The Little Widower (farming)

43

After the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, time flew by like a fly.

On February 2nd, Chen Qing trimmed his hair and cut off all the split ends and frizz. When Zhou Yuan came over in the evening, Chen Qing trimmed his hair as well.

On the fifth day of February, Li Xin and Qi Shuning set off for Fucheng. The college examination started on the ninth day of February. Zhou Yuan went with them because they had taken on an errand.

On February 15th, Chen Qing and Aunt Sun started spring plowing. First, they tidied up the vegetable field in front of their home. The peas were ripe. Chen Qing collected all the pods, loosened the soil in the vegetable field, and replanted new vegetables. .

Wheat fields also need to be weeded and fertilized.

Together with Aunt Sun, he also cleaned up the weeds in Zhou Yuan's field, and the next step was to prepare for fertilization.

Every time at this time, the smell of farmyard manure lingers in the village, no matter where it is. When the fertilizer application was finally over, Chen Qing washed himself up and down.

Zhou Yuan had too much land, and Chen Qing and Aunt Sun really couldn't help him spread the fertilizer. Before he left, he asked Meng Zhuzhu to find someone in the village to help him spread the fertilizer.

In a blink of an eye, on the first day of March, Li Xin and Qi Shuning came back from Fucheng. Li Xin did not say how Qi Shuning did in the exam. He only said that Fucheng was very beautiful and invited Chen Qing to come and visit sometime. They should have been back long ago, but Li Xin took Qi Shuning to his maternal grandfather's house, so he was delayed for some time.

It took too long to go out, so Li Xin planned to go home for a while. She didn't know if it was because of the change of seasons. Zhang Yin was feeling a little bad these days, so she invited a doctor to see her. The doctor was hesitant and said that it might be because of the change of seasons. There was no big problem, but Li Xin was not relieved at all. Qi Shuning also followed him, and the two of them lived back in Li's house.

Zhang Yin seemed a little anxious. She asked Li Xin when Zhou Yuan planned to get married.

Li Xin was suspicious, but seeing that she was only concerned, she said to ask.

Zhou Yuan came back a few days later than them. The first time he came back was to go to Chen Qing's house to report that he was safe. He heard that Zhang Yin was unwell and went to Li's house.

Li Tiejiang has been busy looking for builders to repair his house recently. He has already decided with the new village chief on a homestead for Li Xin, and construction will start in a few days. When Zhou Yuan comes back, he will ask him to help find the builder who helped him repair his house. Craftsman, Zhou Yuan naturally said yes.

Then he went to greet Zhang Yin. Zhang Yin held Zhou Yuan and talked for a while, and asked him when he planned to get married. Zhou Yuan said as soon as possible.

Chen Qing's filial piety period is about to pass, and it's the time when spring flowers are blooming. He has to get married before the summer harvest and planting, otherwise there will be many things to do by then. At this time, Chen Qing's family has already started planting. When the corn was ready, he also helped to fetch water many times.

So on March 15th, Zhou Yuan put on new clothes and went to Li Tiejiang's house with several gifts.

After hearing his explanation of his purpose, Zhang Yin couldn't stop the smile on her face, but when Zhou Yuan looked at her, he felt that her face was a little paler.

"Are you feeling well yet?" Zhou Yuan asked.

"It's an old problem. It'll be better in a few days." Zhang Yin didn't care too much. She had been ill for a long time and knew her health well, so she had to take advantage of this period of time to do everything she needed to do.

Zhang Yin thought for a while: "The day after tomorrow is a good day. I'll invite the matchmaker to come to propose marriage."

She asked again: "Have you prepared everything?"

Zhou Yuan shook his head. This was his first time getting married, and he didn't want anything. Understand.

"Then I say, remember, there is still one day tomorrow, so you have time to prepare."

Zhou Yuan listened carefully.

"It's probably just some snacks, dried fruits, candies, eggs, a piece of meat, and a bag of tea. People in our village don't care about anything else. Just wrap these in red paper." Zhang Yin said patiently. Although she was a little anxious, But be patient.

"Are these just enough? What about others?"

Zhang Yin thought for a moment: "If conditions permit, I have seen a pair of wild geese used as a betrothal gift before. It's just that wild geese are hard to find at this time of year, so these basic things will be fine. "

Zhou Yuan nodded: "Okay, I'll go prepare it."

Zhang Yin asked again: "Do you still have enough money to spend? I don't have enough money for the emergency."

Zhou Yuan raised his head to look at her, and saw a smile on her lips. With a slight smile, his eyes were as gentle as water.

His grandmother has been taking care of him since he was born. Although his grandmother also gave him a lot of love, he still thought about what his mother would look like if he had a mother. She should be either like Zhang Yin or Sun Yat-sen. Madam, although he and the Li family became a family halfway, the Li family treated him sincerely. Although Li Tiejiang didn't talk much, like Zhang Yin, his every move was for his own good. Although Li Xin I always bicker with him on weekdays, but I really treat him as an older brother.

Zhou Yuan said: "I'm rich, so you don't have to worry about me. You should take good care of your health."

Zhang Yin coughed twice more: "It's okay, I know my health. You can stay at home to eat at night. Xinxin and the others also Come back."

Zhou Yuan nodded: "Okay."

Zhang Yin was about to start cooking, and Zhou Yuan and Niu Niu were helping her, which was quite enjoyable.

Early the next morning, Zhou Yuan drove an ox cart to the town. First, he bought the things Zhang Yin said he would need for a door-to-door marriage proposal. Then he went to a clothing store and bought new clothes for the three elders. Although he didn't know the size clearly, he had a rough idea. They knew how to sew and could modify it themselves.

He is not short of money now. He put away the banknotes given by the General's Mansion last time. The money will be used for emergencies. What he is using now is the money he earned from these trips and the remaining money from before. It should be about the same for getting married.

After returning home, he did not report to Chen Qing's house. Instead, he packed up the bows and arrows he had prepared earlier and prepared to look for the wild geese. If he could find the best one, he would accept it if he couldn't find it.

Zhou Yuan stayed in the mountains all night and didn't see a single feather. However, when he was going down the mountain, he saw a nest of rabbits. Zhou Yuan took them all back without thinking.

When he returned home, Niu Niu was already waiting in the yard: "Brother, mother asked me to come over to find you."

Zhou Yuan brought him a snack: "Wait for me for a while."

He changed his clothes, I washed my face, picked up the things I bought yesterday, and followed Niu Niu to Li's house.

Blacksmith Li from the Li family went to the shop. Zhang Yin had already changed her clothes and was standing in the yard waiting for him. She looked at the things he had prepared with great care. It could be seen that Zhou Yuan valued Chen Qing. .

They first went to Hua Matchmaker's house and explained their purpose. Although Zhou Yuan had long said that he would one day ask Hua Matchmaker to help with matchmaking, when they found out it was Chen Qing, Hua Matchmaker still felt a little disappointed. In her opinion, Come on, Zhou Yuan will obviously have a better choice.

Zhang Yin smiled and said: "That's troublesome. Look, when is the right time to come to the door?"

Of course, the matchmaker still smiled: "Tomorrow morning."

Zhang Yin nodded: "Okay, that's troublesome." She started He took out a bunch of money from his wallet and handed it to the matchmaker. This was a courtesy they gave to the matchmaker.

On the other side, Aunt Sun walked to Chen Qing's house and moved a large box.

Chen Qing hurried to pick it up and found that it was a mahogany box that had been placed in Aunt Sun's house.

"This mahogany box was made by your father after we got married." Aunt Sun sat beside the bed. "You will take it away when you get married."

Chen Qing quickly shook his head: "Dad gave it to you. I How can you ask for this?"

Aunt Sun said, "I still have one. I have to have my own dowry when I get married. I can't buy a new one for you. Don't dislike this." Aunt Sun opened the box, and there was something inside. Not empty.

"These are the dowry I bought for you. Although our family is poor, we can't bring nothing without it, and our waist can't be straight."

Aunt Sun took out a cloth bag from the box, which contained a pair of sculptures. The flowered silver bracelets: "My family can't afford gold for you, so I have to give you a pair of silver bracelets."

Chen Qing's eyes began to sour.

There is also a brand new sewing box, a bronze mirror, a mahogany comb, a pair of scissors, and a fan in the box.

"I asked Aunt Liu and the others to help me make Longfeng. It will probably be done in the next two days." Aunt Sun touched Chen Qing's hair, "We, Qing, will also get married in a glorious way this time. ."

Chen Qing hugged Aunt Sun, her clothes wet with tears.

"Why are you crying? This is a happy thing." Aunt Sun patted his back and took out a purse from her arms, embroidered with side-by-side lotus flowers, "In it is the money at the bottom of the bag for you. If you feel wronged in any way, just come home."

Chen Qing suddenly felt like he didn't want to get married.

Aunt Sun wiped her eyes and patted Chen Qing's head: "Don't have other ideas, otherwise Zhou Yuan will demolish our house."

When going to bed at night, Chen Qing put the mahogany box Standing beside the bed, he put his hand on it. Although the box was not warm, Chen Qing only felt that the palm of his hand was ironing.

Early the next morning, Aunt Sun got up and swept the yard, and soon the Li family came with Aunt Hua.

Chen Qing was stunned for a moment. He thought it was just Zhou Yuan who came alone, but he didn't expect that it was the Li family that came. Even Li Tiejiang came, as well as the newly appointed village chief. The more people came, the more people came. It seemed Zhou Yuan was solemn.

What made both the Li family and the matchmaker dumbfounded was the nest of rabbits Zhou Yuan was carrying.

The flower matchmaker smiled dryly: "Rabbits have many children, which has a good meaning."

Chen Qing, who was standing in the yard, looked red.

Chen Qing could not remember what happened on the day of the marriage proposal. He sat with his head down the whole time, listening to Aunt Sun, Aunt Hua and Aunt Yin talking. Occasionally he raised his head and could see Zhou Yuan looking at him.

The moment their eyes met, Chen Qing slowly lowered his head.

After several friendly exchanges back and forth, they finally set the wedding date on April 15th.

Before Zhou Yuan left, he glanced at Chen Qing, who smiled at him.

As soon as this day passed, everyone in the village knew that Zhou Yuan had proposed marriage to Chen Qing. The betrothal gifts were placed all over Chen Qing's yard, which showed that they were carefully considered.

Since the Lantern Festival, Chen Qing has been embroidering his own wedding clothes, not only his, but also Zhou Yuan's. He has to do farm work during the day and embroider by lighting a lamp at night. When it comes to finishing the work, he still asks Aunt Sun to help He embroidered the last few stitches.

Seeing the two wedding outfits side by side on the bed, Chen Qingcai really felt a little bit more realistic about getting married.

On March 27th, Chen Qing came out of his filial piety period and went up the mountain with Aunt Sun to offer incense to Meng Tao.

This time, not as Meng Tao's widow, but as the adopted son of the Meng family and Meng Tao's younger brother.

There were less than ten days left before their wedding.