Ding Yuelan said: "Your mother is not unreasonable. Xu Lin said he wanted to build a house, but after several years, he still lives in that small shack?"
Dong Qian's eyes turned red and he ran out.
Ding Yuelan said to He Chunhong: "We are all neighbors. You also know that my daughter has fallen in love with Xu Lin, but Xu Lin is poor and white. If I marry my daughter to him, am I not pushing my daughter into a pit of fire?"
He Chunhong said: "We also know that your girl is interested in Xu Lin. If Xu Lin's family had a house, we wouldn't mention this marriage. Why do we have to ruin other people's good things? However, Xu Lin himself is not living up to expectations, and our girl can wait."
I'm sorry."
Ding Yuelan said: "I am her mother, so I will accept this!"
Xia Xingping and He Chunhong were overjoyed and stood up to leave.
Dong Qian locked herself in the room out of anger and didn't go out for a day.
At dusk on the second day, Xu Lin came to Dong Qian's house carrying a bag of fish.
Dong Qian saw it and went out to pick him up. He said dullly: "Brother Xu, you are here."
When Xu Lin saw Dong Qian's eyes were red and swollen, he hurriedly asked: "What's wrong?"
Dong Qian said: "It's nothing."
Xu Lin handed the fish to Dong Qian: "I'll bring back some yellow croaker for you."
Dong Qian lowered his head and said, "Brother Xu, I don't want it. You, take it back."
Xu Lin opened his mouth and stared: "What's wrong?"
Dong Qian raised his head with tears in his eyes: "Brother Xu, my mother has promised me to Yuan Qing."
When Xu Lin heard this, he was like a thunderbolt from the blue: "Yuan Qing...how can this be done? It's already been agreed..." Dong Qian said: "A few years ago you said you could build a house, but you are the only strong laborer in your family. Auntie
If you're not in good health, you have to rely on yourself. How can you cover it up?"
When Xu Lin heard this, his heart trembled and he lowered his head: "Yes, I thought that I could build a house through my own efforts. I was young at that time.
It is indeed better for you to follow Yuan Qing than to follow me."
Dong Qian lowered his head and was speechless.
Xu Lin picked up the fish, turned around and left without looking back.
When she got home, Xu Qing saw it and wondered: "Didn't you send it to Sister Qian'er?
How did you get it back?"
Xu Lin didn't answer, put the fish down, and went out.
Xu Qing was confused and went to Ding Huiran: "Mom, what's wrong?"
Ding Huiran was washing clothes and sighed softly: "Hey, your brother's life is hard... Yesterday, the old Jia family in the backyard went to the Dong family to propose marriage."
After hearing this, Xu Qing lowered her head and remained silent.
Xu Lin sat on the beach for half the night before returning home.
The next morning, Xu Lin went fishing as usual, but saw Lin Xiaodong coming.
Xu Lin asked: "Why is Master Lin here?"
Lin Xiaodong said: "You go out to sea today and lower your net twelve miles southeast."
Xu Lin blinked: "Why?"
Lin Xiaodong said: "Your new house is right there."
Xu Lin didn’t believe it: “What kind of fish is worth a room?”
Lin Xiaodong said: "You go ahead, it makes sense."
If someone else said it, Xu Lin would naturally laugh it off, but Lin Xiaodong could even figure out that he was going to Liangchang Mountain to move rocks, so he couldn't help but not believe it.
Xu Lin smiled: "Okay, I'll go and see what good things I can fish out."
Went out and left.
Xu Qing came to the courtyard and asked: "Brother Lin, what did you say to my brother?"
Lin Xiaodong smiled: "There is a happy event coming to your family."
Xu Qing looked up and blinked: "Really?
However, Sister Qian'er and Brother Yuan Qing are already engaged."
Lin Xiaodong said: "If your brother had money to build a house, would your sister Qian'er still marry Jia Yuanqing?"
Xu Qing said: "Of course not."
Lin Xiaodong nodded: "If so, you will know when your brother comes back."
Xu Qing opened her mouth and asked: "Do you think my brother is going to get rich?"
Lin Xiaodong laughed and said, "It won't work if you say it."
But Xu Lin went out to sea in a small boat, and according to Lin Xiaodong's words, he came to a place twelve miles southeast. He cast a net and only caught some aquatic plants.
Xu Lin smiled bitterly and shook his head: "Can you build a house with two water plants?"
I lowered another net and caught a few shells.
Xu Lin scratched his head: "Master Lin, I hope your calculation is accurate."
I cast another net and caught a shell as big as a basin.
Xu Lin has been at sea for several years and has never seen such a large shell. The shape is also unusual. The edges are curved and wrinkled, pale yellow and white, like a folding fan.
Xu Lin saw that this thing was extraordinary, picked it up and looked at it: "Such a big shell, could there be pearls inside?"
He couldn't wait and pried open the shell, but he was disappointed. There was no pearl.
Xu Lin shook his head and sighed: "How could it be so easy for me to make a fortune?
It seems that Master Lin is sometimes inaccurate."
Suddenly I lost all my energy, so I closed the net and returned home.
Arriving at the pier at the entrance of the village, I met Liang Tong, an old fisherman from the same village, and asked, "How are you today?"
Xu Lin said listlessly: "Just a shell."
Liang Tong looked over and his eyes suddenly lit up: "Shells?
This is a clam!"
Xu Lin blinked: "What is a clam?"
Liang Tong got on the boat to take a look and couldn't help but nod: "It's a clam, you can't be wrong!"
Xu Lin asked: "Is it worth it?"
Liang Tong stood up and patted Xu Lin on the shoulder: "Don't you want to build a house?
Let me tell you, if you sell this to a jewelry store, it will be enough to build a house and get married!"
Xu Lin was overjoyed: "Really?"
Liang Tong said enviously: "It's your turn to have some wealth!"
Xu Lin said excitedly: "It turns out that Master Lin didn't lie to me!"
He picked up the clam and ran back home.
Ding Huiran and Xu Qing came out. Xu Qing stared at her: "Why is this shell so big?"
Xu Lin said: "Uncle Liang said, this is a clam. He asked me to sell it to a jewelry store. He said it would be enough to build a house and get married!"
Ding Huiran stood up and spoke: "How can this shell be so valuable?"
Xu Lin said to Xu Qing: "Sister, come with me to the city."
Xu Qing said: "Brother, we don't understand either. Let Brother Lin go with us!"
Ding Huiran said: "Yes, let Master Lin follow, don't let others fool you."
Xu Qing said: "I'll go find Brother Lin right now!"
Ran up the mountain.
Lin Xiaodong was sitting on the bluestone. When he saw Xu Qing coming up, he asked, "Did your brother catch something good?"
Xu Qing was out of breath and nodded: "I caught it. It's a clam. I want to sell it in the city. Brother Lin, come with us!"
Lin Xiaodong said: "You go ahead, remember, your brother only has two hundred taels of silver in his life, and he won't sell it for less than this price.
Also, since this money has been spent now, no matter whether you go fishing at sea or pick up money while walking, you won't be able to make a single cent of the windfall. Let your brother continue to farm and fish honestly in the future, and don't have any wild ideas."
Xu Qing nodded, went down the mountain and went home, saying to Xu Lin: "Brother, Brother Lin said, we won't sell it for less than two hundred taels of silver."
Ding Huiran swayed after hearing this: "Can these shells be sold for two hundred taels?"
Xu Lin's eyes shone: "With these two hundred taels of silver, can't I build a house and marry Qian'er?"
Xu Qing jumped up: "Brother, let's go to the county seat quickly!"