By the time the family of three returned to the village, it was already past five in the afternoon.
From a distance, Song Dajiang saw a crowd of villagers gathered at their front gate.
“Mom, why are so many people gathered at our door?”
“I came back with you—how would I know?” Shen Xiuzhen was still angry with Song Dajiang.
Their own family was in a mess, yet he still had the energy to worry about how other families lived their lives.
Why hadn’t she noticed in her past life that her eldest son was such a busybody?
As they spoke, the family of three reached their front gate. The villagers watching the commotion greeted them with smiles when they saw them.
“Xiuzhen, you’re finally back! You have no idea how lively your house has been today…”
A neighbor aunt grabbed Shen Xiuzhen and chattered away, telling her everything that had happened in the Song family that day.
Among the stories was how Song Sihai had single-handedly angered Old Mrs. Wang to the point of fainting.
Shen Xiuzhen wiped the spittle from her face with her sleeve and pretended to be furious:
“Aunt Liu, I understand. I’ll have Shulin deal with that boy later.”
Noisy arguments could be heard from behind the door, and Shen Xiuzhen’s lips curled into a cold, amused smile.
Perfect!
Song Hongxia was making a scene.
At that moment, she didn’t care what her children had done. She just wanted to hurry inside and watch the show.
“Xiuzhen, whatever you do, don’t tell anyone I was the one who told you.”
Aunt Liu was afraid Song Sihai would find out she had been gossiping behind his back and come looking for revenge, so she gave Shen Xiuzhen a few warnings.
“Alright, I won’t say a word.” Shen Xiuzhen brushed off Aunt Liu’s concerns and signaled to Song Shulin with her eyes to knock on the door.
Knock, knock, knock—
“Sihai, open the door!”
Hearing his father’s voice, Song Sihai hurried to the gate, opened it, and called out to Song Shulin and the others:
“Dad, Mom, Big Brother, come in, come in! Hongxia is back, and she’s making a scene right now.”
With that, he slammed the door shut with a bang, once again cutting off the onlookers’ view.
In the courtyard.
Song Hongxia was crying so hard she could barely catch her breath. She had spent the previous day in the city with her blind date, having fun all day.
Since it was too late to return, they had stayed overnight at a guesthouse in the county town.
Today, she had spent most of the day in the county town again, only to come home and find her world turned upside down.
Her parents actually wanted her to marry into the Wu Family in exchange for her fourth cousin.
“I won’t marry him! Even if you talk until the sky falls, I won’t marry him!” Song Hongxia screamed.
Old Mrs. Wang, having rested for most of the day, was now full of energy.
“You don’t have a choice! Our Song family raised you with good food and drink all these years. Now it’s time for you to repay the family. Why shouldn’t you marry?”
Liu Zhaodi, her eyes brimming with tears, said:
“Hongxia, marrying anyone is still marrying. The Wu Family is rich and lives in the city. Once you marry into their family, you’ll live a life of comfort.”
Ahem—
Song Erlin looked ashamed. “Hongxia, your father is doing this for your own good.
You know my health has never been good. I haven’t been able to provide a good life for you three siblings all these years. You’ve suffered.
Now that we have the chance to marry into the Wu Family, we must seize this opportunity firmly.
Even if you don’t think about yourself, shouldn’t you think about your future children?
Do you really want your children to end up like you, toiling in the fields every day?”
“Enough! Don’t think I don’t know—you just want to use me to curry favor.”
Song Hongxia knew her parents all too well.
Song Sihai, never one to miss a chance to stir the pot, chimed in:
“Song Weimin said, as long as you marry into the Wu Family, they will arrange a job for Dabao in the county town.”
Shen Xiuzhen shot Song Sihai a glare—what was he doing butting in while just watching the show?
“Heh heh!” Song Sihai grabbed a handful of raw sunflower seeds from his pocket and stuffed them into his mother’s hand. The mother and son cracked the seeds as they continued watching the drama unfold.
“Dad, Mom, is what Song Sihai said true?” Song Hongxia demanded loudly.
Song Erlin cursed Song Sihai inwardly—this troublemaker, always stirring up trouble.
“Weimin did say that…”
He tried to add a few more words, but Song Hongxia didn’t give him a chance to speak.
“Hah, you really are my wonderful parents, aren’t you? For Song Dabao’s future, you’ve decided to sacrifice my happiness.
Since you care so much about Song Dabao, why didn’t you just strangle me at birth?”
Liu Zhaodi’s eyes flickered—she had indeed considered it back then.
After all, when she gave birth to Song Hongxia, the eldest and second branches of the family already had several boys.
Later, her own family said that a girl was good—she could be sold off in the future to get a bride price for her younger brother. Thinking of her own situation, she dropped the idea.
Over the years, she had treated her two daughters quite well, hoping that after they married, they would help support their younger brother, just as she had.
“Hongxia, saying that really hurts your mother’s heart. In my heart, all three of you siblings are the same.
Wah—
Think about how I’ve treated you and Xiaoxia all these years. Then look at how your third aunt treats Dani and Erni.
Although you and Xiaoxia were born in the countryside, I’ve never made you do any hard or tiring work…”
Hearing this, Song Hongxia’s resolve wavered slightly.
It was true!
From childhood, the hardest work she had ever done was probably going to school.
But Song Dani and Song Erni had been helping with household chores since they were four years old.
Cutting pig grass, feeding chickens, washing clothes, cooking…
The two sisters and their third aunt took care of all the household chores, while she and Xiaoxia only had to go to and from school on time.
None of the girls or young wives in the village didn’t envy the two of them.
So, was her mother really thinking of her best interests by having her marry Wu Dawei?
As she pondered, Shen Xiuzhen’s sincere voice reached her ears.
“Hongxia, your mother is right. You and Xiaoxia are the treasures of our family. Since you were little, you’ve never suffered much.
If you marry a country bumpkin, you’ll end up like your third aunt—cooking for the whole family, washing everyone’s clothes, and working in the fields.
But marrying a city person is different. I’ve heard that city folks eat at state-run restaurants and wash clothes with washing machines.
They don’t even have land, so there’s no need to farm.
If Dani weren’t still underage, I’d really want to marry her into the Wu Family to enjoy a life of ease.”
After saying this, Shen Xiuzhen couldn’t help but laugh at herself.
Since Liu Zhaodi was so eager for Song Hongxia to marry Wu Dawei, she might as well help her out.
Who told her to be so sharp-tongued, using the misfortune of Dani and Erni to highlight the happiness of Song Hongxia and Song Xiaoxia?
Song Shulin chimed in, “That’s right, Hongxia. Even if you don’t believe what we adults say, surely you believe what your brother Weimin says?”
“He’s the most promising child in our family, and you’re his own cousin. Even if he were to harm anyone, he certainly wouldn’t harm you!”
Song Dajiang frowned deeply upon hearing this—his parents were truly pushing Hongxia into a pit of fire!
“Second Uncle, Second Aunt, if Hongxia doesn’t want to marry, then let it be. Every pot has its lid—finding a rural family for Hongxia would be just fine…”