Chapter 25.2: Director Zhao swings a stick

“Xiulian, what’s the matter? Can we talk about it later? Just come back with me today,” Wang Xiangquan said, his attitude very low, almost pleading.

Pan Xiulian bit her lip, turned her face away, refusing to let herself waver.

Mother Pan pushed Wang Xiangquan away, standing in front of her daughter, and angrily said, “If you don’t bring ten yuan today, don’t even think about taking my daughter!”

Wang family’s three brothers were furious, “Didn’t we agree on this earlier? Why are you asking for money now when it’s time to bring the bride?”

The boys from Zhao Village stood behind, whispering, and also voiced their support:

“Exactly, the whole village is waiting. What’s this about?”

“Don’t you guys take our Zhao Village production team seriously?”

“Are you coming or not?”

The Pan family’s relatives stood by Mother Pan, who was firm, “It’s ten yuan, no ten yuan, the wedding is off.”

Wang Xiangquan’s face was full of pain, “Dad, Mom, do you have to make things so difficult for me?”

“Don’t call us like that,” Mother Pan said angrily, “We’re making things difficult for you? Why isn’t your Wang family giving my daughter any respect?”

Wang Xiangquan turned to Pan Xiulian, “Xiulian, you know what kind of person I am. My family has done everything we can to give you a grand wedding. What else are you not satisfied with?”

Pan Xiulian’s eyes were filled with tears as she glared at him, “Then tell me, why did your younger brother get twenty yuan as a dowry for his bride, but I only get ten? This is a slap in the face—how do people look at me now? Am I not worth anything?”

Wang Xiangquan explained, “My mom didn’t agree.”

Pan Xiulian pointed at Wang Laosi, “Ask him if she agreed.”

Wang Xiangquan looked at his younger brother. When he saw his brother’s strange expression, he grabbed him by the collar, veins bulging in his neck, “Did Mom agree or not?”

Wang Xiangping had no words to explain. “San Ge, there’s a misunderstanding. Can we talk about this later?”

“I’m asking you if Mom agreed or not!”

It was true that she had agreed, but… Wang Xiangping couldn’t explain the situation.

And from his expression, others could only assume that he had tacitly agreed.

“You can’t stand to see me do well, can you? You had to make a scene like this now and drag it out endlessly?”

Wang Xiangquan was furious and raised his fist, ready to hit him.

Wang Lao Da and Lao Er quickly stepped in to pull the two apart, but their faces didn’t look good either.

The young boys from Zhao Village’s production team were no longer as confident as before, not knowing what to do now.

Mother Pan had a cold expression, “Don’t fight in our Pan Village. I’ll say it once: if you have the ten yuan, take her away; if not, just forget it.”

Wang Xiangquan clenched his fist and looked at his eldest brother, “I have to bring my wife back. Otherwise, I’ll lose face in the production team.”

Wang Laoda couldn’t agree. For their family, ten or twenty yuan was no small amount.

Wang Xiangquan turned to the young men from Zhao Village and decisively said, “Can you help me raise the money first? We’ll talk about the dowry after I bring my bride back.”

However, the young men looked at each other. None of them had much money on them, and they couldn’t gather ten yuan no matter how they tried.

Everyone turned to Zhao Feng, wondering if he might have more money.

Zhao Feng, with pockets cleaner than his face: “…”

“Don’t look at him like that; he’s under a lot of pressure.”

Zhao Feng said, “How about I ride back faster and let them know? The village doesn’t even know yet.”

There was no other option.

So Zhao Feng, fearing any delay, rode as fast as he could.

As soon as he appeared outside the Wang family’s courtyard, Aunt Dong squeezed out of the crowd and grabbed him, asking anxiously, “Where is everyone? Why is it just you coming back?”

Zhao Feng, gasping for air, quickly explained what had happened with the Pan Village production team. As he spoke, his breathing steadied, and his words came faster. “In short, the Pan family now insists that your family give them an additional ten yuan, or else they won’t marry the girl off.”

Aunt Dong felt dizzy.

People around her quickly supported her, preventing her from falling.

Leaning on someone nearby to steady herself, Aunt Dong suddenly burst into tears. “How can they be so unreasonable?”

Her eldest daughter-in-law, Zhao Huahua, and second daughter-in-law, Zhou Xiuli, rushed to her side, looking worried.

The second daughter-in-law looked even paler than she had two hours ago.

At that moment, Zhao Huahua’s father, Zhao Xinwei, questioned, “I’m asking you, my in-laws, did you really agree to give the Sun family twenty yuan for the bride price?”

Zhou Xiuli’s mother also spoke up, “Don’t you know your own situation? You should at least consider your grandson’s well-being.”

Zhao Huahua’s mother squeezed through the crowd and pulled her daughter close, “Why such favoritism between the daughters-in-law?”

Aunt Dong cried even harder, her voice growing louder.

In the crowd, Grandma Sun, who insisted on the twenty yuan dowry, began to look uneasy as she saw the Wang family’s reaction.

Wang Changhe said, “What’s the point of crying? Does crying help? We need to think about what to do next.”

At this point, what else could they do? The wedding absolutely couldn’t be called off.

Aunt Dong wiped her tears and turned to the village leader, “Leader, could you lend us ten yuan for now? We can pay it back from the harvest’s dividend.”

Zhao Huahua’s and Zhou Xiuli’s families were reluctant. “You already bought things on credit for Laosan’s wedding. Now you want to buy more on credit? How are you going to divide the harvest? Won’t you end up owing the village?”

“What are you arguing about? What’s wrong with you?” Zhao Xinshan glared at Zhao Xinwei and his wife, “Why are you two getting involved? Wang Laosan’s wedding isn’t easy, and if it gets called off, how is he ever going to find another bride?”

Zhao Xinwei and his wife dared not argue with him, only casting glances at Zhao Si Ye.

Zhao Si Ye spoke up, “Xinshan, the Wang family has a lot of people. We can’t just let one son marry off and leave so many other children hungry.”

Face and dignity both laid bare, Wang Changhe and Aunt Dong looked somewhat defeated, their spirits dampened.

It was all for money.

Just a few coins could shatter a person’s backbone.

Zhao Ke felt a weight in her heart as well.

“I’ll lend them the money personally, not using the production team’s public funds.”

Zhao Xinshan, as the village leader, took full responsibility, genuinely considering the well-being of the villagers and offering to bear the cost himself.

Wang Changhe and Aunt Dong were deeply grateful, and even Wang Changhe, a simple farmer, had tears in his eyes.

Zhao Ke suddenly spoke up, “Leader, may I speak to you for a moment?”

Zhao Xinshan furrowed his brows and looked at her, “What do you want to say now? The wedding can’t be delayed past noon.”

In the North, weddings, especially second marriages, were held in the afternoon. It was already getting late, and if delayed, the wedding would be considered unlucky.

Zhao Ke understood this, but still insisted, “It’ll only take a few words. It won’t take long.”

She could have just said it outright, but that would have seemed like a direct contradiction to Zhao Xinshan’s decision, which would be disrespectful.

Zhao Xinshan hesitated for a few seconds, then walked with her to the side and asked, “What’s on your mind?”

Under the gaze of Zhao Xinshan and the villagers, Zhao Ke said seriously, “I think this wedding should be postponed for now, not just because of the money, but because things need to be clarified.”

If things always went wrong in their family, even if Zhao Ke stopped being the Women’s Director, Comrade Yu Xiulan would still face trouble.

They couldn’t just think about the present.

Zhao Ke continued, “Regardless of anything, the Pan family causing trouble on the wedding day feels like they’re forcing it. If the Wang family gives in today, they might feel good for now, but what about later? If there’s tension between the couple and between the families, things won’t go well in the long run.”

She made sense, but Zhao Xinshan also had his own reasons: “We should encourage reconciliation, not separation. What if the two families fall out? With the Wang family’s situation, Wang Laosan might end up single forever.”

Older generations often saw unmarried men as a source of instability.

Zhao Ke responded, “I have a suggestion…”

On the other side, everyone watched as Zhao Ke continued speaking, while Zhao Xinshan’s expression shifted between tense and relaxed.

Wang Changhe and Aunt Dong were growing more anxious, and the other villagers murmured: What are they talking about?

Some villagers asked Yu Xiulan and Zhao Jianguo.

Zhao Jianguo gave a simple, honest smile, while Yu Xiulan directly said, “How would I know?”

After a while, Zhao Xinshan and Zhao Ke finally finished their conversation and walked back.

“Leader?”

Wang Changhe and Aunt Dong anxiously stepped forward.

Zhao Xinshan said, “I’ve thought it over again. This matter really needs to be considered carefully. It’s better to have your third son come back today.”

Aunt Dong’s vision blurred again, her face full of distress. “Leader, we can’t do this, what about my Laosan?”

Zhao Xinshan changed his mind because of his conversation with Zhao Ke.

The villagers all looked at Zhao Ke, their gazes varied.

Aunt Dong couldn’t help but glare at Zhao Ke.

Zhao Xinshan said, “Don’t worry, it’s not that we’re ignoring it. Tomorrow we’ll use the ox cart to bring the Pan family to the production team, and the team will mediate.”

The couple’s mood improved slightly. “Will it work?”

Zhao Xinshan firmly said, “We’ll talk about it tomorrow.”

“Then what about all this food? Isn’t it all wasted?”

Zhao Ke spoke up, “Mom, let’s take some of the cooked dishes home to eat. We can also pick up some ingredients for Aunt Dong’s family later.”

Yu Xiulan instantly understood what she meant and took the lead, “We have to prepare anyway, each family should take a little bit.”

Li Cuihua supported Zhao Xinshan’s decision, leading the way to ask her daughter-in-law and Zhao Yunyun to start serving the dishes. Seeing this, the other villagers gradually began to move as well.

The two meat dishes from the main table were divided between Yu Xiulan and Li Cuihua, and then both families took some of the vegetarian dishes.

Once everyone else had taken their share, the remaining dishes stayed with the Wang family.

The Wang family didn’t lose too much in the end, and Wang Changhe and Aunt Dong thanked each family one by one.

After delivering the dishes, everyone returned to take their tables, stools, and bowls back.

Aunt Dong walked over to Zhao Ke, feeling embarrassed, and said, “Just now… don’t hold it against me, I was too anxious. Also… well, thank you.”

Zhao Ke didn’t mind, “It’s nothing. I am the Women’s Director, after all.”

Meanwhile, Zhao Feng was entrusted with an important task, pedaling his bicycle like mad, rushing back to Pan Village at top speed.

Wang Xinquan paced back and forth in front of the Pan family’s house, the three Wang brothers looked troubled, and the young men from Zhao Village stood off to the side. Everyone was waiting for someone to return.

Inside, the Pan family was in disarray.

Pan Xiulian clasped her hands together, her knuckles bearing crescent-shaped marks. “Mom, do you think the Wang family will bring the money?”

Mother Pan put on a stern face, “If they don’t bring the money, then don’t marry her!”

Pan Xiulian’s tears fell, “If he can’t marry, then I don’t need to get married either. What good name will I have left?”

Mother Pan pinched her arm hard, “I’m doing this for your own good. You’re ungrateful.”

“Doing this for me?” Pan Xiulian shouted with a sob in her voice, “Is that money supposed to be for me?”

Mother Pan, furious, pinched her again, “If I had twenty, I could give you ten. Our family isn’t rich, and I’m already giving you a dowry. What more do you want?”

Pan Xiulian covered the place where she was pinched and cried silently.

“Here they come! They’re back!”

A shout rang from outside, and Pan Xiulian and the rest of the Pan family rushed to look.

Wang Xiangquan hurried to meet Zhao Feng. “Did you bring the money?”

“Whoo—” Zhao Feng shook his head, “Whoo—no.”

“No?!” Wang Xiangquan panicked. “What do you mean, no?”

Mother Pan and the others walked out of the house and, hearing this, all panicked: “No money?! Well, looks like you don’t want to marry her!”

“Listen…” Zhao Feng wanted to say something but, as soon as he opened his mouth, he started panting. “Whoo—whoo—”

The Pan family quickly shifted from panic to anger, surrounding Wang Xiangquan and harshly scolding him. No matter how much he tried to explain, he couldn’t calm their fury.

Inside the house, Pan Xiulian collapsed onto the kang, crying with her shoulders trembling.

Zhao Feng, in a panic, rushed forward. “No, no, it’s not what you think, listen to me.”

The Pan family glared at him angrily, while Wang Xiangquan looked at him as if he were a lifeline.

Zhao Feng swallowed a mouthful of saliva, exhaled, and first conveyed the Production Team Leader’s instructions: “Our Production Team Leader said, things shouldn’t have gotten to this point, and it doesn’t look good. Tomorrow, we’ll send people to bring your family to Zhao Village’s production team. The Production Team Leader and the Women’s Director will mediate. Once it’s settled, we’ll choose another day for the wedding.”

His sister had told him not to say anything negative about the mediation.

“Marriage isn’t about making enemies. It’s a happy day, and if there’s any resentment, how will things work for San Ge and Xiulian in the future?” Zhao Feng said, then turned to Pan’s parents, “Uncle, Aunt, what do you think?”

Pan’s parents exchanged a look, then reluctantly agreed, “Fine, we’ll accept.”

Having completed his task, Zhao Feng let out a sigh of relief.

Wang Xiangquan called out to the house, “Xiulian, we’ll come back tomorrow.”

Inside, Pan Xiulian understood there was room for reconciliation, and she gained some strength.

The young men of Zhao Village returned just as they came, but unlike their earlier joyous mood, they now looked dispirited.

And Zhao Village still hadn’t calmed down.

Once everyone had returned home, the Wang family’s yard was left in a mess.

At this moment, Yu Xiulan and several women came for a third visit, holding bowls or plates, standing outside the Wang family’s front gate shouting:

“Who didn’t pay attention and took my new bowl? Don’t you know your own bowl’s corner is broken?!”

“My plate doesn’t have this pattern. Which of you women took the wrong one?!”

“Such idiots, don’t let me catch you!”

…

Chickens crowed, dogs barked, and everyone joined in.

In the end, of course, it was all just shouting and scolding, with no results.