Chapter 204: Rural Absurd Past Events Chapter 204: Bottom-of-the-barrel Poor People, Most Taboo to Want Both

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Protagonist:

Li Xiulan

"Fine, I'll call home right now and see how my parents react."

Qin Dingjun took out his mobile phone at this moment, and in front of Wang Dashan, dialed his father's number.

"Dad, I have something I want to discuss with you..."

Qin Dingjun's tone was somewhat apprehensive; it was clear he had no confidence in persuading his parents.

"What is it?"

Qin Dingjun said:

"I've found someone."

A delighted voice came immediately from the other end of the phone:

"That's great; you're not young anymore. Once you've found someone, hurry up and get married and have kids. By the way, who is the other person? Where are they from? Are they good-looking?"

Qin Dingjun answered honestly:

"She's a local of Beihai; she's an only child; her father is still the Deputy General Manager of the Bank, powerful and influential, very impressive. As for her looks, they're just average, though not exactly ugly. Anyway, she's a good person, very considerate and virtuous."

Qin's father said:

"That's not bad. Looks are actually secondary; what matters most is knowing how to manage a household. She's an only child, so I'm afraid she might be spoiled." Then he asked: "Is a Bank Deputy General Manager a very high official?"

Qin Dingjun said:

"Definitely high. Anyway, they're not on the same level as us ordinary people; even people from the police station have to give him face."

Qin's father laughed:

"So you're quite lucky, kid! Just, she probably won't ask for a lot of bride price, right?"

Qin Dingjun said:

"As for the bride price, they said nine thousand nine hundred and ninety-nine is just a token gesture, just for good luck, but..."

At this point, Qin Dingjun hesitated.

"But what?"

Qin's father asked.

Qin Dingjun stammered for a moment before finally plucking up the courage to say:

"Her father said he doesn't oppose us dating, but if we're to get married, I have to go to his family as an upper-door son-in-law, because he only has one daughter..."

"What??"

Qin's father's tone changed immediately, full of resistance and rejection:

"He only has one daughter, but am I not also only one son? I firmly disagree with you becoming a son-in-law living in his house! You break up with her immediately, what nonsense!"

Qin Dingjun smiled bitterly. He had long expected his father to react this way, but when his father actually cursed him out, he still felt a heavy blow in his heart.

"Dad, the other person is the daughter of a Bank Deputy General Manager. We ordinary people are already marrying up. Most importantly, after marriage, they will give me many resources and connections. Who knows, in not too long, I could rise step by step relying on their resources. And without their support, I might spend my whole life as a small escort guard, and a non-regular one at that. Dad, I'm thinking of my future..."

Qin Dingjun patiently persuaded him.

Unexpectedly, he received an even harsher scolding from his father:

"Qin Dingjun, do you have any promise at all? There are many paths in this world; do you have to become someone's upper-door son-in-law? You're a retired soldier; don't you know what backbone is? Don't disgrace me! You don't need to say anything else. Anyway, I firmly disagree with this marriage!"

Qin Dingjun continued trying to persuade his father:

"Dad, this might be the only opportunity in my life. Can't you be more open-minded? Besides, you don't only have me as a child..."

"I indeed don't only have you as a child, but the other child is your sister. Your sister will marry out someday. The incense of our Qin family cannot be cut off at you, kid. Otherwise, when you go down to Huangquan later, you won't have the face to see your ancestors! You kid, how can you be so shameless, addicted to eating soft rice, right? Don't tell anyone you were ever a soldier in the future. Which soldier has a soft bone like you? Simply disgraceful!"

Qin Dingjun felt somewhat ashamed by what his father said.

He naturally knew that being an upper-door son-in-law would be laughed at by others and require enduring many cold looks from the outside world, but he also knew deep down that this indeed might be the only opportunity in his life to cross social strata.

Missing this opportunity, he might only be able to struggle at the bottom forever.

He was just a country boy who had served two years as a conscript; no ability, no knowledge. Without the support of a woman like Lan Yunfang, he would have no chance of rising at all.

So, actually, he was willing to become the Lan family's upper-door son-in-law in his heart. Being with Lan Yunfang was not simply to help Wang Dashan, but more out of consideration for his own future and life.

It was a pity that his father didn't understand him or support him.

This made him feel helpless.

His father finally said one more sentence:

"If you really dare to become an upper-door son-in-law, I'll break your legs and kick you out of the house!"

After saying this, his father hung up the phone angrily.

Wang Dashan, standing nearby, looked shocked.

However, this reaction from Qin Dingjun's father was actually within his expectations.

Qin Dingjun's father had many similarities with his own father, Wang Dashan's father.

Both were men at the very bottom of the rural area, with little ability, but they loved face and dignity very much and had strong vanity.

With such old men, if you dare to make them lose face, they might even fight you to the death!

"Dingjun, why don't you just not become an upper-door son-in-law? Of course, if you really love Lan Yunfang very much, I don't oppose you being with her. She's actually a good person, and most importantly, she's really helpful to your career..."

Wang Dashan hurriedly comforted Qin Dingjun and also said:

"You don't need to consider me. I can solve my own matters. Later, I'll call Lan Yunfang and tell her not to help me find a lawyer anymore."

Qin Dingjun looked guilty:

"But without her help, you might very well get into trouble."

Qin Dingjun had actually already made his choice in his heart. Although he very much wanted to marry Lan Yunfang and very much wanted to become a son-in-law living in the Lan family, the filial piety and conscience instilled in him by traditional education made it impossible for him to completely break with his parents.

Additionally, the most important and most realistic point was that he actually did not love Lan Yunfang that much; Lan Yunfang was not good-looking in appearance, and being with her was only for her family background.

So, under the circumstance of his father's clear opposition, he chose to retreat, rather than be courageous.

In the face of love, all lack of courage actually boils down to not loving enough.

If one loves enough, then no matter what the final outcome will be, and no matter whether life's daily necessities will make a mess of things, as long as one loves enough, then at the moment of making a choice, one will surely throw caution to the wind.

"How big of a deal can it be?" Wang Dashan said in a light-hearted/relaxed manner, "I checked online; for my situation, at most I'll get a sentence of one or two years, and after coming out in one or two years, won't I still be a good man?"

Wang Dashan did not want Qin Dingjun to make a choice for him; otherwise, if there were any bad results later, Qin Dingjun would blame him, and in the end they probably wouldn't even be able to remain friends.

"But, if you really go to prison, it will have a great influence on your future life..."

Qin Dingjun actually hoped Wang Dashan would give him encouragement and give him courage, so that he could get rid of all constraints and climb up this high branch of Lan Yunfang.

His heart was very contradictory; he wanted both to obtain Lan Yunfang and the family support behind her, and did not want to completely tear his face with his parents.

It's a pity that in this multiple-choice question of life, how can one "want both"?

Many times, one must make a choice, must have something to give up.

Especially for us poor people at the bottom, opportunities are not many to begin with, and still fantasizing about "wanting both" is simply wishful thinking!

"You don't need to mind my business; you just need to follow your inner heart to make a choice."

Wang Dashan said this to Qin Dingjun.