Chapter 96 Selling His Daughter

  "Come on and eat, the dishes are getting cold......" Shen Sisi said helplessly: "After saying so many words, we can't even have a peaceful meal at home..."

  It's really unstable when it's said to be unstable. I had just finished eating and washing the dishes, and my family was boiling water to prepare for washing when Niu Laogen arrived.

  The sky had just darkened, and Niu Laogen came hastily, not even waiting for the sky to darken completely. He was worried sick about his daughter's affair, how could he not be anxious?

  The whole family sighed again when they saw Niu Laogen, what's going on again?! He came last night, Tian Guilhua came to make trouble today, and now he's here again. The village is spreading rumors like wildfire, it's really too unbearable.

  "Uncle Niu, Auntie Tian has gone too far today! Uncle Niu, this isn't our family... Uncle Niu, what are you doing?!"

  Just as Shen Sisi was thinking of sending him away, Niu Laogen suddenly knelt down in the direction of her and her father, startling Shen Sisi into a loud cry, and for a moment she couldn't say any words of blame.

  "Lao Gen, what are you doing? Get up quickly..." Zhong Gensheng's face also changed greatly, and he hurriedly went to pull him, saying: "Aren't you trying to scare people to death? If you have something to say, get up and say it properly, don't do this Lao Gen..."

  The old cow's eyes were filled with tears as he said sorrowfully: "Gen Sheng, you also have a daughter, I think you should understand my heart, right? We both had three sons before we finally got a daughter. I've seen how much you love Tuni, and I love my Xiaohua too. I know my wife has been excessive, and I know my demands are also excessive... but... considering my devotion as a father, can't you... can't you... Waaahhh..."

  He really couldn't bring himself to say it, he knew it was too much to ask of anyone.

  Zhong Gensheng also slightly moved upon hearing this, but thinking of his son, he felt heartache for his son. After all, she was someone else's daughter, and in the end, what he felt most heartache about was still his own child.

  "Please, spare my life...!" Niu Lao Gen cried so miserably that Shen Si Si's heart also ached slightly. What kind of struggle must he have gone through to make such an honest man kneel on the ground and beg like this?

  "Let our little flower have a way out, please... Please be kind to us..." The old cow's crying was really pitiful, and He Axiu's eyes turned red as she listened, her heart softened.

  The couple were both softhearted and at a loss for what to do. They had clearly agreed with Shen Sisi's words, but now they were wavering and looked at Shen Sisi in unison.

  Shen Sisi let out a sigh and finally looked at Niu Laogen with a relaxed expression, saying: "Uncle Niu, it's not that it can't be done, it's just..."

  She hesitated and said: "It's just that I have a condition, which you may not agree to, but this condition is only superficial and doesn't hinder anything. Our family's reputation believes that you understand it, it's just that on the surface, we may not be able to get past it... Xiaohua has entered our household, naturally we will treat her like one of our own... It depends on whether Uncle Niu agrees or not..."

  Niu Laogen hastily said: "You say, as long as Xiaohua can have a way out, I will agree."

  "Our family can let Xiaohua in, but Dabao has such a reputation, which is very unfair to Dabao, so now it's not possible to marry...". Shen Sisi paused for a moment, looking at Niu Laogen's gaze, and said: "But also cannot engage, engaged is equivalent to recognition, so I thought of a way..."

  "Let Xiaohua sign the contract and enter our household, from now on... we will have nothing to do with the Niu family either, this way it's fair to everyone..."

  Niu Laogen's face turned pale and his lips began to tremble, "......A contract for selling one's body?!"

  He looked at Shen Sisi in utter disbelief, how could the Niu family have fallen to the point of selling their daughter.

  "This is the only compromise, sorry Uncle Niu, although it's hard to swallow, but our family has to do this... Shen Sisi hardened her heart and said: "You also know what kind of person Tian Aunt is, this selling contract is also to prevent her from finding excuses to cause trouble for our family. We can't just marry Niu Xiaohua and not only bear the name, but also bring endless troubles. Uncle Niu, can you control Tian Aunt for a while? Can you control her for a lifetime?! As long as you are willing to give up, I guarantee that even if Xiaohua signs this selling contract, she will be treated like an ordinary person, our family members will treat her like one of us, and in the future, she will be with Dabao together. My siblings and I will also treat her as a sister-in-law, absolutely not bullying or humiliating her... I, Tuniu, can swear to heaven..."

  Niu Laogen looked at Shen Sisi with a painful expression and said, "Tuni, I know you're a kind person, and your family is also an honest one. Of course, I believe you, but after all, she's my daughter, so I still worry about her..."

  "I know you can't bear to part with her, but..." Shen Sisi emphasized: "This is the only possibility. In the future, Uncle Niu can come visit her, and Aunt Tian won't have to..."

  The old cow closed its aged eyes and said painfully: "......Alright. I promise."

  If this was the only way, he resigned himself to it.

  Niu Laogen was no longer young, he feared that one day his legs would give out and his daughter would fall into Tian Guifang's hands, which would truly ruin her.

  Forget it, the Zhong family is trustworthy. He really acknowledged that he could give his daughter a chance to survive.

  Zhong Gensheng and He Axiu stared at Shen Sisi in shock, not knowing how she came up with this idea. They were poor people who only had to sell their sons and daughters, but they never thought of buying a daughter-in-law back! This idea... only this girl could think of it, but indeed it was the best solution for now, or rather, the only way out.

  Although it can't stop the villagers from speaking out, it can shut up Tian Guihua's foul mouth, and she won't be able to interfere anymore.

  Although Niu Laogen suffered, she understood that this was the best for her daughter. She had no good days at home and came to the Zhong family, perhaps having a slightly better life.

  "Our family will give twenty taels... Shen Sisi sighed: "It's better to avoid Aunt Tian coming to disturb us and not have peace, but after receiving this silver, every time she comes in the future, I'll beat her once. From now on, Uncle Niu, don't let her into my house again..."

  "I understand......" Old Cow's lips trembled as he said: "I don't want this silver, I still want to give my daughter some dowry, just take it and consider it settled... just hope that Da Bao will treat our Xiaohua well..."

  "They are still young, and when they grow up, I will definitely let them have a grand wedding. I swear to Uncle Niu...” Shen Sisi said: "Just exempt from the dowry, these twenty taels we must pay out, my family, the Zhong family, is poor, but absolutely cannot lose this dignity too, just consider it as...the betrothal gift for Xiaohua, only the name sounds bad, Uncle Niu, don't mind too much in the future, as long as she lives well, that's all."

  "Hmm." Niu Laogen's expression was sorrowful, and Shen Sisi couldn't bear to look at him. He called out to Da Bao, who had been standing still beside him: "Da Bao, come here..."

  Dabao walked over in a daze, Shen Sisi said: "Kneel down and kowtow to your father-in-law. From now on... there won't be another chance to kowtow... Promise him that you will treat Xiaohua well from now on."

  Dabao subconsciously knelt down and kowtowed three times, saying: "I will definitely treat her well..."

  No matter what, he must be good to his wife.

  "Alright, alright... " Niu Laogen's eyes suddenly welled up with tears, and he hastily helped Da Bao get up, saying: "Da Bao, from now on Xiao Hua is in your care. I trust you, child..."

  Zhong Gensheng pulled Niu Laogen up and said: "From now on, we are relatives..."

  "Yes... " Niu Laogen's expression was still somewhat sorrowful, and he said: "I'll go to Li Zheng's house right away and bring Xiaohua back. Let's settle this matter, I won't be at ease if it's delayed..."

  Seeing him so anxious, Zhong Gensheng could only reluctantly agree. In fact, he also understood his feelings as a father. He was just afraid that Niu Xiaohua would become depressed at home and worry that she might think of something desperate again.

  "Let's go together..." Zhong Gensheng sighed and supported Niu Laogen as they slipped away in the dark.

  Da Bao was still dazed, Shen Si Si pulled him and he said: "...... Tuniu, is it settled like this?!"

  Shen Sisi couldn't help but feel a little unbearable, without asking for his opinion, but in this era, what else could be done? In modern times, it's just a beautiful thing, but there's absolutely no dirty business behind it.

  "Great treasure..." Shen Sisi pulled him and said: "If it is... forget it, there's always tomorrow, let's talk about the future later. Maybe after you've been together for a long time, you'll like her too."

  Shen thought for a moment, then patted Da Bao's shoulder in comfort.

  If in the future there really is no feeling, when the time comes and I have my own family, I can still find a satisfactory husband for Niu Xiaohua. It's just that I don't know if Niu Xiaohua will be willing or not, and Dabao has already acknowledged Niu Laogen as his father-in-law. Forget it, no more thinking about this, it's giving me a headache.

  It's also superfluous for her to think about it in this era, which family's son gets married without the family making the decision, she'll just go along with an arranged marriage.

  He Qiu cried and sighed, "What's going on?! It was originally a good thing, but Tian Guifang made it like this. If... Alas..."

  If it weren't for Tian Guihua's commotion by the river, wouldn't this be a wonderful thing?!

  He Yaxiu didn't continue speaking, but Shen Sisi could guess what she wanted to say. She comforted her mother by saying: "From now on, just consider me another daughter."

  "Xiao Hua is also a poor soul..." He Axiu sighed helplessly, and indeed didn't have the heart to scold her, only feeling more heartache. Meeting such a mother, Xiao Hua was also helpless, but fortunately, her father was still reliable, otherwise she would have nowhere to cry.

  He soon came over with a pen and paper, his expression very serious. He was also shocked by the news, but he knew this was actually the best solution.

  "You all think carefully, once this contract is signed, it can't be changed... it's a dead contract..." Li Zheng said seriously.

  Niu Laogen's eyes were red and puffy, he said: "I've thought it through, Li Zheng, you write it."

  Zhong Gensheng stood on one side with a helpless expression.

  Li Zheng sighed and wrote down the contract. Niu Laogen's hands trembled as he pressed his red handprint, then covered his face and began to sob.