Zhang Zhengbao's home is only one door away from Wang Fangjuan's home. They grew up together, and they were childhood sweethearts. Zhengbao Dafangjuan is two years old and her nickname is "Xiaobao". They played together all day long, wading in the water, throwing mud, and making clay figures. When they were seven or eight years old, they went to the lake together to collect firewood and cut grass. The footprints of this pair of friends were left everywhere by the fields and ditches. Wang Fangjuan attended primary school for four years, then dropped out to do farm work at home. Zhang Zhengbao graduated from junior high school in 1988 and studied carpentry, doing carpentry work for others in Huangling.
It was the autumn of 1990, the time when peanuts were born. Because he was busy with farm work, Zhang Zhengbao took time off to come home to make peanuts. At noon, he came home from the fields and saw Wang Jihong standing in front of the door. Looking at Miss Fangjuan's smiling face, he stopped and asked wordlessly: "Is this a new water supply for you? Are you looking for a drink of water?"
Fangjuan was overjoyed to see Zhengbao looking for water. Since Zhengbao learned to be a carpenter, he leaves early and comes back late every day, so there are not many opportunities to meet and talk. Besides, he is now older and cannot be as close as he was when he was a child...
"Don't be anxious, don't be anxious, I have plenty of herbal tea at home!" As she said this, she hurriedly entered the room and brought out a bowl of tea, and handed the bowl to his hand. Watching Zhengbao drink a bowl of tea upside down in one breath was really more satisfying than drinking it himself.
"Is your family finished with peanuts?" Fangjuan asked him.
"No, it's still early." Zhengbao's parents are in poor health, so he can only rely on his second brother and second sister-in-law for farm work at home.
"Can't you find someone to help you?"
"It's such a busy day and I can't find anyone."
"My family is almost done today. I'll help you tomorrow!" she said with a smile.
Although her words were ordinary, her eyes and tone of voice were clearly full of affection. Zhengbao's heart warmed up, and he couldn't help but blurt out words that he had been shy about saying in the past: "Well, that's good. But you can't do it to me all year round!"
What does "all the year round" mean? There is clearly something behind the words. The girl dared to test further, but cleverly changed the subject: "Brother Zhengbao, I am not in good health. I think you should talk about it personally. From now on, you will do carpentry outside and she will do farm work at home... However, you have to be a capable person and don't find someone who is lazy..."
These words spoke to Zhengbao's heart! One is doing carpentry outside and the other is doing farm work at home. Isn’t this a scene that often appears in dreams? Isn't the "her" in the dream the Wang Fangjuan in front of me? She is tall, good-looking, knowledgeable, sensible and speaks well. Isn't she more capable than anyone else in the nearby villages? She can do all the work in the family fields, including feeding pigs, watering gardens, washing clothes, and cooking. Thinking of this, she couldn't help but burst out a true words from her lips: "Fangjuan, I think you are the most capable person in the front and back! It's better for us to talk!"
She blushed. Zhengbao, Zhengbao, you are worthy of me. I will always think of you!
"If you really like me, I will help you tomorrow!" She whispered, lowered her head and ran into the house.
The next day, Fangjuan actually helped Zheng save the peanuts!
Their love has been cast in a shadow from the beginning.
Young people who are passionately in love wish they could stay together all day long, but Fangjuan and Zhengbao can only secretly express their attachment under the eyes of their mother and brother. Fangjuan called her lover with a song, and Zhengbao could only hurriedly come forward and say a few words when there was no one around. When there was someone around, he could only say hello and look at her. Sometimes at night, Fangjuan went to wash Zhengbao's clothes with her family behind her back, to express the girl's family's feelings.
Although love has never forgotten this corner, in this corner, love is still suppressed, distorted, and suffocated...
Although we have entered the 1990s, the marriages of young people here still follow the ancient saying of "the orders of parents and the words of matchmakers" that have existed for thousands of years. Here, dating between young men and women is regarded as immoral, and "marriage exchange", a disguised form of commercial marriage- asking for a bride price, is regarded as a local custom and is a matter of course.
Miss Fangjuan knew that although she and Zhengbao had a close relationship, the marriage could not be accomplished without the consent of her family.She watched all the marriages of young people from all over the country. Which one was not in the hands of her mother-in-law? After my father passed away, naturally it was my mother who made the decision. I wonder what your mother thinks? There was one thing that brought her a glimmer of hope -
Once, Fangjuan's family's stand truck broke down. Fangjuan asked Zhang Zhengbao to help repair it, and Zhengbao naturally agreed. Now he can also repair a complete set of furniture, and repairing a frame truck is no problem. Besides, he is working for Fangjuan's family, so his men are becoming more and more agile. Mother Fangjuan, who was watching him repair the car, suddenly said something out of nowhere: "Zhengbao, I see you have this skill, so if you propose a marriage, you might even propose someone who doesn't do farm work!"
The speaker has no intention, but the listener has intention. Fangjuan thought about this for a long time. From her voice, it was clear that my mother still thought highly of Zhengbao. The girl silently wished in her heart: I hope my mother likes him. If she does, then there is a 80% chance that she will like him!
One day, when there was no one around, Fangjuan said to Zhengbao: "I know you have me in your heart, and I also have you in my heart. It's okay to avoid people all the time. You won't ask someone to come to my house to propose marriage?"
Zhengbao was naturally filled with joy and said: "As long as you agree, I will ask someone to go there tomorrow!"
Who would have expected that three days later, the bridegroom would come back with a message: The Wang family refused outright, and this marriage can't be done!
Zhengbao felt very anxious when he heard this. Later, it was Wang Fangjuan who told him the whole story: "That day, when the middle-aged man came to marry me, my mother went to my fourth uncle and my brother, and they discussed it for a long time. What my mother meant was that your family was poor, and my fourth uncle wanted to use me as a substitute for my second brother's marriage. In short, after many discussions, they refused."
Zhengbao felt cold in his heart and remained silent for a long time. Seeing Zhengbao's dazed look, Fangjuan felt really sad. He quickly comforted him and said, "Brother Zhengbao, you don't have to worry. No matter what opinions you have at home, as long as you have me in your heart, I will never change your mind!" As he said that, he took out a handkerchief from his arms and handed it to Zhengbao. Fangjuan specially bought this from the market a few days ago. The handkerchief was embroidered with a pair of mandarin ducks playing in the water.
There was no commission for the marriage, but their "secret" was exposed. Wang Fangjuan's mother began to pay attention to her daughter's actions. As long as her daughter is not under her eyes for a moment, she will look for her everywhere in the house and garden.
Since I can no longer hide it, my daughter also started to do mother's work.
"Mom, just promise me!" The daughter begged her mother.
"It's not up to you!" The mother firmly believes that this is the right of parents.
"What's wrong with Zhengbao?"
"His family is poor, so I'll give you a good deal soon."
"I won't follow anyone except Zhengbao!"
"Let's see who can be more stubborn than the other!"
"Zhengbao and Fangjuan are in a relationship!" The news reached Huangling, and Wang Fangjuan's fourth uncle confessed: "This girl wants to die, beat me!" This uncle has been separated from Fangjuan's family for many years, but Fangjuan's father has passed away, and he thinks (and others admit) that he should be the authority on Fangjuan's marriage!
The authority spoke, and Fangjuan suffered. From then on, as long as someone saw Fangjuan and Zhengbao together, even if they were standing on the edge of a field and talking, Fangjuan would be scolded or beaten when she returned home. No one can tell how many punches and belts she received. Neighbors often heard Fangjuan's mother and her brothers scolding each other loudly and loudly, and then there was a "crackling" sound in the house, but they never heard Fangjuan snort. She is so shy! A girl of this age is often beaten, and especially because of this incident, how can she meet people when she comes in and out?
As soon as he heard that Fangjuan was beaten, the honest and honest Zhang Zhengbao became worried and shed tears behind his back. As soon as the two met, Zhengbao would always ask: "Did you get beaten again?" At this time, Fangjuan comforted him: "I'm not afraid! They can hit my flesh, but they can't hit my heart! Even if they beat me to death, I won't change my heart, so don't worry!" From then on, their few and short dates were filled with sighs and tears.
Fangjuan Niang saw that scolding and belting could not change her daughter's mind, so her supervision of her daughter gradually escalated.In order to prevent her from meeting Zhengbao, she followed her to the fields every step of the way during the day, and personally escorted her daughter to sleep at her fourth uncle's house in Huangling at night. How could a girl endure this life of a prisoner through labor?
On the morning of June 27, 1991, the mother scolded her daughter again, and in the evening, she was sent to Huangling as usual. As she walked, Fangjuan looked up and saw Changbao standing on the roadside in front of her, so she walked a few steps behind, leaving her mother behind. When she came to Zhengbao, she whispered: "I really can't stand it anymore. I'm leaving tonight...don't ask me where I am going. If you want to find me, just go to the bus station."
That night, someone from Huangling came to inform Fangjuan that Wang Fangjuan had run away!
Her mother guessed that Zhengbao knew where Wang Fangjuan was going, not to mention that she clearly saw her saying something to Zhengbao in the evening. So, she came to Zhengbao's house and said to Zhengbao: "Go and find Fangjuan. As long as you find her home, we will be your in-laws!"
Zhengbao was confused and worried after Fangjuan left. As soon as he heard what Fangjuan Niang said, he rode his bicycle to the station early the next morning. Wang Fangjuan is waiting for him at the station.
"Go home! Your mother said that as long as you go home, we will be in-laws from now on!" Zhengbao said honestly.
"Do you really believe in my mother? If you coax me home, the insurance will be beaten again! Why don't we two fly away? You have skills, and as long as I can be with you for the rest of my life, I am not afraid of hardships!"
Zhengbao then thought about it and said the same thing. Instead of watching Fangjuan being tortured at home, it is better to take her away from home! After all, young people are simple and naive. As soon as the two of them arrived here, they immediately forgot the pain and troubles of yesterday. Their worries turned into joy, and their tears turned into laughter. They happily bought two tickets and took a car to Linquan .
The next week was the sweetest chapter in their bitter love life. After being forced to run away, they truly enjoyed the freedom of love. Although this happy moment is so short...
Zhengbao still has an aunt in Nanjing. Maybe she can find a temporary job there? They stayed at Zhengbao's uncle's house for two days, borrowed 200 yuan, and then came to Nanjing.
After three days in Nanjing, they visited Yuhuatai, Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum, and Xuanwu Lake. They were like birds out of their cages.
In a store in Xinjiekou , Zhengbao bought a watch for Fangjuan. Fangjuan refused to take it at first. She said, if you go out without money, you will still have a long time to come, so save it! Zhengbao refused and said, I have been in love for more than a year and have never bought you anything. I bought it as a souvenir. The watch is a women's watch, with a golden case and a calendar. It is small and exquisite. Fangjuan was naturally filled with joy and deliberately said to Zhengbao: "It's useless for you to buy it. I, a countryman, probably don't believe it!"
Just as they were having fun and discussing a long-term plan, Zhang Zhengbao's father Zhang Kaifu rushed to Nanjing and said to them: "My children, go back quickly, the family is in trouble!"
After they left, there was an uproar in the village!
"Zhengbao kidnapped Fangjuan and ran away!" This is incredible!
Fangjuan Niang and her son staged a farce involving martial arts in the village. They smashed the Zhang family's pots, pans, door panels, and water tanks to pieces. Zhengbao's parents, second brother and second aunt were so frightened that they hid. Although the eldest brother and aunt had separated and lived in separate families, they were chased and beaten all over the village by the Wang family. In the end, the couple was forced to stand in the pond and did not dare to go ashore! Zhang Kaifu had no choice but to follow his uncle's family from Linquan to Nanjing.
When this happened, the two young men had no choice but to follow their father back.
When they arrived in Linquan, Fangjuan said to Zhengbao and his son, "We can't just go home like this. My uncle, you go back to the village first, and Zhengbao and I go to the town court. I believe the government will support us."
The Wafang Town Court heard from both parents on July 8. From the Wang family came Fangjuan's fourth uncle and third brother, and from the Zhang family came Kai Fu.When the honest and honest Zhang Kaifu returned to the village, he was also beaten, with wounds on his face. When the kind-hearted Fangjuan saw Zhang Kaifu's bruised and swollen face, she was so sad that she shed tears and said to Zhang Kaifu, "My uncle, I'm so sorry for you!"
In order to safeguard her right to have independent marriage, Wang Fangjuan cried to the court and told the court about her experiences of free love and violent family interference. He also clearly expressed his determination that if love cannot be protected by the law, he would rather die! The court made an adjustment: Zhang Zhengbao and Wang Fangjuan’s relationship is legal, and they are allowed to maintain their relationship. After Wang Fangjuan reaches the age of twenty, she can register for marriage. Wang Fangjuan's fourth uncle and third brother also wrote guarantees in court. After returning home, he will not beat, scold or discriminate against Wang Fangjuan, and ensure that she and Zhengbao can fall in love freely.
After Wang Fangjuan returned home, the Wang family broke their promise, forgot their promise, and beat Wang Fangjuan severely. That night, a neighbor heard Fangjuan's cry and wanted to go into the house to persuade her, but was pushed to the ground by another uncle of hers!
The next day, after some planning, the Wang family handled the matter according to "rural customs"! Uncharacteristically, they took the initiative to ask two middlemen to come to Zhang's house to talk about their marriage. He said that July 16th was a good day, so he held a happy event for them on this day. The condition is that within five days, Zhang Zhengbao's family must come up with the following betrothal gifts: a meeting gift of 2,000 yuan, 500 kilograms of pork, ten boxes of wine, 15 sets of clothes, and a motorcycle. If you miss the good days or if one thing is missing, you are no longer your in-laws!
The conditions were very harsh, so the Zhang family had no choice but to agree. On the evening of July 12, the two middlemen sent a meeting gift of 2,000 yuan to the Wang family. When Fangjuan Niang saw the gift, she changed her mind midway and said that the two thousand yuan as a meeting gift was not enough, and she wanted to add another one thousand four hundred yuan for "birthday" money, three hundred kilograms of pork, and six cases of wine.
Such a harsh betrothal gift made it difficult even for the two middlemen who were accustomed to agreeing with each other "according to rural customs". They immediately said to Fangjuan Niang: "You don't mean what you say. We can't agree on this matter!"
On the morning of July 14, while Wang Fangjuan was planting soybeans in the field, the mother and daughter had another quarrel.
First, Fangjuan begged her mother: "Mom, I've been taking each step and you followed every step these days. Why are you forcing me like this?"
"Mom, we'll be relatives in a few days. Why are you forcing the Zhang family like this? If you want this or that, how can the Zhengbao family get it all at once?"
The daughter's affectionate words did not move her mother's hard-hearted heart. I heard Fangjuan Niang yelling loudly: "You shameless thing! The Wang family hasn't disgraced you yet! Why are you forcing him? I have to tell you not to get married! Even if you have his child in your belly, I have to tell you to scrape it off!"
How is this like a mother talking to her daughter? !
Fangjuan could no longer bear the evil words, and the humiliation, sorrow and anger of the past few days came to her heart. She threw the hoe and ran towards Zhengbao's house. Her mother quickly followed behind with Aunt Fangjuan.
At the back door of Zhang’s house, Fangjuan found Zhengbao. After not seeing each other for a few days, Fangjuan seemed to have turned into a different person. Her beautiful hair was cut like a chicken coop and her face was beaten into pieces. When she saw Zhengbao's face, the girl burst into tears. "Brother Zhengbao, please think of a way! In the past few days, I have been watched while working during the day and beaten at night... If I can't get things done, we can't get things done. They also said that they will send me to Huaibei... Brother Zhengbao, you must find a way to marry me on the 16th. I really can't stand it anymore!"
As she said this, she turned around and lifted up her shirt. Her back was covered with raised scars from the belts! This scar pierced Zhengbao's heart like a sharp knife! Fangjuan, how much painful humiliation you have endured!
Zhengbao burst into tears. He said to Fangjuan: "I will definitely find a way! Even if I break the pot and sell the bowl, I will definitely marry you on the sixteenth day!"
Before they could finish their words, Aunt Fangjuan took Fangjuan away again.
Who would have thought that this would be the final farewell of two infatuated lovers!
At noon, not long after Fangjuan returned home, she heard her mother exclaim at home: "Come here, Fangjuan has taken medicine!"
It's too late, it's too late! Wang Fangjuan finally made this heartbreaking choice with the pain of despair.
Wang Fangjuan's face was pale, she smiled sadly at her mother and said, "Mom, you don't have to force me, I have given up everything now... Aren't you going to sue the police? Come on, I will take you to find him..." After that, she rushed out of the door.
Where is she going? Before she died, the girl's wish was to see her sweetheart.
I saw her staggering, with tears streaming down her face, shouting as she walked: "Come on, Xiaobao! I want to say something to you again! Come on, Xiaobao!..."
This heartbreaking shouting alarmed the neighbors, but her brother-in-law was missing. At this moment, the anxious Zhang Zhengbao didn't even bother to eat lunch and was running on the road to borrow money!
Fangjuan's good friend Xiao Gao heard the sound and hurried over, supported her, and asked, "Fangjuan, why are you so stupid? Why are you taking medicine? If you are good at it..." He started crying first.
Xiao Gao helped her walk towards the town, wanting to take her to the hospital. After a while, Xiao Gao asked again: "You are so cruel, how can you let go of Brother Zhengbao?"
Fangjuan said with a wry smile: "I have to let go even if I don't want to, I can't hurt others anymore!"
Wang Fangjuan's body became heavier and heavier, and Xiao Gao could no longer support him. Suddenly Fangjuan stopped and asked Xiao Gao: "Look at my watch, what time is it?"
In panic, Xiao Gao glanced at Fangjuan's wrist and said, "It's six o'clock."
"How can it be six o'clock? It must have been put on upside down. Quick, put it on for me..."
At this moment, the medicine took effect and Fangjuan's eyes were no longer visible.
After a long while, I heard Fangjuan gasping and saying: "I'm leaving. I don't want anything. I want to wear this watch... This watch is Zhengbao's heart!..."
These are the last words that Miss Fangjuan left to people!
Zhang Zhengbao borrowed 1,500 yuan from outside and was walking back when he met a man from the village on the way. The man said: "Go home quickly and take a look. Fangjuan has taken medicine!"
A bolt from the blue! When Zhang Zhengbao heard this, he was heartbroken and collapsed on the roadside. When Zhang Zhengbao's eldest brother heard the news and pulled him back on his bicycle, Wang Fangjuan had been hastily buried.
Miss Fangjuan died so miserably!
When she was buried, her hair was messy, her body was covered with scars, her head was covered with old clothes she wore while working, there were no socks on her feet, and there was only one sandal left. A mat was half placed under her body and half folded over to barely cover her face... Her only wish during her lifetime, the watch she wanted to take away, was not given to her after all!
A good-natured girl left this world filled with grief and indignation!
Zhang Zhengbao woke up from grief! Wang Fangjuan's tragic death angered this kind and loyal young man. He picked up a hoe and rushed to Wang's house. Wang Fangjuan's fourth uncle was beaten to death, and one of Wang Fangjuan's arms was maimed...
On April 18, 1993, the Fuyang Municipal People's Court sentenced Zhang Zhengbao to death with a reprieve.; Fangjuan, who violently interfered with marriage and caused death, was sentenced to five years in prison.
Although Fangjuan Niang never admitted in court that she objected to her daughter's love affair with Zhang Zhengbao, the facts are obvious. Her crime is beyond repudiation! However, this obvious fact raises a question worth pondering for us: Why did Fangjuan Niang oppose her daughter's marriage so fiercely? Doesn't she love her daughter? Does she dislike Zhang Changdai? Is it just because she wants her daughter to marry a wealthy family? In the family, Wang Fangjuan is the eldest daughter. She is hard-working and capable, and usually shares a lot of housework. Her mother loves this daughter and has given her maternal love. The Zhang and Wang families are close neighbors and have never been separated. Fangjuan's mother usually has no ill feelings towards Zhang Zhengbao. She still values Zhang Zhengbao's carpenter skills. Although the Zhang family is not rich, their family background in the village is considered average.
So, what is this all about?
This makes people think that there is a very important and subtle reason, perhaps even Fangjuan herself is not sure about it: opposes this marriage precisely because her daughter's marriage is a free love affair.
This kind of "freedom" of my daughter first ignores and attacks the supreme power of parents on this issue! Secondly, if the daughter does not listen to "the orders of her parents and the words of the matchmaker," she will greatly disgrace herself and the family! So Fangjuan Niang formed such an emotion: You find a partner by yourself. No matter whether the other person is good or bad, first of all, I don't agree with it emotionally, even if I can't explain why intellectually. A vicious emotion forced her biological daughter to die, cutting off family ties, which is enough to make parents all over the world tremble.
In modern society, it seems unthinkable for parents to interfere in marriage, but it is not uncommon in real life. Chinese parents have a strong sense of "responsibility", but they often interfere unreasonably and illegally in their children's marriages, leaving the children helpless. If parents do not agree, some elders will threaten to "break away from the relationship." If young people are determined to completely "betray" their parents and create a new life on their own, it is impossible to get financial, housing, and other support from their parents.
When parents interfere in their children's marriage, they often plausibly believe that it is for the future happiness of their children. However, they seldom consider the emotions of young people, adopt a picky and demanding attitude, and often impose their own ideas and unrealistic views on mate selection on their children. Young people will also be unknowingly influenced by their parents, resulting in passivity and confusion in choosing a mate, which will last a lifetime.
Wise parents should allow their children to interact extensively, fully compare and make choices; parents can be counselors and counselors for their children's love and marriage, but they cannot regard their opinions as "laws". Respect the personality and emotions of children, discuss issues seriously with children, and use various methods to understand the behavior of friends of the opposite sex, but do not exaggerate the weaknesses and shortcomings of the other party; more importantly, the success of love and marriage is a creation of cooperation between men and women, and the parties concerned should have their own opinions. Therefore, as parents, we should let young people pursue what they love independently!
(For understandable reasons, the names in the article are pseudonyms)
