20 years of the Republic of China

Chapter 659 Proposal
Although Jiang Lianheng wanted to help the couple, he didn't have the patience to act as a go-between, and he was even less willing to stay in Shenjia Store.

He regarded himself as an experienced person and said that between men and women, it was just like that.

If you want something, just say it. If you can’t say it, just cheat. If you can’t cheat, just buy it. If you can’t buy it, just grab it. If you can’t grab it, just…

In short, once the matter is settled and the window paper is broken, everything will become boring.

Being affectionate is just a waste of time. How can it be considered as the color of human nature?

The daily necessities of life after love are the real test and the reason why there is an additional word "grace" before the word "love" between husband and wife.

If you are blind and have chosen the wrong person, you can divorce your wife, remarry, or keep a mistress. It's all fine. There's nothing wrong with it. Can a living person be killed by holding his urine?
It must be said that although his remarks were a bit arrogant, they were not without reason.

After all, he is a man with four concubines. He doesn't understand romance, but he does have some understanding of what a husband and wife are.

However, according to Zhao Guoyan's slow progress, it is estimated that it will take a long time before things can be done.

Jiang Lianheng was impatient and couldn't wait, so he went to propose marriage and acted immediately.

The next afternoon, he asked Yuan Xinfa to send Zhao Guoyan away, and he took people to see Haichaoshan.

After the bandits left, the door of the Lianzhuang Association was no longer closed.

Jiang Lianheng found the armed team and asked, "Where is Haichaoshan?"

The armed team member said: "The captain hasn't come back yet, you guys go to the field and take a look!"

The so-called "field" is an open space behind the Lianzhuang meeting, close to Laoyeling. It is the place where the Shen family stores and dries wood.

It is now the end of summer, the scorching heat is still there, but the rain has gradually become less and less, and the work of the carpenters has begun one after another.

Logging is not only a physical job, but also a technical job. If you are not careful, you may risk losing your life.

The moment the century-old tree collapsed, it was as if the sky was falling and the earth was collapsing, and it shook the mountains.

After a tree falls, you can't just hide away if you want to. A giant tree as thick as a waist will fall down with its branches and leaves. There's no telling how many plants and trees around it will be dragged down by it. You can't be sure which branch it will fall on. It may bounce back with a swing due to its resilience. This is called "the stick that turns back."

A sudden slap on the face could cause blood to gush from the mouth and nose in the mildest case, or death on the spot in the worst case.

What's more, there are side kicks, rolls, and tumbles. If you have no experience, you will definitely not be able to avoid them.

The Mu Gang often said: Old trees become spirits, and before they die, they always take a few people away.

Although this is just a casual statement, it makes people feel more awe for this deep mountain forest.

Around the time of autumn harvest, the Shenjiadian Woodworking Gang was at its busiest, and many armed team members also participated in it.

Jiang Lianheng and others came to the field, but did not find Hai Chaoshan. They only saw the eldest son of the Hai family sitting on wood with several armed teams drinking water and resting.

Unlike the other children of Haichaoshan, the eldest son of the Hai family was gentle and polite. When he saw someone coming, he immediately stood up, patted his butt, and walked forward to ask, "Boss Jiang, what's the matter?"

"Where is your father?" Jiang Lianheng asked.

"I went up the mountain to chop trees." The eldest brother of the Hai family said politely, "If you are not in a hurry, you can wait in the house for a while. Otherwise, I will go up the mountain to find him."

Jiang Lianheng thought that going to propose marriage was not like a death-chasing ghost. Since he had already come to the scene, it would be inconvenient to urge him further, so he nodded.

In the corner of the open space, there is a small wooden house used for watching the scene and keeping watch.

The eldest son of the Hai family led the others into the house, poured a few bowls of cold water, and was about to sit down to entertain them when he suddenly heard a shout from far outside the window:
"Falling down the mountain——"

Jiang Lianheng had never heard of the "mountain shouting" before, but when he heard the sound, he couldn't help but feel a little curious, so he immediately stood up and looked out the window.

Suddenly, a group of flying birds were startled in the sky above the towering Laoyeling Mountain.

After taking a breath, the mountains seemed to cough. The sound was vigorous and powerful. Even on the field, one could clearly hear the "crackling" sound.

Then, in the vast sea of ​​forest, a deep pit suddenly appeared, and there was finally a flaw.

As the tree fell, all sorts of strange noises were heard in the forest, chirping and scattering in all directions.

Then, everything returned to silence.

It was as if the old mountain god simply turned over and continued to sleep soundly.

I thought that after "falling down the mountain", it wouldn't take long for the wood gang to transport the materials down the mountain.

I never thought that I would wait from the afternoon until dusk.

It was not until the smoke from the nearby Lianzhuanghui cooking began to rise that the cheerful "mountain shouting songs" were once again rang out in the woods.

The wooden gang went down the mountain, and there was also some fun to watch.

I don't know if it's because someone is lazy or the force is uneven, but we often encounter this situation with giant logs of five or six meters long - the same piece of wood cannot be lifted by eight men, but can be carried down the mountain by six men.

The "mountain shout" is to listen to the tune but not the words, in order to unify the pace and coordinate the breathing, so whatever the leader shouts is fine and everyone has to agree to it.

If you don't agree and lose your pace, you may sprain your waist or shoulder at best, or the wood may roll down and crush you to death.

This is someone deliberately doing something bad.

At this moment, I heard someone half singing and half chanting in the woods:
"Stand up straight... hum hyo..."

"Keep going forward... hum hyo..."

"My sons... hum, hum..."

"Call me daddy... Hey, hey..."

"Go to the right quickly... hum hyo..."

"We're turning... hum hyo..."

You can't take advantage of something for free. Once you get to the venue, put down the wood, and the team leader shouts slogans, you will inevitably be beaten up.

In the end, everyone laughed, which was considered to be finding joy in suffering.

The wood-carving gang that went down the mountain, a total of more than twenty people, were divided into three teams, each carrying a huge piece of wood, which was probably the same old tree that had been sawed into three sections.

What surprised Jiang Lianheng was that when he looked out the window, he saw that Hai Chaoshan was not as serious as usual. He actually squinted his eyes and mingled with everyone. He looked approachable and had no airs at all.

It was not until the eldest son of the Hai family walked out of the room, came close to his father and whispered a few words that Hai Chaoshan's mouth stiffened slightly. He finally stopped joking and walked towards the wooden house with the second and third sons.

Jiang Lianheng led his men out to greet them, stood at the door, and clasped his hands together, "Captain Hai, you're back?"

Hai Chaoshan was panting heavily. Although he was not hostile, he was not very enthusiastic either. He just nodded and asked, "Boss Jiang, do you want to see me for something?"

Jiang Lianheng smiled and said, "I came here to talk to you about my brother's matter."

He had planned to explain his purpose in detail after entering the house, but as soon as he finished speaking, the eyes of the second and third sons of the Hai family suddenly lit up.

"Boss Jiang, are you here for Zhao Guoyan?" The two of them grinned in unison.

It seems that the rumors about Shen's store have already reached the ears of Hai's father and son.

Jiang Lianheng nodded and said without hesitation: "That's right, Guo Yan is too cowardly, I came to ask Captain Hai for marriage on his behalf."

"Oh, that's really the case!" The two brothers hurried forward to hold the door, "Then go in, this is our business, there's no need for others to listen in!"

The second and third brothers were particularly enthusiastic, and Jiang Lianheng suddenly felt that he had won the game.

Unexpectedly, when they were about to turn around and go into the house, Hai Chaoshan suddenly cleared his throat, shocking the two brothers back alive. They muttered in a low voice: "Dad, Boss Jiang is here to propose marriage, and he has no ill intentions. Let's go in and talk. It doesn't matter whether it succeeds or not. This is also the minimum courtesy!"

"Yes, besides, Xiaoqing is old enough. She is a girl and cannot compare with us. If we delay any longer, she will never be able to get married!"

"Shut up!"

Hai Chaoshan interrupted in a harsh voice, glaring at the second and third brothers left and right, showing his intimidation without even getting angry.

Jiang Lianheng frowned when he saw this and asked, "Why, Captain Hai, you can't even talk about your daughter's marriage?"

Hai Chaoshan pondered for a moment, then suddenly turned around and ordered, "Boss, go pour some water for Boss Jiang and the others."

"Dad, the water is ready." The eldest son of the Hai family looked particularly honest.

Hai Chaoshan nodded, his expression slightly complicated, and finally raised his hand and said, "Boss Jiang, please come in!"

Jiang Lianheng raised the corner of his mouth, thinking that there was a chance, and he had already started thinking about the betrothal gift.

Several people walked into the cabin one after another, sat down, drank some water, smoked some cigarettes, and then immediately got straight to the point.

Jiang Lianheng said, "Men should get married when they are old enough, and women should get married when they are old enough. There will be such a day sooner or later. Captain Hai's daughter is at the right time, and Guo Yan... although he is not as good as me, he is also a good-looking man. I think they are a good match. Captain Hai might as well help them get married. In the future, we will be relatives, and I guarantee that Shen's store will be safe forever."

As soon as he finished speaking, the second son of the Hai family came over and said with a smile:

"Boss Jiang, let's put the safety of the Shen's store aside for now. Our armed forces are not here to eat and do nothing, but my sister is getting married, this, this..."

The third son of the Hai family added nonchalantly: "Raising children these days is not easy for anyone!"

"Oh, you two want to ask about the betrothal gift?" Jiang Lianheng laughed loudly, shook his gown, and crossed his legs. "Okay, okay, how much does the Hai family want? Just name a price!"

Haichaoshan looked gloomy.

Although discussing betrothal gifts is inevitable when proposing marriage, for some reason, when these words come out of the mouth of a wealthy man, there is always a hint of contempt.

The speaker has no intention, the listener has the heart.

Regardless of whether Jiang Lianheng really meant this, Hai Chaoshan couldn't help feeling a little uneasy after hearing this.

The second and third sons were in high spirits and didn't notice their father's expression. They just looked at each other and smiled, as if they had finally seen hope. But they pretended to be conflicted and said:

"Oh, Boss Jiang, what you said, how should we make an offer? Too much, too little, neither is appropriate..."

Jiang Lianheng said with a smile: "Don't worry, Guo Yan is a brother who has blocked a knife for me. His business is my business. You can ask for a higher price. As long as you open your mouth, I, Jiang Lianheng, will never bargain!"

"Well, then we two brothers are being presumptuous!" The second and third brothers weighed and said, "How about you pay for us..."

"Snapped--"

Before he finished speaking, Hai Chaoshan raised his fist, slammed the table, and cursed: "Fuck you, get out of here!"

The second and third sons trembled all over and turned around to apologize with a smile: "Dad, we were wrong, you should make the offer, you make the offer..."

"Get out!"

Haichaoshan roared again, scaring the second and third brothers so much that they dared not say a word. They immediately tucked their tails between their legs and ran out of the house in shame.

Jiang Lianheng was a little dissatisfied, and his smile froze. He asked, "Captain Hai, it's not a big deal to come to propose marriage and discuss the engagement letter and betrothal gifts. Why are you so angry?"

Hai Chaoshan waved his hands, calming down his anger a little, and said, "Don't worry, Boss Jiang, I'm not targeting you."

"It better not be directed at me."

"I really don't mean that!" Hai Chaoshan said, "I know that Boss Jiang is a wealthy man. Zhao Guoyan has been with you for so many years, so he must be rich. But Xiaoqing in my family is not worth marrying. You can afford the betrothal gift, but I can't afford a decent dowry. When I get to my husband's house, I will inevitably be looked down upon everywhere. It's better to marry someone of equal status..."

Jiang Lianheng interrupted immediately, "Guo Yan is from Cangzhou, he is all alone in Fengtian, he has no in-laws. If you insist on saying he has one, I, as his brother, am his in-laws' relative. I come to propose marriage, when I return to Fengtian, who dares to turn a blind eye to your daughter?"

Hai Chaoshan shook his head and said, "Boss Jiang has a large family and business, so he won't be able to take care of it when the time comes. Besides, Fengtian is nowhere near Ning'an, so my daughter is marrying far away..."

"Are you worried that you will be bullied without your family around?" Jiang Lianheng interrupted again, "It's simple. All of you Hai family members, come with us. When we get to Fengtian, I will arrange a living for you!"

"My family has no other skills except hunting and cutting trees..."

"You know how to sell idiots, right? As long as you know how to sell idiots, I can arrange it for you. Each person will get 30 yuan a month. Just tell me if you agree or not!"

"Xiaoqing is a bad-tempered child, and she doesn't behave like a girl..."

"I can't help but feel that my brother likes this. If Guo Yan likes it, I like it too. Of course, it's not that kind of like, but that's what I mean. If you have any other requirements, just let me know!"

It must be said that Jiang Lianheng has already lowered his attitude to the lowest level for Zhao Guoyan's marriage. No matter what concerns Hai Chaoshan has, he can immediately come up with a solution.

Come to think of it, what kind of demands could a girl from a remote mountainous area have that the Jiang family could not meet?
Having said that, if you still have concerns, they are not concerns anymore. I'm afraid you just don't like the Jiang family.

Xiaoqing is only sixteen or seventeen years old, not old, but many girls of the same age in Shenjiadian have already become mothers.

It’s not too late to talk about marriage at this age, but it’s definitely not early either.

Hai Chaoshan scratched his scalp twice, pondered for a while, and then said: "This matter... I still need to ask my daughter's opinion."

"What does she know as a little girl?" Jiang Lianheng said nonchalantly, "She dares not obey her parents' orders and the matchmaker's words? Break her legs!"

Haichaoshan looked embarrassed.

In a trance, he was like a gambler at a card table, betting all his fortune on one game, muttering: "I only have this one girl, I better go ask her!"

Jiang Lianheng stood up in response: "What are you waiting for? Let's go now?"

Hai Chaoshan sighed, walked out of the room, gave a few instructions to the wood gang on the field, and then led everyone towards the Lianzhuang Association.

As I walked, I heard someone behind me joking loudly:
"Brother Hai, my son-in-law is coming to our house for dinner, give him something good, don't be so stingy!"

Hai Chaoshan turned around and cursed a few words, and soon he led everyone back to the Lianzhuang Association.

After passing through the gate of the manor, before even entering the house, the aroma of food wafted from the Hai family's earthen house.

Pushing the door open, she saw the outer room. Xiaoqing was standing by the stove, bending over, using a spatula to stir the hot dishes in the iron pot, tasting the saltiness from time to time. Her figure was looming in the steam from the pot.

Next to the stove, there was another boy of about thirteen or fourteen, squatting on a small stool, fanning the fire.

It's time for dinner, so we have to give way.

Hai Chaoshan shouted into the house, "Xiao Qing, prepare two more dishes and come home."

"Who is it?" Xiao Qing was concentrating and didn't even raise her head.

The second son of the Hai family said, "Boss Jiang is here!"

Xiaoqing was suddenly startled, then put down the spatula and hurried to the door.

She walked through the haze and came to the door, smelling heavily of smoke and smoke, with bright eyes. She wiped her hands with her apron and looked around outside the door.

Soon, her eyes dimmed again, she smiled and said, "Oh, it's Boss Jiang, he's cooking, you guys take a seat, I'll go back and look after the fire first."

After saying that, he immediately turned around and walked quickly back to the stove.

The girl's loss was inadvertent and without words, but her father saw it and knew what she was thinking...

(End of this chapter)