Chapter 265: All Said

Ergou's bride's family didn't live far from the north of the city, and the process of welcoming the bride went very smoothly.

There was no such thing as blocking the door for red envelopes, showing a payment code if the amount wasn't enough, nor was there a row of stools and wine set up, refusing entry until it was finished.

Everyone's pockets weren't wealthy, which was one thing; the key was that women's status wasn't as high as in later generations.

If you blocked the door to ask for red envelopes today? Do you believe the mother-in-law would find ways to punish your daughter tomorrow?

As for setting up forty cups of wine and making the groom's side finish them before entering... you'd be better off setting up a hundred cups!

There were so many old men who loved to drink but were short of money, their throats itching all day long. As long as you gave a shout, they would line up to come and help.

They'd drink you to death!

In addition, there were no programs like finding shoes, making vows, or washing the bride's feet.

Let a man wash your feet? Even if your father were the Jade Emperor, it wouldn't work.

Even the Seven Fairies didn't let Dong Yong wash her feet.

In this day and age, the bride didn't even have a wedding dress or a Xiuhe suit; she just wore a red outfit. Once the firecrackers sounded, she would follow the groom home to live a down-to-earth life, single-minded, pure, and simple.

Li Ye estimated that if Ergou's wedding didn't count the banquet, it wouldn't even cost a hundred yuan.

Of course, it is also human nature for a man to love his wife. Although there were no such ritual requirements, if conditions permitted, anyone would be willing to give the woman face.

For Ergou's wedding this time, the bride's family was satisfied beyond measure.

For other people's weddings, having a tractor was considered okay, and having a 130 truck was truly having face.

Now it was even better: two sedans and one 130 truck. The uncles and brothers who sent the girl off to marry had cars to sit in, and they could brag about it for several days after returning!

Arriving at Ding Zijie, after the wine and food were on the table, everyone who came to drink the wedding wine was also very satisfied.

The meat dishes were oily, and the white wine was drunk as much as one wanted. What was emphasized was richness and affordability, until you were so full you couldn't move.

It could be said that Ding Zijie today was even livelier and more festive than the New Year.

It wasn't until Sanshui's family came to the door collectively that this festive atmosphere was almost broken.

Sanshui's family was surnamed Feng. Because they lived by the Qingshui River, the children born were all nicknamed "Water."

Dashui died young, leaving behind three sons: Ershui, Sanshui, and Sishui. They were all dull and unreasonable characters, and they were famous for being bullies in their area.

So, seeing seven or eight people coming over with fierce looks, Ergou's relatives immediately became nervous, fearing that some conflict would arise and ruin today's happy event.

Ergou, however, wasn't nervous at all.

If it had been more than a year ago, he might have felt guilty and afraid.

Because Ergou and Sanshui had gone to Yangcheng together, Sanshui was vaguely Ergou's "group leader," and later Sanshui came into contact with smuggling. The viciousness of those water-passengers was enough to bluff people.

But Ergou had been recruiting people in the poor mountains and bad waters of the Southwest for more than a year, and he had encountered all kinds of strange people, long since honing his own abilities.

Let alone rabbits like Ershui and Sishui who only bullied their own, even if Sanshui came, Ergou wouldn't be afraid.

What's more... wasn't there a table of "enthusiastic good guests" in the room?

"Uncle Feng is here! Quick, sit inside! I specially left a seat for you; we've been waiting for half a day."

Ergou smiled and greeted them, affectionately pulling Han Han Lao Han Feng, Sanshui's father, and ushering him into the courtyard.

Ding Zijie opened thirty or forty tables today. Those lined up outside were ordinary tables, and those in the room were "VIP tables." Sanshui's attitude toward guests had no problems.

But Han Han Lao Han Feng didn't buy Ergou's act. He swung his arm and shook off Ergou's arm, saying unpleasantly, "We can't afford the banquet of your family! If we happen to be poisoned to death after eating it, it would be a great injustice."

"..."

As soon as Han Han Lao Han Feng's words came out, the surroundings immediately quieted down. Dozens of people were first surprised and astonished, and then they all held their breath and listened carefully, fearing to miss a single word.

Seeing the situation around him, Han Han Lao Han Feng had seven parts of pride in his venomous eyes.

"What nonsense are you talking about?"

"F*** your mother, do you really think our Chen family is afraid of you?"

"Don't move."

Ergou stopped several of his angry relatives and said to Han Han Lao Han Feng in a flat tone: "Uncle Feng, I'm getting married today. If you can come to have a drink, I, Chen Donggou, will accept this sentiment."

"But you are talking nonsense before even drinking, insisting on making an enemy of me. Don't blame me for not remembering old feelings and not giving you face."

"Drunken talk? Making an enemy? Hehe~"

"Our two families have long been enemies! You conscience-less person harmed Sanshui back then; your heart is more poisonous than poison~"

Han Han Lao Han Feng sneered twice and said loudly to the people around: "I, Old Feng, never tell lies. Back then, Sanshui and Ergou went to Yangcheng together. Sanshui was the 'head' in charge of the business, and Ergou was just a clerk following behind Sanshui."

"But this Ergou saw Sanshui's ability and glory, and with a black heart, he harmed my Sanshui. If it weren't for my Sanshui having help from a noble person, I wouldn't have seen my son in this lifetime..."

"Boom~"

Ding Zijie exploded directly. People from dozens of tables gathered around, pointing and gesturing at Han Han Lao Han Feng and others.

"Whoa~, what is Han Han Lao Han Feng saying? Why does it sound like it's true?"

"Ergou and Sanshui were indeed very close before, but even biological brothers swing hoes for money! It's not strange."

"Regardless of whether it's true or not, Han Han Lao Han Feng is not being decent today. The Chen family's wedding is a big event. If there's an issue, it shouldn't be said to their faces. We have to reach out and manage it."

"Don't be in a hurry. If Han Han Lao Han Chen shouts, then we must throw these Feng family members out, but the host doesn't speak, so we have no reason!"

"Heh, grievances are repaid with grievances, and hatred is repaid with hatred. This Han Han Lao Han Feng definitely learned his moves from storytelling books, just to not let the Chen family have a good time. Today, let's see how Han Han Lao Han Chen and Ergou handle the move!"

The people from Sanshui's family listened to the discussion around them, all feeling proud and relieved.

Back then, Sanshui was indeed in charge of the clothing wholesale department in Yangcheng. Ergou was ordered around by Sanshui, purely a stupid little brother. In the end, Sanshui was cleaned out of the sect, but Ergou was reused.

So they believed that everything Ergou had today should have belonged to Sanshui, and Ergou backstabbing Sanshui was an ungrateful traitor.

Now that Ergou is getting married and has two small cars, but Sanshui is lying in the hospital, they must vent the anger in their hearts today, and it must be a perfect vent.

Hmph, can't handle the one surnamed Li, can't handle you surnamed Chen?

But the Old Feng family thought they were reasonable, but Ergou didn't think so.

Damn it, Sanshui committed his own sins back then, almost implicating him, Ergou! If he hadn't "righteousness over family" back then, he would have been driven back to his hometown in Qingshui long ago.

Ergou had picked the hardest job for the past year, drilling into mountain ditches in the great Southwest every day. Do you think he's a fool?

He was making up for the sin of "knowing but not reporting," making meritorious service to atone for his crimes, okay!

Although Hao Jian had already offered him an "annual salary of over ten thousand," Ergou had always been uneasy, feeling that the "top management" of the team disliked him.

It wasn't until Li Ye came to visit yesterday and came to help drink today that Ergou felt he had finally made it.

Now the Old Feng family is here to bring up this broken matter again. Is it because they think he hasn't been implicated enough?

Ergou began to roll up his sleeves: "Your Old Feng family thinks I harmed Sanshui, then I have to ask: how did I harm Sanshui?"

Sishui touched his waist and shouted sternly: "You know in your heart how you harmed him, hmph! You backstabbing thing, you will suffer retribution sooner or later."

"It's not me who will suffer retribution!" Ergou sneered and said: "I originally wanted to leave you some face, but if you don't want it, then forget it."

"Your Sanshui smuggled water goods, broke the national law, and ate prison food. Why do you still want to blame me now?"

"Don't say you're a little brat; even if your brother came, I'd spit on him twice. A labor reform prisoner doesn't even feel ashamed."

"..."

"What? The third son of the Old Feng family is a labor reform prisoner? My god, I really didn't know!"

"No wonder I heard a few days ago that people would rather not have a thousand-yuan bride price than marry their daughter to Sishui. So that's the reason!"

"Oh my, I didn't think that Sanshui was a good thing before. Look, look, I was right!"

Ding Zijie exploded again, but this time it was the seven or eight people from the Old Feng family who looked ugly.

Sishui rushed in front of Ergou: "You fart, if it weren't for you, could my brother have been wrongly imprisoned? It was you who played tricks and wronged my brother."

Ergou glanced at Sishui sideways and said disdainfully: "Then isn't the motorcycle you're riding smuggled goods? Do you have an invoice? Do you have a license plate? You don't know anything but shouting about things that can't be brought to the table."

"Who are you saying can't be brought to the table?" Sishui suddenly pulled out a small knife from his waist and said angrily: "Now whoever has the ability uses it. Earning money is ability. Who has the time to care how you earned it?"

As soon as Sishui finished speaking, someone in the courtyard said: "I have the time, and I care about how you earned that money."

Zhao Yuanchao and several people in uniforms walked out of the courtyard.

However, the one who spoke just now wasn't Zhao Yuanchao, but an industrial and commercial official wearing a gray industrial and commercial uniform and a large-brimmed hat.

"I'm not idle, but I'm in charge of this area! Old Qin, let's chat with this old brother together!"

The second person who spoke was a tax official in a light gray uniform.

And Zhao Yuanchao didn't care about "how the money was earned," but set his sights on the small knife in Sishui's hand.

"Eh, I won't fight with you guys. I'll just manage this today."

"..."

The few people from the Old Feng family were all stunned.

They came today to stir up trouble and make the Chen family lose face, so why did it seem like they went to the wrong door?

Han Han Lao Han Feng's forehead was sweating, and he leaned forward with a smirk, whispering: "Comrades, our cousin is with you, hehehe..."

"This can't be said outside," Zhao Yuanchao said with a fake smile: "Go inside and talk! I've long left a seat for you, Han Han Lao Han Feng. I've been waiting for you for half a day, just waiting for you to start the banquet!"

"I won't go in. I'm not here to drink. I'll leave after giving my gift."

Han Han Lao Han Feng hurriedly took out five yuan from his pocket, wanting to stuff it into Ergou's hand, and then slip away quickly.

But Ergou wouldn't take it. The atmosphere had been built up to this point; if he didn't clean them up properly today, where would he vent the anger in his heart?

In the side room of Ergou's house, Li Ye, Hao Jian, Jin Peng, Wang Jianqiang, and Li Dayong were at a separate table. Watching Han Han Lao Han Feng being half-dragged into the VIP table in the main room, the brothers all felt relieved.

Hao Jian smiled and said to Jin Peng: "God-father, I said you didn't need to come forward, right? If you came forward, it would be even harder to talk."

"Back then, Li Ye told us to study law well. It seems Sanshui didn't listen at all. If he could read a few hundred words, he wouldn't be such a fool."

Jin Peng sighed and said: "Sanshui felt that with some connections, he had ability, but his vision was still too shallow."

"The more people I come into contact with in these two years, the more I understand what you meant by 'modesty and prudence,' Xiao Ye. Sanshui was too arrogant."

Li Ye shook his head and said: "Sanshui is not on the same path as us. That path of his seems to be passable, but in the end, there will be no good outcome."

The eighties and nineties were an era of barbaric development. Many capable people were at their peak and lawless. If no one had stopped Sanshui from the beginning, he might have become a figure.

But his mistake was being too smart and looking down on Li Ye, which destined him to have a doomed end.

The wine at Ergou's house was good. The VIP table didn't disperse until two in the afternoon. When Han Han Lao Han Feng came out, he was swaying, not knowing if he was drunk or dizzy.

In the evening, Li Ye heard a sentence from his grandfather: "Han Han Lao Han Feng has no experience. After two bottles of wine, he said everything he should and shouldn't have said. It was too easy."

Ergou's wedding was a false alarm.

After sending all the guests away, Ergou returned to the bridal chamber exhausted.

After returning to the bridal chamber, he saw his bride, Chu Zhenzhen, hugging a pile of one-yuan and two-yuan banknotes and counting them.

Seeing Ergou enter, she excitedly whispered: "Mom gave us the accounts from today, and I counted over a hundred yuan! Let's go to the credit union to deposit it tomorrow!"

Ergou sat on the chair and took a breath: "What are you depositing over a hundred yuan for? Besides, we're going to Pengcheng after returning home the day after tomorrow. Who are you depositing the money for in Qingshui?"

"Going to Pengcheng? Are you really taking me to Pengcheng?"

Chu Zhenzhen was first happy, then worried: "But we just got married, and we aren't serving the parents-in-law. What if people gossip about me? I don't want people pointing fingers at me."

"Pfft, Mom is still strong. Do you need to serve her? Giving her a hundred yuan a month is more satisfying than three daughters-in-law serving her."

"What? A hundred yuan? You—you..."

Chu Zhenzhen stammered for a long time before muttering: "I'm not going to Pengcheng with you. You give me a hundred yuan, and I'll serve the parents-in-law at home. I guarantee they have meat every day, two new sets of clothes a year, and the shoes of the eldest brother and younger sister won't have patches..."

"You're talking nonsense. Didn't you see Sanshui's family coming to make trouble today? They don't dare when I'm at home, but what if I'm not? Why take that risk for a hundred yuan? What if they go crazy..."

"If he dares to step into the house, I'll hit him on the forehead with a shovel... A hundred yuan! If I shout, my brothers from my maiden home can tear his house down!"

Chu Zhenzhen stuck out her neck, unwilling. In her view, with a hundred yuan in her hand every month, half the villagers could help her fight.

They were all relatives and friends; could they be bullied by a labor reform prisoner's family?

"Alright, alright, I'll find you a job when we get to Pengcheng, with a monthly salary of at least 150."

Ergou didn't explain to Chu Zhenzhen. The spring night is short; why are you still nagging without taking off your clothes?

The white moonlight of the past! The pleasure level is doubled.

"150 a month? 150..."

Chu Zhenzhen calculated quickly what 150 a month meant, but then she saw Ergou's eyes were wrong.

"Sigh, what are you doing?"

"What am I doing? What do you think I'm doing? What time is it? Aren't we doing proper business?"

"Slow down... don't tear it! It's worth several yuan!"

"Why keep this kind of goods? When we get to Pengcheng, I'll let you see Hong Kong goods. Those are the real good things!"

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 266 =====