Siheyuan: Starting to work in the security department

Early on Sunday morning, Niu Ping'an dressed himself up neatly.

He was wearing leather shoes and a newly made Zhongshan suit. He stood straight and showed his spirit very well.

He took out a pack of cigarettes, a pound of pork, and two pounds of sugar from the space, put them in a cloth bag and hung it on the front of the bicycle.

When Niu Ping'an arrived at the door of the guesthouse, Qin Jingru had been waiting for a long time.

"Get up so early?"

Niu Ping'an was a little surprised to see Qin Jingru looking uneasy.

"Brother Ping An, you are here!"

Qin Jingru waited until Niu Ping'an appeared and breathed a sigh of relief.

She tossed and turned last night and was so nervous that she couldn't sleep.

I was waiting at the door early this morning, fearing that Niu Ping'an would go back on his word.

"Come on, let's go have breakfast first."

It’s still early, and Niu Ping’an won’t let himself be wronged.

The two ate a bowl of wontons on the street.

Although supplies were not very abundant in 65, they were much better than during the difficult period.

Especially in a place like Sijiu City, nowadays as long as you have money, you can buy whatever you want.

Qin Jingru's hometown is Changping, which was incorporated into the old city in 56 and renamed Changping District.

In 60, Changping District was abolished and Changping County was re-established.

It’s about fifty kilometers from Dongzhimen.

Riding a bicycle would make you exhausted and still not reach your destination safely. Fortunately, buses now allow bicycles to be loaded on them.

The bus swayed out of Dongzhimen Station and took more than two hours to arrive in Changping County.

Qinjia Village is not far from the county town. Niu Ping'an rode a bicycle and took Qin Jingru to Qinjia Village.

The road was dusty, but the scenery on both sides of the road was pretty good, all the most pristine green.

It took more than half an hour to ride a bicycle to reach Qinjia Village.

The entrance to the village was guarded by several militiamen, but they were all from the same village, so they naturally knew Qin Jingru.

"Hey, Jingru is back?"

The leading militiaman greeted Qin Jingru.

"Brother Daming!"

Qin Jingru was obviously familiar with the militiaman and replied sweetly.

"Who is this?"

Qin Daming looked at Niu Ping'an with a slightly bright look in his eyes.

A bicycle, a small watch, a Mao suit, and small leather shoes, a typical cadre outfit.

He dressed more decently than the secretary of their commune.

"Brother Daming, this is my boyfriend Niu Ping'an!"

Qin Jingru raised her head and introduced proudly.

"Brother Ping'an, this is my cousin Qin Daming."

"Hello, Brother Daming!"

Niu Ping'an quickly greeted everyone and took out a cigarette to pass around.

"Hello Ping An, we are a family from now on!"

Qin Daming took the cigarette and said teasingly.

Qin Jingru was teased and her pretty face turned slightly red.

"Brother Daming, I won't talk to you anymore, we're going over there!"

After saying this, he led the cow safely back to the village.

"Brother Daming, we'll go over first. See you all!"

Niu Ping'an was held by Qin Jingru and could only say goodbye politely.

"Jingru can't wait any longer, haha..."

"See you safely!"

...

Walking in the village, I met some children.

The elders in the family were working in the fields to earn work points, while the children were playing by themselves, getting dirty but having fun.

Niu Ping'an took out some candies from his cloth bag and gave them some.

Qin Jingru's family has three mud-brick houses with a small courtyard.

It's spring planting time and no one is at home.

"Brother Ping An, come in quickly!"

Qin Jingru opened the door and invited Niu Ping'an into the house.

Niu Ping'an walked in carrying a cloth bag and looked at the furnishings in the main room.

Yellow mud floor, square table, cabinet, and a washbasin rack.

It looks a bit simple, but it's pretty good in the countryside.

"Brother Ping An, drink some water!

I'll go to the field and call my parents back!"

Qin Jingru poured a glass of water for Niu Ping'an and couldn't wait to call her parents back.

"Go!"

Niu Ping'an did not stop him. Time was tight and the task was heavy, and he had to rush back in the afternoon.

We must get things done quickly and decisively!

Qin Jingru jumped out of the house. Niu Ping'an put down the teacup, stood up and walked back and forth.

To be honest, it was the first time for Niu Ping'an to meet the girl's parents in his two lifetimes, and he was a little nervous.

Niu Ping'an waited nervously, and from time to time he looked at himself in the mirror on the washbasin rack to tidy up his appearance.

Qin Jingru acted quickly and came back with a few people not long after.

Qin Jingru is the second child in the family. Her eldest brother is married and she has a younger brother who is fourteen years old.

Niu Ping'an heard the noise and hurried out of the house.

Qin Jingru led the way with a boy, followed by a middle-aged farmer, and at the end were a rural woman and a young couple.

These people should be Qin Jingru’s parents, brother, sister-in-law and younger brother!

Qin Jingru's younger brother is fourteen years old and can be considered a half-able laborer. He helps with work and earns work points on his days off.

"Brother Ping'an, this is my dad and my younger brother, and behind them are my mom and my brother and sister-in-law."

Qin Jingru couldn't wait to introduce him to Niu Ping'an.

“Uncle, aunt, brother, sister-in-law, younger brother.

Hello! "

Niu Ping'an took out a cigarette and called for help while walking.

"Hello, Ping An!"

Father Qin looks like an honest man, a bit rigid.

"Oh, my son-in-law is so handsome, our Jingru is so lucky!"

Qin Jingru's mother was much smarter and directly called him son-in-law.

Qin Jingru's brother and sister-in-law nodded to Niu Ping'an a little awkwardly.

My younger brother was quite smart. Seeing that my mother called him brother-in-law, he directly called him brother-in-law.

"Hello, brother-in-law!"

Qin Jingru has been dating Niu Ping'an for many years, and everyone in the family knows about him.

It’s just that Niu Ping’an has never come to visit, so this is the first time everyone meets.

Obviously, Qin's mother was also very satisfied with Niu Ping'an.

"Aunt, Jingru is diligent and beautiful, she is my blessing!"

"Safe, sit at home!"

When Father Qin spoke, everyone naturally agreed and immediately moved to the main hall.

Qin Jingru diligently poured water for everyone.

"Uncle, aunt, I'm here today to propose marriage. I wasn't old enough before, so I delayed it for so long.

There is no adult at home to help me with my advice, so I have no choice but to come here on my own."

Niu Ping'an went straight to the point and scratched his head embarrassedly.

Qin's father and mother turned their eyes to Qin Jingru, only to see that she was looking at them expectantly.

Qin Jingru's parents looked at each other and saw what Qin Jingru was thinking.

"Okay, no problem. After dinner, let Jingru go to the team to get a certificate, and you can take her away!"

Since Qin Jingru has no objection, her parents naturally won't object either.

If he really didn't agree, he wouldn't have let Qin Jingru and Niu Ping'an date in the first place.

Proposing marriage is more like a formality.

As for the issue of bride price, neither side mentioned it.

"Thank you, uncle and aunt, for your help!"

Niu Ping'an quickly expressed his gratitude.

"Sir, you should change your tune!"

Qin's mother teased.

"Dad, Mom!"

Niu Ping'an was not shy. He thought his father-in-law and mother-in-law were also his parents, and it was not a loss to call them mom and dad.

"Hey!"

Mother Qin responded with a smile, while Father Qin nodded reservedly.

"Wife, kill a chicken!

Youngest, go to the supply and marketing cooperative and buy a bottle of wine!"

Seeing that it was almost time for lunch, the Qin family members were not ready to go to work in the fields, so Qin's father gave instructions to Qin's mother.

"Dad, I brought a pound of meat. I have to go back in the afternoon, so I won't drink."

Niu Ping'an quickly took out the things in the cloth bag.

A chicken is a considerable asset for a farmer, and is usually kept for laying eggs.

A popular saying nowadays: Chicken is a butt bank!

A few years ago, there might not have been enough food to feed them.

When he took out a cigarette, Qin's father's eyes lit up.

When Qin Jingru saw Tang, she couldn't take her eyes off him and swallowed unconsciously.

Niu Ping'an took a few and handed them to him, and left the rest to Qin's mother.

"Row!"

Father Qin did not force it.

"By the way, Ping An, are you planning on having a banquet?"

Mother Qin took the things Niu Ping'an took out and asked casually.

"Mom, I'm not planning on having a wedding banquet. I'll just get a marriage certificate, take some wedding photos, and give out some candy."

Niu Ping'an didn't want to hold the banquet in the courtyard because there were too many things to prepare and it was troublesome.

After saying that, he was worried that the Qin family would be unhappy, and added:

"The current situation is a bit tense and not suitable for holding a banquet."

Although Qin Jingru's family didn't understand the meaning, they still respected Niu Ping'an's choice.

All I can say is that the current trend of comparison is not serious.

"It's better to keep it simple. It's troublesome to need tickets for everything."

Niu Ping'an had a meal at Qin Jingru's home and then took Qin Jingru to the brigade to get a letter of introduction.

Before leaving, he gave the 20 yuan betrothal money he had prepared to Qin Jingru's mother.

In the era of material scarcity, five yuan as a betrothal gift and two kilograms of sugar were considered good.

Especially in difficult times, people with stuttering could change their wives.

Niu Ping'an did not plan to hold a wedding banquet, nor did the Qin family need to prepare a dowry for Qin Jingru.