When all was said and done, she was simply jealous.
After all, when she entered the family, she had received only twenty yuan in betrothal money and a thirty-six-legs furniture set.
Although that had already been quite impressive and respectable, it could not compare with the conditions the younger paternal uncle’s family was offering the bride now. How could she possibly feel balanced about that?
“What betrothal gifts Han Shiguo gives are his own business. The money was earned by him!” Han Shimin said with a frown.
“What do you mean, earned by him? We haven’t undergone family separation yet. Whatever he earns has to go into the family’s common funds!” Li Xia gritted her teeth. “I don’t care. I want additional betrothal gifts too. If you don’t make it up to me, I’ll never let this go!”
“How can you compare now with back then? The country had only just been founded at that time!”
Han’s father and mother were somewhat older than Jiang Father and Zhou Guiyun. They had three daughters and two sons in all.
The eldest was their first daughter, followed by their second daughter. Only after those two daughters came Han Shimin, their eldest son.
After that came a third daughter, and finally Han Shiguo, their youngest son.
Han Shimin was seven years older than Han Shiguo, but he was not merely seven years older. He had also married very early, at the age of twenty.
Counting it up, that was thirteen years ago. This year was 1968, so he had married in 1955.
When Li Xia married into the family, they had not even begun eating communal cooking meals yet!
The betrothal gifts the Han family had given to marry her were already exceptionally generous!
But Li Xia did not care. “Why can’t they be compared? We are both daughters-in-law of the Han family. If she can have them, why can’t I? She hasn’t even entered the family yet, and all of you are already taking her side. Once she does enter the family, will there still be any place for me to speak?”
Seeing her grow more and more worked up, Han Shimin warned her, “I’m telling you, our parents have been hoping Han Shiguo would get married. This has practically become a knot in their hearts. If you dare make trouble, they won’t forgive you!”
He was already twenty-six. Children the same age as him were already old enough to run errands for their parents, yet he still had no prospects. Which parents would not worry and keep thinking about it?
As for the fact that Second Son was satisfied with the young woman and had given such generous betrothal gifts—three rotating items and one sounding item, plus a forty-eight-legs furniture set—Han Shimin was admittedly taken aback, but he had no grounds to object.
After all, the family could afford to live in a brick-and-tile house because the money had been earned by Han Shiguo, this Second Son.
Otherwise, relying on that little bit of farmland? The whole family would have had a difficult life!
Now that Second Son had finally found a girl he was satisfied with and was willing to offer such substantial betrothal gifts, that was his own business.
The matchmaker had said that the girl was six years younger than him, exceptionally fresh and lovely, and a teacher at that—young, beautiful, and educated!
Since Second Son had the financial means to afford these betrothal gifts, what did it matter if he gave them? The important thing was that the marriage could succeed!
Having him marry her and take her along to accompany the army before his leave ended—that was the key point!
Li Xia was so furious that her face twisted!
…
On the way to Five-Star Brigade, Aunt Jiang chatted with Han Shiguo while discreetly asking him quite a few things, such as whether the military unit was very busy.
She also asked what position he currently held, how much he earned each month, and similar questions.
Knowing that Aunt Jiang would tell her Eldest Brother and Eldest Sister-in-law, Han Shiguo answered every question.
The military unit was indeed quite busy; otherwise, he would not have returned so rarely. But that had been before. He was now a battalion commander, and things were much better than they had been previously.
Of course, he still did not have much time to come home.
So if he married, he would certainly have to take his daughter-in-law with him to accompany the army.
As for his salary, he did not hide anything. He currently earned seventy yuan a month.
When they heard that his monthly salary was actually seventy yuan, Aunt Jiang and Matchmaker Zhang were both astonished!
They had known long ago that a battalion commander’s salary could not be low, but they had not expected it to be as much as seventy yuan a month!
How much money could an entire large rural family earn over the course of a year? Han Shiguo received seventy yuan in just one month!
After her astonishment, Aunt Jiang was even more satisfied. Inwardly, she could not help sneering at her Second Brother and Second Sister-in-law for being blind. How could they have actually sent such an ideal son-in-law away after he came to their door to call off the engagement?
Not only had they waited three years for nothing, they had also missed out on an exceptional ideal son-in-law!
Aunt Jiang decided that she absolutely had to have a serious talk with her Eldest Brother and Eldest Sister-in-law later. They could not be as foolish as her Second Brother and Second Sister-in-law. A son-in-law like this was impossible to find even with a lantern!
He was simply perfect for her niece, Jiang Qian!
Han’s mother did not interrupt or stop her son from discussing his salary, because as his mother, she understood him too well.
He had clearly taken a liking to the girl, yet he was afraid she might look down on him, a rough fellow. So he was showing off his strengths as vigorously as a peacock displaying its feathers!
But she was also pleased with the girl, so not only did she fail to stop him, she even helped him along. Smiling, she said to Aunt Jiang, “Your father-in-law and I have already made plans. Once Han Shiguo gets married, we will make the decision to arrange family separation for the two brothers. At that time, we will invite Old Party Secretary and your father to come and serve as witnesses.”
Aunt Jiang was delighted when she heard this. “Even after family separation, they must still show filial respect to their parents. That is the duty of every son and daughter!”
“Exactly. I’ve always felt that separating children who each have their own families is best. In the past, my two daughters-in-law fought until they were practically like gamecocks, and even the brothers’ relationship suffered. In the end, I separated the family in a fit of anger, making each of them manage their own household and live their own lives. Now the brothers’ relationship has actually eased!” Matchmaker Zhang joined in.
That was indeed the truth.
Aunt Jiang smiled. “It was the same in my family. My father-in-law separated the family for us early on. He said that when a bird grows large, it divides its nest, and when a tree grows large, its branches split, so he told us to live separately. Whenever anything happens, we just call out, and everyone still comes over, don’t they?”
Matchmaker Zhang nodded. “Few families have several nieces-in-law as harmonious as the ones in your family. Your Eldest Sister-in-law certainly has a sharp eye. When she chose wives for your eldest and second nephews, she practically got two for the price of one. She also took a liking to their cousin, and after entering the family, they became very close! That educated-youth daughter-in-law is sensible too, from what I’ve seen.”
“Exactly. If they weren’t sensible, my Eldest Brother and Eldest Sister-in-law would have arranged family separation for them long ago. But when I visited last time, I heard my Eldest Sister-in-law mention that she was considering it too. She is probably waiting until Shouchuan gets married.”
When the conversation turned to Jiang Shouchuan, who worked in the city, Matchmaker Zhang introduced this Fourth Brother on the bride’s side to Han’s mother. He was a permanent worker in the Procurement Department of a large city department store!
And he was Jiang Qian’s fraternal twin!
Han’s mother naturally praised him as well, and she meant it sincerely. For someone with a rural household registration to become a permanent worker in the city, especially in the Procurement Department, he clearly had extraordinary ability!
They chatted along the way, with Matchmaker Zhang adding a few words now and then, and the journey passed in conversation.
Eldest Sister-in-law Zhao Aiying was in the courtyard house mending the children’s clothes, while Second Sister-in-law Zhao Aifeng was there with her. The two sisters-in-law worked and chatted together, but they did not forget to keep glancing toward the entrance.
When they saw Aunt Jiang and Matchmaker Zhang arriving with Han’s mother, Han Father, and Han Shiguo’s family of three, the two sisters-in-law immediately called into the house, “Mother, my husband’s younger sister and the others are here!”
Zhou Guiyun and Jiang Father came out of the house.
Jiang Father smiled and shook hands with Han Father, and the two of them immediately began chatting.
While warmly welcoming Han’s mother, Zhou Guiyun did not forget to greet Han Shiguo with smiling eyes. “You must be Shiguo, right? You really are a soldier. Anyone can tell at a glance.”