Chapter 136: I Just Hope You Can Marry a Good Family and Live a Happy Life
In front of three connected mud-brick houses, Ou Guohua sat on a small stool, intently cutting wood with a sharp hatchet. She was making shoes for herself—wooden clogs, the most common type of footwear in rural Guangdong and Guangxi at the time.
The Hakka people, in particular, favored such shoes.
The process of making clogs was simple. First, a knife, axe, or saw was used to cut the wood to the desired length. Then, a rough mold was shaped according to the size of an adult or child's foot. The middle of the wood was planed down, making the toe lower and the heel higher. Finally, straps were nailed on, completing the shoe.
Even without tools like saws or planes, one could still make clogs using just a knife, though it would take more time, and the finished product might not be as smooth or polished.
By now, the clogs in Ou Guohua's hands were nearly finished. She carefully carved the uppers, occasionally running her fingers over them to check the smoothness.
When Deng Shirong arrived at her doorstep, he saw her absorbed in her work. He wasn't surprised. Women in rural areas during that era were skilled in many tasks—farming, cooking, making clothes, knitting sweaters and socks, weaving straw hats, crafting baskets, and more.
The saying "women hold up half the sky" wasn't just a slogan. Women of that time were truly capable, able to handle almost anything.
Deng Shirong stepped out of his car and greeted her, "Ahua, making shoes, I see!"
Ou Guohua looked up, then set her tools aside and stood up with a smile. "Uncle Jiu, what brings you here?"
Deng Shirong parked the car, walked over, and handed her a package of candies and biscuits. "I came specifically to discuss a match for you today. Are your parents home?"
At the mention of "matchmaking," Ou Guohua understood his purpose. She suppressed her shyness, accepted the candies, and said, "My father's out working, and my mother just went to the vegetable garden to pick some greens. Uncle Jiu, please have a seat and light a cigarette. I'll go call her back."
After putting the candies away, she fetched a chimney for Deng Shirong and hurried to the vegetable garden to fetch her mother.
Deng Shirong, having just smoked at his in-laws' place, set the cigarettes aside and took a moment to observe the Ou family's home.
The Ou family's house was modest—three connected mud-brick structures. To the right was a kitchen, and beside it stood a chicken coop nearly as tall as a person. The layout was straightforward and practical.
Judging by the wear on the mud bricks, the house was likely built when Ou's parents first married and moved out on their own.
Deng Shirong had heard about the Ou family's situation from his eldest daughter-in-law.
The Ou family had four children. Ou Guohua was the eldest, with two younger brothers and a younger sister. Like most families in the village, they had enough to eat but rarely enjoyed meat—perhaps no more than twice a month.
The vegetable garden wasn't far, so Ou Guohua soon returned with her mother.
"Uncle Jiu!"
"Dear relative!"
After exchanging greetings and pleasantries, they got down to business.
Deng Shirong came straight to the point. "Dear relative, I'm here today to propose a match for Ahua. She must have mentioned this to you, right?"
Mother Ou nodded. "Uncle Jiu, tell me about the young man."
Deng Shirong gave a brief introduction. "The young man's name is Deng Changyuan. He's a good friend of my eldest son, two years older than Ahua, and they're well-matched in height. He currently works at the tile factory I co-contracted, earning 60 yuan a month.
He comes from a family of five siblings. His eldest sister is long married, and his eldest brother is also married. He's the third child, with a younger brother and sister.
His family recently built three large brick-and-tile houses, one of which is intended for him to start his own family."
Mother Ou nodded thoughtfully. The man's family had a house, and he had a stable job. Such conditions were hard to fault.
"Uncle Jiu, the young man's conditions sound quite good."
"Dear relative, if you agree, we can discuss Ahua's bride price. What does your family have in mind?"
Mother Ou was surprised. "Shouldn't they get to know each other first? While the man's conditions are good, they should meet before anything else."
Deng Shirong glanced at Ou Guohua, who sat quietly nearby, and smiled. "There's no need for a formal introduction. Ahua and A Yuan have met before. Last year, when my eldest daughter-in-law visited, Ahua came along—that was their first meeting.
Then, at my eldest son's wedding, Ahua attended as a guest—that was their second meeting.
These two encounters are more meaningful than a typical introduction."
Mother Ou considered this and turned to her daughter. "Ahua, do you remember this A Yuan? What do you think of him?"
Though embarrassed to discuss such matters in front of Deng Shirong, Ou Guohua kept her eyes on her half-finished clogs and murmured, "He's alright."
As the saying goes, no one knows a daughter better than her mother. From her daughter's response, Mother Ou sensed that Ahua had a favorable impression of A Yuan.
Though Thatchfield Village was a bit far, Zhang Xiuping—Ahua's childhood friend—had also married there. The two could support each other.
With this in mind, Mother Ou nodded. "If you think he's suitable, then I, as your mother, have no objections. When your father returns, we'll discuss it with him. If he agrees, Uncle Jiu can arrange a time for you to visit their home."
Deng Shirong smiled and continued, "Dear relative, what are your expectations for Ahua's bride price?"
Mother Ou shook her head. "We don't have specific demands, as long as it's not less than what others receive."
Deng Shirong explained, "The current standard is about 300 yuan, along with 300 kilograms of grain. As for clothes, the groom's family is expected to provide a few new outfits.
Some families may request additional gifts, but most stick to these basics."
"Uncle Jiu, let's follow this standard for Ahua as well."
At this, Mother Ou looked at her daughter and sighed. "It feels like just yesterday you were a child, and now we're discussing marriage. As your mother, I don't ask for much. I just hope you can marry into a good family and live a happy life."
"Mom!"
Ou Guohua was deeply moved. Her mother was one of the few in the countryside who treated her children equally.
(End of Chapter)