Chapter 41: Zhao Leyi and He Weiyuan’s Little Schemes

Zhao Heping: “Nothing much. He just asked if we were adapting well to village life and how my leg was recovering.”

Lü Beichu narrowed his eyes. “He’s quite considerate. The twenty educated youths living in the educated youth quarters will all go home for the New Year after the village distributes pork. They’ll return after Lantern Festival, leaving only five of us.”

Zhao Heping thought for a moment. “When are you going to town? Help me send a letter home. Even if my leg heals, I’ll probably need a cane for a while.”

“I need to go to the town health center to have the splint removed from my leg. I’ll borrow Wang Shuning’s bicycle then. If I can’t borrow it, I’ll carry you there.”

Zhao Heping felt a little apologetic. He and Lü Beichu weren’t close, just happened to live together. While his leg was injured, Lü Beichu did all the cooking and housework. He had to repay him once his leg healed.

In the small woods by the village,

Zhao Leyi was pouting and arguing with He Weiyuan. “We agreed on the ‘three turns and one ring’ plus 200 yuan in betrothal gifts. That’s our bottom line. My parents won’t agree to our marriage without it.”

A city girl marrying a country boy was already a step down. She was a high school graduate, while He Weiyuan only finished elementary school. Everything was unequal. If she hadn’t been unable to return to the city and was of marrying age, she would have waited a few more years.

“It’s really difficult to get the ‘three turns and one ring,’ and I don’t need a watch. I can sew clothes by hand; I don’t need a sewing machine. It only takes an hour to walk to town; I don’t need a bicycle. Two hundred yuan in betrothal gifts is too much. My sister-in-law only received fifty yuan.”

He Weiyuan also wanted a watch like Lü Beichu and a bicycle like Wang Shuning, but his family couldn’t afford it. Besides, Zhao Leyi’s family was far from Dafeng Village, and she didn’t have any dowry. Why should he give so much in betrothal gifts?

His parents already favored his older brother. His sister-in-law only received fifty yuan. When Zhao Leyi asked for ‘three turns and one ring,’ his mother slammed the table and rolled her eyes, saying, “Is Zhao Leyi made of gold or silver? She’s dreaming!”

“Can you compare yourself to my sister-in-law? City girls getting married without ‘three turns and one ring’ will be looked down upon.”

“But at our wedding, only your parents and brother will come; there won’t be any other relatives or friends.” As long as Zhao Leyi’s parents didn’t mention it, who would know if there was ‘three turns and one ring’?

Zhao Leyi was so angry her chest ached. “If the wedding banquet could be held at my house, my uncles and maternal relatives would fill ten tables. Weiyuan, don’t you really want to marry me? Otherwise, how could you not even manage this?”

Thinking that Lü Beichu and Guo Jingyi hadn’t confirmed their relationship, Lü Beichu readily offered his watch to Guo Jingyi. Zhao Leyi looked at He Weiyuan and felt he wasn’t good enough for her. Why couldn’t she find someone like Lü Beichu? Maybe she could return to the city with him. He arrived half a year later and fell for Guo Jingyi.

Liu Sicun was also useless; several attempts to break them up failed, wasting her words.

He Weiyuan raised three fingers, swearing to heaven and earth. “Of course, I only want you. Whatever you want, even if I spend all my money, I’ll buy it for you. But those things at home aren’t mine. Don’t worry, once we’re married, I’ll immediately split the family, and I’ll give all my earnings to you.”

Zhao Leyi relaxed when He Weiyuan promised to split the family. Which woman didn’t want to be the head of the house? With a mother-in-law around, even eating and picking up food was restricted. Splitting the family was good, but…

“If we split the family, where will we live?” She had secretly checked out He Weiyuan’s house—only three large rooms. If they split, they would only get one room. Where would they live after having children?

“There’s a plot of land behind my house. After the split, we’ll build a new house there and sell the room we get from the old house to my older brother. My parents will live with my brother and sister-in-law.” He Weiyuan had planned this, including how much money his family had, fearing his parents would favor his brother during the split.

Zhao Leyi was very happy about the new house, but the ‘three turns and one ring’ and 200 yuan in betrothal gifts weren’t just her parents’ idea; it was what she wanted.

She lived far from home; she couldn’t transport the bicycle and sewing machine back to the city. They would be hers, and with 200 yuan, she wouldn’t have to worry about food and clothing for at least two or three years.

“If your family really can’t afford it, we can forget the watch, but the bicycle and sewing machine are a must. Think about it. Those are my betrothal gifts; I’ll take them to our new house. The 200 yuan is for our future home. Your family gives this money now; when the family splits, we won’t have to share the 200 yuan with your brother. We’ll still be better off. I’m doing this for our future life.”

Zhao Leyi had to manipulate He Weiyuan. She hadn’t married into his family yet, so she couldn’t go and demand betrothal gifts in person.

A daughter-in-law is most valuable before marriage. Don’t ask for betrothal gifts now; you won’t get anything after marriage.

He Weiyuan was a little hesitant. Zhao Leyi was right; the betrothal gifts would all go to their new home, but his mother said the most she would give was a sewing machine and fifty yuan. The sewing machine was because Zhao Leyi was from the city and educated.

“I’ll try to persuade my parents again, but it’s difficult. My sister-in-law only got fifty yuan, and yours is several times more. My brother will definitely make a fuss.” He Weiyuan gave Zhao Leyi a heads-up. Persuasion was one thing; success was another.

Zhao Leyi nodded contentedly, thinking she had He Weiyuan under control.

Wang Shuning carried a basket and went to He Zhaofeng’s house. While washing clothes in the river that noon, she chatted with He Zhaofeng’s wife. They were going to slaughter a hen that hadn’t laid eggs in over a week. They thought it was too extravagant to eat chicken outside of holidays, so when Wang Shuning mentioned wanting to buy half of it to make chicken soup, they readily agreed.

Seeing Wang Shuning enter, He Zhaofeng’s wife caught the hen, which already had its legs tied, and wrung its neck to bleed it out—to prove it was a live hen and not a sick one sold after it died.

Wang Shuning watched. The hen wasn’t big, but its skin looked a little yellow.