C13 Care

"Dad, this is too much. I can just stay at home," she said, genuinely surprised that her father was preparing a house for her. Her brothers hadn't received such treatment.

"You're not marrying into the family, so why stay at home? If we can't buy a new place, we can consider the old house or apply for a new lot."

In short, he was determined to get his daughter a house for her wedding. Such a substantial dowry would make her proud for a lifetime.

Luo Hongxia felt a pang in her heart. She had only saved a couple of dollars, while her sister-in-law's wedding house would cost the family at least two hundred dollars.

Zong Qingshan, thinking about his daughter soon becoming someone else's wife, felt a bit uneasy and said earnestly, "Fulai, work and marriage are major life decisions. Make sure you think them through, okay?"

Zong Fulai smiled warmly, "I understand, Dad. I know what I'm doing."

As the conversation wound down, everyone had nearly finished eating. "You all go rest. I'll clean up the dishes."

"I'll help you. It'll be quicker with two of us," her sister-in-law offered, joining her in tidying up.

The well was right next to the kitchen. Because the house was on higher ground, the well was dug deep and kept locked with a key. The three brothers held the keys, taking turns fetching water twice a day to fill the water tank for everyone to use.

Wang Honghua lowered her voice, "Fulai, do you really want to marry that Ren Yuanbo?"

"Yeah, why?" Zong Fulai was a bit surprised. Her sister-in-law usually didn't meddle in such matters.

Wang Honghua cleared her throat awkwardly, "There's a guy from my family who's interested in you, but if you're set on Ren Yuanbo, I won't say more."

"Thanks for looking out for me, but Ren Yuanbo is great." She had already made up her mind and wasn't about to change it.

Wang Honghua, not one to push matchmaking, accepted the refusal gracefully. "Alright, I'll go rest then."

After the two parted ways, Zong Fulai returned to his room, locked the door, and entered the farm space. Before him lay a field of rice, heavy with ripened grains.

Meanwhile, the eldest in the family and his wife were discussing her situation.

“Ah Ming, what are your parents thinking? Who gives a house when their daughter gets married?” Luo Hongxia was clearly upset.

The eldest looked puzzled, “What else would they think? They want her to have a good life. Ren Yuanbo doesn’t have a house. Where else would they live if not with us?”

“You’re driving me crazy! The family’s money is limited, and if your sister spends it all, what about us? What about Binbin?” Luo Hongxia felt like talking to Zong Liming was like speaking different languages.

The eldest didn’t realize he was being criticized, “We can earn more money. We don’t need much for food and drink at home, and Binbin is still young, he doesn’t need much.”

“Why are you worrying so much? It’s not up to us to decide how the money is spent. She’s the only sister, and she’s marrying someone like that. Of course, the family should provide the house.”

Luo Hongxia had her own concerns, but her husband didn’t see things the same way. She felt like she was arguing with thin air, left to stew in her frustration alone.

Elsewhere, Wang Honghua was sharing her thoughts with the second brother, Zong Xuanming.

“I really don’t know what she’s thinking. Ren Yuanbo has a nice name, but it’s wasted on him.”

“He’s not that bad. I remember him being tall and having a good presence, though he does have a lot of big moles on his face. But that’s just how he was born.”

The second brother agreed with their mother. Since Ren Yuanbo was settled and had no relatives or in-laws around, their sister could live peacefully. The more he thought about it, the better Ren Yuanbo seemed, like seeing him through rose-colored glasses.

“What kind of taste do you have? He’s not just covered in moles; he’s unkempt and sloppy. Living with someone like that, how exhausting it must be for her.”

Wang Honghua believed that no matter what a person was like, they should at least be neat and tidy. But that person couldn't even manage the basics, and she just couldn't bring herself to give a good review.

"Why worry about it? If she's happy, that's what matters. Besides, these are minor issues. If they can't handle it, isn't that what family is for?"

As long as someone's character was intact, he thought appearance was a minor detail.

Wang Honghua didn't want to argue. Men weren't as detail-oriented as women, and they saw things differently. There was no common ground.

Zong Qingshan and Wang Meizhu were in the room, going over their finances.

"Dear, over the years, we've spent more than we've earned. With both daughters-in-law joining the family, our savings are dwindling. We have barely four to five hundred dollars left."

Zong Qingshan sighed. Although the policies were more relaxed now, it was still a collective system.

"Nothing in this world stays the same. It's not the right time to make changes. For now, we need to spend where it's necessary."

He remembered when he had gold, silver, and silver dollars. Converting them to cash in time had fetched a much better rate than during the tough times later on. Otherwise, splitting the family assets back then would have been even harder.

Reflecting on the past and his daughter's complaints, the facade of peace was once again torn away, leaving him deeply troubled.