Chapter 36
Today they are going to pick up the photos taken on the day they received their marriage certificate.
Shen Mingrong followed closely behind the two, determined not to let them leave him behind. When he learned that they had even taken photos, he exclaimed with delight, full of anticipation.
He exclaimed, "Sister Xi is so beautiful, and Brother is so handsome! The photos you took must be amazing! Brother and Sister Xi are such a perfect match..."
Shen Mingzheng glanced at him and reached out to rub his head.
That mouth of hers is so eloquent, she could say more.
When they arrived at the photo studio, the old man who was minding the shop saw them and went to get the photos with a smile.
These two are so good-looking that no one who has seen them will forget them.
The old man took out the photos and said to them with a proud look, "Your photos are all out, and the results are excellent. Are you satisfied with them?"
Gu Xi and Shen Mingzheng looked at the photos, and Shen Mingrong also tiptoed and squeezed his head to look. When he saw that there were actually color photos, he exclaimed "Wow!" again.
He praised generously, "Sister Xi is so beautiful! Big Brother is so mighty!"
Color photographs already exist abroad, but they are not yet widespread in China. This photo studio is able to offer color photos only because it is located in Beijing, and because the prices are too high, not many people take photos there.
The color photos amazed Shen Mingrong, and the black and white ones were also quite nice, capturing the feel of that era.
Gu Xi looked at the photos and found that they were really well taken.
In the photo, Shen Mingzheng is wearing a crisp military uniform, while she is wearing a well-fitting dress. She looks elegant and graceful. The two are standing slightly close together, one serious and stern, the other gentle and serene, creating an indescribable sense of harmony.
The poses for couple photos were pretty much the same: standing or sitting. I took one of each pose, in both black and white and color.
The same applies to solo photos; there's nothing fancy about them.
After looking at the couple's photo, Shen Mingzheng glanced at the solo photo and quietly put her solo photo away separately.
After picking up the photos, since it was still early, Shen Mingzheng took the two of them out to play.
Shen Mingrong mainly wanted to play, and knowing they were about to leave, Shen Mingzheng generously fulfilled his request.
Shen Mingrong was unaware of all this and thought that his older brother was really easy to talk to today, fulfilling many of his requests. Sure enough, men are different after marriage, and he hoped that his older brother would continue to be like this in the future.
In the evening, the couple from Shenchengshan returned and looked at the photos they had taken. They were quite surprised by the color photos.
“Let’s take color photos another day,” Feng Min said with a smile. “Then we can take a family portrait.”
At this point, Shen Mingzheng said, "We can film it tomorrow."
Feng Min was taken aback for a moment, then heard Shen Chenshan say, "Okay, tomorrow morning, your mother and I will ask for leave and go together."
"Really? That's great! Let's all take pictures together!" Shen Mingrong cheered. The children simply thought the colorful pictures were novel and beautiful, and wanted to join in the photo shoot.
Feng Min realized what was happening and asked, "Mingzheng, have you bought the train tickets?"
"I've already had someone buy them for me," Shen Mingzheng said. "They're train tickets for the day after tomorrow, sleeper tickets."
Upon hearing this, the room suddenly fell silent.
Shen Mingrong turned to look at his brother and asked, "Big brother, you bought a train ticket for the day after tomorrow? Are you leaving so soon?"
Shen Mingzheng nodded, "I didn't take much leave, I have to go back to the army." Then he said to Feng Min, "Mom, Xixi and I will take some everyday clothes with us first, and you can mail the rest to us later."
I had already mailed a package, but it contained mostly wedding items. It was divided into two parts: one part stayed here, and the other part was sent to the military base so they could use it when they arrived, saving them the trouble of buying more.
I'll pack the rest of my luggage in the next couple of days. I'll bring what I can, and mail the rest over. That way, I won't have to bring too much on the train, which will save me the trouble.
Feng Min nodded, feeling a pang of reluctance. When she saw Gu Xi sitting there, she couldn't help but hug her and sigh, "I really can't bear to part with Xi Xi. It feels like I've married a daughter-in-law but lost a daughter."
I feel like I've been cheated.
Gu Xi couldn't bear to part with her either.
These past few days, she has deliberately ignored the matter, exhibiting an ostrich-like mentality of escapism, unwilling to face separation, and even having an impulse to refuse to join the army.
"What? Sister Xi is going to leave with Big Brother?" Shen Mingrong's eyes widened in disbelief, as if struck by lightning.
Although Shen Chenshan was also very reluctant, he was the patriarch of the family and was used to his children leaving their parents when they grew up. He was able to keep a straight face and said to his youngest son, "Xixi is going to join the army."
"No, how can Sister Xi leave?!" Shen Mingrong exclaimed in shock, her voice rising. "Sister Xi can't leave! She has to stay here with us!"
"Stop fooling around!" Feng Min patted his head and gave Zhong Chenshan a look.
See? The daughter-in-law is leaving as soon as she's been married off. It's not just her who's reluctant to let her go; even his youngest son doesn't want her to leave.
Shen Mingrong was both shocked and anxious. She ran over and grabbed Gu Xi's arm, looking at her pitifully, "Sister Xi, please don't go with Big Brother, okay? Stay in Beijing!"
Before Gu Xi could speak, Feng Min said, "No, your brother and Xi Xi are married. The couple should be together. It's not good for them to live apart."
Although she was very reluctant, she was very determined to let Gu Xi go with the army.
Gu Xi, who was initially wavering, was stunned by Feng Min's "No."
No matter how much Shen Mingrong made a fuss, Feng Min remained unmoved. In the end, the child was so angry that tears streamed down his face, which made Gu Xi feel very sorry for him. She took a handkerchief and wiped away his tears.
"Waaaaah... Sister Xi, don't go! I can't bear to leave you!"
Shen Mingrong stood there crying, then hugged her waist, nestled in her arms like when they were children.
When he was five years old, he went back to his mother's hometown to visit relatives. His mother was almost swallowed by a mudslide. He stayed by her bedside and cried his heart out. It was Gu Xi who stayed with him and comforted him.
Later, Gu Xi came to Beijing with him. It can be said that Gu Xi was with him for the past five years of his life. To him, Gu Xi was like a loving older sister who would keep him company when he was lonely. She was someone he could see from time to time. He never thought that she would leave one day.
Gu Xi felt bad because of his crying. The thought of leaving them made her eyes red, but she couldn't bring herself to say she wouldn't go with the army. She could only look at Feng Min pitifully.
As for Shen Mingzheng, she didn't dare to look at him, feeling inexplicably guilty.
Feng Min was exasperated by her youngest son's crying, and her heart softened at Gu Xi's pitiful eyes, but she still hardened her heart and said, "You're a little man now, why are you crying?"
“A little man can cry too!” Shen Mingrong said, tears and snot streaming down his face. “Men can bleed and cry too; it’s a normal physiological process.”
Feng Min: "..."
Feng Min knew that this chatterbox was eloquent and she couldn't argue with him, so she turned to look at her husband and eldest son.
Heavy Mountain was also troubled. The authoritative patriarch was no match for his youngest son. The boy had been lively and cheerful since childhood, but too lively and cheerful. He was not afraid of anything as long as he did not make any mistakes.
He could only turn to his eldest son and let him handle it. After all, the eldest brother is like a father. If he wanted his wife to go with him to the army, he should first deal with his younger brother.
Shen Mingzheng was speechless. He had come to realize that his younger brother, born to his parents, was a troublemaker who would steal his wife. As long as his brother was around, he could forget about having a proper conversation with his wife; her attention would never be on him.
He stood up and reached out to pull his younger brother out of Gu Xi's arms.
Shen Mingrong turned her head and saw him, pouted, and tears fell again.
"Are you made of water?" Shen Mingzheng asked helplessly. "So many tears?" He remembered that he hadn't cried since he was old enough to understand things. How could this kid, who was already ten years old, still cry like this?
Shen Mingrong snorted and wiped away her tears, "If I don't cry, I won't have Sister Xi anymore."
If crying could make Sister Xi stay, he would cry for three days and three nights.
A smile appeared in Shen Mingzheng's eyes as he picked him up and carried him to the study for a conversation between brothers.
Gu Xi watched them disappear with worry, feeling somewhat uneasy.
Feng Min didn't care at all what the two brothers were doing. She pulled Gu Xi to sit down and continued looking at their photos. While sighing, she said, "Xi Xi, Mom will miss you too, but a couple needs to live together for their relationship to last. Living apart will be very hard... But when you get there, you have to take good care of yourself. Ming Zheng is a soldier, and he can't be with you often when he has missions. I hope you can understand him."
Gu Xi nodded; of course she understood.
Ever since they got engaged and she learned that her fiancé was a soldier, she had paid special attention to these things.
Although she once wanted to break off the engagement after being reborn, she is now married and blessed by so many people. She will try her best to live on and live well.
When the two brothers came out, Shen Mingrong had stopped crying, but he was still a little awkward.
He ran over, ignoring his brother's cold face, and grabbed Gu Xi's arm, saying in a coquettish tone, "Sister Xi, you have to write to me every month from now on. When I'm on vacation, you have to come back to see me, or I can come to see you..."
Gu Xi patted his head, readily agreed, and gave him countless assurances.
It's hard to imagine that a boy who loves to act cute and spoiled will get into a military academy and become a soldier.
As they were going to bed that night, Gu Xi asked him curiously, "What did you say to Ming Rong to stop him from crying?"
Shen Mingzheng did not answer, but asked instead, "Don't you want to go with the army?"
Gu Xi turned to look at him, and when their eyes met, her gaze wavered. She stammered, "No, it's just that I really miss my parents and Mingrong..."
Will he be angry if she says that?
Although they were married, she didn't really know him. She only trusted him instinctively because he was Shen Mingzheng, but she was also afraid that she might not do well and make him angry.
If he's angry, he definitely won't hit anyone. There's no tradition of men in the Shen family hitting their wives. It's just that when two people live together, it's better to be peaceful and harmonious. She doesn't like arguing with people, especially family members.
Seeing that she didn't dare to look at him, Shen Mingzheng frowned slightly, reached out and pinched her chin to straighten her face.
The two sat facing each other, their eyes locked. He said with a serious expression, "It's normal to miss my parents. If I have time off in the future, I'll come back to see them with you."
Gu Xi gave a dry "oh," confirming that not accompanying the army was definitely not an option.
"You can tell me anything in the future. If I can do it, I will. Don't be afraid or worried." Shen Mingzheng said earnestly, "Gu Xi, you are my wife, the person we will spend our lives together."
Gu Xi looked at his deep, handsome face and his serious expression, opened her mouth, and then responded softly.
A satisfied look appeared on his face. He reached out and ruffled her hair, then pulled her into his arms, resting his chin on her shoulder, and let out a very soft sigh.
Two years ago, when she turned eighteen, he saw the photo his mother sent him and decided in his heart that he would only marry her and spend his life with her.
An eighteen-year-old girl with bright eyes and white teeth is so beautiful and vibrant that few men could resist her.
Men are indeed visual creatures; they can fall in love at first sight, and they can also ruthlessly plunder what they have fallen for.
When his parents arranged their marriage, he did not refuse, not only because his mind was on the army and he had no particular requirements for his life, but also because she had saved his mother and was someone he was grateful to, so he had no reason to refuse.
However, that's all there is to it. Perhaps when the time comes, he will naturally return to marry her, and like his elders, live a life of routine.
But a photograph sparked his imagination on countless quiet nights.
The girl in the photo is his fiancée.
She was like a flower dug up from a valley, planted in a pot, and carefully nurtured, slowly growing and taking root in this family.
In those years, in the letters his mother and younger brother sent, two out of every three sentences mentioned her, allowing him to see the trajectory of a girl's growth into a well-behaved and quiet girl loved by her elders and an older sister whom children could rely on.
In those letters, he seemed to know almost everything about her, as if he had accompanied her as she grew up, and feelings gradually developed between them.
When he saw her in the park, he recognized her at a glance.
In the sunlight, her skin was so white it was almost transparent. She remained so quiet, yet so fragile, as if she had experienced many, many things, and was not as well-behaved as she appeared.
He was very worried about her, and also about her health.
Later, when she approached him to express her desire to break off the engagement, he became even more certain that she had gone through something terrible and was on the verge of a mental breakdown.
It was a kind of oppressive, helpless collapse, as if the whole world had abandoned it.
She was afraid of being a burden to him and wanted to break off the engagement.
So he acted swiftly and decisively, confirming the marriage arrangements with her. He needed to lend her a hand, to push her forward, and to pull her out of that near-collapse situation.
Shen Mingzheng didn't know what she had been through, perhaps it was related to the Gu family, but he didn't investigate. He would hold her hand firmly and help her to cheer up and live a good life.
Now that I've taken her hand, I'll never let go.
**
The next day, Chen Shenshan and Feng Min took half a day off to go to the photo studio together.
The old man in the photo studio was naturally pleased to see the whole family come to take a family portrait, feeling that his skills were being recognized. As he fiddled with the equipment, he said, "Is this your son? No wonder he's so tall and handsome. Your son looks a lot like your wife, and your daughter-in-law is also a very beautiful woman..."
Feng Min couldn't stop smiling. She loved it when people praised her children and daughter-in-law; they were happier than when they praised her.
"You need to take good pictures of us, like the wedding photos you took of my son and daughter-in-law."
"Don't worry, comrade. I've been doing this job for most of my life, and I'll definitely take the best photos for you!"
Under the old man's guidance, the group struck a pose.
Feng Min and Gu Xi sat in chairs, while Shen Mingrong, Shen Zhongshan, and Shen Mingzheng stood behind them.
With a click, the photo was taken.
They took several family photos, striking different poses, planning to see which one was the best and then frame and hang it on the wall.
After taking the photos, Feng Min and Shen Chongshan went back to work, while Gu Xi and the others went home to pack their luggage.
Actually, there wasn't much to pack. Just pack the things you need to take on the train, and Aunt Wang and Feng Min would help pack the rest and mail it over.
After they had finished packing, Shen Mingzheng suddenly said, "Gu Xi, let's go to the Gu family's place later to say goodbye."
The light smile on Gu Xi's lips vanished instantly. Although she remained calm, there was now a hint of indifference in her expression.
It was as if the Gu family wasn't her maternal home, but some completely unrelated place.
Shen Mingzheng continued, "Go say goodbye to them. You won't be going back."
Hearing this, she breathed a long sigh of relief.
"Alright," Gu Xi said. Then she would properly say goodbye to the past and her previous life, and move on to a new life.
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