dognovel Chapter 1442 Fireworks in the Courtyard
Chapter 1442 Fireworks in the Courtyard
Chapter 1442 Fireworks in the Courtyard
"Hey you, have your second uncle and third uncle's families come over?"
Yi Zhonghai arrived relatively late, and seeing Li Xuewu standing at the door, they started chatting.
Li Xuewu noticed how quickly he had aged; he looked at least ten years older than when he moved last year.
“My second uncle didn’t come, but my second aunt did. She’s in the backyard.”
He offered cigarettes to the men standing at the door, explaining, "My third uncle lives too far away, and he's too busy with work."
"That's right, it takes three days by train to get here from Guangzhou."
Yi Zhonghai nodded and said, "You have to understand this; it's not easy for anyone."
“It’s our own family, what can’t we understand?” Li Xuewu smiled and said softly, “My dad discussed it with us, and we never planned to have a big celebration.”
He raised his chin and gestured to the courtyard behind him, saying, "I'm just worried about making Yuxiu feel wronged; she's just a relative and neighbor."
"Then we have to do it. It wouldn't be right if we didn't entertain you since you have something going on at home."
Liu Haizhong strolled in from the alley entrance, overheard their conversation, and chimed in with a comment, indicating his agreement.
"Second Uncle, how did you get here?"
Li Xuewu offered him a cigarette, politely declining, but Liu Haizhong refused.
"My health wasn't good, so Guangfu took me to the hospital for a checkup. The doctor told me to quit smoking."
Liu Haizhong waved his hand and said with a wry smile, "Now we not only have to listen to our son, but we also have to listen to the doctor."
"Hehehe——"
The people standing at the door laughed when they saw him joking.
Li Xuewu put the cigarette away, smiled, and asked him, "What's up? You look great, what brought you to the hospital?"
"Sometimes my heart and lungs can't catch my breath, and I get exhausted after doing just a little work."
Liu Haizhong gestured to the location of his heart and lungs and said, "It's over, I'm old, I'm useless, I'll be scrapped sooner or later."
"You're still quite young; you're far from being scrapped."
Li Xuewu joked, "Add some engine oil, and it can work for another thirty years."
Thirty years? I can't even imagine that.
Liu Haizhong smiled and shook his head, saying, "I'd be content with ten years."
"How many more years until you retire, sir?" Li Xuewu turned to Yi Zhonghai and asked, "You seem to be in good health."
"That won't work either, I need to take my medicine."
Yi Zhonghai's physical condition has deteriorated significantly; he looks extremely weak.
"My health isn't good anymore, it's a problem I developed years ago."
"That's how it was back then. How could we have such a good life now, where workers are the masters of their own destiny?"
Liu Haizhong said with emotion, "How about I say I'll dedicate another ten years?"
He looked at Li Xuewu and said with no small amount of envy, "You guys are lucky to be born in a better time than we were back then."
"It is said that conquering a country is difficult, but maintaining it is even more difficult." Li Xuewu nodded and said, "Each generation has its own mission. Let us not forget our original aspirations and carry on the legacy."
"You're really something; you should always be cultured."
Liu Haizhong nodded in agreement and said, "You'll never get anywhere without education; you won't even see opportunities."
"Even if it's good enough, we should be content as long as each generation is better than the last."
Yi Zhonghai comforted him, saying, "You should cherish your blessings. I'll just keep an eye on Guangfu."
"Well—let's put it this way."
Liu Haizhong said helplessly, "When people ask me if I have three sons, they say I have a large family, but what's the use?"
He pointed at Li Xuewu and said, "If it weren't for you teaching him how to be a person back then, I wouldn't be able to count on any of my sons now."
"Just don't scold me at home, and don't talk about teaching me anything. We're neighbors."
Li Xuewu replied with a smile, "Just like the old man said, cherish your blessings."
"Sigh, why don't you cherish your blessings? You're so old, how can you still be so immature?" Liu Haizhong said with a wry smile, "You should at least save face for the children."
“I think the young men in our compound are pretty good, like your Guangfu, Yan Jiefang, and Yan Jiekuang, they’re all good enough.”
Yi Zhonghai nodded and said, "Where can you find someone who is perfect? A prodigal son who returns is more precious than gold. I hope Guangfu will take care of you from now on."
How is Liu Guangfu doing now?
Li Xuewu continued their conversation by asking, "I haven't seen him for quite a while."
"Isn't she working with Guodong, still in charge of the sewing club?"
Liu Haizhong said with a hint of satisfaction and pride, "The neighborhood doesn't look down on his past; that's giving him face."
"Yan Jiefang is doing well too, he has two cars now, one for himself and one for his brother."
Yi Zhonghai also mentioned, "The two brothers are now working in transportation together, and they're even saying they'll buy another house by the end of the year so they can live separately."
"In the blink of an eye, they used to look like kids, and now they're all grown up."
Looking at the "double happiness" character pasted on the door, Liu Haizhong said, "We're all getting old."
"If I don't age soon, I'll become a demon."
Sha Zhu sauntered out of the doorway, looked at them and teased, "You're about to become a grandfather, aren't you old yet?"
"Is Guangfu's wife pregnant?"
Li Xuewu had just sensed this in his tone; it seemed he was subtly showing off or expressing something.
Liu Haizhong nodded reservedly and said, "They just told me that the two of them are so careless, and I had to give them a piece of my mind."
"Guangfu's wife is downstairs?"
Yi Zhonghai asked a question and agreed, saying, "We need to be more careful."
“That’s right. After I finished speaking, his mother also scolded him, and that’s when the sewing club work was stopped.”
Liu Haizhong sighed, "These young people nowadays, if it weren't for the older generation keeping an eye on them, who knows how many mistakes they would make."
"How is Second Aunt's health?"
Li Xuewu looked at him and asked, "I haven't seen you since you moved."
"It'll have to do—" The smile that had appeared on Liu Haizhong's face because of the upcoming addition to his family disappeared, replaced by a helpless tone as he said, "If I can hold on until I see my grandson, that's good enough. If I don't, there's nothing I can do."
"Is it that serious?"
Li Xuewu asked with concern, "Didn't you go to the hospital to get checked out? It's not far away."
"Why didn't he go? Guangfu keeps a close eye on me when I have a headache or fever, he'd take me to the hospital. How could he not take care of things?"
Liu Haizhong waved his hand helplessly and said, "When the time comes, she knows it herself. Let's just take it one day at a time."
“They can’t even get down from the ground.” Yi Zhonghai explained from the side, “Your aunt went to see them the other day, and she kept talking about the past, saying it was like watching a movie.”
Liu Haizhong didn't want to bring up such unpleasant things on someone's joyous occasion, so he let Yi Zhonghai explain and then stopped talking about it.
To be honest, there was still some awkwardness between Liu Haizhong and Yi Zhonghai.
If he hadn't had malicious intentions back then, Yi Zhonghai's health wouldn't have deteriorated so quickly and so severely.
He and Yi Zhonghai worked in the same unit and saw each other all the time, so it was impossible for him not to feel guilty and remorseful.
Because of these emotions, which he couldn't express, and the magnanimity shown by Yi Zhonghai and his wife, he felt as if a huge stone was lodged in his heart.
His wife suffered a stroke because of his irresponsibility, and he is now filled with regret.
But what's the use of regret? The hardest thing to buy in this world is a pill to undo regrets.
Yi Zhonghai could certainly sense his awkwardness and distance, so although the two lived not far apart, they did not come together.
He heard that his second aunt was dying and asked his wife to visit her, but that didn't mean he had truly forgiven Liu Haizhong.
Not saying something doesn't mean you don't care. No matter how magnanimous a man is, he can't tolerate being wronged. Not mentioning it is already being more than kind and righteous.
"Which relatives came to visit?"
Yi Zhonghai changed the subject, saying, "Is it still just these people from the capital?"
“My mother-in-law is back; she arrived the day before yesterday,” Li Xuewu replied. “And then there are my sister-in-law’s relatives.”
"Hey you, didn't anyone from Yuxiu's family come?" Yi Zhonghai asked. "They said they were working in a place quite far away."
"Yes, Yuxiu's mother is back and met with my parents."
Li Xuewu explained, "They'll be here to see the bride off in a little while."
"Director Wang from the neighborhood committee is here, and Teacher Han from the Iron and Steel Institute is also here."
Sha Zhu reminded him, "I just saw them all in the backyard, in your room."
"Yes, that's all the relatives I have."
Li Xuewu glanced at the street entrance; by now, everyone who was supposed to be there should have arrived. He then called out to them, "Let's go to the back room. Don't just stand here. You've come all this way and haven't even had a sip of tea yet."
"Hey, back in the same place."
Liu Haizhong said with a smile, "If it weren't for what happened today, we wouldn't have had any reason to come back. It's really something to look at."
"See, I told you so!"
Sha Zhu crossed his arms and teased, "I told you you'd regret it sooner or later when you moved, and now you've really done as I said."
"Stop bothering me, go do your work, aren't you going to cook the dishes in the kitchen?"
Liu Haizhong laughed and playfully punched him before following the others into the courtyard.
A wedding tent has been set up in the front yard, something that would have been unthinkable before, as the neighbors on both sides would never have allowed it.
Now only the Li family is left in the front yard, so they can do whatever they want with it.
Hou Qinghua, one of the three older women who came to sit down with her child, secretly clicked her tongue in disbelief. If her family still lived here, how could the Li family occupy her place and live so lavishly?
They were all old neighbors, and when Li Shun was drafting the list of people to be sent messages, he decided on Yan Jiefang, who was the current head of the Yan family, so naturally he had to send a message.
Yan Jiefang now also works at a recycling station and has a good relationship with Shen Guodong.
Even if you want to, you can't have a bad relationship. These days, if two brothers own two cars, they'll be bullied to death if they don't have some powerful connections.
He was a cripple, and when he was in dire straits, everyone sympathized with him. But when he started making money, some desperate people would come to him asking for money.
I won't go into the specifics, but it's basically extortion; if you don't pay, they'll smash your car.
His wife works in the security department of Hongxing Steel Group, and that's still not acceptable.
Shen Guodong still had influence in the neighborhood; his words carried weight in several surrounding streets, including Beixinqiao.
With Ji Yuxiu and Director Wang taking care of him, and given his wide-ranging influence, who would be foolish enough to refuse him?
Anyone with a bit of sense, or a seasoned veteran, knows who's backing him. Li Xuewu isn't going back to the neighborhood anymore, but everyone knows he's got it all figured out now.
Nonsense, Hongxing Steel Group is a top enterprise in the entire Dongcheng District, and its leaders are respectable figures in the district.
These old geeks still regarded him as a senior figure in the underworld, and they would often brag about him while drinking in private to boost their morale. They would never dare to ruin his reputation.
Therefore, neither Shen Guodong nor the recycling station could move freely in Dongcheng.
If anyone causes trouble, Shen Guodong doesn't even need to lift a finger; his cronies will have already dealt with those who have no sense of propriety.
I don't know who spread the rumor, but it's said that no tough guys are allowed in Jiaodaokou, and fighting is even more forbidden on this street.
Don't ask why, the answer is that this place is so sunny that it can't stand any darkness.
***
When is the firstborn's due date?
Ding Fengxia, holding Zhao Yafang's hand, asked, "The child looks quite big; you must be extra careful when he walks, sits, or lies down."
"Auntie, it's October, there's still a month left."
Zhao Yafang is the eldest son and daughter-in-law of the Li family. She should help her mother-in-law with the arrangements for weddings and funerals, but because she is pregnant, her family won't let her help even if she wants to.
Fearing that there would be too many people and too much noise in the front yard, Liu Yin sent her to the back yard early in the morning to chat with her relatives.
Ding Fengxia, who came specifically to attend the wedding, arrived in Beijing the day before yesterday and is staying at her daughter's house. She also came here early this morning with Gu Ning.
There were no other relatives in the house, close or distant, except for Wang Lu's mother, Han Yating's mother, and Han Shu, who came with Gu Ning.
Han Shu only went to Gu Ning after hearing that Ding Fengxia had returned.
The relationship with the Li family still extends to Dong Wenxue and Li Xuewu, as well as to her and Gu Ning; she cannot pretend not to see it.
Those sitting in this room are mostly people of some status, waiting for their maternal relatives to arrive so they can rest here and wait for the banquet to begin.
Li Xuewu's second aunt, Han Xiumei, was not in the backyard. As a daughter-in-law of the Li family, she was helping her sister-in-law maintain order in front of the house since it was her eldest brother's child's wedding and her nephew's wife was pregnant.
Liu Yin invited her to the backyard several times, but she refused. Putting aside the past frictions and estrangement between the sisters-in-law, she still cherished the fact that her elder brother and sister-in-law didn't blame Li Juan for being so immature, and even went to Jicheng to visit them.
Besides, the old lady is still sitting on the kang (a heated brick bed) in the front yard. When guests come to the house, they always have to greet the old lady a few times.
Li Xuewu was worried that the old lady would get tired, so he tried several times to persuade her to go to the backyard to rest, but the old lady insisted that she should not be impolite.
Whenever guests came over, I would always chat with my great-grandmother for a few minutes.
The house was bustling with activity, and so was the courtyard. Only the older folks were allowed to chat inside, while the younger ones could only idly chat in the wedding shed.
Young people from the neighborhood gathered to play cards, their noisy laughter making the atmosphere even more lively.
The children were especially happy, finally having a reason to get together again.
Without Banggeng's presence, these kids, no matter how much they make a fuss, won't come up with anything fancy; it's just chasing and playing around.
Yan Fang, Li Tang, He Zhuang, Li Shu, Li Ning, Zhang Xinmin, and Wen Yuan, who used to play together in the courtyard, and Ji Bufan, who came with his mother to join in the fun today.
The oldest person here is Zhang Xinmin, and above him are Qin Huairu's two daughters.
Huaihua is already in elementary school, sitting steadily to one side with her older sister Xiaodang, already looking like a young lady.
What caught the eye were the two girls sitting with them. They looked to be fourteen or fifteen years old, clearly sisters, and both were pretty and charming, definitely beauties in the making.
"Whose daughter is that?"
Wang Lu, holding her sister-in-law's hand, stood to the side with He Yushui, watching the commotion and chatting. Her gaze swept over the two sisters, and she asked Yushui, "Are you from your courtyard?"
"They're from Sister Qin's family." He Yushui had met these two girls before, at Qin Huairu's second wedding banquet.
That wasn't a very formal gathering; it was just neighbors having a few drinks together.
This was insisted upon by Liu Guoyou, who said it was the proper way to do things and he was afraid of wronging Qin Huairu.
What is there for Qin Huairu to complain about? She's a second-time bride with three children, and he has two. They're living together, so who can say anything?
"They are her husband's two daughters, and even better, they are about the same age."
He Yushui and Wang Lu both work at Hongxing Steel Group; they are colleagues and have known each other for a long time.
Besides, even if there are many people in the group's headquarters, they would have known each other long ago with Li Xuewu there; Wang Lu had been his secretary before.
"They're so beautiful. Sister Qin is so lucky to have two daughters for free."
Wang Lu smiled and praised her, which made Yu Shui laugh along with her.
She laughed because Wang Lu was funny. She didn't know if Qin Huairu was lucky to have these two daughters, but she knew that Bang Geng's commotion was because of them.
They are half-siblings, with five brothers and sisters living together.
This situation is actually quite common. Blended families almost always have children, especially these days when there are many children.
What happened in the courtyard? How did Liu Guoyou's two children come about?
If it were up to Madam Jia Zhang, she certainly wouldn't have brought them out; she hadn't even given her two granddaughters a second glance.
In her eyes, Qin Huairu was heartless and cruel, sending her precious grandson to suffer in Northeast China just to appease Liu Guoyou.
No matter how Qin Huairu explained, she was convinced that the harsh and cold Northeast was a place where Banggeng could enjoy a life of luxury.
What nonsense about eating at restaurants every day and living in a villa? Are you kidding me?
Bang Geng never received this kind of treatment when Qin Huairu was with Li Xuewu. Now that the two no longer have this relationship, why should Li Xuewu take such good care of Bang Geng?
Madam Jia understood perfectly. If what Qin Huairu said was true, then Li Xuewu wasn't just taking care of Banggeng, he was raising a son. She would really start to doubt whether Banggeng was her own grandson.
But she doubted no one but Li Xuewu, because Li Xuewu was only ten years old when Qin Huairu got married.
Therefore, Jia Zhangshi did not believe what Qin Huairu said when she returned from Gangcheng.
The more she chanted the idiom, the more cold and indifferent she became to her two daughters.
Qin Huairu tried to persuade him several times, and Liu Guoyou also made efforts, but to no avail.
Liu Guoyou's two daughters were also proud and arrogant, so naturally they wouldn't get close to her. When the girls got together to whisper, they treated them like outsiders.
The fact that the two sisters came to the compound today was also Liu Guoyou's idea, and Qin Huairu couldn't disagree after hearing his reasons.
Qin Huairu knew that Liu Guoyou had other plans, but she couldn't just say it out loud, or they would argue and fight.
Liu Guoyou was talking about his two daughters, who were fourteen or fifteen years old and were about to become young women. They didn't seem to have much hope in their studies, so he had to start arranging marriages for them as soon as possible.
All eligible young men in the capital were required to go to the countryside to work, and he couldn't bear to let his beautiful daughter suffer in the countryside.
He doesn't mind the hardship, but he's afraid that his two daughters might get hurt because they're young and don't know any better.
Think about it, what's the situation like in the countryside these days? What's the situation like when young men and women get together? How can he feel at ease?
He's also working and making preparations. Once his two daughters reach marriageable age, he'll arrange jobs for them, even temporary ones. At the same time, he'll find them husbands. Once both are settled, he won't need to go to the countryside.
These days, girls and boys are the same. If you don't take them out to see the world when they're fourteen or fifteen, when they're eighteen or nineteen, people won't even know you have such grown-up daughters or sons. Who would think to introduce them to potential partners?
The reason for introducing the two daughters to the people in the compound is to make it easier for them to find husbands in the future. Since the two daughters are good-looking, some people will take the initiative to look at them, and the neighbors know them well.
Liu Guoyou's ulterior motives lay with Li Xuewu of the Li family; if he wanted to curry favor with this powerful figure, he needed to cultivate a closer personal relationship with him.
Don't get the wrong idea. He's not the villain who gave away his daughter. He was just thinking that since it's a happy occasion for the Li family today, people from Li Xuewu's circle would be coming, and there might be someone of similar age among them.
Once you become in-laws with your children, it's perfectly legitimate for you to support each other in the future.
He had already inquired with Qin Huairu and learned that the Li family had two in-laws who were quite extraordinary.
Even if the eldest daughter-in-law's family is from the countryside, she is successful. Will the parents in the village suffer any more grievances in the future?
Then look at the in-laws of the second and third sons; their backgrounds are quite frightening.
Qin Huairu knew his little scheme, but she was unwilling to expose it, partly because she was afraid of affecting their relationship, and partly because she didn't want to get involved in her two daughters' marriages.
No matter what a stepmother does, she can always find a reason to be wrong, and whether things go well or badly in the future, it can all be blamed on her.
So she said nothing and let Liu Guoyou do whatever he wanted.
She didn't stop Liu Guoyou from trying to climb the social ladder; in fact, she wanted to watch the spectacle.
The prettier the two daughters were, the more they wanted to outshine Xiaodang and Huaihua.
With four daughters in one family, what will they compare themselves to if not their husbands and in-laws?
Qin Huairu didn't intend to ruin the future of Liu Guoyou's two daughters, nor did she want to wrong her own two children, so she just watched.
Who are the people in Li Xuewu's circle, whether at the corporate or local level? Who would even look up to their family?
As for the recycling station, would Liu Guoyou be willing to give it up?
Even if Liu Guoyou were willing to do it, there are no good people in this circle. These two girls would be devoured alive by them.
These days, the prettier you are, the more dangerous you are. Even respectable families choose daughters-in-law who are blessed with good fortune, not some vixen who would cause trouble.
Unfortunately, Liu Guoyou's two daughters have such alluring eyes and pretty faces that men find attractive, but women find repulsive.
She's only fourteen or fifteen years old and already so cunning; who knows what she'll do when she grows up?
When the people in the courtyard reunited, they naturally started chatting. Besides talking about the Li family's prosperity, the Qin Huairu family also contributed some topics of conversation.
"Hey! The bride's here!"
Someone shouted at the gate, and everyone in the yard was drawn to it. Women and children who were curious about the spectacle rushed towards the gate.
Although radios exist these days, and some families even have televisions, the lack of entertainment has not been completely resolved.
To put it simply, if anything happens at anyone's house, a whole group of people will stand at the door and windows, craning their necks to look into your house.
Awkward? Don't be ridiculous, it's you who's embarrassed if they don't feel awkward.
In rural areas, it's even more so than in cities; whenever relatives come to visit, there will inevitably be people coming to watch the spectacle.
In the city, the most popular part of a wedding is seeing the bride. Whether she's beautiful or ugly, tall or short, fat or thin, everyone will comment on her.
Haven't they met Ji Yuxiu?
Of course I've seen her, but it's precisely because I've seen her that I want to see what she looked like at her wedding.
Although Ji Yuxiu doesn't usually appear serious, her long experience working at the branch office has changed her demeanor.
So whether or not they had seen her before, it didn't stop everyone from being curious about the bride.
"They're firing fireworks! Get out of the way!"
Sha Zhu, being irresponsible, abandoned his chores in the kitchen and went to set off firecrackers with Shen Guodong and the others.
He was confident, not only because MCA was involved, but also because he had asked other friends for help.
There were fifteen or sixteen tables in total. The Li family had set a reasonable price, with six dishes and a soup.
It couldn't compare to when I married Li Xuewu, neither in terms of the variety nor the quality of the dishes.
However, Li Xuecai could understand that the timing of his marriage to Ji Yuxiu was not quite right.
If it had been earlier, his family would never have wronged him.
They may look normal from the outside, but who knows how many people are watching them?
Li Xuecai is no longer a child; he understands things very well once he speaks.
Besides, his wedding wasn't as grand as his second brother's, but it was more than enough for everyone else.
What kind of family is this? They have to serve six dishes and a soup for their wedding. That's too extravagant.
Four solid dishes and two vegetarian dishes—you wouldn't dare treat someone like this without some serious wealth.
The key is receiving lots of great gifts.
Today, the guests I'm entertaining are mostly neighbors, so giving three or five cents is considered a lot; one meal is enough to cover the cost.
Li Shun didn't intend to recoup his investment through gifts; he simply wanted to provide his son and daughter-in-law with a legitimate wedding certificate.
So instead of eight or four dishes, I chose six affordable dishes.
The four meat dishes—chicken, fish, pork, and mutton—made today's feast shine.
It's not that there were lights hidden in the dishes, but rather that so many eyes were drawn to the food by the aroma that it seemed to glow.
"Pick him up! Pick him up!"
Sha Zhu and Liu Guangfu joined in the fun, standing outside the crowd and calling out to Li Xuecai, who had just opened the car door, to carry his wife out.
The Li family wanted to keep a low profile, but they still used the club's Volga M24 sedans for the wedding procession, using only two of them.
Ji Yuxiu's family was small; only her mother and sister-in-law came to see her off.
Anyone who didn't know better would think there were no men in their family, since they didn't even come to their child's wedding.
There was no other way; if they were all in the mainland, the Ji family would have come to send their daughter off to get married no matter what.
However, they had no choice; Ji Ruixuan and Fu Caining were both pillars of their respective units, and if they needed to ask for leave, only one of them could come back.
Ji Ruixuan really wanted to send his daughter off to get married, but he wanted to give the opportunity to his lover.
He could understand the hardship of his daughter getting married, and he believed that his lover was suffering even more than he was.
Ji Weidong had originally planned to come back for the wedding and had even prepared a gift.
However, due to the incident in Hong Kong at the end of August, he was worried that the situation would become unstable and that port and trade work would be affected, so he could only regretfully not make the trip.
“You have to carry him down. If you can’t carry him, you can carry him on your back.” Li Xuewu smiled and said when he saw his younger brother looking at him, “Go ahead and carry him.”
"Pigsy is carrying his wife on his back!"
Before Li Xuecai could even make a move, Liu Guangfu and the others started to jeer.
The onlookers burst into laughter, but jokes made at this time shouldn't be taken to heart.
Just because of the line about Pigsy carrying his wife, Li Xuecai gritted his teeth and decided he had to carry his wife into the hospital no matter what.
Fu Caining and Han Yating got out of the car behind them and laughed along as they watched the fun going on in front of them. This was the lively atmosphere of a wedding.
When her in-laws arrived, Li Shun and Liu Yin, who had been prepared, went to greet them.
In fact, Fu Caining visited her in-laws' home as soon as she returned.
When Ji Weidong got married, it was the Li family who helped arrange everything.
Later, when their daughter-in-law Han Yating gave birth, the Li family continued to help take care of her.
This bond between the two families has been established, leading to their current relationship.
"Look at them, they really are in-laws, they have so much to talk about."
Sha Zhu made a joke and gestured for everyone to make way for the newcomers to enter the courtyard first.
Seeing him making a fuss, Li Shun and Liu Yin smiled and explained to Fu Caining before stepping aside.
Li Xuecai took a deep breath, reached into the carriage, picked up Ji Yuxiu, straightened up after getting out of the carriage, and bounced a little, which almost made Ji Yuxiu cry out in surprise.
However, he still got punched by Ji Yuxiu, and their exchange drew laughter from the crowd.
They left first, followed by the bride's relatives, and then the Li family followed.
The children didn't mind the crowding; they wandered around in front of the adults' legs, squeezing through any gaps they could find, trying to catch a glimpse of what the bride looked like.
That's why they're called kids; they avoid the bride when she's in uniform, but when she's in red, she's not her anymore.
However, Ji Yuxiu looked really beautiful today. With her second sister-in-law's wedding as a precedent, she had a reference when choosing her auspicious attire.
As always, it was tailor Li who stepped in, and a red dress made Ji Yuxiu the star of the day, attracting everyone's attention.
Her shy face was as beautiful as her wedding dress, which made Li Xuecai's face turn red as well.
"Xuecai, are you tired? Do you need any help?"
"Hahaha--"
Today, jokes went unpunished, and the young people were taking full advantage of the situation.
When Ji Yuxiu was the director of this area, she dealt with them quite a bit.
Now it's all settled, revenge is here!
"Can you still hold on?"
Liu Guangfu, Yan Jiefang, and others joined in the fun, shouting, "If you can't hold on, speak up! We'll help!"
Li Xuecai was focusing all his energy on Ji Yuxiu, so he had no chance to respond to their provocations.
Ji Yuxiu gave them a look that was both amusing and exasperating, which made the young men chuckle and run away.
Fu Caining was escorted home by Li Shun and Liu Yin, while Han Yating, along with Gu Ning who had been prepared in advance, accompanied Han Shu and his second aunt Han Xiumei to hang up the curtains and fold the quilts.
This is almost an essential procedure for weddings in northern China: a curtain pole, about the thickness of an adult's wrist, entirely red, is hung above the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed) and suspended by ropes.
The person invited by both parties to come up to the kang (heated brick bed) and hang up the curtains that had been prepared in advance.
During this time, the person in charge of the blessing will say a set of blessings, and the relatives will sprinkle peanuts and candies into the curtain, wishing the person to have a son soon and live a sweet and happy life.
The bride's quilt, like the curtains, was part of her dowry from her family. The family member who brought the wedding gifts unpacked the luggage and neatly folded it again.
Peanuts and beans are still scattered during the folding of the quilt, symbolizing many children, many blessings, and a long life.
Who is the person with all blessings?
Han Shu and his second aunt Han Xiumei were not blessed with good fortune, so they could only teach them how to do it.
Han Shu's parents are still alive, but her parents-in-law have passed away long ago.
Han Xiumei's parents are both still alive, but her father-in-law has passed away.
Strictly speaking, Han Yating is not a completely blessed person. Her parents and in-laws are still alive, but she does not have both a son and a daughter.
Where is Gu Ning?
It depends on how you look at it. Her parents and in-laws are still alive, and she has both a son and a daughter. It's just that her eldest daughter, Li Shu, wasn't born to her, so you can't say she's perfect.
It's too difficult to find a person with perfect fortune among relatives, and it's not suitable to find someone from the neighborhood, so I'll just make do with this.
However, one is the eldest sister-in-law from her maternal family, and the other is the second sister-in-law from her husband's family, which sounds nice.
Gu Ning and Han Yating had never done this before; their second aunt and Han Shu had taught them everything.
Those who enjoy the spectacle are never afraid of the excitement; the room is now packed with women and children.
Women watched the excitement, and children scrambled for peanuts and candies, which was considered auspicious.
Li Xuecai and Ji Yuxiu stood to one side until the quilt, filled with auspicious items such as longan, lotus seeds, peanuts, and coins, was folded up again, and only then did they consider the preparations for their wedding night complete.
According to old custom, Ji Yuxiu had to sit on the bed until she rested at night, and she still had to hold a white radish in her arms.
But these days, we're not allowed to follow old customs. No one says anything about folding the quilt, but if Ji Yuxiu were to get on the kang right now, people would really laugh at her.
Just as the quilt work was finished, Dai Dong called out from outside the door to start the feast.
Then, a young voice shouted "Get ready!" The atmosphere in the wedding tent immediately became lively, as everyone was looking forward to the six-dish feast.
Yu Li and Qin Huairu came out after watching the commotion. When they saw the three women carrying children squeezing into the wedding tent, they frowned and wanted to leave.
Qin Huairu stopped her and called Qin Jingru to come into the wedding tent together.
"We're about to eat, why are you leaving? It's not like we haven't seen her before. Just ignore her."
Upon hearing her sister's words, Qin Jingru glanced in the direction of the Third Aunt before pursing her lips.
"Come, let's sit together."
Qin Huairu found a table, called Yu Li and Qin Jingru, and waved to He Yushui when she saw her appear at the door.
"I was saying I'd go watch the fun."
He Yushui walked over with a smile and said, "The newlyweds are paying respects to their parents, isn't it a bit early to start the banquet here?"
"It was intentional, wasn't it?" Qin Huairu glanced in the direction of the Li family and said softly, "They have four generations living under one roof, so maybe they have some traditional customs and don't want people to see them."
"Another possibility is related to our in-laws." She raised her chin and said, "They're of very high status, aren't they, Rainwater?"
"I don't know the specifics, they just live in our area, but we rarely see them."
Of course Yu Shui knew who Fu Cai Ning was. She was the general manager of the International Hotel. How could she not know who the distinguished guest staying at the hotel was?
Besides, even if she didn't have the group's connections, she should at least know who Han Yating's mother-in-law is, right?
However, Qin Huairu said that she could not continue talking about this, and she was reminded not to say this.
Qin Huairu understood perfectly and didn't continue the conversation on that topic.
A short while later, Diliya and Ge Shuqin came in and joined the group at the table.
They're all young wives, so they always have things to talk about when they get together.
The fact that these women were together sparked more conversations than the wedding itself.
The neighbors, no longer crowding around the Li family's house to watch the six dishes, all came to reserve their spots.
Dai Dong had already called for the dishes to be served, and cold dishes and large bowls of meat dishes had already been placed on the table.
The guests gradually took their seats, and the wedding ceremony and tea ceremony at the Li family's side were over. The parents of both sides led the newlyweds into the wedding tent to thank the guests.
Li Xuewu took some time to find Gu Ning and asked her to have the children eat first, so that the feast could begin in this round without having to wait until the end.
What about you? Aren't you going to eat with us?
Gu Ning was still thinking about him, and asked with some surprise, "Aren't you hungry?"
"I'll eat later, I'll go and offer toasts to the students first."
This task should have been done by Li Xuewen, the eldest son and grandson, who was supposed to lead his younger brother in toasting and greeting the elders.
But who could blame him when the Li family produced a master of wine, who could drink a thousand cups without getting drunk? It was his duty to take on the task of toasting Li Xuecai.
With his second brother, who serves as the group's secretary-general, leading the toast, it was clear that the Li family had produced many talented individuals, and it also helped to save face for Li Xuecai.
He led his younger brother and sister-in-law to offer toasts, and who dared to mess around and force Li Xuecai to drink?
The ceremony began with the first table of relatives from the bride's family, namely Fu Caining.
Actually, there weren't many guests from the bride's family, and there were very few close relatives from the groom's family either. Everyone gathered around one table, and the conversation was very friendly.
Li Xuecai was quite obedient. It was unclear whether he had prepared this in advance, but when his second brother gestured for him to toast his mother-in-law, he immediately changed his address to "Mom".
Fu Caining is satisfied with her son-in-law Li Xuecai. In this era, there are too many complexities and contradictions, and it is really not easy for her daughter to find a satisfactory and trustworthy husband.
My daughter has been raised by other people for almost four years. If there were any problems, they would have appeared long ago. What is there for her, as the mother-in-law, to complain about? She is a hundred times satisfied, a thousand times satisfied.
Seeing the tears welling up in Ji Yuxiu's eyes, Li Xuewu suggested that she offer a toast to her mother separately.
This suggestion finally brought tears to Ji Yuxiu's eyes.
"It's a joyous day, have a good time."
Fu Caining has seen a lot in life, but the more she has seen and experienced, the more she hopes her daughter can live an ordinary life.
After all, she is a daughter. She doesn't need to bear the hopes and hardships of the family. As long as she is healthy and has a happy life, that's enough.
So when Fu Caining saw her daughter acting like a little girl, she smiled and wiped away her tears.
To be honest, the daughter already belongs to someone else; she just traveled a long way back to attend the ceremony.
She had already told her daughter everything she could; the rest was just instructions between in-laws.
Li Xuewu called Li Xuecai and Ji Yuxiu to toast everyone at the table before moving on to the next table.
Wherever he went, he was greeted with congratulations, but the toasts he received were always polite and reserved.
When he got to Sha Zhu's table, the old man was already waiting for him.
"Hey, are you getting married or are you getting married after you finish your studies?"
Sha Zhu chuckled and pushed him, then pulled Li Xuecai's shoulder and said, "Brother Xuecai, you've accomplished both starting a family and building a career. Congratulations! Cheers!"
If there were more than a dozen tables, and everyone drank like Sha Zhu, they would be drinking about two jin (1 kg) each.
Li Xuecai was very accommodating, downing his drink in one gulp, while the young people at the table applauded and cheered.
"Fill it up, fill it up—"
Sha Zhu, holding the wine bottle, grinned as he was about to pour wine for Li Xuecai.
"With an excited heart and trembling hands, I can't leave without drinking three cups."
Seeing Li Xuecai about to leave, he smiled and grabbed him, urging him to drink: "One cup to celebrate the wedding, two cups to bring a son, three or four cups to bring a bunch of babies, five or six cups..."
"Come on, nephew, let me toast you. Let's drink until we're drunk!"
Seeing that he was about to act silly, Li Xuewu knew that he was trying to liven up the wedding atmosphere, so he went along with his joke and put his arm around He Zhuang at the next table.
“When your dad was your age, he could already drink two and a half jin (1.5 kg) of liquor.”
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P.S.: I'm home now. I'll start writing 20,000 words tomorrow to make up for the missed chapters.
How many chapters do I owe?
(End of this chapter)