Gu Mingyue originally thought that Xing Yi's wedding banquet would have to wait a while, since the two of them had only made plans to go to the market recently.
Unexpectedly, just a month later, Lu Lin walked in with a smile and told her some unexpected news.
"Mingyue, Xingyi is really efficient. He got everything done in one go, from submitting the marriage application to completing the approval process. He said the wedding will be held next weekend."
Gu Mingyue gasped in astonishment: "That's incredibly fast!"
When I saw him a few days ago, I thought he was just in the throes of dating, but I never expected that he would even approve the report.
Just then, Xing Yi arrived with red wedding invitations, his face crinkling with smiles: "Sister-in-law, Lao Lu, come to the wedding next Saturday. Xiao He and I have already discussed it and decided to follow the rules of the family compound, keeping it simple and lively."
Gu Mingyue took the wedding invitation and looked at the neat handwriting on it. She couldn't help but tease, "You usually seem honest, but you're more efficient than anyone else when it comes to your life's big event. Are you afraid that things might go wrong if you wait too long?"
Xing Yi's ears turned red, and he scratched his head and chuckled: "The main thing is that I feel comfortable with her, and it's good to get married sooner rather than later."
Lu Lin, standing to the side, patted his shoulder and laughed, "Okay, that's the spirit of our vanguard team. Your sister-in-law and I will definitely be there."
Gu Mingyue stood frozen in front of the sewing machine for two seconds, holding the wedding invitation, then suddenly burst out laughing. She bent down to pick up the sewing needle she had just dropped and waved the red paper in her hand at Lu Lin.
"I'm not saying this to be rude, but Xing Yi is much more efficient than you. The other day when we went to the market in town, he asked me for advice on how to find topics to talk about with women. And now, he's already got it all figured out in one go."
Lu Lin had just polished his military boots until they gleamed when he heard this, and he raised an eyebrow: "We young people should be decisive about things. When I was dating you, didn't I report to you after only two months? Do you expect me to act like a little girl, dragging things out and guessing all the time?"
"That's true." Gu Mingyue stuffed the wedding invitation into her pocket and turned to take out the cloth coupons from the drawer.
"But to be honest, we at least secretly went for a walk by the river a few times back then. Xing Yi, on the other hand, was reading, repairing chairs, and chatting, and then he settled his life's major event. He was more decisive than during training and assessment."
As she spoke, she walked towards the door, "I'm going to find Qinghe to go get some fabric and make a pair of new pillowcases for them. You tell Xingyi that if we're short-handed on the wedding day, we'll be there to help out anytime."
As soon as they arrived at the entrance of the family compound, they bumped into Xing Yi gesturing with several young comrades, holding a sketch in his hand.
"The shed will be set up on that open space. We'll borrow a few tables from the canteen and ask the cooks to make a couple more plates of braised pork."
Seeing Gu Mingyue approach, he quickly stopped talking, scratching his head and laughing, "Sister-in-law, you're here too? I was just discussing the wedding with them."
"What are you discussing? Take me with you."
Gu Mingyue leaned closer to look at the sketch, "The wedding tent needs to be built high, otherwise it will easily be blown away by the wind."
Xing Yi carefully wrote it down: "Okay, then I'll go to the supply and marketing cooperative this afternoon. By the way, sister-in-law, the embroidery pattern for the pillowcase you told my girlfriend about, she's been talking about it for days, saying she wants to learn a few stitches from you."
“It’s not that difficult.” Gu Mingyue patted his arm. “After I finish cutting the cloth, I’ll go to your room tonight to teach her. Don’t just focus on setting up the tent, spend more time with her too. No matter what, girls love to hear a few comforting words.”
Just then, Xia Qinghe ran over with a cloth bag slung over her shoulder and called out from afar, "Mingyue, let's go to the county town! I just told my husband that on the wedding day, we'll help wash the vegetables and serve the dishes so that Xing Yi and his girlfriend can be good newlyweds!"
Gu Mingyue responded, waved to Xing Yi, and walked out of the family compound arm in arm with Xia Qinghe.
The two chatted animatedly, one after the other: "Should we embroider peonies or plum blossoms on the pillowcases we make for them?"
"The peony is too bright, the plum blossom is beautiful and looks more spirited."
"By the way, the blue overalls that Xing Yi's girlfriend wore last time made her skin look so fair. If she wears them again on the wedding day, she'll look amazing."
On the day of the wedding, just as dawn was breaking, the family compound was in an uproar.
Gu Mingyue and Xia Qinghe ran to the cafeteria with the soybeans they had soaked in advance.
On the way, they met Aunt Zhang carrying a bamboo basket filled with fresh eggs she had just collected from her own chicken coop. From afar, she called out, "Mingyue, I'll tend the fire in the mess hall today. I guarantee the newcomers will have hot braised pork!"
On the open ground, Xing Yi's comrades-in-arms were already busy carrying bamboo poles, while Xia Qinghe was climbing a wooden ladder to paste the "囍" character.
Lu Lin led people to move tables and chairs, and even the teenagers in the family compound came over to help hand over nails and tie ropes. Their little faces were flushed from running, and they didn't forget to chase after Xing Yi for wedding candy.
Gu Mingyue kneaded dough and steamed buns with the cooks in the canteen, while Xia Qinghe led several military wives to pick vegetables and cut meat.
The potato shreds on the cutting board were cut evenly, and the braised pork in the bowl was bubbling and steaming.
"Look how lively this courtyard is."
Xia Qinghe added some firewood to the stove and said to Gu Mingyue with a smile, "When Sister Li's child was sick a while ago, the people in the yard took turns helping to take care of him. Now that Xing Yi is getting married, everyone is coming over again. This is what makes life interesting."
Gu Mingyue nodded, kneading the steamed bun with even more vigor: "That's right. We live in the family compound, so we're supposed to help each other out. If Xing Yi and his wife have any difficulties in the future, we neighbors can lend a hand. That's better than anything else."
Just then, Xing Yi, dressed in a crisply washed military uniform, came over with his wife, Xiao Qin, who was wearing blue overalls.
Xiao Qin, carrying a stack of enamel bowls, smiled as she handed out wedding candies to everyone: "Thank you for your help, sisters-in-law. You've all worked so hard."
Gu Mingyue took the candy and stuffed a freshly steamed hot bun into Xiao Qin's hand: "Try it quickly, have a bite to eat, we'll be busy when the ceremony starts later."
As noon approached and the wedding ceremony had just ended, the people in the courtyard took the initiative to arrange a feast.
The men helped serve dishes and drinks, while the women sat at the table with their children, and laughter echoed throughout the room.
Xing Yi raised his wine glass and toasted each table, his eyes full of gratitude: "Thanks to the wives and comrades in the hospital, otherwise this wedding wouldn't have been so lively."
Xing Yi is a nice person with a warm heart. He always lends a hand whenever there is a problem, so many people come to help him at his wedding.
Xing Yi looked at his neighbors and comrades-in-arms bustling around in the courtyard, his eyes welling up with tears. He took Lu Lin's arm and said, "I always thought I would help if I could, but I didn't expect everyone to remember."
Lu Lin patted his shoulder: "You're always sincere to people, so naturally they're willing to support you. Life is about mutual help; that's how we make it warm and fulfilling."
Xing Yi's parents live far away in their hometown and couldn't come over.
The guests at the wedding, apart from the bride's relatives who came all the way from the county town, were all neighbors from the family compound and his comrades-in-arms.
Even without their own elders present, the people in the courtyard took the wedding as seriously as if it were their own family affair.
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