No matter what time, the thin-scaled fish is more expensive than the vermicelli, Zhang Shuzhen was naturally happy when she heard it.
So, the mother and son decided to remove the vermicelli and replace it with fish.
In addition to these, if the conditions are good, the woman will also buy a set of clothes and shoes, or a watch.
Of course, the Sheng family had given these things as gifts, so Zhang Shuzhen asked her son if he needed to prepare a betrothal gift.
"I was thinking, Qinglan is a city girl, and she has been wronged by marrying into a small valley like ours.
You've made a lot of money this autumn, so why not give the Zhou family another 160 yuan as a gift, and that's our wish."
"Mom, it's up to you to make the decision. If our family can get it, let's get it.
After all, the Zhou family has raised Qinglan for all these years, and no amount of money can pay for it.
If the family has no money and can't get it out, we don't have to force it. The Zhou family is reasonable and can't force me to take it."
Sheng Xiping hesitated for a moment before saying.
"And what about the second and third children? My engagement is too grand. What should I do with the others behind them? Aren't they going to embarrass my parents?"
If he talks from his heart, no amount of betrothal gifts given to the Zhou family is much.
The daughter who has been raised carefully over the years spends money at her parents' house and makes money at her husband's house. She should show some respect.
But from the Sheng family's perspective, with four sons, the burden is quite heavy.
The eldest son is getting married, and the family has a new house and a complete set of furniture. In addition to the bride price, it is indeed enough for the Sheng family to afford.
The key is, there are three sons later, so the conditions for marrying a wife cannot be worse than those of the eldest brother, right?
If you calculate this, it will cost you a lot of money.
That's why Sheng Xiping said that he should let Zhang Shuzhen take care of the arrangements and not give up all his family wealth just to get a wife for him.
"Yes, yes, you don't need to count your wages. Just for harvesting pine seeds and hunting in the autumn, the money you get back is enough."
When Zhang Shuzhen heard this, she quickly expressed her opinion.
"Your brothers are still young, so don't worry about them for now. I'll get you married first.
You haven't studied since you graduated from junior high school. In the past few years, you have been working at home to make money.
When you get married, you can't be too shabby no matter what."
As parents, we all have a balance in our hearts. Good parents try to be fair and treat every child the same.
Of course, there are also those few parents who don't care for the obedient and sensible children, but prefer the children who cry, make trouble, and fight for everything.
Isn't that an old saying? There is no cure for partiality. Often the more favored the parent is, the less promising they will be in the future.
Sheng Liancheng and his wife tried their best to treat their children equally.
Sheng Xiping is the eldest son in the family, and he will be the head of the family in the future. He is also sensible and capable, so he is highly valued by his parents.
Sheng Liancheng and his wife had already discussed that the eldest son's wedding should be more grand as long as it was available at home.
Since her mother said so, Sheng Xiping couldn't say anything else.
A bride price of one hundred and sixty yuan is a lot in these days.
While they were talking, a dog barked outside. It turned out to be Wang Jianshe, Chen Weiguo and others who had nothing to do and came to see Sheng Xiping.
"Xiping, I heard from Haining that you plan to go down tomorrow and get engaged at Zhou's house the day after tomorrow?
There is no train tomorrow, how can we get off?" Wang Jianshe asked as soon as he entered the door.
"Oh, we are thinking about leaving early tomorrow, going to the other side of Ma'anshan and taking a small train down there."
Sheng Xiping didn't hide anything and replied directly.
"Oh my gosh, it takes about two hours to walk, right?
Why don't you and your uncle work hard all day long? Auntie and Fengying's mother are so tired, aren't they?"
When Wang Jianshe heard this, he shook his head.
"I think so, you go to the big alkali field as soon as possible.
Ask your master or Brother Liu to ask their production team to borrow a horse-mounted sledge.
Tomorrow Wei Guo and I will drive the sledge to see you off, so you won't be tired and it will be faster.
After we send it to Ma'anshan, then we can drive the horses and sledge back and send it back to the Great Alkali Field, isn't that enough?"
Wang Jianshe thought for a while and gave Sheng Xiping some advice.
"Oh, that's good, but it just makes you two suffer."
Upon hearing this, Sheng Xiping realized that this arrangement was indeed more reasonable.
In fact, Sheng Xiping also thought that it would be a lot more convenient if there was a horse sledge or something.
But who will drive the sledge? My two younger brothers are young and have never experienced anything. I really dare not let them drive the sledge and give it away.
Since it was Wang Jianshe and the others who took the initiative, Sheng Xiping couldn't refuse anymore.
"That's it. You two will bring your guns with you tomorrow so that you don't encounter any wild beasts on the way back because there are not many people around."
The road from Maekuan to Ma'anshan passes through the middle of a large forest. On ordinary days, there are not many people walking there, so there are no wild animals.
Sheng Xiping had not returned the semi-automatic machine he had borrowed from the Security Department, and with the No. 16 gun, Wang Jianshe and Chen Weiguo could use it for self-defense.
It's not like you're bound to encounter any wild beasts, just in case.
"Sure, I'll do as you say." Wang Jianshe and Chen Weiguo both nodded and agreed.
Just like that, Sheng Xiping quickly put on his clothes, and together with Wang Jianshe and others, went to the other side of the soda base to find Liu Changde.
When the Liu family heard that Sheng Xiping was going to Songjianghe to get engaged, they were very happy.
Liu Yujiang immediately agreed and asked Sheng Xiping and the others to come over tomorrow morning and drive the horses and sledges.
It just so happened that the Liu family sold the copper bladder a few days ago, and Liu Yujiang had to give one-third of the money to Sheng Xiping.
Sheng Xiping refused to take it, but he couldn't resist the Liu family's insistence. In the end, Sheng Xiping didn't take everything and only accepted 100 yuan.
February 4th is also the 24th day of the twelfth lunar month.
After dinner in the morning, Wang Jianshe, Chen Weiguo, and Gao Haining drove their horses and sledges to escort the three members of the Sheng family and Tang Fengying's mother, Li Yuqin, along the simple forest road straight to Ma'anshan Forest Farm.
In the forest area of Changbai Mountain, the temperature is very low in winter, so everyone wears a lot of clothes, including hats and scarves.
Sheng Xiping also specially brought two roe deer skin mattresses from home to cover Zhang Shuzhen and Li Yuqin.
When they came out from home, Zhang Shuzhen and Li Yuqin each brought a hot water bottle.
Just like that, when they arrived at Ma'anshan, they felt very cold.
Wang Jianshe and the others drove the people to the small train station of Ma'anshan Forest Farm with their horses and sledges. At this time, the train just arrived at the station.
A lot of people got off the train, and a lot of goods from stores had to be unloaded.
Then the locomotive went to the east triangle line to turn around, add water and coal to the water tower, and then came back to organize the carriages, baggage cars, and caboose.
After all this fuss, forty minutes passed. When everything was ready, the carriage opened again and the passengers got on.
"Uncle, aunt, we will send you here. Please be careful on the way."
When Wang Jianshe and others saw the carriage door open, they hurriedly escorted Sheng Liancheng and others into the car, then greeted Sheng Liancheng and others and got off.
"Jianjian, Weiguo, you should be careful when you go back.
You must be careful on the road, go home quickly, and don't cause any trouble.
When I come back, we can go hunting when we have time."
When they came, they saw many tracks of wild animals on the road, and a group of roe deer ran away right in front of them.
Sheng Xiping was worried that these few people wanted to go hunting on the way back. What if they encountered danger? So he warned them.
"I got it, don't worry." Wang Jianshe and others waved their hands and left.