"He Zhiqing, let's discuss the dowry then." Granny Chen jumped out impatiently, her eyes gleaming with greed. "He Zhiqing, I've heard that city girls get a dowry of 'three turns and one sound,' and 'twenty-four legs.' Even though you've gone to the countryside, you're still your parents' daughter. Tomorrow, have Shengjun accompany you to town to send a letter back to your parents, telling them you're getting married and asking them to prepare the 'three turns and one sound,' 'twenty legs,' and 120 yuan as a dowry."
Granny Chen demanded an exorbitant
amount. Everyone present gasped in shock.
"Sheng Jinniang, are you out of your mind for money?"
"Sheng Jinniang, you're not marrying a daughter-in-law, you're bringing home a golden egg! Tsk tsk tsk, 120 yuan, you really dare to ask for that."
"And the 'three turns and one sound,' and 'twenty-four legs.'"
"Twenty-four legs, what are those?" someone asked, confused.
"A bed, a wardrobe, a chest of drawers, a dining table, and two stools—twenty-four legs in total."
"What? Furniture for the bride's dowry?"
"That's for city girls getting married. It's not common in our village. In the village, we're lucky if they give a few dollars for the dowry. Who can afford furniture?"
"Shengjun, if your wife brings three turns and a radio as a dowry, then our village will have a bicycle! Then we won't have to watch the people from the neighboring Linjia Village show off."
The village chief from the neighboring village bought a new bicycle last year, and since then, everyone in the village borrows it to transport the bride. In these days, having a bicycle to transport the bride is a matter of great pride.
Because of this, when people from the neighboring village visit Fengjia Village, they often boast about it, making the people of Fengjia Village green with envy.
Chen Shengjun looked at He Hongyu with expectation in his eyes. "He Qingqing, your parents will definitely give you a dowry, right? I heard that city girls get very generous dowries."
He Hongyu gritted her teeth. "Want a dowry? Fine, but that depends on how much betrothal gift your family can afford. I'm from the city, I'm educated and knowledgeable, I need at least six hundred yuan for the betrothal gift."
Anyone can make exorbitant demands.
He Hongyu glared at Chen's mother. "Aunt Chen, you don't want to spend a single penny and just want my dowry, do you? Let me tell you, I'll bring that much dowry with me, however much betrothal gift you give me. You think you can get a daughter-in-law for free? No way! If you don't agree, then let's get engaged first. When we get married depends on when you give me the six hundred yuan betrothal gift."
He Hongyu wanted to hold onto the betrothal gift to delay the marriage, but she was afraid of gossip in the village. So she planned to get engaged to Chen Shengjun first, and then marry him after the political reform in a few years.
With the engagement in place, she didn't need to worry about Chen Shengjun being seduced by Feng Yuanchun.
Her daughter-in-law wasn't even married yet, and she dared to provoke her, infuriating Old Woman Chen who cursed, "You shameless, slutty whore! My son has already slept with you, and you still want a dowry? Bah... Let me tell you, you're worthless now, just a used shoe. Even if you paid me, nobody would want you. Only my son is responsible enough to marry you; otherwise, you'd just be an unwanted little slut."
"You..."
"What 'you'? You came to my house, seduced my son, and slept with me. So what if I called you a slut? If you weren't slutty, would you have seduced my son into bed with you?"