She didn’t waste any words and directly said, “Whether it’s true or not, I’m putting my stance here—I disagree!
The daughter-in-law of our Zhou family is not someone just anyone can become. She must have a clean background, a good family tradition, and be honest and simple in character. She must not have even the slightest bit of scheming. Only such a woman is qualified to enter our Zhou family’s door.
You’ve barely even figured out who she is, and she already has you completely distracted. How can she be a good girl? You need to break it off immediately!
Mom already contacted the matchmaker this morning. She’ll find you a decent girl from a good family. After I take a look, you two will get married. Then you should have children early—while I’m still able, I can help you raise them properly.”
Liu Luoqin had made the decision on the spot. Zhou Heping, Zhou Woodsheng’s father, smoked a couple of puffs on the side and had no objection.
Zhou Woodsheng adjusted his glasses, which had been knocked slightly askew, as if he wanted to say something.
But his mouth opened and closed several times, and in the end, he didn’t say a single word.
His parents had raised him. If he opposed them now and made them angry enough to suffer from it, that would make him unfilial.
But he also didn’t want to go against his own heart.
Marriage was a lifelong matter. He wanted to spend his life with someone he truly loved, not settle for sharing a bed and having children with someone he had no feelings for.
That kind of life would make him unhappy.
Between love and filial piety, he didn’t want to give up either.
So although Zhou Woodsheng said nothing on the surface, behind the scenes he quietly asked around for more information.
As the saying goes, perseverance pays off.
Finally, after Zhou Woodsheng’s relentless efforts, he actually got a clue from a fish vendor.
It turned out that the girl who had captured his heart at first sight was an educated youth sent down to the countryside, and the place she was assigned to—Qingshui Brigade—was only a little over ten kilometers from the county town!
Zhou Woodsheng silently made a decision in his heart.
When he got a day off, he would go there. Once he found her, he would simply “make it official by physical means first,” so that even if his mother disagreed, she would have no choice but to agree.
While Zhou Woodsheng was still planning his trip to Qingshui Brigade, Lu Shian had already arrived on a bicycle.
In this era, traveling anywhere required a letter of introduction, and population movement was limited. Everyone knew who had relatives where. So when a stranger suddenly appeared, the villagers of Qingshui Brigade couldn’t help but take a few extra looks.
Lu Shian was handsome and riding a bicycle. Aunts with daughters of marriageable age came over to ask questions, and Lu Shian immediately smiled politely.
“Auntie, I’m not here to visit relatives. My partner is an educated youth here, and I’ve come to help her with farm work. Could you tell me where Comrade Wen Ranran is?”
The aunt was a bit slow to react but still pointed him in the direction. Lu Shian thanked her, got on his bicycle, and quickly disappeared from sight, leaving everyone stunned.
Wasn’t Wang Dafen saying that Wen Ranran’s partner was a short, fat, ugly man? Then who was that young man just now?
That face—there wasn’t anyone more handsome within ten miles and eight villages. If that counted as ugly, then Wang Dafen’s son Wang Qisong was basically a toad that had turned into a spirit!
And look at that leg while riding the bicycle—probably longer than Wang Qisong standing on tiptoe. Wang Dafen really lied without even blinking, not afraid she’d be struck by lightning someday!
Everyone couldn’t help but start discussing.
“I told you so. With how pretty Comrade Wen is, her taste in men can’t be bad! Look at that young man—tall, long-legged, and handsome beyond comparison. They’re a perfect match!”
“He’s riding a bicycle and wearing ‘dacron’ cloth too. Comrade Wen’s boyfriend probably has a good family background. But I wonder what he actually does for a living. It’s still better to rely on your own ability.”
“I think he’s probably a worker, maybe even a cadre… could even be a junior leader…”
Just then, Wang Dafen returned after sending her son to the reservoir. The others didn’t say anything, but they all looked at her with identical expressions of contempt and amusement.
Wang Dafen quickly lowered her head and walked on, her whole face burning with embarrassment.
She never expected that the man Wen Ranran was dating would be so outstanding!
She had originally wanted to make Wen Ranran lose face in the brigade, but in the end, she was the one who was humiliated instead, and her son had even been sent to suffer at the reservoir.
She felt a bit regretful, but also unwilling to accept it, secretly hoping that even if Wen Ranran’s boyfriend was good-looking, he was actually just a useless rich boy who relied on his family.
As long as Wen Ranran didn’t live well, she wouldn’t count as losing.
But soon, she was slapped in the face again.
The person who disliked her the most in the brigade, Zhang Sifeng, deliberately walked up and raised her voice loudly.
“Wang Dafen, guess what Comrade Wen’s boyfriend does? Can’t guess, right? He’s a military officer who defends the country!
Your short, ugly, lazy son can’t even compare to a finger of a military officer. Now he’s been sent to dig the reservoir by the brigade leader. Tsk tsk, I’m embarrassed for your whole family’s ancestors!”
Not only Wang Dafen, but the entire Qingshui Brigade was shocked by the news that Comrade Wen’s boyfriend was a tall and handsome military officer.
Many people even came over specifically just to see what a military officer looked like.
Although there were people in the brigade who had served in the army before, they were mostly ordinary conscripts who only served a few years—none had ever become officers.
Now, looking at him, Comrade Wen’s officer boyfriend really did seem different.
They all had eyes, noses, and mouths—but the officer just had a more distinguished aura!
The brigade leader had a headache driving everyone away and carefully locked the door of the brigade office to prevent more people from crowding in.
Only then did he confirm with Lu Shian, “Comrade Lu, you mean you’ll stay in our brigade for this period and do farm work here, with all work points counted under Comrade Wen?”
Just earlier, Tian Yougen had been organizing documents when Wen Ranran suddenly brought someone in, saying he was her boyfriend.
He thought something serious had happened, but it turned out the man was here to help with farm work!
When had there ever been such a good thing—an able-bodied worker volunteering during the busy season? He even wondered if he had misheard.
But Lu Shian simply nodded firmly.
“Brigade leader, I still have fifteen days of leave. After deducting three days for travel back to the army, I can stay here for twelve days. During these twelve days, I will come every day and take over Comrade Wen’s work.
Please rest assured, I also do farm work in the army. I can handle it all properly.”