country bumpkin

When Granny Zhang approached the hut and heard the sounds coming from inside, she was startled. Looking at Liu Fangxiang, she asked in a trembling voice, "Sister...sister, is...is your son inside?"

Granny Zhang was very skeptical. Wasn't her son an idiot? How could he do something like this? Could he possibly understand so much?

Liu Fangxiang said with certainty, "Judging from the voice, it should be my son."

Granny Zhang covered her mouth and asked in a low voice, "Then...who is the woman inside?"

Liu Fangxiang pretended not to know and replied, "I don't know either. Let's go and take a look after they're done."

Granny Zhang was speechless: "What did you say? Wait for them to finish?...This...this..."

Liu Fangxiang quietly pulled her to an open space and whispered, "Since they've already started, this is the only way. Otherwise, my son might get scared and his family line will end."

Granny Zhang rolled her eyes: "You're such a good mother... truly unparalleled."

In his heart, he was thinking: "Your son is your own son, but that girl isn't a good girl? Aren't you afraid of ruining her reputation?"

However, Granny Zhang quickly realized that this kind of girl had brought it upon herself and wasn't a good person either.

After waiting for half an hour, it was completely dark. A light drizzle began to fall. Only when the noise from inside the house subsided did the two slowly approach.

At this moment, Wei Xiu was getting dressed, while Jin Bao was still lying on the ground covered with fallen leaves, resting.

Wei Xiu urged him, "Jinbao, hurry up and get dressed. It's getting dark, we should go home. It must be raining outside now, if we don't leave soon, it will get so heavy we won't be able to leave!"

Kong Jinbao was still savoring the feeling from earlier when he grabbed Wei Xiu, pulled her into his arms, and kissed her repeatedly on the lips.

He said, still somewhat unsatisfied, "Xiuer, that felt so good. Shall we do it again?"

Wei Xiu's face was burning again. Sitting in Jin Bao's lap, her face was flushed as she said, "Oh dear! We'll talk about it later. Get up now, or your mother will worry if we don't go back. If she finds our way here, we'll never have a chance to see each other again."

Just as she finished speaking, Liu Fangxiang's voice came from outside: "Jinbao... Jinbao, is that you? Are you inside?"

Jinbao heard his mother's voice and, without thinking much, quickly replied, "Oh, Mother, it's me. I'll be right out."

He answered while putting on his clothes. Wei Xiu turned pale with fright. Trembling, she grabbed Jinbao's arm and whispered, "Jinbao, did your mother hear us playing together? What if she did?"

Jinbao said nonchalantly, "It's okay. If she hears me, I'll just tell her that I want to get married and that I want you to be my wife."

Wei Xiu was touched and happy that Jinbao wanted to marry her. She then asked worriedly, "But my stepfather and stepmother won't agree. They still want to sell me for money."

At this moment, Liu Fangxiang heard their conversation and came in. She saw her son wearing only underwear, with his shirt and pants off and placed under his bottom.

Liu Fangxiang found it amusing; this silly son even knew to put on his clothes! It must have been Xiuer who taught him.

Granny Zhang also came in, and when she saw this scene, she opened her mouth wide, her face full of shock.

What shocked her was that Jinbao wasn't even fully dressed yet, and his underwear couldn't even hide his private parts. She thought to herself that this fool was quite well-endowed.

When Wei Xiu saw that another person had followed them, she was filled with shame and lowered her head, not daring to speak or look around.

Liu Fangxiang quickly helped her son get dressed, and then asked Granny Zhang to go out and wait.

After tidying everything up, Liu Fangxiang took her son and Wei Xiu home. On the way, she said to Wei Xiu, "Xiu'er, I know our Jinbao isn't very bright and isn't good enough for you. I can also tell that you like our Jinbao. Since things have come to this, you two should settle the marriage!"

Wei Xiu was overjoyed, but also worried, "What about my mother and stepmother? They want to sell me for money."

Liu Fangxiang said, "That's simple. We'll give you the same dowry as they're willing to sell you for, as long as they don't ask for an exorbitant amount."

Wei Xiu thanked Liu Fangxiang repeatedly with excitement. Liu Fangxiang then looked at Granny Zhang walking beside her and said, "Old sister, then I'll trouble you to go to the Zeng family tomorrow and act as matchmaker for my son."

Granny Zhang didn't want to get involved in these things, but having witnessed what happened today, she couldn't stay out of it. She had no choice but to grit her teeth and agree.

Wei Xiu ate dinner at Jinbao's house that evening before returning home. Liu Fangxiang knew that her stepmother was mistreating her and not letting her eat her fill, so she felt sorry for her and asked her to stay for dinner before going home.

Back home, the yard and house were quiet; everyone was asleep. Wei Xiu quietly went back to her room, a small side room piled high with firewood and miscellaneous items.

Wei Xiu looked around, sighed, and thought of how clean and tidy Jinbao's house was, a place she longed for.

If she could really marry Jinbao, it would be so much better than staying in the Zeng family. Thinking this, she drifted off to sleep.

The next day, Granny Zhang went to the Zeng family and talked with the old lady, Jiang Xian'e, about Wei Xiu's marriage.

Upon hearing this, the old lady realized that the family's mentally challenged son wanted to get married, so she made an outrageous demand: "We've raised this girl for ten years and spent a lot of money on her, so she should get at least 2000 yuan!"

Granny Zhang said kindly, "We country folk don't have much money. Even ordinary families in the city don't have that kind of price. The best girls in our village only cost 600 yuan. Your girl is dark-skinned and thin, and she has no strength. She can't even work in the fields."

Jiang Xian'e glared at her and said, "Oh dear, are you here to make a match or to cause trouble? If it doesn't work out, then forget it and go back! I'm busy, so I won't see you off."

After saying that, he went back into the inner room and didn't come out again.

Granny Zhang was humiliated and angrily began to curse: "Oh dear, who doesn't know your family is heartless? You bully Xiu'er, abuse her, don't give her food, and beat and scold her. Now you're pretending to be a loving grandmother and filial grandchild? Bah..."

After Zhang Pozi finished scolding, her anger subsided. She proudly puffed out her chest and went to Liu Fangxiang's house to give her a reply.

Jiang Xian'e only dared to come out after the old woman finished cursing and left. She didn't want to argue with that old woman; she really couldn't win an argument with her.

When Granny Zhang arrived at Liu Fangxiang's house, she explained what had happened. Liu Fangxiang thanked her a few times and then took out 30 yuan and handed it to her as a reward for her hard work. Granny Zhang was delighted to see the money and went home happily.

…………

At Yunya's house, Mu Shuyun's eldest daughter, Kong Xiujuan, arrived with Sun Limei. Yunya happily circled around her sister, pleased to have a new playmate.

Caixia was there too, and the three little girls played house together, having a lot of fun. When it got dark, Caixia reluctantly went back to her grandmother's house.

Sun Limei didn't leave; she played with Yunya until very late before going to sleep. The two children slept in the same bed.

Mu Shuyun and Kong Xiujuan were chatting inside the room, and Kong Xiujuan shared her plans.

"Mom, school starts on September 1st, and I want to bring Yunya back to school."

Mu Shuyun said with difficulty, "She has been with me since she was a child and is very dependent on me. I'm afraid she can't leave me. What should I do?" Kong Xiujuan also fell silent.

After a while, Mu Shuyun said again, "Alright, we'll think of a solution tomorrow. It's very late now, go to sleep! We can talk about it tomorrow."

The mother and daughter went back to sleep.