"Big Brother," Xu Nianhua suddenly turned serious, his posture straightening as he said, "Zhou He is willing to wait, but what about the Zhou Family?"
The Zhou Family?
Xu Nianji thought of the Zhou Family and couldn't help but frown.
"If the Zhou Family is unwilling to wait and decides to marry Zhou He to someone else, what then?" Xu Nianhua wasn't speaking without basis, this had actually happened in his past life!
Zhou He was willing to wait for Big Brother, but the Zhou Family was not willing to let her wait. Coincidentally, a widower in the county, nearly forty years old, because he fancied Zhou He, offered three hundred dollars to marry her.
Zhou He naturally was unwilling, but the Zhou Family, seeing the three hundred dollars, was naturally willing.
Zhou He would rather die than comply, but alas...
The Zhou Family was determined to marry her off to the widower, even thinking of making a fait accompli. The resolute Zhou He, in order to preserve her purity, chose death.
This incident also dealt a huge blow to Big Brother.
Zhou He loved Big Brother deeply, and Xu Nianhua naturally did not want such a tragedy to happen again.
"I will go to the Zhou Family tomorrow."
Xu Nianji thought about the two hundred dollars for the bride price and became anxious. With no money at home, even if he wanted to marry, how could he?
"Big Brother, don't worry, maybe I'm overthinking," Xu Nianhua said, worried that his words were too harsh.
"Since the two families have agreed on the marriage, there's absolutely no reason to go back on our word. Even if they wanted to call it off, they wouldn't do it without informing us," Xu Nian'an comforted his eldest brother.
Xu Nianji managed a strained smile, thinking he needed to work even harder.
"Big Brother, let's find a way to earn money tomorrow. We will definitely have Zhou He join our family soon," Xu Nianhua said.
Xu Nianhua received a chestnut for his words.
Xu Nianhua, covering his forehead that was knocked, pouted discontentedly, "I'm going to complain, you don't want to marry Zhou He soon."
"You little rascal," Xu Nianji's dark face flushed slightly.
"Haha~"
"Big Brother, your face is red," Xu Nianhua exclaimed, as if he had discovered a new continent.
"Really?"
Xu Nian'an also leaned forward.
The three siblings, laughing and joking, their laughter carried far.
Xu Qinghe and Ji Ying had just obtained the deed to their house from the village head of Zhou's village when they heard the laughter of the three siblings from afar.
"Life may be tough now, but it will get better," Ji Ying felt lighter after leaving the Xu Family; now, no matter how much or little they earned, it would all be for their family.
"Hmm."
Xu Qinghe, responding, looked towards the house lit only by candlelight, thinking about the news he had heard, feeling even more disheartened.
Back when Zhihao was getting married, he warmly called everyone "Uncle," but now that he was about to take over his father-in-law's position, seeing the big money in his future, did he disdain their family as not presentable enough?
*
Xu Qinghe left early for work, Ji Ying tidied up at home, and Xu Nianji also left early for the county.
Originally, he wanted to visit the Zhou Family, but now that the family was in dire straits, it was better for Xu Nianji not to visit empty-handed.
Xu Nianji suppressed his longing and headed straight to the brick factory in the county.
"What are you going to do?" Xu Nian'an finished drying the rice and saw Xu Nianhua dressed in long clothes and pants, not looking like someone who was planning to stay at home.
"Big Brother, I want to go to the back mountain."
"What are you going to do in the back mountain?"
Xu Nian'an thought of the lake in the back mountain and was still feeling apprehensive.
"To make money."
"Big Brother, we rely on the mountain to live. We have to find a way to make money, right?" Xu Nianhua answered matter-of-factly.