Chapter 73 Guan's Father's Meaning
"Your third uncle's family makes tofu and sells it. People in the village can exchange soybeans for tofu, one pound for another. They can sell soybeans for three cents a pound and buy tofu for four cents a pound. Many families are willing to make the exchange."
Jiang Xiangxi: ...He has only been away for a month, how come Third Master's family can make tofu?
"But don't we have no soybeans at home?" He remembered that they were all eaten up last year when they were still edamame. There was little wasteland at home, so they didn't plant much.
"Second brother, you don't know that we also have a share in Third Grandpa's tofu business. Sometimes when we make too much and don't sell it, we split it between our two families."
Jiang Xiangxi only felt that today's shock came in waves, more than he had experienced in the past 19 years combined.
He adjusted his mindset and thought, since his family could make brushes, why was it difficult for his third grandfather's family to make tofu?
After all, nothing could surprise him more.
"There's not only tofu to eat, but also malt sugar. We've eaten malt sugar several times at home!"
Jiang Xiangxi suddenly felt that his brain couldn't keep up. He accepted the brush and the tofu, so why did malt sugar come out again?
How many things at home did he not know?
He's only been out for a month, not half his lifetime.
Has half of my life really passed? No, no, even if it's my whole life, it still won't happen!
He looked at his mother and found that she was just smiling faintly, as if it was a very common thing.
His mother is very different from before, but this difference is very good.
After dinner, when it was still light outside, Shen Qing asked Jiang Xiangxi to send Guan Li and her brother back, and then visit Guan's father, tell him what he was going to say, and ask for his opinion.
As the sun set, the three of them walked on the bumpy dirt road in the village. Guan Li hung her head with a blushing face, while Guan Xiaoshan's childish face showed excitement and joy.
Seeing his father from afar, Guan Xiaoshan wanted to run over and tell him about the betrothal gift!
Carpenter Guan couldn't help but feel distressed when he saw Jiang Xiangxi: "You've lost weight! How come you've lost so much weight!
The corvée service was so hard, it's all thanks to you."
Even a strong man like him lost a lot of weight after going west. If he, with his old body, were to go west, he would definitely be carried back before he could even make it halfway.
Every time there was forced labor, several men would fall down, and it was Xiangxi who blocked them for him!
He repeatedly ordered: "Xiao Li, go make a cup of brown sugar water for Xiangxi to nourish his body. We have made a lot of bacon at home, and we will let Xiangxi take it home later."
Before Xiangxi came back, Mrs. Jiang would definitely not have accepted it. Now that it is given to Xiangxi to replenish his body, there is no reason to return it.
Guan Li rolled her eyes at her father and said angrily, "It was Auntie who asked us to stock up on the smoked meat for nourishment. Do you think it's appropriate to send it over?
Besides, my aunt’s family has good food, so they don’t need our little meat at all.”
Carpenter Guan thought to himself that this was at least a token of his family's appreciation. Apart from the meat, they didn't have anything else to offer.
Guan Xiaoshan happily agreed with his sister: "Yes, Dad, you don't know how good the food is at my aunt's house!
My sister will definitely gain weight after she gets married, and I’m afraid Brother Xiangxi won’t be able to hold her in his arms.”
Guan Li: ...If you can’t speak, you don’t have to.
Jiang Xiangxi lowered his head and whispered, "No."
Guan Li's face lit up with joy, it was rare for her to talk to Brother Xi!
In the past, his words were so choking that she often wondered why such a good man only had a mouth.
Is it the result of separation?
"Well, you also think I won't get too fat, right? Xiaoshan always exaggerates."
"No, what I mean is that no matter how fat you get, I can still hold you, so you can eat without worry." Jiang Xiangxi looked at the slender Guan Li and said seriously.
He just thought she was too thin and would be better if she was a little fatter.
Guan Li took a deep breath and repeatedly emphasized to herself that it was the first day Xiangxi came back after working hard for a month, and she couldn't yell at him!
No, absolutely not.
She gritted her teeth and said, "I'll go get you some water."
Jiang Xiangxi was just about to say no, he wasn't thirsty, when he saw Guan Li had already entered the house.
Carpenter Guan said with a smile, "My Xiaoli really values you! She's so good to you."
Jiang Xiangxi agreed with this, and there was an intense joy in his eyes.
Guan Xiaoshan: Why did he feel that his sister was gritting her teeth in anger just now?
Jiang Xiangxi turned around and said, "Uncle Guan, my mother said she would take me to the city to choose a betrothal gift for Ali tomorrow. I wanted to ask for your opinion on what else we should buy, in case we forget anything."
Carpenter Guan's usually steady hands trembled, and he looked at Jiang Xiangxi, fearing that he had heard wrongly.
To be honest, he had been waiting for the Jiang family to come and propose marriage since Xiaoli was fifteen years old.
From being reluctant and looking forward to the delay at the beginning, to becoming more and more anxious later, and even almost despairing some time ago, I didn’t expect Shen Qing to come over and say some words of approval, which rekindled my hope.
He was relieved, knowing that the Jiang family would come to propose marriage, but he really didn't expect it to be so quick!
Xiangxi just came back today. Why don’t you have a good rest? Are you going into the city to buy the betrothal gifts tomorrow?
However, the proposal in the village only requires two boxes of cakes and a bag of sugar, plus seven or eight taels of silver as a betrothal gift, so it shouldn't be too tiring for Xiangxi.
He said carefully: "We should live as the village is, without any extravagance;
Xiaoli likes walnut cakes, so just remember to buy this cake. As for the betrothal gift, it’s up to you.
"Xiangxi, I'm going to tell you the truth. I don't want any more or less. When you get married, I'll let Xiaoli double the money and take it back to use as your little home. I've also prepared a complete set of furniture for Xiaoli as a dowry, so I guarantee you two won't have a bad life!"
Jiang Xiangxi has always been a man of few words, and he didn't know how to respond after hearing this.
"I also made a cart for your family. It's the only skill I have. Since Xiaoli and Xiaoshan say smoking meat isn't possible, a cart should be fine, right?"
No matter how dumb Jiang Xiangxi was, he knew he was getting married! How could he let the woman contribute so much?
"Uncle Guan, no way! You raised Ali, how can I let you marry off your daughter and pay for it!"
Carpenter Guan waved his hand, smiling casually: "Xiaoshan is my son, I raised him up, so shouldn't I pay for him?
Building a house, marrying a wife and raising grandchildren, I am afraid I will have to pay more. My daughter is no worse than my son, why can my son pay but my daughter cannot?
I willingly support her, regardless of whether she has a son or a daughter. I just want her to have a better life after she has her own little family."
Guan Xiaoshan on the side echoed: "Brother Xiangxi, it's only right for my father to give it to my sister, and I can support myself."
Even if he didn't work for his aunt, he would learn carpentry from his father and would have no problem supporting himself.
Guan Li in the room could no longer take another step forward, tears streaming down her face.
Jiang Xiangxi looked at the father and son of the Guan family and was happy for Guan Li from the bottom of his heart.
Her family is also very nice.
He looked at the two of them and said, "I'll go back and discuss with my mother what to do."
If Uncle Guan had said this in the past, he would not have dared to tell his mother the truth, because if his mother knew, she would only be glad that she did the right thing and wait until Ali would marry into the Jiang family even if she didn't ask for a betrothal gift.
But now, he knew that his mother would not be happy, but would find another way to make up for it.
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