Chapter Thirteen: Wait for Me to Propose (New Book—Please Take a Look!)

Looking at Tang Xue, covered head to toe in mud, Li Yi couldn’t help but scold her, “Your body hasn’t fully recovered yet, how come you’re back to work so soon?”

“I... I’m not feeling uncomfortable. Everyone else has gone out to work, and if I stay alone in the dormitory, people will gossip!” Tang Xue replied.

“Let them gossip. We’re getting married next month anyway. After that, you won’t be living here anymore. Let them say whatever they want!”

“You... you really want to marry me?”

Li Yi knew this was too sudden for Tang Xue. It had completely disrupted the course of her life. Without this, she might have been headed to the city in a few days, or at worst, secured some kind of worker’s status. But now, she faced the choice of giving up returning to the city and spending her entire life in the countryside.

Moreover, having lost her purity before marriage, she would inevitably lose initiative within their union, which made her anxious and uncertain.

“Listen carefully, Tang Xue. Not only do I want to marry you, but I want to marry you in the grandest way possible. I will give you a wedding worthy of honor!” Li Yi said firmly.

Hearing Li Yi’s resolute words, Tang Xue seemed to make up her mind. Looking straight into his eyes, she said seriously, “I’ll wait for you.”

Li Yi was in high spirits. Shaking the various wrapped packages in his hand, he said, “Let’s go back together. I brought you some food to take back to the dorm.”

“Don’t waste money like that. Uncle and aunt are saving up—it’s not easy!” Tang Xue said.

“Do you think I’m that irresponsible? This money is all earned by myself!” Li Yi said with a smile.

Tang Xue suddenly thought of something and asked, “Did you earn this selling cold noodles?”

“Yeah.”

“How’s the business?”

“Not bad. Supporting you and the kids won’t be a problem.”

Tang Xue’s face flushed immediately. After all, she was a young maiden, barely of age, without even having had a proper relationship—thinking about raising children was far from her mind.

“Don’t say such things…”

Seeing her shy reaction, Li Yi chuckled and didn’t press further. Instead, he asked, “Where’s my third sister?”

“The wheat field east of the village needs watering. Nana went there with Uncle Li and Auntie to earn some work credits.”

“Oh, that’s why she didn’t accompany you today.”

Tang Xue glanced at Li Yi, hesitated a moment, then said, “Nana has told me about your family’s situation. If there’s difficulty, just have Uncle Li handle the bride price. Even if there’s no bride price, I will marry you anyway—better that than dragging down the harvest and having to pay debts together.”

Li Yi smiled and said, “Don’t worry about that. Just prepare to be my bride.”

“You…”

The one-kilometer walk was very short. Before long, the two returned to the youth work station.

Li Yi didn’t go into Tang Xue’s dorm but handed her the packages and prepared to leave.

Looking at the bundles in her hands, Tang Xue hesitated a few seconds and couldn’t help but say, “Be careful!”

Knowing she was worried he might get caught vending on the street, Li Yi smiled, “Don’t worry, I know my limits.”

“Okay.”

Just as Tang Xue turned to head back to the dorm, Li Yi suddenly asked, “Do you have time tomorrow afternoon?”

“For what?”

“I plan to come tomorrow to formally propose. Get ready!”

Tang Xue shuddered all over, momentarily stunned.

Though she had already resigned herself to reality and accepted marrying Li Yi, a nobody, the moment the marriage was formally put on the agenda, she felt a bit panicked.

She thought of the opportunity to return to the city, and the figure lingering in her heart.

If she really married Li Yi, she would be bound to this small mountain village for life, drifting further from Cheng Ge.

Li Yi sensed her hesitation and worries but didn’t give her time to hesitate. He said firmly, “Remember to wear clean clothes tomorrow and dress nicely. I’ll come to propose!”

With that, Li Yi turned and left.

...

After leaving the youth work station, Li Yi didn’t go home but headed straight for the back mountain.

When he reached their “secret” base, he didn’t see Dongzi, Yongzi, or the others, but he spotted several large baskets filled with mushrooms on the reservoir’s dam.

Knowing those boys must still be out gathering mushrooms in the mountains, Li Yi sat on the dam to wait for them.

When the sun began to set in the west, five or six teenage boys emerged from the forest, each carrying a small willow-woven basket.

Seeing Li Yi on the dam from afar, Dongzi and the others quickened their pace.

“Brother Yi, look how many mushrooms we picked today!” Dongzi boasted as soon as they met.

Looking at the three large baskets of fresh mushrooms before him, plus the baskets in their hands, Li Yi estimated there were over a hundred jin (about 50 kg) at least.

At the agreed price, the proceeds from these mushrooms alone amounted to sixty or seventy yuan.

In excellent spirits, Li Yi immediately said, “Come here, I have something to tell you!”

...

Once the boys gathered around, Li Yi pulled out a stack of colorful bills from his pocket and said, “The mushrooms we gathered yesterday have sold. The credit belongs to everyone, so the profits will be shared!”

He then took out two one-yuan bills printed with red tractors and handed them to Dongzi.

“Brother Yi... this is for me?”

“Yes, two yuan each!”

“Brother Yi... this... this is too much!” Dongzi stammered.

Two yuan was a lot for these boys who rarely had pocket money. To put it in perspective, a proper worker in the city earned only about thirty-five or thirty-six yuan a month, or about one yuan a day.

They had only worked a little yesterday, and today they already had two yuan. They were almost too shy to accept it.

“Take it. It’s what you deserve!” Li Yi said.

Dongzi swallowed nervously, unable to hide his excitement.

For these boys, two yuan was a fortune.

Seeing Li Yi was serious, Dongzi gritted his teeth and said, “Brother Yi, then I’ll really take it!”

“Take it. It’s the fruit of your labor—don’t be shy!”

Taking the two bills from Li Yi, Dongzi’s face lit up with joy.

It was his first time earning money himself, and the sense of achievement and satisfaction was overwhelming.

With Dongzi leading the way, the other boys also received their pay from Li Yi with eager and happy expressions.

Seeing their excitement, Li Yi was very pleased as well.

Two yuan was not much in absolute terms—he had sold the mushrooms for about forty yuan yesterday—but for these boys, it was a considerable sum.

More importantly, Li Yi showed them their worth: these so-called bad boys could earn money with their own hands.

“It’s almost dark. Let’s head back. Tomorrow, after selling the mushrooms, I’ll give you the rest of the money!”

“Alright!”

...