The fifteenth day of the third lunar month. The weather was clear and bright.
Lin Wan woke up early.
She put on the new jacket made from the defective fabric—dark blue, small lapel collar, tailored at the waist just right. The material was thick and sturdy, warm and neat on her body. Her trousers were still the old work pants, but freshly washed.
Her hair was braided into two plaits, tied with the hair ties Lu Zhanye had given her. A simple black hairpin was clipped at her temple. Nothing fancy, but it made her look much more spirited.
Zhou Xiaomei and Sun Xiuying helped her pack. There wasn’t much to begin with—just a few sets of clothes, a couple of books, a small iron pot, a thermos cup, half a bag of sugar, and a little grain. Everything fit into a single bundle.
“Lin Wan… you’re really moving out?” Zhou Xiaomei’s eyes were a little red.
“Mm.” Lin Wan patted her hand. “We’re still in the same village. Come visit anytime.”
“Definitely!” Sun Xiuying said quickly. “You’re the first one in our educated youth group to get married. We’ll come visit you later!”
Just then, the sound of a bicycle bell came from outside.
Lu Zhanye had arrived.
Today he was also dressed differently—a navy-blue Zhongshan suit. Though slightly faded from washing, it was neatly pressed. His hair was combed clean, his face freshly shaved. He looked far more formal and spirited than usual.
“Let’s go,” he said.
Lin Wan picked up her bundle, took one last look at the small room she had lived in for less than two months, then turned and walked out.
A red cloth had been tied to the back of the bicycle as a festive sign. Lin Wan sat sideways on the seat. Lu Zhanye pedaled, and the bicycle rolled steadily out of the educated youth compound.
Along the way, they ran into many villagers who greeted them with smiles.
“Zhanye, picking up the bride?”
“Congratulations!”
“Educated Youth Lin looks really spirited today!”
Lin Wan smiled and nodded in response to each greeting. The sunlight was good, and the wind felt gentle.
..
The new house had already been cleaned and arranged properly.
Red paper-cut “double happiness” characters were pasted on the windows. Simple, but festive. The courtyard was swept clean, not a single leaf on the ground. Even the firewood stacked in the corner was neatly arranged.
Lu Zhanye’s mother, Wang Xiuyue, and his elder sister-in-law, Li Guizhi, were busy in the yard. Seeing them arrive, Wang Xiuyue hurried over.
“You’re here! Come in, come in!”
Li Guizhi also smiled and handed them two cups of water. “You must be tired from the road. Have some water first.”
The inside of the house had also been prepared.
The kang bed was covered with brand-new bedding—bright red floral quilt covers, thickly stuffed with cotton. The cabinets were freshly wiped until they shone. On the table sat a thermos and two enamel mugs, both printed with red “double happiness” characters.
“It was all helped by Mom and your sister-in-law,” Lu Zhanye said.
“Thank you, Mom. Thank you, Sister-in-law,” Lin Wan said politely.
Wang Xiuyue waved her hand. “Don’t be so formal! We’re family now!”
..
The wedding was very simple.
It was held right in the courtyard, with a few tables set up. Village cadres and a few close relatives were invited. Lu Guangcai presided over the ceremony. First, everyone read a quotation from Chairman Mao, then sang “The East Is Red.”
“Red rises in the east—the sun is born—”
The singing echoed through the courtyard. The tune was uneven, but the atmosphere was lively.
After the song, they ate.
The banquet was genuinely generous for the times—two meat dishes: cabbage stewed with pork, and potatoes cooked with chicken. Several vegetable dishes followed: stir-fried bean sprouts, wild greens, and pickled vegetables. Staple foods were cornmeal cakes and sorghum rice.
In that era, this was already a very respectable wedding feast.
Lu Zhanye sat beside Lin Wan and placed a piece of chicken into her bowl.
“Eat more. You’ve been busy all morning.”
The chicken was tender and richly flavored, the potatoes soaked in broth. Lin Wan lowered her head and ate while listening to the laughter around the table.
“Zhanye finally got married!” an old uncle laughed. “Guangcai, you can finally rest easy!”
Lu Guangcai raised his cup, a rare smile on his face. “Yes. I can rest easy now.”
Wang Xiuyue moved from table to table, greeting guests with a beaming smile. Li Guizhi held her child, Tie Dan, who was happily chewing on a piece of candy, his mouth sticky and sweet.
Lin Wan quietly observed this family.
Lu Guangcai was not talkative, but his eyes were gentle. Wang Xiuyue was capable and straightforward. Li Guizhi also looked competent and efficient. Little Tie Dan was lively and adorable.
A harmonious family.
..
After the meal, guests gradually left.
Wang Xiuyue and Li Guizhi helped clean up the dishes and packed away the leftovers.
“This piece of fatback, you keep it,” Wang Xiuyue said, taking out a palm-sized slab of lard. “Render it for cooking oil—it’ll make your food fragrant. And this pork, save it for tomorrow. These vegetables are fresh too; they won’t last long, eat them in the next couple of days.”
Lin Wan accepted them. “Thank you, Mom.”
“What are you thanking me for!” Wang Xiuyue patted her hand. “Zhanye, in the next couple of days, build a chicken coop in the yard. I’ll find you two hens so you can have fresh eggs.”
“Got it, Mom,” Lu Zhanye replied.
After finishing the cleanup, Wang Xiuyue and Li Guizhi left as well. The courtyard quickly fell quiet.