Rebirth: Seven Years in a Great Dream

Chapter 18: The Engagement (Part 1)

Ever since Uncle San and Aunt San had come to the yard that day, Mu Dong had taken the opportunity—while everyone was present—to announce his engagement to Xiao Xiao. Although his family had been urging him to get engaged and married for years, when Mu Dong actually brought it up himself, everyone was still overjoyed. Engagement is a very formal folk custom in rural areas and, for the individuals involved, a very important joyous occasion. It ranks second only to marriage and is even slightly more important than the birth of a child. An engagement serves as the prelude to a young man and woman’s marriage and marks the beginning of a kinship between the two families. Once the parents on both sides agree to the engagement, they become relatives. According to rural customs, before the engagement, during the Lunar New Year and other festivals, the groom’s family is not allowed to visit the bride’s family to present gifts, nor is the bride’s family allowed to visit the groom’s family to celebrate the holidays. After the engagement, the families become in-laws. On major holidays, the groom’s family must visit the bride’s family to present gifts; as new in-laws, they are subject to many gift-giving customs and typically offer a wide variety of gifts. After the engagement, the groom’s family may also invite the bride’s family to celebrate holidays—such as the Spring Festival—at their home. Essentially, they are now one family. Mu Dong and Xiao Xiao had been dating for several years. Although they had met each other’s parents and visited each other’s homes, and both sets of parents had tacitly accepted their relationship, a formal engagement had never taken place. Previously, Mu Dong had never given gifts to Xiao Xiao’s family during holidays. Nor had Xiao Xiao ever visited Mu Dong’s home during the holidays. Most importantly, the parents on both sides had never met. So when Mu Dong brought up the idea of an engagement, his family sprang into action. An engagement calls for a grand banquet to entertain guests. Mu’s parents and his second uncle and aunt completely stepped back from their duties at the storage yard, and cooking responsibilities were temporarily handed over to others. His third uncle and aunt also came by from time to time to help; when it came to family matters, their sense of unity was stronger than ever. They had to notify relatives on all sides, book a banquet hall, arrange for drinks and alcohol, and secure cigarettes. They also had to purchase various gifts for the bride’s family, and the whole family threw themselves into the preparations. Mu Dong gave his father 20,000 yuan and left the rest to others. He spent every day at the yard handling various tasks. On September 30, the yard issued another announcement. The drivers jokingly referred to it as “Order No. 3” issued by Boss Mu. Decree No. 3 consisted of only three provisions. First, effective immediately, cash settlements are completely abolished, and daily bank transfers for settlement are also completely abolished Second, weekly settlements will be fully implemented, with a settlement rate of 62 yuan per truck Third, payments for the previous week would be disbursed every Monday via bank transfer to Agricultural Bank of China accounts. Some drivers joked with Boss Mu, asking, “What if I insist on cash payments, or daily bank transfers?” Mr. Mu responded with rare firmness: “Then we can’t work together.” No one would refuse to cooperate. Boss Mu’s credibility has been built up bit by bit—everyone trusts him. Now that Boss Mu has established new rules, everyone just follows them. After all, the money will be theirs sooner or later, and they’re even getting an extra two yuan per truck. With that, the settlement process was fully streamlined, and the workload involved in processing transfers was significantly reduced. Mu Dong had considered settling accounts once a month but ultimately decided against it. They’d been stockpiling sand for nearly a month now, and with at most two more months to go, the operation would be wrapping up. Extending the settlement cycle too long would make it difficult to keep track of cash flow in a timely manner. Early on the morning of October 1, Mu Dong headed to Lunan City to pick up Xiao Xiao. Xiao Xiao was returning by train; she had bought her ticket in advance. During Golden Week, traveling on most forms of public transportation is essentially a nightmare. It’s crowded entering the station, crowded boarding the train, and even more crowded inside the train cars. It’s crowded getting off the train, crowded exiting the station—it’s packed everywhere. Xiao Xiao finally broke free from the crowd and, spotting Mu Dong in the distance at the station exit, let out a soft laugh. Her smile was like a rainbow that instantly brightened Mu Dong’s heart; in that moment, he felt life was truly beautiful. The two embraced, not parting for a long time. “Where are we going?” Xiao Xiao asked. “Let’s go buy you some clothes—Mom sent me on an errand,” Mu Dong said. Hand in hand, they headed to the mall, and the distance that had grown between them over the past few days slowly melted away in the warmth of her touch. The mall was bustling with activity during the National Day holiday, with all kinds of sales and promotions popping up everywhere. Following his mom’s instructions, Mu Dong bought Xiao Xiao two complete outfits, from head to toe. He also bought a large red suitcase. Xiao Xiao couldn’t wear these clothes right away—they were meant for a special occasion. The two returned to the county seat, had a simple lunch, and then Mu Dong walked Xiao Xiao to the minibus heading for the township. With the engagement ceremony approaching, Mu Dong felt it would be inappropriate to visit her home again, even though he really wanted to walk her home. Afterward, he went to the restaurant run by his eldest aunt, Mu Hong. The National Day holiday was peak wedding season, and Mu Hong’s restaurant was still bustling. Mu Dong rolled up his sleeves and began running back and forth. It wasn’t until a little after 3:00 p. m. that the guests finally began to trickle out. With some banquets still scheduled for the evening, Mu Dong took advantage of this lull to explain the purpose of his visit. He planned to go to Xiao Xiao’s family home on October 4th to present the betrothal gift and needed a car, so he came to discuss it with Wang Shaoqiang. Wang Shaoqiang naturally agreed, saying he’d be there on time. Afterward, Mu Dong dragged a large suitcase filled with Xiao Xiao’s new clothes and hurried back home. Over the next few days, Mu Dong continued to work at the yard, occasionally calling Xiao Xiao. Xiao Xiao’s family had everything ready and was just waiting for their new son-in-law to arrive. Mu’s father and the others were busy at home with all sorts of preparations—shopping and contacting relatives and friends. Business volume at the yard had increased significantly over the past few days, with nearly 500 truckloads of sand unloaded daily. This was essentially the maximum sand intake the yard could handle. Since they’d started night shifts—allowing some sorting work to be done at night—the unloading speed had increased, and the area allocated for unloading had expanded significantly, resulting in a marked rise in the volume of sand coming in. Now even the crawler tractors were working night shifts, sorting the sand piles at night. Fortunately, these weren’t all-night shifts; the sorting work was usually finished by the early hours of the morning. With four drivers taking turns resting, the workload isn’t too overwhelming. Early on the morning of October 4, Wang Shaoqiang drove Mu Hong to Mu Village. After some preparations, Uncle Mu Er, Uncle Mu San, Wang Shaoqiang, and Mu Dong—the four of them—set off on their journey to deliver the betrothal gifts. They brought a large amount of betrothal gifts with them; the list is as follows 10,001 yuan in cash, symbolizing “one in ten thousand” Two sets of clothing for the bride Two cases of baijiu Four packs of cigarettes Two live roosters Two carp Two pork hind legs 10 jin of glass noodles 10 jin of rice sheets 10 jin of assorted pastries 10 jin of assorted dried fruits Two jars of baijiu. Excluding cash and the bride’s clothing, the remaining ten items symbolize perfection and completeness. The last two jars of baijiu were sweet potato wine from the Mu family’s cellar. However, they weren’t the large 10-jin jars, but smaller 5-jin jars that had been repackaged. The Mu family didn’t have much in stock, so setting aside 10 jin for the engagement was a decision Mu’s father made with great reluctance. In 2008, such a monetary gift and these presents were considered merely average. At the very least, there were no “three gold” items. The monetary gift amounted to only 10,000 yuan. Many families were already giving tens of thousands at a time. Both families were ordinary rural households. Xiao Xiao’s parents were very kind and didn’t make a big deal out of it; as long as it was roughly equal, that was fine. About an hour later, the car pulled up in front of Xiao Xiao’s house. The October weather was already slightly cool. Mu Dong was wearing a brand-new outfit today: a long-sleeved shirt, crisp dress pants, black leather shoes, and a black belt around his waist. Standing nearly 1. 8 meters tall, this outfit made him look even more upright and imposing. The group got out of the car, and several members of Xiao Xiao’s family came out to greet them. They were Xiao Xiao’s uncles and a few cousins. With the new son-in-law arriving, a string of firecrackers went off with a crackling roar, and a crowd of onlookers instantly gathered at the doorway. The firecrackers were brief and ended quickly. Among the onlookers, an elderly woman began to comment on the new son-in-law. “He’s quite tall.” “He’s quite fair-skinned—doesn’t look like a manual laborer.” “I heard he was a classmate of Xiaoqi.” “Oh my, he’s even blushing!” This was followed by a burst of unrestrained laughter. Mu Dong really did blush. In the countryside, being surrounded by middle-aged women, young girls, and young wives was definitely a test of emotional maturity and thick skin. The Li family’s home was a typical rural tiled-roof house—a large courtyard with several outbuildings. The gifts were unloaded and placed on a table in the courtyard for everyone to see—even the cash gifts were laid out. Both the cash gifts and the presents were quite ordinary—nothing particularly impressive. However, word spread that those two unassuming earthenware jars contained baijiu that had been aged for over twenty years, sparking a wave of gasps. Xiao Xiao also emerged from the house, her face flushed, and greeted the villagers in the courtyard. Xiao Xiao’s family was somewhat well-known in this village. Their fame didn’t stem from wealth—nor, certainly, from poverty—but from the fact that the family had raised seven daughters. And Xiao Xiao was the youngest of the seven. The Li family’s ancestors had been very wealthy during the Republic of China era. By the time of Xiao Xiao’s grandfather’s generation, however, they had gradually fallen on hard times. Fortunately, because they had fallen on hard times, when the Liberation came and social classes were categorized, they were classified as middle peasants. Had they not fallen on hard times, they would have been firmly classified as landlords—and thus targets of the dictatorship. By the time Xiao Xiao’s father came along, the family was just an ordinary farming household. Starting from the second year after their marriage, Xiao Xiao’s parents had a child about every two days on average—all girls, without exception. It’s truly strange that something with such low odds could happen so miraculously. By the time their sixth child was born, the one-child policy had already been implemented, though it wasn’t strictly enforced yet. The sixth child managed to avoid the fine. By then, Li’s parents had given up on having more children. With so many kids already, they figured girls were fine—they were easier to handle. But four years after the sixth child was born, Li’s mom actually got pregnant again. She went to great lengths to hide it and give birth—and it was another girl. Then she was fined 500 yuan by the family planning authorities. That was back in 1983—a TV set cost only 300 yuan. In many rural areas back then, the entire village might have shared just one black-and-white TV. So Mrs. Li often said that having so many children didn’t cost much—only Little Seven was “bought” with money. Although they had many children—and they were all girls—Mr. and Mrs. Li treated them all equally, showering them with the same love and support and ensuring they all went to school. The Li family produced two college graduates: the fifth child and Xiaoqi. This is truly rare in a family with mostly girls. Following tradition, the Xiao family set up just one banquet table. Four from the Mu family and four from the Li family—eight people in all. There were so many dishes that even twenty people couldn’t have finished them all. Plates and bowls were stacked in layers just to make room for everything. At a banquet like this, there must be plenty of food—so much that it’s impossible to finish it all—to convey a sense of abundance and hospitality. They opened a jar of wine brought by the Mu family. The moment it was opened, the Li family was stunned—it truly lived up to its reputation. Just yesterday, Xiao Xiao had mentioned that the Mu family would bring two jars of fine wine, but no one had expected it to be this exceptional. The rich, mellow aroma was subtle, spreading quickly through the nasal passages and slowly seeping into the heart; the body seemed to warm up instantly. All four members of the Mu family had tasted this wine before, yet its aroma still whetted their appetites. According to custom, the new son-in-law wasn’t supposed to drink; on his first visit to his in-laws’ home, he had to maintain a certain level of restraint. Wang Shaoqiang whispered to Mu Dong, “Xiao Dong, you drive us home later, and I’ll have a drink. How about that?” Mu Dong replied, “I don’t have a driver’s license. If we run into a traffic cop, we’ll be in trouble.” Wang Shaoqiang replied, “How likely is that to happen?” Mu Dong replied, “My aunt told me just before she arrived not to let you drink—you’re heading back to the county seat this afternoon.” Now that his wife had been brought into the conversation, Wang Shaoqiang was at a loss and could only grit his teeth in frustration. Mu Dong whispered, “Uncle, I’ll get you half a jin when we get back.” Wang Shaoqiang’s eyes lit up, and he whispered, “One jin.” Mu Dong: “Deal!” Everyone began drinking. Fine wine, delicious food, and a perfect day. Fortunately, no one forgot the reason they’d gathered, so they all drank slowly, taking only small sips. At 2:00 p. m. , the banquet ended; of the five jin of baijiu, they’d consumed about three jin. After a brief tea break, both sides agreed to attend the engagement banquet at the Mu family’s home on October 6th, and the Wang family set off on their return journey with their return gifts. The return gifts consisted of taking back a portion of the gifts they had brought. The monetary gift and the bride’s clothing were left behind, as were the two jars of liquor and the two live roosters. As for the other eight gifts, half of each was returned. As they were leaving, Xiao Xiao quietly told Mu Dong, “My mom said the cash gift is just for show—she’ll give it to me tomorrow, and I’ll bring it over to you.” Mu Dong smiled and said, “Just hold onto it for now.” But in his heart, he thought, “It’s just the same as before.” The group returned to the Mu household and unloaded the return gifts. Uncle Mu Er briefed Mu’s parents on the situation, and everyone went their separate ways. Wang Shaoqiang hadn’t forgotten about that jin of liquor, so Mu Dong quietly took a bottle from his dad’s room and slipped it to him. Of course, he had to act first and ask for permission later. While Mu’s parents tidied up the house, Mu Dong headed back to the storage yard. He was now spending every night in the office there. After walking around to check that everything was normal, Mu Dong returned to his office. A short while later, three visitors arrived: Mu Jinqian, Mu Huafeng, and Mu Tongqing. Mu Dong welcomed the three into the office, and they took their seats one after another. Four people, four generations. Mu Tongqing, the youngest, addressed Mu Jinqian as “great-great-grandfather.” Haha, it was quite a mind-bender when you thought about it. In reality, there was only about a 10-year age difference between the two. When men get together, they naturally engage in a social activity with a distinctly Chinese flavor—smoking. Soon, the office was filled with a thick haze of smoke. The three had come to present a gift. In other words, having heard that Mu Dong was about to become engaged, they had come to give him a red envelope. An engagement is a significant milestone in life, one that calls for a grand banquet to entertain guests. Naturally, it also involves receiving a substantial amount of gift money. There’s a certain protocol regarding who should receive these monetary gifts. Strictly speaking, since they were all fellow villagers—and Mu Dong had been living away from home for several years—the gift money should have been given to Mu Dong’s father, Mu Huashan. That way, a bond of goodwill would be established with Mu Huashan. In the future, whenever a family had an occasion, Mu Huashan would return the favor. If the gift were given to Mu Hua-shan, it would have to follow the customary norms among villagers. Based on the standards in the Mu Village area around 2008, a gift of 100 or 200 yuan from an ordinary villager would have been sufficient. But Mu Dong’s situation was different. He had set up such a large storage yard, which was thriving, and had clearly established a unique position within the Mu family. Moreover, all three of them had business ties of one kind or another with Mu Dong. As business partners, giving only 100 or 200 yuan as a gift would be far too meager. The three of them decided to pool their resources and present this gift directly to Mu Dong. Mu Jinqian and Mu Tongqing are both business owners, and although Mu Huafeng isn’t a business owner, he’s a local government official. The three of them share an equal relationship with Mu Huashan—they’re all fellow villagers. But the relationship between the three of them and Mu Dong is one of equals—talented people among talented people. As for the amount of the gift money, it was 600 yuan per person. In rural areas, that’s considered a very large gift. This would certainly please Mu Huashan. “Look at that—the son has made something of himself, and it brings honor to his father.” After exchanging pleasantries for a while, they took out their red envelopes and handed them to Mu Dong. Mu Dong, as usual, made a polite gesture: “Look, I’ve put you to the trouble and made you spend money.” Then, naturally, he accepted them and told them, “On October 6th, at the town restaurant, I’ll be hosting a wedding banquet for you all.” The three of them were puffing away on their cigarettes when a commotion broke out outside. They hurried out. It was the town’s Industry and Commerce Bureau. The officials had recently set their sights on the Mu family’s storage yard. In truth, it was Mu Dong’s own carelessness to blame. For such a large storage yard, he hadn’t even gone through the proper paperwork. Mu Dong had underestimated the problem; he thought that since the yard was located within the river embankment, far from the village, and was operating quietly, the whole operation would be wrapped up in a few months. The problem was that Boss Mu was a decent man with a good reputation, and the volume of sand coming into the yard was enormous. Boss Mu wanted to keep a low profile, but the drivers had no idea—they went around touting Boss Mu’s brilliance and prowess, and eventually, word reached the town’s Industry and Commerce Bureau. The director of the town’s Industry and Commerce Office was named Wu Juntian. After making some inquiries, Director Wu realized this was a real cash cow. So, that afternoon, Director Wu, accompanied by two men, drove a minivan into the Mu family’s stockpile yard. There, they ran into Mu Daguo at the gate. Mu Daguo strictly enforced the rule requiring safety helmets upon entry. “You can come in, of course—but you’ll have to change your helmet.” Wu Juntian exploded on the spot: “We’re counting on our uniforms and caps to set an example—and you’re telling me to take off my cap? What kind of example would I set wearing a uniform but a standard safety helmet?” So they started arguing. When a few people went out to take a look, Mu Dong found himself at a loss. Although he’d been in the business for over two years, his work had mostly been limited to commercial activities within his own circle. He really had no experience dealing with government agencies. Mu Jinqian sensed Mu Dong’s discomfort and whispered, “I’ll handle this.” Mu Jinqian knew Wu Juntian. As a prominent figure in the surrounding area, Mu Jinqian had a wide social circle and had shared a few drinks with Wu Juntian at banquets. Mu Jinqian stepped forward, smiling as he handed Director Wu a cigarette and said, “Director Wu, thank you for honoring us with your presence. We’re sorry we weren’t able to welcome you properly.” He then deftly lit Director Wu’s cigarette and continued, “Director Wu, a few of us from the village have partnered up to set up this storage yard. Time was tight, so we haven’t had a chance to complete the paperwork yet. Please bear with us. We’ll take care of it right away—right away.” Wu Juntian sighed inwardly. Running into this old fox—it’s all over. He could forget about making a killing. Regardless of what Wu Juntian was thinking, Mu Jinqian continued, “This is one of our shareholders, Mu Dong. Xiao Dong, come here and greet Director Wu.” In just three sentences, Mu Jinqian had laid out the problem, his stance, and the solution all at once. Mu Dong thought to himself, “Old foxes really are the craftiest.”