https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-47-Energetic-Young-Men-and-the-Desire-to-Marry/12849151/
Chapter 46: Uncle Nine, You're Truly a Good Man
Chapter 46: Uncle Nine, You’re Truly a Good Man
Midday.
Deng Shirong enjoyed a hearty lunch with the Dai family, who had welcomed him warmly. The meal included stir-fried pork, scallion eggs, and a few bowls of vegetables and pickles. While such a meal was nothing special for Deng Shirong, who ate meat regularly, it was a rare treat for the Dai family, something they might only enjoy once every three months.
Over the past couple of hours, Deng Shirong had gotten a good understanding of the Dai family’s situation. The family’s living conditions were modest, with only two mud-brick houses and a kitchen. One room was occupied by Dai Chunqing and his wife, while the other housed two double-decker beds. The three sons shared one bed, and the two daughters shared the other.
The living conditions were quite cramped.
Dai Chunqing’s eldest son, Dai Zongze, was a straightforward and hardworking young man. During their conversation, Deng Shirong had probed him and found that Dai Zongze had no grand ambitions for the future. His sole focus was on farming the land, finding a wife, and starting a family. To him, that was all that mattered.
In the 1960s and 1970s, such a man would have been considered reliable, and any girl who married him would be well-fed and taken care of. However, Deng Shirong knew that with the rapid changes in the coming era, if one didn’t adapt, simply sticking to the old ways of farming a small plot of land would leave them behind.
On the other hand, Dai Chunqing’s eldest daughter, Dai Fanglan, despite her shy demeanor, had a mind of her own.
After lunch, Deng Shirong spoke to Dai Chunqing in private, "Aibiao, I’ve gotten a good sense of your family’s situation. I think you shouldn’t rush your eldest son’s marriage. Your living conditions are already quite tight. You can’t have your new daughter-in-law sharing a bed with her younger brothers-in-law, can you? So, I suggest you build a new house first. With a house, finding a wife for your son will be a hundred times easier."
Dai Chunqing nodded, a bit embarrassed, "Uncle Nine, I understand what you mean. It’s just that our family is really struggling. If we build a new house, we won’t have the money to marry off my son. And if we marry him off first, we won’t have the money to build a house."
Deng Shirong understood the dilemma. This wasn’t a time when every family had the means like Zhang Kangmei and Deng Changfu’s. Most families were barely scraping by, struggling just to put food on the table. Saving money was a luxury they couldn’t afford.
"Aibiao, I think you should build the house first, then find a good match for your eldest daughter. Once you get a dowry, you can use that money to marry off your eldest son. This way, you’ll have the house and won’t delay your son’s marriage. It’s a win-win situation."
Dai Chunqing pondered this, finding more and more sense in it. He nodded, "Uncle Nine, you’re right. I’ve been so focused on my eldest son’s marriage that I overlooked my daughter’s. By changing the order, we can solve this big problem."
Deng Shirong smiled, "Aibiao, if you’re interested, I can introduce a suitable match for your daughter. There’s a young man in our village who’s quite a catch. I think he’d be a good match for her, and I can help arrange it."
Dai Chunqing asked, "Uncle Nine, who is this young man? Tell me about him."
Deng Shirong explained, "His name is Deng Changwang. He’s 22 years old, well-built, and about 5’7” tall. He’s the youngest in his family. His older brothers are already married and have their own households, and his three sisters are also married. He lives with his parents.
"He’s skilled in all kinds of farm work and is also good at side businesses. He currently raises dozens of chickens and ducks, which he plans to sell by the end of the year. I can see that your daughter is also ambitious. If she marries him, their life together should be quite comfortable."
Dai Chunqing's eyes lit up as he listened. The conditions of the prospective groom sounded promising, at least better than their own situation. Usually, the youngest son in a family was the most pampered. If his eldest daughter married into such a family, her life would certainly be comfortable.
"Uncle Jiu, the young man you mentioned sounds quite good. Does he live with his parents? How many rooms does their house have?"
"Quite a few. His parents have one room, he has another, and there are two more empty rooms, though they are a bit old."
In this era, no one's house was in great condition, but having multiple rooms was already a good sign.
Dai Chunqing, feeling somewhat swayed, said, "Uncle Jiu, the young man you introduced is indeed a good match. Could you help us arrange things?"
Deng Shirong smiled and said, "Of course. I'll discuss it with his parents. If they agree, we can arrange a meeting on the 28th of the month. What do you think?"
Dai Chunqing nodded. "That sounds fine."
Deng Shirong looked at the sky and said, "Then it's settled. I'll head back now. In the meantime, you can send someone to our village to inquire about the young man, Deng Changwang, to confirm the information I provided."
Dai Chunqing waved his hand. "No need to inquire. I trust Uncle Jiu."
Deng Shirong, feeling the need to emphasize, said, "Ah Biao, you must send someone to check. This isn't about trust; it's about your daughter's lifelong happiness. As parents, we must be thorough."
Dai Chunqing sighed. "Uncle Jiu, you are truly a man of integrity. With someone like you as the matchmaker, who wouldn't feel at ease?"
"Let's settle it then. Make sure to send someone to verify the information in the next couple of days."
"Alright, I'll do as you say, Uncle Jiu."
"Good. I'll be going now. Goodbye!"
"Goodbye!"
After watching Deng Shirong leave, Dai Chunqing approached his eldest daughter and said, "Ah Lan, I just had a talk with Uncle Jiu. We're planning to find you a good match. If everything goes well, you'll meet the groom on the 28th of the month."
Dai Fanglan was taken aback. "Dad, my brother hasn't even found a wife yet. Why are you looking for a match for me?"
Dai Chunqing sighed. "I originally wanted your brother to get married first, but you know our situation. We don't even have a place for him to live. Finding a wife for your brother is difficult. Even if a girl is willing to marry him, where would she live? We can't have her share a bed with you."
Dai Fanglan said, "Dad, if we sell the two pigs, we should have some money. We could build two rooms, so your future daughter-in-law would have a place to stay."
Dai Chunqing replied, "Selling the pigs and adding some savings would be enough to build two rooms, but once we spend all the money, what will we use to get your brother married?"
Dai Fanglan was speechless. She knew their family was struggling, but she hadn't realized it was this bad. It seemed she had to marry first so her brother could have a chance to get married. After coming to this realization, she quickly accepted the situation and asked, "Dad, who is the groom? Tell me about him!"
Dai Chunqing nodded and began to recount the groom's details to his eldest daughter.
(End of Chapter)
Chapter end
Report
