Chapter 56 Huangjia Village

However, it didn’t matter if the man himself lived simply, as long as his wife and child weren’t suffering.

Gu Cheng wasn’t incapable of providing a better life for his family.

Liu Yinyin chuckled, “I’m not suffering. My husband treats me so well, and my son is so cute. I’d be happy living in a mud house every day.”

As for Gu Yanyan, he still couldn’t speak, so whether he was comfortable or not, he had to endure it.

Liu Yinyin smiled and said, “Let’s wait until Yanyan is a little older before we talk about building a house.”

She planned to wait three or four more years, hoping the situation would improve before considering building a new house.

“Alright, I’ll listen to you.” Gu Cheng didn’t mind as long as she was fine with it.

Hearing this, Liu Yinyin smiled even more brightly.

Jiang Cuihua, who was outside helping to hold the baby, was getting goosebumps from hearing the couple’s sweet talk.

Goodness, she decided that from now on, when the couple was at home, she’d avoid coming around.

At home, only the rooms and the kitchen needed cleaning. The kitchen table and stools had to be taken out, washed, and dried. They didn’t take long to finish cleaning.

Leaving Gu Cheng at home to watch the baby, Liu Yinyin put on her hat and scarf, then went out with her bicycle to take Jiang Cuihua to Huangjia Village to see the girl.

For a moment, Jiang Cuihua stood still, not moving.

Liu Yinyin called her, “Mom, get on. It’ll be faster if we ride the bike.”

With Gu Cheng looking after the baby, he wouldn’t cry, but the house had run out of baby formula. She had just fed the baby, but needed to get back within three hours.

Riding the bike was definitely faster, but…

Jiang Cuihua glanced at her skeptically and asked, “Are you sure you can do it?”

She was an old woman and didn’t want to fall off.

Liu Yinyin smiled awkwardly, “Don’t worry, I’ve practiced riding the bike a lot. I’m very used to it, and I can even carry Gu Cheng on it.”

She was telling the truth. Liu Yinyin had been riding bikes for a long time and had practiced even more recently. She was sure she could handle carrying someone.

Jiang Cuihua cautiously climbed onto the back of the bicycle.

At first, she was terrified, her legs stiffly pressed forward, unwilling to relax.

But after Liu Yinyin had been riding steadily for a long time, Jiang Cuihua gradually relaxed.

A sense of joy replaced her worry.

Hah!

It was rare in the countryside to see an old woman like her riding a bicycle!

Jiang Cuihua, blowing in the cold wind, didn’t even feel cold anymore.

When they arrived at Huangjia Village, Jiang Cuihua jumped off the bike, her back straightening without her even noticing.

They had always bought persimmons from Huang Damao’s house before, but since this time was for something more important, they didn’t visit him first. They would buy the persimmons later, after taking care of business.

Jiang Cuihua muttered to Liu Yinyin, “Your aunt said the Huang Hongxia’s family lives not far from Huang Damao’s. The house with two big persimmon trees in front of it—that’s the one. They have six rooms in a row…”

“Mom, is it that house?” After walking around for a bit, Liu Yinyin pointed to a house ahead and asked.

It was the only house with two persimmon trees in front, and it seemed to have six rooms.

“That’s right. It should be that one.” Jiang Cuihua looked around and nodded, suddenly feeling a little nervous.

Coincidentally, the Huang family was picking persimmons at that moment, and their house didn’t have a courtyard wall.

Jiang Cuihua quickly spotted the girl standing under the tree holding a basket.

As they got closer, Liu Yinyin could see the young girl’s appearance more clearly. She had two long braids, looking quite slender, but it didn’t matter—people from that time didn’t really have much body fat.

The girl appeared to be about eighteen or nineteen. According to Liu Yinyin’s aunt, the Huang family’s two older daughters were already married, so this young girl must be Huang Hongxia.

Jiang Cuihua just wanted to sneak a glance at the girl. She definitely couldn’t walk up and greet her openly—it wasn’t the right time yet.

So, the two women walked around the Huang family’s house and continued on their way.

Once they were far enough away, Jiang Cuihua asked Liu Yinyin, “What do you think of the girl?”

At first glance, Jiang Cuihua felt quite satisfied. The girl wasn’t exceptionally beautiful, but she was pretty and clean.

Their family conditions weren’t great, so they couldn’t be too picky.

Liu Yinyin smiled slightly. “Mom, have you taken a liking to her?”

“She’s good, but I’m not sure if she likes Mingyuan, that boy. I’ll have your aunt drop a hint and see if she’s interested.”

If both sides were interested, then they could find a matchmaker to bring up the marriage.

Liu Yinyin was shocked. “…So soon?”

“What’s wrong with that?” Jiang Cuihua shrugged nonchalantly. “If both sides are satisfied, they can get married. Didn’t you and Gu Cheng do the same?”

In those days, marriages were often arranged like this—through parental orders and a matchmaker. Elders would handle the marriage of the younger generation.

Liu Yinyin, coming from a more modern mindset, couldn’t quite understand this way of doing things. She hesitated. “But at least the third brother has to like her.”

After all, the two young people had to be on the same page.

“What does liking have to do with it? What objections could he have? If he can get a wife, that’s good enough.” There were plenty of bachelors in the village who couldn’t find wives.

Jiang Cuihua had once asked Liu Mingyuan what kind of girl he wanted to marry. He’d said he liked girls like his younger sister, pretty and attractive.

When Jiang Cuihua heard this, she almost slapped him.

She thought to herself, “Look at what he’s like, and he wants to marry someone like his sister. That’s like a toad wanting to eat a swan’s meat.”

Liu Yinyin felt sorry for her third brother. “Mom, this is a big deal for Mingyuan. It can’t be rushed. Didn’t you also say we need to take a good look?”

She was supposed to help keep an eye out, but now Jiang Cuihua had already made up her mind with just one glance. It was really…

“Don’t worry, I know what I’m doing.” Jiang Cuihua waved her hand dismissively.

Of course, she wasn’t going to act hastily. She would definitely ask around about the girl’s character and how easy it would be to get along with her family.

Marriage was a matter for both families, and the parents’ characters were just as important.

If the other side was also interested, they would surely look into the family background of the groom as well.

Hearing this, Liu Yinyin didn’t speak anymore. As a married woman, it wasn’t her place to say too much about it.

After seeing Huang Hongxia with minimal effort, Jiang Cuihua felt a weight lifted off her chest.

Once the business was taken care of, the two women went to Huang Damao’s house to buy persimmons.

Since they were familiar with each other, there was no need for much small talk. Just like before, the persimmons were priced at one cent per pound.

Liu Yinyin was thinking about making persimmon cakes, so she bought ten pounds. Jiang Cuihua only bought five pounds, for the grandchildren to snack on.

After buying everything, Jiang Cuihua didn’t rush to leave. She sat in Huang Damao’s house for a while, chatting with his wife and casually asking about the Huang Hongxia family.

Huang Damao’s wife was quick-witted and immediately sensed what was going on. She laughed and asked, “So, have you taken a liking to the Huang family’s little girl?”