Reborn in the 1970s — Married a Proud Rough Man

”Xu Jiali might not have the Qiao surname, but she’s Madam Qiao’s own niece and was raised by her side. I hear she gets a hefty monthly allowance, so why be so stingy and not provide a dowry?” Old Second asked.

Everyone started chiming in, and the bickering gave Grandma Gao a headache.

”All of you, shut up! I gathered you here to discuss the bride price, not to complain about why the Qiao Family refuses to provide a dowry.” Grandma Gao slammed the Buddha Beads she was holding onto the table.

Everyone fell silent. ’They won’t let us touch the Qiao family’s dowry, yet they expect us to scrounge up the bride price. They’re the kind of people who eat you alive and don’t even spit out the bones.’

”You may not be my own children, but you are descendants of the Gao family. We all prosper together, and we all suffer together. I’m sure you all understand that principle.” Grandma Gao said, looking at the members of the second, third, and fourth branches, who were clearly unwilling to chip in for the bride price.

’They have the money. She had no idea how much the old man had secretly given them before he died. And those little vixens who had him so thoroughly bewitched—she had no clue how much he’d snuck them, either. They were all dead now, and when she’d searched their rooms, she hadn’t found a single valuable piece of jewelry. She figured it had all gone to their sons.’

’The main branch would have to pay its share of the bride price to marry Xu Jiali, but the other branches were going to have to pool their money for it as well.’

”First Aunt, the Qiao Family isn’t providing a dowry. Why should our Gao family have to pay a bride price?” Old Second asked.

”Second Brother, can’t you see what’s going on? The Qiao family is doing this on purpose. They know First Brother’s family can’t afford such a high bride price, yet they’re demanding it anyway. It’s obvious they want them to realize it’s impossible and give up,” Old Third said.

”Exactly. The Qiao family looks down on us Gaos. They’re not willing to have Xu Jiali marry into our family,” Old Third’s wife added.

”Marrying down?” Mr. Gao raised an eyebrow, looking at Old Third with disapproval. ”If she were a legitimate daughter of the Qiao family, I wouldn’t argue with you saying she’d be marrying down to join the Gaos. But Xu Jiali is just Madam Qiao’s niece. Calling it ’marrying down’ gives her a little too much credit.”

”Her status as Madam Qiao’s niece is nothing to scoff at, First Brother. Since Gao Qiang started dating Xu Jiali, she’s brought our Gao family quite a few benefits,” Old Fourth reminded him.

Mr. Gao was at a loss for words. It was precisely because Xu Jiali was so useful to them that they were having such a hard time deciding what to do about the Qiao family’s exorbitant bride price.

Xu Jiali’s status alone wasn’t worth such a high bride price, but if they couldn’t marry her, they would lose their chance to form a connection with the Qiao Family.

”That’s why I’ve called you all here to discuss this. You all get a piece of the Gao family’s profits. You can’t just enjoy the benefits without being willing to contribute,” Grandma Gao said.

”First Aunt, it’s not that we’re unwilling to contribute. You know full well what our families’ situations are like. We’re living on borrowed money as it is. Where would we find the cash to help Gao Qiang get married?” Old Second said.

”Exactly. We’re willing to help, but we just don’t have the means,” Old Third agreed.

”The Qiao family is asking for a ridiculously large sum. There’s nothing we can do,” Old Fourth also said.

Grandma Gao glared at them. ’A bunch of stingy bastards.’ She wouldn’t believe for a second that they didn’t have any money. ”If we scrape together the bride price and bring Xu Jiali into the family, then even if the Qiao family doesn’t lift a finger to help us, our business will thrive just based on our connection to them. And once business is booming and the money is rolling in, we can all go back to spending money like water. Wouldn’t that be wonderful?”

The fantasy was beautiful, but reality was cruel. Who could guarantee that once the main branch was connected to the Qiao family, they wouldn’t take the opportunity to eliminate the other branches completely? They had all experienced the old woman’s methods before.

”And what’s Xu Jiali’s attitude about all this?” asked Old Fourth’s wife.

All eyes turned to Gao Qiang.

Under the weight of everyone’s stares, Gao Qiang felt an immense amount of pressure. He swallowed hard. ”Jiali...”

”Does she love you?” Old Fourth’s wife cut him off.

”Of course, she loves me,” Gao Qiang answered without hesitation.

”If she loves you, then this is simple.” Old Fourth’s wife hesitated for a few seconds, then smiled at Gao Qiang. ”Xiao Qiang, your Fourth Aunt has a little idea, though it might not be fully thought out. I wonder if you’d be willing to hear it.”

”Go ahead, Fourth Aunt,” Gao Qiang said.

Taking a deep breath, Old Fourth’s wife spoke under the expectant gazes of the room. ”You can use her love for you. Plead poverty, tell her you have to break up, but act like it’s tearing you apart to do it. Not only will she refuse to leave you, she’ll even fight the Qiao family alongside you.”

Gao Qiang was silent. The others nodded. Grandma Gao was secretly delighted; Old Fourth’s wife’s idea was exactly what she had been thinking.

’She had only kept quiet due to her position. It would be beneath her to suggest such a scheme to her own grandson.’

”Xiao Qiang, be honest with your Fourth Aunt. Have you and Jiali slept together?” Old Fourth’s wife asked bluntly.