"Zhenzi, tell me who the family you introduced Dani to is!"
Old Mrs. Miao sat cross-legged on the kang, cracking the melon seeds brought by Jiang Dazhen, and asked with some anticipation. "Having so many granddaughters is just to let them marry into a good family when they grow up, earn more dowry, and help the family in the future, right?"
"Yes, little sister, tell me about it." Gu Dongmei put down the half-sewn cotton jacket in her hands and asked with concern. She didn't ask for anything else, as long as the man was good and she could live a good life with Dani.
Gu Dongmei felt both guilty and loving towards her daughter. She always felt that the person she felt most sorry for was her daughter Dani. It was her, as a mother, who was not good enough. Dani had to do so much work at such a young age. Almost all of her brothers and sisters were raised by Dani. Even she, as a mother, could not compare to the effort she put into Erni and the others.
"We haven't even started yet!" Jiang Dazhen sat cross-legged on the kang like Old Lady Miao, spitting melon seed shells onto the ground.
"Xiaobao, don't sweep. Let your second and third sisters do it later." When Grandma Miao saw her grandson coming in with a broom, she hurriedly put down the melon seeds in her hand and wanted to go down to stop him.
"Grandma, the teacher told us to do more housework and respect our elders during the holidays. This is what I should do." Jiang Yiluo held the broom tightly and said seriously. His fair and tender little face was as stern as an adult, which made the women present laugh.
"Our Xiaobao is so obedient and sensible. He is unique among all the naughty kids in the village. With such a filial child like Xiaobao, your father and I don't have to worry about the future." Old Mrs. Miao smiled and looked at her little grandson with a happy look in her eyes.
"Xiaobao is really sensible. My Xiangxue wants to be the ancestor at home and never does anything. But the old man and the old lady in the family still protect him. I get scolded when I want him to do something." Jiang Dazhen loves his little nephew so much that he wants to take him home to raise him as his own son.
"Boys are meant to do great things, so as a mother, you should do all the housework." Old Mrs. Miao disagreed and nodded her daughter's head: "Don't always send Xiangxue out in the future. Let him learn more from your old man. In a few years, the old man of the Meng family will retire, and you can't give up the position of worker to someone else."
Jiang Dazhen rolled her eyes and didn't argue with her mother. In her mother's eyes, whatever men did was right, and no matter how much a woman did, it was never enough, after all, she was still a woman.
Jiang Yi stayed aside and slowly scraped the ground with a broom, watching a group of people chatting and then changing the topic. He was as anxious as an ant on a hot pan. He didn't really come to sweep the floor for them. His purpose was to find out who the man was that his aunt had chosen for his eldest sister. His eldest sister was only seventeen after the Chinese New Year, and there were still many years before they could get the marriage certificate. He didn't want his eldest sister to get married so early.
Fortunately, there was still Gu Dongmei who remembered the matter of her eldest daughter very well. Seeing that the topic had changed, she immediately brought it back to the original topic.
"Little sister, you haven't told me the guy you found for Dani yet." Although as a mother, she was very happy to hear people praising her son, the most important thing at the moment was Dani's marriage, which was a major event that affected a woman's entire life.
Jiang Dazhen spat out the melon seed shells in his mouth, picked up the hot tea on the kang table and took a big sip.
"That young man is a regular worker in the machinery factory where Chuanping works. His name is Xiang Qianjin. He is 22 years old this year and is now a second-level worker. In addition to food subsidies, he also receives a salary of 45 yuan per month. I have seen that young man before. He is good-looking and honest. It was just a coincidence. One day, Pingchuan forgot to bring his lunch box and I couldn't spare the time, so I asked Dani to deliver it. The young man fell in love with Dani the first time he saw her. The young man was shy and was too embarrassed to ask Pingchuan about it. Or maybe my wife saw that he was not normal those days and forced him out. Do you think this is fate?"
Jiang Dazhen covered her mouth and winked at Gu Dongmei: "I think it's all thanks to my sister-in-law's good looks that none of her children are ugly. Now, a good partner has found her."
"What nonsense are you talking about? Those children in your family obviously look like your eldest brother. How is your eldest brother ugly?" Old Mrs. Miao was quite happy when she heard the first half, but she became unhappy when she heard the second half about her daughter praising the appearance of the Gu family.
Look at Xiaobao, he is so handsome, and it is obvious that he inherited Dahai’s high nose bridge. As for other aspects, the old lady chose to ignore them.
Similarly, Jiang Yiliu was also unhappy. In his heart, he labeled Xiang Qianjin, whom he had not even met, as a pervert. He fell in love with Xiang Qianjin after only meeting him once. How cheap was that love? Jiang Yiliu simply ignored the way people of that era got married and gave him a big cross in his heart.
Gu Dongmei was a little worried after hearing what her sister-in-law said: "Where is Xiang Qianjin from? How many people are there in his family? How are his brothers and sisters?"
No matter how good it is to move forward, if the family members cannot make it clear, it is not a good match.
"That's not even a big deal, but my sister-in-law is already trying to find out about my ancestors." Jiang Dazhen chuckled, and seeing how embarrassed she looked, she didn't tease her any more: "As an aunt, how could I be so unreliable? I've already found out about all the things you want to ask."
When Jiang Yilu heard this, he immediately pricked up his ears and stopped what he was doing. Now everyone was waiting for Jiang Dazhen to say something, and no one noticed his appearance at this moment.
"Xiang Qianjin's family is from Xiaoqiu Village. Maybe our mother still remembers them." Old Mrs. Miao is also from Xiaoqiu Village. However, after her parents and brothers passed away, she had no contact with the relatives there. In those days, people were short of food and clothing, and one less relative meant one less expense. It is estimated that if Old Mrs. Miao's nephews and nieces stood in front of her now, she might not even recognize them.
"He's from Xiaoqiu Village, and his surname is Xiang. I don't have much impression of him. What are his parents' names?" Old Mrs. Miao asked curiously.
"I don't know his father's name, but I heard that people in the village call him Xiang Laoshi. He is such an honest man, so he got this name." Jiang Dazhen answered, taking a break from his busy schedule to crack another walnut.
The walnuts tasted good. Jiang Dazhen smacked her lips in satisfaction. She would take some back later to shut up the old man and old lady at home. Give and take is the way to get along with relatives. Jiang Dazhen was very satisfied with the changes in her eldest brother after giving birth to Xiaobao. Every time he went to the city to see her, he would remember to bring her some good things from the village. In this way, her parents-in-law would look better when they saw her relatives. She wanted to help her parents-in-law, but it would not attract complaints from her parents-in-law.
Jiang Dazhen has always been a smart person.
"The Xiang Qianjin you mentioned is his son. Then I have an impression of him. Xiang Laoshi and his wife have a good reputation and have never quarreled with anyone in the village. But I remember that he has a lot of children, right?" Old Mrs. Miao asked uncertainly.
"That's true. Xiang Qianjin has two older brothers, two younger brothers, and three older sisters. Except for him and the youngest brother who are not married, the others have already started families and have separated. Having more brothers and sisters also has many advantages. At least there will be more people to help you in the future."
In rural areas, brothers who have separated from their families become two families. Apart from supporting their elders together, there are no other disputes except for interpersonal relationships. As long as the elders can see clearly, they will not let one son who has separated from the family support another son.
Jiang Dazhen glanced at her mother. A few years ago, when Xiaobao was not born yet, her parents were quite confused. Fortunately, they have changed now.
"With so many brothers and sisters, she is still the middle one and is not loved by her father and mother. Just this point, I always feel something is not right." Old Mrs. Miao shook her head. She felt that she had let her granddaughter go to school for so many years, she had to make the money back. Given the situation of the Xiang family, how much dowry could they offer?
"The old couple Xiang Laoshi will live with their youngest son in the future. If Dani marries Qianjin, she will also stay in the city and won't be involved with her hometown too much. The most important thing is Xiang Qianjin. The young couple can live a prosperous life, which is really good." Jiang Dazhen said disapprovingly: "Besides, the fate has not yet been decided. Dani is still young and can slowly find her way. Isn't free love advocated now? The two children can be together."
It's not that Jiang Dazhen doesn't have better candidates, but she also understands that although her eldest niece has a good personality, when it comes to marriage, her parents probably won't be able to give much dowry because of the pressure from the old lady. Since ancient times, the amount of a woman's dowry has determined her future status in her husband's family. If she really introduces her niece to a city boy, the gossip from her husband's family will probably make her worry to death.
Dani is good in every way except that she is like her mother in temperament and is too weak. Xiang Qianjin is a worker under her husband, so he will be nicer to Dani for his sake. Besides, without the in-laws around, Dani feels more relaxed.
Jiang Dazhen has no daughter, so naturally she puts her nieces at the top of her heart and thinks of everything for Dani.
"Okay, let's wait and see. I'll go back to Xiaoqiu Village tomorrow and ask my nephew to find out about Xiang Laoshi's family." Old Mrs. Miao thought that a good daughter would never have trouble finding a husband. Her granddaughter was now a person who was paid by the government, although she was only an apprentice. It was hard to say when she would be able to get a regular job. By then, there might be better options. She seemed less enthusiastic about Xiang Qianjin, the candidate.
Gu Dongmei felt that what her sister-in-law said was very good. She had been oppressed by her parents-in-law for half her life. If her daughter found a man who didn't live with the elderly, she would definitely be happier than her.
"Little sister, why don't you find a chance for Dani to meet Xiang Qianjin and see what Dani thinks." Gu Dongmei said timidly, braving the old lady's glare: "If Dani is not interested in that man, then we won't have to work in vain."
When Old Mrs. Miao heard this, she thought it made sense. She wasn't old anymore, so how could she cut down the meat for a meal?
"Okay, Pingchuan is going to invite his coworkers to dinner in a few days, I'll ask him to bring Xiang Qianjin and let Dani take a look." Jiang Dazhen would never refuse such a small matter, and it was her fault that she was so anxious that she forgot that Dani hadn't met Xiang Qianjin yet, and she rushed home to report the news. Jiang Dazhen patted her head and spoke.
"Aunt, I want to go to the city too. I miss my elder sister and cousin Xiangxue." Jiang Yilu put down the broom, hugged Jiang Dazhen's arm and said coquettishly.
“Yes, how about you take Xiaobao with you and let him take a look, and then come back and tell us.” Old Mrs. Miao’s eyes lit up. The food at the Meng family’s banquet must be very good. It would be a great opportunity for her grandson to have a good meal. Moreover, given how much her daughter loves her nephew, she must buy some good things for the child while Xiaobao is in the county town.
Old Lady Miao never forgets to squeeze some money out of her daughter. Jiang Dazhen also knows her mother's personality. Anyway, she is happy to spend money on her nephews and nieces. She just turns a blind eye to her mother's little tricks. If she really wanted to make a fuss with Old Lady Miao, she would have died of anger eight hundred years ago.
"Okay, your cousin Xiangxue is on vacation now. He was talking about coming back to play with you a few days ago. It would be good to take you with you this time, so that he doesn't have to be away from home all day and just play tricks with other kids outside." Jiang Dazhen touched his little nephew's head affectionately and said happily.
Jiang Yilu nestled in his aunt's arms. According to the calculations, his aunt should be pregnant by now, and he could keep an eye on her at her house.
******
"Mom, why are you in the city today? Didn't I tell you that I would take a leave to go home at the end of the month?"
A simple-looking man stood in the alley at the corner of the machinery factory and asked the short, skinny old woman in front of him. He was wearing the factory's uniform dark blue uniform, with oil on his sleeves, and it was obvious that he was suddenly called out while working.
"Xiang Qian, you are not a child anymore. Your second sister-in-law told me the day before yesterday that there is a little girl in her family who is also working in the city. She wants to introduce her to you." The old lady looked a little timid. She was obviously talking about a happy event, but her expression was not very good-looking, and there was a hint of guilt between her eyebrows.
"Mom, I'm not in a hurry. Don't let my second sister-in-law worry about me." Xiang Qianjin thought of the little girl he met some time ago. Her dark skin turned dark red. Her blood surged and she didn't notice that something was wrong with her mother.
"You are so old already, and your fourth brother already has a child. How can I not be anxious? Besides, the mother of that family your second sister-in-law mentioned looks really good. The other party is an only child and is now a formal worker. She is a perfect match for you." The old lady said anxiously.
Xiang Qianjin frowned, and his honest and simple face suddenly looked a little fierce, which scared the old lady.
"Forget it, forget it. If you don't want to see the little girl, just pretend I've never been here." The old lady shuddered and said in a hesitant voice.
Xiang Qianjin knew that his appearance must have frightened the old lady again. He rubbed his face and showed a warm smile: "Mom, it's not that I don't want to see her, but I already have someone I like, but we haven't made any plans yet. When it's done, I will bring her back to the village to meet you."
Xiang Qianjin was a little worried about his appearance. He had always had a good personality and looked honest and simple, but as soon as he frowned, he looked fierce, as if he was going to hit someone. He wondered if the girl would be scared by him.
"What, you have someone you like!" The old lady's voice suddenly rose. Seeing Xiang Qianjin's surprised expression, her face froze immediately: "What a fool you are. You didn't tell your mother earlier. Otherwise, I wouldn't have gotten rid of your eldest sister-in-law and second sister-in-law to help you find a suitable person."
Xiang Qianjin breathed a sigh of relief: "Mom, I used to send most of my monthly salary back home. Now I want to get married, and I need to save up for the betrothal gifts in advance. I may have to send less money back home in the future."
Xiang Qianjin knew that it was not easy for his family to support a technical secondary school student like him, and most of the money he earned every month was sent back home. At the beginning, when the salary was low, he almost tightened his belt to make ends meet, and every meal was just two steamed buns and a bowl of boiled water. But now that he was getting married, he should also plan for his own family. I heard from married co-workers that girls like new clothes, scented soap, and all kinds of rare things, all of which cost money.
Xiang Qianjin thought that Dani was still young and it would take several years for them to get married. If he deducted ten yuan every month, it would be a considerable sum in a few years.
"Why do you, a grown man, need to save money? You'd better let your mother save it for you. Won't you give it all to you when you get married?" The old lady said with a stiff face and a smile.
"No need. What I gave you before was all my filial piety to you and dad. You don't need to keep it for me. I will send money back every month in the future as a filial son." Over the years, Xiang Qianjin has sent eight or nine hundred yuan back to his hometown, not counting the food coupons and cloth coupons. This amount of money is a large sum no matter where it is placed.
"This..." The old lady moved her mouth and wanted to say something.
"Mom, I've been out for too long. The accountant will deduct my wages. I'm going to go back first, so I won't talk any more." Xiang Qianjin was not really stupid. He knew how much money he had left from the money he sent back home over the years. He just didn't want to argue with his parents.
"Hey——" The old lady wanted to stop the man, so she hurried forward and entered the factory gate.
"What's going on?" The old lady patted her thigh, looking a little panicked. She was thinking about going back to discuss it with her daughters-in-law. The third son gave too little money, so how would the whole family survive?
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