Chapter 32 Marriage is a first time, second time is the second (three times in a row...)

Chapter 32

They had agreed that if the other person ever got married, they would go and see each other off.

But when reality struck, they were worlds apart, like clay bodhisattvas crossing a river, barely able to save themselves.

Zhou Jingsong, leaning on his white cane, paced back and forth at the door. After a moment, he said, "I really can't do anything about Meng Yingying."

"But I can find someone to help your parents get married."

As soon as these words were spoken, Zhao Yueru's eyes lit up immediately. "Is that alright?"

The location where her parents were to be sent to the countryside had been decided, but the departure date had not yet been set, which was like a knife hanging over their heads.

Almost all of Zhao's relatives, whether from the city or the countryside, have severed ties with them.

Even when she stayed at Yingying's house, she would sneak back home several times at night, but her mother wouldn't let her in. Instead, they would meet briefly at the entrance of the alley, exchange a few words, and that would be the end of it.

For Zhao Yueru, this kind of thing was already quite distressing.

When she got married, she couldn't see Yingying or her parents, which made her even more upset.

"Can my parents really come?"

Zhao Yueru asked this question with a hint of caution.

"I can come."

“They are your parents. They will definitely come to your wedding.”

This is one of the few things Zhou Jingsong can do for Zhao Yueru.

Zhao Yueru nodded, "Then I'll go and inform them." Her tone became even more cheerful.

Zhou Jingsong nodded with a smile, but after leaving the Meng family, he began to think about how to get Zhao's father and mother to come to Mengjiatun to attend their wedding.

Zhou Jingsong had already mentally reviewed all the possible candidates.

Finally, a person was chosen, and he went to the committee office in person. It is unknown what he said inside.

However, it only lasted about twenty minutes.

When he came out again, he said to Zhao Yueru, "Let's go visit your uncle and aunt."

They were also there to take them back to Mengjiatun.

When Mr. and Mrs. Zhao walked out of that small villa, they still felt a little unreal. "They really let us out to attend Yue Ru's wedding?"

"real."

Zhao Yueru nodded vigorously, "Zhou Jingsong went to talk to someone, but unfortunately, despite pleading for a long time, they only gave him twelve hours."

"You'll be back by this time tomorrow."

Zhao's mother wiped away her tears, "That's enough, that's enough. These twelve hours are enough."

With things having come to this point, I thought I would never see my daughter again in this lifetime, but I never expected to be able to send her off to her wedding.

This was already an unexpected joy for Zhao's mother.

"Comrade Zhou, thank you so much for this."

Zhao's mother treated Zhou Jingsong very politely, and even though Zhou Jingsong was now blind, they did not look down on him at all.

Zhou Jingsong knew perfectly well what was going on. "Uncle and Aunt, this is what I should do."

Zhao's mother shook her head, thinking to herself that this was not something she should do. Even her own son would sever ties with them if he encountered such a situation.

But how could anyone not be shocked that this unmarried son-in-law could do this much?

Zhou Jingsong's move increased Zhao's mother's approval of her son-in-law.

Seeing that Mr. and Mrs. Zhao were about to leave, Comrade Liu, who was supervising them, couldn't help but follow them a few steps forward.

After Zhou Jingsong saw this, he said, "You can come along and have a drink at our wedding."

"However, after we go to Mengjiatun, I don't want you to do anything out of line at my wedding to restrain my father-in-law and mother-in-law."

He laid out the unpleasant truth upfront: "If this happens, I don't mind having a private talk with your Director Ge."

Zhou Jingsong is indeed blind, but he is a war hero with a high-ranking position and medals at home.

Under these circumstances, even Director Ge of the committee had some fear and respect for Zhou Jingsong, let alone the people below him.

Comrade Liu, who had been treating Zhao's father and mother with fierceness these past few days, now spoke as gently as a spring breeze, saying, "That's only natural."

"Our director instructed us not to sabotage this joyous occasion for Comrade Zhou."

After saying this, he glanced at Zhao Yueru and thought to himself, "Having a beautiful daughter has this kind of advantage."

Capitalists in the same situation as the Zhao family were sent down to suffer long ago, unlike the Zhao family, whose fate remains uncertain.

Clearly, there's someone behind this.

Seeing that the Zhao family was about to be sent to the countryside, they were now able to temporarily regain their freedom and attend the wedding.

It just goes to show that having a son is useless; it's better to marry off a daughter.

Zhao Yueru wasn't oblivious to the other person's malicious gaze. She immediately called out in a sweet voice, "Jingsong, Comrade Liu seems dissatisfied with me. He keeps looking at me like that."

Zhao Yueru was almost sickened by the cheesy, saccharine tone of the voice.

But Zhou Jingsong was not fooled by this. He immediately said to Comrade Liu, "If you feel wronged, you can find someone else to do it."

Comrade Liu subconsciously replied, "No, no, I was just curious about what your wife looks like, Comrade Zhou."

"Comrade Zhou, rest assured, I absolutely did not mean anything by it."

Zhou Jingsong didn't say whether he believed it or not, but the journey was relatively uneventful.

We arrived at Mengjiatun.

The wedding preparations here are already underway. Because it's all so rushed, the Zhou family is putting up "double happiness" characters and borrowing tables and chairs.

Since no one was home, the Meng family's side was also quiet.

Seeing this scene, Zhao's mother felt heartbroken.

Zhao Yueru was quite open-minded. "Mom, now that things have come to this point, it's already very good that we can all get together."

She pushed open the door and went in, only to see Uncle Meng San, holding a "double happiness" character, climbing up and down a ladder to paste it up.

When I saw this scene.

Zhao Yueru, who had been comforting her mother, suddenly felt a lump in her throat and asked, "Third Uncle, why are you putting up the 'double happiness' characters?"

She shouted along with Meng Yingying.

Uncle Meng turned around with a smile like that of Maitreya Buddha, "You are Yingying's good friend. When you get married, it's just like when she gets married."

At this point, a look of sadness crossed his face. "I certainly can't help Yingying with her marriage, but I can help you with yours. Yingying will definitely be very happy."

Upon hearing this, Zhao Yueru fell silent for a moment. She looked up, tears welling in her eyes, and said, "Third Uncle, thank you."

Yingying always said that her third uncle was all bark and no bite. After Yingying left, she lived alone in the Meng family home.

Uncle San often kept quiet.

Only at night would he, as before, guard Meng Yingying, setting up a cool bed at the door with a pig-slaughtering knife at his waist.

Uncle Meng kept watch like that for a week, and after that, no one knocked on the window or threw stones in the middle of the night anymore.

Although he never said any of this, Zhao Yueru knew it all.

She bowed to Uncle Meng and said, "Uncle, thank you."

Uncle Meng waved his hand. He stood on the ladder, gazing into the distance. "If Yingying could see your wedding, she would be very happy."

After Meng Yingying left, Uncle Meng, who was once a fierce and venomous man, now resembled Meng Baichuan in some ways.

However, as soon as he finished speaking, he noticed a figure not far away.

Uncle Meng thought he was seeing things. He rubbed his eyes, then rubbed them again, and couldn't help but stand on tiptoe to look a little further ahead.

"Yingying, is that Yingying?"

As soon as he finished speaking, Zhao Yue instinctively asked, "Third Uncle, are you sure you didn't see wrong?"

"How could Yingying be here?"

Her Yingying went to a place thousands of miles away to live with her childhood sweetheart whom she had never met.

"It really is Yingying."

Uncle Meng came down the ladder almost instantly. "Go and see, it really is Yingying."

Even his voice became a bit more urgent.

Uncle Meng didn't like Meng Yingying before, always feeling that she was a burden to his second brother. But no matter how much he disliked Meng Yingying, he had watched the child grow up.

Now that the child has suddenly left home, Uncle Meng is finding it strange.

Zhao Yueru was still somewhat skeptical, but looking at Uncle Meng, he didn't seem like someone who was lying.

She ran out quickly to see.

Sure enough, at the intersection ahead, Zhao Yueru saw Meng Yingying carrying large and small bags, with someone else beside her whom she did not recognize.

But what does that matter?

It was enough for her to know Meng Yingying.

Zhao Yueru ran over as fast as she could, screaming, "Yingying, Meng Yingying, why are you back?"

When Meng Yingying saw Zhao Yueru, she quickened her pace. Upon seeing Zhao Yueru, she put everything she was carrying on the ground without thinking.

He grabbed Zhao Yueru's hand and said, "Yueru."

The two held hands and childishly started spinning around.

In that instant, they pulled each other close and saw each other. The genuine warmth made Meng Yingying and Zhao Yueru smile at each other.

First she smiled with her lips pursed, then she burst into laughter.

It was like a long-awaited rain, and the joy of returning home to see loved ones.

Tears welled up in Zhao Yueru's eyes. "Did you know I was getting married, so you came back early to see me off?"

Meng Yingying really didn't know about this. She was stunned for a moment, "You're getting married?"

Zhao Yueru also stopped. "You don't know?"

"have no idea."

"Then why did you come back?"

Meng Yingying then realized that she seemed to have overlooked Officer Xu. She calmed herself down and then pulled Officer Xu aside to introduce her, "This is my sister Xu. I passed the exam for a position in the cultural troupe, and Sister Xu came here to do a background check on me."

"What!?"

Zhao Yueru's voice instantly turned shrill, "Yingying, what did you say?!"

Meng Yingying knew her shock, and she smiled with narrowed eyes and a pout, "I got into the performing arts troupe, Yue Ru."

"I got accepted into the performing arts troupe."

This time, even if Zhao Yueru didn't want to hear it, it would be difficult.

She immediately jumped up and started spinning around in her arms, exclaiming, "Yingying, you're amazing! Really, you're amazing!"

Meng Yingying was being held by her, and everyone was watching. She was a little embarrassed and raised her hand to pat Zhao Yueru's shoulder, "Yueru, put me down quickly."

"I won't let go."

Zhao Yueru grinned foolishly, her eyes filled with joy for Yingying, not jealousy. "My Yingying got into the performing arts troupe! That's wonderful!"

"My daughter Yingying got accepted into the performing arts troupe."

Seeing this, Officer Xu couldn't help but say, "Yingying, you have a very good friend."

Meng Yingying nodded, "That's right."

After calming down, Zhao Yueru said, "Yingying, you go and complete the formalities first. I'm not leaving home to get married until tomorrow."

"All you need to do is send me to the Zhou family before I get married."

"Go and do your own thing."

Meng Yingying went to see Officer Xu, but Officer Xu shook his head, "Let Yingying accompany you to handle the wedding arrangements. I'll wander around the village myself and ask about the household registration and grain transfer matters. Yingying can take care of them this afternoon."

Meng Yingying hesitated, worried that she wouldn't be able to finish in an afternoon.

But she didn't want to miss her best friend's wedding.

"Go and complete the formalities first."

Zhao Yueru insisted, "Yingying, I'm already very satisfied that you can come back and I can see you before I get married."

She felt she had no regrets, even if it meant dying.

She won't regret it.

"Take your things back. I'll go to the brigade headquarters to check on things now and I'll be right back. It shouldn't take more than twenty minutes."

"If it's simple, I can finish it in a bit. If it's complicated, I'll do it this afternoon." She then looked at Officer Xu, her tone somewhat pleading, "If we can't finish this afternoon, how about we leave it for another day tomorrow?"

She longed to stay a little longer to see Yue Ru off on her wedding day.

She could also go to the grave, pour a glass of wine, and tell her father.

She passed the exam and got a permanent position in the performing arts troupe.

She broke off the engagement.

Her father no longer has to worry about his daughter having no one to rely on in the future.

Officer Xu naturally knew Meng Yingying's thoughts. Before she came, Commander Fang had said that as long as Meng Yingying did not raise any issues that violated her sense of right and wrong, she should be given the given answer in most cases.

Who could blame them when Meng Yingying was the darling of their performing arts troupe?

With that in mind, Officer Xu readily agreed, "Okay."

"Your affairs should be the priority."

Hearing this, Meng Yingying breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank you, Sister Xu."

She didn't go home either, but handed all the things to Zhao Yueru directly, saying, "Yueru, you take these home first. Sister Xu and I are going to the brigade headquarters."

Zhao Yueru naturally agreed.

She wanted to go with Meng Yingying, but her parents were still there, so she could only send them back to the Meng family first.

"Mom, did you hear that?"

"Yingying has been accepted into the performing arts troupe."

Zhao's mother naturally heard this, and she couldn't help but exclaim, "Yingying is truly amazing."

On the other side.

Meng Yingying and Officer Xu went directly to the brigade headquarters, where Captain Meng and the others were preparing to leave work at noon.

Unexpectedly, Meng Yingying arrived.

When Captain Meng saw Meng Yingying, he was somewhat shocked. He thought he was seeing things. "Yingying? Is it Meng Yingying?"

He rubbed his eyes.

Meng Yingying hummed in agreement, "It's me, Captain Meng."

She and Captain Meng had no direct conflict of interest, so when she left, Captain Meng readily provided her with a letter of introduction and travel permit.

"Why are you back, child?"

"But things didn't go smoothly when you went to stay with your childhood sweetheart?"

They knew that Meng Yingying had a childhood betrothed while she was stationed in the team.

Meng Yingying shook her head, "No, I came back this time to transfer my household registration and grain ration certificate."

The brigade headquarters office fell silent instantly. Everyone who was planning to leave work stopped upon hearing this.

Are you getting married?

If you're not getting married, how can you transfer your household registration and grain ration certificate?

"no."

Meng Yingying took out an admission notice for the performing arts troupe from her backpack. "I've been accepted into the performing arts troupe. This is my admission notice."

As soon as he said that, the brigade headquarters fell silent.

"What? You got accepted into the performing arts troupe?"

Captain Meng's voice was loud enough that it acted like a loudspeaker, carrying over Meng Yingying's soft-spoken words.

So much so that even if people wanted to avoid hearing it, it would be difficult.

Meng Yingying herself was embarrassed that Captain Meng's loud voice had been heard. She took a deep breath and asked, "Um, could you process my household registration transfer and grain ration transfer?"

"These are the formalities."

She brought back all the certificates this time.

"Let me take a look first."

Captain Meng said subconsciously, and after picking up the documents from the table and reading them one by one, he murmured, "Yingying, you're quite something, you've got a secure job without making a sound."

"If your dad knew this, he could die in peace."

In the entire Mengjiatun village, Zhou Jingsong was the first to secure a stable job. When the garrison came to recruit soldiers, Zhou Jingsong was the only one selected from the entire Mengjiatun village.

But who could have imagined that several years would pass?

Meng Yingying became the second person in Mengjiatun to secure a stable job.

Mentioning her deceased father, Meng Yingying's fair face showed a hint of sadness. She nodded and said, "My dad would be so happy to know."

"Uncle, please help me with the paperwork. My boss and I are in a hurry to get back to the performing arts troupe."

Captain Meng has become Uncle.

Captain Meng naturally sensed the closeness in her words, and after recognizing Meng Yingying's value, he was also willing to give her face.

"I can issue you a certificate for the transfer of your household registration, and the same goes for the transfer of your grain ration."

"But I can only give you a certificate. For the household registration transfer, you still need to go to the Public Security Bureau and have the people in the household registration office of the Public Security Bureau stamp it with an official red seal. I can handle the transfer of grain rations."

He didn't make things difficult for Meng Yingying and explained almost everything clearly.

Meng Yingying nodded and asked Officer Xu to stay and conduct the background check, while she herself went to the household registration office of the Public Security Bureau.

I only went home after I had everything I needed for the household registration transfer done on the spot.

It was already dark.

Zhao Yueru was already eagerly waiting at the door. Inside the house, Zhao's father and mother were cooking.

Just before seven o'clock, Meng Yingying finally showed up. Zhao Yueru jumped up and waved, "Yingying, Yingying, over here."

When Meng Yingying saw Zhao Yueru's loud and boisterous manner, her uneasy heart suddenly calmed down a bit.

It's like a homeless child finding a family.

"Moonlight".

She stepped forward, and Zhao Yueru first looked her over, "Was it all right?"

"smoothly."

Meng Yingying packed all the paperwork into her bag. "Everything is basically settled. I'll stay at home tonight and send you off to your wedding tomorrow morning."

She spoke with a smile.

Zhao Yueru: "That's fine then."

"Yingying, you're amazing."

"Let me see if you suffer after you get out."

She looked closely, not missing a single detail about Meng Yingying. Finally, Zhao Yueru stared at the space between her eyebrows and suddenly asked a question.

"They treat you badly, don't they?"

Yingying used to be a cheerful girl, with a clear, clean, and relaxed expression between her brows, without a trace of sorrow.

But when Meng Yingying returned this time, there was a hint of melancholy between her brows, which was hard to notice unless you looked closely.

Meng Yingying wanted to smile and cover it up.

Zhao Yueru said fiercely, "No need to laugh. You think you can cover it up by laughing?"

"Moonlight".

Meng Yingying stepped forward and hugged her, resting her chin on her shoulder. "I broke off my engagement with Qi Xiaoer and used it to get a spot in the arts troupe. I passed the audition."

She downplayed it all, swallowing all the grievances and difficulties she had endured along the way.

After hearing this, Zhao Yueru started cursing, "You bastard, that bastard surnamed Qi."

"You traveled all that way just to break off the engagement, and he agreed to let you?"

"Where are their family members? Are they all dead? They just let you break off the engagement like that?"

Zhao Yueru knew Meng Yingying; she had been with Meng Yingying through her youth and had experienced those three years of Meng Yingying's life.

She knew even better why Meng Yingying had persevered despite being ridiculed in the propaganda team.

Because Meng Yingying wanted to be worthy of her childhood sweetheart, who was serving in the army.

This is nowhere near three years.

This has been three years and then another three years.

This was Meng Yingying's past youth, and now it has been completely erased by the words "the engagement has been broken off".

Meng Yingying lowered her eyes, her long eyelashes obscuring her eyelids and the emotions within them. When she looked up, she smiled, her lips pursed, "Yueru, this is the best outcome."

She even went to comfort Zhao Yueru, saying, "My trip there wasn't to fulfill the engagement, but to annul it."

"However, I never imagined that human nature could be so evil. Even though I took the initiative to break off the engagement, they were still unwilling to let me go and wanted to kill me."

"How could that be?"

Zhao Yueru keenly sensed something and immediately pressed for an answer.

Meng Yingying calmly and without any emotion recounted what the Qi family had done.

Zhao Yueru's face turned red with anger after hearing this, "Damn it, damn it!"

“The man surnamed Qi came to the village to see your father, and I even took him to your father’s grave. I also let him stay at the Meng family’s house for one night. I deserve to die.”

"If I had known that the Qi family would bully you like this, I should have thrown a bucket of dung in their face."

Meng Yingying was somewhat bewildered, "The one surnamed Qi?"

"You don't know?" Zhao Yueru asked in confusion. "It's Qi Xiaoer's father. He came to Mengjiatun, saying he was going to visit your father and pick you up to go home, but you left."

"He didn't pick you up, so he only stayed overnight in Mengjiatun and left early the next morning by train."

Meng Yingying shook her head. "I don't know."

"However, it doesn't matter now that we know. Even if Uncle Qi comes to the village to see my dad and pick me up, it won't make up for the evil deeds the Qi family has committed."

"Yueru, I have already fallen out with the Qi family, and there is no going back to the past."

The Qi family tried to exterminate her.

It started when she sent Chen Xiulan to the police station.

Their positions are already irreconcilable.

One Qi Zhenguo cannot make up for all the things that happened in between.

"Yingying".

"You've suffered."

Zhao Yueru said softly, "You've suffered."

"If I had known it would be like this, I shouldn't have let you find a childhood betrothal partner in the first place. It would have been better if you had stayed with me in the village and depended on each other for survival."

"That way I won't be kicked out, and you won't be bullied."

Meng Yingying looked at her, her eyes filled with calmness and wisdom. She said softly, "Yueru, I know this is the direction we both hope for, but being together is only treating the symptoms, not the root cause."

“Look, I don’t have the ability to get your uncle and aunt to leave the villa and come see you alone, but Zhou Jingsong does.”

That's the difference between her and Zhou Jingsong.

She was with Zhao Yueru, but she had no ability to protect Zhao Yueru or the Zhao family.

But Zhou Jingsong can.

Zhao Yueru muttered to herself without saying a word, then took Meng Yingying's hand and tried to go inside. But the two had only taken two steps when they saw Uncle Meng San coming out from behind the door.

Uncle Meng had heard so much, and he swallowed hard. "Yingying, were what you said before true?"

How could Meng Yingying possibly answer this?

She stood in the moonlight, her figure slender, her expression serene, still obedient, but upon closer inspection, one could notice a newfound composure in her.

That's the kind of temperament that comes from enduring hardship and shedding all pretense.

"Third Uncle, it's all in the past now."

Instead, Meng Yingying comforted him, saying, "We should all look forward."

Uncle Meng slammed his fist on the door and remained silent for a long time. "I'm sorry, I didn't take good care of you."

"Third Uncle, my annulment of the engagement with the Qi family has nothing to do with you."

“What’s more,” she comforted him with a smile, “I actually benefited from it all. I passed the exam for the performing arts troupe and got a permanent position with a secure job.”

"Isn't this more reliable than marriage?"

Uncle Meng rubbed his sore eyes and hummed in agreement, "Yingying, you've grown up."

Meng Yingying smiled with her lips pursed, her eyes crinkling and dimples appearing on her cheeks, seemingly exactly the same as before.

Meng Yingying went in, took out the cigarettes, and handed them to Uncle Meng. "I know you like to smoke, Uncle. These are Harbin cigarettes. They're said to be very strong. Try them."

Uncle Meng stared at the cigarette, speechless for a long time.

"These cigarettes should be for your dad."

That was a gift from her daughter, Meng Yingying.

Instead of giving it to his third uncle.

Meng Yingying paused, biting her lip, and after a while said, "I brought four packs. I'll give you three packs and keep the other one for my dad."

When she went to visit the grave, she lit the entire pack of cigarettes.

Let her dad have a taste too.

Uncle Meng took the cigarette, looked at her and his second brother, who had a similar appearance, and murmured, "Yingying has made something of herself."

“My Yingying has become successful.”

Second brother, did you see that?

His child had become successful, and he could have enjoyed a comfortable life, but he passed away.

What an unlucky old man.

Meng Yingying was hesitant to discuss her father's affairs with her third uncle, because the mere mention of it made her want to cry.

For Meng Yingying, it was as if her father was still alive.

She turned and went inside. Officer Xu was already resting. She had traveled with Meng Yingying on the train for three days, and as soon as they got off the train, they rushed to several places without stopping.

Even the strongest body can't withstand it.

Meng Yingying was no exception; she mustered her strength and took out the remaining gifts.

"Yueru, this is face cream I brought for you."

"This is canned yellow peaches."

"This is red sausage."

"Leave some for my third uncle, and you and your aunt can share the rest."

Meng Yingying didn't have many relatives left, so she clearly regarded Zhao Yueru and Zhao's mother as her own family.

"You've come all this way back with so much stuff, you're so hard to take care of."

Zhao's mother was a meticulous person, and upon seeing this, she could immediately imagine the hardships Meng Yingying had endured along the way.

Meng Yingying smiled and said, "It's not difficult. I'm happy just thinking that you can enjoy the local specialties from there."

Even the tone of voice became a bit lighter.

"It is Yue Ru's happiness to have you as a friend."

"Mom!" Zhao Yueru stamped her foot, a little shyly, "Yingying, is it alright if the three of us sleep together tonight?"

She was getting married, and she wanted to sleep with Yingying and also with her mother.

Now, Meng Yingying looked at this and that.

However, Zhao's mother said, "Yingying, your aunt is very clean. She takes a bath every day and doesn't smell at all."

Seeing that Meng Yingying didn't speak, she thought that Meng Yingying disliked her for being unclean.

Meng Yingying shook her head with amusement, "Auntie, it's not that I dislike this."

"Our bed is only 1.5 meters wide, how can three people sleep on it?"

"We sleep sideways."

Zhao Yueru chuckled, "Three people can definitely sleep sideways. Let my dad sleep with my third uncle."

She arranged everything perfectly.

Meng Yingying nodded, "Then that's settled."

While the two women were talking, Zhao's mother went into the Meng family's kitchen and cooked a bowl of plain noodles for Meng Yingying, but with stir-fried chili and meat on top.

The spicy aroma was so irresistible that Meng Yingying couldn't help but drool. "Auntie, your cooking is amazing!"

Zhao's mother waved her hand, "I'm just learning this as I go."

"How does it taste?"

There was no sign of distress on her face; clearly, with her daughter's marriage settled, Zhao's mother's biggest worry was gone.

She and her husband wouldn't mind being demoted to lower-level positions at any time.

Meng Yingying ate every last drop of the soup and noodles, leaving almost nothing behind.

When I'm lying in bed at night...

As if performing a magic trick, Zhao's mother first took off her shoes, then emptied them out, revealing three small yellow croakers.

Meng Yingying, “??”

Meng Yingying stared, completely mesmerized.

“Auntie, you’re just like a hamster, you’re everywhere—” She stopped abruptly, realizing something.

She swallowed the rest of her words.

Zhao's mother shushed her and continued to pull out three more from her bra.

"This is the limit."

She said, "It's not easy to come out, so I'll definitely bring some things with me if I can."

"This is Yue Ru's dowry."

If it weren't for the family tragedy, she could have given her daughter an even larger dowry.

Zhao Yueru pushed it away, saying, "I don't want it."

"Keep these for yourselves for later use."

"Silly girl."

Zhao's mother said calmly, "Your father and I will never have the chance to use it again, so you can keep it."

Zhao Yueru remained silent.

"Okay, this is already very good."

Zhao's mother said, "Yueru, your Uncle Lin's entire family, from top to bottom, is gone. Not a single one of them is left."

"Not even a single silver dollar was saved."

Not to mention these small yellow croakers, she can only bring them out because of her daughter's wedding.

If it weren't for Zhou Jingsong keeping them in check, they would have been exiled long ago.

Zhao Yueru didn't say anything. In front of her mother, she divided the nine small yellow croakers in half and pushed them in front of Meng Yingying.

Meng Yingying took a step back. "Please don't."

She pursed her lips. "Yueru, this is your dowry. What are you giving it to me for?"

Zhao Yueru looked at her with a smile in her eyes, "This is my dowry for you."

"Yingying, it doesn't matter that your uncle is gone or your aunt is gone. I will prepare a dowry for you."

Hearing this, Meng Yingying wanted to cry. She lowered her head and remained silent, tears streaming down her face.

Large tears fell onto Zhao Yueru's hand, burning her so much that she flinched. "Yingying, don't cry."

"I'm telling the truth."

“The day my uncle passed away, I said that from now on my dad would be your dad and my mom would be your mom.”

"The dowry my mother left me is also the dowry your mother left for you, isn't it?"

"We'll each have half."

Upon hearing this, Meng Yingying almost burst into tears, "Yueru."

She kept calling the name, but couldn't utter a single coherent sentence.

After Meng Yingying arrived here, she met many bad people, but she also met many good people.

Zhao Yueru standing in front of me is her.

She presented her with a heart full of sincerity and genuine affection.

How could Meng Yingying not be moved by this?

Seeing her cry, Zhao Yueru also felt sad. She wanted to comfort her, but her mother shook her head and said, "Let her cry."

“This child has suffered too much lately; crying will actually make him feel better.”

At first, Meng Yingying was sobbing softly, but later she cried harder and harder, almost wailing.

She wanted to cry out all the grievances and sadness she had felt during this time.

People in this world eat each other.

But similarly, there are people in this world who cherish her like a treasure.

She cried until she was exhausted and fell asleep.

Zhao Yueru felt a pang of heartache. She fetched water and wiped Meng Yingying's face, calling out, "Yingying, Yingying."

Her eyes were red too.

Zhao's mother said, "Alright, wipe her face and let her go to sleep."

"Don't worry too much. Once the uphill road is over, it's downhill. For Yingying, she has finally overcome her hardships."

She's been through it all; no one knows better than her the advantages of having a position in a performing arts troupe for a girl.

You'll never have to worry again.

very nice.

Her Yue Ru also married Zhou Jingsong and found a place to settle down.

Thinking of this, Zhao's mother's face showed a bit more relief. "You have to get up early tomorrow morning, you're getting married."

Zhao Yueru hummed in agreement. She slept in the middle, Meng Yingying slept on the left, and Zhao's mother slept on the right.

The next morning, around four o'clock, Zhao's mother woke up and started making breakfast in the Meng family's kitchen.

When her daughter gets married, she has to follow local customs and cook red date rice tea, and also bring peanuts, walnuts and eggs.

All of this takes time.

Meng Yingying was awakened by the sound of a fire burning outside. When she opened her eyes and saw the familiar cotton mosquito net, she felt a little lost.

"Yueru, am I at home?"

Zhao Yueru turned over and hummed in agreement, "I'm at home."

“I’m always by your side, what else is this but home?”

Upon hearing this, Meng Yingying smiled, her bright eyes sparkling. "My Yue Ru is getting married today. Come, come, let me dress you up properly. I guarantee you'll be the most beautiful bride today."

After crying last night, all the gloom dissipated.

As a result, people's spirits also improved.

Zhao Yueru let her dress up as she pleased, and Meng Yingying found some face cream, lipstick, and a charcoal eyebrow pencil. These three items were enough for someone as skilled in makeup as Meng Yingying.

Use an eyebrow pencil to draw your eyebrows, apply face cream as a base, and use lipstick not only on your lips but also as blush.

Meng Yingying had participated in countless performances in her past life, and she herself was a makeup expert. Zhao Yueru also had a good foundation.

Her eyebrows were beautiful yet spirited, and her large eyes were bright and piercing. Meng Yingying used an eyebrow pencil as eyeliner, slightly raising it by forty-five degrees at the outer corner of her eyes.

Now, Zhao Yueru's eyes suddenly sparkled brightly, truly dazzling.

"Ouch."

Zhao's mother brought over two bowls of rice noodles. "This is my Yue Ru. How come she has changed so much?"

She almost didn't recognize her own daughter.

Meng Yingying turned to the side, exposing Zhao Yueru completely to her mother. "Yingying, you drew so well. My Yueru is so beautiful."

Even a mother wouldn't say that her daughter isn't pretty.

Meng Yingying smiled and tucked the flower into the left side of Zhao Yueru's hair. She was truly more beautiful than the flower.

Even Officer Xu, who was standing next to her, couldn't help but say, "Yingying, your makeup skills are even better than the professional makeup artists in our art troupe."

Meng Yingying stopped talking and smiled, "It's because Yue Ru is good-looking. Otherwise, even a skilled cook like me can't cook without rice."

Seeing that they were all praising her, Zhao Yueru couldn't help but open her eyes and look at herself in the mirror. She was stunned for a moment, "Is this me?"

This is so beautiful.

Meng Yingying looked down at her and said softly, "Yueru, I told you you would be the most beautiful bride."

"Come and have some food."

"So that we won't be hungry when we're making a ruckus in the new house in the morning."

Zhao's mother brought over a bowl of noodles with a gravy made with eggs, and a poached egg nestled in the center of the bowl. "Have a bite," she said.

Zhao Yueru nodded, took a bite of noodles, and when she looked up, her eyes were filled with tears. "Mom."

"Eat first, so you won't go hungry later."

Wedding banquets are a very tiring affair, especially for the bride, who is often too busy to eat.

Zhao Yueru hummed in agreement, her tears falling into the bowl. Meng Yingying wiped away her tears and gently coaxed her, "Don't cry, or your makeup will be ruined and you won't be pretty anymore."

Upon hearing this, Zhao Yueru immediately became nervous. "No, I'm a bride today, and I want to look beautiful on my wedding day."

She's a tough person; no matter how much she wanted to cry afterward, she forced the tears back.

She even went to comfort her tearful mother, saying, "Mom, don't cry. I'm the one who benefits from marrying Zhou Jingsong, and the whole family benefits too. It's a good thing."

Listen to what they're saying; there's absolutely no sense of farewell, only self-interest.

Zhao's mother almost choked on her breath, but Meng Yingying persuaded her, "Auntie, I think Yue Ru is fine as she is, carefree and doesn't get hurt."

Zhao's mother thought to herself, "You two are so close you're practically inseparable."

Whatever Yue Ru says, Ying Ying will agree with.

She naturally couldn't refute it further.

At 9:30, the wedding party arrived outside. Upon hearing the sounds of gongs and drums, Meng Yingying immediately told Zhao Yueru to sit up straighter.

She went out to take a look, but there was no one guarding the gate. At times like these, everything should be kept simple.

Meng Yingying first explained to her third uncle, "Third uncle, please look after Sister Xu for me. I will be busy sending Yue Ru off to her wedding in the future, and I'm afraid I won't be able to take care of things here."

Uncle Meng naturally agreed, but Officer Xu waved his hand, "Go and do your own thing. I'm a grown man, don't worry about me."

Meng Yingying nodded. Hearing the firecrackers outside, she knew that the groom had arrived.

Seeing that Zhao's mother and father had gone out to greet them, she stayed in the bridal chamber with Zhao Yueru.

The bridal chamber where Zhao Yueru got married was also the bedroom where Meng Yingying once lived.

At one moment, their fates seemed to become completely intertwined.

Listening to the sounds of firecrackers, footsteps, and the increasingly close sound of a white cane outside.

Zhao Yueru held Meng Yingying's hand tightly and murmured, "Yingying, I'm so nervous."

Meng Yingying had never been married either, so she casually comforted her, "Don't be afraid, practice makes perfect."

"You won't be nervous once you've done something well enough."

"What's cooked?"

"marry."

The air fell silent instantly.

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Author's Note: Yingying: Slip of the tongue (covers face shyly)