Chapter 237

“What do you think?”

Zhi Xia had just leaned in when she heard Zhou Granny ask.

An Zhiren shook his head, “Granny, how could you lie to me? I’m already twenty-eight, the girl is only nineteen, that’s a difference of nine years. That’s too much, it won’t work.”

Originally, Zhou Granny had said there was only a six year difference, so he had agreed to come and meet. In the countryside, people usually get married early. Like Zhou Zhi Zhi and Zhou Yuanyuan, who were engaged at eighteen or nineteen, and got married before twenty.

Zhou Nan was also worried the girl might have some problems, but later he didn’t know what Zhou Granny had said to him to convince him to come.

Now it seemed that what his mother had been whispering with Granny about was probably the girl’s age.

“What twenty-eight, that’s your ceremonial age. Your actual age is only twenty-seven. And this year has just started, you haven’t even had your birthday yet, so you can only count as twenty-six. The girl was born early this year so she’s twenty. That makes it exactly a six year difference, there’s no mistake.” When Zhou Granny talked about these things, she was completely shameless. She also didn't know what was going through this grandson's mind. People were happy to marry a young and pretty girl, yet he was the one finding fault.

It was good that he knew he was older. He should quickly make a move at this good opportunity instead of being so picky about choosing a wife. Who didn't want to bring good things into their own family? If the girl wasn't actually pretty good, if she wasn't her niece's own daughter, she wouldn't even bother to go through this trouble.

An Zhiren felt very helpless. How could age be calculated like this?

The way he calculated had to be by the actual age. Yet when it came to the girl's side, she started counting in ceremonial age. Luckily he had cautiously asked the girl’s actual age, otherwise he would still have been kept in the dark.

Seeing that he wasn't talking, just hem-hawing around, Zhou Granny was truly furious. “Zhiren, you're older than the girl, not the other way around. And this is voluntary on both sides. You didn't hide her age from her either, and no one is forcing the girl to agree. What on earth are you fussing about? If you can’t accept this match, what kind of girl are you looking for?”

“Pei Jing is eight years older than Zhi Xia. Over these years haven't they been doing fine?” Zhou Granny thought of this point to persuade him, and wearily rolled her eyes at him. “I think we should do this - there’s still early. Take her out for a walk so you youngsters can chat more and get to know each other better. If you really think she’s pretty good, don’t fuss about that little age difference. She doesn’t look down on you, yet you’re the one looking down on her. If there really are other areas you find unsatisfactory and unsuitable, no one is forcing you to agree.”

The aunt had just come out and happened to see them talking in the corner, so she walked over.

“What does Zhiren think over there?” She smiled and said, “Suchun was just praising what nice manners you have, and how good your speech is. But I don’t recognize many characters and can’t remember exactly what she said.”

Of course Zheng Suchun hadn’t said this. Her meaning was just to let An Zhiren know that the girl’s side didn’t have any objections.

Zhou Granny spoke first. “Just a few sentences, how could anything be said. I was just telling Zhiren to take her out for a walk around outside. It’s good for young people to chat more and understand each other better.” “That works too. I’ll go get Suchun.” Hearing the meaning behind her words, she understood that there must be some hesitation still on An Zhiren’s side, and Zhou Granny was convincing him, which was why she suggested they go out for a walk.

But this was still pretty good, there was still hope. At least better than having no hope at all.

Zheng Suchun came out from the room. An Zhiren also couldn’t refuse to save face, so he could only say he would take her out for a walk.

As soon as the two of them stepped out the door, Zhou Granny pulled Zhi Xia over to complain. “I don’t know what your brother is thinking. He doesn’t even want to take advantage of a good deal...”

If it was for another reason, or they didn’t hit it off, she wouldn’t nag. But finding fault with the girl for being a bit younger, that was a little unjustifiable.

In the past, the old landlords and masters wanted to marry little wives when they were seventy or eighty. She just couldn’t figure it out, couldn’t figure it out at all.

She had to say this quietly away from the daughter-in-law, after all Zheng Suchun was her niece from her maternal side.

Zhi Xia just smiled without commenting. Zhou Granny didn’t need her to say anything either, she just needed someone to listen to her complaining for a bit.

Zhou Jianwen had really gone to dig for bamboo shoots with a hoe. She didn’t know how things were going on Yuan Bao’s side either. Zhi Xia took a small stool and sat under the peach tree by the door watching her child, while also waiting for Yuan Bao to come back.

On the small path, An Zhiren walked in front, with Zheng Suchun a bit behind, looking at his straight and upright back. She worked up her courage and asked, “Comrade An, let’s just speak frankly. I’ve taken a liking to you, how about you? Do you also like me?” No matter if it worked out or not, at least they would have a clear result, and save him from looking impatient.

Although Zheng Suchun was from the countryside, she still had her own pride.

An Zhiren had not expected her to ask so directly. In his heart he wanted to refuse, mainly still feeling the age difference was inappropriate. But under her blazing gaze, the words he had prepared got stuck and he couldn’t say them.

“Do you like me or not, why is that so hard to answer?” Zheng Suchun looked at him doubtfully, her embroidered brows slightly knitted.

She closed the distance between them a little. An Zhiren hurriedly said, “Comrade Zheng, I also told you about my circumstances before. I’m a full nine years older than you...”

As for the issue of his second marriage, he didn’t care about it himself. Between him and Wang Caixiang, nothing had ever happened from beginning to end, including that day when Wang’s family members surrounded him. He had only been stripped of his clothes. He wasn’t muddled enough to be unsure of whether anything had actually happened or not.

“My aunt told me everything you said already. My family all knows too. I feel like these things shouldn’t be a reason for you to reject me. If you really don’t like me for some other reason, you can tell me directly.” It was just a blind date, it was very normal if they didn’t hit it off. There were no issues in this area.

After all, even if she had good feelings on a first meeting, at most she would just feel a little disappointed that they didn’t hit it off. She wasn’t the sort of person to make a big fuss over it.

An Zhiren suddenly felt that his perception was probably somewhat wrong. His first impression was that she was a gentle and shy girl, but now, he also felt she was quite frank and cute.

...

An Le Village, Gao Dalin and Gao Second Sister were in the kitchen chomping on rabbit meat, discussing how to get a couple small piglets to raise up in the mountains. They had raised fewer last year, but each pig still earned them over 100 yuan. Adding in the chickens, ducks and eggs, plus secretly opening up land to farm, their annual income was pretty good over the past few years. They were able to taste the sweetness of success, and were full of drive at this time.

If it wasn’t for having to keep the money they earned hidden, relying on the efforts of them as siblings over these years, how could they still not even be able to get married!

Whenever Gao Dalin thought of this, he hated his own parents.

They weren’t able to show their profits openly, yet still suffered from the issues this brought about.

But from this it could also be seen that the quality of life for the two siblings over these years was still quite good.

The rabbit meat smelled amazing. The two of them ate with mouths full of oil dripping down, and didn’t notice that at the kitchen door, there was a big furry rat, sniffing its nose as it drooled at the scene.