During this period, the Cheng household had been unusually quiet. Hardly any neighbors came by anymore, but now the place was packed with people and bursting with liveliness.
The banquet ingredients originally prepared for welcoming Yao Yulan as the bride finally came in handy. Mother Cheng directed her two daughters-in-law, along with sisters-in-law and female relatives who had come to help, as everyone busied themselves nonstop around the temporary cooking stoves.
Processed seafood was piled high like small mountains in basins, while the pork simmering in large pots released an enticing aroma that swept away the gloom caused by the morning’s farce.
“Mom, hurry and open Yuanche’s room. Sister-in-law’s luggage has arrived.”
Cheng Yuanyuan had a loud voice. Even while carrying a large wooden trunk weighing fifty or sixty jin, she still walked as swiftly as the wind. The moment she returned, she gave her mother a meaningful look.
“Little Qiu said she’ll change clothes and get ready here at our house. She doesn’t want to trouble the Huang family anymore.”
Although Mother Cheng had never gone to school, she immediately understood the hint in her daughter’s expression. Smiling brightly, she said, “Alright! Move the luggage into Yuanche’s room. Later, ride your bicycle to the supply and marketing cooperative and buy Little Qiu some cosmetics and powder so she can dress up nicely.”
“Mom, Sister-in-law is naturally beautiful. She’ll look stunning with even the simplest touch-up,” Cheng Yuanshu said as she returned a step later, accompanying Qiu Yinong and chatting with her leisurely.
Qiu Yinong curled her lips into a faint smile. “Auntie, there’s no need to buy those things. I brought my own. Just arrange a room for me to change and do my makeup.”
“Everything at home is already prepared. Just put the luggage in the bridal room.”
The Cheng family—parents and children alike—were hardworking and capable. Before Father Cheng’s health declined, he braved the sea through wind and rain every day. He also had fairly good luck with fishing, supporting all five children with a single wooden boat.
Later, when the three sons grew up, they helped earn money for the family. Before the second son, Cheng Yuanchi, got married, they tore down the old house and rebuilt three identical single-story brick homes on the same site.
The Cheng family had long since divided the household. The three sons each had sturdy brick houses built with solid materials. Cheng Yuanfeng and Cheng Yuanchi lived separately after splitting the family property, while the elderly couple lived with their youngest son. Since Cheng Yuanche spent most of the year in the military, the elderly parents and youngest daughter Cheng Yuanshu stayed in his house.
The Cheng family home was spacious and airy. The floor of Cheng Yuanche’s bedroom was cemented, and red “double happiness” wedding decorations were pasted on the doors, windows, and furniture. The bedding was folded neatly like tofu blocks, and the room was spotless and orderly.
After carrying the luggage into the bedroom, the Cheng sisters wiggled their eyebrows teasingly at Cheng Yuanche before hurrying off to help with the preparations.
“Little Qiu, you and Yuanche should talk properly. If you need anything, just call for us,” Mother Cheng said, tactfully not staying to get in the way.
Qiu Yinong was quite satisfied with the home and smiled lightly. “Auntie, everything is already very good. There’s no need to add anything else. If we need something later, we can buy it then.”
“Good, good. You two have only just met and don’t really know each other yet. Talk for now, and when the auspicious hour arrives, I’ll come call you,” Mother Cheng said warmly before closing the door with a grin.
When Mother Cheng reached the gate, she saw her two daughters speaking quietly with their father by the wall corner and immediately went over.
After hearing about the Huang family’s attitude toward Qiu Yinong, Mother Cheng frowned.
“That Qiu Mengyuan, as her aunt, really handled things poorly. She brought the girl over and then just left her there without arranging anything properly, letting that sharp-tongued old woman dislike her for being an orphan. No wonder the girl was upset.”
“I think Little Qiu is very smart, opinionated, and has backbone,” Father Cheng said quietly. “Huang Dachao is full of schemes. He probably didn’t bring her here out of pure kindness. Maybe Little Qiu saw through something.”
The Cheng women exchanged glances, all slightly frowning.
Their relationship with the Huang family was average—just ordinary neighbors—but they knew enough about Huang Dachao. He was full of crafty ideas and was likely plotting something else.
“Alright. We’ll talk to Little Qiu about this later. Today, let’s focus on getting the wedding done first.”
Leaning on his cane, Father Cheng’s brows furrowed deeply with worry. “This morning’s incident was ugly enough. I just hope the wedding at noon goes smoothly.”
“It will. It definitely will,” Mother Cheng said confidently. “This morning I burned incense and prayed to Mazu. The fortune was very auspicious. Yuanche’s marriage will surely be happy and smooth.”
Lately, she had been sincerely burning incense and paper offerings to Mazu every day, kowtowing daily to pray for the peace and health of her family and descendants.
Inside the room, Qiu Yinong was organizing her luggage. Cheng Yuanche wanted to step forward to help, but she made him sit on the stool and rest instead.
His military uniform had been freshly pressed until perfectly crisp, and the little red flower pinned to his chest remained bright and vivid. Yet his mood now was completely different from when he had left home that morning. The calmness of merely completing a task was gone, replaced by an indescribable anticipation and a trace of nervousness.
“Yinong.”
Cheng Yuanche had never imagined in his wildest dreams that the bride would change today—much less to a girl from an ethnic minority. Seeing that the clothes in her trunk were all brightly colored traditional garments, he asked:
“What marriage customs do the Miao people have? What should I prepare?”
“This isn’t a Miao village. I’m marrying outside the tribe, so there’s no need to follow all our traditional customs. We can just follow your local wedding procedures.”
Miao wedding customs were numerous. Their situation was rather special, so special circumstances had to be handled specially.
Qiu Yinong herself had never expected to arrive here and immediately get married, so she hadn’t prepared in advance. However, inside her trunk were the wedding clothes and silver ornaments her grandmother had prepared for her long ago.
Looking up at him, she said, “Miao girls wear traditional Miao clothing and exquisite silver jewelry when getting married. My grandparents prepared everything for me long ago. Today, I’ll wear traditional attire for the wedding ceremony, but the ceremony itself can follow your local customs.”
“Alright. I’ll call my sisters in to help you dress and do your hair,” Cheng Yuanche said as he stood up.
“No need. I can do it myself.”
Qiu Yinong didn’t want to trouble them. Then she brought up her family matters.
“I already have a general understanding of your family’s situation. As for my family, I’ll tell you what I can. Please ask your parents to come in for a moment.”
“Okay. Yinong, sit first. I’ll go get them.”
Cheng Yuanche moved a stool over for her.
By the time Father and Mother Cheng entered, Qiu Yinong had just finished tidying one trunk. After politely greeting them, she sat down and briefly explained the important points.
“Uncle, Auntie, unlike the Cheng family with many relatives and descendants, the Qiu family has always had very few people. Every generation only has one or two children.”
“My grandfather’s generation and my father’s generation each only had one brother and one sister. When my grandaunt was young, she left home to support the War of Resistance. She met and married my granduncle on the battlefield. My granduncle was injured during the war and could not have children, so after discussion among the four elders, my aunt Qiu Mengyuan was adopted into their branch to continue the family line.”
“The Qiu family line has never been prosperous, but we do have some prestige locally. For generations, the Qiu family practiced medicine. We possess medical techniques and secret remedies that are never shared outside the family. That is how we established ourselves among the Miao people and gained some reputation and status.”
“In addition, my grandmother was a very famous silversmith master in the Miao village. While she was alive, she and her natal family jointly operated the largest silver shop in the tribe. Our family was once quite wealthy and well-off.”
“But in 1972, my grandparents met with an accident while returning home from visiting friends. They both fell off a cliff and died. From then on, our family began to decline.”