Black Gold 1983

Sui'er's mother cried so hard that tears streamed down her face, and she slid down the slope, unable to even stand up.

Tian Sui'er quickly steadied her, saying, "Alright, Mom. Stop talking."

Ma Guoliang looked at Tian Mancang, who was squatting in the corner, lost in thought, and sighed.

Who in the mining area doesn't know how tough the work underground is?

Who doesn't know what it's like to be demoted because of poor health?

He took two steps forward and cleared his throat: "Alright, stop crying."

"Right now, the higher authorities are cracking down hard on the work style of industrial and mining units. The entire mining area is working to rectify the atmosphere and identify exemplary cases."

"Our Hongxing Mine is a large state-owned factory with a consistently upright atmosphere. If word gets out about this, we'll lose all face!"

Ma Guoliang looked around and said in a deep voice, "And it's not just a matter of losing face! The mine's Party Committee is currently selecting 'Advanced Collectives,' checking discipline and the atmosphere every few days. With this kind of scandal happening in our department, we might lose the honor of being an 'Advanced Collective' this time!"

Upon hearing this, the faces of the six members of both families darkened, their hearts filled with shame.

"If the 'Advanced Collective' award is lost, that's no small matter!"

"That's right. Our mine evaluates advanced units every year. Advanced units receive special bonuses, year-end dividends, and holiday subsidies. If you don't get selected, you lose all the benefits for the year."

"You're still talking about this now! The crucial thing is Sui'er's reputation. If word gets out that she slept with another man on her engagement day, her reputation will be ruined for life!"

After listening for a while, Ma Guoliang spoke up at the right time: "Alright, alright, in my opinion, if we want to keep the collective honor of our Red Star Mine from being affected, and at the same time preserve Sui'er's reputation so that she won't be talked about behind her back for the rest of her life, there is only one way right now."

"What method?"

"Make sure that brat marries that girl quickly, otherwise if word gets out, it'll affect his performance evaluation, and nobody can afford that responsibility!"

Upon hearing this, both families froze on the spot.

Immediately afterwards, the crowd erupted in an uproar.

"What? You want Sui'er to marry Renye? Section Chief Ma, are you kidding me? Today is Sui'er's engagement day with Dongsheng. If she turns around and marries Renye, what kind of talk will it make?"

"Exactly! Isn't this a slap in the face for Section Chief Xu? Engaged in the morning, changed partners in the afternoon—let alone the Xu family, who could stand this?"

"Besides, is that kid Renye... good enough for Sui'er?"

What is Renye's reputation in the family compound? Unemployed, a social idler, a brawler, a drunkard and troublemaker, a negative example for all the parents in the compound to use to educate their children.

What about Tian Sui'er? She's an officer in the propaganda department. She's good-looking, efficient, and has a good reputation at the mine.

These two people don't look like a good match at all.

"You can't say that," someone said, speaking up for Renye. "Renye should have taken responsibility for the girl today! Besides, Shouyi was a hero at the mine back in the day. If he hadn't injured his leg while saving someone, he would probably be a cadre by now. Renye just needs someone to keep him in check. If he got married, maybe he'd settle down."

"Change his ways?" Wang Xiuqin scoffed. "A leopard can't change its spots! If he could change his ways, pigs would fly!"

Wang Xiuqin's words were harsh and unpleasant, each one piercing the heart.

The moment these words were spoken, Li Yue'e, who had been completely distraught, exploded. She abruptly broke free from the support of those around her, her face flushed, and rushed forward, pointing her finger intently at Wang Xiuqin, shouting, "Wang Xiuqin! You gossipy, foul-mouthed woman! Shut your mouth!"

"How dare you treat my son like this? You spend all day lounging in the yard gossiping and stirring up trouble. You're a black-hearted bastard; you'll get what's coming to you sooner or later!"

Wang Xiuqin was so scolded by Li Yue'e that she dared not move.

Everyone in the entire Hongxing family compound knows that Li Yue'e is notoriously sharp-tongued.

Last year, Wang Xiuqin was muttering in the yard, "Yue'e is too frugal. Her husband is lame, but she still won't buy meat to nourish him."

When the news reached Li Yue'e's ears, she bumped into her at the gate of the courtyard the next day. Li Yue'e said with a smile, "Xiuqin, I heard you feel sorry for our Shouyi? That's great! I'll have Shouyi come to your house for dinner tomorrow. Anyway, you're good at managing money, so it won't make a difference if you have another pair of chopsticks, right?" Wang Xiuqin was so embarrassed that she didn't dare to pass by her house for several days.

Li Yue'e was too lazy to pay attention to her now. She walked up to Sui'er's mother and Tian Mancang, and bowed first: "Brother Mancang, Sister Weihong, no matter how you look at it, it's Renye's fault. You're right to be angry. Whether you hit us or scold us, we'll accept it."

She paused, looked at Tian Sui'er, then at everyone in the room, and said, word by word:

"But Li Yue'e is making this clear: since this has happened, our Ren family will definitely take responsibility. Sui'er is the daughter I've watched grow up since she was a child. If Sui'er doesn't mind, our Ren family will do everything we can to marry her in a grand and proper way, even if it means selling everything we own."

"Aunt Yue'e..."

Tian Sui'er was about to say that it was just a misunderstanding, and that she didn't know what Ren Ye was thinking, but before she could finish speaking, Li Yue'e interrupted her with a smile.

"Don't worry, Sui'er. You and Renye grew up together and know each other inside and out. If he ever dares to treat you badly in the slightest, your Uncle Shouyi and I will never let him off easily!"

"What's the use of just talking?" Although she felt guilty about for pressuring Renye into marriage, Tian Mancang still looked down on him from the bottom of her heart. Her face darkened as she said, "Don't we all know what kind of person Renye is? He's an unemployed bum, drifting through life. How is he going to get married? How is he going to support a family?"

"She's already in her mid-twenties, and she's been drifting around since graduating from junior high. Today she'll help someone carry goods, tomorrow she'll run errands for someone in the county town, she's always hungry, and she can never pull out a single ten-yuan note from her pocket. Even if she gets married, does she expect my daughter to support the family from now on?"

Sui'er's mother also came to her senses and chimed in, "Renye doesn't even have a proper job at the mine right now. The meager income you two earn each month is barely enough to support one son. If you were to have another child in the future, you simply wouldn't be able to handle it. I strongly disagree with this!"

The Tian couple took turns scolding him for half an hour, and Ren Shouyi and Li Yue'e listened silently for the entire half hour.

Ultimately, the only one to blame is their own son for being so useless.

Beside her, Wang Xiuqin's sharp and sarcastic tongue began to chatter again.

"Yue'e, I heard that Dongsheng's family prepared 'three turns and one sound' as betrothal gifts alone. A sewing machine, a watch, a bicycle, and a radio—they have everything you could want. I bet your family won't even hear a single sound."

A murmur of agreement rippled through the corridor: "Of course! These days, who wouldn't think about their daughter's future when she's getting married?"

"Although the Xu family did something dishonest today, Dongsheng is indeed a reliable and capable young man. He still has a secure job in the transportation department with a steady monthly salary. He is also honest and upright. If Sui'er marries him, she will definitely not suffer."

"Sui'er is a good child, we can't let Renye hold her back."