Huo Haocheng was too lazy to argue with him. He was busy at the moment, so he went straight back to the brigade. After returning, he told Ruan Ruan about the matter and also explained on behalf of Fu Mingyi that he would be very busy in the future. He hoped that Huo Yue would not overthink things just because they had confirmed their relationship and Fu Mingyi did not come to see her. He told Huo Yue that after Fu Mingyi was promoted, he would only be busier than he was now, and told her to be prepared.
Before dawn on the third day, Huo Haocheng and his brothers went to Zheng Xuyang's house. Firstly, he learned about his brother's situation from Fu Mingyi and wanted to check on him. Secondly, it was the day Huo Haoshi proposed marriage, and they came to buy betrothal gifts.
"How are you? Are you hurt?" The first thing Huo Haocheng did upon entering was to ask about the two of them.
"Brother-in-law, I'm fine. I didn't go in. It was my brother and the others who got beaten up." Xiao Jie felt like crying when he saw Huo Haocheng. Huo Haocheng gave people a cold feeling, but his concern was always silent. If it weren't for him making him accept the jade pendant, his brother might be inside now.
He knew that if he went to ask for help, the army would be mobilized, but unlike Ruan Chuanyan, they would all be arrested, labeled as traffickers of state property, and sent to terrible farms where they might die.
All of this is thanks to the jade pendant Ruan Ruan gave him, which allows them to stand here safely, so they are very grateful.
"I'm fine," Zheng Xuyang said, standing in front of Huo Haocheng. His feelings were quite complicated; he hadn't expected that these strangers would go to such lengths for them.
"It's good that you're alright. We're heading to Beijing tomorrow, and then back to Yuncheng. If anything happens here, go to the Public Security Bureau to find Fu Mingyi, or go to the military base to find your second uncle. We caught two enemy agents this time, and since you have the ability to report them, your merits should offset your demerits, so don't worry. If you have any leads, go to Fu Mingyi; he'll help you."
Okay, don't worry.
Huo Haocheng and his group took their things and went home. Their families were still waiting, so they didn't stay long. After they left, Zheng Xuyang went to the Public Security Bureau to see Fu Mingyi. No one knows what they talked about. In the following years, Zheng Xuyang helped Fu Mingyi arrest smugglers of cultural relics on several occasions, including dismantling a large spy hideout. This also provided Zheng Xuyang with many conveniences when he took over the Zheng family business after his second uncle was arrested.
"Mom, I've brought everything back. Take a look, is there anything missing?"
The group took things out of the baskets one by one and placed them on the table: two jin of meat, two cans of malted milk powder, two jin of White Rabbit milk candy, a set of clothes for Grandma Li and Li Huan respectively, and a pair of work shoes for Li Huan. Huo Hao had wanted to buy leather shoes, but Li Huan said he didn't need them, so they bought a pair of work shoes, which were more convenient. Since they would be having lunch at Li's house, they also brought some vegetables.
"Everything's ready, Haoshi. Go change your clothes. How can you go out dressed like that? Don't embarrass Huan'er." Zhao Hongmei also changed into the clothes that Ruan Ruan had bought for her from Beijing.
Grandma Huo, accompanied by her eldest daughter-in-law, granddaughter-in-law, grandson, and granddaughter, each carrying something, made a grand procession to the Li family's house. Along the way, the old ladies kept asking, "Sister-in-law Huo, where are you going?"
"Today is the engagement day between Haoshi from our family and Li Huan from the Li family. We are going to the Li family to propose marriage now," Grandma Huo happily answered their questions.
When they arrived at the Li family home, Li Huan and Grandma Li were already waiting. When they saw a group of old ladies following behind Grandma Huo, they asked Li Huan to bring out all the stools.
"My dear sister, I've brought my daughter-in-law and grandson to propose marriage," Grandma Huo said, taking Grandma Li's hand and gesturing to Zhao Hongmei with her eyes.
"Aunt Li, these are the betrothal gifts we brought," she said, taking out all the things she had prepared beforehand and presenting them to the emperor.
"Aunt Li, the bride price here is 66, plus a bicycle. This bicycle is a wedding gift from his older brother, Huo Haocheng, to his younger brother and sister-in-law."
Originally, there were no bicycles. Ruan Ruan and Huo Haocheng discussed it and decided that since they would be spending most of their time in the military region, the things that should have been done by the older brother would have to be done by the younger brothers. After they got married, they would all have their own families and didn't know if this would continue. So they decided to give each of them a bicycle when they got married, as a token of their appreciation as older brother and sister-in-law.
"Good, good, good!" With a bicycle, commuting to and from get off work will be much more convenient for Huo Haoshi.
Seeing the Huo family's extravagant spending, the other elderly women all started to have their own ideas.
On the day of the marriage proposal, both sides agreed that the groom's family would stay for dinner, which is why Ruan Ruan and Huo Yue came along. Li Huan would be cooking all by himself, which would take forever, so while the elders gossiped outside, the younger generation busied themselves in the kitchen.
"Huanhuan, I'm leaving tomorrow. I might not be able to come back for your wedding, but we can write letters."
"So fast?"
"Next week is my older brother and sister-in-law's wedding day. We need to go to Beijing first, and then go back to the military base with Haocheng."
"Oh, okay? Then I'll see you off tomorrow."
"No need to see me off, it's too early. It's not like we'll never see each other again. Maybe we'll be back next year?" Ruan Ruan didn't like the reluctance of parting, so she never saw anyone off before, only welcomed them. Just like Liang Shiqiu wrote in "Farewell": I won't see you off when you leave, but I will come to welcome you no matter how strong the wind and rain.
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