Chapter 10: I Do Not Consent to This Marriage!

“What about the rest?”

“Spent it.”

Jiang Moli’s almond-shaped eyes widened. “Spent it where? You spent 2.5 yuan in one afternoon!”

For a high-level technician like Jiang Dahai, the monthly salary was 68 yuan, which broke down to earning 2.3 yuan a day. This 2.3 yuan had to support a family of five while also being saved through extreme frugality. Meanwhile, an ordinary worker earned less than 30 yuan a month, making less than 1 yuan a day.

In a single afternoon, Jiang Peng had spent two and a half days' worth of an ordinary worker's wages.

“I treated Shi Yu, Zhang Lei, and the others to food.”

Jiang Moli reached out, grabbed Jiang Peng by the hair, and began hitting and kicking him. “You really are something! Your sister is at home starving and eating popsicles, while you're out there acting like a big shot, treating people to food and drinks! See if I don't beat the life out of you, you little bastard!”

Jiang Peng dodged while yelping in pain.

Though Jiang Peng looked like he was being bullied, he was actually yielding to Jiang Moli. He was nearly 1.8 meters tall, while Jiang Moli was barely over 1.6 meters; if he fought back, she wouldn't stand a chance.

The sibling scuffle quickly drew the attention of passersby. Many recognized Jiang Moli. She was famous not just in the machinery factory residential area, but throughout the entire neighborhood.

Lazy, shiftless, opportunistic, and a bully to her step-sister—in short, she had no good reputation. Even hitting her own biological brother made her seem both wicked and cruel.

[Disdain Value +1 +1 +1 +1... Total: 150,000 yuan credited]

It wasn't until the disdain value stopped increasing that Jiang Moli finally stopped, panting for breath.

On the way back, Jiang Moli walked with her hands in her pockets, looking like a tough girl from the streets. Jiang Peng followed beside her, looking sullen with his hair messy like a bird's nest.

Seeing a few tufts of hair sticking up on Jiang Peng's head, Jiang Moli reached out to smooth them down, but Jiang Peng reflexively covered his head with both hands.

Jiang Moli’s hand froze in mid-air. “What are you afraid of? I’m not hitting you. Come here, let me fix it for you.”

Jiang Peng looked terrified. “Sis, don't do this. I'm scared.”

“You ungrateful pig!”

Jiang Peng replied, “I don't eat bran. Bran is for pigs.”

Jiang Moli rolled her eyes at him. “You’re not much better than a pig. You spent 2.5 yuan treating people to food? Wait, what exactly did you guys eat?”

“Cold noodles and soda, and...” Jiang Peng fished a small cylinder out of his pocket and handed it to Jiang Moli obsequiously. “Here, I bought this for you.”

Jiang Moli took it and saw it was a lipstick. The color was a vintage cinnabar red, and it had a faint floral scent.

“When Brother-in-law comes to propose in a couple of days, you should wear it. You'll look beautiful,” Jiang Peng said with great enthusiasm.

Jiang Moli put the cap back on. It would be a lie to say she wasn't moved. Jiang Peng looked rough and unreliable, but she hadn't expected him to have such a thoughtful side.

“How much did this lipstick cost?”

“1.8 yuan!”

Jiang Moli took a 2-yuan bill from the 7.5 yuan she had just scavenged and handed it over.

Jiang Peng accepted it with a beaming smile. “Thanks, Sis!!”

Jiang Moli gave him a light kick. “Spend it sparingly.”

“Got it...”

Seeing Jiang Peng acting as obedient as a big dog, Jiang Moli couldn't help but ruffle his hair. “Idiot.”

***

The next day, Jiang Moli was once again unable to sleep in. Early in the morning, people from the Youth Office came knocking at their door.

The Jiang family had been reported for evading the "Down to the Countryside" movement. Under current policies, evading this was a crime.

After much persuasion from Jiang Dahai, the Youth Office agreed not to pursue legal action, but they gave him a three-day deadline to submit a candidate for the countryside. In other words, either Jiang Moli or Jiang Qing had to go.

“Who the hell has nothing better to do than report us? Dammit!” Jiang Dahai cursed, losing all composure in his anger.

“What are we going to do now?” Li Hongying asked, her face clouded with worry.

Looking at Jiang Qing, who had remained calm and composed throughout, Jiang Moli couldn't help but suspect that this was Jiang Qing's doing.

*Tsk, do you really have to force me to go to the countryside?*

Jiang Moli, deciding to just go with the flow, suggested, “Let's draw lots. Whoever draws the slip goes.”

“No!” Jiang Dahai objected. He was worried Jiang Moli would draw the slip, and he didn't want to leave any room for bias.

Li Hongying was indecisive and could do nothing but worry. Jiang Qing also disagreed with drawing lots, as she also had a fifty-percent chance of being chosen.

“There are still three days left; there's no need to rush the decision. As for Moli, once the Zhang family comes to propose in a couple of days and she gets married, she won't have to worry about going to the countryside.”

So that was the plan. The person the Zhang family intended to marry was Jiang Qing; it had nothing to do with her. If she didn't get married, her only path left besides the countryside was labor reform.

“And what about you, Xiao Qing? When is your partner planning to visit so I can meet him and your Uncle Jiang?”

“In the next couple of days.”

Li Hongying fretted, “If you are sent to the countryside, I don't know if he'll be willing to wait for you to return to the city.”

Jiang Qing remained noncommittal. “We'll see.”

“Oh, where did Xiao Peng go?” Noticing Jiang Peng was missing, Li Hongying wondered aloud. “That brat, he must have gone out to mess around again.”

Jiang Dahai grumbled. He didn't have the energy to discipline his son right now; he was too overwhelmed by the countryside issue.

***

Outside the Military District compound.

“Lu... Brother-in-law! Brother-in-law!”

Seeing Jiang Peng waving at him, Lu Cheng narrowed his eyes slightly and walked over.

“What are you doing here?”

“Hehe, Brother-in-law, I came specifically to find you.”

Lu Cheng remained composed. “How did you know I lived here?”

Jiang Peng scratched his head. “I guessed. You're Brother Jia-ming's leader and you have a military vehicle. Big leaders like you must live in a compound like this, right? I just came to try my luck.”

Lu Cheng smiled. “Not bad. You've got some brains.”

Receiving the praise, Jiang Peng grinned widely, then remembered the urgent matter and hurriedly pulled out the household registration booklet.

“Brother-in-law, something big happened! The Youth Office wants to take my sister to the countryside! Here is our household booklet. You need to hurry and get the marriage certificate processed with my sister. Once she's married, she won't have to go!”

Lu Cheng flipped through the booklet to Jiang Moli's page. Just looking at his future wife's name brought an indescribable joy to his heart.

***

Lu Dezhao returned to his office after a meeting. Seeing Lu Cheng sitting upright on the sofa, he didn't give him a warm welcome.

“What are you doing here again?”

“Has my marriage report been approved?”

Lu Dezhao's eyes nearly popped out. “Are you dreaming? Marriage background checks aren't that fast. Not for at least ten days or half a month. Don't even think about it. Go back, and I'll notify you when there's news.”

“I can't wait even one day. Someone is going to take my wife away.”

Lu Dezhao was shocked. “Did she do something wrong?”

“She's perfectly fine, don't curse her. It's the Youth Office; they want to take her to the countryside.”

Lu Dezhao hadn't considered that possibility. The Lu family had been in the military since his father's generation, and he and his brothers were all soldiers. He and Anhui had three sons, all of whom he had pushed into the military as soon as they reached adulthood, sparing them the trouble of being sent to the countryside.

“I don't care! If Moli is sent to the countryside, I'll remain a virgin and never marry!”

Lu Dezhao was so angry his beard trembled. There was no other way; to prevent his son from ending up a bachelor, Lu Dezhao had to swallow his pride and pull strings.

By the afternoon, Jiang Moli's background investigation files were placed on Lu Dezhao's desk. After reviewing the files, Lu Dezhao called his son into the office with a grave expression.

“I do not approve of this marriage!”