Reborn in 1979, with a female educated youth lying next to me.

Zhang Guilan stared at Liu Jia without even blinking.

Liu Jia put the bowl on the table by the door, then hooked his leg over to a small bamboo stool and plopped down on it.

"Mom, what are you thinking? I was talking about Zhou Caixia and Li Zhenhe. How did you come up with the idea of ​​me thinking about my brother's wife?"

Only after Liu Jia said that did Zhang Guilan realize that she had misunderstood.

With a long sigh of relief, Zhang Guilan reached out and patted her forehead.

"Oh dear, look at my brain, I'm always so confused, I really thought..."

"What do you think? Do you think I regretted bringing Zhou Caixia and Li Zhenhe together? Do you think I want to marry Zhou Caixia into our family?"

Before Zhang Guilan could finish speaking, Liu Jia had already voiced his thoughts.

Zhang Guilan smiled sheepishly and quickly turned around to pour Liu Jia another bowl of water.

Then, the two of them started talking about the bride price.

When the topic of bride price came up, Zhang Guilan told everyone she knew.

“These past two years have been tough for everyone, but the bride price still has to be given. As for how much to give, that depends on the financial situation of both families.”

"This bride price is not a dowry for the bride's family. It is to thank the bride's parents for raising her. After all, once the bride is married into the family, she becomes someone else's person, so this bride price must be given."

"There is no fixed amount for the bride price. I heard that Zhang Cuihua's family gave Zhang Yanzi's family a bride price of more than eighty yuan, I think it was eighty-eight."

Zhang Guilan spoke slowly and deliberately, mentioning not only how much betrothal gift Zhang Cuihua's family had given, but also sharing some recent news she had heard.

In the production team, the work that women did was relatively easier.

So, when a few women get together, they naturally start gossiping about this family and that family.

Since everyone is from the countryside, and the economic conditions of different villages are not much different, the amount of bride price will not vary much.

Hearing Zhang Guilan say this, Liu Jia felt reassured.

"Li Zhenhe said he plans to give a bride price of two hundred yuan, so I was just wondering how much people in our village give these days?"

As soon as Liu Jia said that, Zhang Guilan was immediately dumbfounded!

Two hundred yuan!

Why so many?

To make sure she hadn't misheard, Zhang Guilan asked again.

"Sanzi, you said two hundred yuan? That's a lot!"

“Mother, Li Zhenhe’s family are from the city and they eat commodity grain. He works at the supply and marketing cooperative and doesn’t have many expenses on a daily basis, so we’re thinking of giving him a larger dowry.”

Zhang Guilan nodded.

I don't know how much money is made in the supply and marketing cooperative, but I have heard that the people who work there have a secure job.

Not only are the salaries high, but there are also good benefits during holidays and festivals.

I heard it's also used for making oily and leavened dough.

If that's the case, then Li Zhenhe's family must be living a good life.

It's normal for people to offer a bride price of 200 yuan.

Before she knew it, Zhang Guilan began to compare her three sons.

The eldest son received a bride price, but the second son is not yet married.

The third son, Liu Jia, married Guo Xiaoyan, who was a young woman from the city who had been sent to the countryside for education.

Unfortunately, Guo Xiaoyan's family did not ask for a bride price.

Although Liu Jia and Guo Xiaoyan are now divorced, Zhang Guilan still feels guilty about this matter.

"Sanzi, Yan'er is a good girl. We've wronged her. You know, we didn't even give her a bride price, and she still married you. Sigh..."

Zhang Guilan looked remorseful, her brows furrowed tightly.

Liu Jia was taken aback.

"Mom, what are you saying? Weren't we talking about Li Zhenhe? How did it get involved with Guo Xiaoyan again? And speaking of Guo Xiaoyan..."

Liu Jia suddenly shut his mouth halfway through his sentence.

If I say any more, I'll be exposed.

Back then, Guo Xiaoyan married me on conditions. She explicitly stated that she didn't want a bride price and that I should promise not to touch her for three years.

Back then, these things couldn't be discussed openly.

Now that they're divorced, Liu Jia doesn't want to bring up the past.

“What’s wrong with Yan’er? Our family is poor. Yan’er hasn’t enjoyed much happiness since she married into the family. We’re the ones who have wronged her.”

"Okay, I understand. Let's not talk about Guo Xiaoyan anymore. As for the bride price you just mentioned, I still need to go to Uncle Zhou's house to see what they have to say."

Liu Jia stood up as he spoke.

If we don't leave now, Zhang Guilan will probably start crying again.

In Zhang Guilan's heart, Guo Xiaoyan was like a daughter. In the past few days, Zhang Guilan had finally managed to stop mentioning Guo Xiaoyan, and she didn't want to stir up her sad memories again.

"Go on, go on, you're busy like a spinning top all day long, you never know how to take a break."

Zhang Guilan complained.

Liu Jia grinned and quickly left.

Logically speaking, since it's the one getting divorced, they should be the ones who are sad and need comforting.

But now things have completely reversed.

Every time Guo Xiaoyan is mentioned, Liu Jia has to go to great lengths to comfort Zhang Guilan.

So tiring!

Ten minutes later.

Liu Jia arrived at the production team.

When Zhou Fengshou heard that Liu Jia had something to discuss with him, he assumed it was about the bamboo basket.

"You cool off first, let's talk under the big tree."

"Uncle Zhou, this matter is really important, you can't take it lightly."

"You brat, when have I ever taken something seriously that you're talking about without giving me a heads-up? Do you need to warn me beforehand?"

Zhou Fengshou smiled and handed Liu Jia a bamboo stool, then sat down opposite Liu Jia.

Seeing that Zhou Fengshou was seated, Liu Jia finally spoke.

"Uncle Zhou, I think Li Zhenhe and Caixia have been dating for a while now. Shouldn't we finalize the marriage now?"

"Li Zhenhe mentioned to me today that he'd give 200 yuan for the wedding arrangements. What do you think?"

"If you don't think it's going to work out, I, as the matchmaker, can try to mediate. I want to know what you really think?"

Liu Jia looked serious and kept glancing at Zhou Fengshou as he spoke.

Zhou Fengshou was stunned for a moment, then his hand trembled, and the white cigarette he had just rolled fell to the ground!

"Uncle Zhou, what's wrong? You don't want to?"

"It's not that I'm unwilling, but what does it mean that he gave me two hundred yuan?"

Liu Jia was completely bewildered.

This Zhou Fengshou even said that he wasn't unwilling, but the meaning behind his question was clearly that he was unwilling!

"It's nothing special, just a bride price. If you don't like it, we can discuss it."

"What's there to discuss? There's no room for discussion! Two hundred yuan is not enough, I won't agree!"

Liu Jia panicked upon hearing this.

"Uncle Zhou, to be honest, two hundred yuan is a lot. In our village, everyone gives eighty-eight yuan. At this rate, Li Zhenhe could marry two wives!"

In front of Zhou Fengshou, Liu Jia never held back, saying whatever was on his mind.

But as soon as he said those words, Liu Jia immediately regretted it.

Two hundred yuan can marry two wives? What kind of talk is that!

Even if we say that monogamy is the norm nowadays, it doesn't mean that you can marry two wives under these circumstances.

"Uncle Zhou, I take back what I just said. I meant that two hundred yuan is not a small amount."

“I know that two hundred yuan is a lot of money, which is why I can’t accept it. I, Zhou Fengshou, am marrying off my daughter, not selling her. I can’t let the whole village gossip about me because of the bride price!”

Upon hearing this, Liu Jia finally understood what was going on.

"You mean, not so many?"

Zhou Fengshou sighed.

"You little brat, don't you think about it? I'm the production team leader. If I ask for this much money upfront, wouldn't the families in our village with sons curse me to death?"

"I already have two daughters, and people are even more likely to curse me, saying I'll be childless and have no descendants!"

"I won't do this. I'll take whatever they offer!"