Starting a new chapter in life

He Zhijun nodded and didn't say anything more.

Cui Hongru held Jing Yan's hand and asked with a smile, "You two sisters are so good-looking, I liked you the moment I saw you. Have you said anything bad about other people?"

Jinghuan blushed instantly, while Jingyan smiled and said, "The young man from the Peng family in the village has feelings for my fourth sister. He came to my eldest brother during the New Year and mentioned it. My eldest brother said he would give me an answer after the first month of the lunar calendar. I reckon there shouldn't be any major problems, and things should be settled soon. As for me, I'm still not in a hurry."

“It’s one thing to not be in a hurry, but you always need to think about what kind of person you want to find beforehand,” Cui Hongru continued to probe.

Jing Yan became somewhat wary: "Auntie, are you trying to introduce me to someone?"

Cui Hongru… “I would like to, but all the good young men I know are from Yangzhou. Are you willing to marry someone from far away?”

"Marrying far away? According to normal thinking, marrying far away means increased uncertainty about the future, and there's the question of whether one will be bullied while living alone in a foreign land. After all, if you're bullied locally, your brothers can help you stand up for you. But if you're in another place, you're out of reach and have to rely on yourself. I think very few people would choose to marry far away."

"Don't any girls from your village marry far away?"

"Yes, my third sister married into the Great Northern Wilderness. However, my third sister's husband is a distant relative of mine. My mother and his mother are very familiar with each other. My third sister has her mother-in-law's support and couldn't bear the hardship, so she married into the Great Northern Wilderness."

Cui Hongru glanced at He Zhijun subtly. Jing Yan saw it but didn't show any unusual expression. She smiled and said, "Auntie, you and Uncle pack up and rest for a while. I think it's about time. Let's go back and make lunch. See if you can eat it."

"Okay, okay, thank you for your help."

"No trouble at all." Jingyan and Jinghuan left the east room and returned to the main room. Jinghuan instructed, "There are green beans harvested in the fall in the cellar. Go down and bring up a bag later. We'll make a potato and green bean stew for lunch, add some slices of pork belly, put a flatbread on top, and cook it all in one pot."

Jingyan obediently went to the cellar in the yard, climbed the ladder to the bottom of the cellar, took a bag of green beans from the nail on the side wall, thought for a moment, then took a bag of tomatoes before coming up, closing the cellar lid. When she turned around, she was startled to see He Zhijun standing right behind her.

"Comrade He, what are you doing standing here?"

"Ah, I saw you come out and wanted to ask if there was anything I could do to help. Did I scare you?" He Zhijun said nervously.

"No, Comrade He, are you having lunch here too?"

"Um, is that okay?" He Zhijun asked, sounding somewhat unsure.

“Sure, Auntie gives you a good amount for meals, enough for you to come over for a meal every now and then. I’ll tell my fourth sister to cook more.” After saying that, Jingyan walked past him and went back into her room.

He Zhijun stood there for a while, then went back to the east room.

"Did you strike up a conversation with Jingyan?" Cui Hongru asked.

He Zhijun nodded, then shook his head: "She didn't seem interested in me. She asked if I was having lunch here, and I said if it was okay. She said the money I gave her for meals was enough for me to eat here occasionally, and she agreed to cook more today. She was very calm, without any shyness or other attitude."

Cui Hongru sighed: "This girl is straightforward, but she seems to have quite a temper. She is indeed beautiful, with a large frame, and can carry off clothes well. She is hardworking and not petty. Apart from not liking to do housework and not being very good at cooking, she doesn't have any other obvious shortcomings."

“Mom, I’m good at housework. I’m not good at cooking, but I can learn later. She has a bad temper, but I have a good one. I’m not bad-looking either, and I have a stable job. Even if I change jobs in the future, I can find work in our area. She won’t go hungry.” He Zhijun said somewhat impatiently.

"Alright, it's a bit early to talk about this now. Fortunately, we're in a good position. Didn't we say that her brother would come back after the first month of the lunar year to discuss her fourth sister's marriage? I'll have your dad go to the army base to ask you to come over and meet her brother. Make your presence felt, and if he has a good impression of you, it'll be easier for me to speak up later." Cui Hongru was quite shrewd.

Jinghuan saw the things Jingyan brought back and asked, "Why did you bring so much? Hmm, is Comrade He going to eat here too?"

Jingyan nodded: "He just asked me if I could have a meal here. The money Auntie gave me for the meal was less than what he could eat in one meal, so I agreed."

"Then make more tomato and egg soup. We have plenty of cabbage, so make some hot and sour cabbage. I'll add more flour to the flatbread so it's thicker."

"Fourth Sister, just do what you think is best." Jing Huan made the dough, while Jing Yan picked green beans and peeled potatoes, assisting her skillfully. "Fourth Sister, you said we're all doing the same thing, so why is my stir-fry and stew always so oily, unlike yours which are so refreshing?"

“Everyone has their own taste. Look, when we make sauce, your third sister and I do it the same way, but the color of hers is prettier than mine. Fortunately, the taste of mine is not bad either,” Jinghuan comforted her with a smile.

"After you get married, you should make my share of the sauce every year, and I'll come to your house to get it then."

"Okay, I'll make more in the future. You can come and scoop it up whenever you want. I can't skimp on my sister's food."

The two sisters chatted while cooking. After finishing the meal, Jingyan went to the east room to call for others. The group sat around the round table. It was the first time He's parents had eaten Northeastern cuisine. They were quite taken aback by the large amount of food, including a bowl of vegetables and a bowl of flatbread: "This is quite a lot."

"Auntie, Uncle, this is just home-cooked food. We specialize in stews here. Try it and see if you can get used to it," Jingyan said warmly.

Cui Hongru tasted the potato and green bean stew and found it quite delicious. She nodded quickly, "Yes, this is very tasty."

The meal was very harmonious and satisfying. Cui Hongru originally thought that the amount of food was too large and that she might not be able to finish it, but she didn't expect that there would be no leftovers. Seeing her son and husband eating so swiftly, she felt a little embarrassed.

After the meal, she wanted to help wash the dishes, but Jinghuan stopped her. After all, the guests were guests and they paid a lot of money, so there was no reason for them to do chores. Cui Hongru had He Zhijun look around but couldn't find any work for them, so the three of them went back to the east room first.

He Zhijun returned to his unit before evening, and the elderly couple settled down comfortably. They did nothing but eat and sleep all day long. After working all year round, they finally experienced the hibernation life in Northeast China. Later, Jinghuan told them that they could visit other people's homes in the village during the day instead of staying at home all the time.

The two, who had never engaged in idle gossip in their lives, started going out for a walk every afternoon after getting used to it. They would listen to the gossip of this family and that family and gossip about other people's business, which was quite a unique experience.

After the first weekend of the Lunar New Year, the eldest and second eldest brothers returned together. As soon as Jingyan saw this, she knew that her fourth sister's marriage should be settled. The two brothers were puzzled by the arrival of the couple. After Jingyan explained, they did not interfere. It was good for the sisters to have some income. Otherwise, the two sisters would be a bit lonely in such a big courtyard.

The two sides exchanged a brief glance, and after He's parents left, the rest of the family didn't pay much attention. Their main reason for returning was the important matter of Jinghuan's engagement. Upon entering, they immediately instructed Jingyan to inform the Peng family to come and discuss the marriage.

It's an unwritten rule that when discussing marriage, the woman shouldn't take the initiative to come to the man's house; she should set her standards. The man must come to discuss the marriage. The Peng family was very proactive. Jingyan had just informed them that she would be home, and less than the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, the whole family arrived.

The negotiation went smoothly. The Peng family agreed to build a separate house for the young couple, and the location of the house was also decided. They were just waiting for spring to thaw the ground before construction would begin. After the marriage, they would live separately. If they had children in the future, Peng's mother was willing to help take care of them during their postpartum period and raise the children. The betrothal gift was agreed to be 66 yuan, which was chosen for its auspicious meaning of "sixes bring good fortune." This amount of money may not seem like much, but it was considered a generous sum in the countryside. In addition, the house construction would cost about 200 yuan, so at least 300 yuan would be spent on the young couple.

With no elders in the Zhang family, the groom's family took care of the dowry, including cabinets and bedding. Jinghuan only needed to bring some money. The two sisters had seven hundred yuan in savings, which they split in half. It was agreed that Jinghuan's dowry would be three hundred and sixty-six yuan. The Peng family was very satisfied. In the village, even for families with both parents and brothers, a dowry of eighty yuan was considered a privilege for a favored daughter. Three hundred yuan was practically the only one of its kind in the village.

We've arranged to have an engagement dinner at the Peng family's house tomorrow. The Peng family has chosen three wedding dates, and Zhang Jingtian has decided on a date for May of next year. During this time, Jinghuan needs to have a new outfit made for herself. These days, there aren't many rules; red and festive colors will do. She can wear a new outfit on her wedding day and also wear it as everyday clothes afterward, so it won't be a waste.

After the Zhang siblings saw the Peng family off and returned home, He Zhijun arrived with his parents. He's parents were very welcoming to the two Zhang brothers, which left them somewhat bewildered. After exchanging pleasantries, Cui Hongru took the initiative to speak:

“My son is a technician in the army, mainly drawing blueprints. After he saw Jingyan in the canteen, he became interested in her and wanted to ask her out. They say that the eldest brother is like a father, so we're taking advantage of your return to let this boy meet you and see if we can arrange a marriage.”

Zhang Jingtian and Zhang Jingzhao exchanged a glance, and Zhang Jingtian spoke up: "Uncle and Aunt, first of all, I thank you for your love and affirmation of my sister. I know that those who can join the army are all outstanding, not to mention that they are educated. My younger sister only has a junior high school education and doesn't like to do housework, which is a shortcoming. But she is capable, hardworking, and a good homemaker. Of course, she is also good-looking, has a good personality, and is down-to-earth. These are her strengths."

He's parents nodded repeatedly.

"But no matter how adventurous she is, she is still my youngest sister. She has been pampered by my family since she was little. If the army is stationed here for a long time, I would be satisfied with this marriage. But we all know that the army will be transferred away in the next year or two at most. Your son is probably not qualified to have his family accompany him. So what will happen to my sister? Will she stay here and wait for him to come back once every year or two, or will we brothers and sisters not see each other for many years after she marries into your Yangzhou city?"

Actually, it wouldn't be a big deal if my sister left home, as long as she's doing well. But being so far away, with her husband not around, what if she's unhappy and wants family to talk to, only to find herself all alone? Just thinking about that makes my heart ache. How could I bear to let my sister live that kind of life? My aunt and uncle are clearly educated people; I think you can understand this."

He Jiaoxu, who hadn't spoken much for over half a month, finally spoke up: "I understand your concerns. My son came home for the Spring Festival to visit relatives for this very reason. My husband and I respect his choice, but we also wanted to see this girl. We've been living here as tenants for so long, and your girls really are wonderful."

My son has good judgment. We've actually considered the issues you're worried about. Xiao Jun asked about the next stop for the army before the new year. It's in the Great Northern Wilderness. Their construction corps has a special nature, so they won't be far from towns. Jing Yan is currently working in the canteen. If she's willing, she can continue working there. Although she can't live in the army, she can rent a place with a local villager nearby. The young couple will be closer to each other, which is a different kind of accompanying the army.

"If my son is transferred back to his hometown after his military service, we promise that if his work unit doesn't provide housing, my husband and I will buy them their own. They don't need to live with us after marriage; they just need to come visit us during holidays so we can all get together. Our children will have their own lives, and we parents won't interfere unnecessarily. Do you think that makes you feel more at ease?"

Zhang Jingtian thought for a moment: "We'll stay home for another day tomorrow. Can we discuss this further?"

"Of course, of course." The He family of three returned the space to the siblings and went back to the east room first.

After the He family left, Brother Zhang turned to Jing Yan and asked, "Did you know that this guy surnamed He had feelings for you? Didn't you realize beforehand that his parents' move-in was for ulterior motives?"

Jingyan shook her head: "They were brought over by Sister Liu from our canteen. Sister Liu said that Comrade He went to the logistics department to inquire if there were any families in our village who could rent a house for only one month. She knew that there were few people in our family, so she introduced them. I really didn't know that he was interested in me. I saw so many people while working in the canteen, who could remember him?"

"Now that you know, what do you mean?"

"Being a military wife isn't out of the question, but I don't know the nature of his work or its prospects. If there's a chance to settle down in Haishi in the future, I'd be willing to take the gamble, since Yangshi isn't far from Haishi."

“I know you’re not afraid of marrying far away. You’ve always been competitive since you were little, and you’ve beaten up all the boys in the neighborhood. It’s not easy to find someone who isn’t afraid of you. But I’m worried. He can draw and is a technician in the military. These people have military ranks. Your junior high school education isn’t enough. Right now, he’s attracted to your youth and beauty, but what about ten or eight years from now? When your looks are no longer radiant and he’s no longer attracted to you, how will you live your life?”