Chapter 44: Discussing the Marriage

Gu Zhenhua had a reason for acting this way towards his family. Since he couldn’t escape his blood relatives, he simply used his fists to suppress them, preventing them from causing trouble for him.

After scolding Gu Fugen, he began to secretly observe Lin Xiangnan’s expression. Seeing that there was no fear or disgust on her face, Gu Zhenhua felt relieved.

Lin Xiangnan was lost in thought, and she didn’t pay attention to the road under her feet. She stepped on a dry twig and almost fell to the side.

“Be careful.” Gu Zhenhua quickly reached out to help her.

Lin Xiangnan rested one hand on Gu Zhenhua’s arm, and her other hand accidentally wrapped around his waist. Feeling the firm muscles under her palm, Lin Xiangnan quickly straightened up, she couldn’t help but lower her head and cover her mouth to stifle a laugh.

This arm, this waist, is really good.

Just for this physique and strength, it wouldn’t be a loss to marry him.

Lin Xiangnan didn’t care about his temper. If Gu Zhenhua dared to be rude to her, she would dare to fight back, she wouldn’t be as cowardly as the Gu family.

Because she not only knew how to reason, but she also knew a little bit of martial arts.

She had been taking the “Strengthening Body Pills” from the Underworld for a month, her strength was not to be underestimated. If she couldn’t get along with Gu Zhenhua peacefully, she could also fight him, she wasn’t afraid.

Having made up her mind, Lin Xiangnan went back and told Hu Meili.

Dating was a young person’s business, arranging the marriage was what the elders needed to busy themselves with.

“What do you mean?” Hu Meili asked curiously, “You really like him?”

“What’s so strange about that? He’s so handsome.”

Hu Meili couldn’t help but grumble, “I introduced so many to you before, you didn’t like any of them. But you like this kind of guy. I still have to discuss your marriage with Gu Chouni, just thinking about it makes me feel annoyed.”

“When Gu Zhenhua came last time, he brought a fan. I already have one in my room. Do you want to take it?”

“This kid Zhenhua, how polite he is.” Hearing that Gu Zhenhua was so generous, Hu Meili’s expression instantly changed, “The things of the older generation have nothing to do with the children. No matter what, this kid Zhenhua is still a good guy, your uncle always praises him.”

Lin Xiangnan ate a piece of watermelon speechlessly, she knew that words were useless, so she directly pushed the fan out.

In Hu Meili’s eyes, promises and nice words were all empty, only real gold and silver good things could show her sincerity.

Although she didn’t like the Gu family, she was very satisfied with Gu Zhenhua now, “Don’t worry, Mom will definitely arrange this for you.”

Normally, the parents of the children should sit down and talk about the marriage.

But the Gu family was different, Gu Zhenhua could make his own decisions, he could just inform Gu Fugen and his wife after they agreed.

Gu Zhenhua only had a few days of vacation left, he could submit the marriage report when he went back to the army, but the specific details needed to be discussed in advance.

He had recovered from his injury, and he had to go on a mission when he went back, communication was not convenient. Gu Zhenhua was afraid that if things dragged on, the marriage would be delayed.

He was in his twenties and had just met someone he liked, Gu Zhenhua didn’t dare to gamble, so he quickly expressed his desire to get married and invited Hu Meili and Hu Daxi to discuss the marriage.

Hu Meili knew that Gu Zhenhua was rich and generous, so she didn’t hold back when it came to making demands.

“I’ll give Xiaonan a room as a dowry. The house is new, and the furniture is also new. So I don’t require you to prepare a new house or buy new furniture. You just need to buy Xiaonan a bicycle, a tape recorder, and a watch, and then give us a hundred yuan as a dowry, things like sewing machines, we don’t need them, Xiaonan won’t make clothes anyway.”

Hearing these demands, Hu Daxi, the matchmaker, secretly stepped on Hu Meili’s foot under the table, and gave her a warning look: Don’t be greedy, you’ll scare him away. Lin Xiangnan doesn’t have a job now, she’s counting on getting married and staying in the city.

The standard configuration now was only 36 legs, mostly simple furniture like cabinets, desks, and stools. Hu Meili’s demands for things like watches and bicycles, the “three turns and one ring,” were the most high-end configurations at this time. Just buying these things would cost four or five hundred yuan, you wouldn’t be able to afford them without being a cadre.

Ordinary worker families struggled to raise their children, where could they save so much extra money?

Hu Meili saw Hu Daxi’s gesture, but she didn’t budge.

“Even in the countryside, the groom has to prepare a new house and buy new furniture, right? I’m not demanding that from Xiaogu, I’m being considerate. I love my daughter, I’m willing to give her a house as a dowry, I’ve solved the most difficult problem, the groom can’t just not give anything, right?”

“My daughter is a high school graduate, and she’s beautiful, there’s no girl on this street who’s prettier than her, there are countless young men who have their eyes on her.”

When it comes to money, Hu Meili doesn’t care about courtesy. She first put forward her demands and her advantages, if there’s a problem, the other party can say it.

After a couple of rounds of back and forth, they understood each other’s bottom line.

But Gu Zhenhua felt that Hu Meili’s words made sense, he agreed to Hu Meili’s demands without a word.

“Okay, let’s do it your way.”

Hearing this answer, Hu Meili wasn’t very happy, she patted her thigh in annoyance under the table: What a loss, I didn’t ask for enough.

Just as Hu Meili was about to add something, Gu Zhenhua said with sincerity, “I’ll send the things over tomorrow first, to finalize this matter. Once the marriage report is approved, we can get the certificate.”

Seeing Gu Zhenhua’s sincerity, Hu Meili was too embarrassed to say anything more, “Okay, let’s arrange it like this for now.”

Lin Xiangnan’s matter was settled, and Hu Meili felt relieved.

At least she wouldn’t have to be lectured by the factory leaders anymore.

She had to be lectured by the leaders after finishing her work at the factory, she couldn’t refute, she could only listen obediently. After listening, she would be filled with anger.

Hu Meili went home with anger, and when she saw Lin Xiangnan, the instigator, enjoying life leisurely, she would want to scold her a few times to vent her anger, even if Lin Xiangnan was mute. Let alone Lin Xiangnan, who was quick-witted, with Lin Xiangnan’s mouth, Hu Meili would want to beat her even more.

Now she had finally gotten rid of this trouble.

Gu Zhenhua negotiated his own marriage, and when he went home, he only informed Gu Fugen and his wife.

“What do you mean? You want to marry into the Hu family? You don’t even have a place to live at home, how could the Hu family marry their daughter to you?” Gu San Chouni knew their family’s situation.

Those who knew the Gu family’s situation wouldn’t want to marry their daughter into the family. Their eldest son was so excellent, but he could only marry a country girl.

Gu Zhenhua didn’t want his family to interfere in his affairs, he directly perfunctorily said, “I’m marrying in. I’ll live with the Hu family.”

“Marrying in? No way. You’re my son of the Gu family, how can you marry in, the ancestors would be angry if they knew.” Gu Fugen was the first to object.

This was a matter of principle, even though he was afraid of Gu Zhenhua, he had to express his opinion.

Gu Chouni’s attitude was slightly better, but she also objected, “The Hu family has a son, why are you taking my son? Anyway, you’re not allowed to marry in, otherwise, you’ll have been raised for nothing for over twenty years.”

Gu Zhenhua sneered, “What kind of joke is that? If you really care so much about your son, would the fourth and fifth sons starve to death? If it wasn’t for others giving me food, I would have starved to death long ago, don’t talk to me about being raised for nothing. You only know how to give birth, not raise.”