Qiaoqiao and her brother didn’t return home until they finished work at noon.
Zhou Zhonghai and Luo Meiyun stood happily at the door to greet them.
“Uncle, Auntie, hello!” Qiaoqiao and Yang Zheng greeted them politely.
Acting as if he were meeting Qiaoqiao for the first time, Zhou Zhonghai said warmly, “Good, what a fine girl, so down-to-earth. Yang Zheng, good lad, you’re not bad either.”
With that, he gave Yang Zheng a hearty punch on the shoulder.
Yang Zheng blushed, feeling entirely ill at ease.
Luo Meiyun paid no heed to the mud on Qiaoqiao’s hands, pulling her close as she said, “Qiaoqiao, stop working in the fields. Look at this little face—it’s all sunburned.”
“It’s nothing, we work in the fields every day,” Qiaoqiao said, lowering her head in shyness.
“Good children, both of them are good children.”
With the children back, the meal was ready. Grandma, Qiaoqiao’s mother, Aunt Fang, and Huang Hongmin didn’t sit at the main table; they ate in the kitchen instead.
Grandpa went to the supply cooperative to buy half a catty of white liquor, but Zhou Zhonghai declined: “No drinking for me. Once we finish eating, I have to drive back. Drinking and driving is dangerous.”
Insisting on staying sober, Zhang Wei accompanied Grandpa and Qiaoqiao’s father for half a cup.
Qiaoqiao kept her head down, eating in small bites. The more Luo Meiyun looked at her, the more she liked her. For the child of a farming family to be so well-mannered was truly rare.
“Have some meat, eat a bit more,” Luo Meiyun said, taking charge as if she were the host and continually piling food into Qiaoqiao’s bowl.
“Auntie, you eat. I’ve already eaten a lot.”
Dishes like these were rarely seen on ordinary days. Qiaoqiao felt that a couple of pieces were enough; the rest should be left for the guests.
Zhou Zhonghai, meanwhile, struck up a conversation with Yang Zheng: “Yang Zheng, the municipal machinery plant is one of the top pillar enterprises in the city. You’re educated; after you enter the factory, follow your master, learn properly, and work hard. There’s a great future ahead of you.”
Yang Zheng nodded in silence. He desperately wanted to be a factory worker. Back in school, physics had been his best subject; regrettably, going to college required a production team recommendation, so no matter how many ideals he held, they remained empty talk.
Now, his sister had traded her happiness to buy him a future—a future that tasted so bitter.
“In the early years, our conditions were poor, and we relied on pure passion to safeguard peaceful days, but the price was too high. Today, our country is vigorously developing industry, and every aspect is getting better and better. Our lives are also growing more secure,” Zhou Zhonghai said heavily.
Yang Zheng also possessed a sense of patriotic sentiment. He found himself inexplicably moved by Zhou Zhonghai, and he silently vowed that he would work hard at this hard-won opportunity and bring honor to his country.
The midday meal was relaxed and cordial. Zhou Zhonghai and Yang Zheng chatted animatedly, while Luo Meiyun held Qiaoqiao’s hand and whispered to her.
Zhang Wei, on the other hand, chatted with Grandpa and Qiaoqiao’s father about farming.
With everyone well-fed and content, it was time for Zhou Zhonghai to leave. Luo Meiyun looked back with every step she took, her eyes full of affection for Qiaoqiao, as if her future daughter-in-law might be snatched away if she stayed at her natal home a single day longer.
Before leaving, Zhou Zhonghai spent a long time talking with Aunt Fang before finally waving goodbye.
Zhang Wei left with Zhou Zhonghai in the car, promising to return on the wedding day.
After seeing the guests off, the Yang family breathed a collective sigh of relief. Even though the in-laws were soldiers and approachable, they still carried an undeniable aura of authority.
Aunt Fang returned with a beaming smile and announced, “Division Commander Zhou gave instructions before leaving: ask about the local wedding customs and follow Dashui Village’s standard practices. You might wonder what kind of customs we have—they basically amount to setting up a few banquet tables and having everyone sit down for a good meal.”
Taking a large gulp of water, Aunt Fang continued, “The Zhou family will send over the banquet ingredients in advance, along with melon seeds and candies, so you won’t need to worry about that. However… however, on the day of the wedding, the Division Commander and his wife will still need to come.”
Laying down all that groundwork had just been to lead up to this final sentence.
“What? The groom isn’t coming to fetch the bride?” Qiaoqiao’s father asked, deeply surprised.
“You know how it is—the young man has limited mobility, and the journey is long. Having his parents come in his place actually elevates the status of the wedding, doesn’t it? Life is lived for oneself; why obsess over superficial formalities?” Aunt Fang persuaded.
“He doesn’t even come to his own wedding? Does that mean he’s never going to step foot in my house?” Qiaoqiao’s father grumbled in anger.
“Well… of course not! Once they get familiar with each other, he’ll naturally come. Doesn’t it take a process?”
“The Zhou family is nice and has no airs, which makes us happy. But for the groom not to come pick up his bride—having his parents show up instead—what kind of sense does that make?” Qiaoqiao’s father muttered.
Qiaoqiao smiled and said, “If he doesn’t come, he doesn’t come. It saves the village neighbors from gossiping when they see him. Dad, I don’t mind.”
When all was said and done, this was a marriage of convenience; why bother putting up useless appearances?
“My child, you’ve been wronged,” Qiaoqiao’s mother said, her eyes turning red once more. Ever since this marriage was broached, the mere thought of it brought her to tears.
“Qiaoqiao is right. Once life settles down and runs smoothly, she can bring her husband back home to visit.”
“Did you find out clearly—can he have children?” Qiaoqiao’s mother asked, too anxious to wipe away her tears, her face lighting up with hopeful surprise.
“Of course he can! Qiaoqiao’s mother, why do you always look at the dark side of things? I’m sure they’ll have two or three kids.”
Aunt Fang didn’t actually know whether the groom was capable of having children, but she had to push this match through. Her son was a subordinate under Division Commander Zhou; if this marriage succeeded, her son’s career prospects would look bright.
As long as children were possible, it didn’t matter who came to fetch the bride. The Yang family’s core knot of anxiety lay entirely in whether the groom was functional in that regard.
“Then it’s settled. I’ll go to the commune tomorrow to call Division Commander Zhou. The eighth of next month is only ten days away—Qiaoqiao needs to make a couple of nice new outfits.”
Aunt Fang was thoroughly satisfied. After nearly a month of bustling about, she had finally pulled it off.
The Yang family plunged into a flurry of busyness. Their daughter was getting ready to marry, and their son was heading to the city for work.
Grandma and Mother busied themselves preparing Qiaoqiao’s dowry. No matter how poor they were, they had to maintain basic dignity.
Two cotton quilts, two sets of quilt covers, two porcelain basins, two embroidered pillows, six towels, two sets of new clothes…
The thousand yuan sent by the Zhou family remained untouched. Grandpa insisted that the money had to go back with Qiaoqiao; they were marrying their daughter off, not selling her.
Qiaoqiao adamantly refused. She didn’t want a single cent of it; the money needed to stay home so Grandma could buy her medicine, and her brother would also need some spending money when he started his job.
Stuck in a stalemate, Qiaoqiao finally agreed to take five hundred yuan back with her while leaving five hundred yuan behind for the family.
Even with the wedding preparations underway, Qiaoqiao and her brother still went out to the fields every day.
Her brother earned ten work points a day, while Qiaoqiao earned seven. Ten work points were worth thirty-five centavos, and seven work points were worth twenty-four and a half centavos.
Working an extra day meant securing a slightly larger grain distribution.
The soil in the cornfields was mostly loosened up. After drying in the sun for two days, it would be time to apply fertilizer, and corn planting would begin right after Guyu.
And right after Guyu, Qiaoqiao would be married off; she wouldn’t even be around to plant the corn.
Ever since graduating from junior high school, Qiaoqiao had been working the fields to earn work points. Five years had flown by—every autumn meant planting wheat, and every spring meant planting corn.
For those five years, Qiaoqiao had never once eaten her fill. Even during holidays and festivals, when her mother cooked larger portions, Qiaoqiao never dared to eat too much.
Grandpa, Dad, and her brother were the heavy laborers; they needed more food.
To save food, Grandpa and her father also limited themselves to seventy percent fullness, leaving the rest for her brother and her.
Life was so desperately poor, yet the family secretly cared for one another, each always wanting to leave a little more for the others.
Qiaoqiao loved this family dearly. She didn’t want to marry Zhou Wenhui, but she had no choice.
As work drew to a close for the day, village production team leader Zhao Jintao walked over to Qiaoqiao with his hoe. The women working nearby began to hoot and tease: “Team Leader Zhao, Qiaoqiao is getting married soon, so you can forget about that now. Fenglin is pretty good though—how about I play matchmaker for you two?”
Zhao Jintao’s face darkened. “Aunts, Qiaoqiao and I are just friends. Look at how wild these rumors have gotten.”
“Is that so? Your mother practically swore she’d break your legs before letting you marry Qiaoqiao. Well, now Qiaoqiao really is marrying someone with broken legs. Hahaha…”
Zhao Jintao’s expression turned ugly. “Aunts, watch what you say. Qiaoqiao’s future husband is a national hero.”
“Oh my, Fenglin used heroes to scare us, and now you’re using them too! We’re stuck staring at this dirt every day, struggling just to eat, so what else can you do to us?”
“Aunts, if not for your own sake, think of your children.”
A woman curled her lip. “A tiny little official like you trying to threaten us.”
Zheng Fenglin looked at the impervious women with disgust. “Don’t pay those loose-lipped gossips any mind, Qiaoqiao. With your wedding just a few days away, you shouldn’t even come out to the fields anymore.”
The closer the wedding date approached, the more gossip circulated in the village.
“It’s fine, I don’t care,” Qiaoqiao replied indifferently.
Hearing it so often, she had simply gotten used to it.
Zhao Jintao walked up to Qiaoqiao and lowered his voice. “Qiaoqiao, I’ll wait for you by the reservoir tonight.”
Qiaoqiao raised her eyes in startled surprise, unsure how to respond.
Zheng Fenglin gave Qiaoqiao a nudge. “Go on! You won’t get many chances to see each other after you leave.”
Qiaoqiao didn’t answer and lowered her head.
“I’ll wait for you until you come,” Zhao Jintao said, then turned and hurried away.
There were too many people around; if word got out, it wouldn’t look good.
Qiaoqiao kept her head down and continued hoeing. Zheng Fenglin murmured softly, “Within a radius of ten li, Zhao Jintao is considered an outstanding young man. Only twenty-three and already a team leader. He dug channels and diverted water straight to the wheat fields, saving so much physical labor. Back in the old days during irrigation season, villages used to fight pitched battles just to secure water sources. I always thought you two would end up together.”
“He never said he liked me,” Qiaoqiao whispered, her voice quieter than a mosquito’s.
“Anyone with eyes could see he liked you—it’s just his mother… Ah, Qiaoqiao, this is just fate. You two were fated to cross paths but not to be together.”
A simple phrase like “it’s all fate” encapsulated so much bitterness and sorrow.