Chapter 11 : There should be no barriers between husband and wife.

He didn’t need much money in the army, so he sent all his monthly salary back home and only saved his bonuses. In theory, his family should have had a good life.

His two younger brothers and one younger sister were all in school, and his mother was the only one earning full work points because she was a barefoot doctor. Despite this, there was never enough food, and every year, they had to buy extra food from the brigade.

His mother was a very thrifty person. For the several people in the family, it was enough that they didn’t go hungry. She couldn’t afford to care about nutrition, even though she was a doctor.

So, every time Xiao Yuyan came back, he would remind his mother not to be too reluctant to eat.

“I know. Don’t worry. When my daughter-in-law comes home, I’ll definitely give her a good meal.”

“I’ll go propose the marriage at noon. The day after tomorrow is a good day for the engagement. Do you have time to prepare your things?”

“Come with me, and I’ll give you the money you sent back earlier.”

Lin Lan said as she walked toward the house.

“Mom, I don’t want the money i sent before.”

Xiao Yuyan said seriously.

“What nonsense! That’s the money you need for your wife’s dowry. If you don’t want it, how will you marry her?”

Lin Lan glared at her son. How could he marry a city girl with the little money he had?

Seeing that her eldest son didn’t move, Lin Lan walked back a few steps to pull him.

“Let’s go. Let’s discuss how much the betrothal gift should be.”

After saying this, Xiao Yuyan moved.

It did need to be discussed. After marriage, salary and savings would definitely be handed over, but the betrothal gift still needed to be taken out separately.

The two went to Lin Lan’s room, where she took out a thin iron box from under the bed.

“This passbook contains the salary you sent back over the past 10 years, a total of 3,762 yuan. Over the years, Mom has raised these children with your dad’s pension, plus my work points and the money from selling medicine. When they grow up, they will also help the family earn work points. It’s enough for us, so all the money is here without any use.”

“Go take out 1,000 yuan. We’ll give 999 yuan to Ye Suiwan as a betrothal gift, and the rest will be for three turns and one ring. Prepare the receipts and give them to her along with the money.”

“You should take her with you to join the army. You can arrange for her to live in your little home. Mom hopes you can take her with you. The young couple cannot be separated for too long. Besides, that girl looks like someone who will care for others.”

Xiao Yuyan frowned as he looked at the passbook.

He didn’t know what to say for a moment. As the eldest son, he should have supported the family after his father passed away. He just didn’t expect that his mother hadn’t spent a penny of his money.

But he also understood his mother’s temper, and it was absolutely impossible for him to refuse the passbook.

“Mom, our family will pay for the betrothal gift, and I’ll take care of the other small household items myself.”

“I haven’t given you my bonuses over the years. They’re even higher than your salary. You can keep the rest of the money for yourself.”

“If you don’t want it, then you are ready to separate me and Wanwan!”

Xiao Yuyan said deliberately.

“You kids, why would your mother separate you?”

“The new house is ready!”

“Thanks to your father, we can still live in this big blue brick and tile house.”

The Xiao family was originally an outsider household. They bought a house from a landlord in the village, which brought in income for the village. So when they moved in, the villagers didn’t say anything.

The main house, facing north and south, had three rooms. The middle room was the living room. Lin Lan and Xiao Nuannuan now lived in the east side. The house was big enough, and Xiao Hehe had lived there before she got married.

The west side used to be a room for the three brothers, but Lin Lan had already sent the two brothers to the side room in the east. There were two side rooms: one was Lin Lan’s pharmacy and clinic, and the other was just right for the two brothers to live in.

The side room on the west side was the kitchen and bathroom.

The wedding room for Xiao Yuyan was very spacious and would be enough for two small rooms to be separated.

“Well, thanks to Dad!”

“Mom, let’s do it like this. I’ll pay for the betrothal gift, and you can keep the rest. The three of them are still growing up, and Wanwan won’t be able to go back to the army with me in the near future. She will stay at home for two or three months, so you’ll have to take care of them more.”

Xiao Yuyan hadn’t yet had time to tell his family about his transfer.

“Okay, got it. I’ll keep it. But even if I keep it, you have to tell her that there shouldn’t be any rift between husband and wife.”

Even mother and son understand each other.

She would spend most of the remaining money on her daughter-in-law.

They are her own children, so how could she not feel sorry for them? It is because of this feeling that she cannot spend the salary her son has worked so hard to earn.

As long as she had a bite of food, she wouldn’t touch it.

She is the mother, and even if the father is gone, the responsibility of raising the children can’t fall on the eldest son.

Besides, haven’t we survived all these years?

She felt that the children she raised had access to education and were well-fed, which was already better off than many other families.

“Okay, Mom, I’ll tell Wanwan. I’ll prepare the things for the proposal. After a few days, I’ll report back and take Wanwan to the county town to buy some wedding supplies and buy her things that she likes.”

Xiao Yuyan talked about his plan.

“Okay, you have a plan. As long as you know the plan.”

“I’m going to cook quickly. Come with me to the educated youth center later. Mom has an appointment with your Aunt Hongxia.”

Lin Lan said this and walked out happily.

Xiao Yuyan had no objection, he really missed the little girl.

In addition to making the phone call when he went out in the morning, he also investigated those people. They turned out to be some gangsters in the town. Of course, one of them was also from Xiangyang Village. And just as he guessed, they were indeed bribed and did things for money.

The person who bribed them was a girl called Sun Qianqian.

He had already made those people sign and seal their names as evidence.

No matter what the little girl wants to do next, he will support her.

But no matter what she did, these people couldn’t escape the fate of being exiled to the farm.

And as for Sun Qianqian, he didn’t know what her relationship with Ye Suiwan was, or what kind of punishment she should receive.

So he had to tell Ye Suiwan about the situation first.

—

At the Educated Youth Center.

Ye Suiwan had just stood up to mix the stuffing when she sneezed.

“Suiwan, are you okay? Why don’t you go take a rest?”

Miao Yan asked with concern.

“It’s okay, it’s okay!” Someone must be missing her.

Thinking that it might be Xiao Yuyan, she smiled.

“I’ll go mix the filling, how about you go knead the dough?”

“I’ll be able to wrap it up in a bit!”

Ye Suiwan had to send her away, otherwise how could she use the seasoning in the space?

“Okay, no problem, I’ll go right away.”

Miao Yan had already prepared the chopped celery, onion, and ginger water that Ye Suiwan needed. Now it was time to knead the dough and let it rest.

So she gave the kitchen to Ye Suiwan and carried the bowl of noodles to the dining table in the yard.