A disastrous marriage proposal
Proposal?
It was a marriage proposal!
Wang Shuitao subconsciously turned her gaze away, but realizing it was inappropriate, she turned back: "Why are you bringing this up all of a sudden?"
Meng Songying took a step back helplessly, realizing something from her action. Grasping the loose end of her chaotic thoughts, she tried to explain, "The rumors outside, we..."
Wang Shuitao breathed a sigh of relief: "Don't take those filthy words to heart. Besides, if we rush into marriage because of their dirty talk, wouldn't that be admitting defeat?"
Meng Songying pursed her lips and said seriously, "No, I didn't want to marry you because of the rumors. The idea of spending my life with you has been hidden in my heart for a long time, but it was only discovered at this time."
Faced with a face that betrayed her frustration, Wang Shuitao opened her mouth but couldn't think of anything to say. The person opposite her had already shown her true feelings, and if all she could do was respond with evasive teasing, it would be better not to respond at all.
The two were so close that their breaths mingled. Meng Songying lowered her eyes to cover her pupils: "Actually, we can be transferred to the provincial capital. The factories there will definitely welcome us. I've already found people, and no one will make things difficult for us."
This was his despicable attempt to entice.
At this critical juncture, he no longer held back his words: "I know I am the son of a wealthy landowner, and with your privileged background, it is understandable that you are unwilling to marry me. Let's not discuss this matter further."
This is his way of showing weakness and begging for pity.
Meng Songying thought that perhaps blood ties really do have a great influence on people. His adoptive parents were such a righteous couple, but now he was using all sorts of tricks against the person he loved in such an important matter of his life.
He said he would no longer talk about marriage, but he gazed at the girl in front of him for a long time with his moist eyes.
His icy fingertips were held in his palm, and a warm touch came from his cheek. It was Wang Shuitao pressing her cheek against his.
Meng Songying's eyes lit up again.
Wang Shuitao wrapped his hands around her waist, then opened her arms, and the two embraced tightly once again.
A soft voice whispered in my ear: "I like you, but I can't accept getting married so early. I'm not even twenty yet."
The two thin layers of clothing couldn't insulate them from each other's body heat. Under the woman's sweet fragrance, her heart skipped a beat, as if it were plummeting into an unfathomable abyss. But Meng Songying still said as if grasping at a lifeline, "Then let's go to the provincial capital together, and we can talk about the wedding later."
He thought, even if it was just deceiving himself, at least Taozi still cared about him, and she was willing to coax him.
Looking at her with those watery eyes, Wang Shuitao couldn't resist. But she had just rejected a marriage proposal, and now she was about to accept a benefit from someone else's offer. She hesitated for a moment and then said, "Let me think about it some more, okay? Let's talk about it after this is resolved."
"Like"—in the empty office, Meng Songying savored this sweet word repeatedly, but the person who had just said he liked her had already left after rejecting her twice.
Wang Shuitao has always been a very ambitious girl, not someone who is content to stay in a small place and grow old. He originally thought that even if they went to the provincial capital, they would still be able to see each other every day.
But when she had the opportunity to work directly in the provincial capital, she didn't immediately agree.
From the time he entered his youth, Mencius' parents taught him not to play around with girls and that he must take responsibility for any girl he had feelings for.
Meng Songying had been looking forward to taking responsibility for a long time, but she didn't know what to do if the girl didn't need to be held responsible.
He had no one to ask.
————————————————————
Thanks to the joint efforts of Sun Ming, Li Yuanhong, Meng Songying, and Wang Shuitao, the rumors died down in less than half a day.
Seeing that Taozi looked wrinkled and dehydrated, Li Yuanhong assumed she was heartbroken and comforted her, "Don't be fooled by the number of people spreading rumors; there are even more people defending you. It's precisely because the two sides have clashed that things have become so big. And most people remember your kindness, which is why our handling of the situation has been so effective."
Wang Shuitao nodded listlessly: "I understand, Sister Li. I want to go back and rest for a while."
But she didn't get a chance to rest. The head of Wangjiazhuang village rushed to the sugar factory with bad news:
Wang Jinbu returned, at Qian Liju's insistence.
He spent a lot of money and called his superiors in the army every few days to express his longing for his son, saying that he only had one son to rely on.
The military is downsizing every year, and these aren't the lowly military households of the old feudal dynasties anymore; there are plenty of people who want to stay now. Filial piety is considered paramount, so the military leaders added Wang Jinbu's name to the demobilization list.
The ill-fated wooden door was kicked open once again. Wang Shuitao's face was contorted with rage. She hadn't even caught her breath from rushing home when her cold gaze swept over the four people sitting around the table and chairs.
Qian Lijuan, Wang Jinbu, Sun Miao, and Wang Datong also returned. Laughter filled the air, as if all the past disagreements had vanished, and they were still a happy family.
Wang Shuitao had long forgotten about the plot, since the events at the sugar factory had nothing to do with the story. But seeing this scene, the final scene of making dumplings that made her faint with anger flashed before her eyes again.
The laughter gradually subsided. Wang Jinbu and Sun Miao were the first to stand up and walk to the door. Perhaps she was out of her mind, Wang Jinbu made a gesture of support, and Sun Miao immediately followed.
"Sis, Brother Jinbu will be working as a warehouse manager at the commune's supply and marketing cooperative in a couple of days. It was arranged by the army."
These words were spoken by Sun Miao. Although she didn't know why her younger sister was angry, it was clear that she was about to go crazy, and she wanted to comfort her sister.
Wang Shuitao naturally knew that what was done was done and there was no going back, but she still couldn't help feeling a sense of despair. It was a supply and marketing cooperative, and a commune-level one at that. After the reform and opening up, it wasn't that no supply and marketing cooperatives remained, but what level were they at?
She took a deep breath: "When did you find out about this?"
Sun Miao subconsciously replied, "I know that Brother Jinbu is back."
She even gave a shy, sweet smile: "Brother Jinbu said he has a surprise for me."
Wang Jinbu scratched his head and let out a simple, honest laugh.
Wang Shuitao nodded: "Then you take the children inside. I have something to say to the three of them."
A sense of foreboding crept into her heart. Sun Miao looked longingly at her husband who had just returned and tried to plead, "Then, then, I'll go in first."
The attempt to plead on their behalf was a complete failure.
She dared not disobey her sister's orders, and she had long since grown accustomed to listening to her sister.
"Progress Brother, you chat with your sister, I have to go feed her."
Wang Jinbu subconsciously took two steps forward, but was stopped by Wang Shuitao: "Go sit down over there!"
Qian Liju said smugly, "You only come back a few times a month when you're in the county town. Now that your brother is back and working in the commune, your father and I can finally relax."
Wang Shuitao scoffed, "What's there for Wang Datong to be at ease about? Have the widow's three kids found jobs?"
She pointed outside at the old man who shouldn't be there and yelled, "Get out!"
Wang Jinbu didn't really understand why his sister was so angry. He thought everything would get better, just like when he was a child.
My younger sister had just been born, and my father was still at home. When he received his work points, he would buy two pieces of candy to take home.
But he still didn't say anything, and even half-stood up to see Wang Datong out.
Qian Liju jumped up suddenly, opened her mouth, met her daughter's poker-faced expression, and hid in the kitchen.
"I'll go cook."
Her son came home, but he was completely different from what she had imagined. His daughter had him completely under her thumb, and she lost the courage she had imagined.
Wang Datong realized that the person in charge of the household had changed. In previous years, even though he didn't live here, he was the one in charge. Even Wang Jinbu, who was serving in the army and earned the most, had to listen to him.
In just six months, the house and the people inside became people he didn't recognize.
An unprecedented sense of panic filled his heart, and he dared not disobey, so he obediently went out.
Just before leaving, she glanced repeatedly in the direction of her son and the kitchen.
Wang Jinbu closed the door without hesitation: "Taozi, let's eat."
Wang Shuitao questioned him: "Why didn't you tell me about Qian Liju's misdeeds!"
“My mother wants me to come back, and I also want to come back, to be with my two children as they grow up.”
The man, who had shown extra care for his child because of his father's actions, continued to ramble on, using simple and plain language to construct the home of his dreams.
A father who turns back to the right path, a mother who cares for her children, a filial and loving son, a gentle and kind daughter-in-law, a sister who upholds the family tradition, adorable twins, and a brother-in-law who is yet to arrive.
...
Wang Shuitao suddenly realized that although she kept telling herself that she couldn't change other people's minds, she still took on the responsibility of the family's future after her older brother got a job.
I couldn't help but want to change them, to give them a better life that was completely different from the one in the story.
What is better? She thinks it might be like what the reviews say: to be more carefree and enjoyable.
Unfortunately, apart from the purely evil Wang Datong, Qian Liju is both a perpetrator and a victim, Wang Jinbu is a victim, and in addition, he is both a savior and a burden to his wife and sister. Sun Miao is a pure victim and a cowardly follower.
They don't want a life like the protagonist in a wish-fulfillment drama; they just want to be entangled with their blood relatives until death.
These people were clearly right in front of her, yet they were also phantoms separated from her by fifty years.
No matter how many times she gets angry, it's ultimately just that her nature is hard to change.
Wang Shuitao once again felt the weight of the times.
Wang Datong, Qian Liju, Wang Jinbu, Sun Miao, and the twins are not things she should or can interfere with. This is their life, and even close relatives cannot dictate it.
As someone who owes Wang Jinbu a debt of gratitude, all she can do is work hard, become stronger and stronger, and then lend him a hand when he might need help in the future.
To repay this kindness.
Perhaps this way, everyone will be happier than they are now.
Wang Shuitao smiled and said, "Alright, brother, I think I should respect you and everyone else. If you have any problems that you can't solve, just come to the sugar factory to find me. It's getting late, I have to go back. There are still some things waiting for me at the factory."
After saying that, he felt a sudden lightness all over his body.
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