country bumpkin

Chapter 316 Engagement

On the second day of the fourth lunar month in 1998, Kong Xiangwei and Nie Xianghong returned to their village to get engaged.

The weather was neither too hot nor too cold that day, just right for wearing a jacket. All the relatives from both families were present, making for a very lively scene.

The banquet was held in the open space of Kong Xiangwei's old house, with rows of round tables neatly arranged and laden with sumptuous dishes.

People sat together, laughing and chatting. The women ate sunflower seeds and chatted about everyday things, while the men drank tea and smoked while talking.

A group of children, holding sunflower seeds in their hands and eating candy, smiled broadly as they approached their parents to ask for help getting more sunflower seeds.

Kong Xiangwei looked energetic in a brand-new Zhongshan suit; Nie Xianghong looked shy and beautiful in a pinafore dress.

Both sets of parents beamed with joy as they exchanged pleasantries and discussed the upcoming wedding arrangements.

By the time all the dishes were served, the women were almost full. The children had long since disappeared.

After a few rounds of drinks at the men's table, some people started to egg on Kong Xiangwei and Nie Xianghong to say a few words.

Kong Xiangwei stood up somewhat shyly, cleared his throat, and said, "Xiang Hong, I will definitely treat you well from now on and make sure you live a good life. You will be in charge of everything at home and outside. I will be your nanny, your long-term worker, and your ATM."

The relatives on both sides were amused and burst into laughter.

Nie Xiang blushed and replied softly, "I believe you." Everyone applauded, and blessings rose and fell.

Kong Xiangwei walked up to Nie Xianghong, took out a wad of cash from the inside pocket of his jacket, and handed it to her.

"One in a million, you are the best one out of ten thousand." Such simple words, yet they brought tears to Nie Xianghong's eyes.

Everyone present was moved. Some cheered and egged on, some wiped away tears, and others applauded.

Just then, the village loudspeaker suddenly came on, announcing that out-of-town job seekers had come to town and were offering very good benefits. Kong Xiangwei and Nie Xianghong exchanged a glance, both having new plans in mind.

This engagement banquet not only sealed their fate but also seemed to open a new chapter in their lives.

Because Nie Xianghong was too young to get married, the wedding was set for four years later.

Nie Xianghong's mother demanded that the two could date during this period, but could not have children.

First, Nie Xianghong is too young and it would harm her health. Second, she herself is still a child; how could she possibly take care of an infant?

The two nodded in agreement for the time being, otherwise they wouldn't be able to get past the mother-in-law's approval!

They planned to work together after their engagement, and as long as they were out of their parents' sight, their parents wouldn't be able to control what they wanted to do.

When they bring a child back, they'll be happy, they won't blame them!

Nie Xianghong's mother, Li Chunmei, thought that once the engagement was finalized, she would keep a close eye on her daughter and make sure she didn't run around.

The mother and daughter each had their own plans, and both were all smiles at the banquet. Neither of them mentioned their future arrangements.

After the engagement banquet ended in the afternoon, all the relatives left, and Nie Xianghong went home with her parents.

When Nie Xianghong got home, she handed the betrothal money to her mother for safekeeping. Li Chunmei was also worried about her daughter having so much money in her hands. What if bad people took a liking to it?

She decided to keep it for her daughter first and give it to her when she got married.

Nie Xianghong tossed and turned all night, unable to sleep, as did Kong Xiangwei.

As soon as I close my eyes, all I can see is Nie Xianghong's image. This makes it even harder to fall asleep.

The Nie family members usually go to bed around 9 pm. If it weren't for the TV at home, where they could watch dramas to pass the time, they would have gone to bed as soon as it got dark.

It's already 10:30, and it's very quiet inside and outside. Occasionally, you can faintly hear Nie Dayong snoring.

Unable to sleep, Nie Xianghong put on her clothes and secretly left home. She was going to find Kong Xiangwei.

The village of Kongjia was peaceful and serene late at night. Nie Xianghong jogged to the door of Kong Xiangwei's new house and gently knocked.

Kong Xiangwei was also in high spirits when he suddenly heard someone knocking on the door. Judging from the cautious knocking, he guessed that it was his daughter Honghong coming to see him.

He jumped out of bed and quickly got out to open the door.

He opened the door and found it was indeed his daughter, Honghong, and was overjoyed. He couldn't hide the smile on his face.

He excitedly hugged Nie Xianghong and kissed her deeply on the forehead.

Then he pulled her into the courtyard, turned around and locked the gate before carrying Nie Xianghong into the house.

Once inside the living room, he closed the door tightly, then carried Nie Xianghong to the inner room. Reaching the bedside, he gently placed her on the bed, gazing at Nie Xianghong with a radiant smile.

Nie Xiang blushed and said coquettishly, "Uncle Wei~ What are you looking at? Don't you recognize me?"

Kong Xiangwei's heart was pounding wildly, as if it were being scratched by a cat's claws.

He grabbed Nie Xianghong's small hand and pressed it against his chest, looking at her affectionately as he spoke.

"Honghong, my Honghong, touch it and feel it. My heart is pounding, and it only beats for you."

Nie Xianghong stroked the hard, iron-like chest, her heart pounding uncontrollably.

She looked back at Kong Xiangwei with deep affection, murmuring, "Uncle Wei~ I miss you."

Kong Xiangwei was completely captivated by the charming voice. He immediately hugged her tightly and lowered his head to kiss her alluring red lips.

The two, overcome with emotion, slumped onto the bed, their love entwined and lingering...

They didn't know how much time had passed, but when they heard the crowing of a rooster, they finally fell into a deep sleep, exhausted.

The next day, the women in the village got up early to busy themselves with housework. They were so busy in the fields every day that they didn't have a moment to spare.

Li Chunmei got up to fetch water, cook, and feed the livestock. She glanced at her daughter's bedroom door, which was tightly closed, and guessed that her daughter must have been exhausted from yesterday's engagement banquet. She decided not to disturb her and let her get some sleep.

She also instructed her family not to disturb her daughter's rest. Everyone was busy with their own things, and no one guessed that Nie Xianghong was not at home.

In Kong Xiangwei's new house, Nie Xianghong nestled in Kong Xiangwei's arms and slept soundly.

Kong Xiangwei woke up groggily and his heart melted when he looked at the "adorable girl" in his arms.

He gently kissed Nie Xianghong's soft, moist, and full red lips, then looked on with happiness.

Nie Xianghong was woken up by a kiss. She rubbed her sore eyelids and murmured gently, "Uncle Wei~ You woke up so early?"

What Kong Xiangwei couldn't stand the most was Nie Xianghong calling him "Uncle Wei". It wasn't a particular quirk of his; he was perfectly fine with other people calling him that.

When Nie Xianghong called him that, he was excited and thrilled, and the impulsive young man once again launched into a passionate declaration of love.

Nie Xianghong's back ached from all the exertion, but she still endured the pain and got up to put on her clothes.

She looked at Kong Xiangwei with a pitiful expression and said, "Uncle Wei, I have to go home now, otherwise my parents will be angry if they find out that I secretly ran away to find you."

Kong Xiangwei affectionately grasped the back of her head, pressed his forehead against hers, and said in a muffled voice, "Honghong, I really want to marry you as soon as possible and never be apart from you."

Nie Xianghong comforted her, "It's okay. You can go out to work tomorrow, and I'll secretly come to see you the day after tomorrow. Then we can be together every day."

Kong Xiangwei's eyes lit up. "That's it! This is a good idea." After the two discussed how to escape the elders' supervision, Kong Xiangwei took Nie Xianghong back to her home.

When they were still two meters away from her house, Kong Xiangwei hid under a big tree and watched Nie Xianghong tiptoe home.

Nie Xianghong checked that no one was in the yard before coming out of the toilet, deliberately shouting loudly, "Oh my god! There are flies in the toilet so early in the morning, how annoying!"

Li Chunmei, who was working inside the house, heard her daughter wake up and was making a fuss in the yard, shaking her head.

"What are you yelling about so early in the morning, you little brat?"

Nie Xianghong said, "Mom, it's only a few months now, and there are already flies in the toilet. We need to buy some DDT to spray them away."

Li Chunmei: "Hmm, there's still half a bottle left at home! It's what was left over from last year. Oh, right, now that you're awake, hurry up and wash your hands and go eat. There's some food left for you in the pot."

Nie Xianghong: "Oh, I'm not hungry yet, I'm just a little sleepy. I'll sleep for a while longer."

Li Chunmei said, "Hey... wait a minute, let's eat something before we go to sleep, otherwise we'll wake up hungry again."

Nie Xianghong said, "Alright! Have something to tide you over!" With that, she went to the kitchen, opened the pot lid, and found a large meat bun inside.

She took it out, sat on a small stool in the kitchen, and ate the bun in a few bites.

She got up again, poured herself a glass of water, gulped it down, wiped her mouth with the back of her hand, and went back to her room to sleep.

She called out from the doorway, "Mom, I'm going to sleep for a while. Don't wake me up for lunch. I'll eat by myself when I wake up."

Li Chunmei said, "Okay, go to sleep! No one will bother you."

After saying that, Nie Xianghong went back to her room, lay down on the bed, and fell asleep within minutes.

Li Chunmei exclaimed, "Why is this child so sleepy!"