Chapter 7 Getting a Marriage Certificate

After washing their hands, the two returned the same way. When they arrived at the restaurant, the long table was already full, and the seats reserved for them were next to each other.

The second aunt looked at the two people who sat down at the table and smiled: "They are really a perfect match. The older generation still has good taste."

The atmosphere at the table was good. Everyone was happy about this marriage and chatted animatedly, except Sheng Yao.

She glanced at her uncle and best sister more than once, and when she saw the two calm and steady people, she bit her chopsticks secretly.

Good sisters are going to become little aunts.

What a hellish experience!

She clearly wanted Chu Shuang to be her sister-in-law, but the sudden promotion made Sheng Yao feel very complicated.

After dinner, the elders gathered together to discuss the wedding process and date in a very serious manner. Chu Shuang grabbed a handful of melon seeds and listened to the adults' conversation seriously. When her aunt saw this, she stuffed an apple into her arms and said, "Go upstairs and play, kid. You have nothing to do here."

The first frost brings a slight chill.

Seeing her stunned look, the uncle said with a smile: "Take Sheng Yao upstairs to play and chat with the elders."

She led Sheng Yao into the room, and before the door was closed, she shouted in an excited voice, "Chu Shuang, how many things have you hidden from me?"

"I didn't mean to hide it from you. I didn't know at first that your family was the Sheng family I wanted to marry into."

"At first I thought you were a poor beauty, but I didn't expect your grandfather was Mr. Shen! No wonder you are so good at painting. How could you, the only daughter of a scholarly family, end up with no place to stay in the imperial capital? You deceived me so badly."

Seeing Sheng Yao frowning, Chu Shuang spoke softly, "I have never lied to you. It was you who didn't ask me."

"My reasons for going to the capital were complicated, and I couldn't tell my family at first. So I was on my own. The troubles I encountered in finding a house were all true. I didn't lie to you. Mr. Shen is not my grandfather, but my maternal grandfather. My parents died when I was young, and I grew up in my maternal grandfather's house."

Sheng Yao paused for two seconds, "I don't blame you, I'm just too shocked. I originally wanted you to be my sister-in-law, but who knew that in the blink of an eye, you would become my aunt."

She sighed, "I don't know what to feel. I feel a little regretful and a little shocked, but I'm also very happy that you can be part of my family. But when I think about you marrying my uncle and becoming his wife, I find it so unreal. You are completely different from the image of an aunt that I imagined before. My uncle, who is so serious and rigid, actually married a beautiful and charming woman..."

Hatsushimo chuckled, "What kind of adjective is that?"

Sheng Yao said seriously, "You can't understand my complicated feelings."

“Well, I don’t understand.”

"Ah! I thought my uncle's fiancée was a stereotyped traditional woman, the kind who was very dignified and serious in every move. I treated you as a sister, and you even called him uncle before. I always felt like you two were like a younger and an older person, how did you get together? Do you feel this way?"

Hatsushimo pondered, "A little bit."

Influenced by her preconceived ideas, she subconsciously felt like she was interacting with an elder in front of Sheng Ting. In fact, apart from calling him "little uncle", he himself gave people a very distant feeling.

"But to be honest," Sheng Yao poked his temple, his eyes drooping lazily, "you and my uncle really match well when we sit together. We both have a lot of energy."

After unanimous discussion between the two families, it was decided to hold their wedding on National Day.

Sheng Ting is busy with work, so statutory holidays are the best choice. This year's National Day is a good day, and if you miss it you will have to wait until next year. This marriage has been delayed for two years, and for fear of further complications in the future, both parties agreed to this date.

National Day is less than half a month after the Mid-Autumn Festival. The two families have discussed that the wedding should not be ostentatious and should be as low-key as possible. The guests invited to the banquet will be acquaintances and relatives. With the capabilities of the two families, there is enough time to prepare.

The only one who had a problem was Hatsushiro. She thought that there would be at least half a year between proposing and getting the marriage certificate, but she didn't expect it to be so quick.

But she has always been very accepting. She believes that they will get married sooner or later, so it doesn't matter if it's sooner.

As the only girl in the Shen family, Chu Shuang's marriage is of top priority in the eyes of the elders. The best of all expenses are chosen. Her grandparents are responsible for major matters, while her attentive aunts are responsible for minor matters. Nothing is allowed to be ambiguous.

On the day of getting the marriage certificate, Chushuang removed her homely makeup and put on her favorite red dress. The look in Sheng Ting's eyes when he saw her for the first time was a little subtle.

"Change your clothes."

Hatsushimo looked at her skirt and asked, "Doesn't it look good?"

"Wedding photos have a red background, so don't wear red clothes."

Chu Shuang paused, "I didn't think of that."

She went back and changed into a white skirt before coming down. This time Sheng Ting nodded and said, "Okay."

When I came out of the Civil Affairs Bureau, the sky was blue and boundless, the red book in my hand was bright in color, the man in the photo was upright and calm, and the girl next to him had beautiful eyebrows and a soft curve at the corners of her lips.

"Be careful of the stairs." Sheng Ting warned in a deep voice.

Hatsushimo raised her eyes from her ID photo and followed him to the parking lot.

"Mr. Sheng?"

A middle-aged man in formal attire got out of the BMW, followed by a young man who looked like an assistant and was holding a briefcase. He looked like he held a high position.

The middle-aged man smiled cheerfully, with wrinkles at the corners of his eyes. "I didn't expect to meet you here. Why didn't you tell me in advance that you were coming to the office so that I could have someone to entertain you?"

Judging from the tone, it must be an official from the Civil Affairs Bureau. Chu Shuang stood quietly, waiting for Sheng Ting to talk to him.

Sheng Ting nodded slightly, and said in a distant tone: "It's not a work matter. Bring your wife here to register."

The middle-aged man then looked at Chushuang, whom he initially thought was his secretary. The woman had fair facial features, a quiet temperament, and a bit of classical charm. She was indeed a rare beauty.

"Mr. Sheng is married? Congratulations. Mrs. Sheng is as beautiful as a jade, one in a million."

This statement inevitably sounded a bit flattering, and Chu Shuang nodded and smiled: "Thank you."

"My office bought some West Lake Longjing tea yesterday. Sir and Madam, why don't you go up and have a cup of tea before leaving?"

"No," Sheng Ting said calmly, "I still have things to take care of at home."

On the way back, the car was very quiet. The afternoon sun shone through the car window onto half of my body, reflecting a hint of silver in the afterglow. Chu Shuang lowered her head, staring at the diamond ring on her ring finger in a daze.

In the warm afternoon sunshine, she gazed at the ring and slowly realized that she was really married.

Sheng Ting felt that the person next to him was a little quiet, and when he glanced sideways he saw her staring at the ring in deep thought.

"Want something to eat?"

Hatsushimo raised her eyes and said, "Okay."

The car stopped in front of a beautifully decorated coffee shop. Sheng Ting ordered some desserts for Chu Shuang, but in front of him there was only a glass of warm water.

The blueberry pudding was sweet and smooth. Chushuang took a spoonful and put it in her mouth, and asked him, "Don't you want to eat it?"

“I don’t like desserts.”

So, Chu Shuang enjoyed the dessert alone, and Sheng Ting sat quietly beside her waiting for her.

It was clearly an ordinary afternoon with nothing to remember. Soft pure music was playing in the cafe, wind chimes by the door occasionally rang crisply, the sun was warm, and the two of them didn't say a word.

For many years afterwards, I would often recall this day when the first frost came.

She just thought the pudding was sweet at the time, what was Sheng Ting thinking?