16
For all her grumbling, Grandma Jiang truly cared about Jiang Suisui: “Don’t be upset. If you married into an ordinary family, not only would you have to handle all the household chores, but you’d also have to work in the fields. Have you ever seen a family where the man and woman don’t work side by side?”
“The more I’ve thought about it these past few days, the more I feel Song Weizheng isn’t a bad choice. Sure, he has two dependents at home, but I’ve heard his mother’s health is becoming more stable, and little Xue is growing up—she doesn’t need constant adult supervision anymore and can even help out with some work now.”
“Song Weizheng is hardworking and capable, and he treats his family impeccably. If you marry him, at least he won’t let you suffer. You have no idea how exhausting it can be in those big families with so many people!”
Grandma Jiang had been a daughter-in-law herself and knew the hardships of being someone else’s wife. That’s why, after all her own children got married, she decisively split the family into separate households, each living their own lives. She and Grandpa could still work for now and didn’t need their care; later, when they were too old to work, each family would just contribute some grain every year.
Grandma Jiang’s clean break in splitting the family was quite rare in the village. Most households had three generations living together, cooking one big pot of food for everyone to share.
Jiang Suisui sighed inwardly. The reason she could live relatively easily was all thanks to Grandma Jiang having split the family early. She only had to deal with her grandparents every day and didn’t have to interact with Second Uncle and Third Uncle’s families, that would be over a dozen people combined, which gave her a headache just thinking about it.
“Oh, Grandma,” she suddenly remembered, “Zhang Wenfang and the others were just trying to talk me into breaking off the engagement. They said if I broke it off and no one wanted me, they’d introduce me to her eldest uncle’s cousin. But the way they said it was so annoying, like I’d be getting a good deal. I don’t believe for a second she’d recommend someone decent to me. For all I know, it could be exactly the kind of troublesome family you mentioned.”
Grandma Jiang got anxious as soon as she heard that: “What? She said she’d introduce her eldest uncle’s son?!”
“Yeah! What’s the matter? Is there something to it?” Jiang Suisui asked curiously.
“That wretched girl!” Grandma Jiang slapped her thigh in anger. “I knew she was full of bad intentions. Her eldest uncle lives in the brigade next to ours and has four sons. Only one is still unmarried now—he’s twenty-seven or twenty-eight, a full ten years older than you! He’s naturally lame in one foot and doesn’t seem all there in the head either. He can’t do any heavy labor and can only be taken care of! That family has been asking matchmakers to find him a wife all along, but they’ve never succeeded!”
“Ah?” Jiang Suisui was dumbfounded. She’d thought Zhang Wenfang might try to set her up, but she never imagined it would be this bad! She could understand the family wanting to find a wife for their son, that was only natural. But as a good friend, recommending someone like that to her was downright disloyal.
Grandma Jiang was about to go out and confront them as she spoke, but Jiang Suisui quickly stopped her: “Grandma, forget it, forget it! She was just talking, and I didn’t agree to anything anyway. I could already tell she didn’t mean me any good.”
Grandma Jiang was furious: “If she ever dares to show up at our door again, I’ll chase her out with a broom!”
Seeing how much her grandmother doted on her warmed Jiang Suisui’s heart. She thought of the original owner’s fate—being plotted against and losing her virtue to a scoundrel, forced to hastily marry someone. The novel had glossed over it, mentioning that Grandma Jiang was so angry she collapsed. One could imagine how heartbroken Grandma Jiang must have been at that time.
She silently resolved that she would never let such a thing happen.
Jiang Suisui nestled close to her grandmother and comforted her: “Grandma, I know you’re good to me. I won’t pay any more attention to those ill-intentioned people. From now on, I’ll focus on taking care of you. One day, I’ll take you to the city to enjoy life!”
Grandma Jiang chuckled at that: “What city? I think our village is just fine. You just live your own life well, and Grandma will be at ease.”
Jiang Suisui grinned and said nothing more. One day, she would fulfill her promise.
“Oh, by the way, the chickens you fed during the day—I saw an extra egg in the nest just now. I’ll boil it for you later,” Grandma Jiang said.
Jiang Suisui couldn’t help but drool a little, then broke into a cheerful, unashamed smile: “Thank you, Grandma~”
Back in the day, Jiang Suisui would never have imagined she’d ever crave an egg. It was only because Grandma Jiang doted on her that she boiled her two eggs every month. In any other family, that would be considered extravagant.
There was no helping it—eggs were a scarce resource in those days. The villagers rarely ate them themselves; they’d save them up and take them to the supply and marketing co-op to exchange for cash. Grandma Jiang had already saved up over twenty eggs and was planning to exchange them at the next market day.
At that thought, Jiang Suisui’s eyes lit up, and she said to Grandma Jiang, “Grandma, next market day, let me go to town for you. That way you won’t have to make the trip yourself and tire yourself out.”
Grandma Jiang: “You want to go to town? What do you want to buy? Grandma doesn’t have any money to give you, you know—I need to save for your dowry now.”
Jiang Suisui quickly said: “I don’t want to buy anything! I’ll just run the errand for you and nothing else! You don’t need to give me any money either.”
Grandma Jiang was still a bit skeptical: “Then don’t go spending the money from the eggs! You’ll be eighteen in a few months and can start preparing for marriage. You’ll need to get your dowry ready. Once you’re married, you’ll need to have some money of your own to have any confidence. That’s no small amount!”
Jiang Suisui was moved by this: “I understand! Grandma, I’m sensible now, don’t worry! And don’t spend everything on my dowry—make sure you keep some money for yourself for your old age.”
Grandma Jiang smiled and nodded: “That’s good. Don’t worry about me. Even if worse comes to worst, your second and third uncles are still there. Would they dare not support me when I’m old?”
“Alright, you can go to town if you want, but you have to promise me—exchange the eggs and come straight back. No goofing around,” Grandma Jiang instructed.
Jiang Suisui nodded repeatedly: “I promise, don’t worry!”
Jiang Suisui was happy to have gotten permission. She could finally change the scene and go see what a county town looked like in the 1970s!
On the other side, Song Weizheng had just returned from the mountain. He set down his backpack basket, and Song Yuxue greeted him.
“Brother, we agreed I’d go gather pigweed from now on. Why did you do it all again?” She complained as she helped him tidy up.
Song Weizheng scooped a ladle of water from the vat, tilted his head back, and downed it in a few gulps, then said casually, “I got off work early today and did it on the way. Next time, I’ll let you do it.”
“How’s Mom today?” Song Weizheng asked.
Song Yuxue replied, “She’s doing well. She spent quite a while in the yard today and even wanted to help with cooking, but I wouldn’t let her.”
Song Weizheng nodded: “Good. Mom’s been in decent shape lately, but don’t let her do any work, she can’t get tired.”
“I know. But…” She glanced at him, hesitating.
Song Weizheng: “What is it? If you have something to say, just say it.”
Song Yuxue glanced back at her mother’s room, then bit her lip and blinked her wide, innocent eyes. In a low voice, she said, “I think Mom’s been feeling better lately because she’s in a good mood probably because you got engaged. It makes her happy.”
Song Weizheng wasn’t surprised. Part of the reason he’d agreed to the engagement was to put his mother at ease, so she wouldn’t keep worrying that she was holding him back or that he’d never find a wife.
“And also… Mom said today that she wants to invite Jiang Suisui and her grandparents over for a meal,” Song Yuxue continued. “She said she didn’t even show up on the engagement day and felt really bad about it. She wants to make up for it by cooking them a meal herself.”
Song Weizheng frowned slightly. “I handled the engagement myself. I didn’t tell her beforehand because I didn’t want her to worry. Why is she still hung up on this?”
“Don’t even get me started,” Song Yuxue complained. “Mom has been nagging you about it nonstop. Such an important matter, and you just went and did it all casual-like without even telling her so she could prepare properly. She feels like she’s treated the girl unfairly.”
Song Weizheng listened and ruffled her hair. “I’ll go talk to Mom.”
Song Yuxue tugged at his sleeve. “Brother… tell me the truth, do you really want to be engaged to Jiang Suisui? If you don’t, don’t force yourself.”
She hesitated a little before continuing: “I think… I think Jiang Suisui isn’t as bad as I originally thought. If you’re really going to marry her, you need to treat her well. But if you don’t want to… if you don’t want to, it’s better to just say so.”
Song Weizheng paused at her words, momentarily lost in thought. He remembered what Jiang Suisui had said today.
She said that if he ever found someone he truly liked, she would call off the engagement immediately…
Song Weizheng felt a strange stir in his heart. Had he really seemed that reluctant? It was one thing for his sister to advise him, but Jiang Suisui had also yielded so much that it even made him feel a twinge of guilt.
It was true that the engagement hadn’t been his idea. But since he’d made the decision, unless Jiang Suisui herself backed out, he would honor his commitment.
As for someone he might like… he’d never thought about such things. He could hardly imagine himself liking anyone.
Song Weizheng ruffled his sister’s head again and said, “One after another, why does everyone like to overthink things? I’m not unwilling. But you, weren’t you the one who said you didn’t like her and wanted me to break off the engagement? Now you sound like you’re afraid I might wrong her?”
Song Yuxue shook her head, pulling away from his hand. “Stop messing up my hair you’re ruining it.”
Song Weizheng paused, then chuckled softly. His little sister was growing up.
Song Yuxue continued: “I didn’t like her before, because everyone outside said she was lazy, greedy, and had a bad temper. I was afraid she’d be mean to Mom, and I was afraid she’d be mean to you.”
“But… but I ran into her a few days ago and we talked for a bit. I just felt… she’s actually okay. Not as bad as everyone says.” At the very least, Jiang Suisui was the first person other than her brother to stand up and speak for her.
Song Weizheng chuckled. “Oh, so in just a few days, she’s already won you over? Your attitude’s completely changed.”
Song Yuxue pouted in dissatisfaction. “No, that’s not it at all. Do you think I can’t tell whether someone’s just trying to win me over? Don’t treat me like a kid!” Even though she was still a child, Song Yuxue prided herself on being a good judge of people.
“Alright, I won’t treat you like a kid.” Song Weizheng smiled and didn’t argue with her. “So tell me, why are you suddenly taking her side?”
Song Yuxue twisted a little, not wanting to go into detail. “Anyway, anyway, I just think she’s a good person.”
She quickly glanced at her brother and said a little sheepishly, “If you’re really planning to marry her, then listen to Mom and invite her over for a meal. Mom hasn’t even met her yet.”
Song Weizheng looked at her, feeling quite amazed. What had Jiang Suisui done to soften his sister up so quickly?
**