After comforting Zhao Hongjun, Luo Changshun took the medical kit and followed Luo Dajiang out the door.
On the way, Luo Changshun tentatively asked Luo Dajiang: "Dajiang, you and your sisters were all raised by us. I never thought your eldest sister would marry into a family like that. Do you still remember what your eldest sister looked like before she got married? She's completely different from now. For a woman, getting married is like being reborn a second time. It's such a pity for your eldest sister..."
Luo Dajiang replied, "My eldest sister got married too young, so I don't remember much about her. But when she comes home, she always mentions how she was a good student when she was in school, and blames my parents for not letting her go."
Luo Changshun added, "Your eldest sister was a good student when she was in school. Your sister Xinmiao was a classmate of your eldest sister. In elementary school, your eldest sister always ranked first in exams. When she entered junior high school, she always ranked near the top among students from several nearby elementary schools."
After hearing what Luo Changshun said, Luo Dajiang didn't know how to respond and fell silent for a while.
Although his eldest sister married into a nearby village, she could only return to her parents' home a few times a year. Like other girls who married far away, she would usually only return to her parents' home during the Chinese New Year and other festivals.
But every time she came back, she wasn't close to her family and rarely spoke to herself. Even if she did, she had nothing good to say to Luo Dajiang. She blamed her parents for being partial to Luo Dajiang, which ruined her life and forced her to marry early and suffer in her husband's family.
Seeing that Luo Dajiang was silent, Luo Changshun changed the subject and said, "Dajiang, Second Uncle wants to ask you something. Do you remember when you were three or four years old? Your fourth sister was quite a tough girl. She fought with you a lot when you were little. She must be sixteen or seventeen now, right? I heard that she's dating someone now?"
Luo Dajiang nodded and replied, "She just brought her boyfriend home a few days ago. My parents said her boyfriend's family conditions are pretty good. She said she will meet with his parents soon to discuss the marriage!"
Luo Changshun sighed and said, "Oh, your parents are really something. They have several good daughters. It would be better if they stayed at home for a few more years. But they all married off so early. They are so young and don't know how to judge people. Your parents only look at the man's family's financial conditions. They should have checked his character at least."
Luo Dajiang had no say in his sisters' affairs. A few months earlier, his third sister, Luo Xiaoshuang, had just turned eighteen and was hastily married off.
Here, it's common for both boys and girls, as long as they're out of school, to get married at 17 or 18. Some will get a marriage certificate after reaching the legal age, while others feel that a wedding banquet is enough to legally recognize them as a couple, so they still haven't obtained a marriage certificate even though their children are already older.
Luo Dajiang, the man who had just been promoted to the third brother-in-law, looked a little out of tune, like a street urchin. He dressed up slickly, but he was not a serious worker, just like Qian Longbin from the village, who wandered around every day.
Luo Dajiang once reminded his third sister and parents that the man did not seem like a good person and that they should not rush into marrying him just for the sake of the betrothal gift.
But his sisters always had a tendency to go against him. The more Luo Dajiang said something was wrong, the more those sisters insisted on going against him. Even when it came to the important matter of marriage, they couldn't keep a clear head.
His third sister Luo Xiaoshuang said that Luo Dajiang just couldn't stand her being well off, and seeing that she had found a rich in-law family, he wanted to ruin the relationship. He also said that her partner was not doing well, and that it was because of her family's confidence and the wealth of her in-laws that the couple could live a good life without having to work hard.
Luo Changyou and his wife also told Luo Dajiang to stop meddling and focus on his studies. They also said that when his sisters got married, they would ask for as much betrothal gifts as possible so that they could use them to help him find a wife in the future. Neither his parents, who were considerate of him, nor his sister, who was against him, would listen to his opinions.
What happened? Just two months after their marriage, Luo Xiaoshuang became pregnant. This was supposed to be a happy thing, but after she became pregnant, her husband rarely came home. Not only did her parents-in-law not care, they also said that Luo Xiaoshuang was ignorant and that it was not good to keep a close eye on her husband.
The man that Luo Dajiang's fourth sister Luo Xiaoxue brought home was five or six years older than her. When she brought him home that day, he seemed to be very obedient to Luo Xiaoxue. He wore a pair of glasses and looked very literary. It was hard to tell whether he was a good person or not.
His second sister, Luo Xiaoyu, married someone far away. She met the man she met after graduating from junior high school while working in a factory in southern China. Luo Changyou and his wife initially disagreed. Later, they agreed to let their second sister marry, but they demanded a 3,000 yuan betrothal gift. In the past, workers' monthly wages were only around 200 yuan, and even if they skipped meals, they would have had to save for nearly two years.
Luo Xiaoyu simply went back to her hometown with the man, without giving her family a penny. She also left a message: "You want to use the money from selling me to marry your son? Dream on!"
Luo Changyou was reluctant to spend a penny on his daughters, and even demanded a dowry from his in-laws when they got married, but he treated his adopted son with all his heart. Luo Changyou's parents loved Luo Dajiang like the apple of their eye.
In this family, Luo Changshun lamented the fate of the girls and worried about Zhao Hongjun. It would be fine if Luo Changyou's family treated Luo Dajiang badly, but the reality was that they treated him with unbelievable kindness. If that were the case, the child must have a strong bond with Luo Changyou and his wife, and if his biological parents came looking for him, he might not be willing to go with them.
As they were talking, they arrived at Luo Changyou's house and heard his wife, Chen Jinfeng, cursing: "This beast, he beat my daughter like this, I won't forgive him! I'm going to find that bastard now, go to his village and broadcast it on the loudspeaker, and make his family famous!"
Luo Changyou grabbed Chen Jinfeng and said irritably, "Alright, calm down a bit, let's see Xiaoyun first!"
Luo Changyou's mother also came over when she heard that her eldest granddaughter had been beaten half to death by a man. When she heard that her son wanted to see her granddaughter a doctor, she angrily asked, "Doesn't medical treatment cost money? Whoever caused the trouble should clean up after themselves. I think we should go to his house and make a scene, asking for as much as we can. When Xiaoyun recovers in a few days, who will still pay?"
Luo Changshun entered the house listening to the family's bizarre remarks. He said to them, "In my opinion, it's better to call the police in this matter. What has the child become of him after being in his home for several years? As parents and grandmothers, you should pay attention and stop asking for money at every turn, without caring about the child's life or death."
If all else fails, let the child divorce that family. She's still young and has a long life ahead of her. Can you bear to see such a good girl ruined by someone else?"
When Luo Changyou and his wife heard what Luo Changshun said, they didn't know what to say. Although their preference for boys over girls was obvious, they didn't want others to point it out.
Mrs. Luo was old, and her words were not so particular, nor did she care much about her reputation. She said to Luo Changshun: "If my son were as rich as your family, he wouldn't want to talk about money all the time. But is it okay not to mention money?
You come to treat Xiaoyun and don't charge her, or you go to the hospital and treat her for free? I worked so hard to raise my granddaughter, and now she's been beaten like this, and you don't allow us to ask for money? "
Luo Changshun was choked by the old lady and was speechless, so he simply shut up and stopped interfering in other people's family affairs. He went into the house to check on Luo Xiaoyun's injuries.
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