Yang Yong Hong didn’t mind the telegram cost now. After getting into Hua Qing University, her words carried significant weight at home. The Yang family wasn’t foolish – they always consulted their capable eldest daughter on important matters.

Her brother’s marriage was no exception. Writing to Yang Yong Hong wasn’t to pressure her for money, but to explain the situation and seek her advice on this marriage proposal.

Yang Yong Hong’s brother was named Yang Jie.

His name alone showed how much hope the family had placed in him.

While gender preference was common in rural areas, the Yang family was different. Yang Yong Hong had excelled in studies since primary school, spending three years retaking exams to get into Hua Qing University. When her brother only qualified for vocational college last year, he seemed less accomplished in comparison.

The Yangs had many children – besides Yang Yong Hong and Yang Jie, there were three more.

The third child was in tenth grade, and the remaining two were even younger. For a farming family to keep all their children in school was extremely difficult.

Last year when the scores came out, Yang Jie insisted his sister continue her education while he packed his bags, refusing to retake exams and returning to help their parents farm. He claimed he disliked studying, but the family knew he wanted to support his sister’s promising future and ensure his younger siblings could continue their education. As the eldest son after Yang Yong Hong, he felt responsible for supporting the family.

Despite Yang Yong Hong’s persuasion, Yang Jie refused to retake exams. Even after their father beat him, he wouldn’t return to school.

Though Yang Yong Hong lived frugally at school and sent all her scholarship money home, the family remained very poor.

The family felt they’d wronged Yang Jie and wanted to secure this marriage for him… The girl was his middle school classmate who had attended vocational school and now taught in town. She’d liked Yang Jie for several years.

But teachers’ salaries weren’t high, and though the girl was willing to marry Yang Jie, her family objected, hoping to use her betrothal money for their son’s marriage.

This situation wasn’t unique to Ji Bei Province.

Rural families who let their daughters study so much didn’t treat them as disposable.

But without collecting betrothal money, how could they afford marriages for their sons?

The girl, being a teacher, wanted to marry Yang Jie, an unemployed rural youth, because of their past relationship.

Yang Jie liked her too.

Because he cared for her, he wouldn’t pressure her to marry without betrothal money or use sweet talk. He never even considered forcing the situation by getting her pregnant!

But he also didn’t want to burden his parents.

Yang Jie knew their family’s situation well. Even though his sister sent home her scholarship money, it wasn’t enough to repay their existing debts. His parents were willing to borrow money for the four traditional gifts, but Yang Jie didn’t want to add to the family’s debt. He planned to find work after the autumn harvest, having heard from a middle school classmate-turned-truck driver that money could be made in the South.

Today, Yang Jie had come to discuss with his girlfriend about postponing their engagement.

She smiled bitterly:

“Yang Jie, our marriage timing doesn’t matter, but my brother can’t wait.”

When they married was secondary.

Her family needed the betrothal money for her brother’s wedding.

She was under great pressure too. Having worked less than a year as a new teacher with low wages, and being unmarried, she gave all her salary to her family and had no savings.

“What if I ask the principal to advance me six months’ salary, you can use it for the betrothal money…”

Though she tried to help, Yang Jie knew the town school’s situation – they’d be lucky to get paid on time, let alone get an advance!

The words breaking up rolled in his throat several times but wouldn’t come out.

His girlfriend had returned home after graduating from teachers’ college for him, refusing better marriage prospects. He could only say he’d figure something out.

Yang Yong Hong’s telegram arrived at this moment.

She told Yang Jie to get a reference letter and buy a ticket to Yang Cheng, where they would meet.

“Brother and sister earning betrothal money together.”

Yang Jie read this line repeatedly, carefully tucked the telegram away, and strode home – this was what family meant, sharing burdens together. His sister would even work part-time in the South during summer break for his marriage. He didn’t regret not attending university; men were naturally stronger than women, so his staying home on the farm was better than Yang Yong Hong doing so.

When Yang Jie explained the situation at home, his parents were relieved.

Their eldest daughter had a plan.

“Tell the girl we’ll provide the betrothal money, just ask her family to wait.”

Yang Jie nodded, “I’ll tell her to wait until National Day. If I haven’t earned enough by then, I won’t hold her back.”

His parents felt bitter inside.

They accepted Yang Jie’s words, hoping Yang Yong Hong’s plan would work and they could gather enough money before National Day. If they couldn’t, they certainly wouldn’t let the marriage fall through – they’d scrape together money however possible, even by borrowing or selling blood… They didn’t see themselves as great; most Chinese parents were the same. Failing to help their son marry would be their failure.

Local custom would have them marry off Yang Yong Hong for betrothal money.

But Yang Yong Hong had a bright future; how could they do that to her?

And they couldn’t send Yang Jie’s sister – she was only 15 and in tenth grade!

Others said the Yang family was strange, sending all their children to school, especially letting Yang Yong Hong retake exams three times. If she hadn’t gotten into Hua Qing University, they would have been laughingstocks.

People still muttered about the Yang parents’ foolishness – sending their daughter to university while their son farmed.

With Yang Jie’s scores, he could surely enter a proper university with two more years of study!

Fortunately, Yang Yong Hong proved herself worthy, sending money home from her first year, saying it was scholarship money. The Yang family could only pin their hopes on her – one capable daughter worth a son. When Yang Jie mentioned working away from home, his parents worried, being rural folk who’d never traveled far and didn’t know the outside world.

But with Yang Yong Hong calling for Yang Jie, the family had no objections.

Yang Jie got his reference letter, bought a train ticket, packed two sets of clothes, left a letter for his girlfriend, and departed.

“If I’m not back by National Day, marry someone else. I won’t blame you!”

Being poor, Yang Jie bought a standing ticket, carrying some flatbread and salted duck eggs his mother had prepared, and boarded the train to Yang Cheng.

He had less than 10 yuan left – if he couldn’t find his sister, he wouldn’t even have enough for a return ticket. It was burning his bridges.

Fortunately, his sister was reliable. Yang Jie found the guesthouse address from the telegram.

When he asked for his sister at reception, two people came down – one was his sister, the other so beautiful it felt impolite to look twice.

His sister pointed to the beautiful girl and said:

“This is my classmate Xiao Lan, call her sister too. Your Sister Xiao Lan says you’ll earn enough betrothal money in two months!”