I don't know what Wu Yuanyuan and Tie He said, but that same day, Tie He took advantage of a meal to confront his parents.
Tiehe put down his rice bowl and looked at his parents: "Mom and Dad, I have something I want to tell you!"
Seeing their son's solemn face, Tie Ze and Aunt Zhao exchanged a glance and put down their rice bowls together.
"What is it? Speak!" Tie Ze said.
"I'm in a relationship!"
"What?" Aunt Zhao was extremely surprised.
Tie Ze looked at his son and, seeing the seriousness in his eyes, asked, "Which family's daughter is she from, and how long have you been dating her?"
Aunt Zhao quickly looked at her son. Upon hearing that he was dating, her surprise was followed by boundless joy. Her son was already twenty-two this year. Before, when she suggested blind dates, he always refused. It turned out he had his own plans!
Now she could finally relax.
"It's Yuanyuan from Old Wu's family in the front yard. We haven't been dating for very long."
"Yuanyuan?"
Iron nodded
"Are you serious?" Tie Ze asked.
“I’m very serious, Dad. I want to marry her.”
"Yuanyuan is wonderful, Yuanyuan is wonderful! She's a girl we've watched grow up, someone we know well. There's no better choice than her," Aunt Zhao said with a beaming smile.
Tie Ze's usually serious face broke into a smile.
"Then I'll take a few days off to visit Old Wu's family and settle things between you two?" Tie Ze asked, looking at his son.
Iron and what one cannot ask for?
"Mom and Dad, Yuanyuan wants us to get married as soon as possible, and she doesn't want to leave her job to my sister-in-law."
Aunt Zhao was naturally even happier: "Don't worry, son, Mom will definitely not hold you back."
It would be ideal if her daughter-in-law brought her job with her when she married into the family. Since her daughter-in-law has this idea, she certainly can't hold the young couple back.
After thinking for a moment, Tiehe said, "Their family is having a lot of trouble over this job. What I mean is, we can give them a bigger dowry and then not ask Yuanyuan to bring it back."
This was his own idea, and it could also help ease Yuanyuan's tensions with her family.
Tie Ze and his companion exchanged a glance: "We understand!"
We'll see how things go then. If the Wu family makes exorbitant demands, then that's impossible.
After telling his parents about it, Tiehe felt relieved and shared the good news with Wu Yuanyuan on his way to work the next day.
The two had just started dating and were deeply in love when Tiehe dropped Wu Yuanyuan off at the entrance of the state-run restaurant before heading off to work.
In order to be able to take his newly minted girlfriend to work, he specifically asked his team leader for the night shift. The loading and unloading team leader was overjoyed; the night shift was the hardest, and now that someone had volunteered for it, he couldn't be happier.
Tie Ze and his wife acted quickly. After Tie He confronted them, on the third day, Tie Ze took a day off and went to Old Wu's house in the front yard with Aunt Zhao.
Grandpa Wu from the Wu family happens to be off work today. The elderly couple are at home worrying, missing their grandson and son.
"Old man, why is Yuanyuan so insensible?" Aunt Wu said with a hint of reproach.
Grandpa Wu smoked the welding fumes without saying a word; only he knew what he was thinking.
"Brother Wu, Sister-in-law Wu, are you home?"
"Go open the door!" Old Wu said, exhaling a puff of smoke.
Aunt Wu got off the kang (a heated brick bed), opened the door, and looked at the Tie couple standing outside, along with Aunt Tian, with a surprised expression.
"Brother Tie, what's going on here?"
Aunt Tian is here today to act as the middleman.
"Sister Wu, this is great news! Shall we go inside and talk?"
"Come in!" Aunt Wu stepped aside.
Aunt Tian was the first to enter the house, followed by the Tie couple, and Aunt Wu was the last to leave, closing the door behind her.
Tie Ze placed the two jin of peach shortbread and one jin of meat he was carrying on the table.
Mr. Wu and his companion were even more puzzled.
Aunt Tian said cheerfully, "Well, Yuanyuan and Xiao He from the backyard are dating now. Sister Zhao asked me to ask Sister Wu what your family's plan is. Are you going to settle things with your child first, or get married right away?"
Mr. Wu and his companion were extremely surprised.
"Yuanyuan is dating someone?"
"Is it still your Tiehe?"
Although Tie Ze was taciturn, he still understood social etiquette in situations like this.
"Yes, Brother Wu, the two kids just fell in love on their own, without giving us parents any trouble at all. We've been neighbors for over ten years, so we know each other well. I just came over to ask what your family's thoughts are on your daughter's marriage, so we can discuss it and get ready."
Aunt Wu's polite smile was almost faltering; she was heartbroken, feeling that her daughter had become distant from them and hadn't even told the family about her relationship.
Grandpa Wu was also filled with mixed feelings: "Yuanyuan didn't tell us about this!" he said in a deep voice.
Aunt Zhao was shrewd. "Hey, this is something that will happen sooner or later. I guess Yuanyuan hasn't figured out how to say it yet. It's also my fault for being too impatient. But we're already here, Brother Wu, what do you think?"
"The bride price is negotiable," Aunt Zhao added.
"We need to ask Yuanyuan about this before we can discuss it further, young man. I'm sorry to have made you come all this way for nothing," said Aunt Wu.
"Yes, after we ask Yuanyuan, our two families will sit down and discuss it." Grandpa Wu shared this sentiment.
Tie Ze and Aunt Zhao never expected to reach an agreement in one go. This was just to express their family's stance, and seeing that both of them said so...
The couple exchanged a glance, and Tie Ze said, "Okay, we'll go over after Brother Wu has asked Yuan Yuan."
As he spoke, he stood up and pushed the things on the table: "This is a pound of meat and two pounds of peach shortbread, as an apology for our rudeness today."
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