In 1959, what's wrong with me pedaling a tricycle?

After some haggling, the young security guard finally paid three yuan and bought five crucian carp weighing three or four ounces each.

The security guard carrying the fish asked, "Sir, my surname is Guo, and my given name is Mingzhong. May I ask your surname?"

"My surname is Wang, you can just call me Xiao Wang."

"Alright, Xiao Wang, don't wait for me tonight. Since you haven't come for the past few days, no one's coming out to wait for you. How about this, I'll spread the word for you, and you can bring the fish over tomorrow night?"

Wang Xingguo asked with some suspicion, "Um... Comrade Guo, why are you helping me pass on this message?"

Guo Mingzhong chuckled and explained, "Hey, Xiao Wang, don't overthink it. I was just saying it casually. If it can help the families of the leaders here, it can only benefit me, not harm me. Don't you think that makes sense?"

With that said, Wang Xingguo was relieved. He smiled and nodded, "Okay, thank you, Comrade Guo. I'll bring the fish over at eight o'clock sharp tomorrow night."

Guo Mingzhong said earnestly, "Okay, Xiao Wang, don't stand me up. If I notify someone to come and exchange the fish, but you don't deliver the fish, I won't be able to explain myself."

Wang Xingguo patted his chest and said, "Comrade Guo, don't worry. I can't promise anything else, but I have a good reputation. I keep my word and will never stand someone up!"

"Okay, it's settled then. See you tomorrow night."

Wang Xingguo waved goodbye to Guo Mingzhong, then turned around, got on his tricycle, and rode away, heading home.

He stored the fish and eels from the bucket into his spatial storage, then poured them back into the pond and mud pit.

Tonight, things have finally taken their course. Meeting someone like Guo Mingzhong has made things much easier for me.

He was too embarrassed to ask Jiang Yue'e for help; he couldn't keep bothering her.

However, I need to come over here tomorrow morning to see how things are going with what Jiang Yue'e said. If her second brother really wants the eels, I can sell some of them and raise some funds to support the Wang family members.

When they got home, it was his older brother who opened the door and helped push the car. Wang Xingguo felt that his older brother was acting strangely tonight because he seemed to have something on his mind.

So after parking the car, Wang Xingguo handed him a cigarette, struck a match, and the two lit them up.

Wang Xingguo asked, "Brother, what's wrong with you tonight? You look so troubled. What happened?"

Wang Xingbang paused for a moment, then touched his face and laughed awkwardly, "Hehe, it's nothing, Second Brother, don't overthink it."

Wang Xingguo squinted and smiled, "Alright, brother, stop hiding it from me. Don't I know you? We're brothers, what can't you tell me?"

Wang Xingbang fell silent, took a deep drag on his cigarette, and slowly said, "The Feng family is dishonest. They said they want a dowry of 188 yuan for me to marry Xiaolan. What family asks for that much when they marry off their daughter?"

Upon hearing this, Wang Xingguo frowned. People in Beijing value appearances, and dowries are usually just a token amount.

However, there are also those who demand high bride prices. To put it bluntly, those who demand high bride prices are not selling their daughters, but rather they look down on the groom's family's financial situation and do not expect their daughters to be able to help their parents' family after marriage.

Wang Xingguo asked, puzzled, "Brother, what did the Feng family say when we went on the blind date?"

Wang Xingbang sighed, "Well, how should I put it? The eldest son of the Feng family passed his intermediate blacksmithing exam these past few days, and now the Feng family feels that our family's circumstances are no longer good enough for their daughter..."

Wang Xingguo scoffed, "Ha, what a piece of trash, a snobbish jerk!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Wang Xingguo sensed something was amiss and quickly asked, "Brother, you didn't tell the Feng family about our move, did you?"

Wang Xingbang nodded, looking helpless, and said, "I went to the Feng family to talk about the marriage and then tell them that our family had moved. But as soon as I mentioned the marriage, they asked for such a high dowry. The key is that Xiaolan didn't say a word and tacitly agreed to the Feng family's conditions. I didn't know what to say, so I just said I would come back and discuss it with you before giving the Feng family a reply, and then I came back first."

After pondering for a moment, Wang Xingguo said decisively, "Brother, we can't accept this sister-in-law! The high dowry is nothing to our family. The key issue is that she hasn't said a word, which proves she agrees with her family's opinion and is completely indecisive. Think about it, if you really marry a woman like that, she'll probably be completely devoted to her own family. Do you really think such a woman is suitable for you?"

Wang Xingbang nodded, and after a while he said, "I'm struggling with this problem. I know that this kind of woman is probably unreliable, but I don't know what to do. I can't make up my mind for a while."

Wang Xingguo lowered his voice and said, "Brother, do you know why I insist on living in a detached house?"

Wang Xingbang shook his head, unable to contain his curiosity, and asked, "Why? Is it because you don't want to live alone with Xiuping and her husband?"

Wang Xingguo rolled his eyes at his older brother and said irritably, "What are you thinking? I wish we could have some alone time. It would be so convenient to do anything, and it would be great if no one bothered us."

"Then I don't understand why you want to buy a detached house. Stop beating around the bush and just tell me."

Wang Xingguo explained in a low voice, "According to my sources, the whole country is currently experiencing drought, floods, or locust plagues. In short, reduced grain production is a foregone conclusion, and the days ahead will be tough."

Upon hearing this, Wang Xingbang's eyes widened immediately. "What did you say? Oh, right, I saw it in the newspaper too. Many places were clearly affected by disasters, but grain production actually increased significantly..."

Using an excuse he'd overheard from someone else, Wang Xingguo briefly mentioned the upcoming shortage of supplies to his elder brother.

Anyway, the days ahead are going to be tough. Because he knows all sorts of people, he's worried that if he continues to live in the tenement, they'll all come to him asking for help getting food and supplies.

It wasn't that Wang Xingguo didn't want to help, but he was worried that some jealous people might try to trip him up.

He would definitely help. He would never refuse any neighbor in the courtyard who asked him for help with anything, as long as he could get it for them. It's just that there are too many people and eyes in the courtyard, while it's much safer to help them with things when the door is closed in his new home.

Wang Xingguo thought for a moment, then said very seriously, "Brother, I'll find a matchmaker to arrange another blind date for you. How about that?"

Wang Xingbang was silent for a while, then gritted his teeth and nodded, saying, "Okay, I was also worried that if I married a girl like that, she would only care about her own family and not your feelings, just like you said. Our family now has a house and two solid jobs. I'll find someone with a better personality who can treat you all well..."