Three hundred yuan, and a bicycle too?
This time, the marriage negotiation naturally ended on a discordant note.
Back home, Xu Nianhua couldn’t help but click his tongue when he heard the demands. It was the year 1979, and in the village, a marriage gift of two hundred yuan was already quite generous.
But the Zhou Family’s father actually wanted three hundred yuan and a bicycle?
Even if they borrowed more money, they could not come up with that much.
A bicycle alone would cost nearly two hundred yuan.
"Big brother, did you mention to Sister Zhou about meeting up in the county?"
Xu Nianhua quietly inquired.
Before leaving, Xu Nianhua had told Xu Nianji to somehow meet with Zhou He and then, find a way to get her to visit the county.
Without meeting, many things were difficult to handle.
"I did," Xu Nianji nodded, saying, "Zhou He’s mother was also there at the time, so I couldn’t speak too clearly, but I think Xiaohe should be able to understand."
Xu Nianhua felt relieved, deciding to first meet Zhou He before anything else.
The next day, the three Xu siblings went to the county early, not just to sell Mung Bean Jelly but also in hopes of seeing Zhou He.
Xu Nianji’s leg, scabbed over from the wound, looked unsightly, but at least he could walk normally.
Having left the brick factory, he helped Xu Nian’an with chopping firewood in the mornings and evenings and accompanied him to the county to sell Mung Bean Jelly during the day!
Their grown bean sprouts could be sold in two more days.
The rented house also required a final tidy-up, especially the kitchen. Even though Grandma Cai was tidy on a daily basis, as a single person taking care of her grandson, she couldn’t attend to everything.
At noon, Xu Nianji helped Xu Nian’an sell Mung Bean Jelly under the big tree opposite their door, while Xu Nianhua waited for Zhou He.
Zhou He’s appearance was not much of an impression in her memory, the only thing she recalled was that Zhou He would rather die than marry someone else, having drowned herself in the lake.
As Xu Nianji followed Xu Nian’an, he watched him deftly sell Mung Bean Jelly and found it extremely novel. He secretly practiced, determined to be bold and speak up when it was his turn to sell bean sprouts.
Just then, Xu Nianji spotted Zhou He not far away, looking around in search of someone.
Zhou He’s face was flushed as she spotted Xu Nianji, her eyes lit up, and she hurried over. She had come out on the pretext of buying embroidery thread.
She was very skilled at embroidery, often taking embroidered handkerchiefs to the county to sell. Although the earnings were meager, as they say, even a small mosquito is still meat.
"Xiaohe," said Xu Nianji, as he looked at her whom he hadn’t seen for a long time, filled with a thousand words to say, but upon seeing her flushed cheeks, he found himself speechless.
"Sister-in-law, have a bowl of Mung Bean Jelly, cool yourself off from the heat."
Xu Nian’an considerately handed a bowl to Zhou He.
Zhou He was about to decline, but Xu Nianji said, "Have some, we made it ourselves. It’s very hot outside. My little sister is over there; let me take you to her."
"How have you been lately?" Xu Nianji walked with Zhou He to the rented house and asked. Ever since Zhou He appeared, his gaze had stayed on her face, never shifting away.
"I’ve been good, how about you? I heard you were injured, are you okay?" Zhou He looked at Xu Nianji with concern, her eyes on his scabbed leg and thinking about the village rumors, she was extremely worried. Seeing him safe and sound now, she could finally ease her worries.
"I’m fine, just a minor scratch on my leg," Xu Nianji said with a grin.
Xu Nianhua had just finished cleaning the room and came out to see them walking side by side in the sunlight. In the sunlight, their contrasting heights formed a complementary silhouette.