Go back to 1980 and enjoy it

In front of three connected mud-brick houses, Ou Guohua is sitting on a small bench, concentrating on whittling wood with a very sharp hatchet. She is making shoes for herself. The name of the shoes is "clogs". The most common type of shoes in rural areas of Guangdong and Guangxi in the 1990s.

Especially Hakka people like to wear shoes like this, as shown below:

The method of making clogs is very simple. First, use a knife, ax, or saw to chop the clogs into lengths the size of clogs. Then, mold them into rough embryos based on the feet of adults or children, and then use a planer to cut off the wood in the middle. , the toe bottom is lower, the heel is higher, and finally the sandal straps are nailed on to complete it.

Of course, even if you don’t have tools such as saws and planers, you can still use a knife to complete all the work. It’s just more time-consuming, and the resulting shoe uppers are not as smooth and beautiful as those made with a planer.

At this time, the clog in Ou Guohua's hand was already a semi-finished product. She was carefully peeling the upper and touching it with her hands from time to time.

Deng Shirong saw this scene when he came to her door. He was not surprised by this. Rural women in this era really didn't know too many things, such as farming, cooking, and making shoes. , making clothes, knitting sweaters, knitting socks, knitting straw hats, knitting cornrows, knitting baskets, knitting dustpans, etc.

Women can hold up half the sky. This is not just a slogan, but women in this era are indeed capable. There is basically nothing they cannot do.

Deng Shirong got out of the car and greeted her: "Ahua, you are making shoes!"

Ou Guohua looked up, then threw the things in her hands to the ground, stood up with a smile on her face and said, "Uncle Jiu, why are you here?"

Deng Shirong parked the car, walked up to her, handed her the candy cookie in his hand, and said with a smile: "I came here specially to mediate for you today. Are your parents at home?"

Hearing the word "matchmaker", Ou Guohua understood what was going on. She held back her shyness and took the candy cake and said, "My dad went out to work, and my mom just went to pick vegetables in the vegetable field behind. Uncle Jiu sits down and burns a cigarette. I'll call my mother back."

After saying that, Ou Guohua put away the candy biscuits, got the chimney for Deng Shirong, and ran to the vegetable patch behind to call her mother.

Deng Shirong had just come over from his in-laws' place to burn a few pipes of cigarettes. He didn't want to burn them yet, so he put the pipes aside and looked at the Ou family's house.

The Ou family's house is very simple, just three connected mud-brick houses. There is a kitchen on the right side of the house, and a chicken coop about the same height as a person is built next to the kitchen. The entire architectural pattern is clear at a glance.

Judging from the corrosion degree of the mud bricks, this mud brick house was probably built when Ou's father and Ou's mother separated from their parents after they got married.

Deng Shirong heard from his eldest daughter-in-law about the situation of Ou Guohua's family.

There are four brothers and sisters in the Ou family. Ou Guohua is the eldest sister, followed by two younger brothers and a younger sister. The family conditions are the same as those of most families in the village. They can have a full stomach, but they can't eat meat twice a month.

Because the vegetable field was not far away, Ou Guohua soon called her mother back.

"Uncle Nine!"

"relative!"

After the two parties greeted each other and exchanged a few polite words, the conversation got to the point.

Deng Shirong got straight to the point: "Relative, the main reason I came here this time is to be a matchmaker for A-hua. I think A-hua has also mentioned this to you, right?"

Oumu nodded and said, "Uncle Jiu, tell me about the situation on the man's side!"

Deng Shirong hummed and briefly introduced: "Relative, the man's name is Deng Changyuan. He is a good friend of my eldest son who has played with me since childhood. He is two years older than Ahua, and their heights are quite matched. He is currently in I work in a cylinder tile factory contracted by someone else, and I earn 60 yuan a month.

He has five brothers and sisters. The eldest sister is already married, and the eldest brother is also married. He is the third child in the family, with a younger brother and a younger sister.

His family has just built three large brick houses, one of which is intended for him to get married. "

Ou's mother nodded secretly after hearing this. The man's family has a house and such a good job. There is really nothing to criticize about such conditions.

"Uncle Jiu, the man's conditions are quite good."

"Relative, if you agree, then let's talk about A-hua's net worth. I wonder how much your family plans to ask for?"

Ou Mu was surprised and said: "Uncle Jiu, shouldn't we get to know each other first? Although the man's conditions are good, we still need to meet him before we talk!"

Deng Shirong glanced at Ou Guohua, who was sitting silently next to him, and said with a smile: "There is no need to get acquainted, because it is not the first time that Ahua and Ayuan have met. Last year, when my eldest daughter-in-law came to my house to look after the house, Ahua came with her, and that was the first time they met.

Then it was the wedding day of my eldest son and his eldest daughter-in-law. Ahua was the wedding guest. That was the second time they met.

Through these two contacts, we got to know each other much better than normal. "

When Ou Mu heard this, she didn't think much about it. She just looked at her daughter and said, "Ahua, do you have any impression of this Ayuan? How do you feel?"

Although Sister Ping's father-in-law was a matchmaker, Ou Guohua still felt very shy when talking about this topic in front of him. She looked down at her half-finished clogs and said softly: "It's not bad!"

It is said that a daughter knows her best. After hearing her daughter's answer, Ou's mother knew it. Her daughter probably had a good impression of the young man A Yuan.

Although it would be a bit far away for her daughter to marry in Naye Village, Zhang Xiuping also married there. The two of them had been like sisters since childhood. They married in the same place and took care of each other.

Thinking of this, Mother Ou nodded and said: "Since you think it's okay, then I, as a mother, naturally have no objection. When your father comes back, tell him. If he doesn't have any objection, then you can let Jiu Uncle has arranged a time to look after the house."

Deng Shirong smiled and answered: "Relatives, I wonder what your requirements are based on Ah Hua's net worth?"

Ou Mu shook her head and said: "We don't have any requirements in this regard, as long as we are no less than others."

Deng Shirong said calmly: "Relatives, the current net worth is generally about three hundred yuan, and there is also about three hundred kilograms of grain. As for clothes, needless to say, the man must make some new clothes for the woman. Of clothes.

Some families will ask for other betrothal gifts, but most families only need these and not much else. "

"Uncle Jiu, let's set our A-hua's net worth at this standard!"

At this point, Ou's mother looked at her daughter and said with emotion: "In the blink of an eye, you are talking about marriage. As a mother, I don't ask for anything else. I just hope that you can marry a good family and live a good life." That’s it.”

"mom!"

Ou Guohua was moved when she heard this. Her mother was one of the few rural mothers in this era who could treat her children equally.