As everyone chatted, they all coincidentally talked about the village’s selection for the women’s director. Everyone looked at Ye Zi.
Ye Zi looked at them embarrassedly, "Don’t talk nonsense. My husband said I can’t do it. I need to take care of our home first and sort out family matters."
"Can your husband really decide for you? Who doesn’t know he loves you the most? Ye Zi, tell everyone how your husband pampers you?" A wife said, making everyone laugh out loud.
"You’re so cheeky. Watch me tear that mouth of yours."
Zhou Jiao quickly changed the topic, afraid they might start talking about inappropriate things, "Xiu’e, has your little brother-in-law found someone yet?"
Everyone looked at Xiu’e, waiting for her to talk about her little brother-in-law’s situation.
Chen Xiu’e laughed heartily, "Last time that kid didn’t like a girl because she was chubby. Oh my, we were all amused by him. He said he must find someone slim who doesn’t take up too much space in bed. This time he likes Zhou Xiaoling from the neighboring village, and both families have agreed to marry by the end of the year. I think my little brother-in-law had been eyeing her, and once the matchmaker brought it up, he agreed immediately."
"That girl’s very popular. There must be quite a few people wanting to marry her. How much bride price did your family offer?"
Chen Xiu’e gestured with her fingers, "Our Zhang Family Village, especially at the foot of the North Mountain, never lacks brides. We gave two hundred yuan as a bride price. They liked our yard because our neighborhood relations are good."
Everyone nodded in agreement, as they were all once young girls themselves. When it came to marriage proposals, it was first about the family background, then the young man. Compared to those houses made of earth bricks where a big family lives cramped, their spacious courtyard with small couple quarters means they weren’t afraid of not finding a good bride. Two hundred yuan for a bride price was quite a lot; even county town girls would marry in.
Zhou Jiao listened to them talk about bride prices but didn’t say anything. Her eight hundred bride price was one of the highest in the county. She wished they would all forget about that.
Actually, back when Zhang the Second got married they offered a five hundred bride price. The initial agreement was to bring back three hundred yuan, but who could have predicted they wouldn’t follow through? When Zhang Guoqing got married, her in-laws could offer eight hundred yuan; first, they valued her, and second, the Zhou Family’s Zhou Xue had a five hundred bride price.
Zhang Guoqing personally added two hundred yuan, so technically the Zhang Family only gave six hundred yuan as per their family’s account, one hundred more than the second eldest.
Thinking about Zhou Xue’s five hundred yuan bride price, Zhou Jiao couldn’t help but sneer, feeling no guilt about the Wang Family’s situation. Just the fact that they could offer such a high bride price while holding a village chief’s position, proves they’re not good people.


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