Wang Yuemei guessed it; she wasn’t very foolish. Even though she had a job now as a temporary worker and her salary had increased a bit, around twenty to slightly over thirty, she still had to give twenty yuan to her parents. Besides, she ate and drank at the factory, so she barely saved any money each month.
Her clothes were self-made from flawed fabric provided by the factory.
"Auntie, I don’t know how much dowry is appropriate. What do you think I should ask for?"
She knew she wasn’t as beautiful as her older sister and feared the dowry wouldn’t be as much as five hundred and three turns and a sound.
"Three hundred, and three turns and a sound, no less. But I’ll secretly ask Xiao He to buy you a watch. You’re so grown up and still don’t have one."
"Auntie, will my parents agree to it?"
Auntie Wang nodded, "I will persuade your parents. Whatever your parents say, just go with it. After you’re married, you won’t have to worry. Though Xiao He isn’t a native of Capital City, he knows quite a few people here and even has some relatives around."
Wang Yuemei nodded and accepted the arrangement, "Thank you, Auntie, for thinking of me."
The matter was thus settled.
"Xiao He bought a house and is still in debt, but having a house means not having to squeeze in with others. That’s good news, and once the debt is cleared, life will be easier."
Auntie Wang didn’t immediately go to discuss the matter with Zhao Tianhe.
She waited two days before bringing it up.
"Xiao He, Yuemei is very happy with you, and you?"
"Auntie, I had an arranged meeting with her sister before, and now with her. Isn’t that a bit awkward?"
"What’s the problem? It doesn’t matter."
Zhao Tianhe found it difficult to refuse, "Auntie, you know I borrowed money from our boss to buy the house, I might not be able to come up with that amount of money?"
"Three hundred, and after she comes over, buy her a watch."
Is this somewhat inappropriate?
"Will her parents agree to it?"
He had not agreed to the earlier dowry requests.
"Leave that to me, Yuemei has a good temperament."
Zhao Tianhe was a bit overwhelmed, but he consented nonetheless.
"Auntie, won’t her parents possibly..."
"Are you worried that once Yuemei marries you, she’ll only think of her family? I can assure you, Yuemei isn’t like that. She also fears her parents will marry her off to someone who offers a high dowry. This girl is pitiable, having done household chores since she was sensible. Despite being the youngest, she isn’t pampered at all; instead, her older siblings command her around."
"Auntie, you don’t know, in our village, there’s a sister-in-law who, after getting married, sent everything to her family. Her own children are reduced to skin and bones while her nephews are chubby and well-fed."
"Yuemei isn’t that kind of person."
After getting off work, Zhao Tianhe discussed the matter with Yun Xiaoxiao and Zhao Tianlei to hear their opinions.
"Xiao He, are you taking pity on this girl?"
Sometimes, fondness starts from pity.
"Sister-in-law, she is really thin, doesn’t at all look like a city child, like Xiao Yun was before coming to Capital City."
City children have food rations; though they can’t eat fine grains at every meal, they aren’t reduced to skin and bones.
"She is quite tall, even taller than your sister-in-law, but thinner."
It seems like girls from the north are generally taller than those from the south.