten years old. Both of them were a little dirty.
Ruan Xi knew the little boy and the little girl. The little girl was Ruan Cuizhi’s second daughter Erni, and the little boy was her youngest son Xiaohuzi. Ruan Xi didn't know the old lady, but she could tell that she should be the grandmother of Erni and Xiaohuzi.
After hearing the voice, Ruan Cuizhi also looked at Liu's mother who called her.
When she saw Liu's mother's face, and then Erni and Xiaohuzi, the smile on Ruan Cuizhi's face froze at the corner of her mouth, and then the originally relaxed and cheerful expression on her face disappeared little by little, and slowly became gloomy.
She froze in place, not calling out to Liu's mother, nor to Erni and Xiaohuzi.
Mother Liu walked towards her, looked at her with moist eyes and called out, "Cuizhi."
It sounded like calling out to a soul, and it seemed that if she called out a few more times, Ruan Cuizhi would go back with her.
Ruan Xi didn't look at Liu's mother and Erni Xiaohuzi any more. She pointed at the counter and said to the salesperson, "We want this can of malted milk. Can you please give it to me?"
The salesperson came over, got the malted milk, and threw it directly on the counter.
Ruan Xi raised his hand and grabbed Ruan Cuizhi's arm, shaking her twice: "Third Aunt, pay."
Ruan Cuizhi came to her senses and hurriedly took out her purse from her bag.
After taking it out, he found a pound of sugar coupons and four dollars in it and handed them directly to the salesperson.
Ruan Xi picked up the malted milk and asked her, "What else do you want to buy?"
Ruan Cuizhi felt a little uncomfortable and agreed casually: "Let's see... let's see..."
She was about to leave when Ruan Xi dragged her away. Suddenly, she heard Liu's mother say in a pitiful tone, "Cuizhi, are you really not coming back? You haven't seen the children for such a long time, don't you miss them?"
Ruan Cuizhi stopped walking, without looking back, and asked, "Do they miss me?"
Mother Liu pulled Erni and Xiaohuzi with her hands, but both children refused to cooperate with her. Not only did he not cooperate, but Little Tiger also shouted, "You don't want us anymore, you don't care about us anymore, you are a bad mother!"
Ruan Cuizhi lowered her eyebrows and did not respond to Xiao Huzi's words. She only said to Liu's mother: "If Liu Xiong comes to his senses and agrees to divorce one day, let the postman on the mountain deliver a letter to me, and I will come with him to the Revolutionary Committee to handle the formalities."
After saying this, without giving Liu's mother a chance to say anything, she pulled Ruan Xi away.
Zhou Xueyun, Ling Yao and Ruan Jie didn't speak from beginning to end. When they saw Ruan Cuizhi and Ruan Xi leaving, they hurriedly followed them.
Seeing Ruan Cuizhi leave like this, Liu's mother was very upset. She turned to Erni and Xiao Huzi and said, "You are stabbing her heart with words. How can she come back? If you don't say something nice, she may never come back in this lifetime."
It's so hard to meet them here, but who knew that these two kids are so stupid.
When I see my own mother, I don’t even rush over to her and cry.
As a result, Xiao Huzi looked up at Liu's mother and said, "Grandma, isn't this what you and Dad said?"
Mother Liu: “…”
Forget it, since it has come to this, I might as well not come back.
Liu's mother took Erni and Xiaohuzi for a walk outside, and went back to make lunch when it was almost noon.
After Liu Xiong and his father came back and sat down to eat, she suddenly said, "I saw your wife in the state-owned store today."
Liu Xiong was stunned when he heard this, and looked at his mother and asked, "Ruan Cuizhi?"
Mother Liu poked at the rice in her bowl and asked, "How many wives do you have?"
Liu Xiong snorted: "What's wrong? Are you tired of staying at your mother's house and planning to come back?"
Liu's mother glanced at him and said, "Ready to come back? She probably doesn't want to come back in this lifetime. She said she will wait for you to agree to the divorce and ask the postman to deliver a letter. She will come down the mountain to handle the formalities with you. She has changed so much that I almost didn't recognize her."
Liu Xiong was not interested and said disdainfully: "What can it change into?"
Before Liu's mother could say anything, Erni spoke up beside her, "She has become younger and prettier, and the clothes she wears are beautiful too. She has also become very rich, and she bought a can of malted milk for her niece who came last year."
Liu Xiong turned to look at Erni and frowned: "Your mother? Ruan Cuizhi?"
Erni nodded, "It's her."
Liu Xiong looked at his mother again, "Really?"
Liu's mother hummed, "She looks a lot younger, and she's dressed like a goblin, which is really ugly. The money shouldn't be hers, and her two elders must have asked her to come down to buy New Year's goods. She's been at her parents' house for more than a year, and it looks like she can't even get by. She bought a can of malted milk for four dollars, and I'm afraid she won't be able to get by next year."
Liu Xiong took a deep breath and said after a while, "Let her continue to do that. I wonder how long she can stay at her parents' home."
This time, when she met Ruan Cuizhi in person, she saw how cruel she was to her children. She saw that she was no longer as simple and frugal as before, and that she was not as pleasing to the eye as before. She was not pleasing to the eye, so Liu's mother didn't like it and felt that there was no need to wait for her to come back.
And it’s not a good idea for them to drag it on like this, the children always need a mother.
Looking at Ruan Cuizhi's current state, I don't know where her mind is. How can she look like a good wife and a mother to four children? The Liu family doesn’t want it anymore after it becomes like this.
Who would want a woman who obviously can't live a stable life?
She had chosen Ruan Cuizhi as her daughter-in-law and liked her because she saw that she was down-to-earth, virtuous and knew how to manage a life, and this was indeed the case after marriage. Now that this advantage is gone, she no longer wants Ruan Cuizhi to be her daughter-in-law.
So she took a deep breath, looked at Liu Xiong and said, "Why don't you just divorce her, so I can find a matchmaker to find you another one. If you keep putting it off year after year and you get older, it will be even harder for you to find one. Besides, if you don't divorce, aren't you leaving her a way out? If she can't stay in her parents' home anymore, she can come back, is it that easy? I say don't put it off any longer, just divorce and live your own lives. She's been labeled as a woman who's not faithful to her husband and is asking for a divorce, and everyone knows that she's restless. It'll be harder than climbing to the sky for her to find a good family for her second marriage. All four children don't recognize her, and she can't rely on her parents and brothers for her whole life. Sooner or later she'll regret it, but there's no need for us to wait."
After hearing this, Liu's father also said, "I also think we should stop wasting time with her. It's not worth it. She is restless and makes trouble, making people laugh at her. She even doesn't want the child. She has been gone for a year and a half. Why should we waste time with such a person? If she doesn't want to live a good life at her age, it's her business. We can't accompany her. We still have to live a good life."
Liu Xiong looked at his mother and then at his father, lowered his brows and poked at the rice in the bowl, thinking that he had a job, a house and a bicycle, and it would not be difficult to find another partner. There was really no need to waste time with Ruan Cuizhi.
What good will we get from continuing like this?
Even if Ruan Cuizhi married again, she could only marry a divorced man from the mountains, and there was no way he could be better off than him.
It is indeed impossible for her to rely on her parents and brothers for her whole life, so it is only a matter of time before she regrets it.
He waited until she had done enough and regretted it before letting her come back?
Want a man, have a man; want a child, have a child?
Is he some kind of sucker?
After thinking it through, he said, "Then let's wait until after the Chinese New Year."
Ruan Zhigao and Liu Xinghua brought Ruan Changsheng to the Qian family to propose marriage and perform the formalities. They chatted peacefully for the whole morning, performed all the necessary formalities, discussed all the necessary things, and even set the wedding date.
After chatting until noon, we did not stay at Qian's house for lunch. Instead, we went out to the state-owned canteen to meet Ruan Cuizhi and the others.
It is impossible to save money on something like your son's wedding, so naturally the Ruan family will treat us to lunch.
Zhou Xueyun felt embarrassed for not being able to help at all, so she just stuffed the money and food coupons into Ruan Cuizhi's pockets.
When they sat down to eat, Ruan Cuizhi asked Ruan Changsheng: "How is it? Is it going well?"
Everything was agreed upon in advance, so how could it not go smoothly?
Ruan Changsheng smiled and said, "We'll get married in May next year."
Ruan Cuizhi laughed when she heard this, "Then my parents can rest assured."
Ruan Zhigao just hummed, "Don't leave in a hurry. I'll go to the post office this afternoon and write a letter to your brother."
Liu Xinghua said, "Even if I send it, I may not be able to find time to come back."
Ruan Zhigao said: "Whether to tell or not is our business, whether he can come back is his business."
Ruan Xi was eating noodles nearby, and when he heard these words, it seemed as if he was listening to something that had nothing to do with him. She didn't react for a moment. The elder brother that Ruan Zhigao was talking about was "her" biological father, Ruan Changfu.
Because Ruan Changsheng's wedding was the main event of the day and it was a festive occasion, Ruan Cuizhi and Ruan Xi did not mention what happened when they ran into Liu's mother and Erni and Xiaohuzi at the state-owned store in the morning, and they acted as if nothing had happened.
What's the point of saying it out loud? It's of no use other than spoiling the fun.
A group of people were eating noodles and talking in the cafeteria. The atmosphere was very festive. Suddenly, a staff member in the cafeteria said, "Hey, there's a movie showing on the playground of Tianfeng Middle School tonight. Do you want to go and watch it?"
No matter how noisy it was around her, Ruan Jie immediately caught this sentence.
She turned her head quickly and looked at the two staff members who were talking.
Another staff member said, "What's playing tonight?"
"I really don't know about that, but they're always the same ones, what's new?"
Hearing this, Ruan Jie swallowed the noodles in her mouth, grabbed Ruan Xi's arm and shook it vigorously twice, and said excitedly but in a low voice: "Sister, did you hear me just now? My wish came true. There will be a movie today!"
Of course Ruan Xi heard it. When Ruan Jie stopped shaking her, she looked at Ruan Zhigao and said, "Grandpa, did you hear it? There's a movie showing at the commune today, and your granddaughter wants to stay and watch a movie tonight."
Many people in the village had never seen a movie. Ruan Zhigao looked at Ruan Xi, then at Ruan Jie, and said after a moment: "Then let's not go back tonight. Let's all stay together to watch a movie and stay at the guesthouse tonight."
Ruan Jie stamped her feet with joy: "That's great!"
Ruan Xi smiled and looked at her and said, "You must go early to get a seat, preferably in the first row. Otherwise, if you go late, you won't be able to see anything if you stand at the back, just like Ling Yao and I did last time."
Ruan Jie nodded vigorously, "Then go early!"
In the afternoon, Ruan Xi and Ruan Changsheng split their forces into two groups.
Ruan Changsheng followed Ruan Zhigao to the post office, wrote a letter on the spot, bought stamps and envelopes, and mailed the letter. Then the two of them went to the guesthouse and paid for a place to stay using Ruan Zhigao's status as the brigade secretary.
Ruan Xi, Liu Xinghua and others went to the market to buy things. They bought all the necessary New Year goods, put them in the arranged bungalow, and then rushed to the playground of Tianfeng Middle School without stopping.
When they arrived, the movie screen had just been hung up, so Ruan Xi and the others went straight to the most suitable place in front of the screen and sat down. They sat on the grass, occupying the best position, and they never moved again.
It will take some time for the sun to set, so I'll just sit here and take a rest.
Ruan Xi sat in the middle, with Ling Yao, Zhou Xueyun and Ruan Cuizhi sitting on his left, and Ruan Jie, Liu Xinghua and the matchmaker who came with them sitting on his right. As for Ruan Zhigao, Ruan Changsheng and his childhood friends, they didn't care much.
They are all quite tall, so there is no problem even if they stand at the back and watch.
While waiting, Ruan Xi got together with Ling Yao and Ruan Jie to chat, and when they had nothing to do, they would find some small games to play. When they were having fun, they laughed out loud, and Zhou Xueyun and Ruan Cuizhi were also in a good mood.
We finally waited until it got dark and the projectionist turned on the projector, and a beam of light shone onto the screen.
When the movie officially started, everyone on the playground fell silent tacitly, and only the music and voices of the characters in the movie, as well as the sound of the film turning on the projector, were left.
Ruan Xi felt tired of sitting and supported her face with her hands.
She held her face up to watch the movie for a while, then subconsciously turned her head to the right to look at Ruan Jie. She saw Ruan Jie staring at the movie screen without blinking, and the faint light emanating from the movie screen was reflected on her little face.
He turned his head to the left and looked at Ling Yao, and their eyes met.
They were both stunned for a moment, and then laughed together in tacit understanding, without making any sound, with the corners of their eyes and mouths forming the same arc.
Ruan Xi held up his face and looked at the movie screen again, thinking silently in his heart - he wondered if his life was also like an old movie with snow, and this scene under the screen today would be often recalled in the long years to come.
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