The stairwell was decorated with lanterns and colorful ribbons, creating a festive atmosphere.

Jiang Yumei and Xu Jianguo chatted with their relatives in the living room, which had been completely renovated, with even the sofa cushions replaced with red ones.

Xu Jianguo only has one younger sister, Xu Jianlan. She married a rural woman when she was sent to the countryside, but she was too far from Jiaodong City to come.

Xu Jianguo told her about Xu Qingning's marriage in a letter, and also mentioned Tang Wenya's upcoming marriage.

Xu Jianlan replied that she would find time to come to the city to see Xu Qingning.

However, she made it clear that she would not associate with Tang Wenya, since she was not her biological niece.

Xu Jianguo didn't dare tell Jiang Yumei what Xu Jianlan meant. Jiang Yumei probably guessed it and said sarcastically that Xu Jianlan was selfish and didn't even attend her niece's wedding, nor did she give any money as a wedding gift.

Today, all the people who came were relatives from Jiang Yumei's side. Jiang Yumei's older sister, Jiang Xuemei, had a naturally loud voice: "When Qingning got married, you didn't mention it at all, so we didn't know anything. We thought it was Wenya who got married, and you didn't say a word then either!"

Jiang Xuemei lives in the suburbs of Jiaodong City, works a job, and comes from a well-off family.

She was the one who strongly advocated for Jiang Yumei's marriage to Xu Jianguo, which gave her a lot of face in front of both Jiang Yumei and Xu Jianguo.

“Sister, our Qingning’s wedding was too rushed, and we didn’t have time to inform you.” Jiang Yumei glanced at Xu Jianguo, her face still beaming with a smile. “Weddings are joyous occasions, how could we keep them a secret?”

Xu Qingning announced her pregnancy one day and went home with Zhao Jingyu the next day. They were caught off guard and had no idea how to inform their relatives.

This incident has become the talk of the town in their residential compound. Everyone knows about it, and she even feels ashamed of it!

Xu Jianguo's lips twitched, speechless. He picked up the teapot and poured water for the two people sitting next to him: "Come on, have some tea. Don't be shy. You've come from afar. You must be tired."

"It's no trouble at all. We should come to Wenya's wedding." The woman who spoke was Tang Jinxiang, Tang Wenya's aunt. She was in her thirties and looked somewhat similar to Tang Wenya. She was wearing a blue coarse cloth jacket and black patched pants, and she didn't know where to put her hands.

"Yes, we haven't seen Wenya for a long time either. We didn't expect her to get married so soon." Tang Wenya's uncle, Tang Jinyong, wearing glasses, a brand-new Zhongshan suit, and a neat crew cut, reached out to adjust his teacup. "We're relieved that she married well."

Since Jiang Yumei remarried and took Tang Wenya with her, she has not been in contact with them.

Just a few days ago, Jiang Yumei informed them that Tang Wenya was getting married, so they, as her uncle and aunt, rushed over.

"Wenya is very smart and very lucky," Xu Jianguo said with a laugh, feeling somewhat awkward in front of Jiang Yumei's ex-husband's siblings.

"That's right, our Wenya is marrying into a cadre family. You two will enjoy the good life from now on!" Jiang Xuemei glanced at Tang Jinxiang with disdain. Tang Jinxiang, as the aunt, was attending her niece's wedding wearing patched clothes. Wasn't she just embarrassing her niece?

If you don't have new clothes, you can borrow some from others.

If they can't borrow any, it means they're not popular. I don't believe they can't find a new piece of clothing in their village.

"As long as the young couple is doing well, we're happy." Jiang Yumei said with a smile, fearing that her relatives might benefit from Tang Wenya's fame. "As parents, we shouldn't burden our children. We have jobs, so we won't bother them."

Tang Jinxiang and her brother Tang Jinyong just smiled.

Seeing that Tang Jinyong was dressed impeccably, Jiang Xuemei asked Jiang Yumei in a low voice, "What does Wenya's second uncle do for a living?"

"He teaches at the school." Jiang Yumei hadn't seen Tang Jinyong for two or three years. Tang Jinyong had just told her that after he was transferred back from another place, he became a teacher at the school.

"Her second uncle, which school do you teach at?" Jiang Xuemei asked Tang Jinyong with a smile.

"I teach at Wutong Primary School," Tang Jinyong said, adjusting his glasses.

“Wutong Primary School is quite good. Most of the children of employees of state-owned enterprises in the surrounding area study there. Your salaries must be quite high, right?” Jiang Xuemei’s eyes lit up. Her son got married last year and just had a baby this year. In a few years, she wants her grandson to study at Wutong Primary School.

"It's alright!" Tang Jinyong said calmly, his face expressionless. "Teachers' salaries aren't very high."

“Wutong Elementary School isn’t far from my home, only about a kilometer away,” Jiang Xuemei said, seizing the opportunity. “Come to my house for dinner when you have some free time.”

"Okay." Tang Jinyong nodded in agreement.

“Wenya has a good uncle.” Jiang Xuemei was very happy and laughed heartily. Jiang Yumei also laughed, “Yes, she is indeed blessed.”

Neither of the sisters paid any attention to Tang Jinxiang.

Jiang Yumei also felt that Tang Jinxiang's clothes were shabby and unpresentable, and that she was simply embarrassing Tang Wenya.

Tang Jinxiang kept her head down and didn't say a word.

In the bedroom, Tang Wenya, dressed in a bright red wedding gown, sat on the bed with a shy expression, waiting for Xiao Tingshen to come and fetch her.

Chen Meili sat by the bed with her, looking around the exquisitely decorated and festive new house, and felt proud as well: "Wenya, it is such an honor for me to attend your wedding."

Tang Wenya wrote a letter asking Chen Meili to be her bridesmaid.

Although the two spent little time together, Chen Meili took good care of Tang Wenya, and Tang Wenya got along well with her.

When Tang Wenya left Nanping Township, she said that once the wedding date was set, she would write to Chen Meili and ask her to come to the city to find her. She also promised to keep an eye out for jobs for Chen Meili and try to get her back to the city as soon as possible.

Chen Meili received the letter and came over happily.

"I should be the one feeling honored," Tang Wenya smiled sweetly. "You took such good care of me in the village, and now you've come to my wedding. Where can I find such a good friend?"

Chen Meili is very good at reading people and is also very smart.

There's no need to tell me what should or shouldn't be said.

“We’re good friends, it’s only right.” Chen Meili arrived last night and slept in the upper bunk where Xu Qingning had stayed. She casually mentioned Xu Qingning, “Is your sister coming back to see you off soon?”

When she was in Nanping Township, she heard Tang Wenya say that she had a half-sister from a different father and mother, and the two sisters did not get along.

Tang Wenya also said that her younger sister also liked Xiao Tingshen.

Chen Meili despised Xu Qingning. She had never heard of a sister-in-law liking her brother-in-law. She was shameless.

"She won't come back," Tang Wenya said calmly. "Even if she wanted to come back to see me off, I wouldn't let her. She has no right to."

"Don't think about it." Chen Meili understood Tang Wenya and squeezed her hand. "On such a joyous day, let's talk about something happy."

"I'm happy as long as you're here," Tang Wenya said with a smile.

Among her relatives, all of her generation are boys, and none of them are suitable to be her bridesmaid. There is no one more suitable than Chen Meili.

As the two were talking, a cheer came from outside, and Xiao Tingshen was ushered in by a group of people.

The neighbors followed them in, crowding around the doorway and peering inside, grinning as they asked for wedding candy.

Chen Meili immediately took the wedding candy and distributed it to everyone at the door.

Looking at the handsome and dashing Xiao Tingshen, Tang Wenya felt a surge of sweetness in her heart. The wound on his forehead had been treated and was almost invisible when covered by his hair. He was still the same elegant male lead.

According to custom, Xiao Tingshen helped Tang Wenya put on her wedding shoes, and then led her by the hand out of the bedroom to bid farewell to her parents.

When Jiang Yumei saw her daughter and son-in-law, she couldn't hold back her tears.

"Mom and Dad, Wenya and I will come back to visit you often," Xiao Tingshen comforted Jiang Yumei.

He and Tang Wenya had been through so much, and getting to where they were today hadn't been easy. For some reason, he didn't feel much joy; instead, he wanted to finish the process as soon as possible and live a peaceful life.

"You must treat Wenya well." Jiang Yumei wiped away her tears and instructed her son-in-law. In fact, she had a lot of complaints about Xiao Tingshen. He hadn't come to visit even once since he returned from the countryside.

"I will," Xiao Tingshen said gently.

When Tang Wenya saw Jiang Yumei shed tears, her own eyes also reddened.

Xu Jianguo stood beside her without saying a word. When Xu Qingning got married, Jiang Yumei didn't show the slightest emotion. A stepmother is a stepmother.

The two stood there, each lost in their own thoughts, watching Xiao Tingshen and Tang Wenya bow to them before being ushered out of the house by the crowd.

As soon as she came downstairs, Tang Wenya saw that Xiao Tingshen had come by pushing a bicycle. She was very disappointed. She thought he would borrow a car from his workplace to pick her up, or at least a truck!

Last month, Zhao Jingyu picked Xu Qingning up from her home in a big truck, and the girls in the residential compound were all very envious of her.

For this reason, Tang Wenya hinted to Xiao Tingshen several times that she also wanted to ride in a big truck, thinking that he understood her.

To everyone's surprise, Xiao Tingshen arrived pushing a bicycle.