inspire-indiana Chapter 583 Forced Marriage
Chapter 583 Forced Marriage
"What? This is Zhou Guo and Zhou Xing's room?" Everyone was in disbelief and looked around the room. There were so many books, a big desk, and a lot of stationery on the table. It looked like the room of an intellectual. Is this where Zhou Guo and Zhou Xing live?
"Why do Zhou Guo and Zhou Xing read so many books? They don't have to take the exam to become a scholar, so what's the point of reading so many books?"
After all, no one dared to touch a book among so many people. Books are very precious and not everyone can afford to read them. In their minds, women don't need to read books. It is enough to learn a few words from their fathers and brothers. So why are there so many books in the house?
"These belong to Zhou and Mai's brothers, right? Their two rooms are full, so they put them here?"
Li came in with a tray carrying some snacks like sunflower seeds and dried meat. She said, "No, these are Zhou Guo's own. The brothers' books are in their own rooms. The books of each of them are separate, but they can take them whenever they want to read. There is no distinction between yours and mine."
He placed the snacks on the kang one by one and called everyone, "Come and sit down to eat. What's so good about those books? There's not even a picture on them. They're just densely packed with words. I don't know why they like them so much. They make my eyes blur and my head hurt."
The woman lingered by the bookshelf and the table, and everyone tilted their heads to look at the furnishings in the room.
They had never been to the house before, and when they came they always sat outside. They found the house very tidy.
Apart from the desk and bookshelf, there is also a large wardrobe and a few boxes, but other than that, there is nothing else.
But in addition to books, there are also a few bottles and jars on the bookshelf, which looks quite nice.
The women's curiosity was satisfied, and they said to Li: "If you hadn't told us, we would have thought this was the boys' room. So many books! How much do so many books cost? Guoguo is really willing to spend money!"
Li didn't like to hear this. "How can she love to spend money? Every time she spends money, she spends it on the family, either on food or cloth, jewelry for her sister and us, books for her brothers, and a few books for herself. The only things she has been willing to spend on herself in recent years are these books. I bought her a beautiful hair ornament, but she doesn't like to wear it. She wears a headband, a tight outfit, a Taoist robe, and a straight robe all day long when she walks outside. If you don't know her, you would really think she is a boy."
Speaking of this, Li had a headache. Ever since her daughter started wearing men's clothes and walking around outside, she would ask her to make men's clothes every time, saying that it was more convenient.
She made many skirts, but unfortunately she rarely wore them.
Qian smiled and said, "I think she looks good in boys' clothes. She is very handsome, and outshines all the boys in the village. If she is really a boy, I would marry my daughter to him and give her nothing else."
Everyone thought of Zhou Guo's increasingly handsome face and couldn't help but laugh, "You know what, that little face looks like a young man in men's clothes."
The topic eventually came up with marriage, and the Zhou family just happened to have several people of marriageable age.
"What's the situation with your brother-in-law? Do you want to propose marriage? He's already old!"
"Yes, I'm going to say something unpleasant, but don't think I'm being harsh. What if? I mean what if. After all, swords and guns have no eyes on the battlefield. It doesn't mean that they will avoid hitting you just because they see who you are. Look, he came back lying down this time. He lost half his life, and luckily he survived. If he couldn't survive, wouldn't his lineage be left with no descendants? You are his sister-in-law, you have to pay attention to this matter, otherwise there will be a lot of gossip waiting for you outside."
This is the truth. Li sighed, "How could I not know this? But I can only make half the decision on this matter. The other half is still with him. If he doesn't want to marry me, can I still force him to marry me? If he doesn't like her after I marry her, he will just hide in the military camp and not come back. Wouldn't that delay the girl's life? I'm committing a sin!"
Everyone felt the same way and sighed.
"What is he thinking? He is old enough, he can't just stay single forever, what kind of life would that be like? What kind of life would that be like for an old bachelor in the village who can't find a wife? He has no food to eat, he is slovenly and looks like a nobody, and no one wants to talk to him."
On the other side, the men caught Zhou Dacang and asked him about some things in the military camp. He picked out some trivial things that were not important.
As he was talking, he brought the topic back to the topic, "You are old enough, and the three-year mourning period will soon be over. It's time to consider your lifelong affairs. As the saying goes, the three unfilial acts are not having descendants, and the worst is not having descendants. As long as you don't get married and have children, your parents in the underworld will not be at peace."
Zhou Dacang nodded perfunctorily, "I understand. I'll see to it."
Everyone persuaded him to look around some families before he left, and they knew many good girls.
Zhou Dacang said, "I understand, but I have to go back to the camp the day after tomorrow, let's talk about it next time I come back."
How could the old guys let him go? They insisted that he meet a few more women, get married and have children. That way, he would have no worries when he went to the battlefield again.
The old man was drinking tea on the side. Seeing Zhou Dacang being forced into marriage by the elders of his family, he couldn't help but feel sympathy. It was too miserable. He couldn't even decide whether to get married or not?
Zhou Dacang said impatiently, "Okay, uncles, I get it, but you also know that the war on the border is tense right now, and I have to go back quickly. Now is not the time to talk about this. When I want to talk about this, I will naturally find a wife, and I will definitely not forget to invite you to the wedding banquet at that time."
The elders looked at each other, sighed, and said no more.
In the younger generation's room, as there were no adults around, everyone felt much more relaxed. Some were playing cards, some were throwing pots, some were playing chess, some were clamoring for kicking cuju, and some were barbecuing and eating, making so much noise that they almost blew the roof off.
The group stayed for more than an hour. As it was getting late, Li was about to prepare dinner, and everyone started clamoring to go back.
Li tried to persuade them to stay, "Why go back? Just eat here. It's not like you guys need a bite of food. It's New Year's Day and everything is ready. You can just heat up the food and eat it."
"No need, Guoguo's mother, we will come to your house to eat tomorrow. Don't let so many of us eat up all your food tonight. What will we use to entertain so many guests tomorrow?"
After saying this, they called their families and left.
The Li family members were confused. They didn't know what they were talking about. What about entertaining guests tomorrow? Do they want to invite people to the house tomorrow?
How come they don't know?
After sending the man away, he turned to look at Zhou Guo, "Did you do this?"
Zhou Guo cried out, "Why did you say I did it without asking any questions? I have so much free time, why did I invite so many people to dinner for nothing? There's no happy event at home."