Chapter 46 – The Wen Family
“At the right time, have Xiangdong and his father make connections and get our Honghong a job at the factory.”
“Huihui, Mom will go find a matchmaker to arrange for you and Xu Xiangdong to meet. You must seize this opportunity.”
“Mom~”
Mother Wen’s words made Wen Huihui blush, twisting her braided hair in her hands, looking shy and embarrassed.
“Mom, don’t worry. I will make sure Xu Xiangdong becomes your son-in-law.” Though shy, Wen Huihui spoke with confidence.
“Oh, that’s good then.” Mother Wen’s face lit up with a smile, as if she could already envision the near future: her daughter moving to the city, her son working at the factory.
Wen Huihui did indeed like Xu Xiangdong. While she preferred city dwellers, she knew that, given her circumstances, marrying into the city was unlikely. So, she had to choose from the young men in the nearby production brigades, and among them, Xu Xiangdong of Qinghe Production Brigade was the most satisfying.
His tall and sturdy stature, his square and handsome face, the powerful feeling in his waist and arms when working, and Xu Xiangdong’s family background—all of it pleased Wen Huihui.
Moreover, Xu Xiangdong’s father worked in the textile factory, and Xu Xiangdong was his eldest son. If Xu Aiguo were to step down, the worker’s position would undoubtedly be passed on to the eldest son, Xu Xiangdong.
At that time, when Xu Xiangdong moved to the city to work, she, as his wife, would naturally follow him to the city.
This would fulfill her desire to move to the city—how perfect.
So, Wen Huihui made up her mind. She must marry Xu Xiangdong!
On the other side, listening to the discussion between Mother Wen and her daughter, Wen Yulan, who was planting some vegetables in her backyard, seemed a bit absent-minded.
‘Xu Xiangdong is going for an arranged marriage?’
Wen Yulan was momentarily confused.
Wen Yulan had heard about the subtle pursuit by Xu Xiangdong of Educated Youth Sun in their production brigade before. She initially thought that Xu Xiangdong would eventually end up with Educated Youth Sun. However, she was surprised to learn that he was going for an arranged marriage. Could it be that he had a falling out with Educated Youth Sun?
It should be the case. If not, if he still liked Educated Youth Sun, Xu Xiangdong wouldn’t consider arranged marriage.
So, what kind of wife does Xu Xiangdong want?
Someone like Wen Huihui?
No, it wouldn’t work. Wen Huihui wasn’t suitable for Xu Xiangdong.
Nobody understood the personalities of her second uncle, second aunt, and their children better than Wen Yulan.
The couple had three daughters and a son named Wen Hong. It was said that they specifically consulted a fortune teller to name Wen Hong, predicting a prosperous future for him, maybe even an official position.
Even though such feudal superstitions were not endorsed at that time, and fortune tellers were not allowed, they took the risk for their only and most beloved son.
Back then, it was a real risk. If discovered, it could lead to trouble with serious consequences. However, they went ahead and were fortunate that nothing happened.
Uncle Wen and Aunt Wen naturally favored their son over their three daughters, considering the daughters as servants for the son.
Now, at the age of 13, Wen Hong had grown into a spoiled, selfish, and arrogant young man. He didn’t need to work, just loitered around at home or outside, fitting the image of a good-for-nothing.
Unfortunately, Uncle Wen and Aunt Wen pampered him excessively.
Their eldest daughter, Wen Dandan, was relatively obedient and lacked independent opinions. She had been brainwashed into a blind supporter of her younger brother.
Before getting married, she worked tirelessly without a single complaint, believing that only when her brother was well-off could he support her, and in turn, she could live better.
So, when Uncle Wen and Aunt Wen decided to marry her off to a widowed man in his thirties with two daughters, Wen Dandan, who was only 17 at the time, gladly agreed.
As for the hundred yuan bride price, it was naturally taken by Uncle Wen and Aunt Wen in its entirety.
It can be said that Wen Dandan completely became the most obedient flag in the hands of Uncle Wen and Aunt Wen.
At first, when Wen Yulan hadn’t fallen out with Uncle and Aunt, Wen Dandan often advised her to listen to her parents, saying that her parents were Wen Yulan’s only relatives and must be acting in her best interest.
Wen Yulan felt that Wen Dandan’s mind had gone bad and was unwilling to talk to her much.
She knew that Wen Dandan’s personality and thoughts had been completely tamed, and no one could change that.
As for how Wen Dandan’s life turned out after marriage, Wen Yulan heard from Aunt Wen that it seemed to be going well.
But as a stepmother to two children, she still married to a more remote mountain area. Is it really good?
Wen Yulan didn’t know, but almost every time she saw Wen Dandan, Wen Yulan could feel that Wen Dandan had become thinner and darker.
Even though she was only around 20 years old, she looked like she was in her thirties, like an old woman.
Is this really a good life?
Compared to Wen Dandan, the second daughter, Wen Huihui, seemed much shrewder.
She knew from an early age how to find ways to get the difficult work done by Wen Yulan and her elder sister, Wen Dandan, while she handled the lighter tasks.
Her words were sweet, and she was good at saying pleasing things to coax Uncle Wen and Aunt Wen.
She also knew how to please her younger brother, Wen Hong, and win him over, making Wen Hong speak up for her.
So, Wen Huihui was doing quite well at home.
In order to avoid ending up like her elder sister Wen Dandan, being married to a widower and becoming a stepmother to other children, living a difficult life, Wen Huihui decided early on to marry into a good family as soon as possible.
She absolutely did not want to live a difficult life.
So, from the age of 13, she started looking for a suitable young man in the production brigade. Over the years, she had some secret flirtations with a few young men.
Wen Huihui hid it very well, and it was only by chance that Wen Yulan discovered it.
As for Wen Huihui’s appearance, she did have the features described by Aunt Wen – a big face and a sturdy body, considered by the elders as a well-nourished physique with a lucky face.
However, her eyes were relatively small and narrow, and they always seemed calculating, making people uncomfortable after looking at them for a while.
Wen Yulan didn’t think it was wrong for Wen Huihui to plan for herself from a young age.
On the contrary, she was not wrong.
She wouldn’t have ended up on the same old path as Wen Dandan if she didn’t plan for herself.
But Wen Yulan felt that Wen Huihui was not suitable for Xu Xiangdong.
Because Wen Huihui was not a person with a steadfast character, otherwise, she wouldn’t have engaged in secret flirtations with so many young men. Occasionally, Wen Yulan would even catch glimpses of Wen Huihui kissing some of them, and even at night, they would venture into the small grove behind…
Wen Yulan felt that if Xu Xiangdong knew that Wen Huihui was such a person, he definitely wouldn’t like her.
However, this second aunt of hers seemed to have made up her mind to marry Wen Huihui to Xu Xiangdong. As for Wen Huihui, it seemed that her eyes were also set on Xu Xiangdong, determined to win him over.
Don’t you mean bride price instead of dowry? Dowry goes to the husband and his family. Bride price is what goes to the the wife’s family.
Yes but, she was sold, like a object, they put a price and the other family bought her, just like how you buy a random thing on the market. So dowry ro whatever was not needed. In simple terms, it was equal to just selling her as a slave.