Chapter 34: Plotting a Marriage

Lei Honghua’s heart ached hearing her son’s story.

Qiao Fangfang sat beside her, patting her back. “Mom, what happened?  Everything was fine for so many years, why did they suddenly become so rebellious? 

They killed and ate the chickens, caused trouble in Lijiagou, beat Jianguo, and sold the pork. Are they trying to overthrow the heavens?”

Lei Honghua was filled with resentment. “How would I know?  Maybe their previous obedience was an act. Those two brothers, seemingly docile, are like venomous snakes, ready to strike at any moment.”

“Humph, they finally got their chance!”

Qiao Fangfang disagreed.  She raised an eyebrow. “Mom, tell me everything that happened these past two days.”

Lei Honghua, realizing her daughter was sharp, recounted everything.

Qiao Fangfang quickly grasped the key.

“Daya, it’s Daya.”

“Mom, Daya is behind all this.  The eldest and second sons were clearly instigated by her!  Remember that family I told you about? You hesitated, saying she’s too young. She’s sixteen, almost seventeen! 

How is that young?  In our village, many girls marry or even have children at sixteen or seventeen. You were too kind, and now you’re paying the price!”

Lei Honghua slumped her shoulders, silent. Qiao Fangfang had discussed this with her before.

Chen Sheng, the 22-year-old son of a coffin maker in town, was looking for a wife, offering 300 yuan as a bride price.  But Chen Sheng…

His family was wealthy, but his mother craved rabbit meat while pregnant, resulting in his deformity.  His upper lip and nose were cleft, making him frightening as a child.  His adult teeth grew towards his nose, even more frightening.

Chen had two sons, but one drowned at age ten.  This son was their only hope for carrying on the family line, so he was spoiled and had a terrible temper.  He even dared to hit his own mother.

Qiao Fangfang advised, “Mom, that’s 300 yuan! How much do we save in a year?  And last year’s temporary work for Jianguo almost emptied our savings.  Jianguo is about to get married, and with the current situation, I doubt you can keep the eldest and second sons.”

“It’s better to minimize the losses and keep the benefits for ourselves!”

A calculating glint appeared in Lei Honghua’s eyes. “Three hundred yuan?  My two pigs sold for over a hundred, and there’s a lot of grain!”

Qiao Fangfang’s eyes lit up; she understood her mother thought it was too little.

“Mom, this is easy. We’ll take the money, then let the Chen family come and take the eldest and second sons.  If they don’t want to lose their daughters, they’ll have to pay more!  The money will come back to you, and we’ll still get the bride price. Once Daya is married, those two fools will be at your mercy.”

Lei Honghua breathed a sigh of relief, a cruel look in her eyes. “Since they don’t want a peaceful life, don’t blame me for being ruthless.”

…

When Qiao Jiuwang returned, the house was empty and eerily quiet.

Passing the yard, he saw the empty chicken coop and pigsty, his face grim.

He came to get clothes; Qiao Jianguo needed several days of IV treatment and couldn’t easily travel back and forth from the hospital.

Entering the room, remembering Qiao Jianguo’s words about the grain being sold, Qiao Jiuwang set up a ladder and climbed to the loft.

In the unguarded granary, several rats scattered at the sound, their tiny legs a blur.

Qiao Jiuwang’s already tense face froze.

Climbing up, he checked the granary and nearly had a stroke.

Only a fist-thick layer of grain remained at the bottom; the peanuts and soybeans were gone, leaving only a few bags of corn and dried sweet potatoes.

“Damn… bastards!  Good-for-nothings!!!”

He re-tied the bags, secured the granary door, and climbed down.

Suddenly, he froze, then quickly descended.

Down the ladder, he crawled to the bed and peered under it.

Seeing all the jars were there, he breathed a sigh of relief.

He stood up, closed the door, and carefully moved the jars one by one.

Seeing the dust on the wooden board covering the innermost jar, his tension eased.

No one had touched it.

But he still removed the covering, opened the lid, and reached inside.

Feeling the familiar oil-paper package, his expression softened.