The next day.
Early in the morning, Jiang Li called Zhou Xueming out. Rumor had it they were going to arrange the betrothal gifts. Zhou Xueming wore an expression like he had swallowed something rotten—furious, but unable to vent it. When he entered the Jiang house and saw Yang Zaohua sitting alone at the large dining table cracking sunflower seeds, his anger flared even more.
If Yang Zaohua hadn’t insisted on introducing Jiang Li to him, he wouldn’t now be under threat, nor would he have to sacrifice his own grandfather’s lifelong dignity.
All the Jiang family members were present.
Once Jiang Yumin and the others sat down, he gave a look, and Jiang Qingfeng hurried over attentively with a teapot.
Scalding hot water poured into the teacups, the quiet main room filled with the sound of flowing water.
“Little Zhou,” Jiang Yumin tapped his fingers on the table and spoke earnestly, “you two aren’t young anymore. Dating forever isn’t a solution. You should settle your lifelong matters sooner rather than later.”
Zhou Xueming’s face darkened at the form of address.
There was a reason for it.
In terms of rank, his position was actually higher than Jiang Yumin’s. In past years, whenever Jiang Yumin met him, he had to respectfully address him as Director Zhou.
Now, simply because he thought Zhou Xueming was becoming the Jiang family’s son-in-law, Jiang Yumin had put on the airs of a father-in-law and was savoring the pleasure of putting a superior in his place.
If Zhou Xueming were truly marrying Jiang Li, he could tolerate something as trivial as a title. But the problem was…
He glanced toward Jiang Li.
She sat quietly to the side like a beautiful porcelain doll, seemingly incapable of threatening anyone.
The Jiang family thought they had Jiang Li firmly under control, not realizing that they themselves were about to be cornered.
Although Yang Zaohua wanted to use Jiang Li to gain benefits for the family, when it came to the bride price she showed no restraint at all. Spitting a sunflower seed shell into the air, she declared, “Little Zhou, we want the Three Turns and One Sound, plus eight hundred yuan in bride price. Not one item less, not one cent less.”
Eight hundred yuan!
Zhou Xueming’s face sank.
The Three Turns and One Sound alone would cost nearly four hundred yuan. Adding the cash gift, that would be over a thousand! Right now he was the only breadwinner in the family, supporting both elders and two children. Where was he supposed to get that kind of money?
Besides, when he married his ex-wife, he had only bought a Shanghai-brand wristwatch, costing just two hundred yuan in total.
That price would have been acceptable if he were really marrying Jiang Li. But instead…
Zhou Xueming looked toward Yang Zaohua’s wrinkled old face, suppressing his disgust. “Auntie Yang, you know I only divorced recently. My salary has to support my whole household. Can the amount be reduced a little?”
The moment Yang Zaohua heard “reduced,” her tiny mung-bean-like eyes widened. “Absolutely not! You’re marrying for the second time, but my granddaughter is a first marriage! I’m not overcharging you. These days in North City, every family asks this much to marry off a daughter. Being able to marry a nineteen-year-old untouched girl from our family at this price—you should be secretly celebrating!”
After speaking, she motioned for the agitated Jiang Qingfeng beside her to calm down.
She was demanding this money for Jiang Qingfeng’s sake. As for the Three Turns and One Sound, once Jiang Qingfeng got assigned a house, those things could conveniently be moved over for his use.
“No one asks for such outrageous bride prices. I’m only willing to pay three hundred!” Zhou Xueming snapped irritably. He stood up as if to leave, only to turn and meet Jiang Li’s gaze.
The girl sat quietly beside him, a faint smile on her lips, as though the subject being discussed and traded in the room wasn’t her at all.
And indeed, it wasn’t her.
Meeting Jiang Li’s meaningful smile, Zhou Xueming felt the hairs on his back stand up. Fear instantly gripped him.
“Little Zhou,” Jiang Li smiled faintly, “my grandmother is right. Every family asks for this kind of bride price. Marrying into the Jiang family won’t be a loss for you. Take my grandmother for example—she can manage the household and cook in the kitchen, she’s very capable. I guarantee that if someone from the Jiang family marries into the Zhou family, they’ll help you manage both the inside and outside of the home perfectly.”
Jiang Yumin sensed something slightly off, but felt he was overthinking it. He gave Jiang Li a deep look before withdrawing his gaze and speaking in the tone of someone experienced.
“Little Zhou, a family without a woman isn’t just about money. Especially with your two boys—you can’t neglect their upbringing. Our Xiao Li doesn’t have many advantages, but she’s well educated. She got into the Grain Bureau entirely on her own merit.”
Thinking about the bride price he’d have to hand over made Zhou Xueming’s heart bleed.
But when he saw Jiang Li’s faint smile—
he became afraid.
Afraid that angering Jiang Li would cause her to expose his ugly secrets. Afraid of losing his job.
He had struggled for most of his life to reach the position of department head. He couldn’t afford a single mistake.
In the end, Zhou Xueming gritted his teeth and agreed.
The following days, the Zhou family busied themselves preparing the Three Turns and One Sound. Soon, the entire residential compound knew the Jiang and Zhou families’ marriage was settled!
On the day the betrothal gifts were delivered, Yang Zaohua beamed with pride as she loudly showed them off around the compound.
“Come look, everyone! This is the Phoenix-brand bicycle the Zhou family gave us! Such a precious item!”
“And this radio is Red Star brand! Top-quality goods!”
The neighbors could only offer perfunctory responses. Once the Jiang family turned away, people spat in disgust—they all hated the Jiangs to the bone.
One gossip-loving neighbor asked, “I heard there’s also over eight hundred yuan in cash bride price? Who’s holding onto that money?”
“Yeah, I heard your Jiang family is selling off their daughter. Didn’t you collect the bride price for your grandson?”
Yang Zaohua’s smug expression froze. Her tiny eyes darted around before she replied, “Pah, our Jiang family doesn’t care about such trifling money. How could we sell our granddaughter? The money is being kept by Xiao Li herself!”
Hearing this, Jiang Li smiled and agreed, “That’s right. I’m the one keeping the bride price.”
As she spoke, she accepted a red envelope wrapped in red cloth from Zhou Xueming.
Only Yang Zaohua stared at that big red envelope with eyes nearly bulging from rage. The moment Jiang Li entered the house, Yang Zaohua rushed forward to snatch it away while cursing, “You worthless little wretch! What right do you have to keep the bride price!”
Jiang Li raised the envelope high overhead. Looking down at Yang Zaohua jumping repeatedly but still unable to reach it, she smiled lightly. “Grandma, didn’t you just tell everyone outside that the bride price was mine to keep?”
“That was outside!” Yang Zaohua screamed furiously. “Our Jiang family raised you for so many years—what right do you have to keep that money!”
Seeing she couldn’t reach the envelope no matter how high she jumped, Yang Zaohua immediately called for help.
“Yumin! Yumin! Look at this daughter of yours—she’s rebelling! Hurry and make her hand over the money!”
Jiang Yumin came out and immediately saw the red envelope Jiang Li was holding aloft.
That was eight hundred yuan.
His monthly salary was fifty yuan; eight hundred was more than a year’s wages. Of course he was tempted.
Just as he was about to speak—
Jiang Li suddenly turned toward the courtyard and shouted, “Dad! Grandma! Didn’t you say the bride price would be kept by me? Now you’re trying to snatch—”
“Jiang Li!” Jiang Yumin’s face instantly darkened as he barked, “Who’s trying to snatch your bride price? Hurry and put it away properly!”
He was terrified that the neighbors would hear Jiang Li’s words. Jiang Yumin cared deeply about appearances, and recently rumors had already been circulating in the Grain Bureau about the family selling their daughter for status. If outsiders learned they were taking the bride price too, it would confirm the accusations.
Compared to the benefits brought by marrying into the Zhou family, what was eight hundred yuan?
When Yang Zaohua saw the money disappear again, her mung-bean eyes reddened with fury. She could only secretly plot to take it back another time.
After the engagement ceremony, the Zhou family hosted six full banquet tables in the residential compound.
To avoid complications dragging things out, the Jiang family urged the couple to register their marriage quickly. Yang Zaohua personally supervised them. But when they arrived at the civil affairs office, they discovered the Zhou family patriarch was also there.
The old man was nearly eighty years old, dressed in a Zhongshan suit, leaning on a cane as he trembled while walking. Even from a distance, there was a strong smell of old-age urine about him.
Yang Zaohua spat on the ground in disgust. “Little Zhou, honestly, your family should at least have cleaned the old man up before bringing him out. Today is supposed to be a joyous occasion.”
She assumed the old man had merely come to witness Jiang Li and Zhou Xueming obtaining their marriage certificate.
Zhou Xueming looked at Yang Zaohua and sneered inwardly: Even for a marriage registration, you’re dressed worse than my grandfather.
The four of them queued at the back of the line. Finally, when their turn arrived, the Zhou patriarch sat down first in the chair. Zhou Xueming silently exchanged a glance with the clerk.
The marriage registration worker was a relative of the Zhou family. He had long since been informed that the registration was actually for the family grandfather.
Jiang Li also coaxed Yang Zaohua into sitting down.
Yang Zaohua tried to stand. “Why do I need to sit when you’re the one registering the marriage?”
“Grandma, you don’t know,” Jiang Li whispered conspiratorially. “These days, whenever elders accompany people registering a marriage, they have to sit first. It’s to demonstrate the Chinese tradition of respecting and honoring elders.”
“Really?” Yang Zaohua asked suspiciously. “Why wasn’t there such a tradition when I got married?”
“When did you get married?” Jiang Li asked with a smile.
“During the Republic of China era!” Yang Zaohua had barely begun shouting when Jiang Li quickly pressed her down with a nervous look.
“Grandma, keep your voice down! It’s already the New China now. Talking about Republic-era customs can get you arrested and executed!”
Yang Zaohua was frightened at once and hurriedly nodded. “Then let’s stop talking and finish the procedures quickly.”
And just like that, Yang Zaohua and the Zhou family patriarch successfully received a marriage certificate.
When the four returned to the compound, the banquet had already begun. The Jiang and Zhou families sat together at one table.
Jiang Li coaxed Yang Zaohua into sitting down. When the feast reached its height, Jiang Yumin was full from food and drink, and Yang Zaohua was loudly demanding Jiang Li hand over the bride price—
a group of men in Zhongshan suits suddenly arrived.
Leading them were the provincial admissions office director, the president of North City Medical College, and the director of the Grain Administration Bureau. The group looked imposing and aggressive.
Jiang Yumin had just risen with a wine glass to offer a toast. The moment he saw the people leading the group, his heart lurched and the alcohol instantly left him.
Especially when he saw the bureau director pull out a white envelope with three large words written across it:
Letter of Accusation.
His legs gave out and he collapsed back into his chair. White liquor soaked half his shirt, and the glass fell to the floor, shattering into pieces.
“Jiang Yumin, we have received a report accusing you of deceiving the state and attempting to steal and replace another person’s worker-peasant-soldier university admission quota.”