However, before heading back, he had one more thing to take care of.
Lu Xiao sent a telegram to the political commissar.
He wanted to register the marriage first.
It wasn’t that he didn’t respect Su Wanwan, nor that he disregarded his parents. He simply knew his mother’s temperament too well she would never accept Su Wanwan so easily.
But he couldn’t wait any longer.
What if she was already pregnant?
With two older sisters and a younger sister in his family stirring things up, getting married smoothly would likely not be easy.
Handling one woman at home was already difficult let alone four.
So he decided to strike at the root of the problem.
Act first, report later.
Get the marriage certificate before anything else.
He had already explained the situation to the commissar but he didn’t say that Su Wanwan had entered the wrong room. He took all the responsibility on himself.
He told the commissar that he had drunk too much, walked into the wrong room in the middle of the night, and that the two of them had already become husband and wife in fact.
The commissar hadn’t expected the boy to cause such a huge mess and could only hurry to clean up after him.
He arranged for the necessary certification to be sent to Lu Xiao as quickly as possible, so that the two could register their marriage.
If anything went wrong, the boy’s future would be ruined.
Lu Xiao knew the commissar would help him.
After receiving the reply, he leaned against a wall and lit a cigarette.
A faint smile curled at the corner of his lips.
After a few puffs, he extinguished it.
He couldn’t go back empty-handed. Lu Xiao bought two bottles of Maotai eight yuan each, sixteen yuan total.
He bought two cartons of “Daqianmen” cigarettes 3.9 yuan each, 7.8 yuan total.
He also bought two bottles of “Friendship” Snowflake Cream two mao each, four mao total.
He purchased four kinds of pastries: walnut crisps, glutinous rice sticks, sponge cake, and Sachima.
Walnut crisps were 0.72 yuan per jin; sponge cake and rice sticks were 0.65 yuan per jin; Sachima was the most expensive at 0.80 yuan per jin.
He bought two jin of each.
He also bought two jin of pork.
Passing a candy stall, he bought one jin of hard sugar for 1.2 yuan.
All together, he spent more than thirty yuan.
That was nearly a factory worker’s entire monthly wage.
The Su family members were out working, except for the two “injured” Su Huai’an and Su Wanwan as well as Mother Su and the three children at home.
When Mother Su saw how much Lu Xiao had bought, she was stunned.
“Oh my! Child, what are you doing?”
“Did you move the whole supply and marketing cooperative here?”
She had never seen anyone shop like this.
How much money must that have cost!
“Auntie, I came in a hurry before and didn’t have time to buy anything. This is for you and Uncle.”
“Lu Xiao, you’ve really got some nerve already making yourself at home!”
“Come on, call me Third Brother.”
Su Huai’an hobbled over on his crutch, teasing.
Things were different now. Lu Xiao was his future brother-in-law. So what if his rank was higher? He’d still have to call him Third Brother.
“Hmph. Since we’re family now, I’ll just have to increase your training volume.”
Before Lu Xiao could finish, Su Huai’an had already fled.
What kind of person was that!
“Xiao Lu, don’t listen to him. Call each other whatever you usually do.”
“Auntie, I have something I’d like to discuss with you.”
Lu Xiao decided to speak with Mother Su first.
He told her his plan.
When Mother Su heard that he wanted to register first and hold the wedding banquet later, she immediately agreed.
She had been worried that the old lady and the youngest brother-in-law’s family might cause trouble and affect her daughter’s marriage.
This was even better more security for her daughter.
Once the registration was done, there would be fewer variables.
She wasn’t foolish. She could guess that things must be difficult on Lu Xiao’s side, otherwise he wouldn’t be acting first and reporting later.
At this point, they couldn’t worry about the Lu family’s attitude.
What else could they do but get married?
Marrying Lu Xiao was the best option for her daughter.
“Auntie, these are for you and Uncle. Oh, and there’s also two jin of pork.”
“You child. Fine, I won’t stand on ceremony we’re family now.”
“I’ll keep the cigarettes and liquor for Wanwan’s father. I’ll take the pork to the kitchen and cook something nice for you. As for the rest, take it to Wanwan.”
Mother Su also wanted the two to build their relationship.
Lu Xiao didn’t entirely follow that.
“Auntie, I bought two bottles of Snowflake Cream one is specially for you.”
Mother Su was delighted.
Even her own sons hadn’t thought to buy her skin cream. This son-in-law was so considerate.
“Alright, I’ll keep it. Give the other one to Wanwan.”
“Auntie, I’ll take one jin of each pastry to Wanwan. You and Uncle can keep the rest or distribute it however you like.”
Hearing how thoughtful he was, Mother Su couldn’t help smiling.
“Fine, we’ll do as you say.”
After handing her a handful of candy, Lu Xiao carried the things to Su Wanwan’s room.
Inside, Su Wanwan lay on the kang bed, staring blankly.
So much had happened in just one day. She needed time to process it.
She was still in a daze had she really transmigrated?
And was she really about to get married?
Knock, knock.
“May I come in?”
Lu Xiao stood at the door, quietly waiting for her response.
Su Wanwan came back to her senses.
“Come in.”
He set the items on the small kang table.
“These are for you. Auntie kept her share.”
“This bottle of Snowflake Cream is for you. I noticed yours was almost finished.”
He had sharp eyes he’d seen that the jar on top of her trunk was nearly empty, so he bought two bottles, one for Mother Su and one for her.
Su Wanwan glanced at her nearly empty jar.
He really was… attentive.
Her brow lifted slightly as she accepted it.
“Thank you.”
“Come with me to the county tomorrow.”
“For what?” she asked, confused.
Hadn’t he just gone today?
“To register.”
“What?!”