The atmosphere froze once again.
Liang Tiezhu stopped puffing up in anger.
Because what Liang Xin said was true.
“Oh, you silly girl!”
Second Sister-in-law scooped a bowl of taro congee for Liang Xin. “When we went to the matchmaking that day, didn’t you see the Chief’s household has a cook? Normally, military district Chiefs not only have cooks but also guards. I heard their daily groceries are all delivered by the logistics department, they don’t even need to go to the market. Why would they need you to be a nanny?”
“That’s the Chief’s cook and guard, not his son’s.” Liang Xin took a sip of congee. “The Chief’s son is sick now, even doctors can’t figure out how to treat him. If his condition worsens, dealing with his daily needs – eating, drinking, using the toilet, cleaning and washing – would still fall on the free nanny.”
Second Sister-in-law: “…You’re right.”
“Can he even have children?” Eldest Sister-in-law suddenly spoke up. “If he can’t even have children, we definitely can’t let Liang Xin marry him.”
“Actually, I think it’s not that bad.” Second Brother suddenly spoke. “We shouldn’t always think negatively. His condition isn’t congenital – he was originally very healthy. Not only did he get into military academy, but he also performed great deeds on the battlefield. His genes are not just fine, they’re actually exceptional. I remember in the past, when landlords’ sons were invalids, they would often find a bride to bring auspiciousness. Some would recover after marriage through this good fortune. If Xinzi’s marriage turns out like that, then…”
Eldest Brother: “What if it has the opposite effect and makes things worse?”
“Then we can treat it as Xinzi finding a job in the city. Working in the Chief’s household, living well, eating well – isn’t that better than staying in Huaihua Brigade?”
Second Brother was optimistic by nature. “I heard from Third Brother last time that their regiment commander earns over a hundred yuan. For a high-ranking official like a military district Chief, wouldn’t it be two to three hundred? We’ve dreamed since childhood of becoming workers, moving to the city with urban residency to eat state-supplied grain. Isn’t this Xinzi’s opportunity? If she takes good care of his son, I don’t think they would treat her poorly.”
“That’s true. If little sister finds a match and gets married in the commune, she’d probably still have to work in the fields for work points. Working in the Production Team is much harder than taking care of a patient.”
Hearing Second Brother’s words, Second Sister-in-law started thinking this marriage was quite good after all, still a rare opportunity.
“This year, communes nationwide are busy with Learn from Dazhai in agriculture. All household sideline production in the Production Teams has disappeared, and private plots will soon be reformed. Although the slogans make everything look promising, I’ve heard many places are already so poor that people have to go out begging. If policies don’t change next year, who knows what will happen to our brigade.”
“Xiao Yan truly lives up to being from the Provincial City – she’s very far-sighted.”
Liang Tiezhu started puffing on his pipe again. “Huaihua Brigade might well depend on relief supplies for food next year, relief loans for money, and relief cotton cloth for clothing. We’ll have to ask the state for everything, completely becoming the type that waits, depends, and asks. Rather than living like that, Liang Xin, you might as well just marry him.”
Liang Xin bit into her fried dough cake without expressing her opinion.
“Liang De was absolutely right just now,” Eldest Brother Ma said with a smile. “Liang Xin, if you marry over and take good care of the chief’s family, they definitely won’t treat you poorly. Even if the Huaihua Brigade ends up like Xiao Yan’s situation next year, the chief’s family wouldn’t oppose you helping your birth family. Oh, and there’s Liang Wei too – though he’s already been promoted in the company through his own ability, if he wants to advance further, he might need to rely on Liang Xin as well.”
“Marry!”
The moment he heard this concerned his third son – his only hope and aspiration – Liang Tiezhu immediately declared: “In times like these, merely surviving is already good enough. When there’s a chance to live well, why not take it? Liang Xin, this marriage is worth gambling on!”
“Since Heaven has delivered this opportunity to enter the city right before you,” Second Brother said, “it certainly isn’t meant for you to suffer after marrying. It’s definitely for you to live a comfortable life.”
Liang Xin took out a handkerchief and wiped the corners of her mouth. “What if I don’t marry?”
“I think you’ve never experienced real hunger,” Liang Tiezhu said angrily. “During the three years of famine, people were so starving they’d eat anything – flying locusts in the sky, moles burrowing in the earth, turtles and clams swimming underwater, tree bark, leaves, and flowers. Someone in the neighboring commune was so hungry they swallowed a toad alive and died from poisoning with their face swollen like a basket. Don’t think I’m only considering harming you!”
Liang Tiezhu stood up angrily, looking at his two daughters-in-law. “Weren’t you talking about dividing the family? If Liang Xin refuses to marry, we’ll split the family today. From then on, only she and I will work in the fields for work points. You take care of your own small families – no need to support her anymore!”
Just as Eldest Sister-in-law was about to speak, Liang Xin said leisurely, “That could work too.”
Liang Tiezhu’s anger paused, his eyes suddenly lighting up. “What could work?”
“Getting married could work.” Liang Xin looked at her father, whose face was slowly showing surprise. “How much dowry will you provide?”
“Liang Xin, you don’t need to prepare anything,” Eldest Brother Ma said happily. “The chief’s family has prepared everything. You just need to go there yourself.”
“The chief’s family is thorough with etiquette, so we can’t be completely without manners.” Liang Xin looked at her father. “Don’t you agree?”
“Right!” Liang Tiezhu valued face. “We’ll prepare whatever should be prepared. Even if you can’t take it with you, I’ll give you money to buy it in the city. One hundred – I’ll give you one hundred directly. Generous enough, isn’t it?”
“One hundred isn’t even enough for a sewing machine.”
“One hundred still isn’t enough! Then how much do you want?”
“One thousand should be about enough.”
“One thousand?!”
Liang Tiezhu’s exclamation nearly blew the roof off. “What do you want to buy that costs one thousand yuan!”
“Wait.”
Liang Xin opened the drawer of the family altar cabinet, took out a stack of Huaihua Commune’s special red-headed letter paper, picked up a pencil and wrote a long list of items. Only after writing all the way to the bottom did she hand the paper to her father.
The moment Liang Tiezhu saw the densely packed characters, he felt something was wrong.
“Two enamel basins, five yuan and six mao… Seagull Brand laundry… Why even include laundry powder in the dowry?”
“Didn’t you say we should prepare everything thoroughly?”
Liang Tiezhu held back his words because what he’d seen so far was cheap, and continued reading. “Towels, sofa covers, pillow covers, bath towels, towel blankets, sweat towels… Do you need so many types of towels for just one person?”
Liang Xin peeled a White Rabbit Candy, carefully removed the rice paper, put it in her mouth, and reminded: “This is a blitzkrieg – read faster.”
“Forever Brand five-drawer sewing machine with fine lacquer finish – one hundred forty-five yuan. Phoenix Brand fully enclosed chain bicycle – one hundred eighty-seven yuan and fifty fen…”
Liang Tiezhu’s mouth twitched: “Portable FM three-band transistor radio – o…one hundred ninety yuan! Chrome-plated bezel, painted back, three-needle alarm clock with handle – thirteen yuan sixty fen, this one’s somewhat reasonable. Wardrobe, half-height cabinet, five-drawer chest, square table, wooden chair, writing desk, four-foot coir rope bed…cupboard…you even want a cupboard! You’re marrying into a military chief’s family, not some impoverished five-guarantee household in the commune’s production team!”
Liang Xin said sideways: “This is you preventing me from marrying.”
Liang Tiezhu was so angry he glared fiercely, “Even if we bought all these things, it would only cost a few hundred yuan at most. Where would it need a thousand? Don’t try to extort me at this critical moment!”
“A few hundred?”
“At most five or six hundred!”
“Then just give me five or six hundred.”
“……”
Liang Tiezhu almost slapped his own mouth twice, “Fine, I see now. You’re just scheming to get the five hundred yuan bride price.”
“The bride price is only five hundred, but you said buying these things would require at least five or six hundred.” Liang Xin nibbled on White Rabbit Candy, “Dad, I’ve already given you a fifty percent discount. If this continues, it’s not that I’m unwilling to marry, but that you’re preventing the marriage. You’ll have to explain this to the military chief, the Commune Revolutionary Committee Director, and Eldest Brother Ma yourself.”
“……”
Liang Tiezhu had just put the money in his pocket and didn’t want to take it out at all.
Even if he had to take it out, he’d only add another hundred at most.
How could he not only take out all of it but also have to pay an extra hundred from his own pocket?
“Eldest son, second son, say something!”
Eldest Sister-in-law stopped Eldest Brother who wanted to speak, “The bride price is for Liang Xin, it should go to Liang Xin.”
“Right!”
Second Sister-in-law quickly chimed in: “Dad, I think what little sister says isn’t excessive at all. Even though this marriage is upward mobility, we can’t let Liang Xin lose face. When the chief’s family says we don’t need to prepare anything, they’re just being polite. If we really prepare nothing, we’d be lacking in manners. Six hundred isn’t too much.”
Liang Tiezhu said angrily: “You just said yesterday we might not have enough to eat next year!”
“That’s exactly why you should make Xinzi happy. Otherwise, if we really can’t make ends meet next year, we’ll truly be waiting for state relief.”
Second Brother reminded: “Dad, a few days ago you didn’t hesitate to sacrifice Xinzi to secure your position as brigade secretary. When Xinzi was just born, you even gave her away. If Eldest Brother and Sister-in-law hadn’t chased after and brought her back in time, how could you become in-laws with a military chief today? Xinzi is giving you a chance to make amends. Why are you still being so stingy and hesitant?”
“What nonsense are you talking!”
Though Liang Tiezhu cursed verbally, his mind gradually calmed down, “When have I been stingy? It’s just six hundred yuan. You’re all married now, third son got promoted in the army, even if he transfers to civilian work, he’ll be a cadre for life and won’t have trouble finding a wife. Would I really hold onto my daughter’s bride price?”
Liang Xin immediately reached out toward her father.
Liang Tiezhu: “……”
Reluctantly, he took out a thick stack of ten-yuan notes and handed it to Liang Xin, then walked to his room.
When Liang Tiezhu came out, he was holding a thin stack of Great Unity notes and a red-covered “Selected Works of Mao Zedong.”
The amount handed to Liang Xin wasn’t just one hundred yuan, but one hundred and twenty.
After counting the sum clearly, Liang Xin looked toward her father.
Liang Tiezhu was sitting on a stool carefully flipping through the “Selected Works of Mao Zedong.”
Several ration tickets were tucked between the pages. He pulled out one ticket and handed it to Liang Xin. “This Forever Brand sewing machine ticket was originally saved for your dowry. Take it. The sewing machine costs one hundred and twenty yuan. Go to the city and buy it yourself.”
Liang Xin was slightly surprised. She took the sewing machine ticket, examined it carefully, and after confirming it was valid, tucked it into her pocket. Turning to Eldest Brother Ma, she said, “Let’s go.”
This immediately stunned everyone in the room.
“Go? How can you leave just like that?”
“Leaving now?”
“It can’t be this casual!”
“Outside, they’re emphasizing class struggle as the key link. We can’t host a lavish wedding banquet. From Huaihua Brigade to the provincial capital, we can’t bring much on the bus anyway.” Liang Xin said indifferently, “Isn’t this exactly what Brother Ma came here for today?”
While Eldest Brother Ma was astonished by Liang Xin’s swift decision, recalling the entire process of negotiating the bride price, he understood why the chief’s family had chosen her. “The sooner, the better, indeed, but there’s no need to rush this much. Even if we can’t make a grand celebration, we should at least share a wedding toast with the family. I’ll stay overnight, and we can leave tomorrow morning.”
“Unnecessary. Let’s go.”