Somehow, Wei Mingyuan's words reached Zhuo Linmei's ears.
Zhuo Linmei's face didn't look too good, and to make matters worse, the girls from the performing arts troupe were joking around nearby:
“Xiaomei, didn’t you say your boyfriend treats you very well? But he told others that dowry is an old custom, a feudal remnant, and that you’re not that kind of person, that you’d marry him without asking for anything! You’re not someone who’s cheap, so why would he say such things?”
These days, many people don't ask for a bride price when they get married.
But Zhuo Linmei is different. She has high standards. So many men with good conditions pursued her before, but she didn't like any of them. She finally fell for Dai Donglin.
But Dai Donglin didn't like her, and she was too old, so she had to settle for second best and took a liking to Wei Mingyuan.
Wei Mingyuan treated her well, and the two became very close friends.
Zhuo Linmei couldn't resist and Wei Mingyuan succeeded in his advances, after which the two began to discuss marriage.
When they were doing that, Wei Mingyuan agreed readily.
We need to give a dowry of 500 yuan, three gold pieces, and also buy Zhuo Linmei a coat, a down jacket, and an umbrella.
But now that the marriage certificate has been issued, he's gone back on his word!
Zhuo Linmei couldn't stand it, so she immediately went to the military base to find Wei Mingyuan and ask him what was going on.
When Zhuo Linmei arrived, she didn't look well. Wei Mingyuan was also a little guilty, but he was a grown man after all, how could he be controlled by a woman? It was one thing for a woman to throw a little tantrum or act coquettishly, but when it came to matters of principle, Wei Mingyuan was quite chauvinistic and would never back down.
What brings you here?
Zhuo Linmei, wearing a plaid skirt and puffing out her chest, said angrily, "I'm asking you, has the marriage certificate been issued yet?"
Wei Mingyuan breathed a sigh of relief; it turned out it was all for this reason.
"Yes, I'm coming down. I just didn't have time to tell you."
Seeing that he seemed unaffected, Zhuo Linmei thought of the ridicule she received from her fellow group members, the grievances she had suffered, and Wei Mingyuan's broken promise, and her eyes reddened.
"You promised to give a dowry of 500 yuan, buy three gold pieces, and clothes. You won't keep your word, will you?"
In the late 1980s, 500 yuan was not a lot of money; it was enough for a wedding in the countryside, let alone in Beijing.
Zhuo Linmei was at least one of the most beautiful women in the performing arts troupe, and her uncle was quite capable. Wasn't Wei Mingyuan's success today thanks to her uncle's support? Zhuo Linmei was no worse than anyone else, so how come she became the worst after getting married?
Zhuo Linmei couldn't swallow this insult. "I promised to send money home. I even talked to them, saying you wanted to give me five hundred yuan and buy me things. How could you do this?"
Wei Mingyuan felt a little guilty. These days, marriage fraud is nothing new. His younger brother was dirt poor, but he promised to give the woman a wedding gift and buy her a wardrobe.
But when his sister-in-law married into the family, she discovered that there was nothing there.
By then, it was too late to regret it.
What could the sister-in-law do? Could she refuse to marry him? She had no choice but to get off the bus obediently.
For Wei Mingyuan, things like wedding gifts, betrothal gifts, wardrobes, and jewelry were all feudal dregs. He thought, "Why would I need so much money to marry a wife to keep me warm in bed? This isn't selling a wife; I'm firmly against it!"
"Zhuo Linmei, be realistic. I did say I'd give you money and buy you things, but wasn't that just a temporary measure? I want to buy you things too, but I don't have any money in my pocket. I sent all my money home to my mother." Wei Mingyuan changed the subject. "If you're going to make a fuss over this little bit of money, then I've really misjudged you!"
"You misjudged me?" Zhuo Linmei was furious.
“That’s right. I used to think you were of noble character, didn’t care about money, and were otherworldly. Who knew you were just like those women, wanting dowries, gold jewelry, and red down jackets! What do you call that? That’s called following the trend, feudal dregs, and vulgarity!” Wei Mingyuan got more and more excited as he spoke.
Zhuo Linmei shouted angrily, "I'm not getting married!"
"Not marrying me? Zhuo Linmei, are you kidding me?! Our marriage application has already been submitted, I've slept with you, we've already consummated our marriage, and now you say you won't marry me? Fine! I don't care if you marry me or not, but if you regret it, don't come looking for me!"
Wei Mingyuan sneered, having completely controlled Zhuo Linmei.
Zhuo Linmei never expected him to be such a scoundrel, and she was so angry that tears streamed down her face.
"Wei Mingyuan, you bastard!"
Wei Mingyuan was too lazy to coax her. His mother had said that if you let a woman control you before you get married, you'll suffer from her temper for the rest of your life.
Anyway, Zhuo Linmei is already his woman. In this day and age, Zhuo Linmei can't marry anyone else but him.
Wei Mingyuan wasn't afraid she would run away; he just wanted to teach her a lesson and let her know who was in charge.
Zhuo Linmei was so angry that tears streamed down her face. When Lin Yang arrived, he saw her like this from afar and sighed.
“Wei Mingyuan was wrong in this matter. He doesn’t know how to cherish his wife. You don’t ask for much, but he refuses to agree to your request.”
Zhuo Linmei felt even more aggrieved, and Lin Yang wiped away her tears.
“If I were Wei Mingyuan, I would cherish you. I would never do anything to betray you, I would never refuse to give you a dowry, and I would never act like a scoundrel to hurt you.”
Lin Yang's words stunned Zhuo Linmei, who then began to look at Lin Yang again. This man, who had always followed Wei Mingyuan, was someone she had never taken seriously.
Zhuo Linmei never imagined that Lin Yang would have feelings for her. She was the most beautiful woman in the art troupe, and many men liked her, including Lin Yang. However, he had always been Wei Mingyuan's little follower, so Zhuo Linmei never thought about it in that way.
So he liked her too?
Lin Yang couldn't bear to see Zhuo Linmei shed tears. Zhuo Linmei was so angry with Wei Mingyuan that she didn't want to marry this untrustworthy man. She thought it would be better to marry any man than to marry Wei Mingyuan!
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