When Zhang Baogui hobbled home with a stark black eye, Zhao’s mother gasped, her hand flying to her mouth. She stared at her son, her face contorted with distress. “Bao Bao, what in heaven’s name happened? Did someone beat you up for no reason?”
Xu’s mother, hearing that her precious younger brother had been assaulted, exploded. She slapped her thigh, a furious roar escaping her lips. “Whoever dared to lay a hand on my brother, I’ll beat them to death!”
Zhang Baogui, looking utterly guilty, raised his head and met his mother’s gaze, blurting out, “Mom, I’m getting married.”
Zhao’s mother, still simmering with anger over her son’s injury, froze. She stared blankly. “What? Who are you going to marry? Who do you have in mind ? Which girl? When did this happen? Why didn’t you tell your mother earlier? Oh, my son is capable, he found himself a wife!” Just days ago, she had been consumed with worry. Many had expressed interest in marrying her son, but none had been truly genuine. Their demands had grown more and more excessive, each more outrageous than the last. Either the bride price was astronomical, or they demanded her granddaughter secure a job for their family. The sheer nerve of these people! A job was such a precious commodity, not something to be squandered.
Zhang Baogui’s face flushed a deep crimson. “That’s Tong Yingzi from Tonggouzi Village.”
The neighboring villages shared a good relationship, so close they could always help each other. Zhao’s mother’s mood soared. Tong Yingzi? She hadn’t heard of her. Which girl was she?
Xu’s mother was equally clueless. But since their younger brother had spoken, they had to fight for him. And so, Zhang Baogui found himself subjected to an intense interrogation by his mother and sister.
“How’s the development going? Is it unrequited love or mutual love?”
“Have you two talked about getting married?”
“How long have you two known each other? When did you meet?”
The questions rained down for a solid hour. Finally, after an exhaustive grilling, Zhao’s mother and daughter had a rough understanding. However, they were still uneasy and decided to go to Tongjiagouzi to inquire further.
Zhao’s mother returned with a worried expression. “Precious, my mother won’t forbid this, but I don’t entirely agree with it either. You should think about it carefully and make your own decision.” She had just returned from her inquiries with her daughter, and discovered that Tong Yingzi’s family was the poorest in Tonggouzi Village. This wasn’t the main concern; as long as the girl was good and lived in their home, their family could support her. But the girl had an elderly mother who was gravely ill, requiring a yuan’s worth of medicine every single day—thirty yuan a month! And she also had a young younger brother. If Zhang Baogui married her, he would not only have to care for her mother but also her younger brother. The burden on her son’s shoulders would be immense. When the two married, it was clear that her son could help Tong Yingzi, but he would surely be reluctant to let his wife do anything strenuous. If he could help Tong Yingzi more, he would undoubtedly do so.
“Grandma, Sister Yingzi is so amazing,” Xu Ying chimed in, her voice full of conviction. “She digs the medicines her mother takes from the mountains herself. And she also knows some medical skills; she can even cure common colds and fevers! Moreover, Sister Yingzi is good at work and knows mushrooms. Many people in her village dig mushrooms and learn from Sister Yingzi.”
Zhang Baogui nodded vigorously, adding quickly, “I also learned about mushrooms from her. As long as the two of us work hard, we will definitely live a good life in the future. Now I can earn one or two yuan a day digging mushrooms, and Yingzi also knows how to hunt. She may be able to do it, and she won’t be a burden to me even if she supports her mother and younger brother.”
Xu’s mother, surprisingly, offered a rare compliment. “Mom, I think this girl is quite good. Her mother is sick and spends so much money a day, and she has been helping her mother to see the doctor. It shows she is filial. And this girl is already providing for her mother and brother now, so she can still afford them after she gets married. When our family is looking for a wife, we are not looking for a slave. She is just married to Baogui, and she can do whatever else she wants without any delay.”
Seeing that both her daughter and son were willing, Zhao’s mother no longer wanted to play the villain. Looking at her son, she asked, “Are you sure that this girl is willing to come and propose marriage to you? Don’t let me go, only for them to kick us out again.”
Zhang Baogui quickly shook his head. “No.”
Zhao’s mother finally felt relieved. She planned to choose a good day to go to Tonggouzi Village. If her son’s marriage was settled soon, all the major life events she should attend to would be complete. She would simply await her son giving her a chubby grandson. Then, she would spend her days at home, caring for the child.
Xu’s mother had lunch at her parents’ house and then hurried back. The day after tomorrow was her father-in-law’s birthday, and she needed to return quickly to prepare. She also wondered if her sisters-in-law would be back for her father-in-law’s birthday this time. Her eldest sister-in-law’s house was close by, but she worked and often didn’t have the time. Her other sister-in-law didn’t have a job, but she lived too far away. The round trip alone would take several days.
As soon as Xu’s mother returned with her daughter, she saw her second child, Xu Shengcai, being stopped by a female educated youth from the Educated Youth Office. Sun Yujuan was sitting on the ground, sobbing pitifully, clutching her ankle and looking up at Xu Shengcai with a pained expression. “Comrade Xu, can you help me up? My ankle was twisted, and it hurts so much I can’t stand.”
Xu Shengcai hesitated. He didn’t want to help her; his sister had specifically told him that men and women shouldn’t be intimate. But when he glanced around, he found no one else in sight. Sun Zhiqing’s face was contorted in pain, and it didn’t look like she was faking it. Xu Shengcai parked his bicycle and walked toward Sun Yujuan.
Sun Yujuan watched Xu Shengcai approach, a wave of immense happiness washing over her. The moment Xu Shengcai extended his hand, Sun Yujuan eagerly reached out and grasped it.
“Shameless, what are you doing!” Xu’s mother’s voice, chilling to the bone, suddenly sliced through the air.
Xu Shengcai gasped, instinctively retracting his hand. He looked up, surprise etched on his face, seeing Xu’s mother. “Mom, come here and help Sun Zhiqing. She sprained her ankle. She can’t walk now. Come over and help her to the educated youth center.”
Xu’s mother disliked these educated youths intensely, especially Sun Educated Youth, who was close with Chen Yanran. She looked utterly reluctant and glared fiercely at her son, as if he had uttered something utterly vile. Xu Shengcai lowered his head, a blush of guilt spreading across his face.
Xu Ying, however, smiled gently and walked towards Sun Yujuan. She looked at Sun Yujuan with a charming smile. “Sun Zhiqing, I do know some massage techniques. Since your ankle is sprained, I can give you a massage.” As she spoke, she extended her hands.
When Sun Yujuan heard this, she didn’t feel relieved. Instead, a sense of unease crept over her. Especially when she saw the smile on Xu Ying’s face, she felt an inexplicable, ominous mystery about it. Although Xu Ying’s smile was beautiful, it felt like a devil’s grin. “No, Xu Ying, just help me up, and I’ll be fine,” Sun Yujuan quickly said, not believing for a second that Xu Ying was genuinely kind enough to help her.
Xu Ying, still radiating a benevolent demeanor, stretched out her hands and took hold of Sun Yujuan’s ankles.
Sun Yujuan shrieked fiercely, whether from pain or fright, it was impossible to tell. Xu Ying maintained her gentle smile, noting that Sun Yujuan’s ankle was indeed swollen. She blinked her eyes and said kindly, “Sun Zhiqing, please bear with it. It may hurt a little, but you will feel much better after pressing it.”