Zhang Changxing wasn't cunning; he simply wanted to marry a good wife and settle down. When he went to propose, he was very sincere and took out all the 600 yuan he had saved up over the years.
During the two months he spent with Shen Yuqin, he spent a lot of money on her. But Shen Yuqin was different from before. She no longer greedily demanded more because she understood that life is a lifelong commitment and she couldn't let a man drain her dry for a moment of vanity.
After living with Shen Honggang for so long, Zhang Guizhi finally understood why Shen Honggang and Chen Feng always seemed to lack something at home.
Chen Feng was a woman with long hair but short brains. She kept an eye on Shen Honggang's meager salary of 20 yuan a month. As soon as she got her salary, she would send the money to her parents' home, and then spend the rest on eating and drinking. She would spend all the money in just a few days, resulting in her family eating bran and wild vegetables for 20 days a month.
Zhang Guizhi was completely different. She was very good at budgeting and was also very sensible. She always helped her family, so the Shen family's life became more and more prosperous, their wallets became fatter and fatter, and the food on the table became better and better.
In an era when most families were still struggling to make ends meet, the Shen family was able to eat meat every few days, which meant they were already considered well-off.
Seeing this, Shen Yuqin decided that after getting married, she would live a frugal life like Zhang Guizhi.
Zhang Guizhi and Shen Honggang were very generous. To ensure Shen Yuqin had a grand wedding, they prepared a dowry of 500 yuan, including all three of the most popular items at the time: a bicycle, a sewing machine, and a watch.
According to the wedding customs of the forest farms in Northeast China, before a daughter gets married, her family will hold a banquet to invite relatives and friends to gather.
Knowing that she had a bad reputation in her hometown, Shen Yuqin offered not to spend the money.
However, Shen Honggang and Zhang Guizhi disagreed.
Although Shen Yuqin had been engaged before, this time she was getting married properly. What was the point of sending her away silently?
After discussing it together, the Shen family decided to hold the banquet at the forest farm.
The date was set for the end of August, just one week before the start of the school term.
The Shen family's return home this time can be described as a triumphant homecoming.
The whole family was beaming with joy and looking radiant.
The villagers in the forest farm saw that Shen Honggang's life was getting better and better after his divorce, and that he had even found a beautiful woman from the city to marry. They all sighed that Shen Honggang's hard times had finally come to an end.
When the villagers saw the dramatic change in Shen Yuqin, they were full of praise.
When Shen Yuqin followed Chen Feng, she picked up a lot of bad habits. The villagers secretly cursed Shen Yuqin, saying she was a carbon copy of Chen Feng.
Who would have thought that after leaving Chen Feng, Shen Yuqin not only became more beautiful, but her personality also changed. She became more talkative and polite, and even her naturally mean-spirited demeanor disappeared.
Shen Honggang was well-liked in the village, and almost everyone in the village came to the banquet.
The Shen family courtyard, which had been quiet for almost a year, has become lively again.
Shen Yuqin laughed all day long, her mouth never closing.
It's no exaggeration to say that she's been laughing in her dreams these past few days.
After Chen Feng and Shen Honggang divorced, Shen Yuqin lived a miserable life with Chen Feng for a while.
They tried every possible means, resorting to shamelessness and theft, just to make some money, living in constant fear, not knowing if they would live to see tomorrow, and suffering people's contempt and disdain.
Little did she know that she would have such a good life today.
The lively banquet didn't end until almost dark.
Shen Yuqin, Zhang Guizhi, and Shen Jingyan stood at the door, seeing the guests off.
After seeing off the last person, the three were about to enter the house when they saw a dark figure lurking suspiciously at the entrance of the Shen family's house.
The man was hunched over, his neck craning and retracting as if he had done something wrong and was afraid of being discovered.
Shen Yuqin and Zhang Guizhi were timid, so they hurriedly closed the door after inviting Shen Jingyan in.
Seeing that the dark figure didn't move, Shen Jingyan took two steps forward and asked, "Who are you?"
Upon hearing Chen Jingyan speak, the man, like a frightened bird, fled in a flash.
Just as Shen Yuqin was about to close the door, the man came out again and called out in a hoarse voice.
"Yuqin, don't close the door yet, it's me!"
Shen Yuqin froze upon hearing the voice.
The person cautiously approached, and under the light of the festive red lanterns at the entrance, the three of them finally saw her face clearly.
It was Chen Feng!
Her current appearance can only be described as neither human nor ghost.
She was so thin she looked unrecognizable, with sunken cheeks, a vacant stare, hands that looked like dried chicken feet, and clothes that were tattered and patched.
She was only a few years older than Zhang Guizhi, but when the two stood together, they looked like they were from two different generations.
Chen Feng first glanced timidly at Shen Jingyan, and seeing that Shen Jingyan did not immediately send her away, she boldly took two steps forward.
She looked at Shen Yuqin and exclaimed excitedly, "Yuqin, it's me, your mother! What, daughter, don't you recognize me?"
Shen Yuqin didn't speak or move, she just stared blankly at Chen Feng.
Chen Feng rushed forward, wanting to take Shen Yuqin's hand: "Daughter, you didn't even tell your mother you were getting married! I only heard from others that you were getting married, and I rushed here as fast as I could, but I still couldn't make it to your wedding banquet..."
The moment her hand touched Shen Yuqin, Shen Yuqin flung her away as if she had been electrocuted.
"Get out! Get out of here! Who's your daughter? Whose mother are you? I don't have a mother like you! You better watch out, this is my real mother!"
Shen Yuqin grabbed Zhang Guizhi's arm.
This left Zhang Guizhi both delighted and embarrassed.
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