Chapter Six: The Matchmaker Arrives
Zhong Chengfa was so angry that his face turned red and his neck bulged. In his exasperation, he didn't care about anything else and blurted out, "One hundred yuan is not enough! But, but doesn't Dad still have five hundred yuan in compensation? That makes six hundred yuan! Six hundred yuan should be enough to get me a permanent job!"
As soon as these words were spoken, not only Zhang Chunxue, but also Zhong Chengren, Zhong Chengyi and Liu Cuie standing next to her were stunned!
Zhang Chunxue was first taken aback, then seemed to understand something and suddenly laughed.
"Alright, alright... So this was your real plan! No wonder you were so fixated on that hundred yuan! You were just waiting for this! As for the five hundred yuan, let me tell you, it's gone!"
"What?"
This time, not only Zhong Chengfa, but also Zhong Chengren, Zhong Chengyi and Liu Cuie were furious!
Liu Cuie jumped up. She had been eyeing those five hundred yuan for years, but had never found a chance to get them!
She pointed at Zhang Chunxue's nose and screamed, "Zhang Chunxue! You spendthrift woman! Five hundred yuan! Such a large sum of money! You just disappear like that? It's only been a few years! Even if you ate meat every day, every meal, you couldn't spend five hundred yuan! Where did you put the money?"
Zhang Chunxue crossed her arms, looking completely at ease.
"How I spend my money is none of your business! The leader who issued the pension made it very clear that the money was for me to raise these children! Now, aren't they all grown up? The eldest and second eldest are married! Their education and marriages all cost money. It's normal that the money is spent, isn't it?"
Liu Cuie was choked and couldn't speak, only able to gasp for breath.
Upon hearing this, the third son, Zhong Chengyi, quickly exclaimed, "Mom! I haven't gotten married yet! I still have my share, right?"
Zhang Chunxue gave him a cold glance, a look that sent a chill down Zhong Chengyi's spine.
"Don't worry, Mom will find a way to get you a wife. You'll definitely get what you deserve. I'll make sure you get a good one."
Looking at his mother's indifferent expression, Zhong Chengyi was still feeling uneasy, but thinking that he might get married, he temporarily suppressed his doubts about the five hundred yuan and awkwardly shut his mouth.
Zhang Chunxue ignored her sons, each with their own agendas, and also looked at Liu Cuie, who was so angry she was about to faint.
"Mom, it's getting late, we're about to have dinner, you should go home too."
Liu Cuie was about to throw a tantrum when Zhang Chunxue turned to look at her three sons.
"What are you standing here for? You invited this person, so get the hell out of here right now! Otherwise, none of you will get lunch today!"
Upon hearing this, the three brothers' expressions changed again.
The eldest brother, Zhong Chengren, and the second brother, Zhong Chengren, exchanged a glance and both saw the helplessness and frustration in each other's eyes.
Finally, the eldest gritted his teeth, stepped forward, and forced a smile that looked more like a grimace. "Grandma, why don't you... go back first? We'll come see you later..."
The second child quickly chimed in, "Yes, Grandma, Mom is... she's busy right now, you should go back first, go back first."
The third brother, Zhong Chengyi, also stepped forward hesitantly, trying to grab Liu Cuie's arm.
"Get out of my way!" Liu Cuie flung his hand away, her eyes fixed on Zhang Chunxue. "Zhang Chunxue! You just wait! This isn't over! Xiaoxiao, that girl, she has to marry Wang Laowu! Nobody can stop her!"
After saying that, she stormed off.
The three Zhong brothers were left standing in the courtyard, looking at each other with indescribable complex expressions on their faces.
Back inside, the atmosphere became somewhat somber.
The three Zhong brothers also awkwardly sat back down at the table and picked up their chopsticks.
The eldest son, Zhong Cheng, rolled his eyes, picked up a piece of golden scrambled eggs with his chopsticks, and put it into Zhang Chunxue's bowl, saying, "Mom, you've been working hard all day, have some food."
The second son, Zhong Chengren, followed suit and quickly picked up some food, saying, "Mom, eat this, it's very flavorful."
The third brother, Zhong Chengyi, was a beat slower, but he also reached out with his chopsticks.
Zhang Chunxue acted as if she didn't even notice the three of them trying to curry favor with her, not even lifting her eyelids.
She reached her chopsticks to the other side and steadily placed a large spoonful of oily scrambled eggs on Zhong Xiaoxiao's plate next to her. "Xiaoxiao, eat more. You're so thin."
Zhong Xiaoxiao was stunned, her hands holding the bowl trembling slightly, and she whispered, "Thank you, Mom..."
The three brothers' chopsticks froze in mid-air.
This mom... she must have taken the wrong medicine today!
In the past, weren't the three brothers always given the best food first? When did it become Zhong Xiaoxiao's turn? And why was she even given food?
After finishing her meal, Zhong Xiaoxiao habitually stood up to clear the table of dishes.
"Put it there!" Zhang Chunxue suddenly called out, her gaze shifting to Li Hongjuan, who was slowly moving towards the stove. "Eldest daughter-in-law, go wash the dishes!"
Li Hongjuan was about to sneak back to her room when she heard this, she stopped in her tracks, and her face immediately showed her reluctance.
Why should she do it? Didn't that brat always wash the dishes?
She was unwilling and was about to argue when she looked up and met Zhang Chunxue's cold eyes. Remembering Zhang Chunxue's uncompromising nature over the years, Li Hongjuan shrank back and swallowed the words that were on the tip of her tongue.
Just then, a figure strode into the courtyard with a big smile on his face. The person was loud, and his voice could be heard even before he got close.
"Oh my! Guosheng's family! Congratulations!"
Matchmaker Li walked up to Zhang Chunxue in a few steps, smiling so broadly her eyes disappeared.
"Chunxue's wife, I've come to tell you some great news! The Wang family asked me to inquire about Xiaoxiao's wedding date. They want to know what auspicious day to choose so I can give them a heads-up!"
Zhang Chunxue said coldly, "Then go back and tell the Wang family that our Xiaoxiao is not getting married! She's going to go to school, to high school!"
When the matchmaker realized what had happened, the smile on her face vanished, replaced by annoyance at being tricked.
She raised her voice and shrieked, "Zhang Chunxue! What are you talking about? You think you can just say you won't marry me like that? Do you know how hard it was for this old woman to run around arranging this marriage for you? Besides, the Wang family has already given the bride price! One hundred yuan! And your family accepted it all!"
Matchmaker Li, hands on her hips, spitting as she spoke, "Now you say you won't marry? Too late! How can you accept the betrothal gifts and then break off the engagement? If word gets out, what will become of the Zhong family's reputation!"
"A bride price?" Zhang Chunxue raised an eyebrow, her sharp gaze sweeping over the matchmaker, Li. "Who accepted it? How come I didn't know our family accepted a hundred yuan as a bride price from the Wang family?"
The matchmaker, Li, was taken aback by her gaze, then retorted defiantly, "Who else could it be? Of course, it's your family! The Wang family told me personally that they paid the money and asked me to come and ask about the auspicious date!"
"Ha," Zhang Chunxue sneered, "Just because the Wang family says our family accepted it, does that mean our family accepted it? I, Zhang Chunxue, have lived this long and have never heard of such a thing! I'm putting it right here today! I have not accepted a single penny from the Wang family!"
Li Hongjuan, who had been listening intently the whole time, could no longer hold back.
She was already seething with anger because Zhang Chunxue wouldn't let Xiaoxiao get married, thus thwarting her and Zhong Cheng's hopes of earning money to buy jobs. Now, hearing that Zhang Chunxue was denying even the dowry she had received, she was even more furious.
She spoke sarcastically, "Mom, to be fair, we daughters-in-law understand that you're usually stingy and want to keep all the money in the house to yourself, since you're the one in charge. But how can you lie through your teeth and say you didn't take the money?"
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