Chen Wei told Chen's mother everything that had happened between him and Xiang Meimei, with a pleading look in his eyes.
The third sister next to him rolled her eyes and said, "You are such a fool wishing a happy new year to a fool's mother. You are so stupid. Don't tell others that you are my brother when you go out."
Mother Chen was speechless. She ignored her stupid son and turned into the room.
She rummaged through boxes and drawers, digging out everything at the bottom, and finally pulled out a cloth bag. She called Chen Xiaodi and Chen's father out, and the five of them sat around the table.
"The girl from the Xiang family is obviously urging you to come over. Your sister is right, you fool." With just one sentence, Chen's mother pulled Chen Wei back to heaven from hell.
Chen Wei looked suspicious, but when he saw his third sister's joking expression, he knew it was true.
Chen Ma ignored her son's silly smile and spread out the cloth bag: "I have been saving gifts and dowries for you guys since you were born. I will take half of the gifts for my daughter, and the dowry is two quilts and ten yuan. All the gifts from the wedding are yours to take away."
She did not favor any of her daughters, except for the eldest daughter who took over her mother-in-law's job as a teller in a shopping mall. Thinking that the Chen family would rely on her daughters for support in the future, she privately gave the other half of the betrothal gift to her eldest daughter.
These are all the best families. In most cases, the girl's parents take the betrothal gifts, ask her to bring a few clothes, and give her a washbasin or something, and then send her off.
At least her Chen family allowed their daughter to take at least 50 or 60 yuan back to her husband's home, so it can't be said to be bad.
"Son, I will be fair and open. 80 yuan for the betrothal gift, plus the money you contributed from your own work, 30 kilograms of grain coupons, 10 kilograms of meat coupons. Three turns and one ring are popular these days. I've also saved up some bicycle and watch coupons. One for each of you, brothers. You can choose yourselves."
Chen Wei and his younger brother Chen Liang looked at each other.
Finally, Chen Wei spoke up: "I'll choose the bicycle ticket. It's convenient for getting to work."
In fact, he was thinking that the match factory was a bit far from Xiang's home, an hour's walk, and it would be more convenient for the young couple with bicycles.
In fact, watch tickets are even rarer. Chen Liang is fourteen years old and a young boy. He took advantage of the situation and nodded in agreement.
Mother Chen took the watch ticket, tied the cloth bag tightly, and urged the family to go to bed quickly: "Tomorrow is Sunday, we have a day off. You guys should go to bed quickly. Big son, come with me."
Mother Chen brought Chen Wei into the room. The third sister curled her lips. She was only one year older than Chen Wei and was not particularly good-looking. Now she was 19 years old and was still picky and still not married.
But now her mother is urging her to get married.
After all, it would be inappropriate for my sister to remain unmarried even though my younger brother has promised to get married.
Mother and son sat by the bed in the room. Mother Chen put the cloth bag into the cabinet and locked it. "You've always been opinionated. I originally wanted to give you the job after I retired, but you ended up getting the job as a temporary worker. You should be eligible for the job next year, right?"
The probation period is three years, and temporary workers are not necessarily eligible for regular employment. Some temporary workers are even dismissed. The situation is slightly better at the match factory, where the ratio is about one in five.
The cost of hiring a temporary worker is 400 yuan, and the monthly salary for three years is 15.8 yuan, with a total profit of 566.8 yuan. In addition, the factory provides food and drink, and issues grain and meat coupons. To be honest, it is a small profit, and the big gain is being able to become a regular employee.
If Chen Wei could be converted to a regular employee at this time, he would barely be worthy of Xiang Meimei, but that would be next year.
Chen Wei sighed and nodded.
"Hold on tight and don't look so sullen. The girl obviously wants to be with you. How can your father-in-law agree if you show up like this?"
Mother Chen couldn't stand her son's dejected look and gave him a push: "You pay ten yuan every month. After twenty-six months, I'll make it a round sum for you. This is 300 yuan."
A betrothal gift of 380 yuan, who would be willing to spend so much to marry a daughter-in-law?
This is enough to buy a temporary worker for Xiang's younger brother and sister-in-law. In the county town, the betrothal gift for an unemployed girl is generally around 100 yuan, and an additional 100 yuan is required for a temporary worker. The starting price for a formal worker is 250 yuan, no less.
After all, a formal job costs 800 yuan, and the woman herself has a job, earning more than 20 yuan a month, with tickets and money, so she has a straight back and naturally has a say.
Chen Wei finally felt a little confident. A betrothal gift of 380 yuan was rarely heard of in their area.
"They say marrying someone of lower status and marrying someone of higher status, but you're lucky enough to find such an outstanding one. It really costs our family a lot of money." Aunt Chen sighed.
Generally, women who are regular workers will marry men who are regular workers, so the bride price will not be outrageously expensive. Two or three hundred is enough, which is enough for the newlyweds to make up for their annual salary.
But who made his evil creature fall for such a good one? Originally, Mother Chen disagreed and delayed coming to the house.
Now it’s okay, but I still don’t know whether Xiang Jiatong agrees or not.
Mother Chen was secretly annoyed: If I had known earlier, I should have agreed to Chen Wei three months ago. When I came to propose marriage at that time, both families were similar, and Xiang Meimei even lost because she didn't have a job, so the chances of success were greater.
It’s no use regretting it now. I just hope I can impress the Xiang family.
Mother Chen glanced at the smirking Chen Wei and said, "Go away, go to sleep. Get yourself ready tomorrow. If you succeed, you'll have to meet your father-in-law tonight."
Having arranged the marriages of her two daughters, how could Aunt Chen not know the customs here?
Generally, the man asks a matchmaker to come to propose marriage. If the woman agrees, the man's parents and the prospective son-in-law go to his father-in-law's house for a meal that night. During the dinner, both parties can choose an auspicious day to get engaged.
The engagement date is announced in reverse. The girl's parents bring the new bride and her birth date to the boy's family for a banquet. After checking the date at the banquet, they choose an auspicious day for the wedding.
After the founding of the People's Republic of China, feudal superstitions were not allowed, and calculating the date was omitted. Generally, the girl's parents and the boy's parents would choose National Day or the end of the year for the wedding.
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