The betrothal ceremony, also known as the grand betrothal ceremony, is one of the traditional wedding rituals of the Han Chinese.
Before the wedding, the groom's family gives the bride a large gift.
There are traditions to everything you give as a gift.
In Huichuan, the usual gifts include two large red roosters, 40 jin of vermicelli, 40 jin of meat, 40 jin of spare ribs, four bottles of baijiu (Chinese liquor), four kinds of dried fruit, four kinds of fresh fruit, and a set of clothes for each of the other party's parents.
Of course, there are also new clothes, new shoes and socks for the future daughter-in-law, as well as a certain amount of money as a wedding gift.
After the two large red roosters are delivered to the woman, she must return one to the man, symbolizing that the two will continue to communicate.
Half of the forty-pound pork ribs had to be cut off and returned to the man, signifying that she was handing over her own flesh and blood to him.
The same applies to forty catties of vermicelli; each family takes half, signifying that they have become relatives and that the kinship will continue indefinitely.
The rest of the meat was left for the bride. The forty catties of meat were said to be for making "farewell meat dumplings" for the bride. In fact, the farewell meat dumplings didn't use much meat. Most of it would be used for the banquet held by the bride's own family.
"Leaving Mother's Meat Dumplings" refers to the custom on the morning of the wedding day, when the bride's family uses the meat given as gifts by the groom's family to make dumplings with one meatball filling each, which the mother then feeds to her daughter.
As the name suggests, a daughter is a piece of flesh that fell from her mother's body. After getting married, the daughter leaves her mother and goes to a new family to start a new life.
As for the betrothal gifts, the two parties will usually discuss the amount, which will not exceed one-tenth of the bride price.
Li Weijun was quite surprised when Liu Yuxiu mentioned the term "betrothal gifts." These past few years, everyone had been struggling financially. Even dowries were rare for weddings, let alone the elaborate rituals of "betrothal gifts."
It's just a matter of a man and a woman getting a marriage certificate, preparing some wedding candy, and getting a new set of clothes.
"Do we still need to exchange gifts?"
"No betrothal gifts?! Your family's bride price was only one hundred yuan! Now you're even skipping the betrothal gifts?!"
Liu Yuxiu screamed.
Li Weijun's fan innocently said, "I've almost spent all of my hundred yuan."
That means there's no more 100 yuan for the bride price.
Liu Yuxiu's hands trembled with anger. "You good-for-nothing! Go! Go ask your parents for money!"
She looked around. Apart from the furniture and bedding, there were no scissors or other sharp tools in the new house, only pots and pans in the outer room. Liu Yuxiu reached out and pounded her stomach violently, "What use is this wretched child to me!"
Li Weijun was so anxious he jumped up and down, quickly grabbing Liu Yuxiu's hands to stop her, "What are you doing! It's just money! I'll go get it!"
After sending Liu Yuxiu back to her family home, Li Weijun specifically instructed his mother-in-law, Shan Yongju, "Auntie, please take good care of Yuxiu and make sure she doesn't hurt the baby in her womb!"
Dan Yongju readily agreed, but she was puzzled. After seeing Li Weijun off, she turned around and asked Liu Yuxiu, who was lying on the kang (a heated brick bed) covered with a quilt and with her eyes closed.
Liu Yuxiu recounted the story in a huff, and Shan Yongju plopped down on the edge of the kang (heated brick bed). "That woman Zhao Sufang is so heartless! How could she be so stingy with her own son? Doesn't she know that her son is her only support in the future?"
With a quick glance, she praised her daughter, "Well done! That's how it should be done! This couple is like toothpaste, you can't squeeze any out!"
......
Lijiapo, Li Jinjia.
Li Weijun had been pacing around the door for quite some time.
Although he is a person who loves money and dislikes trouble, he also has the pride of a young man!
Having made those clear and firm statements back then, it's a little embarrassing to have to back down to my parents now!
But thinking of the child in Liu Yuxiu's belly, he gritted his teeth, steeled his heart, and pushed open the door to go inside.
Inside the house, Li Jin and Zhao Sufang were making lunch. Li Zhen took Li Yan to Huang Guimei's house for tutoring. Li Jiabao and Li Ping hadn't finished their class yet. Li Xiangdong was doing the homework assigned by Grandma Jiang in the west room.
Li Weijun's eyes stung a little, and he felt resentful.
With a creak, the door was pushed open.
Li Jin was sitting on a small stool tending the fire when he looked up and saw his eldest son.
The father and son had fought, and were still somewhat embarrassed. Seeing that Li Weijun didn't say anything, Li Jin lowered his head and put firewood into the stove, pretending not to see him.
Zhao Sufang, who was chopping cabbage on the cutting board, saw her son, looked up at him, and didn't say anything.
Li Weijun mumbled "Mother" and went into the house.
Zhao Sufang put down the kitchen knife, straightened up, and asked, "Why are you back?"
Li Weijun felt sad. "I'm getting married at twenty-eight. Have you and Dad made preparations?"
Zhao Sufang was puzzled, "Didn't your grandma make you new bedding? And she also bought you new furniture."
Li Weijun, his neck stiff, demanded, "What about the banquet, the gift exchange, and the wedding procession?"
Li Jin couldn't help but say, "Nowadays, weddings are all modern, without so many formalities like the wedding ceremony and the bride's arrival!"
As for the banquet, Zhao Sufang has no family members on her mother's side, and her maternal uncle's family lives far away in another county. They don't visit each other often, so it's unlikely they will come.
The remaining relatives are only the four sisters' families, plus the two families of the eldest and third daughters.
Then there are the friends and relatives in the village.
He had already planned it out; eight tables would be enough, with his childhood friend Li Chang in charge of cooking.
This wasn't purely for Li Weijun's sake; after all, social interactions are still necessary.
However, Li Weijun has not been told these things yet.
Li Weijun remained silent for a long time before saying in a low voice, "Father, Mother, this is the most important event in my life. Are you really just going to abandon me like this?"
His voice choked with emotion, "I'm worse off than an orphan without parents!"
Li Jin and Zhao Sufang, who had just been somewhat soft-hearted, were immediately speechless upon hearing these words!
Hearing the commotion, Li Xiangdong smiled wryly, finally understanding why Li Weijun had raised pigs in the army for three years!
That's a very cryptic statement...
Before Li Jin could turn hostile, Li Weijun knelt down with a thud, pleading, "Father! Mother! Please give me back my demobilization pay! From now on, your daughter-in-law and I will take good care of you and look after you in your old age!"
Li Jin was extremely troubled by his son's behavior; his son had never been this clueless before!
"You used all your discharge pay to build a house!"
"Dad, we have so much money at home, could you please give me some to tide me over?"
"Emergency use is fine, but not as a gift!"
......
Li Xiangdong covered his face with the book, and the bright early winter sun warmed him.
Just then, Zhao Sufang pushed the door open and came in. "Xiang Dong, lunch is ready!"
Li Weijun wasn't at the dinner table, and Li Xiangdong didn't ask any further questions.
Although the two were brothers, they had little connection in their past lives, and he had no intention of focusing his energy on Li Weijun in this life.
Li Jin brought it up himself, saying, "Today I'll lend your older brother three hundred yuan for his wedding. He signed an IOU, and we'll use his year-end work points to pay it off."
He paused, his gaze serious, "It will be the same for you in the future. When you get married, your mother and I will prepare new houses and dowries for you."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com