Chapter 489: You Actually Hid Money

April 13, 1985, Lunar Calendar Year of the Golden Ox, 2nd Month, 24th Day.

Suitable for: Praying for blessings, sacrifices, marriage, opening markets, trading.

A day in advance, Wang Jianqiang's parents and relatives arrived in the capital to propose marriage to the Huang family on behalf of Wang Jianqiang and discuss the marriage between Wang Jianqiang and Huang Suwen. Li Zhongfa, as a "respected" elder, was invited by Wang Jianqiang to act as a matchmaker.

Huang Suwen and Wang Jianqiang had known each other for more than two years, and they were in love and had a natural understanding, so they decided to keep the proposal and engagement simple. This time they discussed it, and they would go to get the certificate and hold the wedding later.

After Li Zhongfa arrived in the capital, he was invited by Wen Qingsheng to drink, and the Wang family was picked up to Wang Jianqiang's courtyard on North Second Street.

In the past, Wang Jianqiang had always been hiding it, but he couldn't hide it anymore. Otherwise, tomorrow at the banquet, if the Huang family's relatives asked, "Did you sleep well last night?"

And the Wang family replied, "We all stayed in a hotel, the bed was really hard."

Wouldn't that make people laugh?

When getting engaged, it wasn't just their Wang family's relatives; there were also many Huang family's relatives. Making a joke would lose face for both families.

So Wang Jianqiang's small courtyard appeared in front of the relatives from his hometown for the first time.

The Wang family entered Wang Jianqiang's courtyard and looked around, wanting to seriously distinguish whether this honest person who usually didn't talk much was doing well in the capital.

For the past two years, Wang Jianqiang rarely went home, but sent money home every month. Some relatives said he was really successful, some guessed he was puffing up his face to look fat.

Now looking carefully, don't they all understand?

With the Chinese people's obsession with houses, you can tell whether a family is doing well or not just by looking at the house.

"How many rooms are there? North room, east room, west room... Good guy, I can't even count them."

"Huo, is this a latrine? If I hadn't seen the pit, I would have thought it was a kitchen! It's actually so clean." 【489-17

"Isn't San'er not very good at studying? Why are there so many books in this room?"

"This is called a study. Haven't you seen it in movies? The study of those billionaires looks just like this."

"He wasn't even as good as me when he was in school, but this..."

Everyone said all sorts of things, but everyone knew that Wang Jianqiang had definitely made something of himself.

Wang Dasheng, the second elder of the Wang family, was considered a man of the world in the family; he was knowledgeable and experienced, and he couldn't stop praising Wang Jianqiang's house.

"Qiangzi, this house of yours isn't bad at all; it's spacious and well-proportioned. Not to mention among our younger generation, even if you count your second uncle, your conditions are top-notch. You really have great ability!"

"Second Uncle, please stop praising me," Wang Jianqiang said with a smile. "I didn't think about buying property or land at first. It was Brother Peng and the others who wanted to buy a house and helped me pick one up along the way. Otherwise, how would I have that kind of ability?"

Wang Dasheng patted his nephew on the shoulder and sighed, "You can't say it like that. Being able to make good friends is also an ability, and a great one at that. I see that our old Wang family will have to rely on you to shoulder the heavy responsibilities in the future!"

This time, the Wang family came north to the capital to propose marriage. By rights, Wang Dasheng should have been the "person in charge," but Wang Jianqiang had invited Li Zhongfa over instead.

If this were in the past, Wang Dasheng would have flipped the table long ago.

But now, he didn't have a shred of temper, because the current Li Zhongfa was absolutely a popular figure in Qingshui County.

Although Li Zhongfa had retired to the second line and become some sort of "Hong Kong Capital Consultant," his influence hadn't diminished in the slightest compared to when he was a bureau chief.

Since the Qingshui County Food Company went into production, its products had been in short supply, and it had already begun its second round of expansion. Even the provincial television station had reported on it repeatedly.

Everyone had seen it on TV; those workers admitted in front of the interview microphones that their monthly wages exceeded one hundred.

Over one hundred! That was higher than the section chiefs of other units.

So, as soon as the expansion project began, everyone started pulling strings and looking for connections, hoping their own children could enter the Qingshuihe Food Company as workers.

But no one's connections were as effective as a single word from Li Zhongfa.

And when the New Year arrived, the leaders of the county all had to pay New Year calls to Li Zhongfa.

Not to mention the legendary young talents like Watching Watching Watching Jin Peng and Hao Jian who had made a fortune; it was said they were all supported by Li Zhongfa in the past few years.

Wang Dasheng didn't understand what a "godfather" was, but in his eyes, Li Zhongfa was a similar figure.

Wang Jianqiang used to call Li Zhongfa "Master" out of respect for the old family ties, but now, as long as he could deepen the relationship, he, as the second uncle, had to support it.

Although he was an elder, he might even have to rely on the light of his junior, Wang Jianqiang, in the future!

But while the second elder of the Wang family could figure it out, the other elders of the Wang family might not necessarily understand.

The Wang family was a large clan. Wang Jianqiang's father, Wang Daguang, was the sixth-born, with five older brothers above him. The eldest had passed away long ago, leaving four. According to the naming customs in Qingshui County, Wang Jianqiang had to call them all "Grandpa."

The third grandpa frowned and said, "Qiangzi, is this television of yours 21 inches? What is this... a video recorder? Your mother's room only has a 17-inch black and white one. You even bought a video recorder?"

The fourth grandpa stuck out his chin, acting all high and mighty: "Qiangzi, you even have a refrigerator here! Your mother doesn't have one yet! It's not that I'm criticizing you, but you aren't being filial enough..."

The fifth grandpa was even more direct. He sat down on a chair with a grand air and beckoned Wang Jianqiang over.

"Qiangzi, you spent quite a bit of money setting up this house and buying so many appliances, right? Then why did you say you had no money when I sent you a telegram to borrow two thousand yuan last month?"

"Exactly! During the New Year, we asked you to find a job for your cousin, and you kept making excuses. It's not like we asked you to arrange a cadre position for him; isn't a job paying two hundred yuan a month easy to find?"

Wang Jianqiang looked at the group of elders with an expressionless face, as if he were looking at a group of fools.

But what he didn't know was that in the eyes of these people, he was the "dim-witted, foolish" one.

This was no wonder; Wang Jianqiang basically didn't want to go home after following Watching Watching Watching Jin Peng, and the two times he threw a tantrum at home—beating up his second brother Wang Dayong and confronting his mother Fan Chunhua—both incidents were considered "family scandals," and the family hadn't detailed them to outsiders.

So these people still thought Wang Jianqiang was the same soft persimmon he used to be, one that could be kneaded and bullied at will.

If I don't bully you, how can I show off my ability as an elder? How can I demonstrate my dignity as an elder?

Don't say they are evil people; the world is just like this. When a new official takes office, they light three fires—isn't that just to burn the soft persimmons?

Who is stupid enough to burn an iron plate?

Then why do they like bullying soft persimmons?

Because after being bullied, the other party will at most cry a little, and they will definitely not explode with a "boom" like a firecracker, making the situation impossible to clean up.

But today, Wang Jianqiang didn't even offer a smile in the face of the accusations from a group of elders.

This time, he notified the family to come and arrange the engagement with the Huang family, but he didn't say so many people should come. As a result, nearly twenty people showed up.

If everyone acted like an elder and pointed fingers, wouldn't this engagement be ruined by them?

So Wang Jianqiang just glanced at them a few times and said coldly, "Grandpas, you all know what I was like growing up. No one loved me, no one cared for me; I was just a little better than the beggars on the street.

But I've been working hard to earn money outside these past few years, and I haven't forgotten my family. I renovated the house for the family the year before last, helped my second brother get a wife last year, and sent my mother eighty yuan every month.

My mother's television is black and white, so what color is the television in your houses?

My mother doesn't even dare to say I'm unfilial, so what? Do you think I'm unfilial?"

Wang Jianqiang confronted the group of elders with two sentences, then turned to his father, Wang Daguang, and said, "Dad, you explain it to the grandpas. Don't let them have any misunderstandings.

Tomorrow is the day to finalize the marriage, so there can't be any more unpleasant words spoken then."

Wang Jianqiang's father, Wang Daguang, looked at his son and said weakly, "These are all your elders. What's wrong with them saying a few words to you?

You just listen well. If you don't listen to the elders, you'll suffer. Listening to the elders... there's no harm in it."

Wang Jianqiang's mother, Fan Chunhua, also said, "That's right, that's right. The grandpas traveled a thousand miles to help you propose marriage. What's wrong with them saying a few words to you? You won't lose a piece of flesh..."

Wang Jianqiang frowned, knowing that what was bound to come had come.

Ever since Wang Daguang and Fan Chunhua entered his courtyard today, their mindset had changed.

Why did it change?

Because Wang Jianqiang was hiding money.

Wasn't it agreed that he earned over a hundred in wages and sent eighty home? Then where did such a big house, such new furniture, and so many appliances come from?

A son who hadn't even split the family and lived separately had actually learned to hide money? Was that acceptable?

According to current customs, whether the young couple's money can be managed by the young wife after marriage is still up for debate! Shouldn't the money before marriage be held by the mother?

If you dare to hide money, you're rebelling against heaven.

It was only because Wang Jianqiang had thrown tantrums at home twice before, letting his parents know his strength, that Fan Chunhua hadn't started cursing yet.

"Did you hear that, Qiangzi? Your father and mother both said it. Today you must be lectured. You're almost married, so why are you still disrespectful to your elders? If the woman's side finds out, won't they laugh at us?"

"Exactly. If you still keep this stinky face tomorrow, we'll just not go. You're being disrespectful and immature; isn't that embarrassing enough?"

Because of the indulgence of Wang Daguang and Fan Chunhua, the arrogance of the elders flared up again.

Seeing Wang Jianqiang's face turn dark, the second elder of the Wang family hurriedly stood up.

"I say, what are you all doing? You're all grown up, why are you still getting angry at a child?"

"What did you come here for this time? Is this the time to borrow money? Is this the time to ask for jobs for the children?"

"Don't be confused, one by one. Qiangzi only needs you to help him save face for his engagement and wedding. What's the matter, do you have to peel a layer of skin off him too?"

"I say, Old Sixth's wife, you've arrived at the house and instead of boiling water and pouring tea for everyone, you're catching Qiangzi and lecturing him with such gusto?"

Wang Dasheng first scolded his brothers and sisters-in-law, then promised Wang Jianqiang, "Qiangzi, don't think too much. These are all your elders. Although their words aren't pleasant, they will definitely not delay your life's big event."

(End of chapter)