My Girlfriend Catherine (novel) Zhang Baotong 2016.3.21

6. Talk about marriage

That day, as we were walking by the river, Catherine suddenly said to me, "Honey, shall we get married?"

I was taken aback when I heard this, and although I loved Catherine very much, and wanted to be with her forever, I really didn't expect to marry her anytime soon. I'm only twenty-four years old, and I feel like I'm still far from the age when I should get married. Moreover, I haven't graduated yet, and I don't even have a job. I looked hesitant and said, "Isn't it too early? ”

But Catherine said, "What does it matter? As long as we love each other, we should get married." ”

I said, "But I haven't graduated yet, I don't have a job." ”

Catherine said, "It's not a reason, it won't affect our lives. ”

I shook my head and said, "I'm married, maybe I'll have children soon, but I haven't graduated yet, and I'm not going to achieve anything in my career." "I'm not the kind of person who yearns for a stable life, I'm someone who has big goals and a lot of things to do.

Catherine said, "We can have no children first, and besides, our family will not affect the development of your career, because I want to be with you." ”

I said, "I can be with you every day for as long as you need." ”

Catherine shook her head and said, "But that's different. ”

"It's different," I said, "but I have nothing, nothing, and what can I marry you." You must know that we Chinese regard marriage as a lifelong event, and we have to make a lot of preparations and do a lot of things. ”

Catherine looked confused, and said, "But I don't understand why this is happening, as long as we get the marriage certificate and bring your quilt and pillow to my bed, won't it be over?"

Her words surprised me, because I never thought that marriage would be so easy, I have participated in many weddings, which person to get married is not to buy a house, decorate the house, take wedding photos, order a banquet, etc., etc., in short, I have read a middle school classmate's marriage preparation list, things to buy and things to do, a total of more than 300 items on five sheets of paper. So, I feel a sense of dread at the thought of getting married. I was a little puzzled to hear Catherine talk about marriage so simply, as if she wasn't talking about marriage, but about a weekend date.

I laughed and said, "Fortunately, you're still a graduate student in Chinese classical literature, and you don't even know Chinese wedding customs." Therefore, I told her some of the main things that Chinese need to prepare for and do when they get married. It means that if we want to get married, we have to do a long time to prepare.

Catherine listened, surprised, and puzzled, and asked me, "Do you think it is necessary? If we follow all those red tape and stereotypes, when we are married and have a family, and we are exhausted, how can we have the time and strength to love each other? I don't need anything but your love." ”

I can say that I am a scholar, except for reading and studying, I pay little attention to other aspects, so when I hear that others are getting married, buying houses, decorating and putting on banquets, I have a headache. Moreover, our family's situation is even worse, we just want to buy a house, decorate and have no money for a banquet. Therefore, I never wanted to get married, so as to save me from worrying and worrying. Since Catherine has talked about this, I can't be unmoved, because Catherine lives in the school's apartment building, with two bedrooms and one living room, and enjoys the treatment of a foreign teacher. Although I only have a salary of 600 yuan a month, it is enough to spend. If we are married and live together, we can cook our own meals every day, not only will we eat well, but we will also spend less. What's more, Catherine is very hard to substitute teach on and off campus every day, I can cook for her at home, tidy up the house, so that she can feel warm and eat warm and delicious meals as soon as she comes home.

So, I said, "Baby, I want to be with you too, but I have to discuss this with my parents." ”

When I got home, I sat Catherine in my room and made a fire, and I called my parents in the hall to discuss with them about marrying Catherine. I think they must be very happy because they have been urging me to find a partner and get married quickly, because many of my classmates who are my age are already married, and some of them have children. Moreover, Catherine will not ask my family for anything, I don't know how much money I can save my parents and how much heart.

I called my parents to the little table and solemnly announced to them, "Mom, Mom, I'm going to marry Catherine." ”

My mom glanced at my dad, as if to see his reaction. Dad looked pleased, but my mom frowned. This makes me feel a little bad, because my father is not in good health all the year round, he can't do heavy work, and he is too honest to speak, so my mother is almost in charge of the family, and my mother is in charge.

My mom asked me, "When are you going to get married?"

I said, "Soon." "Because Catherine didn't say anything to me when she got married.

My mother said, "You're just afraid that marriage is child's play, and you want to get married when you get married?"

I explained, "I'm cautious, not child's play, and Catherine wants to get married. ”

My mother said, "You never told us about this big thing beforehand, and now as soon as you open your mouth, you say that you want to get married, and you make us empty-handed, how can we do it?"

I said, "Catherine said she didn't want anything, she didn't want anything. ”

My mom said, "So where do you live, on the street?"

I said, "Catherine has an apartment in the school, and I can move to her." ”

My mother said, "It's a public house, can you live for a while, and you can live for a lifetime?"

I was anxious and said, "The houses are hundreds of thousands of dollars now, can you afford them for me?"

The mother was silent, and the father lowered his head.

After a long time, my mother said, "Otherwise, in a few years, when you work and earn money, your father and I won't be able to buy you a house anyway." You have to figure it out for yourself, because we still have 20,000 or 30,000 yuan in debt to be repaid. ”

I was a little annoyed and said, "What do you think I should do if you can't afford to buy me a house and won't let me move to Catherine?"

The mother looked very embarrassed and said, "Our family is a man, and marriage should be our family to buy a house, how can we not pay any money, we don't care about anything, waiting empty-handed to let the family help us do good things, if so, I am afraid that we will not even have the momentum to speak in front of others in the future, and everything depends on the faces of others." ”

I got up, got up, and shouted, "You are so strange, and if you say so, I will not get married." I didn't want to tell my mom anymore, so I pushed the door open and went into my house.

When Catherine saw me rush into the house in a rage, she got up from her chair and asked, "What's wrong?"

I said, "I'm not married." And he began to cry.

Catherine put her arms around me and comforted me as she asked, "Honey, what the hell is wrong?"

I didn't speak, I just cried vigorously.

Then I saw Catherine go out of my room, as if to ask my mother for a question. Soon, I heard Catherine say to my mother, "Did Xu Bin tell you? ”

The mother said, "Yes." ”

Catherine said, "You don't agree, do you?"

Because the door was open, the words in the hall could be heard clearly. Hearing this, I felt that the situation was not good, so I hurried out of the house, fearing that Catherine would have a disagreement with my mother.

At this time, Dad hurriedly waved his hand at Catherine and said, "No, no, we don't have to disagree." ”

My mother's face immediately changed, and she grinned and said, "That's not the case." ”

Catherine's face was still a little gloomy, but her tone was quite gentle, and she said, "Then why is Xu Bin crying?" I know that Catherine loves me very much and can't see me wronged, but I don't want her to fall out with her mother.

My mom said, "He said you were going to get married, and I said we didn't have the money to buy you a house, so he cried." ”

I didn't expect my mother to lie to my face in order to please Catherine, but I can't expose her. Otherwise, Catherine would definitely have an opinion about my mom.

Catherine sat down in the small chair across from my mom and said in a earnest tone, "Mom, we don't need you to buy us a house, and we don't need you to buy us anything. I now live in the school apartment, and I have everything in the house, as long as Xu Bin brings his quilt and pillow. So, we just need your consent. ”

The mother said, "Of course we agree." It's just that my family Bin Bin got married, this is a big deal, we don't have the money to buy a house for you, and I feel so embarrassed and sad. Ever since you came back, his dad and I have been talking about buying a house at night, and we can't sleep at night. As she spoke, my mother covered her face and began to cry.

Catherine hurriedly put her arm around my mother's shoulders and comforted her, "Mom, don't cry, I don't care whether your family has money or a house, I just need Xu Bin." ”

My mother said, "But your house is public, and one day, you're going to move out." ”

Catherine said, "Xu Bin and I are also going to buy a house in the future, but we can still live in the school for the time being." By next year, Xu Bin and I will be able to work after graduation, and then we will buy a house ourselves?"

My mom asked, "Then you're not going back to the United States?"

Catherine said, "Since I am married to Xu Bin, I want to make China my home." Don't worry, I won't take Xu Bin away from you. ”

My mom cried out gratefully, "My child." Then he hugged Catherine tightly. I understood that this was my mother's heart problem. She was worried that our family wouldn't buy the house when we got married, and that if Catherine offered to bring me to America because of that, they would have nothing to say.

Seeing my mother's relieved and tearful face, my father and I felt sincerely gratified.

The mother's feelings calmed down, and she said to Catherine, "Our family is poor, but our family is blessed, and it is our family's luck to find a beautiful and reasonable girl like you." However, when someone else's son gets married, he buys a house and a car, and we don't have to buy anything for you, and we will feel good and shameless for the rest of our lives, so sorry. ”

While wiping tears from my mother's eyes, Catherine said to my mother, "Mom, you don't have to blame yourself or apologize, because you gave Xu Bin to me, which is the greatest favor for me." I will be forever grateful to you. ”

My mom took Catherine's hand and said, "Son, his dad and I don't know how to appreciate you. Then, he said to me, "Binbin, come here." ”

I walked up to my mom.

My mother said to me, "Catherine is the benefactor of our family, and you must treat her well for the rest of your life." ”

I said, "Mom, I know. ”

But my mother said to me in a strict motherly tone, "Say this to Catherine." ”

I seemed a little embarrassed, for it made me swear to Catherine that I felt humiliated by my dignity and dignity. I could swear to Catherine, but it had to be voluntary, not forced. Catherine also felt a little embarrassed and seemed overwhelmed.

But my mom commanded, "Tell me, dumb?"

But I couldn't say this, so I pulled Catherine up from the little chair, and, at once, put her around her, and said, "Baby, I will always love you." ”

Catherine said emotionally, "Honey, I love you forever too." ”

Then, I took her hand and went out the door to the river.