B5SB -Chapter 19 1962

Time flew by, and now it was already 1962.

Gu Yihan was ten years old, a tall girl of 146 cm. In 1961, her family had built her a separate clay-brick house, which made all the village girls insanely jealous.

But she wouldn’t be living there for long. After the summer break, she would start middle school at the commune and begin her boarding-school life.

Gu Hao, because of the disasters over the past three years, had been home from school and self-studying. In 1961, he had taken the school’s approval exams early and received his high school diploma ahead of schedule.

He was also determined and disciplined. With a recommendation letter from the team leader, he spent three months looking for work in the county.

At the beginning of the year, he was hired by the publicity department of the machinery factory and became an honored worker.

His monthly wage was 27.5 yuan for a Grade-10 worker, plus some coupons.

“Grandma, do you think Dad’s blind date will work out today?” Gu Yihan asked, her little eyes full of curiosity.

Grandma Gu looked at her granddaughter’s expression and said, speechless, “The girl looks nice. If it weren’t for her family being poor and delaying things, your father wouldn’t even have had the chance. If he can’t win over a girl like this, does he expect to marry a fairy?”

Gu Yihan giggled: “Hehe, I just heard that the girl is very capable and filial at home. I was worried she wouldn’t like Dad.”

Soon, Gu Yihan heard her “cheap” father humming a tune as he returned home.

Grandma Gu looked at his expression and immediately knew it had worked: “Second, did it work?”

Gu Aidang happily replied, “See, as you said, your son isn’t bad-looking either. As soon as I went, they took one look and the girl agreed.”

Gu Yihan rolled her eyes inwardly. Aside from being 175 cm tall—which was quite decent in those days—he wasn’t particularly impressive.

His features were decent at best, and working in the fields every day had tanned his face. Decent? She could barely suppress a snort.

Grandma Gu, hearing the good news, said happily, “Then let’s have the matchmaker formally propose.”

“Mother, I’ve already agreed with Chen Xiu on the dowry—50 yuan,” Gu Aidang said.

Gu Aidang’s elder sister-in-law, who had just returned, heard this and said, “Mother, second brother is already remarried, and he spent more than the first marriage. Even Zhang Cuihua didn’t ask for this much.”

“Is this gilded?”

Gu Aidang was angry: “Sister-in-law, why are you speaking so rudely? Chen Xiu is a first marriage. How is it more?”

Elder sister-in-law Wang Ni sneered: “Second Brother, don’t forget, this money also includes our family’s portion. Your earnings alone couldn’t even support your own household—you’re relying on us.”

Grandma Gu said, “Why are you arguing? Eldest daughter-in-law, are you trying to make Aidang stay single? What, do you think I’m dead? You still want to overturn everything?”

“Mother, don’t forget, our family hasn’t split yet. Any money we spend includes the share of the first branch,” said Gu Aidang’s elder sister-in-law, not pleased.

Ever since her son became a worker, her spine had straightened considerably.

Grandma Gu looked at her straight on: “You want to split the family? You think your children are grown now and don’t need us old couple anymore?”

Of course she wanted to split: “Mother, we can’t let the eldest branch keep suffering all the time.”

“Besides, that Yihan—you’re sending her to school at the commune. Won’t that cost a lot?”

This time, Grandma Gu was furious: “Hmph! Your son goes to school, why don’t you say that costs money? During those three years of disasters, you were eating from what your father and I saved! And now, just a few days of good times, you complain you’re losing out?”

“Want to split the family? Fine. As long as your husband agrees, I’ll split it immediately.”

Gu Yihan was speechless. Out of nowhere, they were dragging her schooling into this. She guessed her “cheap” father might not even want her to go to school anymore.

Gu Aidang thought for a moment and said, “Mother, actually, what sister-in-law says makes some sense. Girls going to school isn’t very useful. It’s better they stay home, manage the household, and a few years later marry into a good family.”

Ah, just as she expected, this “cheap” father wasn’t reliable. For marriage, he was even thinking about her future.

He might be disappointed. Her ten years of effort hadn’t been wasted. Every day she painted grand dreams for Grandma Gu—wasn’t this the moment she had been waiting for?

Grandma Gu jumped up: “Gu Aidang, you’ve never raised her a day. Her schooling didn’t cost you a cent!”

“What you’ve earned isn’t even enough for your own mischief. And you want to ruin my granddaughter? No way. My granddaughter is going to marry into the city.”

Gu Aidang scoffed: “Mother, stop daydreaming. Marry into the city? Without a city household registration and rationed grain, who would take her?”

Grandma Gu looked at Gu Aidang with disdain: “As a father, you really don’t care about your daughter. My granddaughter ranks first every year. She’s going to university, assigned jobs after graduation, and you’re worried about this?”

“I’ll make this clear: anyone who dares to stop my granddaughter from going to school can get out of this house.”

Gu Yihan immediately pledged her loyalty: “Grandma, don’t worry. When I start working, I’ll only take care of you and Grandpa. I’ll support you in your old age.”

Although she also cared for her little granddaughter and had mentioned supporting her elders before, she knew in her heart that true support depended on her own children.

Seeing that Grandma Gu didn’t quite believe her words, Gu Yihan was determined. Without Grandma Gu, she wouldn’t have been able to live so freely.

Grandma Gu patted her granddaughter’s hand: “I’ll be waiting for my granddaughter to get into university.”

Gu Aidang looked at the dreaming grandmother and granddaughter and thought, “So sweet,” without considering whether any child in the surrounding villages had even made it to university.

He didn’t care about that. He had to go back and think about life after marriage.