On the eighth of the fourth lunar month, the sun shone brightly and the weather was fair and clear.
Dashui Village was more lively than it ever was during the Lunar New Year. Every household sent one laborer to help out at Yang Wenjin’s place, credited as ten work points for the day.
To have meat to eat and still earn work points—it was nothing short of a godsend.
Families with small children simply skipped school and went straight to the Yangs’ to sponge off the food and drinks.
Two days prior, Zhang Wei had already delivered half a pig, fifty catties of fish, chili peppers, napa cabbage, peanuts…
Which family marrying off a daughter could ever boast half a pig?
The men and women coming to help arrived bright and early.
Qiaoqiao’s mother brought out roasted peanuts, toasted melon seeds, and candies to entertain the guests. The children grabbed a handful each, and within seconds, everything was snatched away.
Qiaoqiao had only one close relative, her aunt, who arrived early in the morning. The rest of the guests were simply villagers from Dashui Village.
It had been a very long time since the Yang household had seen this kind of bustling excitement. Even her own aunt rarely visited anymore.
Yet her aunt couldn’t really be blamed; seeing her sister-in-law cry out in pain day after day while unable to afford medicine was a painful sight to bear.
Now, with Qiaoqiao marrying a serviceman, the Yang family was officially a military dependent family. Their social standing rose, and naturally, the number of people looking to butter them up increased as well.
Zheng Fenglin helped Qiaoqiao with her grooming and makeup. Rural areas lacked commercial cosmetics; they only had a single jar of vanishing cream and a few slips of red paper.
Fenglin combed Qiaoqiao’s hair into two long braids, tying them with red yarn.
She smeared the vanishing cream onto Qiaoqiao’s face over and over again, though the natural tan of a rural field worker could never truly be whitened.
After dipping the red paper in water, she pressed it against Qiaoqiao’s lips a few times, which added a touch of lively color.
Zheng Fenglin looked her over from left to right and nodded with satisfaction. “You look so beautiful. When the groom sees you, his heart will overflow with joy.”
“He’s not coming.” Qiaoqiao let Fenglin fuss over her, her expression in the mirror devoid of any celebratory cheer.
“Not coming? Who’s not coming? The groom isn’t coming?” Zheng Fenglin was shocked.
“Mm. His parents are coming to fetch the bride.”
“Wait, even an ugly bride has to meet her parents-in-law. Once you’re married, he’s not even coming to pay respects to your parents?”
Panicking, Fenglin had never heard of parents standing in for their son to fetch a bride.
Qiaoqiao fell silent, unsure of how to explain.
“If the groom doesn’t show up, won’t the villagers’ gossip drown you alive?”
“I don’t care. Fenglin, do you look down on me?” Qiaoqiao raised her eyes to look at her friend.
Fenglin pulled Qiaoqiao’s head into a tight hug, her voice choking up. “You fool, we’re friends—how could I ever look down on you? I just feel so bad for you.”
The tears she had been desperately holding back spilled over, dripping onto Qiaoqiao’s hair.
Qiaoqiao smiled softly. “Fenglin, I only care about what you think. As for those people in the village, no matter what malicious things they say, I won’t let it touch my heart.”
“Qiaoqiao, you’ve been wronged. Once you get to the city, live a good life. Let’s prove them wrong—we have to live better than anyone else, just to choke those gossiping tongues to death.” Zheng Fenglin wiped away her tears and forced a smile.
“Fenglin, once I’m settled, I’ll write to you. You have to remember to write back.”
“I will, I’ll definitely write back. Even if a few piglets are born in the village, I’ll write and tell you all about it.”
“Qiaoqiao, don’t be sad. If the villagers start talking about you behind your back, I’ll curse them right back.”
“When things slow down in the winter, you should come to the city to visit me.”
“Alright, I’ll come see you.”
Three jeeps arrived to fetch the bride. The entire village swarmed outside the courtyard, all eager to catch a glimpse of what the disabled hero actually looked like.
To their great disappointment, the groom was nowhere to be seen—only his parents and a few soldiers in uniform.
“Is the groom not coming?”
“That’s way too insulting. No matter what, he’s the Yang family’s son-in-law; he won’t even step foot over the threshold.”
“Qiaoqiao’s in for a miserable time. They don’t take her seriously at all.”
“What kind of wedding is this? Isn’t this just selling their daughter?”
Whispers rippled through the crowd as the women gossiped with relish.
Zhou Zhonghai and Luo Meiyun stepped out of the vehicles holding a large bag of candies, warmly greeting the villagers: “Thank you for all your hard work, folks! Come on, have some wedding candy.“
Gossip was gossip, but wedding candy was still accepted—such high-grade candy was never seen in the countryside.
As the villagers chewed on the sweets, they continued to quietly pick the match apart.
Zhou Zhonghai entered the main room, where Grandpa and Qiaoqiao’s father greeted him warmly, while Luo Meiyun stepped into Qiaoqiao’s bedchamber.
“Qiaoqiao, you look so lovely—simply gorgeous.”
Luo Meiyun looked Qiaoqiao up and down with genuine praise.
“Auntie, please sit.” Qiaoqiao scrambled to her feet, speaking with nervous stiffness.
“Auntie? Time to change how you address me! Once the marriage certificate is issued, you have to call me Mom.”
“Mom…” Rural folk said niang, while city people said ma. This single word felt awkward and foreign on Qiaoqiao’s tongue.
“Ah, good, very good.” Luo Meiyun’s eyes inexplicably grew moist, and she hastily pulled a red envelope from her pocket, pressing it into Qiaoqiao’s hand. “It’s customary now to give a greeting gift when the address changes, so Mom is following the trend.”
Qiaoqiao accepted the red envelope.
Zheng Fenglin called out shyly, “Auntie, my name is Zheng Fenglin. I’m Qiaoqiao’s friend.”
“Zheng Fenglin? Good, what a fine girl. You should come to the city today too, to keep Qiaoqiao company.” Luo Meiyun extended a warm invitation.
“No, thank you. The production team is about to plant corn, so I have to work.”
“Well, come visit us in the city whenever you have free time. You’re always welcome.”
“Thank you, Auntie. You chat with Qiaoqiao—I’m going to help out in the kitchen!” Zheng Fenglin rubbed her hands together and darted out.
Don’t leave me… Qiaoqiao cried out in her heart, but Fenglin was already gone.
Luo Meiyun pulled Qiaoqiao down to sit beside her on the edge of the bed. “Qiaoqiao, I’m sorry. You’ve been wronged.”
“Mom, it’s nothing,” Qiaoqiao murmured, keeping her head down.
“Wenhui… Qiaoqiao, mothers are selfish creatures. After Wenhui was disabled, I still desperately hoped he could have a normal family and a normal life. Actually, your father and I already saw you once, at a mass meeting. At the time, your grandfather was up on stage while you were crying in the audience, so we specifically asked Zhang Wei to find out about your family background.
“Your grandfather did nothing wrong. It’s just that in this day and age… Ah. Qiaoqiao, the moment you step through our front door, you are my child. No one will ever bully your grandfather again.
“Wenhui is a proud boy, and losing both legs dealt him a devastating blow. Yet he’s also a fine man—he used to say he would rather die at the front lines… Qiaoqiao, but I am his mother! Seeing him survive at all is the greatest blessing I could ask for.
“Qiaoqiao, your mother’s biggest worry is whether you’ll be able to have children in the future. To tell you the truth, I want grandchildren even more than your mother does. If the two of you truly cannot make a life together as husband and wife, I… I will recognize you as my daughter and grant you a divorce. No matter who you marry down the line, I will prepare your dowry. I only ask that you treat Wenhui like a real older brother, and after his father and I are gone, look in on him from time to time.”
By the end of it, Luo Meiyun was sobbing so hard she couldn’t speak.
Qiaoqiao wept as well, wrapping her arms around Luo Meiyun. “Mom, I’ll stay by Zhou Wenhui’s side. I won’t divorce him, and I won’t remarry.”
“You silly child, if Wenhui truly can’t be a proper husband, how could I let you waste your youth living like a widow?”
Mother and daughter embraced and wept together—ah, tears, how bitter and astringent they tasted.
Outside, someone shouted, “The wedding banquet is starting!”
“Wait! Set off the firecrackers—someone set off the firecrackers!”
The courtyard bustled with overwhelming noise and activity. Luo Meiyun helped Qiaoqiao wipe away her tears. “Child, don’t cry. Today is your joyous day. With your father and me here, don’t let your mind wander—everything is going to get better.”
Qiaoqiao offered a shy, timid smile. “Mom, meeting you and Dad… Qiaoqiao is truly lucky.”
“Mm-hm, having a good daughter like you makes me very lucky, too.” Luo Meiyun’s heart tasted even more bitter than Qiaoqiao’s.
After Wenhui was injured, he had tried to starve himself to death multiple times. It was only when his father knelt by his bedside, begging him to take pity on his aging parents, that he finally swallowed a mouthful of porridge.
When Wenhui was in college, there had been a girl he fancied, and he had planned to bring her home to propose once he returned.
Now that her son was disabled, how could the girl’s parents possibly agree to the match?
Luo Meiyun’s heart ached, and her son’s heart ached just as much.
With all her tears finally cried out, the couple had ultimately discussed finding a kind, down-to-earth rural girl, hoping that having children might help pull their son out of the darkness.
Luo Meiyun genuinely liked Qiaoqiao—her round face and clear, honest eyes made people feel instantly close to her.
Zhou Zhonghai had brought his driver along today, and he was drinking with open-hearted abandon.
Standing in for his son, he went from table to table offering toasts, shaking hands with every single villager in turn.
On ordinary days, the villagers rarely even made it as far as the commune headquarters; now, a division commander in full military uniform was shaking their hands. Words couldn’t capture how proud they felt.
Zhou Zhonghai was truly overjoyed. He had pinned all his hopes on Qiaoqiao; if she could help pull his son out of his despair, he would gladly drink himself to death.
His son—that was the deepest, most agonizing scar on this iron-spined man.
In the face of the enemy, Zhou Zhonghai charged forward without an ounce of fear, but facing his legless son, his heart truly ached.
When parents knelt on the ground and begged him just to keep living, he survived, but all his youthful vitality was gone.
He refused to read the newspapers, refused to speak, refused to smile, nor did he argue or make a fuss—he would just sit there blankly staring out the window. He was only twenty-eight years old; how was he supposed to get through the rest of his life?
The banquet lasted until two in the afternoon. The bride boarded the vehicle; once they returned to the city, there would be another banquet that evening.
Qiaoqiao’s grandfather and father walked out to see her off, while her grandmother and mother hid inside the house, weeping.
Yang Zheng had put on a brand-new set of clothes to escort his sister to the city before heading straight to report for work at the municipal machinery plant.
Zhou Zhonghai was slightly swaying from the alcohol, but he kept waving his hand. “Folks! Next time—we’ll come back to drink with you next time!”
Qiaoqiao’s modest dowry also filled an entire cart to the brim.
Aunt Fang and Zhang Wei bowed and scraped as they saw Zhou Zhonghai off into his car. Zhou Zhonghai patted Zhang Wei on the shoulder and said, “Thank you, brother. I’ve kept it all in mind.”
Then he turned to Aunt Fang. “Liu Songming is a good soldier; he’s doing quite well in the logistics department right now.”
Aunt Fang’s mouth split into a wide grin. All her exhausting effort had been precisely to ensure her son would have someone looking out for him in the military.
In another vehicle, Zheng Fenglin held Qiaoqiao’s hand. “Write to me—you have to write!”
“I will, I will! Fenglin, make sure you come visit me in the city when you have time.”
Until the car finally pulled away, Qiaoqiao never caught sight of Zhao Jintao.
Standing alone on a distant hillside, Zhao Jintao watched the jeeps adorned with red silk ribbons spring to life, watching as the girl he loved was carried far away into a distant marriage.