Just as Bai Jiaojiao was about to speak, Bai Shiqing nudged her with his elbow.
He gestured with his eyes: Stop talking.
Bai Jiaojiao shut up helplessly, but Bai Zhiman was anxious: "What injury? Shengping, where are you hurt?"
Although Bai Zhiman was also a veteran, it was more than 20 years ago. Back then, even the villages had their own militias, and there were soldiers everywhere. Unlike now, the conscription conditions are becoming more and more stringent, and things are very different now.
His question was simply a sign of concern from an elder.
Zhu Shengping was certain that Bai Zhiman knew nothing, which is why he dared to conceal the truth.
"It's nothing, Uncle. I just bumped my head. They say it's a concussion. My head feels dizzy, and I sometimes feel nauseous." After saying that, Zhu Shengping glanced at Bai Shiqing, looking as if he didn't want her to worry.
Bai Jiaojiao sneered inwardly upon hearing this.
He really made something of himself by joining the army, and even got a concussion, which made it impossible to get a medical examination. This immediately intimidated the rest of the Bai family.
In the afternoon, everyone was still rushing to work. Zhu Shengping volunteered to help Bai Shiqing with her work. Bai Shiqing looked shy and bashful. Bai Zhiman, the father-in-law, was obviously very satisfied with this son-in-law who doted on his daughter.
"Look at your father, he's laughing so hard his wrinkles are showing when he sees that Zhu guy." Shen Heng said sarcastically as he left the Bai family's house.
"What's wrong? Are you feeling uneasy?" Bai Jiaojiao looked at Shen Heng with amusement, not expecting him to be so petty.
"How can I possibly enjoy this? I don't think Zhu Shengping is a good person. His eyes are unfocused when he speaks, and I doubt he's telling the truth about what he said at the table today."
Shen Heng grew up among all sorts of people, living by reading people's expressions; he was very good at judging people.
Bai Jiaojiao said, "Maybe he's just afraid my second sister will worry about him."
Shen Heng let out a deep breath: "You're still too naive. Just you wait, your second sister will see sooner or later."
Unexpectedly, Shen Heng had the same idea as her, so Bai Jiaojiao asked, "Then how should I remind my second sister?"
"Are you going to talk badly about your second sister's boyfriend?"
“We can’t just stand by and watch her die, ruining my second sister’s life, can we? Given my second sister’s circumstances, apart from being a bit older, there’s no need for her to be tied to him.”
Shen Heng raised an eyebrow: "You trust my judgment that much? I'm not that familiar with that Zhu Shengping."
Bai Jiaojiao seized the opportunity to back down: "Of course I believe Brother Heng! What Brother Heng said must be right! I don't think he looks like a good person."
Shen Heng was so flattered by Bai Jiaojiao that he almost forgot his own surname: "Then let me help you think of a solution."
"Thank you, Brother Heng!"
With teammates by her side, Bai Jiaojiao felt much more at ease.
Shen Heng said, "However, my father-in-law is quite satisfied with him. They both served in the military, so they might even have a mutual respect for each other."
“He’s treating our family like fools. I think we need to make him slip up,” Bai Jiaojiao said, looking at Heng Ge. “Heng Ge, you said you didn’t feel any resentment. Do you think my father is biased towards the other son-in-law and you’re unhappy about it?”
"What nonsense are you talking about?" Shen Heng flicked Bai Jiaojiao's head, and Bai Jiaojiao wrinkled her nose.
The news that Bai Jiaojiao went to work in the afternoon and Zhu Shengping returned to the village had already spread far and wide.
Huang Meijuan casually asked, "Did he go to your house to propose marriage today? Why was he in such a hurry? He didn't even go home at noon and went straight to your house?"
In Shili Village, engagement and marriage are a simple matter, and very few people break off engagements. Those families who have broken off engagements feel inferior when it comes to marriage again.
This is very important to Bai Shiqing's reputation. Bai Jiaojiao immediately said, "Of course not. He came to our house for dinner empty-handed. It's fine if he just visits as usual. If he were to propose marriage, my older brother would sweep him out with a broom."
Huang Meijuan laughed and said, "That's true, we still need to follow the rules. But their wedding is just around the corner. Look, you're already married now, how can your second sister not be anxious? I think Zhu Shengping is actually a year younger than her."
“My second sister is only twenty-four. There are plenty of people in the city who don’t have boyfriends.” Bai Jiaojiao pouted, unwilling to listen.
"Oh dear, how can we compare to the city? We should settle down and start saving for our coffins as soon as possible."
Huang Meijuan is right. Here, it's common for people to become grandfathers before they're even fifty, and there are several families in the village with four generations living together.
"I can't interfere in my sister's affairs, as long as they're happy, that's all that matters." Bai Jiaojiao ended the conversation.
"Yes, hey, did Zhu Shengping say how much demobilization pay he got from the army this time? I heard it's not a small amount. You'd better remind your sister to ask for more dowry."
Huang Meijuan is quite talkative, but she did provide Bai Jiaojiao with a new idea.
"Discharge pay?"
“I heard it was several hundred yuan! Besides, Zhu Shengping is the only son in the Zhu family. His three older sisters’ dowries are all in the hands of the old couple. They have plenty of money! Shen Heng gave your family two hundred yuan back then, right? You two are sisters. Your second sister can’t be too much less. Giving her ten tickets isn’t too much to ask, is it?”
Bai Jiaojiao understood the situation and smiled, "Heng and I were in such a rush back then that he didn't prepare anything, which is why he gave a little more. My father and brother aren't money-grubbing people either. As long as my second sister is willing, the dowry is just a token amount."
That's not how it works.
Huang Meijuan went on and on about the customs and social interactions in Shili Village, and Bai Jiaojiao listened attentively, treating it as an opportunity to learn something new.
When Bai Jiaojiao got home that night, she told Shen Heng about these things during dinner.
Shen Heng said, "Didn't your family give you all of your betrothal gifts? No matter how much Zhu Shengping gave, it all ended up in his hands in the end. Do you think every man is like your brother Heng, letting his wife manage the money?"
“I’m different from my second sister. My second sister was raised by my father. After so many years of raising her, it’s normal that we don’t give her any dowry. At most, we’ll just give her some dowry.”
"What can this test? If he gives you the average amount, what can your family do?" Shen Heng's words implied that Bai Shiqing was already quite old and she didn't have much of a choice.
"My second sister is very strong-willed, just you wait and see."
She'll tell Bai Shiqing about this tomorrow.
"Alright, alright, but be careful, or your second sister might end up hating you."
Chen Heng was taking precautions.
"I understand." If she wasn't afraid of hurting her sisterly feelings, Bai Jiaojiao would have already made a scene. Why would she need to take this roundabout approach?
In the evening, Wang Fushun arrived carrying a cage of chicks.
There were three little chicks, all bright yellow, chirping and chattering noisily in the coop.
“Sister-in-law, keep the chickens here when they’re small, otherwise they’ll run away and be hard to find. Once they grow their feathers, you can put them in the pen. They’re all hens, they won’t fly very high when they grow up. If you’re really worried, just take some scissors and trim their wings a couple of times.”
Wang Fushun handled things properly, and Shen Heng gave him 50 cents in change.
"Brother Heng, why are you being so polite with me!"
Wang Fushun has earned more money in the past two days from selling rice noodles than he used to earn in a month.
The key is that if you have good products, you'll have connections, and it will be easy to resell other things.
"Just take it." Shen Heng wasn't one to let people run errands for nothing, so he forcefully stuffed the ticket into Wang Fushun's hand.
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