Chapter 681 Three Aunts Offer Suggestions 3

Chapter 681 Three Aunts Offer Suggestions 3

In the 1960s, which was full of traces of time, the sun shone on every inch of the countryside, as if covering the entire countryside with a layer of golden gauze with a rustic charm. He Yuzhu was wearing his blue work clothes that had been washed to a pale color. It was obvious that he had worn them for many years. The original azure color gradually faded from its former brightness after repeated washing and the rubbing of time, but it revealed a different kind of old and down-to-earth feeling. Under his feet, he was wearing a pair of cloth shoes that were worn to a slight shine. The edges of the cloth shoes were a little fuzzy, and the uppers were also worn shiny because of long-term walking, as if telling the owner's daily rush and busyness.

In his hands, he was holding two roast chickens carefully wrapped in old newspapers. The writing on the newspapers was a little blurred. They were neatly folded and wrapped around the roast chickens, showing a cautious and cherishing attitude. In addition, he was carrying a few kilograms of bulk sugar that he had just bought from the supply and marketing cooperative. The sugar was packed in a simple bag, which he held tightly, fearing that it would spill out accidentally. In this way, He Yuzhu slowly stepped into Chunyan's slightly crowded but full of life adobe courtyard.

The countryside in the 1960s was filled with simplicity and authenticity. The mottled earthen walls seemed to be the historians of the years, silently recording every ordinary and warm little thing that happened here. Occasionally, the sound of the radio came from not far away, with some rustling noises, reporting current news or playing revolutionary songs full of the sense of the times, which added a few marks of the times to this small courtyard, as if everything in the small courtyard was closely linked to that great era.

At this time, Chunyan's parents, Old Li and Aunt Zhao, were busy in the kitchen. The kitchen was filled with a faint smell of fireworks, and the flames in the stove licked the bottom of the pot. Something was cooking in the pot, steaming. Old Li was holding a half-smoked pipe in his hand. The pipe stem had been rubbed very smooth. He was leaning against the stove, smoking from time to time, with a bit of surprise and curiosity in his eyes, wondering who was coming. Aunt Zhao was busy with her work at the side. When she heard the noise outside, she quickly wiped her hands with her apron. There was still some flour on her apron, but her face was already filled with a simple smile, and that smile was like the wild flowers blooming in this countryside, pure and warm.

"Hey, isn't this Zhuzi? Why are you here at this time? Come in and sit down!" Aunt Zhao greeted him warmly. As she spoke, she hurriedly made way for him. Her enthusiasm was as if she had seen a relative who had not returned for a long time. At the same time, she signaled Old Li with her eyes to move a stool so that He Yuzhu could sit down comfortably.

As for He Yuzhu, upon hearing Aunt Zhao's greeting, he smiled naively, with a hint of shyness in his smile, and he was a little embarrassed. He quickly handed over the things in his hand and said, "Uncle, aunt, I came here today to tell you something." As he spoke, he scratched his head again in embarrassment, looking like a child who had done something wrong, feeling a little nervous, and looking forward to the next conversation.

Chunyan's younger brother, Xiao Shitou, a little boy of eight or nine years old, was squatting at the door. He was holding a branch and drawing on the ground. He had drawn many strange but childlike patterns on the ground, including crooked houses and unidentified objects that looked like giant monsters.

Hearing the noise, he looked up curiously and found it was He Yuzhu. His eyes immediately lit up like two sparkling little stars. A bright smile instantly broke out on his face. He jumped over and shouted loudly, "Brother Zhuzi, you are here! Did you bring me something delicious?" His eager and excited little look made people feel cute and funny.

He Yuzhu smiled and touched Xiao Shitou's head: "Today I not only brought you delicious food, but also have an important matter to discuss with uncle and aunt."

After entering the house, He Yuzhu offered a cigarette to Chunyan's parents, and then rolled one for himself. After lighting it, he took a deep breath, as if he was gathering up his courage. He glanced at Aunt Zhao and Old Li who were sitting beside him, and slowly said, "Uncle, aunt, I have always treated Chunyan as my own sister, but these days I have discovered that my feelings for her are more than just siblings. I want to marry Chunyan and take good care of her and our family."

As soon as the words came out, the room suddenly became quiet, with only the occasional bird song outside the window breaking the silence. Aunt Zhao and Old Li looked at each other, with surprise and thought in their eyes, while Little Stone's eyes widened, as if he didn't quite understand what "marrying a wife" meant.

Aunt Zhao's hands were shaking slightly, and the apron in her hands was twisted into a twist unconsciously. She opened her mouth in surprise, but didn't know where to start. Old Li was also stunned, and the pipe slipped from the corner of his mouth, and the tobacco scattered all over the floor, but he didn't notice it at all, just stared at He Yuzhu with wide eyes, as if he wanted to see through him.

Little Stone was originally jumping with joy, and his little figure was like a happy little rabbit, full of childish innocence and liveliness. But when he heard the adults mention the three words "get a wife", he stopped jumping as if he was cast into a spell, and the two little arms that were still waving in the air slowly fell down.

He tilted his head, his head tilted slightly, his big black eyes full of doubts, his eyebrows unconsciously wrinkled, like two little caterpillars lying there, looking at the adults with a puzzled look, his little mouth slightly open, as if he wanted to ask something, but didn't know how to start. His little heart, at this moment, was probably like a pot of boiling porridge, with all kinds of thoughts constantly churning, and he had begun to ponder the meaning of the three words "marrying a wife". Although at the age of eight or nine, he only had a vague understanding of these three words, but he also felt that this was a very important and serious matter.

He Yuzhu looked at Xiao Shitou's confused and puzzled look, and felt even more uneasy, as if there was a deer running around in the room, making him feel panicky.

His palms were slightly sweaty and his fingers unconsciously clenched the corners of his clothes, but he knew that since he had already opened his mouth, he had to say everything that was on his mind.

So, he mustered up his courage, took a deep breath, as if to draw some strength from the air, and continued: "Uncle, aunt, I know this is said suddenly, indeed too suddenly, but I have been thinking about it for a long time. Chunyan is a good girl, really a good girl that is hard to find even with a lantern.

She is always quick-witted and hardworking, whether she is at home or working outside. Moreover, she is kind-hearted, caring for the elderly and children in the village, as kind as a little angel. Moreover, she is extremely filial to you two, thinking of you in everything and taking care of you everywhere. You will never find another good girl like her even if you search with a lantern.

I... I really like her. This kind of liking is not a momentary impulse. Every time I look at her, I feel at ease and happy. I think how wonderful it would be if I could live with her. I promise that if I can be with Chunyan, I will treat her well, hold her in my hands and cherish her, and never let her suffer any grievances. No matter whether it is heavy work or tiring work at home, I will take care of it all and never let her get tired. Moreover, I will do my best to help the family and earn more work points so that our family can live better and more prosperously. "

After saying these heartfelt words, He Yuzhu seemed to have exhausted all his strength and slowly lowered his head. His head seemed to weigh a thousand pounds, drooping down, his eyes fixed on his toes, not daring to make a sound. His heart was like fifteen buckets of water being drawn - up and down, the feeling of tension and uneasiness became stronger and stronger, as if he was now a prisoner waiting for trial, and could only silently wait for the response from Chunyan's parents. Every second seemed like an extremely long torture to him.

After a long while, which felt like a century, Aunt Zhao finally spoke slowly. She opened her mouth, as if she was considering what to say. There was a subtle tremor in her voice, as if there were many complex emotions mixed in it. She said, "Zhu Zi, you have been honest since childhood, and we have all seen it. You are a warm-hearted child, and you are kind to everyone. People in the village praise you. But this matter... This matter is too big. After all, it concerns Chunyan's life. We can't make a decision casually. We have to think about it carefully and plan for the long term. Moreover, we have to ask Chunyan what she thinks in her heart. We have to respect her. After all, this is her big matter, her life, and we as parents can't make decisions for her."

As for Old Li, who had just been immersed in this sudden news, he finally came to his senses. He bent down slightly and reached out to pick up the half of the dry pipe that had fallen to the ground. The dry pipe had just fallen when he heard He Yuzhu's words. He took the dry pipe in his hand and looked at it carefully, as if he was looking at an extremely precious treasure, then fumbled out a match from his pocket, struck the match with a "snap", and moved it to the dry pipe. The small flame jumped in the pipe, and soon, the dry pipe was lit again.

Old Li put the pipe to his lips and took a deep puff. The tobacco instantly burned and wisps of white smoke came out. The smoke slowly rose and swirled in the room. After a while, the whole room seemed to be covered by a layer of gauze, and it became a little hazy. In the smoke, Old Li's eyes became deeper, and there seemed to be endless thoughts hidden in his eyes. He narrowed his eyes slightly, looked at He Yuzhu, and slowly said: "Yes, Zhuzi, marriage is a big deal, it's not a joke. This is not something that can be decided casually. It's related to a lifetime. You have to be cautious and consider all aspects carefully. You can't just make a decision on impulse. However, we are still very pleased that you can have this heart, thinking about our Chunyan and our family. This shows that you are a child who values ​​love and friendship, and you are a person with ideas and responsibilities in your heart. We all understand this."

He Yuzhu felt a little disappointed after listening to what Old Li said, just like picking the most beautiful flower with great expectations, but finding that the flower has not yet bloomed. How unpleasant it feels. But he also understood the concerns of Chunyan's parents. After all, in that era, marriage was a matter of careful consideration. One had to consider whether the two people were well matched, whether their personalities were compatible, and whether they could live a stable and solid life in the future. So, he secretly made up his mind that no matter what the result was, he would work hard to prove himself and let Chunyan and her parents see his sincerity. He thought that he must work harder and earn more work points so that everyone could see that he was a person who was capable of taking good care of Chunyan and the family. Even if this road would be difficult, he would never give up easily.

At this moment, there was a sudden sound of footsteps outside the door, the footsteps came from far away, "da da da", and it was particularly clear in this quiet courtyard. Then, Chunyan's crisp voice rang out: "Mom, I'm back." There was a sense of vitality in her voice, as if it also carried the fresh breath of the fields outside.

Chunyan said as she stretched out her hand to push the door open. The door creaked open and she walked into the room with brisk steps. As soon as she looked up, she was stunned by the scene in the room. A trace of surprise flashed in her bright eyes, and her brows slightly wrinkled. She wondered why there were so many people in the room, and the atmosphere seemed a little wrong.

When she saw He Yuzhu standing there with roast chicken and sugar in his hands, a gentle smile first appeared on her face. That smile was like a flower blooming in spring, revealing a sense of shyness and joy. She thought that Brother Zhuzi was visiting her home and brought so many good things. However, when she heard the conversation between her parents and He Yuzhu, the smile froze on her face instantly, as if she had been cast a spell, and was replaced by a complicated look, which contained surprise, shyness, and a hint of helplessness. She stood there, not knowing what to say for a moment.