Forced to marry a disabled man in the countryside? I'll repay you tenfold!

A few days passed peacefully like this. With Uncle Ding taking over most of the work, Lin Tingting was completely "liberated"—more importantly, she and Qin Xue were busy looking for potential partners these days.

The candidates include both locals and people from Bincheng. After all, if they return to the city in the future, they will most likely return to Bincheng. Both Qin Xiao and Zhou Yanshen hope that their wives can marry there, closer to their parents' home, so they can have someone to rely on in the future.

That evening's dinner consisted of a large bowl of fried meatballs, a large bowl of egg fried rice, and a large pot of pork rib and radish soup, just like always.

After several days of continuous "bombardment" by Su Wanqing, she finally consumed several dozen kilograms of meatballs. However, looking at the remaining 9,900 kilograms of meatballs in her storage space, Su Wanqing fell into deep thought—these meatballs were truly an endless supply! What a waste!

The fried rice was made by her using "Craftsmanship" after returning 100 kilograms of white rice tenfold. Although only 70 kilograms of rice were produced from 100 kilograms of rice, which was a bit of a shrunken result, the taste was excellent, almost like the work of a culinary master. She then returned 10fold of the rice to her.

Nowadays, when people see fried meatballs at the dinner table, their eyes instinctively wander away.

Good heavens! For five consecutive days, a huge bowl of rice every day, even Uncle Ding, who never wastes food, was starting to feel the strain. He held a large bowl of fried rice and ate it with gusto.

Qin Xiao's lips twitched, and he whispered to Zhou Yanshen, "I really believe it now—your family really does eat like this every day. This food... is too good."

Qin Xue nodded repeatedly, "I knew I wanted to live with you guys! Your food is just my cup of tea! My brother is going to report to the army in a couple of days, so I'll stay here and pay for his food, okay?"

Qin Xiao quickly stuffed a meatball into his sister's mouth: "What's wrong with a young lady like you staying here all the time? Come live with me in the military family compound." He then asked, "How are the matchmaking attempts going these past few days? Have you found anyone you like?"

Qin Xue shook her head: "Having seen someone like Brother Zhou, when I look at others... I always feel they're lacking something."

Zhou Yanshen then turned his gaze to Lin Tingting. Lin Tingting put down her chopsticks and said softly, "Cousin, I... have taken a liking to one."

Zhou Yanshen immediately asked, "Which family?" These names were carefully selected by him and Qin Xiao; the family backgrounds and character of the individuals were all reliable, so choosing any of them wouldn't be too bad.

Lin Tingting looked at Qin Xiao, a blush creeping onto her face: "It's just... Brother Qin. Brother Qin has been so considerate and thoughtful in his dealings with people these past few days, his family relationships are simple, and he's from Bincheng. If you all go back to the city, and Brother Qin goes back too, then I won't be considered to have married far away..."

Qin Xiao almost spat out his fried rice: "Wh-what? Me?" He quickly waved his hands, "Comrade Lin, this is inappropriate. I have no plans to get married in the next few years. Besides, I live in the frontier, where conditions are harsh. Marrying me... would be too unfair to you."

Lin Tingting straightened her back: "Brother Qin, my family is not short of money, and we don't need a dowry. Your circumstances are difficult, but I can afford it myself and won't make myself suffer."

Qin Xiao shook his head again: "You are Yan Shen's cousin, and I always feel... awkward. Besides, we are really not suitable." He wanted to find a partner who was caring and down-to-earth, not a girl like Lin Tingting who was quick-witted—although she was nice, she was ultimately not his type.

Lin Tingting's eyes immediately reddened. These past few days, she had deliberately followed Qin Xiao, calling him "Brother Qin" repeatedly and being considerate in every way. She thought that Qin Xiao's gentle and polite manner meant he had some affection for her, but she never expected to be rejected to her face.

"But my cousin saved your life..." Her voice choked with emotion, "Can't you... consider it repaying that debt of gratitude?"

Qin Xiao was taken aback, remained silent for a moment, and then said in a low voice, "Comrade Lin, if you really want to say that... fine. If you insist on it, I agree to marry you."

Qin Xue, shoveling food into her mouth, immediately looked up: "Lin Tingting, don't try to use the life-saving favor to pressure me! That was something my brother owed Brother Zhou, how did it become your debt? You're not even married into the family yet, and you're already talking about 'favor' all the time. If you really marry into the family, how will we live together? Bringing this up all the time, who can stand it?"

Zhou Yanshen frowned as well: "Qin Xiao, this isn't how you repay a life-saving debt. As for your relationship with my cousin, if you can manage it, great; if not, then forget it. I saved you not so you could repay this debt with your marriage—I hoped you would live a good life from now on."

Lin Tingting looked at Zhou Yanshen with tears in her eyes: "Cousin, why are you saying this? Haven't you always wanted me to get married? I finally found someone I liked, and he's even a comrade you risked your life to save. You can trust his character, right? But you're just stopping me like this... Do you not want me to get married at all, and that's why you're saying this on purpose?"

Zhou Yanshen: "..." He rubbed his temples. This cousin, if it weren't for their kinship, he would have already...

"No matter what, you shouldn't use gratitude to blackmail Qin Xiao." His tone turned serious. "Marriage is a matter between two people and two families; it must be based on mutual consent. If you're bound together by 'repaying a debt of gratitude,' how is that any different from arranged marriages in the old society? Qin Xiao has his life to live, and you have yours. Don't narrow your path."

Lin Tingting looked at Qin Xiao with teary eyes: "Brother Qin..."

Qin Xiao took a deep breath: "Yan Shen is right. Even if I marry you to repay a debt of gratitude, I won't be able to live comfortably for the next few decades if I have any lingering resentment. This marriage... let's just forget about it. I will repay the debt of gratitude I owe Yan Shen in other ways."

Zhou's mother tried to smooth things over: "Alright, alright, let's eat. Why say so much? There's no rush for Tingting and Qin Xiao. Relationships can develop slowly! If she doesn't like him now, maybe she will after spending time together? Let's try being friends first!"

Qin Xiao stood up, raising his enamel mug: "I'm sorry to have bothered everyone these past few days, thank you all for your hospitality. I have to return to my post tomorrow afternoon, so I'll say goodbye here. We're all on the same side, so if you need anything in the future, feel free to come find me. I was transferred here so that He Yanshen could have someone to look after him—"

Everyone raised their glasses, but Lin Tingting kept her head down, lost in thought.

After dinner, everyone went about their own business. Su Wanqing lazily sprawled on the kang (a heated brick bed) and even set out a fruit platter. It has to be said, she absolutely loved Xinjiang's fruit season—it wasn't even the 1980s yet, and the watermelons and grapes were already so sweet; she simply couldn't get enough.

When Zhou Yanshen returned from taking Qin Xiao to the guesthouse, he saw his young wife still eating watermelon on the kang (a heated brick bed), and finally couldn't resist coming over:

"Honey, didn't you say watermelon is cooling and we should eat less of it? Especially since your period is almost here, you have to watch what you eat, otherwise you'll have cramps again." He paused, his voice lowering, "And honey... your period is already several days late, why hasn't it come yet?"

He held back from asking for several days, but seeing her eating watermelon every day, he was really worried—remembering how pale she looked in pain last time, he wished he could take her pain away from her.