Xu Qingzhou lowered his posture, both supporting Fang Yao and skillfully saving face for everyone, earning the goodwill of the villagers.
By around nine in the morning, most of the guests who had come to offer congratulations had arrived. After a simple ceremony, the banquet officially began.
Due to insufficient seating, the feast had to be served in two rounds. In front of the makeshift stove, the chef’s ladle flew through the air, while young laborers carried trays, weaving between tables to serve the dishes.
Xu Qingzhou and Fang Yao were also kept busy, following Fang Jianguo and Liu Bailan from table to table to toast the guests. Fang Zhen and Fang Tong followed behind with wine bottles, though they were actually filled with sugar water—just a formality to get through the proceedings.
The banquet lasted from day until dusk. Because the Fang family’s relatives had kept the secret well, the matter of the exchange marriage was never mentioned. Naturally, everyone believed that Xu Qingzhou was the one Fang Yao had originally been arranged to marry, and they offered their sincere blessings and approval.
In the evening, after the courtyard had been tidied up, Fang Yao prepared to return to her husband’s family with Xu Qingzhou.
Before leaving, Liu Bailan called the two into the house. Fang Jianguo tallied up the gift money received that day and, after deducting the costs, divided the remaining 190 yuan into two parts, wrapping them in red envelopes and handing them to Xu Qingzhou.
Then, with heartfelt sincerity, he took Xu Qingzhou’s hand and said, “Your father wasn’t capable, and after all these years, he hasn’t left much of a family fortune. But she’s my only daughter, and our whole family has cherished her like the apple of our eye since she was little. In the future, as you two live your lives together, if she ever does anything wrong, come back and tell me. I’ll stand up for you. Just please, don’t lay a hand on her.”
It’s often said that a father’s love is as solid as a mountain. In Fang Yao’s memory, in her previous life, her father—a man of few words—had also taken Xu Manjiang’s hand like this, stuffing the red envelope into his palm while offering earnest advice, which also served as a warning.
How had Xu Manjiang reacted at the time?
He had smiled broadly, tucked the red envelope into his pocket, and made all sorts of extravagant promises, yet not a single one of them was a proper guarantee for her.
Now, Xu Qingzhou lowered his head, looking at the hands covered in calluses that held his own, and fell silent.
When he finally spoke, his voice carried a nasal tone as he uttered a simple “Mm.”
Fang Yao gazed at his tall, broad back. For a moment, she seemed to empathize with him—he must have been thinking of his own father, who had passed away too early, and the regret of not being able to witness his son’s wedding.
“Dad.” The address was deep, somewhat unfamiliar, yet brimming with intense emotion, making every syllable sound especially solemn. “I’ll live well with Fang Yao and won’t make her angry.”
Then, instead of accepting the red envelope, he turned his hand and returned it to Fang Jianguo.
“You’ve already done us a great kindness by allowing me to marry Fang Yao. I won’t accept this red envelope. You and Mom should keep it. I’ll hand over my monthly subsidy allowance to Fang Yao for safekeeping. We’ll have enough money to get by.”
After saying this, Xu Qingzhou withdrew his hand and turned to Fang Yao, urging her, “It’s getting late. Let’s head back. I’ll leave the bicycle here for you. Come back anytime you miss home.”
Before the Fang family could react, Xu Qingzhou swiftly turned and walked out the door.
Fang Yao hurriedly followed him to the courtyard, where he had already mounted the bicycle, waiting for her.
“Mom, Dad, Grandpa, Grandma, we’ll be heading back now,” Fang Yao said as she settled onto the bicycle seat. Fang Jianguo chased after them but was a step too late.
Xu Qingzhou rode out on his bicycle, with Fang Yao sitting on the back seat. Watching the faces of her family gradually recede into the distance, she called out to them, "It's cold outside, go back inside. I'll come see you again in a few days."
"This child," Fang Jianguo murmured to himself. Unable to give away the red envelope, he had no intention of keeping it for himself either. He handed it to Liu Bailan to put away, saying, "In case the child needs money in the future, take it out and give it to her then."
The two villages were several kilometers apart. Xu Qingzhou rode the bicycle for half an hour, and by the time they arrived home, the sky had almost completely darkened.
Wang Hua had just finished preparing dinner and was sitting inside waiting for them. Upon learning that the Return-to-the-bride's-family banquet had gone smoothly, she finally set her mind at ease and invited them over to eat.
After dinner, Fang Yao, exhausted from a long day, didn't feel like moving at all. Seeing Xu Qingzhou change out of his clothes, she frowned.
"Just leave it there. I'll wash it for you tomorrow."
But Xu Qingzhou picked up the washbasin on his own and said with a smile, "I was just about to wash my face anyway, so I’ll wash these out while I’m at it. Do you have anything that needs washing? I can take care of it for you."
Fang Yao had left the clothes she wore during the day at her parents' home, and she was still wearing the clean cotton-padded jacket from yesterday. She shook her head blankly.
"I don’t have anything to wash."
"Alright, you rest first if you’re tired. I’ll come in to stoke the stove after I finish washing." With that, Xu Qingzhou naturally walked out, not a trace of resentment for doing household chores about him.
He was more like a diligent and dependable workhorse. Ever since she married him, she had been living a life of ease.
Fang Yao slipped under the covers, listening to the sound of splashing water in the yard. Though she was already very tired, her mind was too cluttered with thoughts to fall asleep.
The elders’ words from yesterday when Xu Qingzhou was slaughtering the pig—"blood sighting by groom is unlucky"—kept echoing in her mind, making her worry about the tragedy of his previous life.
Xu Qingzhou returned after washing the clothes, his hands reddened from the cold water. He walked over to the stove to add more fuel and glanced toward the bed.
"Still awake?"
"Mhm," Fang Yao responded. Watching his focused and gentle profile, she sat up. "Are you going back to the military unit tomorrow?"
After adding firewood and confirming the flue was open, Xu Qingzhou slowly walked over to her and sat down by the bed.
"Marriage leave is only three days, and I already took an extra day. It’s time for me to return to the unit tomorrow."
Fang Yao’s gaze wavered. Under the candlelight, she cautiously probed, "You’ve been a soldier for so many years, often away from home. Have you ever thought about changing professions and finding another job?"
Surprise flickered in Xu Qingzhou’s deep eyes. He stared at her intently for a moment before asking, "Why are you thinking about these things? From the very beginning, I joined the military to serve the country, not just to earn money. So, I’ve never considered changing professions."
"But your job is dangerous. What if… something happens to you? What would your family do?" Fang Yao pressed her lips tightly together.
The military had confidentiality discipline. What Xu Qingzhou did in the unit, what missions he carried out—she had no way of interfering.
If Fang Yao wanted to change his fate, the only way was to persuade him to change professions.
But Xu Qingzhou was not someone easily persuaded. His expression gradually grew serious as he gazed at her deeply, his tone carrying an unmistakable gravity.
"Comrade Fang Yao, on the day you married me, you knew I was a soldier. The nature of my work means we spend little time together, and it comes with inevitable dangers. Why didn’t you consider this carefully before, only to bring it up now when everything is settled?"
Listening to his icy tone, Fang Yao clenched the blanket in front of her with both hands.
She patiently explained, "I don’t mind your work. I was just thinking that serving the country isn’t limited to being a soldier. Teachers, doctors, workers, farmers—they also shine in their own positions and contribute to the nation’s development, don’t they? And their jobs are more stable, safer, and allow more time with family."