"When I got married, my mother-in-law gave me an old bicycle and washing machine that she had ridden for many years, which in my eyes was more precious than how much bride price I received." On January 14, in Oudlez, the Netherlands, Zhang Hongshu, a 26-year-old northeastern girl, recalled her love story with her husband Xiao Ha. Unlike most traditional Chinese girls, Zhang Hongshu respects Dutch customs and concepts, does not want a caravan when she gets married, confiscates the bride price, and only accepts her old bicycle and washing machine given to her by her mother-in-law as a wedding souvenir. In Zhang Hongshu's view, compared with material, love is the most important.
Born in 1993, Zhang Hongshu lives in Tieling, Liaoning Province, studied at a university in Shanghai, and has been engaged in interior design in Xiamen for a long time after graduation. Born in 1997, Xiao Ha is from Udlez, the Netherlands, and came to Xiamen as an exchange student in 2016 after finishing university in the Netherlands. One evening in the summer of 2016, Zhang Hongshu and Xiao Ha met at a friend party together, and Xiao Ha fell in love with Zhang Hongshu at first sight and was deeply attracted by this beautiful and charming Chinese girl with generous behavior. (Pictured is Zhang Hongshu and Xiao Ha)
However, Zhang Hongshu's first impression of Xiao Ha was not very good. "I'm young, I can't wear it, I can't Chinese well, I can't communicate." Zhang Hongshu said with a smile. Because Xiao Ha has never been in love before, has no experience, in the face of the girl he likes, he does not know how to use clever words, and he is honest and straight, only knowing that he frequently sends messages to ask Zhang Hongshu to eat. However, none of these actions made Zhang Hongshu feel moved. Until there was a typhoon, Zhang Hongshu's apartment was cut off from water and electricity, and Xiao Ha came to accompany her for the first time after learning about it. This made Zhang Hongshu change his attitude towards Xiao Ha.
The feeling of love is always wonderful, that is, at that moment, Zhang Hongshu was moved by this young, shy and blushing Dutch boy, and from then on, Xiao Ha asked Zhang Hongshu to come out to eat, and she did not refuse again. On August 25, 2016, the two established a relationship. For the sake of Zhang Hongshu, Xiao Ha gave up the opportunity to return to China for development and resolutely chose to stay in Xiamen to work. This move made Zhang Hongshu deeply feel Xiao Ha's true feelings and intentions.
In the process of interacting with Zhang Hongshu, Xiao Ha is also slowly becoming mature, he will not only appear in time when his lover needs it most, but also often create some small romances to make his lover happy, and also take his lover to travel around; at the same time, Zhang Hongshu also loves this European guy who is "step-by-step, not smooth at all". In June 2017, Xiao Ha took Zhang Hongshu back to the Netherlands to attend her brother's wedding and took her to meet her family. Xiao Ha's parents and brother-in-law are very satisfied with Zhang Hongshu. Deep in love, Zhang Hongshu germinated the idea of marrying Xiao Ha. (The picture shows Zhang Hongshu and Xiao Ha's family)
Although Zhang Hongshu insists on getting old with Xiao Ha Baitou, his family always feels unreliable, after all, the age difference of 4 years is there, and any parent is not at ease to hand over their daughter to a boy who is not mature and stable. Until the Spring Festival of 2018, Xiao Ha followed Zhang Hongshu back to his hometown in the northeast, mature and stable, sensible and polite Xiao Ha let Zhang Hongshu's parents change their previous cognition of him, Xiao Ha learned to make dumplings very fast, Zhang Hongshu's family liked this handsome and cute Dutch boy.
Dutch men are more traditional, Xiao Ha's father, eldest brother and second brother are married to their first love, and Xiao Ha is no exception. This also made Zhang Hongshu dare to believe that Xiao Ha would be single-mindedly and always good to himself in the future. However, to the point of talking about marriage, due to different local customs, Xiao Ha and Zhang Hongshu encountered a tricky problem - the bride price. Zhang Hongshu's family hopes that Xiao Ha can give a bride price according to Chinese customs; but Xiao Ha believes that this is "unfair to his parents", in his view, love marriage is a matter of two people, and parents should not be allowed to "pay".
Zhang Hongshu understood and respected Xiao Ha's ideas, and she had always acted decisively and decided to marry naked, Xiao Ha did not have to give a bride price, nor did she have to pay a dowry. In Zhang Hongshu's concept, she also believes that love marriage should be a matter for two people, and decisions should be made by themselves. Since Xiao Ha's family had never been to China, Zhang Hongshu decided to invite Xiao Ha's family to come to China for the wedding. In October last year, Zhang Hongshu took Xiao ha's parents and sisters-in-law to visit tourist attractions such as Tiananmen, the Forbidden City, the Summer Palace, and Nanluoguxiang, and also took them to eat roast duck, dumplings, and taught them to use chopsticks... (The picture shows Zhang Hongshu and Xiao Ha and their families)
Whether it is a tourist attraction, or a variety of cuisines, let Xiao Ha's family deeply feel the breadth and depth of Chinese culture, from Beijing to Tieling, the high-speed rail speed of more than 200 kilometers per hour, only 5 hours to reach, which makes the Xiao Ha family who have not seen the "Chinese speed" stunned. (The picture shows Zhang Hongshu taking Xiao Ha and his family to visit Beijing)
On October 25 last year, Zhang Hongshu and Xiao Ha received a marriage license in Tieling. In the Netherlands, it is legal for men and women to live together and not to marry, so many people choose not to marry, however, Xiao Ha chose to marry Zhang Hongshu in order to give Zhang Hongshu a permanent commitment. In Zhang Hongshu's view, this is the embodiment of Xiao Ha's responsibility for himself. (The picture shows Zhang Hongshu and Xiao Ha receiving the license)
On October 26, Zhang Hongshu and Xiao Ha entered the wedding hall under the witness of relatives and friends of both sides. All the expenses of the wedding were the savings saved by Xiao Ha and Zhang Hongshu from working in Xiamen for many years, and they did not reach out to their parents for money to do the wedding. (The picture shows Zhang Hongshu and Xiao Ha getting married)
The day after the wedding, Xiao Ha's family rushed back to the Netherlands to work. Xiao Ha is doing IT industry, because the It industry in the Netherlands is higher than the domestic wages, therefore, Zhang Hongshu suggested that Xiao Ha return to the Netherlands to develop, and he will accompany him to settle in the Netherlands in the future. "House prices in the Netherlands are relatively low, and the loan ratio is very high, almost zero interest, and there is no school district housing there, so many schools can choose." Zhang Hongshu said that in addition, if Xiaoha continues to work in China after they get married, they must also apply for a work visa, so she thinks it is more convenient to return to the Netherlands. (The picture shows Xiao Ha's parents and brothers-in-law performing a show at the wedding)
Today, Xiao Ha has found a job in the IT industry in the Netherlands, with a monthly salary equivalent to 40,000 yuan, and the salary is expected to double in four or five years. Therefore, the life of the little two is not worried. Zhang Hongshu and Xiao Ha live in the house they rented in the Netherlands, and their lives are also very happy. What surprised Zhang Hongshu even more was that her mother-in-law gave her an old bicycle and washing machine as a new wedding gift. "In the Dutch-style bicycle kingdom, my mother-in-law gave me the bicycle she had ridden for many years, which I found very memorable." Zhang Hongshu said. (The picture shows the old bicycle given to Zhang Hongshu by the mother-in-law)
"In general, foreign parents do not send money directly when their children get married, they think that their children have the ability to make money on their own, and it is disrespectful to send money directly to them." Zhang Hongshu said that the gifts given to her by her mother-in-law are all necessities of life, which are not only commemorative, but also very practical. Nowadays, Zhang Hongshu is working hard to learn Dutch, and she wants to go out to find a job after conquering the language barrier and run a happy life in the future with Xiao Ha. (The picture shows the washing machine given to Zhang Hongshu by the mother-in-law)