They threw away every bit of mud and every stone, and hurled every curse they could, infuriating the two men who couldn't understand what the old bachelor was up to.
A week later, Li Qiang finally couldn't hold back any longer and secretly went to the old bachelor's house. Looking at the old bachelor, he asked, "What exactly do you want to do?"
The old bachelor had been waiting for this. He looked at Li Qiang with a mocking gaze, as if he were looking at a lamb about to be slaughtered. Li Qiang was furious, but his status prevented him from losing his temper now, so he could only wait quietly.
"I'm currently looking for a wife, and your sister would be a good fit. However, you guys are bad elements, and it would be too much of a loss for me to marry your sister. How about you compensate me a little, and I'll reluctantly agree?" the old bachelor said with a smile.
Upon hearing this, Li Qiang was so angry he almost vomited blood. This was completely different from what he had imagined. In this way, not only would he not get her, but he would also have to give her a younger sister. How could this be allowed?
"I don't care whether you need a wife or not, but if you want to marry my sister, you have to give me a dowry. Otherwise, I'd rather die than let you have your way."
Seeing Li Qiang's tough stance, the old bachelor knew his hopes had been dashed, so he decided to try other methods. He drove Li Qiang away and began to devise a new plan.
At the criticism meeting the next day at noon, the old bachelor brought a bucket of cold water and poured it directly on Li Qiang. The cold water in the dead of winter made Li Qiang's teeth chatter, but there was nothing he could do but endure it, because of his bad status.
If he didn't find a way, he figured he'd be done for by that old bachelor. After returning to the cowshed, Li Qiang ordered Li Ping to find a way to appease the old bachelor, or else get out of the house. Li Ping nodded, but she hated Li Qiang to death.
Li Ping entered the old bachelor's courtyard and called out loudly for him to come out. The old bachelor sneakily came out, and looking at his slovenly and ugly appearance, Li Ping faced him calmly and asked, "Do you want to marry me?"
Upon hearing this, the old bachelor couldn't help but scrutinize Li Ping carefully. This bad element was actually quite clever. He looked at Li Ping earnestly and nodded repeatedly: "You are prettier than the village girls, and you are an educated youth, cultured and knowledgeable. I hope my future children will also be cultured and knowledgeable."
Li Ping smiled. Hope is a good thing. Regardless of social status or family background, people always have hope for their children. Since there is a requirement, it will be easier to handle: "I want you to do one thing: get rid of my brother. Then I will marry you. Otherwise, I would rather go up the mountain to feed the wolves."
"Do you hate him? Or has he been bullying you all along?" The old bachelor knew the answer.
“He’s trying to sell me to you and profit from me. How could I not hate him!” Li Ping gritted her teeth.
"Then why did you still marry me?" the old bachelor asked, puzzled.
“I don’t want to be criticized at the threshing ground every day, I don’t want to live with contemptuous looks every day. Most men wouldn’t marry me, but I know you will, because we are on the same path.” Li Ping was also straightforward.
"Okay, I'll marry you. You can go back now and wait for my news." The old bachelor was thinking of a plan, a plan that would satisfy both sides.
The next day at noon, Li Qiang indeed did not see the old bachelor appear. He was somewhat satisfied with Li Ping. It seemed that the old man was still interested in Li Ping. In the future, he would let Li Ping go and coax him more. It would be even better if she could bring back some things.
Under the dim light of an oil lamp, the old bachelor handed Li Qiang a gold bracelet: "This is my betrothal gift for your sister."
When Li Qiang was invited to the old bachelor's house, he saw such a beautiful gold bracelet. He felt both happy and worried. He was happy that he finally had money, but worried about how to cash it in.
The old bachelor, of course, knew what Li Qiang was thinking, and kindly pointed him in the right direction, telling him to take the gold bracelet to town the next day and find a middle-aged man with a balding head, give him the bracelet, and he could exchange it for what he wanted.
Li Qiang asked the old bachelor suspiciously how he knew, and the old bachelor pointed to the kitchen: "My food rations are obtained from him."
Li Qiang's eyes flashed. Could this old guy still have these things on him? But now is not the time to ask. He'll have Li Ping come over and try to get as much information as he can.
The next morning, Li Qiang went to the place the old bachelor had mentioned and luckily found the middle-aged man with a balding head. After a few words, Li Qiang took the gold bracelet out of his pocket and handed it to the middle-aged man.
The middle-aged man waved his hand, and two men entered. One man gave Li Qiang a bag of fifty jin of cornmeal, and the other man gave Li Qiang five yuan. Li Qiang happily accepted it. The old bachelor had indeed not lied to him.
Li Qiang hid the money, slung the cornmeal over his shoulder, opened the door and went outside. Just then, a sharp whistle sounded outside. Li Qiang knew something was wrong; someone was conducting a surprise inspection. He quickly turned around and tried to go back inside, but the door was locked from the inside, and no matter how hard he knocked, he couldn't open it.
The only option left for Li Qiang was to run away. He looked around and saw that there seemed to be fewer people on the right side of the road, so he decided to run to the right. He had only taken a few steps when a group of people wearing arm sleeves jumped out from the side and grabbed him.
Li Qiang was carrying fifty pounds of cornmeal on his back and had five yuan in his pocket, which meant he had been caught red-handed and there was no way he could escape. Li Qiang thought to himself that he was really done for this time.
Li Qiang was taken away, and the charge was changed from the original crime of harboring a criminal to speculation. He was convicted of both crimes and sentenced to life imprisonment.
On a broken wall not far away, Li Ping and the old bachelor could see everything clearly. Li Ping breathed a sigh of relief and looked at the old bachelor, saying, "I don't have a single penny on me. Consider that bracelet as your betrothal gift, but I have no dowry."
The old bachelor nodded, and a gold bracelet was used to get rid of Li Qiang, eliminating the chance of him being harmed by Li Qiang in the future. This also fulfilled Li Ping's wish to marry a wife and gave those people a pair of bracelets, avoiding unknown dangers in the future.
It turns out that the old bachelor knew he was being followed that day, and he was very nervous, thinking that his belongings were in danger. But the falling out between Li Qiang and Li Ping gave him an idea to kill three birds with one stone, and now it seems to have killed four birds with one stone.
He took the initiative to find those people and told them his thoughts. Those people originally didn't want to pay attention to him and just wanted to take the bracelet. They didn't have time to play tricks with this old man.
But the old bachelor also frankly told them that if they wanted to cheat each other, they would have to die first, otherwise all those years he spent in prison wouldn't have been for nothing.
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