Chapter 67: Zhou Lanlan is Getting Married?
The next day.
The porridge shed outside the grocery store continued to serve porridge.
The ger held his son’s hand thinking he was dreaming- he was able to take his son to live in a big bed, put on warm clothes, have a monthly wage, and still have enough food every day.
The old lady was recruited as a casual worker. She could do light handy work with very little wages but she could eat enough every day without starving or freezing. The Wei Family’s grocery store also recruited her to work.
Some of the people who ate porridge together were all recruited to work in the grocery store. They wept with joy, they didn’t have to starve to death on the street. They couldn’t believe that all this was true.
The ger hugged his son tightly, his heart was overwhelmed, and his tears couldn’t help but fall down- from hearing the bad news of his husband’s death, being called a black star, from being kicked out of the house and living on the street with his young son, he was never afraid of hardship but he was afraid that he will not be able to support his son. He was afraid that his son would starve to death and freeze to death with him outside.
The ger finally understood what the porridge man meant when he said he was lucky.
The ger’s skinny hand touched his son’s happy smiling face, thinking, they were indeed lucky.
“You guys take a day off first and start working tomorrow. Before starting work, you will sign the employment contract. Don’t worry about being cheated as we signed it too.”
The young woman was wearing rough clothes, with a smile on her face, and her eyes were full of longing for life. She was no longer in the slums with her son, not getting enough to eat, and no longer in despair of being homeless.
There were also a few gers and girls in the house who were helping to clean up, and they all told the newcomers about their experiences.
“My family is very poor. If I didn’t work in a workshop, I would have to go out to beg in the cold winter, and my family would suffer from hunger and cold.” A girl said, “Now the family can have enough food and clothing.”
“I was bullied by my mother-in-law. My mother-in-law wanted to sell my child and I was selling vegetables in the suburbs and heard the news and came to see if I can get a job.” A woman in her thirties said, “If I hadn’t come in to work, my ger child would have been sold by my mother-in-law. Now, I can stand tall in front of my mother-in-law, my children will not be sold, and the family depends on my wages for food and drink, and now, my mother-in-law dare not sell my children.”
The young woman said to the ger, “It’s very hard for you to take care of your son. I have a little brother who also works with me in the workshop. I usually take him to work by my side. My brother gets a bit tired but if they can help with small things, don’t worry about taking your children and delaying your work.”
The ger was really worried about this matter but the young woman’s words reassured him, “Thank you!”
“You’re welcome. Everyone helps one another in the workshop. If you don’t understand anything, just ask us. But remember, the most important thing in the Wei Family’s workshop is to be diligent, hardworking, and tight-lipped.”
The ger said anxiously, “I am very diligent, and my mouth is very tight.”
“Don’t be too nervous, just be careful. It’s very easy to work in the workshop.” The young woman said, “We still have to work, so you rest first!”
The porridge shed outside has finished serving porridge.
A large amount of wood is piled up outside the open space of the porridge shed.
The clerk at the grocery store raised his voice and said, “Anyone who helps to build a shed can get two big steamed buns.”
As soon as the words fell, the refugees who had just finished eating the porridge rushed to the front to sign up. These are steamed buns. They haven’t eaten them for several months and now they can eat some with just a little work.
“I- I have strength.”
“I- I- I will help.”
“…”
The servant said, “As long as you are willing to build a shed, you can come here and volunteer.”
The refugees ran to help if they could, and even the half-grown homeless children ran to help. Only a few lazy people sat on the ground in a group after eating, thinking that it didn’t matter whether they helped or not.
Wei Cheng knew how to do good deeds but he will not do so just because. He will give refugees opportunities to do what they can as helping him is helping themselves. Those who do not even help themselves, he will not offer too much kindness.
In the shed, apart from the elderly with limited mobility, even women, gers, and even children can do things to help.
They can get a steamed bun even if they only did a few things.
In just two days, the sheds were all set up.
When it was announced that the sheds would be used by the refugees who helped build the huts, every refugee was stunned by the vicissitudes of life, and then they stared in disbelief and cheered loudly.
They have shelter from the weather!
Those lazy people are dumbfounded—
Was there ever such a good thing?!
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
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At the county hall.
The county magistrate had a headache as a large number of refugees gathered in Nanshan County every day after winter.
Resettlement of refugees is something that he is required to do.
The county government doesn’t have so much money to resettle refugees, so they have to find those rich merchants to donate to these funds. When these people are asked for money, they will find excuses to prevaricate.
He had to lower his face to find those rich businessmen to donate, and only then would they be willing to help.
Seeing the number of refugees increasing day by day, he had a headache.
“Go, count the number of refugees in the county, how many there are, and go to the slums to find a place where no one lives.”
“These subordinates will follow your orders!”
On the other side, a wealthy family in the inner county.
Several aristocratic families were preparing to go to the outer city to give porridge.
“This year, our family have rushed to give porridge before the county magistrate came to ask about it. This is to look well in front of the county magistrate so that the magistrate will remember it. Next time, if there is anything that needs the help of the county government, it can be easy to say.”
A servant flatteringly said, “My master is kind-hearted.”
“Remember to keep enough porridge and water.”
“Don’t worry, master, just like in previous years, those refugees will be grateful as long as they have enough to eat.”
“Go ahead and do it!”
The porridge distribution is done in the slums and suburbs of the outer parts of the county, and the servants of these wealthy families build porridge sheds in their homes to prepare porridge.
Refugees in the slums don’t know that there is porridge in the suburbs so when they see porridge, they rush to line up with begging bowls, fearing that the porridge will run out.
The porridge distributed by this family is a clear soup with little water, and the rice grains in it are rare. Even if a large pot of porridge is distributed, there would usually be no leftovers due to the number of refugees.
But what’s happening here?!
There used to be not enough porridge every year.
A refugee saw that there was still food in the pot, and he was still not full after drinking porridge and water, so he cautiously stepped forward and asked, “Can I have another bowl?”
The servant who served the porridge shouted, “You can’t just ask when you already got some, go away.”
The person who was in charge of surveying the situation yelled to stop the refugee who wanted more porridge and signaled the servants to give him another spoonful of porridge water. After the refugee nodded and bowed in gratitude, he asked in a high-profile manner, “Aren’t there usually so many refugees in the slums?”
The refugee replied cautiously, “Master, there were a lot of refugees a few days ago, but I don’t know why the number of refugees has decreased in the past few days. Maybe they all went to the suburbs.”
The suburbs?!
The steward’s servants went to the suburbs to inquire.
In addition, there were other high-ranking and wealthy households serving porridge in the suburbs.
There were a few refugees here and there, the cold wind blew by, the servants who gave the porridge shivered in the cold wind, and the refugees huddled together to eat and smacked their lips in satisfaction while they gnawed on the cold wind, they were more like refugees themselves—
There are so few refugees, what’s with this situation?!
They got the information from the talk of the refugees—
“It’s porridge water again.”
“Porridge water is also good as porridge water makes you feel fuller.”
“I thought I could get more porridge from the porridge shed at the grocery store.”
“This porridge is full of water but there is rice porridge over there.”
“I’m satisfied with some. I have to go and call someone to get the porridge. One more bowl is one bowl.”
“That’s right, we all live together, anyway, there’s an extra bowl, and if you don’t get paid, you don’t get paid.”
In previous years, they were all scrambling to get the porridge, but now they all get together and even want to share.
Porridge delivery person: “???”
After a while, the refugees came over in an orderly manner, and they automatically lined up to receive the porridge. The refugees who were left behind were all talking and laughing when they came over, and they left in no hurry.
Porridge delivery person: “???”
As soon as someone inquires, they will know what’s going on.
“Wei family? Which Wei family?”
“They opened a Xian Manju in the county town, and they also opened a grocery store in the suburbs. The Wei family with Tai Fu Luo behind them.”
He frowned and thought.
Their steward asked, “Master and Madam, shall we still distribute this porridge?”
The lady was impatient, “What other kind of porridge do they want? Those refugees don’t know how to be grateful!”
“Women and Taoists shouldn’t talk too much about things they are ignorant about.” The master stopped him and said, “Steward, we must continue to give and the porridge must be thicker. How can this credit be intercepted? Before other families can react, I want my Dashan family to take this good credit.”
Similarly, there are other well-off families who not only donated porridge but also distributed quilts.
The county government soon got the news.
The county magistrate smiled with satisfaction, “Thanks to this person called Wei Cheng, who took the lead in giving out porridge, and those high-ranking households rushed to give out porridge. The refugees outside can survive the cold winter safely. My political achievements this year might be given a boost”
“Congratulations, my lord.”
Wei Yuan is going to marry Li Shuiqing.
As good brothers, Wei Cheng and Wei Lei wanted to help pick up the bride but considering Wei Cheng’s outstanding appearance and the fact that he is now a rich man. Wei Cheng would be too high-profile to deal with it.
Moreover, when he attends, it would be in a carriage and with servants since Wei Hu and Wei Yi were all going to attend the wedding banquet, he was too obvious, and it was a bit overwhelming.
So Wei Cheng didn’t go help pick up the bride instead he asked Wei Hu and the others to go, and then he went to the banquet with his wife.
Wei Yuan’s family worked at the Wei Family’s stall, and the monthly dividends made their family quietly rich in the village. The villagers didn’t know about the dividends and just thought that Wei Yuan’s family was working part-time.
However, the family had stable wages every month and those wages were already the envy of the villagers, they could live a good life with those wages.
Everyone in the village was amazed that Wei Yuan was going to marry a ger from a poor family. They were astonished and they all felt that this ger was really lucky to be able to marry Wei Yuan, and now he would have nothing to worry about.
As for the dowry gift from Wei Yuan’s family to Li Shuiqing’s family, it was quite standard on the surface, but in private they gave an additional twelve taels. This was because Wei Yuan’s family cared about Li Shuiqing’s family situation, so they gave so much.
If the villagers knew that Wei Yuan’s family gave Li Shuiqing’s family twelve taels of silver, they would be even more envious.
Li Shuiqing’s family was truly happy, their family had gone through all kinds of hardships, but the in-laws their son found were people who were extremely generous and understanding.
When Li Shuiqing got married, it was still an ox cart that welcomed him- it was true that the country people still came by ox cart.
The unmarried girls and gers in the village watched and saw that there were a few more strange men in the welcoming team. They looked upright and well-dressed, and they all blushed at the sight of them.
Many gers and girls have taken a fancy to Wei Lei. Since he started following Wei Cheng to do things, Wei Lei looks imposing in his clothes, with a cool face, and the girls and gers look at him excitedly.
Some of them even had their eyes on Wei Hu.
The girls and gers like liked them in their hearts but they still must be reserved. Their family didn’t have such worries, they went to offer their girls and gers from the side, and those who wanted Wei Lei even directly asked Wei Lei’s parents. But even if they agreed to any marriage, Wei Lei was already separated from them so they have no right to make decisions about his marriage.
A girl fell in love with Wei Hu so she went straight up to talk to him and even said her feelings with a shy face. Wei Hu, who was puzzled, yelled on the spot, “I’m a servant yet you fancy me, you want to talk to me?”
If you are not yelling, please turn off your loud voice. When you shout with such a loud voice, all the villagers in the field can hear it!
The girl stomped her foot in shame and anger and ran home, too ashamed to see anyone!
She was looked down on by a servant!
A villager who just came to enjoy some drinks: “….”
In this way, everyone learned that Wei Hu and the others were servants of Wei Cheng’s family, no one plans to marry a servant, and if they do, they would become the same as them.
It’s not that they can’t find someone else to marry!
Wei Hu and the others didn’t have the villagers bothering them anymore, but the villagers’ minds turned to Wei Cheng again. Wei Cheng’s family had so many servants, he also opened a food stall, a grocery store, and many workshops. No matter how rich he was, he was still just married to one ger, he could still marry some more wives and even if they were just concubines, they could still eat and drink delicious food.
The villagers became more active.
Wei Cheng and Zhou Yuan tried to be low-key, but they became high-key the moment they appeared as the villagers wanted to get close to them. Fortunately, Wei Hu’s mouth was not firm and he could talk about many things, he was able to block the throng of villagers while Wei Cheng dragged his wife to escape the enthusiasm of the villagers at Wei Yuan’s house.
Wei Cheng brought Zhou Yuan into Wei Yuan’s house, but those villagers didn’t follow, there were many village elders inside so how could they go in and argue?
Wei Cheng took his wife to greet the village chief and the village elders. Aunt Lu carefully considered Wei Cheng’s situation and vacated a room to entertain them.
In the side room, Wei Cheng glanced over lightly, “What’s going on?”
Wei Yi, Wei Jin, and Wei Shi: “…”
They would not sabotage themself for their companion so several of them unanimously pointed at Wei Hu as it was all caused by this big man. Wei Hu also shouted, “Master, it was not my fault, it’s the girl who wanted to approach me so I told her the truth. It was just that my voice is loud but it was out of my control.”
Wei Cheng stopped his hands while drinking tea, and raised his eyebrows: “… You were already messing with me even when I wasn’t here, how could you be so reasonable now?”
Everyone else held back their laughter, and even Wei Lei, who usually had a paralyzed cold face, showed a rare smile.
Wei Cheng said coolly, “Wei Hu, I think I should find you a wife soon and let your wife treat your loud voice.”
Wei Hu protested, “What kind of wife do I want to marry, I won’t marry!” Then he asked someone to intercede, “Little master, you have to let the master take back his words.”
Zhou Yuan held back his laughter and said, “It’s time for you to find a wife.”
Wei Hu shouted, “I’m just a rough guy, I don’t know how to take care of my wife.”
“Let your wife care of you.” Wei Cheng said, “That’s it for this matter. I’ll find a matchmaker to introduce you to a girl in another day.”
Wei Hu howled loudly, “I have no money to raise a wife—!!”
Everyone burst into laughter!
All his monthly silver is spent on drinking, eating meat, and buying pastries.
They all know he has no money!
At the dinner banquet, Wei Cheng and his wife ate in the courtyard and left immediately after eating. The villagers almost couldn’t bear it!
Who told them not to have a good relationship with Wei Cheng before?!
They regret it now.
Zhou Lanlan is getting married.
Within a few days, they received news that Zhou Lanlan was getting married!
Didn’t he still have some ideas on Yun Chengfeng, why was she marrying so suddenly?
Wei Cheng and Zhou Yuan looked at each other.
Zhou Yong said, “Uncle has lost a lot of money in his business, and he has no money to pay back his debt. Next year, my cousin Chunwei will take the exam to become a scholar. My cousin said that the family they were marrying could help to pay back the money until my cousin became a scholar. My uncle’s family accepted a large dowry and five days later, Lan Lan is getting married.”
Zhou Yuan asked, “Brother, did Lan Lan agree to get married?”
Zhou Yong replied, “Of course, she didn’t agree but my uncle’s family already accepted the dowry. Even if she doesn’t agree, she will still get married. Uncle also locked her up in the house until her marriage date.”
Wei Cheng and Zhou Yuan: “……”
It’s not their turn to discuss this kind of thing.
Wow, that nasty girl has nasty parents… Who would’ve thought? /s
Thanks for the update!!!
Thanks for the chapter!
In this kind of society I’m surprised she didn’t pick someone she likes quickly. 😓
Thank You for the new chapter ( ˘͈ ᵕ ˘͈♡)˚๐*˟ ♡