Chapter 372: A Proposal Visit

Chapter 372: A Proposal Visit

In a family compound in Jingzhou.

In the study, Gu Caiqiao was fully engrossed in painting a landscape. She was so immersed in the artistic atmosphere that external disturbances did not affect her, such as the faint sound of the telephone ringing, which she ignored, continuing to paint without a care for the outside world.

Just as Gu Caiqiao was about to complete her landscape in one go, her mother-in-law’s voice came from the living room: "Xiao Xiao, your mother is calling you. Hurry up and answer."

"Coming!"

Gu Caiqiao broke free from her artistic trance, put down her brush, and walked out of the study. She nodded to her mother-in-law and picked up the phone, saying, "Mom."

On the other end of the line, her mother’s voice came through: "Xiao Xiao, come back this Saturday. Someone is coming to our house to propose marriage on Sunday."

Gu Caiqiao’s spirits lifted, and she quickly asked, "Mom, what’s the situation? Which family’s son has his eyes on Wei Wei?"

Her mother laughed, "The man is from Guangxi, and his family is in business. He’s not from any distinguished family."

Gu Caiqiao was surprised, "Really? Just in business? No background at all?"

Her mother replied, "Yes, his family has no background, but he is very capable."

Gu Caiqiao asked, "What does the man do for work?"

Her mother said, "He’s also in the government, currently the acting county magistrate of Fuqing County in Fujian Province, and he’s about to become the full magistrate."

Gu Caiqiao worried, "Mom, how old is he? Don’t get Wei Wei a much older man!"

Her mother scolded with a laugh, "What are you thinking? He’s only two years older than Wei Wei."

Gu Caiqiao was taken aback, "No way? He’s about to become a county magistrate, and he’s only two years older than Wei Wei? And his family has no background? That’s incredible!"

Her mother laughed, "If he didn’t have some talent, how could he have the qualifications to propose marriage to our family? Well, I won’t say more on the phone. Remember to come back with Ah Wei this Saturday."

Gu Caiqiao said, "Okay, got it."

"That’s it, then."

"Sure!"

While Gu Caiqiao was on the phone, her mother-in-law had overheard most of the conversation in the living room. Seeing her hang up, the mother-in-law asked curiously, "Xiao Xiao, is your sister finding a partner?"

Gu Caiqiao nodded, rather stunned, and said, "Mom, you probably won’t believe this, but my sister’s partner is only two years older than her. His family is in business, with no significant background, but he is already the acting county magistrate and is about to become the full magistrate. It’s really unbelievable."

Although her mother-in-law, Lu Mu, had already heard the gist of it, she was still shocked when her daughter-in-law recounted it. Her husband was also in the government, and his rank was not low, which is why their son had the qualifications to marry a daughter with such a distinguished background.

Therefore, Lu Mu was very clear about what a young official at the full county magistrate level represented.

After the shock wore off, Lu Mu said with a sigh, "Xiao Xiao, it seems your sister’s partner is not simple at all!"

Gu Caiqiao nodded, "Indeed, even with a background, it’s already impressive to become a full county magistrate at such a young age. To achieve that without any background is beyond my imagination."

Lu Mu guessed, "Your mother called you to come back because your sister’s partner is coming to propose marriage, right?"

Gu Caiqiao confirmed, "Yes, I’ll go back to my parents’ house with Ah Wei this Saturday to meet this future brother-in-law."

"I’ll prepare some fish cake for you to take back. Your mother and sister both love it."

"Thank you, Mom."

...

In Nanning.

At the Five Peaks Plaza mansion.

Xiao Dong’er, with an excited look, said, "Grandpa, I got first place in my class on the final exam. You promised me a big reward. What is it?"

Deng Shirong patted her little head, praising her, "Our Xiao Dong’er is really outstanding. Wait here, grandpa will go get your reward."

Dongzi quickly intervened, "Grandpa, what about me?"

Deng Shirong laughed heartily, "Don’t worry, you won’t be left out."

Saying this, he went back to the room and quickly returned with two toys. These toys were not ordinary; they were two tops wrapped with string.

"Here, one for each of you."

Xiao Dong’er took the top, looking puzzled, "Grandpa, what is this?"

Deng Shirong smiled, "This is called a top. It’s a very fun toy!"

Dongzi, holding the top, asked, "Grandpa, how do you play with this top?"

"Let me show you."

Deng Shirong took the top from Dongzi, asked the siblings to step back, grabbed one end of the string, threw the top, and pulled the string, making the top spin rapidly on the ground.

"Wow!"

"This is fun!"

The siblings couldn’t help but exclaim in delight.

Deng Shirong, holding the string, laughed heartily, "Xiao Dong’er, Dongzi, you see, this string is used to spin the top. When the top slows down, you spin it like this."

Speaking of which, he took the string and started to strike the spinning top, continuously accelerating it.

The siblings watched with wide eyes, and Xiao Dong’er, eager to try, said, "Grandpa, let me give it a try."

Deng Shirong said, "Feel free to try. You need to grab the string and, when you throw the top up, pull the string at the right moment, and the top will start spinning."

Hearing this, Xiao Dong’er followed Grandpa’s instructions.

However, she was still too young. Although she knew how to do it, her motor skills were still lacking. After several attempts, either the throwing force was wrong or the timing of pulling the string was off, so she couldn’t get the top to spin successfully.

Fortunately, her learning ability was quite good. After trying over ten times, she finally managed to get the top to spin.

"Haha, it’s spinning, Grandpa, look, I made it spin!"

"Xiao Dong’er, you’re so amazing!"

At this moment, Dongzi, holding the string his grandpa gave him, tried a few times but ended up stopping the spinning top.

Then, he followed his sister’s example, wrapping the string around the top and trying to get it to spin.

Unfortunately, even his two-years-older sister had tried over ten times to succeed, and for him, a kindergartener, it was very difficult. After a few attempts, he gave up in frustration.

"Grandpa, this is too hard!"

Deng Shirong smiled, "Keep trying, you’ll get it. See, your sister managed to do it, right?"

At this point, Xiao Dong’er seemed to have a breakthrough, and she was making the top spin with a loud crack, enjoying herself thoroughly.

Dongzi watched enviously and kept trying with his own top, but the result was inevitable—he still couldn’t get it to spin.

This toy was only fun when it spun; otherwise, it was no fun at all.

Seeing that he couldn’t manage it, Deng Shirong took out a small toy and said, "Dongzi, since you can’t play with the top, why don’t you try this?"

Dongzi asked, "Grandpa, what is this, and how do I play with it?"

"This is called a pull whistle. It’s very simple to play. Watch carefully..."

With that, Deng Shirong demonstrated by pulling the strings on both sides, loosening and tightening them, making the circular object in the middle spin rapidly.

Dongzi exclaimed, "This is fun, Grandpa, let me try!"

Deng Shirong smiled and handed him the toy. This toy was indeed easy to learn, and Dongzi quickly got the hang of it, playing happily.

Xiao Dong’er asked with a grin, "Grandpa, if I get first place in my class again next semester, will you give me a reward?"

Deng Shirong replied without hesitation, "Of course, if you get first place, I’ll definitely give you a reward."

Xiao Dong’er said happily, "Great, next semester, I’ll aim for first place again."

...

The next day.

Deng Shirong boarded a train to Wuhan.

The date for the proposal visit to the girl’s family had been set. Since Deng Yunheng had work to do and couldn’t leave Fuqing County for too long, he didn’t return to meet up but instead flew directly from Fujian to Wuhan, where he would meet his father.

The proposal visit is the first step in arranging a marriage, a meeting for both families to understand each other’s backgrounds. The main items to prepare include gifts and red envelopes for the girl’s family, typically consisting of four, six, or eight items.

The types of gifts vary by era, but cigarettes, tea, and alcohol are usually constant.

Deng Shirong didn’t prepare anything overly expensive. The two packs of cigarettes he chose were the famous Luzhu Women’s Cigarettes from Bobai County.

Speaking of Luzhu Women’s Cigarettes, one cannot fail to mention a person—Luzhu.

Luzhu, whose surname was Liang, was born in Shuangjiao Mountain (now in Bobai County). She was a courtesan of the Western Jin Dynasty and one of the most famous beauties in Chinese history. She was intelligent, beautiful, and skilled in singing, dancing, and poetry. It is said that her performance of the "Zhaojun Dance" was exceptional.

After her suicide by jumping from a building, the Tang Dynasty poet Du Mu wrote a poem about her life, "Jingu Garden," which reads, "The splendor of past events has turned to dust, the water flows without emotion, and the grass grows in spring; at dusk, the east wind laments the singing birds, and the falling flowers resemble the person who fell from the building."

Because Luzhu is a historical figure from Bobai County, the Luzhu Women’s Cigarettes are named after her.

For the two bottles of alcohol, he chose Nomi Sweet Rice Wine produced by the Bobai County Brewery, a local specialty enjoyed by both men and women.

For the two boxes of tea, he chose Bobai County’s Red Broken Tea, known for its tender buds, rich flavor, strong aroma, uniform granules, dark and lustrous color, and bright, red, and slightly sweet-infused tea when brewed.

Deng Shirong selected Red Broken Tea from the old tea trees on Shengnu Ridge in Dag Tian Village, Shuangfeng Township, which have a history of over 200 years. This is the best quality Red Broken Tea and is very suitable as a gift for the future in-laws.

Additionally, the famous lychee nuts from Bobai County were also indispensable.

Besides these, there were also candies, cookies, and other snacks, all beautifully packaged to look very high-end.

Two days later, Deng Shirong arrived at the Wuhan branch of Kangshifu Instant Noodles Factory, where he had agreed to meet his second son. They would then head together to the Gu family to propose marriage.

The factory manager of the Wuhan branch, Deng Changjun, was also one of the clan’s talents. Seeing Deng Shirong arrive, Deng Changjun greeted him warmly, "Ninth Uncle, you’re here!"

Deng Shirong smiled and nodded, asking, "Is the instant noodle production going smoothly lately?"

Deng Changjun replied, "Yes, the workers are very enthusiastic, and we’re operating at full capacity every day."

Deng Shirong said, "Make sure to maintain quality control. Every pack of instant noodles that leaves the factory must be 100% qualified."

Deng Changjun assured him, "Rest assured, Ninth Uncle. I’ve been strictly monitoring quality issues. From raw materials to finished products, I strive to ensure every step is done to the best of our ability."

Deng Shirong smiled, "That’s good. You’ve been working hard lately."

"Not at all, I’m one of the few people in the clan who envies this job!"

With that, Deng Changjun asked, "Ninth Uncle, did you come here specifically, or are you just passing through?"

"I came here to take care of some business and decided to stop by."

"In that case, it’s getting late. I’ll have the head chef prepare a few dishes, and we can have lunch together."

"Sure, I’ll try the head chef’s cooking."

...

At 3:00 PM.

Deng Yunheng also arrived at the Wuhan branch of Kangshifu Instant Noodles Factory.

After not seeing each other for over two years, there was a lot to talk about. Although they often spoke on the phone, it was different from meeting in person.

After catching up on family matters, Deng Yunheng said, "Dad, did you notice the address Aunt Chen gave you?"

Deng Shirong replied, "Yes, I noticed. When I saw them on the train, I knew they weren’t ordinary people. Now my suspicions are confirmed. Your future father-in-law is likely a high-ranking official in the city."

Deng Yunheng nodded and asked, "What gifts did you prepare for the proposal?"

Deng Shirong listed the gifts and then said, "The gifts shouldn’t be too expensive, so I specifically chose local specialties from our hometown."

Deng Yunheng said, "These are good enough."

"Are you hungry? If you are, you can eat something at the factory. If not, let’s set off. We need to reach the guesthouse near the family compound tonight to avoid being late tomorrow morning."

"I’m not hungry. I ate something on the plane."

"Since you’re not hungry, let’s go then!"

"Okay!"

...

At the same time.

Gu Caiqiao returned to her parents’ house with her husband, Lu Wei.

"Father, Mother, Wei Wei."

"Sister, Brother-in-law."

"Ah Wei."

After entering the house, everyone greeted each other.

Once they sat down to drink tea, Gu Caiqiao couldn’t wait to ask, "Wei Wei, tell me about your partner. I’m so curious after hearing Mother’s call."

Gu Caiwei blushed and smiled, "What’s there to say? Mother already told you, didn’t she?"

"Mother didn’t give me all the details."

Gu Caiqiao, full of curiosity, asked, "How did you meet him? He’s so young, and his family has no background. How did he become a county magistrate?"

Lu Wei was also very curious. Although he chose business over politics, he was still a minor second-generation official and understood the significance of becoming a county magistrate at such a young age without any background.

Gu Mother smiled and explained, "Last year, when my mother broke her hand, I and Wei Wei rushed back to see her. On the train, we accidentally had our money stolen, and we would have gone hungry if it weren’t for a kind person who bought us meals for two days.

This kind person was his father.

As for why he became a county magistrate at such a young age, it’s because he is one of the most outstanding graduates from Peking University."

Hearing this, Gu Caiqiao and Lu Wei were both enlightened. It made sense that he was an outstanding graduate from Peking University.

Gu Caiqiao remarked, "So, you two really have a special connection, Wei Wei."

Gu Caiwei blushed and smiled, acknowledging that it was indeed a special connection. According to the normal course of events, they would have never had the chance to meet. However, due to the accident with her grandmother’s broken hand and the theft on the train, they had a chance to meet.

Isn’t this what you call destiny?

After chatting for a while about Gu Caiwei’s partner, Gu Father asked his son-in-law, "Ah Wei, how’s the business at the garment factory going lately?"

Lu Wei replied, "It’s been okay, but the business has been affected by the competition from Guangdong in the past two to three years. It’s not as easy as it used to be."

Gu Father said, "Business must keep up with the times. Guangdong is at the forefront of reform and opening up, and there’s a lot to learn from them. If you want your garment factory to grow, you need to learn from their strengths and not be complacent."

Lu Wei nodded and said, "Father is right. The styles of our factory’s clothing are a bit outdated. Last month, I hired a few fashion designers from Guangdong. The new clothing will be designed by these designers, and we’ll see if the sales improve."

Gu Father hummed in agreement and didn’t ask any more questions.

...

The next morning.

Not far from a certain family compound, in a guesthouse, Deng Shirong and his son got up early to tidy themselves up.

For a visit to propose marriage, it was important to present a good appearance and not be casual, which would show a lack of respect.

Of course, being men, they didn’t dress up too elaborately. They simply combed their hair neatly, put on clean and tidy clothes, and shaved their beards.

After having breakfast and resting for a while, they picked up the gifts and walked toward the family compound.

When they arrived at the compound, Deng Shirong and his son immediately saw Gu Caiwei waiting at the entrance.

"Uncle Deng."

Gu Caiwei greeted them first and exchanged a look with Deng Yunheng, understanding everything without words.

Deng Shirong smiled and said, "Vivi, have you been waiting long?"

Gu Caiwei shook her head and smiled, "No, I just came out. Uncle Deng, please follow me!" She then led the Deng family to the best house in the compound.

On the second floor, Gu Caiwei didn’t open the door directly with a key but knocked first.

This was a way to notify the family and prepare them for the guests.

Gu Mother opened the door and greeted them with a smile, "Old Brother Deng, Yunheng, you’re here. Please come in."

Deng Yunheng smiled and handed over the gifts, "Aunt Chen, these are some local specialties from our hometown. We brought them for you to try."

"Thank you!"

Gu Mother took the gifts and introduced them, "Old Brother Deng, Yunheng, let me introduce you. This is Vivi’s father, and these are Vivi’s sister and brother-in-law."

They exchanged greetings and then moved to the living room to have tea.

In some places, when a family comes to propose marriage, the woman's family cannot prepare tea, as it might be seen as "picking a fight." However, since Gu Mother and Deng Yunheng had discussed various taboos related to proposing marriage when he was in Fuqing County, there were no such concerns, and they didn’t have to worry about being misunderstood.

After some polite conversation, Deng Shirong brought up the main topic and looked at Gu Father and Gu Mother, "Relatives, I’ve come today to discuss the marriage of my son and Vivi. If I say anything inappropriate, please bear with me."

The term "relatives" was commonly used in Bobai, but it was also widely accepted across the country. Given the long history of our country, most surnames had intermarried over the years. Therefore, even if the relationship was distant, it was still considered a familial connection.

So, using "relatives" to address them was quite appropriate.

Gu Father nodded and said, "Go ahead, relatives."

"Before we talk about the marriage, let me briefly introduce our family."

Deng Shirong continued, "I have seven children. My eldest son is already married and runs a chain of supermarkets with his wife, and their business is doing well. My eldest daughter is also married, and her husband is a retired military officer who is now the deputy county magistrate of Bobai County.

My youngest daughter runs a hotpot restaurant in Nanning, which you are aware of.

My third son is studying at Tsinghua University, and my fourth son runs an appliance city in Nanning. My youngest son is in high school."

After listening to Deng Shirong’s introduction, the Gu family was deeply impressed. The only piece of information they didn’t know was that the eldest son-in-law was a deputy county magistrate. Otherwise, they were already aware of the family’s achievements. It was clear that the Deng family was very outstanding, especially in a rural area where such success was rare.

After briefly introducing his family, Deng Shirong continued, "This is our family’s general situation. Although we are not extremely wealthy, we have over a million yuan. If Vivi marries into our family, she will never have to worry about money.

Moreover, I consider myself an open-minded person. Vivi can live the life she wants after she marries into our family, and she won’t have to worry about me, an old man, interfering.

In short, if Vivi marries into our family, she will have the same freedom as she does in her own family. This is my guarantee."

These words were full of sincerity and left the Gu family extremely satisfied.

At the same time, they were secretly amazed by the Deng family’s wealth. Deng Shirong’s words implied that they could easily produce over a million yuan at any time. As a businessman, Lu Wei understood the significance of this. His own net worth was over a million, but he couldn’t produce that amount on the spot.

With Deng Shirong’s assurances, the discussion of the marriage went very smoothly.

...

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(End of Chapter)

Chapter end