Chapter 111

Bidding farewell to the enthusiastic clerks at the street office, Lin Zhao returned to the supply and marketing cooperative with a light step.

Even Li Fen could see her good mood.

"Did you run into something good?"

Lin Zhao smiled, saying nothing about having a house, "It's a secret for now, I'll tell you another day."

"Alright." Li Fen said with a smile.

The smile on Lin Zhao's face didn't fade for a long time.

She sat down and took a sip of water to moisten her throat, then asked: "My cousin and the others haven't come back yet?"

At this, Li Fen smiled even more brightly than her, "Right, they haven't come back yet. It's a good thing they haven't come back; it means they have things to talk about. Maybe before long, our two families will be holding a happy event."

Her younger brother was a quiet person and couldn't say a few words to female comrades, so going out with Yuan Xiang for most of the day meant he was very satisfied with her.

If the woman was also satisfied with him, the happy event would be a matter of these few months.

Lin Zhao had an idea in her heart.

With her eldest aunt's temperament, marrying Sister Xiangxiang off before the end of the year was highly likely.

No one is willing to be treated as a joke forever, especially after their daughter has a better way out.

"Zhaozhao, you are not an outsider, so I won't say empty words. My family has already prepared the bride price: two hundred yuan, plus a watch and a sewing machine for your cousin." Li Fen took the initiative to reveal the bottom line to show sincerity.

This was a really generous offer!

Lin Zhao was stunned.

One had to know that in the countryside, a bride price of thirty or fifty was already quite a lot. Not to mention that the Li family also proposed giving a watch and a sewing machine; having two of the 'three rounds and one sound' was quite sincere!

Having nothing to say, Lin Zhao gave a thumbs up.

Li Fen understood this way of praising people and was all smiles.

"You're acting up." She pretended to hit someone and laughed: "I added the sewing machine, and the rest were prepared by Xiaosong."

"When he gets married, the young couple will live their own lives, and I won't interfere or do those annoying things. As for my younger sister, don't worry, she is currently being considered, won't stay at home forever, and she isn't the type to be jealous of her sister-in-law. My sister's character isn't bad; anything I say might sound like I'm a sister-in-law speaking well of my sister, so I won't say anything. When you see her, you will understand everything!"

Li Fen said so much mainly to borrow Lin Zhao's mouth to pass the words to Yuan Xiang's mother's ears to facilitate the marriage as soon as possible.

Lin Zhao understood everything.

She felt the Li family was very sincere and also became serious, "Don't worry, Sister Fen, I will pass these words to my eldest aunt when I go back."

Li Fen thought to herself, talking to smart people is worry-free.

"Alright, then I'll trouble you."

As the two were talking, the curtain at the entrance was lifted.

Li Song and Yuan Xiang walked in one after the other.

Lin Zhao and the others looked over, their gazes burning, and the curiosity in their eyes couldn't be hidden no matter what.

Yuan Xiang noticed several burning gazes, her steps paused slightly, her eyes dodged, and her whole body was steaming.

Li Song noticed his partner was uncomfortable and turned to block the incoming gossip gazes.

"Don't be afraid, everyone has no ill intentions." He said.

Yuan Xiang blushed and whispered: "I know..."

She just, just felt a little uncomfortable.

Raising her hand to touch her burning face, she took a deep breath and walked toward Lin Zhao.

"Zhaozhao." Yuan Xiang called out.

Lin Zhao knew her cousin had a reserved temperament, so she slightly restrained the curiosity on her face and said casually: "Sister Xiangxiang, sit for a while, I'll be off work soon."

"Mm." Yuan Xiang responded.

She was about to go to the corner, but seeing Li Song was still there, she looked at him hesitantly.

Li Song: It's rare that she can still remember him.

"Go and rest, I'll go to the brigade to pick you up the day after tomorrow." Li Song said in front of everyone.

The meaning in his words was self-evident.

Li Fen covered her mouth and exclaimed, excitedly pounding the counter, "Xiaosong, you... you..."

She pointed at Li Song and Yuan Xiang.

Li Song had a big smile on his face and said very calmly: "Sister, Comrade Yuan and I are seeing each other."

Li Fen leaned forward, stood on tiptoe, and patted her younger brother's sturdy arm hard a few times, her voice full of thick laughter, "Well done, you kid finally lived up to expectations, good eye!"

She looked at Yuan Xiang again, immediately changing to the look of a sister-in-law, and called out affectionately, "Xiangxiang, if Li Song bullies you, tell me, and I'll come to deal with him."

Li Song hurriedly said: "Sister! Don't mess things up for me! What bullying people, who have I bullied? Don't ruin my reputation in front of me!"

He finally had a partner; if she messed it up, where would he find another one he liked?

Li Fen curled her lips.

Who have you bullied?

Weren't all those girls who went on blind dates with him before scared away by him?

He didn't hit anyone, but that mouth was like it had grown a knife, it was so poisonous.

People would ask, if we get married, will your family give the 'three rounds and one sound'? How much is the bride price? I graduated from junior high, you have to give at least three or five hundred...

How did Li Song reply?

Pfft, first a sneering tone particle, then a light tsk.

"Three or five hundred? Are you some kind of golden branch or jade leaf? You open your mouth and want three or five hundred, if you're short of money, why don't you go rob a bank! And the 'three rounds and one sound', what a big face you have!? Did your mom have the 'three rounds and one sound' when she married your dad? And you dare ask me for it. We haven't even started, and you dare to open your mouth. I'm really impressed. And so what if you're a junior high student? A high education doesn't mean high morality. Just based on these questions you asked, we can't be partners, we're not a match."

When he said this, he didn't restrain the disgust, charity, and greed on his face... Did they treat him like some kind of stupid big sucker?

He was lame, but he wasn't blind!

After a string of output, the girl was red-faced and reached out to slap him.

Li Song hurriedly dodged and continued to babble, "What? Can't win an argument and want to hit someone? It's a good thing we're not partners, otherwise, I wouldn't have any good days!"

Upon hearing this, the girl stomped her feet, cursed 'dead cripple' twice on the spot, and ran away wiping tears in anger.

Because of this, Li Song's reputation went from bad to worse, changing from a lame veteran to a cripple with a poisonous mouth.

These two were worlds apart.

The ones introduced after that were unwatchable.

Last night, Li Fen gave Li Song a thousand instructions, telling him to watch his mouth, not to speak so directly, and if he was really unsatisfied, she would go and decline them, not to let him ruin her reputation in front of her colleagues.

Li Song agreed to everything.

But Li Fen, who knew his true nature, was not very reassured. Xiaosong usually didn't talk much and could be called reticent, but if he really wanted to retort, that mouth was like it was stained with poison and could poison people until they fainted.

At this moment, hearing Li Fen's words, Yuan Xiang shook her head and spoke well of her partner, "No, Comrade Li is very... respectful to me."

Yes, respect, the respect she had never felt from her former fiancé.

Li Song's mouth was about to split to the back of his head.

The look he gave his sister was full of smugness: See, what did my partner say? I told you that my previous blind date failures weren't my problem, it was just that fate hadn't arrived.

Li Fen saw the sincerity on Yuan Xiang's face and was very happy.

Her younger brother was raised by her; if she praised him for respecting people, wasn't she also praising herself?

"As long as you two are getting along well." She grabbed Yuan Xiang's hand, patted the back of her hand, and the liking in her eyes couldn't be hidden.

Lin Zhao thought there was no need to worry about Sister Xiangxiang and her sister-in-law not getting along; Sister Fen liked her very much.

Yuan Xiang was a straightforward person, with not many twists and turns in her heart, one was one and two was two, and she said with a serious expression: "Sister, don't worry, we will get along well."

Li Song was now her partner, so it was only right for her to call Li Fen 'sister'.

Soon it was three o'clock in the afternoon.

Lin Zhao took Yuan Xiang and left the supply and marketing cooperative.

Just as she was about to leave, Li Fen came over carrying a cloth bag and stuffed the things into Yuan Xiang's arms without a word.

"Xiangxiang, this is a meeting gift I prepared for you, keep it."

After dropping this sentence, she turned and left.

In the moment Yuan Xiang was stunned, Li Fen's figure disappeared.

"Zhaozhao, this...?" Her tone was hesitant.

Lin Zhao said indifferently: "Keep it, Sister Fen said it's a meeting gift."

Hearing her say this, Yuan Xiang didn't feel awkward, so she accepted the things and sat on the back seat of the bicycle.

The bicycle slid away from the spot.

Lin Zhao took the opportunity to ask: "Sister Xiangxiang, where did you two go today?"

"We went to see a movie and had a meal, there was meat." Yuan Xiang lowered her eyes, a flash of shyness in her eyes, and said: "Comrade Li said that after we get married, he will hand over his wages. If I want to work, he will help me find a job; if I don't want to work, he can afford to support me."

Lin Zhao raised an eyebrow, "That's the most basic thing."

Handing over wages is basic, and helping one's wife find a job and supporting one's wife is also normal.

"..."

Yuan Xiang was silent.

Where is that basic? Not many men have this kind of awareness, okay.

Thinking of how her brother-in-law spoiled Zhaozhao, she didn't find it strange anymore.

She still said: "Zhaozhao, not everyone can talk about money directly."

A flash of cold mockery crossed Lin Zhao's beautiful eyes, "If you can't even talk about money directly, what kind of family is that."

Both her maiden family and her husband's family could talk about money very frankly; what is what, what is there that can't be talked about.

She hated those families that treated their daughters-in-law as outsiders to be guarded against the most.

Yuan Xiang's eyes flashed, she stretched out her arm, patted Lin Zhao's shoulder, and said: "You are very right, I agree too, don't be angry Zhaozhao, these things aren't worth you getting angry over."

"I'm not angry, what's there to be angry about, it's just anger at some people for not living up to expectations." Lin Zhao had seen many people who were bullied; it was one thing if some people had no way out, but some clearly had choices yet blocked their own paths, which was truly choking.

One has to stand up for oneself.

Yuan Xiang held the big cloth bag, her sitting posture much more comfortable than when she came.

She laughed: "If I had insisted on fulfilling the previous engagement, I should also be someone who makes you angry for not living up to expectations."

Lin Zhao nodded in her heart, but said: "No, you must have had your reasons for marrying; if you encounter unfair things, I will help you."

Whether these words were true or not, they made people's hearts warm.

Yuan Xiang's heart was like it was soaked in warm water, "Zhaozhao, thank you."

This thank you was for Zhaozhao not looking down on her, for helping her pick up her broken self-esteem at the Lin family, and also for Zhaozhao taking the trouble to introduce a partner to her.

It had to be said, introducing a partner or something... was a beautiful misunderstanding.

It was also quite good that this misunderstanding could evolve into a perfect story.

"What are you thanking me for, you are my sister." Lin Zhao said casually.

Yuan Xiang was moved beyond words; Zhaozhao truly treated her as a sister, and from now on, Zhaozhao would be her only sister.

Lin Zhao pedaled the bicycle hard, thinking that she could rest for a day after working one more day tomorrow, she was full of strength, and the smile on her face was extremely bright.

"Sister Xiangxiang, will you work after you get married?"

Hearing this, Yuan Xiang was slightly startled.

Work, of course she wanted to.

But...

"My education isn't high, can I find a job?" She asked hesitantly.

"Of course you can." Lin Zhao heard that her cousin wanted to work and was happy in her heart; for women to truly stand up and walk with their heads held high on the broad road, having a job that could support themselves was a must.

She said: "There are so many positions, there are always ones that don't require education. Sister Fen and her family are all workers, and their connections are very strong; if they help you find a job, they will definitely be able to find one."

It was nothing more than spending some money.

"Sister Xiangxiang, if the Li family says they will find you a job, accept it generously, don't feel like you owe them. Taking out your bride price and the money your eldest aunt gave you for the bottom of the box, this isn't being clear-headed, this is being stupid. You must keep the bride price and the money at the bottom of the box well; these are your capital to deal with all risks."

Yuan Xiang had indeed planned to do that.

She felt that since the Li family had already given the bride price, buying her a job was a bit too much.

Lin Zhao was good at grasping people's hearts; in the moment Yuan Xiang was silent, she immediately guessed what she was thinking.

"Are you not providing labor when you go to work? Or is the money you earn not used for family expenses?"

"Sister, think about it carefully."

Lin Zhao didn't say much, to avoid being annoying.

She had said everything that needed to be said, and how to do it was up to Yuan Xiang to decide for herself.

Anyway, if it were her, she wouldn't return the bride price; any form of 'returning' wouldn't do.

Yuan Xiang wasn't someone who didn't know what was good for her; she knew Zhaozhao was thinking for her, "Zhaozhao, I will seriously consider what you said, thank you."

"No need to thank me, as long as you don't think I talk too much."

Before they knew it, the bicycle reached the entrance of the village.

The two people on the bike hadn't entered the village far.

Lin Zhao saw from afar that on the dirt road, a little milk bun over a year old was sitting on a small wooden cart, his two short legs exerting force, sliding forward with a swish.

Two dogs, one big and one small, followed by his side.

Looking closely, it was actually the third cub.

The child's exquisite and cute little face was stained with a light red, his usually calm black eyes were shining with happy light, and he was smiling with his eyebrows curved.

He also saw Lin Zhao coming on the bike.

His eyes lit up suddenly.

He stretched out his little hands to greet his mother.

His short legs kicked even faster.

"Mom!"

"Mom!!"

He called out twice in a row.

His voice was also milky.

One could imagine that the child was milky all over.

He was tiny, and sitting on the small wooden cart made him look even smaller; such a small ball, cute enough to make people laugh.

Lin Zhao jumped off the bicycle.

Bangbang consciously stepped forward, his face full of smiles, "Third Aunt, I'll help you push the cart."

He had only learned to ride a bike not long ago and was at the age where he was addicted to riding, waiting at a fixed time and place for his Third Aunt to come back every day.

Lin Zhao was also generous, lending it to anyone in the family who wanted to ride it.

The Gu family members were all very particular, and when they returned it, they didn't forget to wipe and wash it, being more attentive than her, the owner.

"The third cub is riding the cart." Lin Zhao wiped the sweat from her son's forehead with her hand; the little milk baby drank milk powder every day, and even his sweat had a sweet and greasy smell.

"Dad made it for cub~!" The third cub patted the head of the wooden cart, his voice sweet and soft.

The wooden cart was made by Gu Chenghuai himself; every piece of wood was polished round and smooth, and while considering practicality, he didn't forget aesthetics. He made a cart basket in the shape of a big eye at the head of the cart, and the third cub's beloved dictionary was placed in the basket.

Lin Zhao touched the wooden cart; it was very smooth.

"It's your dad's first time making a wooden cart, and it's for you, are you happy?"

The third cub nodded like a garlic pounder; only then did he have some of the childlike innocence that he should have at his age.

"Mm-hmm."

Seeing that his owner didn't pay attention to him, Da Huang wasn't willing to be ignored and nudged Lin Zhao's leg with his head.

"I see you, I see you."

Lin Zhao smiled and touched Da Huang's head, bent down to hold Amber, who was climbing onto her, in her arms, and scratched its neck; the puppy, which had doubled in fat, made a comfortable purring sound in its mouth.

She walked forward, and the third cub exerted force with his legs, controlling the small wooden cart to go home.

"Third cub, where are your older brother and younger sister?"