The second aunt put a bag of candies on the top of her wardrobe. The purpose of doing this was to prevent Liu Guangfu and Liu Guangtian from eating them secretly.
At 6:30 pm, Liu Haizhong walked back to the courtyard from the factory, rubbing his arms.
"The master is back? Let's eat first."
"Well, have you bought everything?"
Liu Haizhong drank water and looked at his wife pointing to the top of the wardrobe.
"What's missing now?"
The second aunt put the wine bottle and scrambled eggs on the small table, pulled a stool over and sat down, and was responsible for pouring wine for Liu Haizhong.
"I talked with Lao Wang's wife at noon today. She said that although their family only has one daughter like Guiqin, and her daughter has a formal job, she won't care how much we ask for the bride price. Our family will give us 12 yuan.
It's just what you want. And when the dowry is held before the wedding next week, their family will also send a sewing machine and two satin quilts as dowry, both of which are made of first-class cotton weighing 8 pounds."
Liu Haizhong took a sip of wine. Before he could suppress the smell of alcohol in his throat, he heard his wife say no.
"But! Lao Wang and his wife also said that since their family is willing to provide so many things, shouldn't our family also express its gratitude? Our parents want to let the young couple live a good life, and some things are early
It’s the same if you buy it late, so it’s better to buy it earlier. When they look at the new house on the first day of the wedding, their parents’ families will also have face.”
"Just tell me, what do they want at home?"
"A house. People say that there is no reason for a sister-in-law to live in the same house with brothers-in-law? They say that we entered the factory only when our families are well-off, and we are not qualified to be allocated a house in the factory. Anyway, our family is well-off. In Changping, it would be better to buy a small courtyard directly near the factory. It saves time on commuting to and from work on weekdays, and it is also convenient for their daughter to come home from get off work and cook."
"There's only one week left before the wedding. Where can I find a house for the couple to get married near Changping?"
The second aunt said with a fake smile "Haha": "Lao Wang has helped us find a small yard. The address is more than 100 meters south of Wang's house, and his wife also said that when the young couple has a child,
From now on, it will be easier for them to help take care of her if they live close by."
"You agreed?"
"Then what can I do? Why do you blame me? Our family Guangqi's job was done with help from others! Do I have the nerve to disagree?"
"well…"
Liu Haizhong closed his eyes and let out a long sigh. He also put the wine glass in his hand aside, feeling that today's wine tasted a bit bitter.
"Just finish your sentence. What do their families want in total?"
"A Jinhua brand bicycle, a Gongnong brand radio, 4 large camphor wood boxes, 2 large wardrobes. Not to mention complete sets of tables, chairs, benches and pots and pans, their family has provided them all. In addition, the repairs of the new house
Their family also took care of all the repairs and building walls and stoves. We don’t have to worry about it at all.”
Seeing Liu Haizhongguang blinking and not saying anything, the second aunt added: "They also said that if our family doesn't have enough food, it doesn't matter if we can't hold the banquet that day. They have food at home, so the banquet can be left to the Wang family."
"Pa!" Liu Haizhong patted the dining table angrily, and then cursed loudly: "Does anyone in their family do things like this? Is this to marry a girl or to betroth a daughter-in-law? I, Liu Haizhong, am still alive! Leave the banquet to the woman.
Do it at home? Isn’t this a bully thing? Our Liu family is the one who wants to marry a wife! Did you agree to her?"
The second aunt shook her head, put her hair on her ears, and wiped up the wine that had just been spilled on the table.
"Otherwise, this marriage will be ruined. Anyway, how will our family live in the factory? You can go on your own. Now it has been spread that the old Wang family is marrying their daughter."
"But...but where can I get a bicycle?"
"Lao Wang has already made arrangements for you. In July 1958, the Jinhua Bicycle Factory produced a batch of bicycles that were displayed in the department store for a period of time. They are currently on display in the warehouse of the department store.
Lao Wang can go to the machinery factory to make a report, and ask their general affairs section chief to help him open a note, buy the bicycle and put it in the factory. The price is 225 yuan, and our family is only responsible for paying for it, and these
When we buy the things, we put them at our house first, and then take them away from our house on the day when we have to do things. This makes both families look good."
"Haha...he is quite thoughtful."
The second aunt stood up and took out a piece of paper from her pocket, unfolded it and spread it flat on the dining table.
"Take a look, Lao Wang and his wife have written down these prices. Anyway, I don't know how to read."
Liu Haizhong frowned and turned the piece of manuscript paper over. The more he read it, the more panicked he became. He uncontrollably took out a pack of cigarettes and lit a cigarette to calm his inner excitement.
He whispered: "It costs 260 yuan to buy a house, 225 yuan to buy a bicycle, 135 yuan to buy a radio, and 97 yuan to buy all the furniture."
The second aunt took over and said: "This doesn't even count the food at the banquet! You and Lao Wang are both prominent figures in their respective factories. Can our two families close the door and have a meal by ourselves? Count you.
Agreed, don't forget that Lao Wang only has a daughter. How can he allow you to handle his daughter's marriage in such a haphazard manner?
What about food stamps? Smoking costs nothing? At least you have to buy 2 more bottles of good wine? And do you count the cloth stamps for new clothes? Even if you don’t have cloth stamps, don’t forget to buy a suit of ready-made clothes.
The price of a Lenin uniform is 18 yuan. Even the cheapest cadre uniform costs 16 yuan per suit. You have to buy two suits for a light outfit, right? Guiqin, the girl, also has to buy two suits, right? Are you counting the leather shoes?
A pair of ordinary pigskin leather shoes costs 8 yuan, 3 cents and 3 cents. Where is the money for the matchmaker’s gift to propose marriage?
Mao, have you counted the silver commemorative medal of the Sri Lankan leader? Aren’t you allowed to give my daughter another bracelet? Have you counted the mattresses, quilts, sheets, quilts, and cotton here that are produced by our family? Where’s the meat?
"Where are the eggs? Where's the oil? Doesn't it cost money for the cook to cook? I haven't even accounted for the towel racks and other messy things for you yet!"
"How much does this... how much does this cost in total?"
The second aunt rubbed her temples and said slowly: "To tell you the truth, if Guangqi's marriage really goes through as she said, there is no way it can be stopped without 1,200 yuan."
"squeak…"
The door to the main hall of the Liu family was pushed open, and Liu Guangqi walked in carrying a lunch box. At a glance, he saw his parents with sad faces sighing in front of the small dining table.
"What's wrong with you two?"
"You go back to the house and have a rest first. Your mother and I will talk about something. You can come out for dinner later."
"oh oh."
Liu Guangqi couldn't figure out why his parents were worried, so he put down his net bag and washed his hands, picked out two steamed buns from the pot, ate them and walked back to the bedroom.
Liu Haizhong looked at his eldest son's movements, and at this moment he felt that Liu Guangqi was made of gold.
"It's okay. I have many apprentices and friends in the factory. Let them help me get the food stamps when the time comes. I can probably borrow enough, and don't forget that they have to give our family a gift. That's all
I got a lot of gifts when I went out this year. If I didn’t have 80 yuan, I would have to have 50 yuan. This can more or less repay the original cost. What’s more, there are so many people in our courtyard, so I just took advantage of Guangqi’s wedding.
Take them all back."
"Hehehe... How much money can the people in our courtyard give you? It's enough for one household to give you 20 cents for each household, and then bring a whole family to eat. Maybe one household will have to occupy one
Table. Let’s just go door to door in the courtyard and give them 2 pieces of candy. If anyone really wants to have a banquet, let them follow us to Changping. People with less money will not follow us because they think it’s troublesome.
Yes. People with more money may follow, but we can’t count ourselves at a loss.”
Liu Haizhong looked at his wife in surprise. How did she come up with such a trick? Why did she act so uncharacteristically today? Has she changed so much in just half a day? Before she could ask,
Well, I heard her explanation.
"Lao Wang's wife also said that the gifts received by the Wang family will be left to Guang Qi and the two of them anyway. The young couple has just learned to live together. It is inevitable that they will not know the importance of spending money in the future. Parents must support them in life.
Study. Let our family figure it out on our own."
"What the hell! What the hell is Lao Wang's wife! What the hell is Lao Wang! What the hell! What the hell! I..."
Before Liu Haizhong finished cursing, he heard his wife explain again: "Lao Wang and his wife also said that in fact, this account needs to be settled in a different way. Our family is now working in this machinery factory, at least
You have to spend 850 yuan to get it, right? And you got it a few days before going to the countryside. Can the price be increased by one more? Does the Wang family ask us for this money? And from this 1,200 yuan
After excluding 850 yuan from the money, our family actually only spent 350 yuan.
And even if this 350 yuan is enough for our Liu family to buy a small yard, marry a wife with a formal job, a bicycle, a radio and a sewing machine, how much money will our Liu family make? How much money will the Wang family lose?
How much is it? She also said that our two families will be in-laws from now on, and some accounts cannot be settled so clearly with us. Since the Wang family is marrying their daughter, they should suffer some losses. "
Liu Haizhong suddenly felt like all roads were blocked. How did this old Wang's wife settle the accounts? After he returned home and sat on the chair, he had a question in his mind. He couldn't bear it anymore at this moment.
Can't stand it any longer.
"What does Lao Wang's wife do?"
"The mathematics teacher of No. 14 Middle School is also responsible for the ideological education of the students."
Middle school teachers are definitely better than primary school teachers! In other words, they are better than Yan Bugui back then! Liu Haizhong suddenly felt that what Lao Wang’s wife said was actually not unreasonable. His family did buy so many things for only 350 yuan.
, and my eldest son’s small family will be a dual-income family in the future. It’s very embarrassing to tell it, not to mention that my biological mother is a middle school teacher, so my eldest grandson’s future study and education tasks can be completely left to her.
Finally, all the property of the Wang family will belong to his eldest grandson in the future! This 350 yuan is really worth spending! At most, the 1,200 yuan I have can be lent to the Wang family first, and the eldest grandson can bring it back later. Liu Haizhong thought of this
I feel like I alone have plotted against the entire Wang family!
Liu Haizhong secretly rejoiced and couldn't hold back his excitement. He also felt that the plate of scrambled eggs in front of him was a bit unsightly. It would be a waste to eat it by himself. He should leave it to Guang Qi to replenish his body so that he can quickly embrace his grandson.
That's the real thing.
"Ask Guangqi to come out for dinner."
"Then where can Guangqi buy these things for his wedding?"
"You can take the money to discuss with Lao Wang's wife tomorrow. I think she will find a way for you to buy these things."
When the second aunt saw Liu Haizhong standing up and walking into the house, she looked at the scrambled eggs on the plate that had not been touched with a chopstick.
"You're not going to eat?"
"I'm so happy that I can't eat it. You can eat it by yourself. Remember to let Guangqi finish the scrambled eggs."
"Where's the money? All the 1,200 yuan was given to their family, but our family has no money left! How will our family live in the future?"
"Let's focus on Guangqi's marriage first."
Although the second aunt couldn't guess what her husband was thinking, she didn't ask any more. She picked up the wooden stopper on the table, blocked the bottle and put it back in the chest of drawers. She turned around and asked Liu Guangqi to come out for dinner.