The three of them entered the brigade office. Li Yungui asked the two to sit down.
Xu Chunshan had been in the Li Family Village for more than half a year and knew Li Yungui’s temper, so he didn’t hide anything.
"Village Chief Li, I’d like to ask for your help. Could you arrange for my wife’s registration in our village?"
Li Yungui didn’t know that, in the eyes of the educated youths, the Li Family Village had beco paradise.
"Xu, did you get married just to co to our village?"
Xu Chunshan looked at Li Yungui openly.
"Village Chief Li, initially my wife wanted to swap with ; she wanted to co over. Today, a few of us went out and t many educated youths, only then did we realize that being assigned to Li Family Village is our luck.
We six are the envy of all the educated youths.
My wife really can’t stay in the Liu Family Village, so both of us find each other fairly agreeable, and thus we registered our marriage."
Li Yungui lit a cigarette and took a few puffs.
"Let tell Village Chief Li about my situation."
Li Yungui nodded.
"Village Chief Li, I’m a bit naive. When I ca over this year, I just wanted to get along well with the educated youths.
My family’s economic condition is okay. I saw them not being well-off, so I shared so good food, clothes, and tickets with them.
But I didn’t know that human greed can be insatiable; I gave them one, and they wanted two. If you don’t give them, it’s a problem.
So I felt very troubled at the educated youth point.
I don’t know who spread the word that I have money, so I got targeted by a few thugs from the village.
I once approached the Captain, but since they didn’t actually do anything to , what could I do?
This is one of the reasons, and also I heard that life in the Li Family Village is the best now, with two tractors, a tilling machine, a seeding machine, and a harvester.
I’ve never done any labor since childhood, but in the past half year, I’ve been suffering a lot.
I found Xu Chunshan, thinking of swapping with him. I wanted to co to Li Family Village and lead a relatively easier life."
Li Yungui listened to this girl’s straightforward words and felt quite satisfied. She didn’t use flimsy excuses to dodge; in fact, telling the truth is the most correct approach. There are no real fools.
"Village Chief Li, Xu Chunshan refused , and I was really heartbroken. Because of family issues, I even had thoughts of suicide.
It was Xu Chunshan who found , and what he said I agreed with: we don’t know when we can leave, should we just keep waiting?
So we discussed and thought, since we both have plans to start a family, and neither of us finds the other unpleasant, then we may as well beco a family.
Village Chief Li, I know this might be difficult, but please help .
I really can’t stay in the Liu Family Village anymore; too many people are eyeing my money and myself. Everyone makes mistakes eventually, and I’m afraid, as a girl without parents, what future do I have?"
Xu Chunshan wanted to speak, but Zheng Mingzhu stopped him.
Li Yungui had already finished smoking a bag of cigarettes. He tapped off the ashes and looked directly at Xu Chunshan and the girl.
"Don’t you two think your marriage is quite hasty?"
Zheng Mingzhu smiled bitterly, "Village Chief Li, I’m just a fool, played around by a man. My only relative, my grandfather, is nowhere to be found.
What else could be hasty for ? I visited many people at the educated youth office, and at that ti I thought, even if I can’t co to Li Family Village, I must leave Liu Family Village.
But I found Xu Chunshan to be the most honest and likely to agree to my unreasonable requests.
That’s why I approached him. I never thought about using marriage to avoid my current troubles.
But when I called my childhood sweetheart, I found out he had married my best friend a month ago.
Village Chief Li, what else could be hasty for ?"
Li Yungui felt sympathy for this girl after hearing her words. From her words, it was clear the girl was simply naive, perhaps due to good family conditions, and hadn’t seen the ugly faces of the outside world.
"Where is your marriage certificate?"
Zheng Mingzhu quickly took out the marriage certificate and handed it to Li Yungui.
"You are the first couple. Today I’ll make an exception and agree, not for anything else but because Xiao Zheng’s story is too pitiful.
I can tell you’re not from an ordinary family, but once you co to our village, I hope you’ll settle in genuinely."
Zheng Mingzhu shed tears upon hearing Li Yungui’s words and nodded vigorously.
"Village Chief Li, rest assured, I will definitely participate in labor actively."
Li Yungui was softened; a girl outside struggles, and he especially loathed the thugs who targeted girls.
Not sure how Liu Dazhi was managing?
"You two go to Liu Family Village tomorrow to get proof, then co back here, and I’ll stamp it."
The two deeply bowed to Li Yungui. Their gratitude was beyond words.
"Alright, go back now."
Xu Chunshan took Zheng Mingzhu back to the educated youth point, lucky for the weather, otherwise there wouldn’t be extra bedding.
However, Xu Chunshan still decided to give his own bedding to Zheng Mingzhu, and he had to sleep on the kang mat.
When they returned, dinner was ready.
It was just corn porridge and pickles. But Zheng Mingzhu wasn’t picky; at least the porridge they made was thick.
The other five weren’t particularly warm to Zheng Mingzhu, but at least they weren’t particularly rejecting either.
After dinner, Zheng Mingzhu and Xu Chunshan took turns cleaning up.
"Mingzhu, why don’t you sleep with the other won tonight?"
"Sure, no problem."
"I’ll give you my bedding, the temperature is high now, so I can sleep without a quilt."
Zheng Mingzhu felt a bit embarrassed, "Thank you."
"In the future, I’ll be your husband, it’s right for to take care of you and treat you well. You don’t have to be so formal."
"Well, I still need to thank you.
If everything goes well tomorrow, then will we live here in the future?"
"The village is building houses for the new educated youths. Of course, it’s not the village building, but relatives helping to build. They’ve already started construction. If all goes well tomorrow, we’ll build a house and move out."
"Can we?"
Xu Chunshan nodded, "Village Chief Li will agree. After all, they’re all unmarried n and won; living here isn’t appropriate.
I’ll get you a basin. There’s hot water outside drying, and hot water in the pot too. You go wash up, and I’ll talk to the four won."
Zheng Mingzhu nodded; this arrangent was the best. If they could indeed move out, that would be great.
Really tired of collective living. The world is big, with all kinds of people.
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