CHAPTER 50: CHAPTER 50: BRIDE PRICE DISPUTE (1)

With Bai Ruxia taking the lead, the younger ones couldn’t sit still as soon as they heard Zhang Yuan had returned. They all ran out at once.

For a moment, the courtyard was filled with their gasps of astonishment.

"What’s going on? Why aren’t they coming inside if everyone’s back?" Grandma Bai couldn’t wait and wanted to go out to see, but Bai Dahe’s second son Bai Ruying ran in.

"Grandpa, Grandma, go take a look! The young educated youth brought back so many things, a big... big truck, there’s... there’s a bicycle, and even a sewing machine..." Before Bai Ruying could finish, Grandma Bai couldn’t sit still any longer. She put on her shoes and quickly ran outside.

Wang Xuehua, seeing this, pulled her dad to go out as well. Her task today was to help Xiao Xue deal with her grandma, but it was a tough task, so she needed her dad to help.

Seeing the team leader head out, Grandma Zhao and Third Granny went out as well.

Bai Daliang couldn’t stay inside either, so in an instant, only Bai Xue was left standing dazedly inside. Everyone had rushed out quickly in a flurry, and she hadn’t reacted in time.

"Elder sister! Why are you still standing here? Hurry up!" Impatient Bai Ruxia, seeing that their brother-in-law had been here for a while and everyone else had gone out but her elder sister hadn’t, quickly ran back to pull her outside.

Being dragged out by Bai Ruxia, Bai Xue saw a... well... a tractor parked at the courtyard entrance! In her previous life, she had only seen it on TV, a very vintage tractor! But even so, in this era, it was quite impressive. A single commune had one, though Chaoyang Commune hadn’t yet applied for theirs!

Zhang Yuan stood by the tractor, smiling as he watched Bai Xue, with several male educated youths from the young scholar group beside him.

Everyone was circling the tractor, so curious, while An Quanzi was rubbing his hands with a look of wanting to drive it.

Perhaps driving was an inborn hobby for men!

Unlike everyone else, Grandma Bai was only interested in the sewing machine and bicycle on the tractor and those bags of goods, staring at them greedily, possibly already having arranged where to put them.

"Xiao Xue..." Zhang Yuan saw Bai Xue walk out and quickly walked towards her, calling out softly.

"Zhang Yuan, did you forget what I told you? Why did you make such a fuss over this?" Bai Xue whispered to Zhang Yuan, gritting her teeth.

"I know, I didn’t forget, but today’s our engagement day. My parents can’t come, but I don’t want to wrong you. I want you to know you’re the woman I want to marry with everything I have!" Zhang Yuan didn’t lower his voice, so everyone could hear. They all stopped checking out the tractor and looked over here. "Don’t worry! You have me to protect you! No one can bully you!"

Zhang Yuan’s last sentence was directed at Grandma Bai, making her heart skip a beat.

Bai Xue knew this was Zhang Yuan warning Grandma Bai not to mess around. If he could bring back so many good things, he had the power to keep them from being taken.

"Guys! Start unloading!" Zhang Yuan turned to Li Jianshe and the three other youths and said.

The three quickly jumped onto the vehicle and started unloading.

"Hey, hey, hey, don’t move that sewing machine inside! It’ll have to be moved out again later, so just leave it in the courtyard!" Grandma Bai stopped Li Jianshe and Yang Jiping, who were about to move the sewing machine inside.

Bai Xue had been watching Grandma Bai, so seeing her stop the others, she walked over.

"Grandma, why does it need to be moved out later? The sewing machine should be put inside!" Bai Xue feigned ignorance.

"This is the bride gift from the young scholar to you; of course, it should be sent to us. I’m your grandma; I should rightfully receive this bride gift!" Grandma Bai said matter-of-factly, "Also, don’t move that fabric inside! Dahe! Come over and push the bicycle to our place first!"

Clearly, Grandma Bai had inspected everything, knew the bags contained fabric, and was directing Bai Dahe to first take the bicycle away.

"Grandma Bai, don’t forget you’ve already split the family!" The team leader, nudged by his daughter, stepped in front of Bai Dahe, who was about to push the bicycle, and said.

Bai Dahe eyed the brand-new bicycle with greedy eyes, but stopped short under the team leader’s admonishment.

"Even with the family split, Bai Ruxue is still my granddaughter!" Grandma Bai retorted fiercely, "That fact doesn’t change, no matter what!"

"Brother Bai, aren’t you going to say something?" The team leader, challenged by Grandma Bai, turned to BraveSoul Bai, who was on the sidelines examining the goods.

"What grandma says is right! She’s still our Bai Family’s member no matter what!"

This statement showed that BraveSoul Bai was on Grandma Bai’s side, meaning to take these things away.

Bai Xue internally criticized her judgment; she thought this grandpa was decent, but he was just using Grandma Bai as a front, sitting back to run the show himself!

"Team leader, move aside. It’s only right for me to take my granddaughter’s bride gift! It’s a family affair; there’s no need for an outsider to meddle, is there?" Grandma Bai boasted smugly.

Bai Xue was about to speak, but Zhang Yuan stopped her, whispering something in her ear that made her face bloom with joy.

"Grandma, are you sure my bride gift has to go to you? Don’t forget, we have already split families!" Bai Xue asked defiantly.

"Family split or not, you’re still my granddaughter! What’s that? Little girl, you got a problem?" Grandma Bai was unstoppable, challenging everyone, including the team leader.

"No problem! What can I say, being your granddaughter!" Bai Xue replied meekly.

Bai Daliang, seeing his eldest daughter’s compliance, felt bad for her but couldn’t do anything. He knew his mom’s nature and that he couldn’t stop her.

"Dahe! What are you waiting for? Take it away! And get our cart here too!" Grandma Bai said, elated in her presumed victory.

"Mom, I’m fetching it now!" Bai Dahe responded, laughing as he ran to snatch the bicycle from another educated youth, Feng Gang.

"Sis, isn’t this too much, taking the child’s bride gift away entirely?" Third Granny and Grandma Zhao, standing together, couldn’t help but remark.

"Who asked for your opinion? Mind your own business! It’s only right to take my granddaughter’s bride gift! Even the team leader can’t interfere, what are you butting in for?" Grandma Bai glared at Third Granny Li Xiaohong, speaking with displeasure.

"At least leave something for the child! How can you take it all?" Third Granny wasn’t the type to fear Grandma Bai, though she too was stuck by Grandma Bai’s rightful claim of being the true grandmother and unchanged by the family division.

Just as Bai Dahe was about to grab the bicycle, Zhang Yuan spoke up.

"Put it down! These aren’t the bride gift! These are gifts for my future wife! Grandma, do you think it takes over a thousand yuan for a bride gift in Chaoyang Commune?"

That statement stunned everyone who stood grumbling.

More than a thousand yuan? Well, indeed, bicycles and sewing machines were hard to come by, each needing tickets and hundreds to purchase, not to mention all the fabric!

If it’s not the bride gift, just gifts, what reason does Grandma Bai have to take gifts meant for his bride? It turned out they were busy for nothing.