Ji Yang genuinely had no idea that a letter of introduction was required for marriage registration, so she asked, “Do I need one too?”
“Yes. You don’t have a workplace, so you’ll have to get one from the neighborhood office. I’ll take you there later.”
“Okay.”
Working at the bicycle factory had its advantages. It was relatively easier to buy a bicycle there. Jiang Ye had some connections at the factory, and he had managed to get his hands on a defective bicycle at a cheaper price without needing a purchase ticket.
After obtaining his letter of introduction, he came out riding the bicycle. The elderly man guarding the gate smiled and teased him, “Little Jiang, are you taking your girlfriend out?”
Jiang Ye didn’t deny that Ji Yang was his girlfriend. “Yeah, we have some business to take care of.”
The gatekeeper shook his head. “Ah, to be young again!”
Jiang Ye rode over to Ji Yang and gestured for her to sit on the back seat.
Then he pedaled off toward his home with her.
The dirt road was uneven, and the constant jolting made Ji Yang’s bottom hurt. She gripped both sides of the seat, afraid that one particularly bad bump might send her flying off.
Jiang Ye glanced back at her. “Hold on to my clothes.”
Ji Yang obediently grabbed the back of his shirt.
Jiang Ye smiled. He thought this girlfriend of his was pretty good. She was obedient.
He asked, “You and your younger sister don’t get along?”
It was rare for biological sisters to fight over the same man.
“My younger sister was born to my stepmother.”
Jiang Ye understood. They didn’t share the same mother, so naturally, their relationship wasn’t particularly close. No wonder something like fighting over a man had happened.
He asked another question. “What does your sister see in Jiang Zhiyuan?”
She saw that he would become the richest man in Beijing in the future. But could Ji Yang actually say that? Of course not!
After thinking for a moment, she replied, “Maybe… she likes how he cheats on people, how fickle he is, how soft-hearted he is, and how unreliable he is.”
Hearing her answer, Jiang Ye asked with an amused smile, “If Jiang Zhiyuan is that kind of man, why did you fall for him in the first place?”
“Oh, maybe my eyes were just blind back then.”
Jiang Ye chuckled and said nothing more.
Actually, he could understand why Ji Yang had fallen for Jiang Zhiyuan. Jiang Zhiyuan came from a fairly well-off family, was reasonably handsome, and had a calm, gentle temperament. He always spoke politely and warmly. Even though their families had a bad relationship, Jiang Zhiyuan would still greet Jiang Ye warmly whenever they met.
A man like that could easily attract someone’s attention.
It took Jiang Ye a little over twenty minutes to cycle from the factory to his home. At that hour, his mother wasn’t home. He went inside and rummaged through a cabinet until he found the household registration booklet.
Seeing how hot Ji Yang was, he poured her a glass of cool boiled water and told her to finish it before they left.
The house had been left to Jiang Ye by his maternal grandfather. It was a small, private courtyard with its own entrance. A persimmon tree grew in the yard, and there was also a well. Even the remaining empty spaces hadn’t gone to waste; they were planted with seasonal vegetables.
The interior, however, was somewhat old-fashioned. The tables and chairs looked as though they had been around for many years.
Still, compared with the forty-square-meter staff apartment where five members of Ji Yang’s family lived, this place was clearly much more comfortable.
Ji Yang sipped her water while looking around curiously.
Jiang Ye casually explained, “My workplace assigned me a single dormitory room. I stay there most of the time. After we get married, you can either live with me in the dormitory or stay here at home.”
The choice was up to her.
After a pause, he continued, “I have three older sisters and one younger sister. My three older sisters got married a long time ago. My younger sister has temporarily found a job filling in for someone else, but she’s still immature and has a child’s temperament. You don’t need to pay her any mind.”
Ji Yang blinked.
This man wouldn’t do at all!
A man who talked like that was bound to cause conflict in the family. She had watched plenty of family dramas in which wars between a wife and her sister-in-law erupted into full-blown domestic battles.
Judging by Jiang Ye’s attitude, was she going to get dragged into that terrifying mess too?
And speaking of Jiang Ye’s younger sister, Ji Yang suddenly remembered that the girl’s ending in the novel was pretty tragic.
Instead of enjoying a good life, she had been deceived by a scumbag into going to the countryside with him as an educated youth. The two of them had done all sorts of things in private, both those they should have done and those they shouldn’t have, eventually resulting in a pregnancy.
To return to the city, that scumbag had begged the production team leader to issue him a letter of introduction so he could attend a workers, peasants, and soldiers university. To achieve his goal, he had even gotten involved with the team leader’s daughter.
As a result, Jiang Ye’s younger sister lost her baby before she could even give birth. After the miscarriage, she became infertile for the rest of her life.
Tsk, tsk. Her fate really was miserable.
“Let’s go.” Seeing that Ji Yang had finished her water, Jiang Ye prepared to leave.
They first went to the neighborhood office to obtain Ji Yang’s letter of introduction. Then they headed to the Civil Affairs Bureau and registered their marriage.
When they stepped out of the Civil Affairs Bureau, Ji Yang held the marriage certificate in her hand, her heart filled with countless emotions.
A whirlwind marriage!
It was something she had never dared to imagine before.
Yet, on a sudden impulse, she had gone and registered her marriage with a man she barely knew.
Still, she didn’t regret it.
After all, in her previous life, she had never imagined that she would die so young either.
So there was no need to overthink everything. Sometimes, it was better to follow your heart.
Jiang Ye folded his own marriage certificate and tucked it into his pocket. Then he pointed with his chin toward the state-run restaurant not far away.
“Let me treat you to a meal. We should celebrate getting our marriage certificates today.”
“Sure.” It was just the right opportunity for her to discuss something with Jiang Ye.
Once they entered the state-run restaurant, Jiang Ye gestured toward a slightly plump young woman.
“That’s my younger sister, Zhao Dongya. She’s a complete idiot.”
Ji Yang followed his gaze toward the idiot no, the slightly plump young woman.
She had a round little face, and when she smiled, two canine teeth showed. She looked cheerful and pleasant, the kind of appearance people in this era found attractive.
The young woman had obviously spotted them too.
“Brother, what brings you here?”
After speaking, she secretly glanced at Ji Yang several times, wondering whether this was her brother’s girlfriend.
If so, she was really pretty. It would be such a waste for her to end up with her brother!
Jiang Ye reached out and lightly tapped Zhao Dongya on the forehead.
“What else would I come here for? To eat, obviously.”
Then he turned toward the chef, Old Wang, who was sitting there cracking sunflower seeds.
“Old Wang, get me a fish. And a serving of braised pork. Hmm… stir-fry whatever green vegetables you have, too.”
Old Wang tossed the sunflower seed shells into a nearby cardboard box. As he stood up, his gaze swept over Jiang Ye and Ji Yang. He gave them a knowing smile.
“Sure. You two sit over there and wait. It’ll be ready soon.”
It wasn’t mealtime yet, so the restaurant was nearly empty. Jiang Ye led Ji Yang to an available table and then ordered Zhao Dongya to fetch them some water.
“Old Wang is a good friend of mine. If you ever feel like eating something here, just come find him. Give him my name, and you won’t need to pay with money or ration tickets. Just have him put it on the tab and let me settle it.”
Ji Yang nodded. “Got it.”
Zhao Dongya brought over two cups of boiled water.
Ji Yang smiled at her and said, “Little sister, why don’t you eat with us?”
Jiang Ye gave Zhao Dongya a look of disdain. “She smacks her lips when she eats. We’re not bringing her along.”
Well, there was no doubt about it. He was definitely her biological older brother.
Ji Yang glanced at Zhao Dongya, who had clenched her fists. If Ji Yang hadn’t been there, the two siblings probably would have started fighting.
She cleared her throat and quickly added, “Little sister, come have something to eat with us.”
Hearing this, Zhao Dongya composed herself and put on a smile.
“We have rules here. The staff aren’t allowed to sit at the customers’ tables. Sister-in-law, you and my brother go ahead and eat. Don’t worry about me. We’ll have our staff meal later.”