At dawn the next day, just as the sky was beginning to lighten, Hu Jiao Jiao quietly got up, washed quickly, and slipped out the door. She saw Cheng Chen already waiting outside.
“You’re up early too. Let’s go,” she said.
Both of them were afraid something might go wrong if they delayed, so they hurried toward the village entrance.
From a distance, they saw the ox cart was already full. When they got closer, Hu Jiao Jiao smiled and asked, “Grandpa Liu, is there still room for us?”
“Hop on—we’re just about to leave.”
After getting on, they each paid their fare but didn’t speak, pretending not to know each other. Who knew if anyone on the cart might be related to the accountant’s family? Hu Jiao Jiao even felt a strange thrill, like sneaking off behind their parents’ backs to register a marriage.
The ox cart bumped and swayed all the way to the commune, stopping under a large tree at the entrance.
The two jumped down and went inside one after the other. Before long, they came out holding two marriage certificates. The certificates were just stiff pieces of paper—no photos, only their names and details, stamped with an official seal. That was enough to make it legal.
“I’ll keep them,” Hu Jiao Jiao said, taking both.
Then came an awkward silence.
After a moment, Cheng Chen took a deep breath and began, “My name is Cheng Chen. I’m from Beijing, twenty-two this year. I don’t have any bad habits. My grandparents and parents are all alive, and I have three older sisters. My health… it’s from falling into water when I was a child, left some lingering issues. But as long as I’m careful, it doesn’t affect me too much.”
Hu Jiao Jiao was a bit stunned, watching him lay out his entire background so seriously. When he finished, he looked at her expectantly.
She blinked, still processing three sisters? and wondering briefly if he might be overly attached to family—but seeing him waiting, she cleared her throat awkwardly.
“My name is Hu Jiao Jiao. I’m from Jiangshi. I have my parents, an older sister, a younger sister, and a younger brother. Just an ordinary family. Please take care of me in the future.” She even stuck out her hand.
They shook hands quickly, then let go.
“I’ll also prepare the bride price you mentioned,” Cheng Chen added. “It’ll just take some time.”
“What bride price?” Hu Jiao Jiao was confused, then remembered something she had said before and felt a bit embarrassed. “You don’t need to take that seriously. I only said that to brush people off—I didn’t want anyone bothering me.”
“I know. I just want you to see my sincerity,” Cheng Chen replied.
“Alright, I get it. No need to make things complicated. For now, we’re just… partners,” she said, a little shy.
Cheng Chen didn’t argue, but inwardly resolved to fulfill his responsibilities as a husband. Hu Jiao Jiao, on the other hand, thought that since they married to avoid trouble, they would just take things step by step. Still, if they were going to live together, they should at least make the home look the part.
After discussing it, they went to the supply and marketing cooperative and bought some fruit candies to share with the other educated youths as a token of celebration. They didn’t plan to hold a banquet. Looking over their belongings, they didn’t need to buy much else—until Hu Jiao Jiao spotted some fabric scraps and bought them, thinking she might sew together a curtain.
They didn’t linger long. Instead, they went to the state-run restaurant and had a simple meal to celebrate.
Cheng Chen had wanted to take a photo, but the commune didn’t have that service, so he decided to wait until they could go to the county. He also wrote a letter at the post office, carefully explaining the reasons for his marriage, and sent it off. Hu Jiao Jiao, however, had no plans to inform her family.
With their certificates in hand, they no longer needed to hide anything. Back on the ox cart, Hu Jiao Jiao took out some fruit candies and handed them to Old Liu, the driver.
“Grandpa Liu, have some candy. Cheng Chen and I got married today.”
The cart fell silent for a moment—then everyone started talking at once, asking how they suddenly got married. Hu Jiao Jiao repeated the same explanation she had given the team leader, while generously handing out candies to everyone. After receiving sweets, no one felt comfortable bringing up the previous gossip about them.
But the moment they reached the village, before the cart had even stopped, the women rushed off to their gossip circles, eager to spread the news.
As soon as they reached the educated youth station, Wu Qing was already blocking the entrance.
“What do you mean by this? How could you register your marriage? Go get a divorce right now!” she shouted.
The other educated youths were stunned—marriage? When did this happen?—and silently watched.
Hu Jiao Jiao calmly pulled Cheng Chen behind her and replied, “Who do you think you are, making a scene here? Do we need your permission to become revolutionary partners? As long as the state recognizes it, that’s enough.”
“I already told Educated Youth Cheng—” Wu Qing began.
“Whatever you said before doesn’t matter. We’re already legally married,” Hu Jiao Jiao cut in.
“I don’t care! You can’t be together. Otherwise, you’ll regret it!” Wu Qing shouted angrily.
“Oh? I didn’t realize you were so powerful. Just because your father is the accountant? Maybe I should go ask the commune leaders whether an accountant gets to control marriages and make life difficult for others. If anything happens to us in the future, I’ll hold you responsible,” Hu Jiao Jiao shot back calmly.
She had been worried the accountant might make things hard for them—but now Wu Qing had handed her a perfect excuse. After this public scene, the accountant wouldn’t dare show favoritism.
Wu Qing’s face flushed red. She tried to grab Cheng Chen, but her mother rushed over and dragged her away, shooting Hu Jiao Jiao and Cheng Chen a resentful glare.
Unbothered, Hu Jiao Jiao turned around, handed out fruit candies, and told everyone about their marriage.
Just as she finished, Aunt Wang’s voice rang out, “Hu Jiao Jiao, that yard is almost ready. Want to come take a look?”
That was like another bombshell—they were already moving out? So fast?
Hu Jiao Jiao nodded, glanced at Cheng Chen, and followed Aunt Wang to the old house. The courtyard was enclosed by waist-high earthen walls, with a wooden gate standing open. The team leader and his eldest son were still working on the dry toilet, hastily building it with mud bricks and thatching the roof with straw. The kitchen shed had been repaired, and another small shelter had been added for firewood.
Hu Jiao Jiao was very satisfied. “Aunt Wang, you’re incredibly efficient.”
Inside, everything had been cleaned. Once the heated bed (kang) was lit, they could move in immediately. There was even a heated wall in the room.
“We’ll tidy up this afternoon and move in. We can stay here starting tomorrow,” she said, giving some candy to Shi Tou, who had come along.
The other educated youths who followed were full of envy—though some were skeptical. One was small and frail, the other sickly—how long could they rely on family support? Hard days surely lay ahead, some of the girls thought quietly.
Gu Chenye glanced at Su Yi, wondering when he could also become her “revolutionary partner.”
Back at the station, Zhang Yan immediately surrounded Hu Jiao Jiao. “Jiao Jiao, why did you suddenly marry Cheng Chen?”
Qian Shuangshuang chimed in, while Su Yi and Lin Xue watched silently.
“It’s nothing much—just finding someone to share meals with, and solving some trouble along the way,” Hu Jiao Jiao said. She vaguely explained what had happened in the hills and hinted at the Li Gang and Wu Erni situation.
Everyone sighed after hearing it, then said no more. Instead, they helped Hu Jiao Jiao pack her things.