The work in the courtyard finally concluded at midnight.
The very next morning, work resumed early.
Tian Jing went up the mountain to roast rabbit skins. She returned at noon with a piece of corduroy and a piece of twill, along with twenty yuan, which she handed over to Chen Suozhu.
In the afternoon, rumors spread through the village about a marriage alliance between the Chen and Li families.
This was because Grandpa Chen had gone to the Niu family to ask Sister-in-law Niu to be the matchmaker.
Upon hearing that it was to arrange a match for Li Min, Sister-in-law Niu agreed without hesitation. Given Tian Jing's character, she would have certainly finalized things with the Chen family first; otherwise, she wouldn't have asked her to be the matchmaker. The Su Dan novel network.
Of course, the rumors in the village weren't spread by her, but she knew who it was, so she hurried to the Li family to explain things to Tian Jing.
Tian Jing reassured Sister-in-law Niu, "It's alright. This rumor is perfect. We were worried about how to spread the news, and your sister-in-law has helped a lot."
"Really?" Sister-in-law Niu looked into Tian Jing's eyes, trying to confirm.
"Really. With Li Min's health, it's naturally better for her to be betrothed sooner rather than later. We don't want to publicize the engagement much, and the Chen family isn't one to brag, so wouldn't we be thanking your sister-in-law for that?"
"But those words are unpleasant, for Li Min..." Sister-in-law Niu still felt a pang of guilt.
"If Li Min can't handle these words, she'll be even less able to handle matters concerning children in the future. For now, we're just arranging her engagement; marriage will have to wait. Her health needs further recuperation."
Sister-in-law Niu was relieved. She knew Tian Jing wasn't petty. "Your kindness to Li Min is something she'll never forget."
"Of course," Li Min, who had been hiding in the east room, couldn't help but come out when she heard their loud voices in the main hall.
"My sister-in-law's kindness to me is something no one else can envy or obtain. I don't know what blessings I accumulated in my past life to have such a loving sister-in-law."
"Indeed, indeed," Sister-in-law Niu said with admiration. "Truly, I haven't encountered, no, I haven't even heard of any family with such a sister-in-law. She's even better than a biological sister. Li Min, you are blessed; cherish it."
"Mm-hmm, I know."
Listening to the two of them praise her, Tian Jing found it amusing. Was it necessary to flatter her so much? It was just a spontaneous act.
Sister-in-law Niu left. She shouldn't really have come today, but for her troublesome sister-in-law, she made the trip.
Upon returning home, she went to complain to her mother-in-law.
Mother-in-law Niu sighed, "Eldest daughter-in-law, tell me, am I not cruel enough? Other mothers-in-law can keep their daughters-in-law in line, but I, alas~"
Sister-in-law Niu's complaint was unsuccessful; instead, she had to comfort her mother-in-law, leaving her filled with frustration.
Her mother-in-law wasn't not cruel enough; she was too cruel, doting on her younger son and using the heads of their eldest family to solve problems. Her husband was the eldest son and couldn't be separated.
She suddenly envied Huang Sulian. Having separated, she had no mother-in-law to manage her. It was a bit harder, but she was free.
The next day, she accompanied Chen Suozhu, carrying two pieces of cloth tied with red ribbons, to the Li family to propose. Of course, it was just a formality, and many people followed them along the way to watch the excitement.
Tian Jing brewed two bowls of brown sugar water to entertain them, expressing her great satisfaction.
The two pieces of cloth and twenty yuan were personally handed over to Mother Li, and the engagement was considered settled.
The villagers watching the spectacle, seeing not only two pieces of cloth but also twenty yuan as an engagement gift, looked at each other in surprise.
The Chen family, a notoriously poor family, had offered twenty yuan as an engagement gift. What about the wedding gift? They hadn't expected the Chen family to be so well-hidden.
"Tsk, it must be borrowed. Maybe it was even borrowed from the Li family."
A sharp voice rang out. The villagers turned to see Er Laizi and quickly moved away from him.
One figure, however, did not move. "Comrade Lin Er Lai's words have some credibility."
The villagers immediately retreated a few more steps. Had this Zhang Fangcao gone mad? Wasn't she good friends with Li Min? Why was she agreeing with Er Laizi's words at Li Min's engagement?
Tian Jing walked out of the room.
Li Zhengguo quickly followed.
As soon as they saw Tian Jing emerge, the villagers retreated even further.
"Comrade Lin Er Lai, is that it?"
Tian Jing looked at this local scoundrel from Kushan, finding him even more repulsive than in her memory.
However, the Er Laizi she remembered from her memory was the one after he got married; being taken care of by a wife made a difference. Where was his wife? She should be arriving soon, shouldn't she?
"Please be careful. The vegetables in my shed and the plastic film on the shed were bought with money and tickets. If they're damaged, even your three rooms wouldn't be enough to compensate."
"Nonsense." Er Laizi immediately moved further away from the shed. "Vegetables are just vegetables; they can't be that valuable. Even if the plastic film is a bit expensive, it can't be worth the value of my three rooms."
The houses of Er Laizi's family and his uncle's family were arguably the best in the entire Kushan area, with half-stone and half-brick walls and half-tiled roofs.
It was rumored that his grandfather and his father and uncle had bought the bricks and tiles from outside.
But based on her memory, Tian Jing knew that those bricks and tiles were likely scavenged from a demolished large courtyard, as their colors varied.
"Alright! I'll let you see if my vegetables are valuable or not."
As Tian Jing finished speaking, Li Zhengguo walked out.
Chen Suozhu followed Li Zhengguo out of the main hall. Seeing Brother Li leave the courtyard, he quickly followed.
The two of them carefully rolled down the straw blinds.
Tian Jing gestured for Li Zhengguo and Chen Suozhu to open both ends of the shed. "Everyone, stick your heads in and look at the growth of the seedlings."
The lush green inside the shed formed a stark contrast to the twelfth lunar month.
Astonishment froze on the faces of the commune members.
Such vibrant vegetables could not be found in Kushan, nor in the entire Zhonghe Brigade.
Tian Jing addressed the motionless Er Laizi, "Comrade Lin Er Lai, go take a look. It's one less chance with each glance."
"What do you mean?" Er Laizi's head was a bit muddled.
"It means nothing. Today, someone should be coming to find you."
"You, what are you talking about? Who's coming to find me?"
"Two days is enough for the commune comrades to investigate the truth, Comrade Lin Er Lai. I hope you will confess and receive leniency, to get yourself out sooner."
Er Laizi stumbled back a few steps, then turned and ran home. Halfway, he was intercepted and taken away.
The villagers looked at each other, realizing that Zhengguo's young wife seemed to know everything.
Tian Jing thought, "Should I say it was a coincidence, would you believe me?"
Having dealt with Er Laizi, Tian Jing then looked at Zhang Fangcao. "Oh, is it full moon already?"
Zhang Fangcao quickly retreated a few steps. "I didn't enter your yard."
"But you were standing by our private plot earlier. Pity the land can't speak, otherwise, a hundred red eggs would definitely be due."
"Red eggs can wash its face. It clearly worked hard to nurture green vegetables for human consumption."
"Yet there are still some humans who trample on its face with their dirty feet. If it had a mouth, wouldn't it want to bite that person?"
Zhang Fangcao turned to leave but stumbled and fell to the ground.
Hahahaha.
The villagers, with a lack of decorum, burst into laughter, as she tumbled and somersaulted to a stop.
Everyone's eyes were on the embarrassed Zhang Fangcao, and they didn't notice a slightly sunken patch of ground quietly returning to a flat surface.
Only Li Zhengguo did.