Chapter 32
After receiving the marriage certificate, people usually take photos to commemorate the occasion.
Shen Mingzheng and Gu Xi were no exception. There happened to be a photo studio nearby, but it was quiet and not many people were taking pictures, probably because it was still early.
Inside the photo studio, an old man with gray hair was tending to the scene, fiddling with the film on the table.
Seeing the two enter, his eyes lit up slightly, and he said with a smile, "Are you two just here to take photos after getting your marriage certificates?"
He was very warm and kind to the young people who came to take photos after getting their marriage certificates, and he was full of blessings. The young couple who came today were handsome and beautiful, and their appearances were outstanding. It was easy to imagine how beautiful the photos would be.
He had seen many young couples get married, but rarely had he seen a couple with such outstanding looks.
The man in front of me was in military uniform, handsome, with a cold and aloof demeanor that made him seem unapproachable and even intimidating. Yet, the woman beside him was an extremely beautiful and quiet girl. Her beauty and gentleness softened his coldness, and when they stood together, they were an inexplicably well-matched couple, the kind that would look great in photos.
Shen Mingzheng responded, and the two followed the old man into the photo studio inside.
Gu Xi had taken photos with the Shen family before, so she was no stranger to photo studios. However, after being reborn, a long time had passed, and she had become accustomed to the way photos were taken in the future. Entering such an old-fashioned photo studio again, she really felt a bit nostalgic.
It felt like a different world, yet still somewhat novel.
As the old man fiddled with the camera, he asked, "How many pictures do you want to take? Black and white or color?"
As a major city, Beijing already has color photos, but they are still relatively rare, and the colors are rather monotonous, with only a few backgrounds available, leaving little choice.
Moreover, color photos are more expensive, and most people would never choose them, as it would be a waste of money.
Shen Mingzheng, who was not short of money, immediately said, "I want both black and white and color."
Since we're taking photos, it's to keep as a memento, so we can take as many as possible.
He not only demanded both, but also requested that, in addition to the couple photos, each of them also have individual photos taken during the photo shoot.
Gu Xi looked at him with suspicion. Usually, newlyweds who come to register their marriage take photos of themselves as a couple, either standing or sitting, in a very simple pose. They rarely take photos of themselves alone.
Unless it's sent to relatives or friends or used for blind dates.
Although she was puzzled, she didn't ask any more questions and, at the old man's instruction, took several photos with him.
While taking the photo, the old man said, "You all move a little closer. Ladies, lean slightly to the left, just a little bit, towards the men... Men, don't sit too stiffly, you can smile... No, men, you don't need to smile, just stay still..."
The man looked like a serious soldier, so you really can't force him to be like that.
Gu Xi's expression was somewhat blank; she felt that this old man had too many demands.
She wasn't really interested in taking pictures, and her movements were very stiff. Especially when the old man insisted, she found that the two of them were very close, so close that she could feel the masculine heat emanating from the man next to her, which made her face turn a little red.
The old man laughed and said, "That's good, yes, keep it up!"
Gu Xi: "..."
Shen Mingzheng: "..."
After the photo shoot was finally finished, the old man wrote them a code and told them to bring the code to pick up their photos.
The old man said, "The color photos will take longer to process; you can come and pick them up in a week."
"Can you expedite this?" Shen Mingzheng asked. "We need to leave in five days."
The old man nodded, "That's fine, we can expedite it, you can come and pick it up in three days, but it's more expensive."
After inquiring about the price, Shen Mingzheng paid the money readily, clearly indicating that he was not short of money, or perhaps he wanted to show off in front of his newlywed partner.
The old man expressed his understanding, chuckled, and accepted the money. He still thought the couple was exceptionally good-looking, and that the photos he had just taken were definitely the best he had ever taken in his career.
After taking the photos, the two walked out of the photo studio; it was almost noon.
The main reason is that we spent a long time posing for the photos, and since there weren't many customers and we weren't in a rush, the old man was quite strict. He wanted to take even better photos of the two of them because they were good-looking.
Shen Mingzheng looked at Gu Xi and asked, "Are you hungry?"
She nodded slightly, admitting she was indeed a little hungry. She had been feeling groggy when she woke up that morning and had no appetite at all, so she had just eaten a few bites and had been up until now.
The two went to a nearby state-run restaurant for dinner.
Shen Mingzheng ordered two bowls of noodles, a steamed fish, and a boiled vegetable dish.
He noticed that she ate rather bland food, which might be due to a poor appetite or the hot weather, making it difficult for her to eat much, so she mainly ate light meals.
While eating, Gu Xi ate her noodles silently until a pair of chopsticks placed a piece of fish on her plate.
"Eat more." His voice was deep and magnetic, very pleasant to listen to, and then he asked, "Where do you want to go this afternoon?"
It's still early, and there's nothing to do at home now, so we can take her out to play some more.
Gu Xi looked up at him and shook her head: "I'm not going. I didn't sleep well last night and I'm a little tired. Besides, we're going to buy some wedding candy later to give to the neighbors on the Gu family's side."
Shen Mingzheng nodded upon hearing this, and looked at her face. The dark circles under her eyes were indeed a bit darker than yesterday.
No wonder she looked unwell before; even the healthiest person can get sick if they don't get enough rest for a long time.
After dinner, the couple took their marriage certificate to the supply and marketing cooperative to buy peanuts, candy, and other wedding favors.
Then they took him to the family compound where Gu Xi lived, and Gu Xi led him to visit each of the families, delivering wedding candies to those she remembered.
Having lived in the family compound for five years, even though she didn't like going out much, she had become somewhat familiar with the people there and could exchange a few words with them. Now that she was married, she had to send them wedding candy.
Gu Xi stepped forward and knocked on the door. Shen Mingzheng, carrying gifts, handed out wedding candies to the person who opened the door.
Sugar is a precious commodity, and those who receive it are very happy, generous with their blessings. In particular, the elderly who have a good impression of Gu Xi will kindly say a few words to wish them a good life.
This feeling isn't bad.
At these moments, Gu Xi couldn't help but turn to look at the man beside her.
Everyone told them to live a good life from now on, but the prerequisite for living a good life is that she must live well.
Such a blessing is wonderful!
When they knocked on the next door, Chen Ruian opened it.
Chen Ruian was stunned for a moment, but when he saw the tall and handsome man standing next to Gu Xi, he immediately understood what was going on.
"Brother Chen," Gu Xi smiled at him and said, "We're going to get our marriage certificate today, and we'll give you wedding candy."
Shen Mingzheng grabbed a handful of wedding candy and handed it to her. She held it with both hands and then handed it to Chen Ruian.
Chen Ruian smiled politely and said, "Thank you, congratulations."
He reached out and took it, his gaze sweeping over Gu Xi's porcelain-white face, meeting the eyes of the man beside her for a few seconds, before calling out inside, "Yun Sheng, Gu Xi is here."
A flurry of footsteps sounded, and Chen Yunsheng rushed out of the house. When she saw Gu Xi, she said happily, "Gu Xi, what brings you here? Is something the matter?"
"They came to deliver wedding candy to us," Chen Ruian said. "She went to get her marriage certificate today."
Chen Yunsheng then noticed the man standing next to Gu Xi and immediately said, "Congratulations to you two."
Gu Xi smiled and said, "Thank you."
She responded to these heartfelt blessings with a smile.
She said to the Chen siblings, "We still have to deliver wedding candy to other families, so we won't bother you any longer."
Shen Mingzheng nodded slightly to them, his gaze sweeping over Chen Ruian who was standing there, as if he understood something. However, some things did not need to be said, and he calmly continued to deliver wedding candies to the next family with her.
By the time the wedding candies were delivered, it was already afternoon.
The two returned to the Gu family home and took the remaining wedding candies with them.
There wasn't much wedding candy left. Along the way, they either gave candy to acquaintances or to children who came over to ask for some after seeing them handing out candy. The children were also very sweet-talking and could recite a lot of blessings, which made them very likable.
Back at the Gu family home, Gu Yuanzheng was also returning from delivering Gu Xi's dowry to the Shen family home, and he was covered in sweat from the heat.
Gu Yuanxiang, who was at home keeping watch, quickly poured them water and asked, "Xixi, did you go to hand out wedding candy just now?"
Gu Xi took a sip of water, gave a listless "hmm," and looked rather listless.
After Shen Mingzheng finished drinking the water, he put down the cup and said to Gu Xi, who was sitting there, "I'll take you back to your room to rest."
Gu Xi paused for a moment, then said "oh," finished the water in her cup, and very politely followed him upstairs so he could take her to rest.
In the past, when Shen Mingzheng came over, he would only wait in the living room and would never go to Gu Xi's room. He was a very tactful person.
Gu Yuanzheng hesitated, then remembered that they had already registered their marriage today and were now husband and wife, so there was no need to worry too much.
However, watching a man run into your sister's room is still quite a sensitive situation; you always want to chase him away.
Shen Mingzheng escorted Gu Xi to her room.
As he entered, he glanced at the room's furnishings without making a sound, and said to her, "Gu Xi, get some rest. I'll come pick you up tomorrow."
Tomorrow is her wedding, and he will come to pick her up to attend it.
Gu Xi looked up at him.
She was always bold, and her gaze was always direct when she looked at him, yet it never felt offensive. Perhaps it was because her eyes were so clear, almond-shaped eyes with distinct black and white, that you could see right through them.
Shen Mingzheng was used to her bluntness, but when he met her gaze, the tips of his ears felt a little hot.
Gu Xi looked at him for a while, then lowered her eyes and softly responded.
She looks so well-behaved. Perhaps it's her naturally delicate and gentle appearance that gives people a sense of obedience. Even if she's not that obedient at heart, people can be deceived by her appearance.
Shen Mingzheng added, "If you're tired, take a nap. I'll come pick you up tomorrow."
I'll come pick you up tomorrow!
Gu Xi was slightly moved when she heard this, realizing that this person always managed to say things that touched her heart.
He probably realized that she didn't like taking care of the family, so he asked her to be patient for one more day, saying he would come to pick her up tomorrow.
Gu Xi took a deep breath, smiled at him, and hummed in agreement.
When Shen Mingzheng went downstairs, he felt that the air was a bit hot and restless, his shirt buttons seemed to be fastened a bit too tightly, and his throat felt uncomfortable and a bit dry.
Seeing Gu Yuanzheng and his sister downstairs, he nodded slightly to them and said, "I'll be going now. I'll come pick her up tomorrow."
Gu Yuanzheng and Gu Yuanxiang quickly stood up to see him off.
Although Shen Mingzheng was his brother-in-law, Gu Yuanzheng didn't dare to act like a brother-in-law in front of him, not only because Shen Mingzheng had a strong aura, but also because of Gu Xi, he always felt a little short of breath.
When Shen Mingzheng's overly sharp eyes looked over, it felt as if he could see right through you, which was not a very comfortable feeling.
After Shen Mingzheng left, Gu Yuanhui, who had been hiding in the room, finally emerged.
He was afraid of his future brother-in-law, Shen Mingzheng, and didn't want to face Gu Xi, fearing he would lose control and argue with her again. So after lunch, he stayed in his room.
"He's finally gone!" he muttered. "That guy looked stern and cold, and he's a soldier, so he must be a good fighter. I wonder if Gu Xi can handle him. I heard that after Gu Xi gets married, she's going to go to the military base. The military base is not as good as the big city, the conditions are not good, she'll have a hard time."
Seeing his gloating expression, Gu Yuanzheng frowned and said sternly, "Shut up! Say less! Don't forget, your older brother is also a soldier, and your sister-in-law is a military doctor accompanying the army!"
Although his older brother went to serve in the army in his early years and rarely came back, and his relationship with the family was not very good, he still respected his older brother to some extent.
These days, most people have great respect for soldiers who defend their country.
Gu Yuanhui felt wronged by his scolding and said angrily, "It wasn't me who said it, it was Mom and Dad! I heard that when my older brother wanted to join the army, Mom and Dad were against it. Joining the army is honorable, but it's also dangerous. What if someone dies one day..."
Families like the Gu family have more choices for their children and do not need them to join the army.
In their view, being a soldier is indeed dangerous; what if they were to be killed on the battlefield someday...
When Gu Yuanyang chose to join the army, it caused a great deal of unpleasantness with his family.
Gu Yuanhui and Gu Yuanxiang were too young to remember this incident, but Gu Yuanzheng remembered it very clearly.
Gu Yuanyang eventually left, and Gu Maowen and his wife were very angry, saying they would pretend they didn't have a son like him.
Over the years, Gu Yuanyang's relationship with his family has not improved much. Although they keep in touch, they rarely exchange letters. Every now and then, Gu Yuanyang and his wife would send them some packages to let them know that he was still alive.
Even when Gu Yuanyang got married in the army, Gu Maowen and Jiang Huijun didn't go; they only sent some token gifts.
This also meant that from the time Gu Yuanyang got married until he had a child, no one from the Gu family ever appeared, and they never saw Gu Yuanyang's wife and child. The photos that were sent back were simply put into an album and rarely taken out.
Because of Gu Yuanyang's example, the Gu family's attitude towards soldiers became rather complicated.
If it weren't for the Shen family's background and Shen Mingzheng's outstanding abilities—he was already a regimental-level cadre at a young age—Gu Maowen might not have been so enthusiastic.
Gu Yuanzheng increasingly felt that his parents' attitudes had a profound impact on them.
Not only him, but also Gu Yuanxiang, Gu Yuanhui, and even Gu Xi.
Gu Xi returned halfway through her journey and was not exposed to or influenced by the Gu family's arrogant ideas, but she was still the one who was hurt the most.
A sense of powerlessness welled up in Gu Yuanzheng's heart, and he said, "Don't say things like that again."
I wonder how my older brother is doing over there? Gu Xi will also be joining the army soon, and we may not see each other for many years...
**
After Shen Mingzheng left, Gu Xi took a nap and didn't wake up until it got dark.
After waking up, she felt much better and went downstairs to find something to eat.
The Gu family had already eaten dinner, but this time they left some food for her.
Jiang Huijun kept an eye on the kitchen. When she saw her get up to eat, she took the initiative to heat up her food. Then she sat down next to her and talked to her, saying some things about women after marriage. It was like giving her some advice. These were some private words that a mother would say to her daughter who was about to get married.
Gu Xi listened silently.
On the night before she was to leave the house, she didn't want to cause any trouble; she just wanted to get through it peacefully.
A little later, Jiang Huijun went to Gu Xi's room again.
She closed the door, looking troubled, hesitant to speak, and finally said, "Xixi, tomorrow is your wedding, and tomorrow night, that... you know what I mean?"
Gu Xi's calm expression gradually cracked, and she looked at her expressionlessly.
Jiang Huijun avoided her gaze, feeling extremely ashamed and indignant.
When I went back to my room earlier, I finally remembered this matter. As a mother, I always have to talk to her about it, afraid that she wouldn't understand anything, so I came over again. But this kind of thing is really hard to talk about. She is an educated person, so I can't say it too bluntly, but if I say it too subtly, I'm afraid she won't understand and I'll make a fool of myself tomorrow night.
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