Zhao Minglang's wedding proceeded as scheduled. The wedding day was sunny and bright, truly an auspicious day. The whole family was beaming with joy, everyone dressed in their finest attire, not only for the auspicious occasion but also to have a color photograph taken. Zhao Minglang had arranged beforehand that a color photo shoot would be held on his wedding day, so everyone was ready to have their pictures taken.

Zhao Mingyue's task was to take photos for everyone, while Zhao Mingxiu helped her take care of her son. She took the Kodak camera she had given to Zhao Minglang, loaded it with color film, and solemnly photographed the bride and groom and their relatives and friends. Because the film was limited and there were so many guests, everyone took color group photos as a family. These days, taking a color photo was incredibly rare, so everyone was enthusiastic, making the wedding lively and unique.

Zhao Mingyue placed the camera on the stool, set the timer, and took a family photo. The only regret was that Shen Xuyue was missing. Zhao Minglang could see her disappointment and comforted her, "When Xuyue comes over, we'll take another family photo together. We still have one roll of film left."

Zhao Mingyue smiled and nodded, but was slightly disappointed. On such a joyous and lively day, Shen Xuyue was absent, and their whole family did not get together.

When Yu Youqing got married, Zhao Mingyue was also invited to the wedding banquet. Mao Jianlan wore the clothes that Zhao Mingyue gave her, and she looked energetic and beautiful. Women are indeed the most beautiful on their wedding day. Gui Dan was, Mao Jianlan was, and I should be too.

Yu Youqing's wedding banquet was indeed less lavish than Zhao Minglang's, and they didn't invite many guests, but it was the best they could do. Mao Jianlan's family asked for a dowry of one thousand yuan, which shocked Yu Youqing's parents; it was practically like they were buying a wife. Therefore, the Yu family's attitude towards Mao Jianlan wasn't very natural, and Zhao Mingyue, seeing this, was somewhat worried for Mao Jianlan.

Zhao Mingyue said, "You can keep this a secret for a while. Don't say too much, even saying five hundred is fine."

Mao Jianlan shook her head: "I always feel that it's wrong to deceive everyone. I'd rather tell the truth. I'd rather people have opinions about me than lie."

Zhao Mingyue sighed. What a stubborn person.

Mao Jianlan said, "Time will tell. They'll gradually find out."

Zhao Mingyue nodded: "Yes, don't overthink it, cheer up, it's a joyous day."

On New Year's Eve, Shen Xuyue finally arrived. Zhao Mingyue looked at the travel-worn Shen Xuyue and said, "I thought you wouldn't make it to the New Year's Eve dinner."

Shen Xuyue looked exhausted, but seeing his wife and son, he smiled with relief. He hugged his son and pricked his soft little face with his stubble. Liangliang was uncomfortable from the prick and kept turning his head, making protesting noises. Shen Xuyue said, "It's only been a few days, and you don't recognize your dad anymore?"

Zhao Mingyue looked at her husband and said, "Alright, hurry up and wash your face and shave. Dinner is almost ready."

Taking advantage of a moment when no one was looking, Shen Xuyue kissed Zhao Mingyue on the cheek. It had been almost half a month since they last saw each other, and he missed her terribly. While Shen Xuyue was shaving, Zhao Mingyue watched from the side holding her son. Shen Xuyue even took the time to talk to her: "Brother-in-law bought another car and is driving a taxi."

Zhao Mingyue said in surprise, "Wow, brother-in-law has great vision and guts! How did he get the taxi license?"

Shen Xuyue said, "I was affiliated with a taxi company."

Zhao Mingyue exclaimed, "My brother-in-law really knows how to make money!"

Shen Xuyue chuckled: "Yes."

These days, the most lucrative profession is taxi driving, which can earn several thousand yuan a month. In the 1980s, the most profitable industries in China were taxi drivers, self-employed individuals, and chefs, with taxi drivers being the most lucrative of all drivers.

These days, there are hardly any private cars, and driver's licenses are extremely difficult to obtain. Getting a license costs 1000 yuan, and even then, you need connections and connections. People with some status and money don't own cars, so they take taxis everywhere, some even having long-term taxi contracts – a symbol of status. Although taxi drivers are government employees and receive salaries, they have various side incomes. Yang Maolin, however, bought his own car, registered it with a taxi company, paid a small fee to the company each month, and earned the rest himself – he truly struck gold.

Zhao Mingyue was also tempted. Yang Maolin could find an opportunity to register a taxi. If she had money, she could buy a taxi, register it with a company, and hire someone to drive it. Wouldn't that bring in a lot of money? However, it was true that it was not easy to find a driver.

Shen Xuyue shaved and looked at Zhao Mingyue: "Wife, what are you thinking about?"

Zhao Mingyue said, "I also want to get rich."

Shen Xuyue had always known that his wife was good at making money, so he said, "You want to go into business too?" In the past two years, the term "going into business" has quietly become popular.

Zhao Mingyue was a businesswoman in her past life, but in this life she's just an ordinary teacher, not even the kind who educates and nurtures, so she doesn't have much passion for it. She simply wants a happy and harmonious family; money isn't the standard for measuring happiness. Besides, Shen Xuyue is aiming for a career in politics, and as his spouse, it's best to avoid any appearance of impropriety. That's why she's content with her simple life. However, seeing such a good opportunity and not seizing it feels like a betrayal of her innate business acumen. Fortunately, relevant laws don't explicitly prohibit spouses of civil servants from engaging in business; as long as they avoid the areas under his jurisdiction, it's permissible.

Zhao Mingyue smiled and said, "A little." You know, these days, the most unpopular profession is teaching. The pay is just too low. So there's a saying that those who build atomic bombs are not as well off as those who sell tea eggs. The social status of intellectuals is still low. She wanted to give her husband and children a relatively comfortable life, so that they wouldn't lack money and Shen Xuyue wouldn't be tempted by personal gain and would be less likely to go astray.

Shen Xuyue did not object: "Let's see first. Every business requires capital, right? We are penniless right now, so we can't do anything we want."

When Zhao Mingyue heard him say that, she knew he didn't object, so she nodded and said, "Okay."

Shen Xuyue returned, and it was a rare occasion for everyone to be together for a meal. The whole family enjoyed a lively and festive New Year together. Zhao Shunsheng and Hu Nianchun were surrounded by children and grandchildren; all their children were married and had started their own families. They felt that their life's mission was finally complete. This is the typical mentality of Chinese parents: raising children to adulthood is not enough; they must also watch them grow up, establish their own families and careers, and sometimes even worry about their grandchildren's upbringing and marriages. It's a lifelong burden of worry. However, in other words, this is probably also a kind of fulfillment and achievement for them. Such are their values, vastly different from those of Westerners. Many Chinese people never truly live a single day for themselves in their entire lives.

On the fourth day of the Lunar New Year, Zhao Mingyue and Shen Xuyue embarked on their journey home, with Shen Xuyue needing to return to work by the seventh. Aside from her parents' health, Zhao Mingyue had nothing to worry about. Her two older brothers had jointly opened a tea factory, and for now, they weren't hiring anyone else. Selling tea was their responsibility, while tea production was handled by their father and second uncle, along with Zhao Minggang; their family was more than capable of managing. They planned to hire more people from the village once the business grew a bit larger. Everyone was eager to get started and make a name for themselves; life was only going to get better.

Zhao Mingyue had considered her options. If she wanted to start a business, she could begin with clothing. The textile industry in the north was far less developed than in the Yangtze River Delta and Pearl River Delta regions, so there were fewer garment factories. However, northerners also needed clothing, so most of it had to be transported from the south. Zhao Mingyue thought she could open a garment factory directly in Beijing, which would be convenient for sales, close to home, and save a lot of trouble. Doing the clothing business was essentially unrelated to the professional scope under Shen Xuyue's jurisdiction, so there was no need to worry about political vetting.

But before that, I should just go to work honestly. My son is still breastfeeding, and I don't have any capital yet. Everything is still just a plan.

After returning to Beijing, Zhao Mingyue hurried to pay her respects to her parents-in-law for the New Year. Just then, her eldest sister, Shen Fuyu, and her family also returned from celebrating the New Year in Northeast China, so the two groups gathered together. This New Year was a rather lonely one for Shen's parents. Only their eldest son's family was in Beijing, and Shen Qixue had returned to his unit immediately after the New Year, leaving only the elderly couple, their eldest daughter-in-law, and their eldest grandson. Fortunately, their grandson kept them company; otherwise, the New Year would have been far too desolate.

Liangliang didn't catch a cold while he was in the south, but he did catch a slight cold after returning to his home in Beijing. Shen's mother complained to Zhao Mingyue, "The child is so young, and you're still taking him around. He's gotten sick from all the running around, and he can't even say anything. It must be so hard for him."

Zhao Mingyue obediently admitted her mistake: "I was wrong, Mom. I won't take Liangliang to Grandma's house in winter anymore. Let him go back during summer vacation."

Seeing that her attitude was alright, Chen's mother muttered a few words and then stopped.

Fortunately, Liangliang only had a minor cold and was fine after two days.

With Yang Maolin's earnings, the family's quality of life improved significantly. Shen Fuyu sported a perm with large, wavy curls, a sable hat, a mink scarf, a sealskin coat, and high boots, looking incredibly stylish. Jingjing also wore a leather military cap, a leather jacket, and chunky leather shoes, looking very handsome.

They also bought fur coats and mink hats for Shen's parents, all brought from Northeast China. Shen's father, holding the clothes, was quite unhappy: "These are all smuggled from the Soviet Union!"

Shen Fuyu opened her eyes wide and said, "This is not smuggled goods. It is a local specialty of us Northeasterners. Have you forgotten? Human flesh, deer antler and mink fur are the three treasures of our Xingan Mountains."

The younger generation found it amusing to listen to their father's nagging.

Fang Zhen and Zhao Mingyue also benefited, each receiving a sable scarf, which was warm and stylish.

The whole family has truly felt the advantages of being self-employed; at least they're not short of money. We heard that Shen Fuyu and her husband plan to work for a year and buy a house by the end of the year, so they'll never have to rent again. Look at that—if they were working for a company, who could afford a house?

The nanny hadn't arrived yet, and Zhao Mingyue hadn't started school, so she was taking care of the child at home by herself. It was a rare occasion without outsiders around, and after Liangliang fell asleep, the couple could finally have a proper chat. Shen Xuyue hugged Zhao Mingyue and said, "I wish we could buy a house someday."

Zhao Mingyue turned her face and rubbed her cheek against his: "We're staying here pretty well."

"It's still a bit cramped, and besides, it's not even our own. When Liangliang grows up, if any of our guests come over, we won't have anywhere to stay, and we'll have to go to a guesthouse," Shen Xuyue sighed.

“That’s true. But buying a house isn’t something that can be done overnight; it requires careful planning,” Zhao Mingyue said.

Shen Xuyue said, "Some teachers in our school secretly go outside to do odd jobs to earn extra money." Since returning from studying in the United States, Shen Xuyue has frequently gone back to the school to hand over his duties.

Zhao Mingyue was surprised: "People at your school also do 'freelancing'?" The term "freelancing" comes from Cantonese and refers to earning extra income in one's spare time. Many university teachers have technical skills, and some newly established companies lack talent, so these teachers use their weekends to take on private jobs and earn extra money. This was very common in the 1980s, but only in the Yangtze River Delta and Pearl River Delta regions where township enterprises were relatively developed. She didn't expect it to be happening in Beijing too.

Shen Xuyue said, "Yes. The factory lacked technical personnel, and the teachers had the skills, but they lacked money, so they mutually benefited. However, this is not allowed on the surface, and if caught, the punishment is very severe; it is called the crime of technology speculation and profiteering."

Zhao Mingyue reached out and touched Shen Xuyue's cheek: "You shouldn't do this, it's too dangerous."

Shen Xuyue chuckled and said, "It just so happens that someone came to me asking me to take on some side jobs."

Zhao Mingyue turned around and cupped his face in her hands: "Honey, forget it, you shouldn't go. You're different from the teachers; you're a state cadre. If you get caught, it'll be terrible." The crime of technology speculation and profiteering is punishable by imprisonment; if caught, your political future is basically ruined.

Shen Xuyue said, "I also want to earn some money to buy food and clothes for you and the children."

Zhao Mingyue smiled and kissed him: "You should focus on your job and leave the money-making to me."

Shen Xuyue touched Zhao Mingyue's face and sighed, "I feel so useless."

Zhao Mingyue shook her head: "The nature of the work is different, how can you say you're useless? The meaning of work cannot be measured by money. If you want to go into politics, I will support you."

Shen Xuyue kissed Zhao Mingyue: "Thank you, wife."

Winter passed and spring arrived; time flew by. During the May Day holiday, they received the joyous news: Song Huaihai and Li Chunmei had gotten married. The wedding was held at the military base, and afterwards, during their honeymoon in the city, they hosted a simple meal for relatives and friends. This result truly stunned Zhao Mingyue and her husband; it was such a surprise, they never expected them to actually get married. The Song family was very satisfied with Li Chunmei, not caring much about social status or background. Commander Song and Aunt Fang were already incredibly grateful that Song Huaihai was willing to marry her, especially since Li Chunmei was a college graduate.

Song Xiaorui joked with Zhao Mingyue, "I originally told you to introduce your classmate to Brother Qixue, but he didn't succeed, but my brother did. It's true what they say about things in this world: you may plant flowers with care but they may not bloom, while you may plant willows without care and they may thrive."

However, this young couple was destined to be separated from the moment they got married. Their time together was very short. Li Chunmei went to the military base during winter and summer vacations, and Song Huaihai would try to get about a month's leave each year. In total, they could only spend about four months together a year. But even when Li Chunmei went to visit her at the military base, the couple couldn't necessarily see each other every day, as Song Huaihai often had missions. The couple spent little time together, but this actually helped keep their relationship fresh; absence makes the heart grow fonder, after all.

Zhao Mingyue worried that Li Chunmei must be lonely in Beijing, especially after becoming pregnant. But she forgot that Aunt Fang, her exemplary mother-in-law, was there, taking meticulous care of Li Chunmei, even more attentive than her own mother. So, in this world, things are unpredictable; what you lose on one front you gain on another. God may take something away from you, but He will always compensate you in another.

This year has been full of joyous events. First, Mao Jianlan became pregnant, then Gao Dongfang brought good news, and after the summer vacation, Li Chunmei also announced her pregnancy. Everyone was overjoyed.

Zhao Mingyue said, "If all three of you give birth to daughters, wouldn't my son have three wives? Oh dear, that's a crime!"

Li Chunmei said, "Of course it's my son-in-law! I made the decision the earliest!"

Gao Dongfang said, "But you were born the latest!"

Mao Jianlan said coolly, "Stop arguing. My daughter was born a few months earlier than you. Those few months are enough time for her to develop a relationship. It's none of your business."

Zhao Mingyue laughed so hard she almost fell over: "It's okay. If they were all girls, I could recommend my eldest brother's son. That young man is very handsome, only a little bit less so than my son." Of course, she only dared to say this in private as a joke. Zhao Mingyue would never dare to say to his face that her son was better looking than Zhuangzhuang, or his parents would hold a grudge.

To be fair, Zhuangzhuang's genes are exceptionally good. Born to parents in the north and south, a significant geographical span, the child's genes are excellent, inheriting all the best traits from his parents—he's incredibly smart. Of course, Liangliang isn't bad either. Although the north-south distance is smaller, his parents' genes are even better. At just over a year old, he's already a heartthrob, attracting attention wherever he goes—he's so adorable!

After National Day that year, Yu Youqing and Mao Jianlan's daughter was born. Gao Dongfang and Li Chunmei were incredibly envious and jealous, saying that having a daughter was truly a blessing.

Gao Dongfang's daughter was born during the Chinese New Year. Being older, she experienced a difficult labor and ultimately underwent a cesarean section. Fortunately, both mother and daughter are safe. Although there were many hardships, their wish came true. The couple discussed it at length and decided to continue living apart temporarily. They plan to find a way for Lao Qin to transfer back to Beijing later, so that Lao Qin's mother can come and take care of Gao Dongfang. Lao Qin is currently secretly working part-time as a Saturday engineer, and it's said that his income is quite good.

Li Chunmei gave birth the following spring. Song Huaihai was on leave and came back to be with his wife during childbirth. The little guy was quite lazy, taking his time, and didn't arrive until a week past his due date, driving his family crazy with worry. Finally, the baby was born—a son! The whole family was overjoyed. Only Li Chunmei looked unhappy. Where was the promised daughter? Zhao Mingyue's handsome son had become someone else's son-in-law, and she felt resentful.

Song Huaihai said, "That's easy. Just adopt him as your godson, and he'll become your son."

Li Chunmei excitedly patted Song Huaihai's arm: "You're the smartest one."

Song Huaihai looked at his wife with affection and found that their way of getting along was quite good. Li Chunmei had a rather fiery and strong personality, and he was also a man of his word. The two of them weren't always together. Every time they met, they were too busy being considerate and cherishing each other. They rarely picked on each other, so there were very few moments when they clashed.

Zhao Mingyue brought her son to visit Li Chunmei. Liangliang is almost two years old and can already run around everywhere. He is very lively and active, with a strong sense of curiosity. You can't let your guard down for a moment, or he will disappear in the blink of an eye.

Li Chunmei lay on the hospital bed, looking at Liangliang: "Sigh, if he can't be my son-in-law, he'll probably be my son's rival in love."

Zhao Mingyue teased the baby: "With your little face, do you want to pursue Mao Mao or Bing Bing?" Mao Mao is Mao Jianlan's daughter, and Bing Bing is Gao Dongfang's daughter.

Li Chunmei smiled and said, "Of course I want to have one on each side."

Liangliang kept rubbing against the bed, wanting to see the baby. Zhao Mingyue picked up her son and showed him the baby: "Liangliang, what do you think of this little brother?"

Liangliang looked at the wrinkled baby and pouted, "Ugly."

Zhao Mingyue laughed so hard: "Did you hear that? Your son is ugly, how could he be a match for my son?"

Li Chunmei reached out and pinched Liangliang's pretty little face: "You're a boy, and your eyelashes are longer than a girl's. What girl will want to be your wife in the future? Listen to your aunt, cut your eyelashes."

His shiny eyelashes looked like two little brushes, they were so beautiful. He knew his eyelashes were pretty, so he pouted and said, "No, they'll look ugly if I cut them."

“Boys should be a little ugly, like your Uncle Song, that’s what makes them look imposing,” Li Chunmei teased him.

Liangliang turned to look at Song Huaihai. He admired soldiers in green uniforms the most. He frowned and hesitated for a moment: "Okay."

The adults laughed heartily. Zhao Mingyue patted her son's head and said, "Aunt Li is lying to you. Don't pay attention to her. Don't cut it. The longer you cut it, the longer it will grow."

Liangliang was confused and didn't understand what the adults were laughing about.

Liangliang is almost two years old and will be able to go to kindergarten soon. Zhao Mingyue is starting to plan to take a leave of absence without pay and start her own business. Just then, Shen Xuyue received a transfer order to Tianjin to serve as the deputy secretary of a district committee, which means he will be sent to the grassroots level for training.

Zhao Mingyue remained calm about this; she had long anticipated that Shen Xuyue would need to gain experience at the grassroots level to have a better future. The Shen family seemed to have expected this as well and were not surprised. Fortunately, Tianjin was not far away, and they could make a round trip on weekends, allowing the family to reunite.

Shen Xuyue said, "Why don't you temporarily stop taking unpaid leave? I'm not in Beijing, and you'll be at home alone taking care of the child and starting a business. It's so hard for you."

Zhao Mingyue smiled and said, "It's okay. Liangliang can go to daycare now. I'll send him to his grandparents' place so he can go to school with Zhuangzhuang. It'll just be a little hard on your parents. I'll stay there at night and bring my son home to wait for you on weekends."

Shen Xuyue thought for a moment and said, "That's fine. I can come back on the weekend and stay at my parents' house." These days, some dual-income families send their children to daycare when they are even younger.

So the couple made this plan: Zhao Mingyue would finish her classes this semester and then apply for unpaid leave. Of course, they needed to discuss this with Shen's parents, since they couldn't keep it a secret any longer, and Liangliang would still be in their care.

When Zhao Mingyue proposed taking a leave of absence without pay, both Mr. and Mrs. Shen were quite surprised. Mr. Shen said, "Mingyue, are you going to start a business?"

Zhao Mingyue nodded: "I want to try my hand at the sea."

Mother Chen spoke more directly: "Are you tempted by your brother-in-law's success in running a small business? Actually, you two are living quite well. A university professor's job is so respectable, why did you choose to run a small business? Your brother-in-law's job back then really had no future, so he went into business for that reason."

Shen Xuyue said, "Dad, Mom, it's not because my brother-in-law made money that Mingyue wanted to go into business. It's because we all think Mingyue is more suited to business. She has always had a unique vision and will definitely be able to make a name for herself."

Father Shen nodded: "The country's economy is developing now, and the opportunities are excellent. I believe you can make a name for yourself. But if you go to Tianjin and Mingyue quits her job to start her own business, what will happen to the children?"

Zhao Mingyue pursed her lips: "So I wanted to trouble my parents. I want to send Liangliang to daycare, so I need to trouble my parents to pick him up and drop him off. But I will still stay at home in the morning and evening, just like when I go to work, and I will stay with him. I just need to go on business trips occasionally."

Shen's mother is a working woman herself and does not object to her daughter-in-law working, but she cannot accept her daughter-in-law quitting to start her own business. She thinks it is too unconventional, so she remains silent.

Zhao Mingyue knew that this matter couldn't be resolved in a short time, so she could only discuss it first and wait for Shen's parents to come to their senses. If they were unwilling, she would probably have to ask Liu Ma to take care of Liangliang.