Chapter 1048: Rural Absurd Past Events Chapter 1048: Wang Changgen Is Gloomy Again

·

·

·

Protagonist:

Li Xiulan

The next day Wang Erhai called Li Xiulan and said he and Zhang Yueran would go get their marriage license on March 14th, and then they wouldn't hold a wedding banquet.

Li Xiulan was working on the farm when she heard this news, and she couldn't help but frown:

"The bride's parents have no objections to not holding a banquet?"

Wang Erhai said:

"No objections. Yueran has already talked to her parents about it."

Li Xiulan sighed:

"Back in our day, we wanted to have a wedding but didn't have the means. We were so poor that getting married meant just one cotton quilt, one bicycle, and two thermoses as the bride price. Now you young people have it so good — economic conditions are so much better — yet you don't hold weddings or banquets. Xiao Hua and Jianjia didn't hold one, and now you and Yueran aren't either. What kind of thing is this!"

Wang Erhai said:

"Mom, didn't I and Big Brother and Eldest Sister-in-law already hold a banquet once before? That stuff is such a hassle. Doing it once is enough. There's no need to do it a second time!"

Li Xiulan said:

"I don't have any objections myself. I'm just afraid your dad will have a big problem with it!"

Wang Erhai said:

"That's why I need you to go persuade him. Anyway, Yueran and I just aren't holding a banquet. If he's not happy about it, there's nothing he can do."

Li Xiulan said:

"Alright then. I'll go persuade him later."

Li Xiulan hung up Wang Erhai's phone and continued doing farm work.

Right now on the farm, there's only one worker: Zhang Zhongtian's widow, Yao Aina.

Yao Aina works hard, but she's old after all, and ultimately there are things she can't manage anymore.

Li Xiulan started coming to the farm to help manage things, and Yao Aina was overjoyed.

It wasn't just that there was someone to help share the farm work. The main thing was that finally there was someone she could talk to.

Today Wang Changgen didn't come to the farm. He went to town to buy cigarettes.

It was nearly noon by the time Wang Changgen came back riding his motorcycle.

He came over to the farm, looked at this, looked at that, and then said to Li Xiulan:

"There's not much work here at all! Isn't it pretty easy to get the hang of?"

Li Xiulan gave him a sidelong glance:

"The chickens need to be fed corn. Over at the pond, the fish grass still needs cutting. And the orchard needs weeding. There's work everywhere — it just depends on whether you're willing to do it!"

Wang Changgen heard this and said:

"I'll go stroll around nearby first, get familiar with the environment!"

Then he turned around to leave.

It was obvious he'd only come to look around. Asking him to pick up a hoe and do farm work — he definitely wouldn't be willing.

Li Xiulan didn't intend to force him to do farm work either.

Her man has a body full of underlying illnesses. She's just afraid that if he works and works, he'll suddenly black out and pass out.

So if he wants to work, fine. If not, forget it!

But Li Xiulan still called him back:

"Come back here!"

"What is it?"

Wang Changgen froze, thinking Li Xiulan was about to urge him to do farm work, so he put on a long face.

Li Xiulan said:

"Erhai called me this morning. He said he and Yueran are only getting the marriage license, not holding a banquet."

"What?" Wang Changgen froze, and his face immediately turned even uglier. "How come one after another, none of you are holding banquets? I was still thinking of making it a big deal! You've all become so promising, yet you don't hold a banquet. Then what's the point of being promising?"

Wang Changgen's face was full of gloom.

These past few days he'd gone to the bald guy's place to play Liucun, and he'd already told quite a few people that his second son was getting married in March this year, and there might be a lot of tables.

Result: he'd already bragged it all up, and now Wang Erhai says no banquet.

Li Xiulan said coldly: "Does being promising mean you have to hold a banquet? Xiao Hua and Jianjia are even more promising, and they didn't hold one either?"

Wang Changgen said:

"That's different. Jianjia's parents had an incident. Holding a banquet might actually lose face. So not holding one is normal. But Erhai's girlfriend — both her parents are alive and well. Why not hold a banquet? Don't her maternal family have any objections?"

Li Xiulan said:

"Erhai said Yueran talked to her parents, and they agreed."

Wang Changgen really couldn't figure it out.

Because in his understanding, the bride's family usually demands the groom's side hold a banquet, and a grand one at that. Only when their daughter is married off in style can they rest easy!

"Erhai also said that come summer vacation, he and Yueran are going to travel outside. That'll be their honeymoon. The young couple has their own plans. You don't go wearing a sour face on me!"

Wang Changgen said coldly:

"How can I not wear a sour face? He didn't even tell me in advance — just made the decision! That kid Wang Erhai — does he still have me, his father, in his eyes?"

Li Xiulan said:

"Anyway, that's how it's decided. You handle it yourself."

Wang Zhanggen was utterly dejected.

What else could he do?

He could only take it lying down!

He couldn't very well run to the County Town and raise hell in front of Wang Erhai, could he?

That would make him lose even more face!

He just felt that his son had made a decision without consulting him beforehand, which made him feel disrespected, so he was unhappy inside.

As a result, he wore a sour expression all day long.

Even at dinner in the evening, when Li Xiulan made his favorite Hakka Stuffed Tofu, he ate it with no appetite at all.

After a few bites he put down his bowl and chopsticks:

"Not eating anymore, I'm going out for a walk!"

"Where are you going?" Li Xiulan looked displeased and reminded him:

"You better not go to Baldy's place to play Liucun!"

Wang Zhanggen said impatiently:

"I know, I know, stop nagging, I quit that stuff long ago!"

But in reality, he was going to Baldy's to play Liucun!

He had long since started playing again.

Today's trip to the Town was ostensibly to buy cigarettes and tofu, but actually to withdraw money!

He had lost all the cash on hand again, so he went and withdrew three thousand yuan.

He thought, if this three thousand is lost, he absolutely won't play anymore!

Damn it, this Liucun thing is a scam!

If I lose this three thousand and keep playing, I'm a dog!

Wang Zhanggen silently resolved in his heart.

Before he knew it, he had arrived at Baldy's house in the Neighboring Village.

Many villagers who played Liucun had already gathered there.

Baldy originally didn't want to keep running this gambling den, because Wang Erhai had warned him, saying a crackdown was coming soon, but he couldn't resist the villagers' enthusiasm and ultimately kept it open.

As time passed, with no sign of a crackdown, Baldy felt at ease again, no longer as nervous as he had been right after the New Year.

"Changgen, what are you buying tonight?"

"Buying Chicken! Absolutely a sure win!" Wang Zhanggen was an old hand by now.

He knew every way to play Liucun.

But strangely, he had played for so long, lost over ten thousand yuan, yet hadn't won a single time!

This made even Baldy find it unbearable, and he told him he wasn't suited for this, to either not play, or if he must play, play small bets, not big hundreds anymore.

Baldy loved money, but he loved his life more.

He was afraid Wang Zhanggen would lose too much, and Wang Zhanggen's three sons would find out and come back together to beat him half to death!

Everyone in the rural areas knows, a man with three sons can walk sideways in the village!

Let alone that Wang Zhanggen's three sons are all so promising!

He, Baldy, truly couldn't afford to offend them!