I am not Ximen Qing.

The second sister, Hongying, was very concerned about her third brother, Hongli's, life, but she was also worried about his health. Zhang Hongli was a naturally optimistic person. He was known for his good temper at work and often played the harmonica. His only hobby was drinking heavily with his male colleagues. Hongying felt that men like Zhang Hongli should find a partner, get married, and be kept in check by a woman. However, Zhang Hongli had undergone throat surgery, so he was slightly better than the mute people in the Dahe Forest Farm; at least he could speak, albeit in a hoarse voice, making it quite difficult to understand his pronunciation.

Old Li, who runs a plywood factory, has a daughter who is practically the undisputed head of the household. She's the eldest of three brothers, so why did Zhang Hongying choose Old Li's precious daughter? Because a few years ago, when she was on her way to work in the company car, it caught fire, and she suffered severe burns to her face and hands. This woman has the spirit of Mulan, the heroine of the martial arts world, and has always wanted to achieve great things. Perhaps it was destined that she would face such hardship.

While Grandpa and Grandma Li were worrying about what would happen to their proud and proud young lady, Zhang Hongli, a carefree optimist with low education, a smoker and drinker, and a slight physical disability, was also concerned. Zhang Hongying knew her third brother too well; no girl would be interested in him. The best choice was the Li family's daughter. Although Zhang Hongli wasn't particularly handsome, his aesthetic sense was similar to his older brother Zhang Honglin's, and he had a rudimentary skill in oil painting, all thanks to the subtle influence of his older brother since childhood. He actually refused, because the Li family's eldest daughter was too frightening; she found her intimidating. This made the second sister, Zhang Hongying, extremely anxious, like an ant on a hot pan. She had assured Uncle and Aunt Li that her brother would definitely agree. The second sister quickly tried to persuade Zhang Hongli, repeatedly emphasizing, "Hongli, finding a wife is about building a life together, not just about looks. A life based on looks won't last. Besides, you're not very educated, have a bad voice, and work a hard job. This girl from the Li family is a thrifty person. If you marry her, you won't lack money. She told me you can drink as much as you want, no matter how much you drink."

"Second sister, fine, I'll go through with the marriage."

“That’s right, Third Brother. Listen to your Second Sister. An ugly wife is a treasure at home. Your Second Brother-in-law used to think that you weren’t pretty enough. I taught him a lesson, and now he listens to me and has become a cadre. Even the bureau chief thinks highly of him.”

The eldest daughter of the Li family was most skilled at knitting sweaters, pants, and cardigans. Upon hearing Zhang Hongli's agreement, she showered Zhang Hongli with endless care and warmth, even bringing her home so that her two brothers, both heavy drinkers, could drink with her. Uncle Li was so happy he even dragged Aunt Li along for a drink. They thought their daughter's marriage, which had been weighing on their minds, finally had hope. The old couple quite liked Hongli's personality; they saw him as a man Li Xiao'e could keep in check. Besides, aside from his throat problem, Hongli had such a good, optimistic personality. Zhang Hongli had been suppressed by Lao Jin for the past few years and hadn't been happy. Coming to the Li family and becoming the object of their care, he had never experienced such warmth before. Since his father, Zhang Sirui, passed away, he had lived in a world devoid of care.

Although her second brother, Hongqi, took her out to play, the only one he truly cared about was his younger sister, Zhang Hongmei. But Hongmei, though willing, felt powerless to help. She was in high school, and her teachers praised her as a potential university student. However, Lao Jin didn't want to continue supporting Hongmei's education, especially since she was a girl graduating high school, and Hongmei even had the best physics score in her grade. Her homeroom teacher had spoken to Huang Yupei and Lao Jin countless times. Huang Yupei's health was deteriorating, and with her advancing age, her thoughts were only on her youngest son, Jin Suocai. Actually, Hongmei was quite content; for a girl like her, reaching high school was already considered outstanding. So, you see, after her father's death, Zhang Hongli was treated like a star by the three brothers at Lao Li's house. Uncle Li and Aunt Li treated her to good food and drink, including pork head meat, which suited Hongli's temperament perfectly. Since Li Xiao'e was spoiled at home, you can imagine the three younger brothers thought their sister would never marry, and then suddenly Zhang Hongli appeared as a "second choice"—how could they not be happy? All the love and warmth that was meant for his older sister was poured into Zhang Hongli. The second brother took turns showering him with attention, finally getting Zhang Hongli what he wanted. Uncle Li and Aunt Li were overjoyed. They dared not advise Zhang Hongli to drink less; they wanted him to drink his fill, fearing something might go wrong. From then on, Zhang Hongli simply stopped going home and became an adopted son-in-law in the Li family. Old Li and Aunt Li were ecstatic; their daughter's marriage was finally settled. "Daughter, never be so headstrong." Back then, Li Xiao'e was an arrogant girl who looked down on everyone, but fate seemed to be working against her.

Hongqi was far more arrogant than Hongli. He mocked his younger brother for marrying a disabled woman and swore to his mother, Huang Yupei, that he would find a beautiful, virtuous, gentle, filial, and family-oriented woman like Xi Shi. Hongqi was now a rising star at the plywood factory, participating in many skills competitions and becoming a welding expert. For example, he saved the factory millions of yuan on boiler upgrades. Hongqi was inherently hands-on, studious, and capable of handling pressure. However, Huang Yupei was more worried that her son would suffer the same fate as Honghua, who had married into a rural family, and that their marriage would be troubled. Li Xiao'e, perhaps having overheard something negative about her from Hongli, rushed to Hongli's house at the foot of Datai Mountain to see her future mother-in-law, Huang Yupei. Compared to the beautiful and capable Guo Jinyu, Li Xiao'e's burned face was quite frightening, almost entirely deformed and scarred. But she was also happy for Hongli; her son finally had someone to care for him. Zhang Hongli has practically become part of the Li family now, and he doesn't like his current home on the mountain anymore, as evidenced by the fact that he hasn't slept there a single day recently. Moreover, Hongli has started asking his older brother, Honglin, for some of his brother-in-law Li Jingshan and his two nieces, Li Ping and Li Feng, who love to eat frogs. The older brother, feeling sorry for his three younger brothers, quickly asked someone to get a large bag full of hundreds of frogs, both male and female, which made Uncle Li and Aunt Li very happy.

In truth, Hongqi had higher aspirations. He was prepared for free love and looked down on the girls at the forestry bureau—too vulgar and unsophisticated. Unlike the local textile factory girls he'd secretly admired around noon or 5 pm when they were leaving get off work, these were mostly sixteen, seventeen, or eighteen-year-old blossoming young women. Why were the girls working at the textile factory prettier, more charming, and more fashionable than those working at the plywood factory, lumber mill, or timber mill? The local girls were all like plump pomegranates, brimming with youthful energy, and they all rode bicycles, captivating Zhang Hongqi's heart. Because he lived close to his second sister, her husband, Zhao Mengji, noticed his unusual behavior and quickly told his wife, Zhang Hongying. The older sister and her younger brother had never gotten along since childhood. Hongqi preferred his older sister's opinions, and he wasn't afraid of his arrogant brother-in-law, because he could assemble a television by looking at the circuit diagram.

Because Hongqi was so bright, according to Li Jingshan, if Li Xian followed his second uncle's example, he would be a perfect candidate for becoming a "little Edison." Actually, the eldest sister, Zhang Hongyu, understood that if their father had lived a few years longer, the fates of her siblings would have been completely different. Previously, Zhang Hongqi wasn't in a hurry at all to date or find a partner, but her third brother's dating speed was simply too fast; Hongli and Li Xiao'e were practically husband and wife in name only.

Hongqi had already secretly started saving money to buy a new house. In those days, if you had a house, you could get any pretty girl. To get closer to the source, Zhang Hongqi used the bonus he received from renovating the plywood factory's boiler to buy a large courtyard house near the nearest textile factory. Hongqi was most liked by his sister-in-law, Guo Jinyu, who was also a snob and disliked Huang Yumin and Zhang Hongli the most, but liked Zhang Hongqi the most. Strangely enough, Zhang Hongqi was always diligent when he went to his sister-in-law's house, helping to carry water and making some kitchen racks and tools, showing he had a skill to earn money. He didn't tell his mother, Huang Yupei, and Lao Jin until he bought the big house, which really made Lao Jin furious. After so many years of eating and drinking for free, it was too ruthless for him to move out. Lao Jin complained to Huang Yupei that he was a sucker, a Yang Bailao (a character from a Chinese folktale who has been exploited), and that his children were all heartless landlords. As for Zhang Hongqi, he immediately took a fancy to the famous Tang sisters. If Hongqi (a figure in Chinese literature) had a fondness for poetry, he would surely have had wives like the two Zhou sisters, like Li Yu (the last emperor of the Southern Tang dynasty) and the Zhao sisters.

Both sisters worked in a textile factory, leading a rather romantic life. The daughter's flirtatious nature inevitably attracted many suitors. Their homes were already being targeted by matchmakers from all around, who demanded exorbitant dowries. Some were even high-ranking officials from grain depots. Young men were captivated by the younger sister's beauty; a stunning young woman of sixteen, her charm as captivating as the fragrant blossoms of crabapple, peony, and lilac in spring. Years of hard study would only lead to a triumphant return home. A romantic wedding night was out of the question. The sisters were too alluring, like the white snow of blooming magnolias and the vibrant romance of violets in spring—so beautiful, like pure summer roses in full bloom. Hongqi forgot whether he pursued the younger sister first or the older sister; it was a passionate, almost delusional, love at first sight, a mere excuse. Perhaps the textile factory workers were simply more open and free than the traditional forestry workers.

The girls were noticeably more proactive and untamed, and there was less of a sense of moral constraint. However, compared to these frivolous young men in bell-bottoms, Zhang Hongqi's advantages became apparent. He was a well-known wealthy man with a large house, and he was also very generous to the two sisters, taking them out to restaurants and even buying their money-grubbing mother a bottle of Moutai. The younger sister was responsible for seducing her future brother-in-law, while the older sister was also a charming and amorous woman. The mother thought it best not to have two girls involved at once, so it was better for the younger sister to withdraw from this illicit relationship. The sisters' mother didn't ask for much; Zhang Hongqi had to give her some pocket money every month and provide her with alcohol. The mother loved to drink, and she didn't care how her two beautiful daughters were flirtatious or how they seduced men. A significant portion of the dowry was paid for by the daughters' bodies. Since they've already slept together, paying the bride price is perfectly legitimate. As long as they don't get married and don't have a marriage certificate, she doesn't care how promiscuous her daughters are, as long as it benefits her.

Perhaps Tang Wan provided Hongqi with too much sensory stimulation, and he began to become addicted to this way of love and its methods, entirely for the sake of love and the true meaning of modern free love. In reality, this was merely a way for Tang Wan to avoid embarrassment. She constantly promoted this fervent love that broke free from worldly views and constraints. And what about the sister-in-law? She frequently dragged her nominal brother-in-law, Zhang Hongqi, to her mother's house for drinks, creating a lively scene with the three women—the sisters and the mother—a veritable drama. The only reason for this was that Zhang Hongqi was a skilled welder at the forestry bureau, earning extra money, owning a large house, and having plenty of money to spend. The reason she would drag him to her mother's house for drinks and entertainment was simply because Zhang Hongqi could afford to pay the bill.

When Zhang Hongying, the older sister, learned that her second brother, Hongqi, was dating, she was terrified. Tang Wan and Tang Li, the two sisters from the textile factory, were notorious for their bohemian charm and what's known as the "Caravan Sisters"—the three of them were notorious for their love of dining out and shopping. However, Tang Wan was cunning, and her younger sister, Tang Li, was flirting with Zhang Hongqi. These charming sisters had completely captivated Zhang Hongqi, making him determined to marry Tang Wan. He even claimed that his insistence on marriage was due to pressure from his younger brother, Zhang Hongli. As the second brother, he had to get married first, otherwise, his younger brother's marriage would be difficult!

Upon hearing about his brother-in-law Zhang Hongqi's womanizing escapades and scandals, Li Jingshan immediately praised Zhang Hongyu. At least Zhang Hongqi had the skills to seduce women, the ability to charm the sisters. Hongqi seemed to have been born before the golden age of wealth and fame, directly entering the iron age, his wealth even more lucrative than his second brother's. It seemed that Tang Wan and Tang Li's ability to seduce Zhang Hongqi was a testament to his worth. As for Tang Li? She was always joking with Zhang Hongqi, never serious or frivolous. This glamorous romance was indeed a sign of progress.

The forestry workers all envied Zhang Hongqi, who was never short of beautiful women on the back of his bicycle. There was always another beautiful woman riding a bicycle beside him. No one gossiped about Zhang Hongqi having affairs, because the two sisters were alluring, youthful, and energetic textile factory workers. They all envied Zhang Hongqi's ability to date. Dating the older sister with the younger sister's beauty as a third wheel—it was infuriating! The difference between the two brothers was too great; one was a celestial fairy, the other an ugly duckling.