The quadrangle was so quiet that even Xiao Hei seemed listless for two days.
Li's mother also had no energy to move back to the small Western-style building and lazily played with Xiao Hei and her granddaughter.
Li Weili, concerned for her grandmother, asked, "Grandma, should my brother and I just board at school?"
"Nonsense!" Grandma Li straightened up. "If it were just your three brothers, then boarding would be fine. But for you, a girl, to board, Grandma wouldn't be at ease."
Li Weili knew her grandmother doted on her the most. "Then, can you get a dog? If Xiao Hei weren't a wolf, we could take him to the county town."
Grandma Li glanced at Xiao Hei, who was lazily sunbathing, and after a moment's thought, said, "How about a pug? Pugs are well-behaved. Local dogs always run away."
"Okay, okay, I'll go tell Mom." Li Weili got up and ran to find her mother.
Tian Jing, just out of the nursery, was grabbed by her daughter and bombarded with talk. Where was she supposed to find a pug? There were none in the mountains.
Li Weili pressed, "Mom, can we?"
"You can, you can," Tian Jing nodded. "It's just that I don't have anywhere to buy one."
Li Weili blinked. "No need to buy. My classmate has one. It's not a purebred. She said the mother dog was due before summer break, so they should be a month old by now."
Tian Jing reached out and tapped her forehead. "How did you coax your grandmother?"
"I didn't!" Li Weili denied. "Grandma herself said she wanted a pug, and she said pugs are well-behaved."
Tian Jing didn't believe it. Her daughter must have said something earlier, and this time when she brought up getting a dog, her mother-in-law just followed her daughter's train of thought. Otherwise, how would her mother-in-law know pugs were well-behaved? She'd never raised one.
Tian Jing didn't expose her daughter over such a small matter. "Remember to give your classmate a red envelope. Even if you don't buy it, you must give money. That's the rule."
"Got it." Li Weili turned and ran back to the quadrangle to tell her grandmother the news.
Li's mother smiled as she watched her granddaughter jabbering non-stop. A girl's time for carefree days was very short.
...
A Feng and Sister-in-law Niu went to Li Liguo's house to pick an auspicious date. Ouyang Meihua chose a date after winter set in, when the watermelons would be mostly sold and they would have time.
Huang Sulang, Li Liguo's neighbor, naturally found out. She discussed with Li Jianguo, why not hold their son's wedding this year as well? The back mountain was getting busier and busier. Besides, after the work was done, it would be time to attract tourists, which would likely be even more hectic. It was better to do it all in one year for a lively celebration.
Soon, Li Jianguo's eldest son, Li Youcai, also picked a date for his wedding.
Brother Wang felt that since they were all on this side of the village, they might as well join in the fun together. So, he also set the date for his eldest grandson, Wang Xiaodong's wedding.
Vice-village head Ou heard that three families had picked dates and hurried his two sons to quickly set dates for their own grandsons. They had four grandsons. The oldest was twenty-six, and the youngest was eighteen. The younger ones would be scheduled later, after the three older ones had their dates set. If they couldn't find a date before the end of the year, they would pick one for the period after the New Year until before spring plowing. They had been engaged for several years, and it was time to bring them home, or the brides' families might have opinions. Being busy was no excuse; the Kusan area had been busy every year for the past few years.
Seeing that the usually unhurried Ou family was in a hurry, the villagers also became anxious. In the past, they would have already had grandchildren. These past few years had been too busy. For the time being, they hoped to bring adults into the family, not more children, as they wouldn't have time to raise them. Moreover, if their sons took wives, then their daughters who were already engaged would have no reason not to marry out. With one marrying in and one marrying out, there was no profit, and they might even lose out. How could a daughter-in-law be as useful as a daughter?
Tian Jing received over forty invitations, and her head was spinning. How did these villagers coordinate? They had managed to stagger the dates. From the beginning of winter to the Little New Year, over eighty days, both auspicious and inauspicious dates were taken. The village children must be happy! They would have feasts almost every day.
Li Zhengguo felt that these villagers were just looking for an excuse to celebrate. In recent years, there had been very few weddings in the village. Even when they did have weddings, they were very rushed. Since they hadn't held housewarming banquets when they moved into their Western-style houses, they wanted to liven things up now.
Zeng Jingchu came with the truck to collect watermelons and sensed the villagers' high spirits. After finding out the reason, he asked his elder brother about his plans.
Zeng Jingliang told his brother that A Feng had agreed to marry him. Zeng Jingchu stumbled, "You're going to be an uxorilocal son-in-law?" Zeng Jingliang nodded seriously, "A Feng's culinary skills must be passed down, and A Man's medical skills must be passed down. The Zeng family is entrusted to you. You should work hard. If you delay any longer, you'll be an old man."
Zeng Jingchu was anxious. "Big brother, this matter needs to be discussed with Father. I think you entering the Yuan family is acceptable, and the child can also be surnamed Yuan. But you must have a few more to carry the Zeng surname and inherit the family property when you return!"
Zeng Jingliang gave his brother a disdainful glance. "There are not few Yuan family members either. This is also one of the reasons why A Feng couldn't wait for me in Kyoto."
Zeng Jingchu knew his brother's temperament. The Yuan family also had family assets, so his brother would not have more children just to inherit the family property. It was over. The only one willing to get married was entering another family, and his and his cousin's carefree days were over.
Zeng Jingchu went to find Tian Jing. "Tian, Tian Jing, can you talk to my big brother?"
Tian Jing thought Zeng Jingchu wanted her to persuade Zeng Jingliang not to become an uxorilocal son-in-law. She refused, stating it was a matter between Zeng Jingliang and A Feng, and she wouldn't interfere.
"It's not that," Zeng Jingchu shook his head. "Regarding my big brother becoming an uxorilocal son-in-law, I estimate even Father can't dissuade him. I want you to persuade him to have more children to inherit the Zeng family when he returns."
Tian Jing's lips curved upwards. "You've come to the wrong person. You should go discuss it with A Feng. Besides, given A Feng's age, unless she has one child a year, it will be difficult."
Zeng Jingchu was stunned. "Didn't they say women can give birth until they're fifty?"
Tian Jing chuckled. She didn't know which fool said that, or which person tricked Zeng Jingchu into believing it. "Some women can still give birth at sixty. Most women can't after their late forties."
Zeng Jingchu stammered in surprise. "How old is A Feng?"
Tian Jing waved her hand. "A Feng can definitely give birth. I can't explain too much about a woman's fertility situation to you. She can have at most two children. Any more, and her body can't bear it." Even if Yuan Man was a good doctor, A Feng had no obligation to propagate the Zeng family. "Why don't you have children yourself? Men can reproduce for a longer time. Find a young woman and have plenty!"
As soon as Tian Jing said this, Zeng Jingchu turned and ran. This left Tian Jing confused. She went to ask Zeng Jingliang.
Zeng Jingliang told Tian Jing that Zeng Jingchu and Zeng Jingrong were both unwilling to get married, and they uniformly believed women were too troublesome. "My second brother is mainly scared by Mother. He thinks women are all crybabies who need coaxing. Then he was scared by the experiences of those around him. He sees some independent women who change after marriage, becoming neurotic. Cousin was similarly scared by women. The Han family's misfortune was caused by women. Besides the women in his family, he is unwilling to interact with other women. He has some misandry. Second brother is probably worried you'll try to persuade him. If you open your mouth to persuade him, he won't be able to refuse. Cousin probably can't refuse either."
Tian Jing turned and left. Persuade? Was she that idle?