Fang Qiao: "You've already set your wedding date, so when are Gao Ping's parents coming from their hometown?"
Wang Yun said, "Next Friday."
"Should the whole family come?"
“No.” Wang Yun shook his head: “His older brother came with his parents, but his older sister didn’t come.”
"Why isn't his older sister coming?" Fang Qiao asked, puzzled. "Of the five members of Gao Ping's family, four, including Gao Ping himself, live in Beijing. What's the point of his older sister staying home alone?"
Wang Yun said, "That's what I asked too. Gao Ping said his older sister didn't want to come because she felt she was mute and was afraid of embarrassing him."
At this point, Fang Qiao sighed: "It's right that his older sister has concerns. After all, there are quite a few mean-spirited people in the family compound, and it's inevitable that some people will gossip and make fun of you. But if you don't care about gossip, then it doesn't matter what others say."
Wang Yun: "What do gossip matter? Gao Ping and I don't care. It's just that we don't care, but his older sister does. She's afraid that her presence will make us lose face, so she refuses to come."
"The fact that his older sister made such a statement shows that she is understanding and not a difficult sister-in-law, so we should let her come if she can. After all, it is a big event for the wedding, and it would be a regret for Gao Ping if his older sister really didn't come."
“Yes, I also wanted his sister to come. After all, a wedding should be perfect, and it would be a shame to leave any regrets.” Wang Yun said, “I’ll go back and talk to Gao Ping again, and try my best to persuade his sister to come.”
Wang Yun had to deliver invitations to other places, so he chatted with Fang Qiao for a while before leaving.
After Wang Yun left, Fang Qiao discussed with Cheng Baidong: "Xiao Yun is getting married. Besides giving her a wedding gift, what else should I give her?"
Cheng Baidong wasn't very familiar with these things, so he asked, "What do other people give as gifts?"
“Some people give her enamel teacups, some give her red towels and sheets, and some give her greeting cards,” Fang Qiao said. “But I think these things are all too common and don’t stand out. I want to give her something different.”
"Why don't you give her something she likes? That would be catering to her tastes," Cheng Baidong suggested.
Fang Qiao: "Xiaoyun likes to read, shall I give her a few books?"
“Sure,” Cheng Baidong nodded in agreement. “We haven’t been to the city since Chuan Chuan and Yue Yue were born, have we? We can go to the bookstore in the city on Sunday to buy books and have some fun.”
With four children at home, three of them need constant supervision. When Cheng Bodong isn't home, Fang Qiao and Xiao Jing can only take them for short trips around the neighborhood. They can't bring themselves to take them on long trips; it's just too much trouble.
Fang Qiao agreed because Cheng Baidong would be going with her this time, and it would be more convenient for him to drive.
She said, "Okay, bring more things, so that it won't be difficult to clean up if the two little ones pee or poop outside."
On Sunday, Cheng Baidong drove his Jeep and his family into the city in a grand procession.
The little Vermilion Bird pressed its face against the car window, peering out with its tiny green eyes filled with curiosity about everything.
When it goes out to play, it rarely flies into the city. There are too many people in the city, and too many naughty children. The first time it went into the city, a child hit its wing with a slingshot. If it hadn't been so capable, it probably would have lost its balance and fallen to the ground. Who knows, some rascal would have picked it up and cooked it.
From then on, it was still afraid and mostly flew to Heshan Mountain when it went out to play. The mountain was remote and deserted, so no one cared where it flew. If it was lucky, it could even catch a pheasant to take back for a meal.
Little Zhuque was in high spirits, but Fang Qiao reminded it, "When we get to the city, hide inside Bai Dong's hat. You can only look out, but you mustn't make a sound or speak. Otherwise, if someone finds you, they'll take you away, and Bai Dong and I won't be able to protect you."
"I know, I know, I won't say anything."
Birds that can talk will be burned at the stake as monsters!
Although it is a Vermilion Bird and is not afraid of fire, it would be bad if its feathers were singed off by fire!
Its feathers are already sparse, so we must take good care of them!
Upon arriving in the city, Fang Qiao first went to a bookstore, where she carefully selected two brand-new poetry collections.
These days, the college entrance examination has not yet been reinstated, people don't value reading much, bookstores are quiet, and books on the shelves are covered in dust.
Fang Qiao was indeed lucky to be able to pick out two brand-new poetry collections.
After buying books at the bookstore, the family went to the department store.
There was a window selling candied hawthorns at the entrance. Fang Qiao bought one for Tian Tian and one for Xiao Jing. An An also wanted to eat some, but she was too young to eat candied hawthorns, so Fang Qiao bought them for her.
The little red-billed peacock looked on with envy, but being a bird, it was really inappropriate to eat candied hawthorns in public.
Fang Qiao packed one for it and coaxed it, saying, "Eat it when you get home."
Upon entering the department store, Fang Qiao bought two red towels embroidered with mandarin ducks to wrap her books. The towels were practical, and the red color was festive. They could also be used when delivered to Wang Yun, killing two birds with one stone.
After browsing around the department store and buying some odds and ends of daily necessities in addition to the red towel, I wandered around the city for a long time before heading home.
As time passed, Wang Yun's wedding day drew closer.
Gao Ping's relatives came to the capital from their hometown. I don't know how Wang Yun discussed things with Gao Ping after that day, but in any case, his eldest sister also came in the end.
Gao Ping's parents were farmers who toiled in the fields, and they looked older than their peers.
His older brother and sister were also honest and unassuming, neither of them were the type to cause trouble.
On the night before Wang Yun's wedding, Gao Ping came to ask Fang Qiao to make the bed.
There are also rules about who should make the bed for newlyweds. Generally, it is their sister-in-law or aunt from the same family, preferably someone with both a son and a daughter. Such a person is considered lucky and auspicious.
Gao Ping, being far from home, couldn't find his relatives, so he sought out Fang Qiao and Yang Xiuyang, the deputy factory director's daughters-in-law, both of whom had both sons and daughters.
The bright red bed sheet, printed with blooming peonies, instantly evokes a festive feeling when spread on the bed.
As Fang Qiao made the bed, she stuffed nuts under the sheets.
There are also specific rules about the nuts you put in the bed when making it. Usually, it's dates, peanuts, longans, and pine nuts, which are homophones for "early birth of a son".
After Fang Qiao finished making the bed, it was time for Chuan Chuan and Yue Yue to make their appearance.
They roll around on the newly made bed for good luck, hoping to have two big, healthy boys next year.
In short, traditional customs are trivial and complicated.
Early the next morning, the sound of firecrackers crackled and popped in the family compound.
The day arrived for Gao Ping and Wang Yun to get married.
At eight o'clock sharp, Gao Ping, dressed impeccably, drove the factory's jeep adorned with red silk cloth, and set off with a group of people to pick up the bride.
Fang Qiao didn't go to the wedding procession because she was already married and had children, while the people who would send off the bride were all unmarried young men and women, and she was obviously not suitable.
She was waiting at Gaoping's house for the groom to bring the bride back.
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