Chapter 9 - 8: Making Money
Ye Qing’s mom was also the most beautiful girl in the village at that time, with good looks and a good family background. She had an older brother and an older sister, and being the youngest, the whole family doted on her. This made her a simple and enthusiastic person. If someone was nice to her, she would wholeheartedly reciprocate. Because of this temperament, she was terribly deceived by Qiu Hualan.
Wu Guodong began to secretly grow closer to Ye Qing’s mom. In those days, dating was quite reserved. No one dared to openly talk about it, as any slight indiscretion would lead to rumors.
At that time, it was Ye Qing’s grandpa who noticed her mom’s feelings, and swiftly, with resolute action, he found the village matchmaker to arrange for Ye Qing’s mom and dad to meet.
Since Dad also liked Mom, the two got engaged first. Once engaged, even if they weren’t married, it was acceptable for them to see each other normally.
Of course, Wu Guodong knew this behavior was wrong, but he wanted people to know that he was associating with Qiu Hualan.
Over time, the naive Qiu Hualan was won over by Wu Guodong’s series of sweet enticements. As a result, Wu Guodong proposed his desire to return to the city to Qiu Hualan, making her many "empty promises" about how wonderful the city was, stirring Qiu Hualan’s heart into longing.
After Secretary Qiu learned of his daughter’s affection for Wu Guodong, he firmly opposed their relationship. Secretary Qiu had once helped the Red Army fight the Japanese and delivered intelligence. With decades of experience, he could tell at a glance that Wu Guodong was not a reliable person.
When Qiu Hualan and Mr. Qiu brought up the matter of helping Wu Guodong return to the city, Mr. Qiu was furious. Wu Guodong not only seduced his daughter but also used tricks. Mr. Qiu, being an old and stubborn cadre with a straightforward nature, forbade his daughter and used her mom’s example to give Ye Qing’s mom a classic lecture, ultimately forbidding her from further contact with Wu Guodong.
Mr. Qiu meant well for his daughter, but his approach was wrong—too direct, too tyrannical, which was unacceptable to the young Qiu Hualan who was in love, leading to her subsequent suffering.