After hearing this, everyone looked at each other with different expressions, and no one spoke.
Zhao Xiaoxing squeezed her hands nervously and made another promise: "Ayi will come to propose...really!"
Old Zhao's wife's face darkened, and she scolded: "Why do you still think so? Do you believe what he said?! What can he do? As long as his mother doesn't agree, there is no hope for you and him!"
The sister-in-law at the side couldn't bear it secretly, and whispered: "Sister-in-law, you have to think clearly. His mother is not someone who can be easily messed with. She looks down on us mountain people. If you marry her, she will definitely despise you. The city is pretty good, but you have to consider it for yourself."
"That's right!" The elder brother agreed, "Although our life is a little hard, we still have food and drink. No matter how good life is in the city, if you have such a wicked mother-in-law who points at your head and scolds you every day, your life will not be easy no matter how good it is."
Zhao Xiaoxing's eyes were red as she whispered, "Ayi's elder brother has found him a job at the Yucheng Shipyard... He is a worker in a large company. He told me... he wants to take me to Yucheng and not live with his mother."
"Really?" Old Zhao stared in surprise and asked, "A large unit? A worker?"
The others all smiled and asked in surprise if it was true.
Zhao Xiaoxing nodded hurriedly: "Really! He came to our village a while ago to apply to return to the city. He will go to work in a large factory in Yucheng in the south. He asked a friend to tell me that he can earn dozens of yuan a month."
"Wow!" The eldest sister-in-law was envious: "Dozens of dollars! So much?! Yucheng? Where is Yucheng?"
Zhao Xiaoxing replied: "It's in the south by the sea, in a big city, bigger than the capital. It's very close to the sea, and the climate is better than here. I heard from Ayi that you can wear short sleeves for seven months a year, and it's not cold in winter, a thin cotton jacket is enough."
When everyone heard that it was a big city, even better than the capital, they all smiled happily.
"A few dozen yuan a month." Old Zhao's wife was secretly delighted and turned to look at her husband. "If that's the case, we can get enough money together with my mother-in-law. It will be enough for the young couple to live a good life."
The people in the mountains live off the mountains, growing food at the foot of the mountains, planting fruit trees and hunting on the mountains. They are self-sufficient for the first few hours of the day, and their income is pitifully meager. Unless it is a big event like getting married, I have never seen a big event of spending dozens of dollars.
Old Zhao put down the hookah, the corners of his mouth trembled, hiding his inner ecstasy and excitement.
"Well... a big city is definitely better. If you can get a job in a company, you won't have to worry about anything in your life. Did he really say he wants to propose marriage? What does his mother say?"
Zhao Xiaoxing looked at everyone's reactions and secretly guessed that her family must have passed this test.
"He said if his mother doesn't agree, then forget it. He'll go to Yucheng and ask his eldest brother and his wife to preside over our wedding. He...he also said that his mother doesn't like anyone, so forget it. When his eldest brother married his sister-in-law, he didn't get his mother's approval either. He said it was a marriage arranged by the senior boss of the factory, and he didn't even go home."
"Wow!" Old Zhao's wife smiled with yellow teeth: "The behavior of city people is different from that of us in the mountains! They are so open-minded!"
"His mother looks like she wants to marry a fairy from heaven. Whoever listens to her will be in trouble!"
"His elder brother can get married on his own, so it's good enough that he has his elder brother and his wife to officiate."
Lao Zhao coughed and pretended to be calm, "Alright, alright, I don't know if that kid will keep his word. Let's wait and see, don't be anxious."
The others finally stopped whispering to each other, and each of them had a smile on their face, obviously secretly happy for Xiao Xing.
"Xing'er." Old Zhao's wife waved to her daughter and smiled lovingly, "Come, mother will take you to the kitchen to make some food."
"Why!"
…
The next morning, two donkey carts filled with red gift boxes arrived at the foot of the mountain.
Soon, the whole village was in an uproar. People ran to tell each other and came to Lao Zhao's house to watch the fun. The old people, women and children gathered around to watch. It was even more lively than watching a shadow play.
"The city man has come to propose to the daughter of the old Zhao family!"
"Hey! It's the young man named Gu who went to the countryside! He's very handsome!"
"Is this true? Looks like his mother has agreed!"
Chen Xingling asked the driver and Gu Yi to move the things into the house one by one, while he took out a big bag of colorful red wedding candies and stuffed them into the crowded crowd outside the door one handful at a time.
"Hello everyone! I am Gu Yi's sister-in-law! Today we are here to propose marriage to Xiao Xing! We have come all the way here, and I don't have anything good to give you. I will share some wedding candy with everyone, so that you can share in our family's happiness!"
"Wow! Sugar!"
"Wedding candy, wedding candy! I want some too!"
"I want one too!"
"Wow! His sister-in-law looks so young and beautiful! City people are different, her skin looks soft and smooth, like tofu brain!"
…
Old Zhao in the room didn't even bother to smoke. He looked left and right, feeling overwhelmed.
The little grandson beside him jumped up and down excitedly, shouting happily: "Grandpa! What is that? What is that?"
Lao Zhao swallowed and whispered, "It's cigarettes... those are wine."
The little grandson exclaimed: "It's so beautiful! I want to touch it!"
Old Zhao couldn't hold back his smile, and hurriedly carried his grandson away with a grin.
Old Zhao's wife looked at the brand new quilts, the bags of wedding candies, and the several bags of rice and flour in the corner, and she was so happy that she couldn't stop smiling.
Gu Yi was sweating profusely as he carried the things, while he called out to the driver behind him to keep up.
After moving the gifts back and forth three times, the two donkey carts were finally emptied. Old Zhao's house was already filled with red gifts. The red color was reflected on the happy smiles on everyone's faces, and they were all smiling.
Chen Xingling was given two large bags of wedding candies, but was stopped by Old Zhao's daughter-in-law, who invited her into the house to sit down and drink some water, so that she could finally take a break.
As soon as she opened her mouth, she explained to the two elders that Gu Qi was on a business trip and couldn't come, and apologized. She also asked them to forgive her mother-in-law for her previous impulsive behavior.
Seeing that she was well-mannered, spoke pleasantly and had a powerful manner, Old Zhao and his wife dared not say anything but just kept smiling and nodding.
Chen Xingling first expressed his sincerity, and then stated the purpose of this trip.
"Although we have never met Xiao Xing before, she is the girl that Gu Yi likes, so she must be a good girl. We finally met her today. Gu Yi has a really good eye! In-laws, in-laws, we took a train for two days and one night to come here just to propose marriage quickly so that we can take Xiao Xing to Yucheng to get married."
Everyone laughed happily, holding wedding candies in their mouths and chewing them as they laughed.
Gu Yi blushed and from time to time he stole glances at Zhao Xiaoxing, who was hiding in the corner with a blushing face, his brows full of joy and excitement.
Old Zhao's wife felt a little reluctant and whispered, "Sister-in-law, we always pay the betrothal gifts here, and then the in-laws will choose a good day to come and marry. You are rushing it."
"Get married again in Yucheng?" Old Zhao hesitated and thought for a while, then asked, "When?"
Chen Xingling replied: "Ayi has to go back to the factory to work in a few days and can't stay here. The train takes about five days to come and go. My dear in-laws, my dear in-laws, there is really no other way. The time is too tight and the journey is too long. I can only take Xiaoxing to Yucheng to get married."
Then, she quickly added: "Don't worry, my husband and I will prepare a lively wedding for them and make sure Xiao Xing will not be wronged."
Old Zhao and his wife looked at each other, and no one said anything.
They would naturally be happy to see their daughter marry the man she likes.
It's just that my daughter is going to marry far away in the south all of a sudden, and they said they would marry her right after the engagement, without giving the family any time to prepare. Although I am very happy, I am more reluctant to let her go.
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