“Mom, what do you think of this one?”
Sang Luo held a Tibetan dress against Lhazhen, comparing the size.
“The brocade on this one, together with the dark crimson inner robe, would look especially beautiful with the wedding jewelry Uncle Zhandui gave you.”
Lhazhen listened to her daughter and showed a rare, shy expression.
Sang Luo immediately knew that her mother liked the outfit as well, so she simply took it to the counter and paid for it.
“All right, your wedding outfit is taken care of. When you hold the wedding next month, I’ll do an absolutely stunning makeup look for you. I guarantee Uncle Zhandui will be completely captivated.”
“Stop talking nonsense.”
Lhazhen’s face reddened as she lightly scolded her daughter.
“I’m already this old. What do you mean, captivated?”
“So what?” Sang Luo linked her arm through her mother’s.
“My mom is the most beautiful woman in all of Kangba. Who dares disagree?”
“You little troublemaker.”
Lhazhen gently tapped Sang Luo’s nose.
Sang Luo tugged playfully at her mother’s sleeve. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Ciren standing there in a daze, staring at something.
“Ciren A-Bu, what are you looking at?”
Ciren had been staring absentmindedly at a light-purple quba hanging on the shop wall. At Sang Luo’s voice, he hurriedly snapped back to reality.
“N-nothing. Have you two finished choosing?”
As he spoke, Ciren reached inside his clothes.
“I’ll pay.”
“I already paid.”
Sang Luo grabbed his arm.
“Huh?”
Ciren pursed his lips.
“But Dad said…”
“What did Uncle Zhandui say? That he wouldn’t let me buy things for Mom?”
Sang Luo deliberately put on an impish expression.
“Is Uncle Zhandui really that overbearing?”
“No!”
Ciren was afraid Sang Luo would misunderstand, but he was terrible at explaining himself. In the end, he could only repeat the same simple word.
“No…”
Sang Luo was amused by his expression and laughed.
“I’m just joking. I want to personally give Mom her wedding outfit. Ciren A-Bu, you’ll indulge me in this tiny little wish of mine, right?”
As Sang Luo said the last sentence, her eyes sparkled with a smile.
Ciren’s face immediately turned red all the way down to his neck.
“Of… of course.”
“Then let’s keep shopping. We still have lots of snacks to buy for the guests. By the way, what does the supply and marketing cooperative around here have?”
After getting Ciren to agree, Sang Luo turned her attention back to the shopping list for the day.
Ciren followed Sang Luo and Lhazhen out of the shop. Although he answered Sang Luo’s questions, his gaze remained fixed on the inside of the store.
After taking Sang Luo and Lhazhen home, Ciren used the excuse that he had “forgotten some hides in town” and hurried back.
“Ciren? Why are you back again?”
The shopkeeper, Gesang, was acquainted with Zhandui’s family. Seeing Ciren return, she assumed something had gone wrong with the wedding clothes.
“Did you come back to have them altered?”
Ciren shook his head and pointed at the exquisite quba hanging on the wall.
“Aunt Gesang, can you give me that one?”
“You have good taste, boy. That’s the latest style. You won’t find a second one like it anywhere in Kangba.”
Gesang swiftly took the garment down. As she carefully folded it, she teasingly looked at Ciren.
“It’s for the girl you like, isn’t it?”
Ciren’s face instantly turned red to the tips of his ears. He lowered his head and counted the money and ration coupons, his voice barely audible.
“Mm…”
“Don’t worry. I’ll wrap it beautifully for you.”
Gesang quickly brought out the best wrapping materials.
“Your sweetheart will definitely look beautiful in it.”
Ciren hugged the wrapped garment, his heart filled with both anticipation and nervousness.
He imagined what Sang Luo would look like wearing it, and the corners of his lips unconsciously lifted.
But almost immediately, worry filled him.
What if she refused such an expensive gift?
Holding the wrapped garment, Ciren stood there hesitating for a long time before finally deciding to ask someone more experienced.
“Aunt Gesang, what if… what if she refuses to accept it?”
Gesang was amused by his expression.
“Silly boy, what girl doesn’t like beautiful clothes? As long as you give it to her sincerely, she’ll definitely accept it.”
“But she isn’t a Tibetan girl. She doesn’t know our customs.”
Ciren sounded a little dejected.
“Even if she accepts it, she might…”
“She’s not from here?”
The shopkeeper seemed to realize something. She leaned closer to Ciren, her tone teasing.
“You mean the girl Lhazhen brought back?”
Ciren nodded.
“Then that’s even better.”
Gesang patted Ciren on the shoulder.
“Do you think you’re going to make her agree to marry you just because of a piece of clothing?”
“Of course not!”
Ciren immediately denied it.
“I just think she’ll look beautiful in it. I simply wanted to give it to her.”
“Exactly. You’re about to become her A-Bu. What’s the big deal about an A-Bu giving his Nuomu a quba?”
Ciren thought about it and realized she had a point.
He finally relaxed, carefully tucked the package into his arms, and left the shop as though he were protecting his most precious treasure.
Zhandui and Lhazhen’s wedding was set for the beginning of August.
On the day of the wedding, the entire village was immersed in a festive atmosphere.
Colorful prayer flags fluttered in the wind. The villagers dressed in their finest festive clothes and gathered outside Zhandui’s home early in the morning.
Sang Luo got up before dawn and carefully helped Lhazhen dress and do her makeup.
When Lhazhen put on the dark crimson Tibetan dress and the jewelry Zhandui had specially prepared for her, even Sang Luo was stunned.
“Mom, you look so beautiful today.”
Looking at her own delicate makeup and flushed cheeks, Lhazhen could not help shyly pursing her lips.
Zhandui wore a brand-new Tibetan robe, with a pure white khata draped across his chest. Surrounded by relatives and friends, he walked toward them.
The wedding ceremony was held according to Tibetan tradition.
With the Living Buddha as witness, Zhandui and Lhazhen exchanged khatas and vowed to stay together for the rest of their lives.
The villagers sang and danced, offering their blessings to the newlyweds.
Once the ceremony had reached a pause, Ciren finally had a chance to hand Sang Luo the package he had carefully treasured for half a month.
Sang Luo accepted it in surprise. When she opened it, she discovered an exquisite quba inside.
“Ciren A-Bu, this is…”
“I thought you’d look good in it, so I bought it for you.”
Ciren scratched his head shyly.
“If you don’t like it…”
“I love it. Thank you for the gift.”
Sang Luo interrupted his uncertain words.
“I’ll wear it tonight when everyone celebrates together.”
“Mm!”
Seeing that Sang Luo had accepted the gift, Ciren broke into a brilliant smile.
The wedding celebrations continued into the night. Beneath the prayer flags and flickering firelight, the fragrance of wine filled the air, accompanied by endless singing.
When Sang Luo appeared again wearing the exquisite quba, Ciren was filled with indescribable satisfaction and affection that he could no longer hide.
The villagers pulled Lhazhen and Zhandui into the crowd and danced the lively Guozhuang around the bonfire, blessing the newlyweds.
Amidst the celebration, a tall figure suddenly hurried back into the village.