Chapter 049 Marriage
"Qiao Lian, your family...is the statement in the newspaper true? Have you severed ties with Zong Fengxian?"
Early in the morning, the tube-shaped building was bustling again. However, today, amidst the bustle, there was a disturbing murmur. As soon as this murmur emerged, the clatter of cooking in the tube-shaped building died down.
The most discussed topic in the forum these days is Grandma Fang, Zong Fengxian. No one would have thought she was the daughter of a traitor. She even tortured a maid to death because she ruined her lace dress!
Just think about how vicious this is! In her eyes, human life is not as important as a lace dress! And what's even more hateful is that she even pretended to be someone else's maid! How vicious is her mind? Calling her an old hag is not an exaggeration at all.
Zong Fengxian has been transferred to court and is awaiting trial. The Fang family also published an announcement early this morning that they have severed ties with her. Even if they had, they had lived together for decades, so everyone was still a little curious.
Sun Qiaolian realized the opportunity to make her position clear had finally arrived. She immediately straightened her face, even stopping to cook, and declared righteously, "Of course! Zong Fengxian is a major villain, a parasite to the country and society. Our family will disassociate itself from such a person no matter what. Nanshan is a proud oil worker, a progressive individual who will not be corrupted by class enemies. We all love the Party and our country, and we resolutely follow its policies."
After saying this, she glanced at the questioning old lady Liu and advised, "Aunt Liu, I advise you not to sympathize with this kind of person! You need to make your position clear..."
Cheng Gaigai lifted the door curtain and continued, "Grandma, weren't you just praising Aunt Sun at home? How come you're being misunderstood when you come out?"
She smiled at Sun Qiaolian, helped carry the steamed buns into the house, and said, "Auntie Sun, we're going to have breakfast. You go ahead and do your work. We won't disturb you anymore."
Sun Qiaolian curled her lips. "Cunning little girl, don't think she doesn't know the Cheng family's tricks. Now that she doesn't have to go to the countryside anymore, this girl is out again. Humph, who thinks no one can see through it?"
But their family has to stay quiet now. Nanshan has already warned her to be quiet for a while and wait for a few months until everyone forgets about this matter.
At that time, she smiled. With Cheng Meijuan marrying in, their family would have something to look forward to. Cheng Meijuan's father was the captain of the well repair team. He wasn't just the captain of a small team, he was the captain of a large team with nearly a hundred people in charge! In the future, their Nanshan would also have someone capable of being a leader.
Sun Qiaolian picked up the cooked grits porridge and staggered into the house.
At the Jiang family's house, breakfast was already on the table. It was still thick rice porridge, steamed buns made with two-grain flour, and refreshing pickled cucumbers. And of course, there were also the daily boiled eggs.
Chen Jinhua took a bite of the crunchy pickled cucumber and whispered, "The Fang family is really well-informed. They put it in the newspaper so quickly."
Jiang Mancheng cracked an egg and said disdainfully, "You still say I'm a gigolo? I'm doing it openly and honestly. I'm willing to eat my wife Jinhua's gigolo! But look at Fang Nanshan, he's trying to force his way into her life."
Jiang Nan nodded and agreed, "I didn't expect Cheng Meijuan to be so in love. When I traded things with her before, I thought she was quite smart and efficient, not like someone with a confused mind. How did she fall for Fang Nanshan? I really don't understand."
"If you don't understand, forget it. No normal person can understand the thoughts of such a person." Jiang Mancheng warned his daughter, "Even if you are engaged to that boy from the Zhou family, wake up now. If you are in love, Dad will not only beat you but also destroy that boy first."
"Dad, you can rest assured. Don't you see whose daughter I am? Even if Zhou Zhixing is in love, I can't be in love." Jiang Nan boasted without thinking.
"I don't believe you." Jiang Mancheng muttered, "Zhou Zhixing, that kid, even if the sky falls, he won't fall in love."
Humph, who can't see that? He's the same as when he first arrived, cold-hearted and heartless. He's trying to cling to his daughter's thighs. But with him around, this kid can't make trouble.
The three of them were still talking when Cheng Gaigai's voice rang out from outside the door: "Xiao Nan, Xiao Nan."
Jiang Nan swallowed the rice porridge in his mouth, stood up and opened the door. Cheng Gaigai was standing at the door with a small dish of cold shredded radish. He didn't show any intention of coming in. He handed it to Jiang Nan and said, "Here, take it. Thank you, Uncle Jiang, for lending me a piece of honeycomb coal just now. My dad made it, and it's delicious."
Jiang Nan took it and said with a smile, "Then my family has a good one. Uncle Cheng is a great chef."
Cheng Gaigai glanced at Jiang Nan, smiled sincerely, waved her hand and left.
Jiang Nan closed the door, placed the plates on the dining table, and said to his parents, "Gai Gai looks different now."
"Of course. After going to the countryside, he must have matured and become more down-to-earth." Jiang Mancheng picked up a piece of shredded radish with chopsticks, chewed it twice, and nodded. "Da Zhuzi's cooking skills are really good."
Jiang Mancheng picked up a few more bites for Chen Jinhua and said to his daughter, "The investigation team has been here for almost a month, right? Isn't it time for them to leave?"
"Yes, we have almost finished the investigation. Apart from Zong Fengxian, we haven't found any other suspicious people."
"Has the explosion probability changed? Is it still 85%?" Jiang Mancheng asked.
Yesterday, Zong Fengxian was handed over, and the probability of explosion suddenly dropped to 85%. The four met again in a state-owned hotel and agreed that another potential murderer should be Sun Qiaolian.
First, the only people Zong Fengxian could exploit, besides her three grandsons, were Sun Qiaolian. But Fang Nanshan was clever, constantly exploiting Zong Fengxian, while Zong Fengxian believed she had her grandsons under her control. Nan Sheng and Nan Hai were still young, so they were suspects, but not seriously.
Secondly, Sun Qiaolian was the one most affected by Zong Fengxian's transfer. It's unclear whether she'll continue doing that, but if she does, it's likely due to her son's instigation. If she ever discovers her son's evil nature, it would likely be quite a shock.
Finally, and most importantly, Fang Nanshan is a selfish person. He loves no one but himself. Such a person would never do anything to harm himself. Even if he wanted revenge, he wouldn't choose to explode. Remember, the system said that almost everyone in the building was dead. That definitely couldn't have been Fang Nanshan.
Therefore, no matter from which perspective, Sun Qiaolian is highly suspected.
They have currently identified four people: Fan Taohua, Wu Chunli, Qiu Paner and Sun Qiaolian.
After so many days of observation, the murderer should be among these four people. The four of them felt relieved. At least they had a suspect and no longer had to run around like headless flies. The four of them were still very satisfied.
While the Jiang family chatted, the Wu family was discussing something important. It wasn't anything else, it was the day Lin Bing went on a blind date, and Wu Jianguo snatched it up, and he and Wang Jianji fell in love. Old Wu wanted to object, but the father and son wouldn't listen and were already discussing a date for the wedding.
Although Wu Jianguo was only eighteen, not yet of legal marriageable age, many people these days hold a wedding banquet first and then get a marriage certificate when they are old enough. Furthermore, Wang Jianyi was twenty-two, also of marriageable age.
"Let me ask today and see if there's an auspicious day. We can set out the wine early. When the time comes, Hardy will marry in. It just so happens that both our families are working, so no one will dare to say anything about the house."
Before leaving, Fan Taohua had complained about their family's lack of fitness for living in a tube-shaped building. At the time, Wu Dachui was being cuckolded, so no one was saying anything. But with the number of people in the family compound increasing over the past few days, some people started muttering about it. Wu Dachui had overheard it a few times and felt anxious. Now, his son had married a regular employee, and no one could say anything anymore.
"Okay, Dad, Jiannan said she would bring a wooden box, a new quilt, a new cotton-padded jacket and fifty yuan as a dowry. What do we have to contribute as a dowry?" Wu Jianguo took a sip of porridge and discussed with Wu Dachui slowly.
Don't think this dowry was small. Winters in the Chaoyang Oilfield are brutally cold. During the coldest months, even oil wells shut down and workers hibernate at home. You can imagine how important quilts and cotton-padded jackets are. And Wang Jianji also brought fifty yuan, which was quite generous.
"Then we'll give you 88 yuan as a betrothal gift!" Wu Dachui gritted his teeth, "and buy you a bicycle. That kid from the Zhou family got a bicycle on his first day at work, so we have to get one too!"
"Well, Jianguo, will Jianhan bring a bicycle as a dowry?" Old Wu was a little worried.
Wu Jianguo smiled and said, "Of course, Zili and Gengsheng are both sensible people. They naturally wouldn't confiscate the bicycle. They originally wanted to give all the betrothal gifts as dowry, but I persuaded them. They are still young and unemployed. Although they know a little carpentry, they spend a lot of money. It's better to leave some money for safekeeping."
The one who intercepted the other party was about to discuss marriage, while the one who was intercepted was scolded like a grandson.
Uncle Lin, who was scolding someone, was panting heavily, looking even more embarrassed than the one being scolded. This ignorant brat actually had the audacity to talk to that woman, Sun Qiaolian, yesterday. Who would dare to get involved with that family now? How could he be so ignorant?
"Sun Qiaolian's family has a traitor, how dare you mess with her? You want to lose your job and go back to farming, right? Do you have any sense at all? How come you've become less calculating the older you get? Your mind has been eaten by a dog!" Lin Youliang wanted to cut open his son's brain to see if it was brainless. He didn't seem stupid when he was young, so why did he become such a fool now?
Lin Bing was also feeling uncomfortable. He just felt sorry for Sun Qiaolian and wanted to go over and comfort her, but she ignored him! In the past, this woman would cling to him and wouldn't let go. Now she was being hated by everyone, and she even took advantage of him. How could she be so abominable!
Little did he know that Sun Qiaolian had already stopped caring about him since he ran out of money, and it wasn't just now that things started. Sun Qiaolian hadn't been interested in Lin Bing at all. She'd tolerated him before, simply because he was a silly boy who was easy to coax and could get anything with just a few sweet words. How could Sun Qiaolian let go of anything that just required a little lip service? But now, without a penny, he still wanted Sun Qiaolian to coax him. What a joke!
Lin Bing had a cold face, and the father, Lin Youliang, was getting angrier and angrier. He said, "Stay away from that woman! I'll go look for Sister Cao in the next couple of days. You can't put off your wedding any longer. Wu Jianguo is only eighteen and is about to have a wedding. You're eight years older than him. What's the point of putting it off any longer?"
Speaking of this, Lin Bing became angry. He said viciously, "What's so great about it? It's just picking up something I don't like. Humph. Dad, just wait and see. I will definitely marry a beauty and bring her back home. They will envy me to death!"
Lin Bing finally agreed to a proper blind date, and Mrs. Qiu from the Qiu family was getting anxious. Seeing that all the young people in the building were getting settled, wouldn't her Pan'er fall behind again? Coincidentally, Qiu Xiangdong came back yesterday, and Mrs. Qiu suggested, "Xiangdong, Pan'er has been living in her hometown for more than a month. Why don't we bring Pan'er back for a blind date? She's not young anymore, and Xiaonan next door is about to get engaged. Pan'er can't still be single."
Qiu Xiangdong's expression regained its usual gentleness. Thinking of his daughter, his face turned a little grim, but he still asked, "Have you thought it through, Pan'er? Don't come back and say nonsense, it's embarrassing for our family."
"She's definitely figured it out," Old Lady Qiu pleaded for her granddaughter. "Besides, Pan'er didn't say anything. She was just anxious and lost her composure. After all these days, she must have reflected on it. I've already told Cao Chuncao downstairs to keep an eye out for Pan'er. She'll definitely find someone with better conditions than Zhou Zhixing. When the time comes, we can hold the engagement party first, and we'll definitely outdo theirs."
Qiu Xiangdong's expression softened, and he nodded, "Okay, then please bring Pan'er back today. I can rest for a few days and keep an eye on this girl."
Old Mrs. Qiu was lost in thought as she muttered, "We should have brought him here earlier. I heard that Wu Jianguo's wife and her two younger brothers received commendations from the police station. If Pan'er were here, maybe he could get one too. With more merits, wouldn't he be able to get a job?"
"Mom," Qiu Xiangdong said helplessly, "Those guys in the building are hanging around outside all day long. Have you seen any of them get a letter of praise? Do you think Pan'er is better than those guys? Is she good at martial arts or just strong? Don't worry about it. It's better to let Pan'er marry a better family."
"Right, right." Old Lady Qiu came to her senses. Her Pan'er wasn't like Jiang Nan, a big, strong girl who couldn't be caught even if she met a thief. She should marry someone more seriously, marry someone better, someone who would completely outshine Jiang Nan.
Tao Meiyu smiled when she heard this. She only had one daughter, and sometimes she resented her parents for only having her and no more, but other times she felt deeply sorry for her daughter. In short, she was a conflicted and divided person.
Tao Meiyu wasn't the only one torn apart. Even Old Lady Cao felt like she had become a completely different person. A while ago, she was still unhappy about her grandson marrying into her family, but now, she was telling him not to let Jiang Nan down.
"Just be quiet." Old Mrs. Cao felt her heart break. She said earnestly, "The Su family on the second floor and the Sui family on the fifth floor, they both have bad intentions. How can you talk to their daughters? You're about to get engaged, you can't do anything rash. Xiaonan graduated from high school and has a job. If you don't cherish a daughter-in-law like her, you'll be struck by lightning."
Zhou Zhixing felt like he was being wronged to death. He emphasized again, "Grandma, Xiaonan was there last night. We just met on our way out of the state-owned restaurant and exchanged a few words. I've never spoken to them alone. I swear, if I lie, then I'll never get married, okay?"
"That's more like it!" Old Lady Cao muttered, emphasizing again, "Xiao Nan is good enough. Look, you're not considered a son-in-law, and your child has the surname Zhou, so you're not at a disadvantage. You can even live in a big house, right? If you had married someone from those two families, hmph."
Old Lady Cao curled her lips and said disdainfully, "If you marry someone from those two families, they'll crush you and suck your blood! The girls from those two families have been taught to only support their families. You can't get involved with people like that. You still want me to introduce you to a date? I won't get involved with their families."
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