“The educated youths have all gone to the brigade leader’s house. We’ll just have a meal together when they return.”
Song Sijia could no longer bear it. Covering her face, she rushed back into Lu Yan’s small house.
Lu Yan couldn’t be bothered with her. He hadn’t married her because he liked her—did she really expect him to comfort her?
The Xie Residence.
When the car returned to the Xie residence, another jeep was parked at the entrance, leaving everyone puzzled.
Then, two soldier brothers with straight, upright postures stepped out of the vehicle.
They had brought a sewing machine and a radio with them.
Faced with the curious onlookers, the two simply stated that these were Song Siyi’s dowry.
Although they didn’t explicitly say who had provided it, everyone speculated that it must have been given by Song Jianbin’s former comrades-in-arms.
Everyone looked at Song Siyi with envy. They had originally thought she was just an orphan girl, but who could have imagined that someone would give her two major dowry items?
The two soldier brothers carried the items into the bridal chamber before approaching Song Siyi and Xie Jingzhou. In unison, they called out, “Hello, sister-in-law!”
Song Siyi also greeted them with a smile. “Hello.”
Xie Jingzhou introduced them to Song Siyi. “They are my comrades-in-arms from the same military unit. They came specifically to attend our wedding.”
The two waited for him to continue the introductions, but nothing more came.
The clean-cut young man on the right had to introduce himself. “Sister-in-law, I’m Zhou Xun, a good brother of Regiment Commander Xie.”
The one on the left had a wheat-colored complexion and bright, piercing eyes. He nodded. “Hello, sister-in-law. I’m Shen Zhiheng.”
Xie Jingzhou nudged them with his foot. “You can leave now.”
Zhou Xun clicked his tongue. “Alright, we won’t disturb you newlyweds.”
Zhou Xun smiled at Song Siyi. “Little sister-in-law, we’ll go take our seats first.”
Song Siyi nodded with a smile. “Alright.”
As Song Siyi smiled, Shen Zhiheng glanced at her a few more times.
He felt as though he had seen that smile somewhere before.
Seeing him lost in thought, Zhou Xun pulled him away. “What are you thinking about? Let’s go.”
Shen Zhiheng shook his head. How could that be? He must have been overthinking it.
Hand in hand, the couple arrived before the main hall. The officiant was the old Party branch secretary of the production team. Under his witness, the two became revolutionary partners.
The ceremony was very simple, but Song Siyi felt particularly content.
These were all things she hadn’t experienced in her previous life.
In her past life, she had simply carried a bundle to the Educated Youth Point. Only because they were fellow educated youths did the group accompany them for a meal, and that was how the marriage was sealed.
Looking back now, it was pitiful. She must have been under some spell in her previous life.
After the ceremony, Song Siyi was escorted back to the bridal chamber.
Song Siyi took a brief look around the room. The furnishings were very simple: a kang, a wardrobe in the corner, and a storage rack beside it holding two enamel basins that seemed newly purchased, along with a thermos flask.
By the window stood a desk with two enamel cups and the newly brought-in radio.
Next to it was the sewing machine.
A great man calendar hung on the wall.
Everything in the room was clear at a glance.
Song Siyi walked over and sat down on the kang. This would be her home from now on—it felt strangely novel.
Knock, knock, knock
The room door was knocked. Song Siyi shifted forward slightly before speaking. “Come in.”
The door opened, revealing three little heads peeking inside.
Song Siyi recognized them—Xie Jingzhou’s youngest sister, Xie Zhaozhao, who was fifteen years old and in her second year of junior high school in the county town.
There were also the two children from the second branch, Xie Rui and Xie Chen.
As soon as Xie Zhaozhao saw Song Siyi, her eyes lit up, and she pushed the door open to walk in. "Siyi-jie, you look so beautiful now!"
Song Siyi teased her with a smile, "Was I not beautiful before?"
Xie Zhaozhao quickly waved her hands, "That's not what I meant. You were beautiful before too, but now you're even more beautiful."
Song Siyi chuckled, "I was just teasing you."
Noticing the bowl in her hand, she asked, "Did you come to bring me food?"
Only then did Xie Zhaozhao remember why she had come. She handed her the bowl, "My brother got pulled away by someone and couldn't leave. He was worried you'd be hungry, so he asked me to bring you something to eat."
Song Siyi reached out to take it, "Thank you."
Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted two little heads peeking in curiously. Song Siyi beckoned them over.
The two little ones trotted up to Song Siyi, their voices soft and sweet as they greeted her, "Hello, Auntie~"
"Hello~"
Song Siyi's gaze softened a little. She set the bowl aside and took out the small cloth bag she carried with her, grabbing a handful of White Rabbit Creamy Candy from inside.
The two little ones' eyes lit up at the sight of the candy, and Xie Chen, who was only three years old, even swallowed his saliva.
Song Siyi gave each of them five pieces, then patted their heads, "Go play."
The two little ones obediently thanked her, "Thank you, Auntie."
Xie Chen added, "Auntie is the prettiest bride I've ever seen."
Xie Zhaozhao vigorously rubbed his head, "You're only a few years old, you little glutton."
Xie Chen puffed out his chest with a huff, then pulled Xie Rui away.
A smile lifted the corners of Song Siyi's mouth. How amusing.
Song Siyi gave the remaining candy to Xie Zhaozhao, who smiled and said, "Sis-in-law, how can I accept this?"
But her hand had already very honestly taken the remaining candy.
Xie Zhaozhao said, "Sis-in-law, take your time eating. I'm going out to help."
Song Siyi nodded, "Alright."
Wang Guihua's sharp eyes caught sight of the candy in Xie Rui and Xie Chen's hands.
She snatched the candy from the children's hands, "Where did you get this candy?"
Xie Rui stared longingly at the candy, "Auntie gave it to us."
Wang Guihua snorted, "At least she knows what's proper."
Just as she was about to stuff the candy into her pocket, Xie Chen's lips quivered, his eyes welling up with tears.
Zhang Xiuying saw this and marched over with a spatula in hand. Afraid of causing a scene, she lowered her voice and scolded, "Wang Guihua, have you no shame? Stealing candy from children?"
"Give it back to them."
Wang Guihua pouted. Why did she have to see it?
She said, "Mom, it's not good for children to eat too much candy. I was just keeping it for them for now."
Zhang Xiuying raised the spatula threateningly, "Are you out of your mind? As if you give them candy every day. Don't make me slap you on such a joyous day. Hand it over now."
Reluctantly, Wang Guihua returned the candy to the two little ones.
Zhang Xiuying's disdainful look was unmistakable, "It's their good fortune to have a mother like you."
Zhang Xiuying took Xie Chen's hand, "Dabao, Erbao, let's go."
Xie Chen, afraid his mother would snatch his candy again, clutched it tightly in both his chubby little hands.
Not far away, Xie Zhaozhao and the third daughter of the Xie family, Xie Rongrong, watched with contempt. Who would steal food from children?
And she was their own mother, too.
Song Siyi was bored just sitting there, so she decided to use her consciousness to enter the space and farm.
During that time, she also went in to take care of some personal business. When she came out, she felt refreshed and invigorated.
If not for fear of being discovered by Xie Jingzhou, she would have wanted to go straight into the space to bathe—how convenient that would be.
Song Siyi was so engrossed in farming that she remained completely unaware of the festivities gradually winding down outside.
She was probably the only one who could be so absorbed in farming on her own wedding day.