Chapter 29: Compared to Haitang, What Is a Future Worth?

Xu Zhaoying turned pale with shock and hurriedly covered the phone receiver, but it was already too late. Several people had heard what Chen Li said and immediately spread the word:
“Chen Li admitted he’s engaged to a city girl!”

Chen Yongcai’s expression darkened, his thoughts unreadable.

The brigade secretary’s forehead twitched with black lines; no one dared approach him.

Granny Miao was so furious she snatched the receiver and shouted,
“Chen Li, you bastard! How could you treat my Haitang like this?!”

Chen Li recognized the voice—it was Li Haitang’s mother. Panic surged through him as he tried to explain,
“Auntie Miao, let me explain! It’s not what you think!”

Old Madam Xu tried to grab the receiver back but was stopped—by none other than the brigade secretary. She didn’t dare fight back and could only anxiously stare at the phone, hoping her son would come up with a convincing excuse.
Something like—he was forced into it.

The next second, Chen Li said,
“Auntie Miao, I was forced into it.”

Standing at the back of the crowd, Lin Ting nearly rolled her eyes to the sky.
Forced? Who forced you?

She forced herself to stay calm, not letting her emotions show.

Granny Miao let out a cold laugh—probably the most ridiculous thing she’d ever heard.

“So the girl from the city forced you to marry her?”
“Don’t you have a mirror, or at least some self-awareness?”

She admitted Chen Li looked okay, but certainly not handsome enough for a city girl to be that desperate.

Chen Li replied slowly,
“It was her father who threatened my job promotion.”

Before Granny Miao could respond, Old Madam Xu shouted,
“Son! Did you agree to the engagement?”

Her face was full of eager anticipation. She was so hopeful Chen Li would marry a city girl.

But Chen Li answered firmly,
“I didn’t agree. They even kicked me out of my dorm. I have to rent a place now.”

Now everyone understood why he was running out of money.

Xu Zhaoying looked like she had just lost ten thousand yuan—she was devastated.
“Son, you’re being foolish!”

How could he let go of such a golden opportunity?

“Go find them right now and apologize! Say you were immature before… No matter what, you must agree to this marriage!”

She realized her words might sound bad, so she quickly added,
“For your future, making a small sacrifice is worth it. As for Haitang, we’ll just compensate her.”

Marrying a city girl into the family is worth far more than a mere hundred yuan.

Granny Qin seized the chance to mock Xu Zhaoying,
“You ungrateful dog. Haitang’s really unlucky to have gotten involved with your family.”

Granny Miao howled and charged toward Xu Zhaoying again. If not for the brigade leader pulling them apart in time, a fight would have broken out.

Unaware of the chaos, Chen Li kept talking:
“Compared to Haitang, what’s a future worth?”

Lin Ting felt a sharp pang in her heart.
So Chen Li really is a man of deep affection.
In that case, he and Li Haitang should just stay together forever and never part!

Chen Yongcai’s brows twitched, and his fists clenched unconsciously.

Lin Ting noticed this and grew curious.
Could it be… he already likes Li Haitang?

Granny Miao calmed down and asked,
“So you really didn’t agree to the engagement?”

“No.”

Xu Zhaoying looked ready to explode.
“Unacceptable! Son, listen to me. You must agree to the engagement!”

But Chen Li replied seriously,
“Mom, I’ll only marry Haitang in this lifetime.”

The crowd instantly got goosebumps.

Zhong Shuhe murmured in awe,
“Looks like this Chen Li guy really is devoted.”

Lin Ting had nothing to say.
At least for now, it seemed that way.

Xu Zhaoying went for the ultimate threat,
“If you refuse that marriage, I… I won’t send you any more money!”
(Even though she hadn’t planned to anyway.)

Granny Miao glared at her,
“Better to tear down ten temples than ruin one marriage!”

Xu Zhaoying thought to herself,
“What do you know?!”

That was a girl from the city!

That was a professor’s daughter!

That was a chance for official promotion!

How could anyone give up such a golden opportunity?

Chen Li said earnestly,
“Auntie Miao, don’t worry, I will definitely marry Haitang.”

Granny Miao was just about to be moved—when she heard Chen Li continue awkwardly:
“It’s just… could you maybe send us some money?”
“We have to rent a place to live now, and it costs quite a bit every month.”

Before Granny Miao could respond, her eldest daughter-in-law immediately stepped up and objected:
“I disagree!”
“Mom, you already gave Haitang half our family’s savings. We can’t just drain the rest!”
“You have a daughter, yes—but you also have two sons!”

Granny Miao felt torn—after all, her children were all flesh and blood.
She didn’t want her daughter struggling out there either.

The brigade secretary was more rational,
“Haitang already left with half our savings. As for the rest, the Chen family can figure that out on their own.”

Xu Zhaoying insisted,
“If you don’t agree to marry the city girl, no one in this family will send you any money!”

All the family finances were in her hands. Without her approval, no one would get a single cent.

In truth, Chen Li had no more choices left—Li Haitang was his only option.

He could only try to reason,
“Mom, Haitang’s family has helped us a lot.”
“We must be people of integrity.”
“I believe I can make it in the big city on my own and bring you and Dad there to enjoy a good life.”

But all Xu Zhaoying could think about was the city girl. She couldn’t hear a word Chen Li said.
“You have the chance now!”
“Son, you must seize it!”

Lin Ting couldn’t bear to listen anymore and quietly slipped away.

She walked through the village, finding all the doors shut tight. After thinking for a moment, she quietly made her way down the mountain.

“Dad. Mom.”

Professor Lin and his wife were busy clearing sludge from an irrigation ditch. When they heard Lin Ting’s voice, their backs stiffened—they were both excited and afraid.

Her mother looked at her with worry. Lin Ting seemed a bit tanner, but otherwise healthy and in good spirits.

“What are you doing here?”
“Hurry and go back.”
“Don’t let anyone see you.”

Lin Ting replied,
“Everyone’s gone to the Huaihua brigade.”
“Mom, are you two doing okay?”

Her mother smiled,
“We’re doing fine.”

Her gaze fell on the aluminum lunchbox in Lin Ting’s hands.
“What’s that?”

“Dumplings.”

Professor Lin, who hadn’t spoken a word, was shocked:
“You can make dumplings?”

Lin Ting quickly clarified,
“My roommate made them.”

She had asked Yu Mo if she could bring some meat-and-cabbage dumplings to someone as a gift. Without a word, Yu Mo made her dozens!

Lin Ting stored the dumplings in her space (storage ability) and waited for the right time to give them to her family.

She had also pre-boiled ten eggs and stuffed them into the many pockets of her clothing before coming.

“Don’t just stand there. Come eat some dumplings and eggs.”

“Where are my brother and sister-in-law?”

Her mother quickly washed her hands and brought two big bowls to hold the dumplings and eggs.
“They’re working elsewhere. The kids also just went over there.”
“We got the food. Now hurry and go back,” her mother urged.

Lin Ting didn’t dare linger. After giving a few reminders, she hurried away.

No sooner had she returned to the youth compound than Zhong Shuhe and Yu Mo arrived behind her.

Feeling a little guilty, she asked,
“Did anything happen after I left?”

Yu Mo recalled,
“Old Lady Xu said if Chen Li refuses to marry the city girl, she won’t recognize him as her son anymore.”

After thinking for a moment, Lin Ting said,
“To tell you the truth, I actually know that girl.”