RYEY – Chapter 26 Proposal

Xu Laidi glared at Han Chunmei. Cheng Qiao spat toward her and snapped, “Sister Chunmei made clothes for me. What’s wrong with her eating a bowl of my dumplings? Why do you care?”

“Cheng Qiao, don’t forget, the two of us are best friends.”

“Yeah right, I don’t dare accept your kind of ‘friendship.’ I’ve already broken ties with you.”

In the blink of an eye, the educated youths were all sitting around the table eating dumplings. The six dumplings left over were split among the three male youths. Cheng Qiao looked at Xu Laidi, who was swallowing hard and drooling. Hmph, let you drool yourself to death.

Chai Jianmin was slower today. By the time he came back, the others had already finished the dumplings, even washed the pot and bowls, and were lying on their bunks taking a nap.

“Youth leader, wasn’t it Han Chunmei’s turn to cook today? Why isn’t there any food?”

Seeing that there was no lunch for him in the kitchen, Chai Jianmin went to look for Jiang Guangrong. Jiang Guangrong scratched his head awkwardly, unsure how to reply.

“Today we ate dumplings, so no meal was cooked. If you want to eat, make it yourself.”

Qian Longkun spoke up. As soon as Chai Jianmin heard the word dumplings, his mouth watered. His eyes darted around eagerly. Where are the dumplings?

“Where are my dumplings?”

“Your dumplings? Since when do you have dumplings?”

“Qian Longkun, we’re all educated youths here, a collective. How can you create divisions like this?”

“Cut the crap. If you dare keep twisting words and stirring things up, don’t blame me for knocking your teeth out.”

“But you all ate dumplings. Why don’t I get any?”

“We paid for them. Did you pay?”

Even the usually mild Zhao Xiaobao couldn’t help retorting.

“You all…”

Hearing that they had bought the dumplings with their own money, Chai Jianmin was stunned and left sulkily. He went into the kitchen and made a paste of sorghum flour for himself.

“Cheng Qiao, Cheng Qiao, are you here?”

Auntie Wang barged straight through the gate of the educated youth compound, calling loudly in the courtyard. Cheng Qiao’s lips curled into a smile. She knew that Li Huan had sent someone to propose marriage.

“Auntie Wang, what brings you here?”

“Cheng Qiao, Li Huan’s mother asked me to come propose for him. She said if you’re willing, tomorrow morning she and Li Huan will bring the betrothal gifts.”

“Who’s Li Huan?”

The moment Xu Laidi heard someone was coming to propose to Cheng Qiao, she grew anxious. No! Cheng Qiao can only marry Erlizi. Who the heck is this Li Huan? Some meddlesome country folk again.

“None of your damn business. With that ugly face of yours, no man would want you anyway.”

“Auntie Wang, how can you speak so harshly? And besides, Cheng Qiao has already been carried in Erlizi’s arms. If she doesn’t marry him, then…”

Xu Laidi trailed off deliberately, hinting that Erlizi might come cause trouble if things didn’t go his way.

“Erlizi? Ha! So you don’t even know his real name? You’re truly an idiot!”

“Auntie Wang, how can you insult people like that?”

Suddenly Xu Laidi realized—Erlizi was Li Huan! She wanted to curse back, but looking at the sturdy Auntie Wang, her confidence shriveled and she took a step back. Forget it, best not to fight with such a shrewd village woman.

“So what if I insult you? You brought it on yourself. Get lost, just looking at you annoys me.”

“Auntie Wang, how much is Li Huan’s bride price?”

Hearing the commotion, Han Chunmei and a few others rushed over. They, of course, knew who Li Huan was, so they asked anxiously.

“The Li family isn’t well-off, but the eldest son is in the army and sends money home every month. They’ve prepared two hundred yuan as the bride price.”

When she said two hundred yuan, Auntie Wang deliberately raised her voice. That was a lot of money! Even the village head’s daughter hadn’t received more than that as bride price.

“Auntie Wang, if the Li family gives two hundred yuan, won’t they just take it back once Cheng Qiao is married? Everyone also knows Cheng Qiao got three hundred yuan compensation from the Chen family. Won’t they demand that as well?”

Han Chunmei knew all too well how mother-in-laws in the countryside controlled their daughters-in-law—offer a high bride price first, then demand a hefty dowry in return, and later claw the money back.

Especially for educated youths like them, whose families lived far away and couldn’t provide support. If the husband turned out to be a scoundrel, life would be even harder.

“Sister Chunmei, that’s not right. Once Cheng Qiao marries into the Li family, she’s one of them. It’s only proper for her to hand the money over to her mother-in-law to manage.”

“Shut up! After all the kindness Cheng Qiao has shown you, how can you say something so vicious? I wonder if you even have a heart of flesh!”

Han Chunmei snapped angrily at Xu Laidi. Xu Laidi quickly backed away. She’d only come to watch the fun, not get dragged into trouble.

“I say, Xu Laidi, the Li family may be poor, but marriage is serious business. They look at character too. A person with a venomous heart—our Xiangyang Village doesn’t want that kind. And you call yourself an educated youth? What did you study, nonsense?”

Auntie Wang had always disliked Xu Laidi, and she scolded her mercilessly. Xu Laidi clenched her fists, wanting to retort, but she was too cowardly to challenge the battle-hardened Auntie Wang.

Cheng Qiao smiled. Just for Auntie Wang helping her again and again, she would always treat her kindly. And Han Chunmei too—truly like an elder sister she could confide in.

“Comrade Cheng, what do you think…”

Auntie Wang still had two eggs in her pocket, not yet warmed by her body heat. Of course, she wanted to make this marriage happen. After all, her own son and Erlizi were close brothers—her son had asked her, and she couldn’t refuse.

As for how Cheng Qiao’s days with Erlizi would turn out, she was curious herself. How would a spoiled little beauty manage with a lazy rascal?

“All right, I agree.”

Cheng Qiao nodded with a sweet smile.

“Cheng Qiao…”

Han Chunmei called out worriedly. She knew marriage was a one-way road with no turning back. Cheng Qiao hooked her arm through hers and whispered softly in her ear:

“Thank you, Sister Chunmei. But whether I want to or not, I have to marry him. Otherwise, I won’t be able to stay in this village.”

Han Chunmei froze, remembering how the whole village had seen Cheng Qiao carried in Erlizi’s arms that day. Truly, if she didn’t marry him, she’d never live it down. How pitiful.

“Cheng Qiao, don’t be afraid. You have us—we’re your family now. If Li Huan dares bully you, we can go to the Women’s Federation.”

“That’s right, we can also help you reach out to the organization.”

The female educated youths all chirped in, brimming with indignation. They glared at Auntie Wang, who instinctively stepped back. She was only here to arrange the match, not to force a sale.

“Thank you all. But I still agree to marry, because I don’t want to keep living with that person in the same educated youth compound. I’m afraid of being framed again.”

Cheng Qiao pointed straight at Xu Laidi, speaking loudly.

Xu Laidi: “……￥%……”

“Then I’ll head back. Tomorrow morning, Li Huan and his mother will come over. Be sure to get up early.”

Auntie Wang turned and hurried off, as if wolves were chasing behind her.