Chapter 79: Chapter 78: Exchange Marriage
Song Erlang, worried about having to explain himself when he returned, hurriedly called out to his mother, "Can’t we talk about this some more?"
Granny Song paused as she was about to return the cured meat to him, "How do we talk about it?"
Song Erlang stammered, "You all don’t actually need that thirty percent of the grain, so can’t you just let go of it? I’ll ask my wife to raise a few more chickens, whenever you want to eat, just come over and take one to slaughter."
"Is what you said agreed upon by your wife, or did you make this decision yourself?" Granny Song naturally had to ask clearly in matters like these, after all, the chickens were raised by the second family, and if they received the land but then refused to acknowledge it, where would she go to cry?
Song Erlang quickly said, "My wife agreed."
"Alright then, I won’t take the thirty percent of grain, now go and bring all the chickens from your house over."
Song Erlang muttered under his breath, "Mom, isn’t this a bit too urgent? Besides, with so many chickens, can you even finish eating them?"
Granny Song looked at him, "Didn’t your wife already agree? Just go and bring them over, why are you being wishy-washy and trying to stir up trouble?"
Song Erlang nearly exposed his true feelings, "I..."
"You still need to go back and discuss this with her, didn’t I say so?"
Seeing Song Erlang remain silent, Granny Song’s face showed ’Just as I thought’.
She understood now, why would the second son’s wife suddenly become generous? It turned out that all this was just Erlang trying to please her for his elder brother’s land.
Seeing the situation about to fall apart, Song Erlang grew anxious, "Mom, what do you think? If I bring you two first, would that be alright? We can discuss again after you’ve finished them."
Granny Song was displeased, "If you have to discuss with your wife, then I also have to discuss with Song Sanlang, after all, Yuanbao has been raised single-handedly by him. Rightfully, all of the elder brother’s land should be under his name, now you’re all showing up at the door, surely you can’t quietly take the land without informing him?"
As Song Erlang heard of the need to consult Song Sanlang, he knew this definitely wouldn’t work, grim-headed, he stood at the door unwilling to leave.
Granny Song carried the dishes into the main room, where Song Wei was talking to Old Song, the village head, and the clan leader.
Regarding the guarantee letter matter, the village head and clan leader were a great help, Song Wei invited them for a meal.
Granny Song didn’t mention in front of outsiders, while laying out the dishes she subtly gave Song Wei a glance.
Song Wei found an excuse to follow his mother outside, not far before he saw Song Erlang stuck at the door of the kitchen room.
Granny Song hadn’t intended to speak herself, glanced at Song Erlang, "I’ve brought the person here, if there’s anything, you speak for yourself."
Seeing Song Sanlang, Song Erlang instantly felt timid, speaking was somewhat awkward, "Sanlang, I... I’m here to discuss about elder brother’s land."
Song Wei acknowledged with a nod, "Go ahead."
Song Erlang repeated what he had said to Granny Song earlier, only before Song Wei, he was noticeably lacking in confidence.
Upon hearing that the second family wanted to take over the elder house’s land for farming, Song Wei guessed what kind of ideas the second family had.
He knew it was not easy for his parents to manage so much land, he had already planned to rent out the lands, but since the second family wanted to farm them, giving them out for farming wasn’t an issue, keeping it within the family at least!
"You can have the land, but I have one condition," Song Wei said, "During the annual holidays, regardless if you’re genuine or just making a show, you must bring the children over, visit and interact. Our parents are old, I am often preoccupied with examination matters and seldom home, seeing you bypass them using the excuse of dividing the family would surely upset them?"
Song Erlang, having never studied, always felt inferior before Song Wei, usually avoiding interaction if possible, now upon encountering, he was branded as "unfilial". Song Erlang knew this matter was an oversight on his part. In separating the household, only the living arrangement was divided, not the blood relations.
Where in the world would there be such deep grudges that would lead the children to think solely about themselves, leaving their own parents aside?
With his head lowered, he solemnly said, "I agree with you."
Song Wei replied, "You know where elder brother’s land is, now it’s all planted with grain, I won’t fuss over the involved losses from now onward, you take it over to farm."
Song Erlang didn’t expect Song Wei to be so accommodating, "Sanlang, second brother really needs to thank you."
"We’re family, let’s not speak as strangers."
With Song Wei’s involvement, Granny Song wouldn’t have any more words to say.
Song Erlang hurried home, recounted everything to his wife.
The second son’s wife listened, somewhat in disbelief, questioning whether he was lying.
Song Erlang swore under the sky, insisting it was Sanlang personally offering them the land.
Only then did the second son’s wife beam with happiness, "That’s really great then."
Song Erlang asked, "Since they gave it for free, should we reciprocate in some way?"
"Reciprocate what?" The second son’s wife instantly regained her miserly demeanor.
"To say nothing else, the field was planted with grain by our parents, now that we’ve taken over, they haven’t counted those costs. I’m thinking we ought to send something over as respect, otherwise it’s quite inappropriate."
The second son’s wife was unwilling, but fearing Song Wei might retract his offer, she yielded to Song Erlang, sending plenty to the neighboring courtyard.
——
When the provincial examination results were announced, Song Wei again ranked first, the private tutors from the town school cried tears of joy, the majority of villagers were optimistic about him managing the land successfully, voicing big praises, turning around his reputation to build even further.
Nowadays, people from nearby villages knew Song Wei’s fortune had changed, and having topped two examinations, he was bound for great prospects.
This news reached the ears of Mrs. Wang’s family.
One day, Mrs. Wang’s mother, Mrs. Wang He, visited the Song family.
Song Wei and Old Song were out, Wen Wan was inside embroidering, suddenly seeing her younger sister-in-law, Song Fang, running in crying.
Wen Wan was taken aback, using her eyes to ask what was wrong?
Song Fang, while wiping her tears, said, "Sister-in-law, help me, I don’t want to be married off to the Wang family."
Wen Wan was utterly puzzled.
Song Fang cried even more sorrowfully, "It’s the elder sister-in-law’s family, they have a lazy son yet to marry, Aunt Wang said that their daughter died at Song’s family, and the Song family owes the Wang family a life, either pay with a life, or marry me off in compensation."
Wen Wan’s face darkened, never had she seen such a way to dissolve a marriage!