tkworld Chapter 438 New Regulations on Zero Dowry: Breaking Through the Vanity of Dowries
Chapter 438 New Regulations on Zero Dowry: Breaking Through the Vanity of Dowries
"Quiet! Everyone, be quiet!"
Jiang Chen stood on the steps of a brand-new, large-scale apartment building, holding a megaphone, and clapped twice.
The dense crowd below fell silent instantly.
Thousands of eyes were fixed on him.
Jiang Xiaobei stood in the front row, craning his neck like a giraffe, his palms sweating profusely.
Jiang Haoran, standing next to him, tiptoed forward and almost stepped on the heel of the middle-aged woman in front of him.
Hu Lahua squeezed in the middle of the crowd, still clutching the boning knife she had just taken from the butcher shop, forgetting to put it down.
Jiang Chen glanced around.
He spoke up.
"This large, single-level apartment is not for sale!"
A gasp immediately rose from the crowd below.
"It's meant to be distributed among the people of Jiangjia Village!"
"boom--"
The entire crowd erupted in chaos.
"Points? Points in vain?"
"My God! This house! It's free?"
An old woman put her hands together in prayer and muttered, "The Bodhisattva has appeared."
Jiang Chen waved his hand, suppressing the noise.
There's only one rule!
Everyone perked up their ears.
"Any couple who has worked for a company under my name in Jiangjia Village for a full year and is planning to get married will be granted the right to live in a large, single-level apartment!"
As soon as he said that, Jiang Xiaobei in the front row immediately had tears in his eyes.
He lowered his head, biting his lip hard, his shoulders trembling.
Jiang Haoran nudged him with his elbow: "Don't cry, it's embarrassing!"
After saying that, Jiang Haoran secretly wiped the corner of his eye.
Jiang Chen hadn't finished speaking.
"If you have a baby, the village will provide an additional cash subsidy! One hundred thousand yuan for each baby! The village will cover all expenses, including formula, diapers, and school fees!"
Even Old Jin couldn't sit still anymore.
This old man, who had been frugal his whole life and even used his broken toothbrush as a shoe brush, suddenly jumped out from the crowd, raised his hands above his head, and shouted in his hoarse voice like a mischievous old man in his sixties.
"The God of Wealth has appeared! He's a living God of Wealth!"
The laughter and cheers below blended together.
But Jiang Chen's expression suddenly darkened at this moment.
"There's one more condition!"
The voice rose an octave, piercing through all the noise.
The entire room fell silent once again.
"In our village, young men resolutely refuse to give a single penny as a bride price when they get married!"
Upon hearing this, the expressions of several elderly women in the crowd changed.
Jiang Chen didn't give them time to react and continued to smash down.
"Anyone who uses their village salary to borrow money from those damn loan sharks to cover their debts should pack their bags and get out of here!"
His gaze swept towards Jiang Xiaobei.
"Xiao Bei!"
Jiang Xiaobei suddenly looked up and stood up straight.
"Tell me, with this 180-square-meter apartment and the village's welfare benefits, what are you afraid of with those exorbitant dowries?"
Jiang Xiaobei shook his head vigorously, his voice trembling, "No... I'm not afraid anymore! Brother Chen!"
"That settles it then!"
Jiang Chen waved his hand, "We men of Jiangjia Village stand tall! Anyone who gives up a good life to become a sucker, I'll kick them out first!"
"good!"
The thousands of people below the stage responded in unison, and the sound was so loud that the glass windows of the new building vibrated.
……
The news spread faster than light.
That evening, WeChat groups, matchmaking groups, and mothers' groups in the county town were all buzzing with excitement.
"Have you heard? Jiangjia Village is giving away houses! 180-square-meter fully furnished penthouses! For free!"
"You must be kidding me. What good things can you build in the countryside?"
"Who's lying to you? There's a live stream! Watch it yourself!"
Sister Huang, the future mother-in-law who demanded 880,000 yuan in betrothal gifts from Jiang Xiaobei, was currently curled up on the sofa scrolling through her phone.
When she saw the message her friend forwarded, she pursed her lips and didn't even lift her eyelids.
"Tch. How can a mud house built in the countryside compare to a commercial apartment in the city? Bragging doesn't cost anything."
She rolled over and continued browsing her Pinduoduo account.
However, ten minutes later.
Her daughter Xiaoli's scream came from the bedroom.
"Mom! Come quick! Come watch this live stream!"
Sister Huang reluctantly dragged her slippers over.
Xiao Li shoved her phone right in front of her face.
On the screen, Jiang Sisi, dressed in a trendy outfit and holding a selfie stick, is standing in the living room of a brand-new, spacious apartment, introducing it to the audience in a sweet, coquettish voice.
"Babies! Look at this floor! It's pure natural marble! It's so cool and comfortable to walk on!"
The scene shifts.
"Look at this kitchen! It's fully equipped with imported smart appliances! The refrigerator is a three-door model! The range hood has an automatic cleaning function! Even the countertops are made of quartz stone!"
Turn again.
"Flat-to-ceiling windows! Look at these windows, kids! From here, all you can see are lush green fields and distant green mountains! It's so much better than the gray concrete jungle you see in the city!"
The chat in the live stream went crazy.
"Holy crap! Is this the countryside?"
"This is fucking better than the fully furnished apartment I bought for 20,000 yuan per square meter!"
"Hey streamer! How much is this house? I'll buy it!"
Jiang Sisi tossed her hair and replied in her signature sweet voice, "Not for sale~ These are welfare houses that Brother Chen gave to the villagers, you can't buy them~"
The live chat was instantly flooded with crying emojis.
Looking at the gleaming marble floor, the extra-wide balcony three times the size of her living room, and the rows of brand-new smart home appliances on her phone screen…
Her pupils were dilating.
His mouth opened and closed, closed and opened again.
She gripped the phone case so tightly it made a creaking sound.
"Daughter!"
Sister Huang suddenly turned her head, grabbed Xiao Li's arm, and her voice changed.
"Quick! Call Xiao Bei!"
Xiao Li looked bewildered: "What call?"
"Just tell them we don't want any bride price! Not a single penny!"
Sister Huang was so anxious that she kept slapping her thigh.
"I'll bring a car as part of my dowry! We'll get our marriage certificate tomorrow! As long as your name is on the property deed, that's all that matters!"
Xiao Li was both surprised and delighted, and hurriedly dialed Jiang Xiaobei's number.
The phone rang three times before it was answered.
Jiang Xiaobei's voice came through the receiver.
Calm and steady, without rushing or getting impatient.
He was completely different from the clueless young man who sat in the teahouse with sweaty palms and no idea what to do.
"Auntie, I'm so sorry."
Jiang Xiaobei sat on a bench in the village committee office with his legs crossed, speaking in a polite but stiff tone.
"Brother Chen said that the house is collectively owned by the village and is only for the young couple to live in and use. No outsiders' names can be added."
"If you feel wronged, then let's not go through with the marriage."
On the other end of the phone, Sister Huang gasped in shock.
Immediately afterwards, their attitude made a complete 180-degree turn.
"No, no, no! Xiao Bei! Auntie was just... just joking with you before!"
Sister Huang's voice switched smoothly from harsh to flattering, making Wang Dagou, who was listening in, almost burst out laughing.
"As long as you're a good person, what does a bride price matter? It's just an external thing!"
"Tomorrow! Tomorrow Auntie will bring the household registration book over! I'll personally act as matchmaker for you! Oh, Xiao Bei, Auntie has always thought you were a promising and good child..."
Jiang Xiaobei pressed the speakerphone button.
In the village committee office, Jiang Chen, Wang Dagou, and Zhou Dazhuang looked at each other in bewilderment.
Wang Dagou squatted on the ground, laughing so hard he was pounding the floor: "Hahahaha! Where's your face? Where's your face? Your face changes so fast! Faster than turning the pages of a book!"
Jiang Chen leaned back in his chair and shook his head.
"Hang up."
Jiang Xiaobei said into the phone, "Auntie, I'll think about it," and then hung up.
He looked up at Jiang Chen, his lips trembled slightly, but he couldn't say anything.
But his eyes reddened again.
Jiang Chen walked over and gave him a light slap on the back of the head.
"Why are you crying? It's a joyous occasion."
"Go talk to your partner and set a date."
Jiang Xiaobei nodded vigorously, then turned and ran outside.
She ran to the door, then turned back and bowed deeply to Jiang Chen.
"Brother Chen! In my whole life..."
"Alright, alright!" Jiang Chen waved his hand. "Stop with the formalities, getting the job done is more important than anything else. Get lost!"
Jiang Xiaobei grinned and disappeared in a flash.
Wang Dagou stood up from the ground, dusted off his backside, and moved closer to Jiang Chen.
"Brother Chen, once this news gets out, girls from all around will probably be lining up to come to our village, right?"
Jiang Chen picked up his teacup and took a sip.
"Isn't that perfect?"
"There are too many bachelors in our village, and we're worried about who will marry them."
He put down his teacup and looked out the window at the cluster of brand-new buildings gleaming in the setting sun.
"However, this is only the first step."
"What we really need to crack down on is that bastard Chu Tiankuo's unscrupulous online dating loan business."
Jiang Chen's gaze turned toward the county town.
"Just wait and see, the real show has only just begun."