Quick Transmigration: The Pregnant Little Fairy is Pampered by the Heirless Boss

"What?" Ji Jianjun immediately tensed up. "She bullied you?"

“How could that be!” Li Hongmei proudly raised her chin. “In front of the whole factory, I revealed all the things she did to her family, how she looked down on them back then, and how much she regrets it now. She ran out crying.”

Ji Jianjun felt both sorry for him and amused: "You..."

"Who told her to bully your sister-in-law!" Li Hongmei snorted. "Besides, I'm just stating the facts."

The two smiled at each other, the morning sun shining warmly on them.

Since then, Li Hongmei has frequently visited Jijiacun on weekends.

Sometimes he came with his father to investigate agriculture, and sometimes he came simply to see Ji Jianjun.

The villagers all saw it and began to speculate whether the daughter of the village chief next door had taken a liking to the second son of the Ji family.

*

After the autumn harvest, Ji Jianjun's vegetable greenhouses yielded a bumper harvest.

That evening, he squatted at the edge of the field, watching the last truckload of cucumbers being driven away, calculating this year's harvest in his mind.

Since meeting Li Hongmei, his vegetable business has flourished, and he has accumulated a considerable amount of savings.

"Brother Jianjun!"

A familiar sound came from the edge of the field.

Ji Jianjun looked up and saw Li Hongmei wearing a floral shirt and carrying a cloth bag, waving at him.

The afterglow of the setting sun shone on her, as if she were gilded.

"Hongmei!" Ji Jianjun quickly patted the dirt off his clothes and went to greet her. "What brings you here today?"

"The factory is on holiday." Li Hongmei took out a lunchbox from her cloth bag. "I brought you some meat buns, they're still warm."

Ji Jianjun took the lunchbox, and their fingers touched inadvertently before quickly separating.

His ears burned, and he quickly lowered his head to pick at the steamed buns: "They smell so good... Have you eaten yet?"

"I've eaten." Li Hongmei squatted down to check the vegetable seedlings in the field. "These cabbages are growing really well."

Ji Jianjun finished his steamed bun in a few bites, then mustered his courage and said, "Hongmei, I have something I want to tell you..."

"What did you say?" Li Hongmei tilted her head to look at him, her eyes reflecting the sunset.

"It's just..." Ji Jianjun rubbed his rough hands, his voice trailing off, "You see, we've been together for so long... you know my family's situation..."

Li Hongmei chuckled: "What exactly are you trying to say? You're being all coy, like a young lady."

Ji Jianjun gritted his teeth and pulled a red cloth bag from his pocket: "This is the money I've saved, enough to buy the three major items. I want to... I want to ask you if you'd be willing... to marry me?"

The last sentence was practically squeezed out through clenched teeth.

After saying that, he lowered his head and dared not look at Li Hongmei. He felt his heart pounding like a drum, and the sweat on his palms soaked the red cloth bag.

“Brother Jianjun…” Li Hongmei’s voice suddenly softened, “Lift your head up.”

Ji Jianjun slowly raised his head and saw that Li Hongmei's eyes were slightly red, but she had a smile on her lips.

"I've been waiting for you to ask that question," she said softly. "Keep the money safe; my family doesn't want any dowry."

"That won't do!" Ji Jianjun exclaimed urgently. "You have to have everything others have! A bicycle, a sewing machine, a watch—you can't be without any of them!"

Li Hongmei was amused by his expression: "Alright, alright, I'll do whatever you say. But I need to tell my parents first..."

"I'm going to your father to propose marriage right now!" Ji Jianjun stood up abruptly and pulled Li Hongmei away.

"Ouch!" Li Hongmei stumbled as he pulled her. "What's the rush? It's almost dark!"

Ji Jianjun then realized what was happening and scratched his head sheepishly, saying, "I...I'm just too happy..."

The two walked side by side on the ridge of the field, their shadows stretching long in the setting sun.

Li Hongmei suddenly remembered something: "Oh right, you have to talk to your parents first. According to custom, the groom's parents have to come to propose marriage first."

"Yes, yes, yes!" Ji Jianjun slapped his forehead. "I'll go home and tell my parents right now!"

As they parted, Li Hongmei tiptoed and quickly kissed Ji Jianjun on the cheek before running away, her face flushed.

Ji Jianjun stood there, touching the spot where he had been kissed, and grinned foolishly for a while before heading home.

As soon as I entered the courtyard, I heard Wang Xiuhua calling from the kitchen: "Jianjun's back? Wash your hands and get ready for dinner!"

"Mother! Father!" Ji Jianjun rushed into the main room, taking three steps at a time. "I want to marry Hongmei!"

With a loud crash, the spatula in Wang Xiuhua's hand fell to the ground.

Ji Tiezhu poked his head out from the inner room, nearly dropping his pipe in surprise: "What? What did you say?"

"Hongmei agreed to marry me!" Ji Jianjun was so excited he was almost incoherent. "She said she doesn't want a dowry, but I'm thinking I'll still need to buy her a bicycle, a sewing machine, and a watch..."

Wang Xiuhua snapped out of her daze and grabbed her son's hand: "Really? Hongmei really agreed?"

“Absolutely true!” Ji Jianjun nodded vigorously. “She told me to tell you first that, according to the rules, the groom’s parents should come to propose marriage first.”

Wang Xiuhua immediately became flustered: "Old man! Quickly find those two bottles of Xifeng liquor! I'll go buy some meat first thing tomorrow morning! Jianjun, go to the supply and marketing cooperative and get some cloth; I need to make you a new outfit!"

Ji Tiezhu was so excited that he rubbed his hands together: "Great! Great! The daughter of the village chief next door! Our family is incredibly fortunate!"

The whole family gathered around when they heard the news.

Zhou Xiaomei volunteered: "Mom, I'll go with you to the county to buy things tomorrow."

Ji Jianshe patted his brother on the shoulder: "Well done, second brother! You won over the village chief's daughter without making a sound!"

Even Ji Xiaosong, heavily pregnant, rushed back from her husband's family home: "Second brother, Sister Hongmei is such a kind person, you are so lucky!"

That night, the Ji family's house was brightly lit, and the whole family was busy preparing gifts for the marriage proposal.

Wang Xiuhua rummaged through her belongings and found a red silk cloth that she had treasured for many years;

Ji Tiezhu took out all the meat tickets he had saved up for half a year;

Zhou Xiaomei worked through the night to make a new pair of cloth shoes;

Ji Xiaosong contributed a piece of polyester fabric that she had left over from her wedding.

Before dawn the next day, Wang Xiuhua got up and started working.

She steamed a pot of white flour buns, boiled ten red-skinned eggs, and wrapped sixty-six yuan in red paper, which was a considerable sum in those days.

"Mother, isn't this too meager?" Ji Jianjun looked at the prepared gift with some concern.

“Silly child,” Wang Xiuhua said as she straightened his collar, “It’s a small gift but a big sentiment. The village chief’s family doesn’t lack these things; what they value is you as a person.”

When the sun was high in the sky, the Ji family set off in a grand procession.

Ji Tiezhu, dressed in a brand-new Zhongshan suit, walked at the front, carrying two bottles of Xifeng liquor in his hands;

Wang Xiuhua was carrying a basket containing steamed buns, eggs, and red envelopes;

Ji Jianjun was pushing a bicycle with a piece of fresh pork hanging on the handlebars.

As we passed the village entrance, many villagers gathered around to watch the spectacle.

"Brother Ji, where are you going?" someone asked.

Ji Tiezhu straightened his back and said in a loud voice, "Go to the Li family to propose marriage! My Jianjun wants to marry that girl Hongmei!"

The crowd immediately exploded.

There were blessings, envy, and sour, sarcastic remarks.

But the Ji family paid no heed to these concerns and continued walking toward the Li family.

In the Li family courtyard, Li Guoqiang had already received the news and was waiting with his wife in the main room.

Upon seeing the Ji family arrive, they hurriedly came out to greet them: "Old Ji! Sister-in-law! Come inside quickly!"

The two families exchanged pleasantries before entering the main room.

Wang Xiuhua placed the gifts one by one on the table, saying somewhat awkwardly, "Village Chief Li, sister-in-law, these are just a few small tokens of my appreciation..."

"Oh dear!" Mother Li quickly waved her hand, "Why are you being so polite? Please sit down and have some tea!"

Li Hongmei hid behind the door of the inner room, eavesdropping on the sounds outside.

When she heard Ji Jianjun stammering, "I will definitely treat Hongmei well," she couldn't help but cover her mouth and laugh.

“Jianjun is an honest boy,” Li Guoqiang said to Ji Tiezhu. “I’m at ease entrusting Hongmei to him.”

"Old Li," Ji Tiezhu said, taking out his pipe, "when do you think would be a good time to hold the wedding?"