"Okay." Xu Qinghe nodded; he had planned to ask his father and Qingjiang for some money, as the past issues, despite causing some friction with the Xu family, were minor compared to Nianji’s wedding, a significant event.
Previously, because Xu Zhihao was marrying a girl from the city, Xu Zhong had said to let Nianji endure for a year and marry a year later.
Xu Qinghe thought that borrowing fifty yuan shouldn’t be a problem.
No sooner had Xu Qinghe and his wife Ji Ying left than Xu Nianhua turned and asked, "Do you think Dad can borrow the money?"
"I doubt it." Xu Nian’an had little hope for his grandfather’s family.
As for his second uncle?
Getting him to lend money would probably mean facing a pile of excuses once again.
"Grandpa previously promised he’d give a dowry when I get married," said Xu Nianji, not as pessimistic as they were making it sound.
Once Xu Qinghe and his wife arrived at the Xu family’s home and raised the issue of borrowing money, before Xu Zhong could even respond, Liu Sanmei had already started making excuses, claiming they would give the money but not until after October, despite it only being August.
They came up with a bunch of excuses, like not having the money right now.
In essence, Xu Zhong and his household didn’t have the money to lend, and Xu Qingjiang and his wife, having mentioned that Xu Zhihao’s wife was pregnant and spending on various supplements, and that Xu Zhiyuan needed money to continue his education, also didn’t have the funds.
Xu Qinghe and Ji Ying, having swallowed their pride to ask for money, didn’t get a single penny, leaving both in a rather bad mood. They then visited another cousin, Xu Yuchun’s home.
This cousin, the son of Xu Qinghe’s eldest uncle and someone Xu Qinghe had grown up with, shared a good relationship with him.
Xu Yuchun, upon hearing that it was for Nianji’s wedding, immediately agreed to lend twenty yuan.
"Qinghe, it’s about time for Nianji at his age to get married," Xu Yuchun said, aware that Nianji’s marriage had been delayed for a year. "The Zhou family girl, I hear, is of good character and hardworking—a daughter-in-law this fine shouldn’t be missed."
"Exactly, that’s why I’m trying to secure this match for Nianji," Xu Qinghe, clutching the twenty yuan borrowed from Xu Yuchun, felt both moved and melancholic.
Leaving Xu Yuchun’s house, Xu Qinghe and his wife visited the Cai family and the Yao family, good friends of theirs, and borrowed twenty yuan from each, accumulating a total of sixty yuan. Xu Qinghe thought that with two hundred yuan now gathered, his mind was finally at ease!
However, thinking of Xu Zhong and his father, he still felt disappointed and disheartened.
"Dad, Mom, how did it go?"
Upon returning home and hearing Xu Qinghe talk about not getting any money from Xu Zhong but managing to collect sixty from Xu Yuchun and others to make up two hundred, Xu Nianji’s heart slightly settled.
Fearing the longer the delay, the more things could go wrong.
Xu Qinghe and his wife took Xu Nianji the very next day to the Zhou family’s place.
The Zhou family lived in another village, quite a distance from Shuangzhu Village, a two-hour walk away.
To make a good impression at the Zhou family’s, they even bought a tin of malted milk, a gift that guaranteed honor no matter who received it.
Upon their arrival, Zhou father and Zhou mother were both at home. Seeing the visitors from the Xu family, the threesome, Zhou father said right away, "It’s good that you’ve come, just in time to call off this engagement."
Zhou father never even asked if they had brought enough money.
The old Luo who had just left had said that as long as he could marry Zhou He, he would give three hundred yuan as a betrothal gift!
With that three hundred yuan, his youngest son’s marriage would also be set.