https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-248-This-Could-Be-the-Best-Match-She-ll-Ever-Have/12849409/
Chapter 249: Grand Plans
Chapter 249: Grand Plans
Suzhou Restaurant.
In one of the private rooms, under Deng Shirong's guidance, the two parties started chatting about bamboo weaving, farming, land reclamation, communal meals, individual plots, and other topics. Once the conversation got going, everyone, being from the countryside, quickly found common ground in their shared experiences.
In modern times, matchmakers usually give the two parties some space to talk and get to know each other better. However, in this era, matchmaking was more about simply meeting face-to-face. Even when Deng Shirong arranged meetings in his hometown, the encounters were often staged as casual "accidental" run-ins, sometimes requiring multiple walks to get a good look at each other.
This was mainly because the social norms of the time were still quite conservative. Rural girls were generally shy, and the purpose of matchmaking was primarily to see what the other person looked like. Any further communication had to be relayed by the matchmaker, unlike today where couples can have private conversations to get to know each other.
Having the two parties meet and dine at a restaurant was quite unusual.
In the countryside, if one party was unsatisfied, the meal often wouldn't even start. Even if they did eat together, it was usually the elders who did most of the talking, with the young couple barely exchanging glances, let alone having a conversation.
That's the situation here. The elders were chatting, and Aunt Liu and Aunt Liu's sister-in-law occasionally chimed in, but Bu Dashu and Liu Aihong didn't speak to each other. They just ate and quietly observed each other.
Deng Shirong, having experienced a more modern era, was more flexible in his matchmaking approach compared to the usual rigid methods. Seeing that Liu Aihong had finished eating, he suggested, "Dashu, Aihong, we're talking about things that don't really concern you. Why don't you two go to the next room and have a proper chat?"
Liu Aihong's mother, who was already quite satisfied with the match, agreed, "Sister-in-law, Uncle Jiu is right. You two should go to the next room and chat for a bit."
With the mother's approval, Bu Dashu didn't hesitate. He stood up, smiled at Liu Aihong, and said, "Why don't I show you the other rooms in our restaurant? Each one has a different style."
Liu Aihong's face turned bright red, but she couldn't back out now. She stood up, nodded softly, and followed Bu Dashu out of the room to the next one.
As they entered the private room, Liu Aihong's heart rate spiked. Her face wasn't the only thing blushing; her ears were tinged red as well.
Bu Dashu wasn't much better. Although he was a man and had worked in the county for some time, this was his first time being alone with a girl, especially one he was considering as a potential wife. His heart was pounding just as much.
The private room, being an intimate space, made the atmosphere both awkward and slightly romantic.
Bu Dashu, being a man, couldn't remain silent. He tried to start a conversation, "Aihong, have you ever been to the county before?"
Liu Aihong shook her head, "No, this is my first time."
Bu Dashu asked, "What do you think? Is it what you imagined?"
Liu Aihong replied, "It's very nice, just as I imagined. There are buildings everywhere, and the roads are paved with asphalt, making everything look clean. The people here dress well, and most of their clothes don't have patches. It's much better than our village."
Bu Dashu nodded, "That's true. Life in the city is better than in the countryside. In the village, it's hard to even see a movie, but in the city, there are two movie theaters. One is right across from our restaurant, and the other is nearby. You can go anytime if you're willing to buy a ticket.
"Plus, the city has electricity, so it's bright at night. There are even night markets. It's completely different from our village."
Liu Aihong sighed, "No wonder the educated youth who came to our village to work were desperate to return to the city. The difference between the countryside and the city is really huge!"
With that, Bu Dashu mustered the courage to ask, "Aihong, do you want to leave the countryside and live in the city?"
Liu Aihong understood the implication. Her face, which had just returned to normal, turned red again. She lowered her head, avoiding Bu Dashu's gaze, and after a long pause, whispered, "Who wouldn't want to leave the countryside and live in the city?"
Hearing this, Bu Dashu felt reassured.
...
In the next room, Deng Shirong gave his sister and brother-in-law a meaningful look, and they found an excuse to leave the room.
Then, Deng Shirong asked, "A Biao, you’ve seen the groom’s situation. You shouldn’t have any objections to this marriage, right?"
Aihong’s mother replied, "The groom’s conditions are indeed good, and he’s not unattractive. Uncle Jiu, you mentioned before that he could help arrange for my third daughter to work here. Is that true?"
Deng Shirong smiled and said, "Of course, it’s true. I’ll tell you this: whenever Ailiu comes to live with her husband, she can start working here."
Hearing this, Aihong’s mother had no further objections and nodded. "If that’s the case, I agree to this marriage. I wonder what the groom’s side thinks?"
Deng Shirong assured her, "You can rest easy. The groom’s side has also agreed. Now, let’s discuss the dowry. How much do you expect?"
When it came to her daughter’s dowry, Aihong’s mother didn’t ask for an exorbitant amount. She simply said, "We don’t have any specific demands for the dowry. Uncle Jiu, you can let the groom decide, as long as it’s not below the standard."
She and her husband loved their eldest daughter, who was obedient, thoughtful, and beautiful. They only hoped she would marry into a good family and never intended to make things difficult for the groom’s side regarding the dowry. The reason they mentioned arranging a job for their daughter was genuinely to ensure her happiness.
After all, once their daughter was married, she would belong to another family. Whether she had a job or not wouldn’t affect her natal family much; at most, it would bring them some face. The real benefits would go to her new family, specifically her and her husband’s small household.
Of course, they didn’t consider those who would move everything to their natal family.
Deng Shirong smiled in satisfaction. "That makes things easier. I can assure you that the groom’s dowry won’t be less than anyone else’s. Now, let’s talk about the engagement ceremony..."
...
3:00 PM.
Liu Aihong and her three companions boarded the bus home.
At this time, there were no more buses directly to Shuangwang, but there were still many buses passing through Songshan.
After all, Songshan was on the Bolong Highway, and buses heading to Nanning, Beihai, Hepu, and other directions all passed through Songshan, so there were plenty of buses.
Although the groom’s family offered to arrange for them to stay overnight in the county, Aihong’s mother thought about it and politely declined.
Meeting the groom and bride for the first time, it was normal for the groom to treat them to a meal if both sides were satisfied. They could easily accept this, but having the groom arrange their accommodation would be inappropriate.
They didn’t want to take unnecessary favors to avoid gossip.
By refusing the groom’s offer to arrange accommodation, they would have to spend money on a hotel if they wanted to stay overnight. Even if it didn’t cost much, Aihong’s mother didn’t think it was worth it, so it was best to return home while they still had time.
On the way back, the four of them were in high spirits.
Liu Aihong, of course, was elated. She and Bu Dashan had already expressed their feelings to each other privately and set a date for the engagement ceremony. If everything went well, the marriage was sure to happen, and she would be moving to the county, even working in a big restaurant. How could she not be happy?
Aihong’s mother was equally pleased. Her daughter was marrying into such a good family, and she, as a mother, was naturally delighted.
As for the two sisters-in-law, they were in high spirits for two reasons: they were happy for their younger sister and because of the generous red envelopes they had received.
In Bozhou, it was a custom for the groom to give red envelopes to the bride’s side, whether in the present or in the future. This was a must.
Liu Dasha and Liu Ersha had also received red envelopes when they met their husbands, but even as the main characters, they only received 2.88 yuan. Those who accompanied them received only 0.88 yuan.
At the time, this amount wasn’t considered generous, but it wasn’t stingy either; it was a standard amount.
Now, as mere companions, they received 3.88 yuan each, which was more than they had received as the main characters. This was truly eye-opening.
Given that the red envelopes for the companions were already so generous, the red envelope for the main character, their younger sister, was even more impressive. The groom gave her 8.88 yuan, a truly generous amount. It was no wonder; people who worked in the county were indeed more generous than the average rural person.
Considering that the groom spent over 20 yuan just on red envelopes for the four of them, and with the addition of tea, candy, and pastries, the total expenses exceeded 30 yuan.
To put it in perspective, their family could earn less than that in a month from weaving bamboo products during their free time. This showed just how generous the groom’s side was.
(End of Chapter)
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