Flip the table and divide the family property! Take his wife and daughter into the mountains and eat

After everything was completely sorted out, Dazhuang felt his legs were shaking, as if he were walking on a pile of cotton, and he was so dizzy that he couldn't find his way around.

This was the first time in his life that he had dressed so elegantly and expensively.

He wore a crisp, white, stiff-collared shirt, and over it, a thick, soft, navy blue pure wool turtleneck sweater that felt slightly warm against his skin.

Below was a pair of dark gray woolen trousers, ironed perfectly and with creases as sharp as if cut by a knife;

Lin Xiu's black cowhide high-top shoes, which were smeared with a thick layer of lard and polished to a shiny, reflective finish, creaked and crunched underfoot on the muddy ground.

Finally, he draped the heavy, dark gray Soviet woolen overcoat with its fine fur collar over his shoulders, making Da Zhuang's already broad and sturdy frame look like an iron tower fortress, majestic and awe-inspiring.

He gripped the cold, heavy Soviet commander's watch tightly to his left wrist, the leather strap constricting his wrist, the bright red five-pointed star appearing and disappearing on his coat cuff with each movement.

Even worse, just before leaving, Natasha pulled out a small, flat glass bottle from some pocket, unscrewed the cap without a word, and smacked Dazhuang twice on the neck and collar.

A strange, exotic scent—a blend of strong pine needle aroma, fir wood, and strong liquor—exploded around Dazhuang, drilling straight into the top of his head, causing him to sneeze twice loudly, his ears burning as if they were on fire.

Dazhuang stood stiffly in front of the dressing mirror, his arms outstretched.

He stared blankly at the mirror, not daring to blink, and forced out a dry sentence:

"Brother...is this really me?"

Zhao Shanhe didn't have time to let him stand there in a daze. He stepped forward and slapped Da Zhuang hard on the back.

"Who else could it be! Stop looking in the mirror and acting foolish. Grab your things and get going!"

Lin Xiu handed over the two net bags of gifts. Zhao Shanhe led Dazhuang, who walked with his hands and feet clumsily like an iron stake, out of the courtyard and headed straight for the main road at the village entrance.

……

At the same time, in the family quarters of the county health center.

In the easternmost row of red brick apartment buildings, on the third floor, in the east-facing unit, is Liu Mei's home.

The house wasn't big, with a layout of two and a half rooms. The cement floor was swept clean, and against the wall stood an old wooden cabinet and chest of drawers that had been used for many years. There were also two pots of lush green clivia on the windowsill.

Compared to the mud-brick houses in Kaoshantun, it was certainly considered decent, but among the dual-income families of state-owned enterprises in the county town, it was just an ordinary working life.

This morning, however, this usually quiet little house was in an uproar.

"Mother! What do you mean?!"

Liu Mei slammed the enamel mug she was holding onto the table with a loud "bang," causing the boiling water inside to spill out in a large circle.

"What did I tell you a few days ago? I said I was dating Dazhuang, and I was seriously bringing him back today so you could give my dad your opinion. You agreed readily, saying you'd see what the young man was like first, and we'd talk more if he was suitable!"

"And the result?"

Liu Mei's eyes were red with anger, her fingers trembling as she pointed at the extra set of celadon bowls and chopsticks on the table, her voice quivering:

"Before he even stepped across the threshold, you dragged Chen Jianguo over behind my back! You've crammed two men into one room, squeezing them onto the same table. Are you deliberately looking for a son-in-law, or putting on a monkey show?! What am I supposed to do when Dazhuang walks in? What am I supposed to do when Dazhuang walks in?!"

Liu's mother was arranging pastries next to the chest of drawers when she heard this. She stopped what she was doing, slammed the oil paper package in her hand onto the table, and her face immediately darkened.

"What do you mean by 'carrying you on my back'? You're spouting utter nonsense that shows no respect for elders!"

Liu's mother turned around, her eyelids drooping, her tone cold and harsh:

"His dad and your dad worked at the same health center for many years, and Jianguo is the son of your dad's former boss! The two families have known each other since childhood, and they're a perfect match. Jianguo is a good-looking young man, earning a regular government job at the county supply bureau. He's handsome and has a good temper—you couldn't find a better one than him! He's willing to condescend to have a simple meal at our house; how could that possibly dirty your place?"

"Just a simple meal? Mother, do you really think I'm still a three-year-old baby? Why did you have to call me on the very day that Dazhuang is visiting for the first time?! What are you up to? Do you think I'm blind and can't see through you?!"

Hearing that her daughter had completely exposed the truth, Liu's mother stopped pretending to be confused, ripped off her floral apron, and simply gave up.

"Even if I invited them on purpose, so what?!"

Liu's mother put her hands on her hips, glared at him, and her voice became shrill:

"What's wrong with Jian Guo? He has a city household registration with guaranteed food rations, a secure job at the Bureau of Materials, and his parents are senior leaders at the health center. Don't you know what his family's circumstances are like? Your father and I have met that young man countless times. He's well-mannered, speaks politely, and is steady and considerate in his dealings with others. What's wrong with him?"

At this point, Liu's mother curled her lip, her eyes revealing undisguised disdain:

"And look at that Dazhuang you insisted on bringing home! A country bumpkin from a remote mountain village, his family probably doesn't even have a decent set of belongings. He toils from dawn till dusk, tending those few acres of barren land, reeking of cow dung or pig swill! What can he possibly offer you shelter from the wind and rain? You have a perfectly good life in the city, yet you choose to wallow in misery and go to this remote mountain village to suffer. Have you lost your mind?!"

"What's wrong with the countryside?!"

Liu Mei was so angry that she trembled all over, tears instantly falling onto the back of her hand, and she retorted at the top of her lungs:

"People in the countryside earn their living honestly and uprightly, without stealing or robbing! Dazhuang is honest, kind-hearted, hardworking, and reliable. He never goes back on his promises, and he's a truly upright and loyal man! That's why I'm attracted to him; I just like him!"

"A good life is about two people being of one mind, about exchanging hearts! It's not about constantly calculating what kind of household registration someone has, where they work, or what official positions their parents hold!"

Liu's mother's face flushed red and then turned pale from her daughter's barrage of questions. Her lips trembled twice, and she slammed her hand on the dresser.

"Nonsense! Can people's hearts be eaten? Can friendship be exchanged for cloth coupons or grain coupons?! You're young now, but your brain is clouded by lard. When you really fall into that poverty pit tomorrow, you won't even be able to find a bag of brown sugar after you give birth. You'll have nowhere to cry then!"

Just as they were arguing fiercely, the curtain to the inner room was suddenly pulled open with a "whoosh".

Liu Mei's father, Liu Dehai, walked out slowly with his hands behind his back.

The old man wore reading glasses, a faded old Zhongshan suit, and held a small purple clay teapot in his hand. His brows were furrowed in deep frown.

"What are you howling about so early in the morning? The whole building can hear you two putting on a show. Aren't you tired of being laughed at by the neighbors?!"

As soon as Liu's mother saw the old man come out, she seemed to have found her pillar of support and pointed at Liu Mei's nose to complain:

"Old Liu, listen to this! Listen to what your good daughter is saying! She insists on following this farmer to the death! Jianguo is such a good boy, she's watched him grow up since he was little, what's wrong with him? But she's always finding fault, trampling on his good intentions!"

Liu Dehai walked to the octagonal table and sat down. He lifted the lid of the teapot, took a sip of strong tea, and glanced at his daughter, whose eyes were red from crying. His tone was neither warm nor cold:

"Xiaomei, your mother speaks bluntly, but her words are reasonable. Although our family isn't super rich, we're still a respectable family in the county. If your boyfriend is really capable, let's put him to the test today and see what kind of person he can really be. If he can't even understand the rules and etiquette of the city, he shouldn't waste your time."

Liu Mei felt a chill run down her spine. Looking at her parents, who were singing in unison, she gritted her teeth, steeled her resolve, and fiercely wiped away the tears from the corners of her eyes.

"I'm putting my words on the table today! I've set my sights on Dazhuang, and no one can change that! If you're really determined to let Chen Jianguo step through this door today, to set up a trap and embarrass him, then fine!"

"I'll go downstairs and wait for him right now!"

"As soon as he arrives, I'll go with him!"

"I don't want a single penny of dowry, and I won't take a single thread of my family's dowry! If we're poor in the future, I'll toil in the fields with him; if we suffer, I'll shoulder the burden with him! Whatever our life becomes, that's the path I chose. I'll accept whatever comes my way and never utter a single word of complaint!"