Chapter 256 (Extra 1)
The Zhou family arrived in the capital a few days in advance, and Zhou Jiani got married from this courtyard.
Although it is March, there is still a bit of a chill. Fortunately, you don’t have to wear a wedding dress when getting married these days. Zhou Jiani wore a beige sweater as a base, a red tweed coat on the outside, and khaki tweed wide-leg pants underneath.
Aren’t bell-bottoms popular now? Zhou Jiani didn’t buy ready-made ones directly. She tore the material and drew a pattern herself, then asked Yue Cuiyun to make her a pair of wide-leg pants, which were both crisp and good-looking.
It was cold, so she didn't try to be coquettish and put on a pair of thin woolen pants, which didn't make her look bulky at all.
She wore a pair of black leather shoes on her feet.
Jiang Xinfeng persuaded her granddaughter to get a perm early in the morning, but Zhou Jiani didn't dare try it, so she braided her hair into a pigtail, loosened the hair a little on top of her head with her fingers, and pinned it with a burgundy three-dimensional bow hairpin.
The ends of her hair were wrapped with a thin hairband of the same color.
I put on some light makeup.
Lv Minjuan and Zhai Hong beside them sighed, "This is so beautiful."
Zhai Hong: "When I first met Jiani, I was stunned. I thought to myself, what a beautiful woman this is!
Lv Minjuan: "Jia Ni, do you know when we feel most balanced?"
Zhou Jiani: "When?"
Lu Minjuan reached out to help her comb the hair on both sides: "When you were tanned to a charcoal black."
Zhou Jiani: “…”
There was a commotion outside. Lü Minjuan stood on tiptoe to peek outside and said, "Isn't that the bride's party coming? Oh, Wanxia and Xiaobai are back, along with a few of your fellow villagers from Qianjin Brigade, your aunt's family... Oh, Xiaobai's mother-in-law is here too."
Zhang Baosheng, Liu Tong, and Li Jingdang came from Bin County to attend the wedding. Zhao Mei also came with them. Zhao Mei was worried that Zhang Kaishan would not be able to take care of the child, so she brought her lively and active son with her.
Zhang Huihui really wanted to come, but she had to go to school, so she drew a picture for Sister Jiani and asked her mother to bring it over.
Aunt Su came from Qi Yang with her aunt and her family.
They were arranged to stay in the guesthouse the day before. Yu Wanxia and Bai Haoyang, who came to help, went to help pick them up early in the morning. Bai Haoyang ran back and forth. After picking them up, he had to go back to the compound and then come to pick up the bride.
Zhou Wanli and Yu Huifang hurried out to greet them, greeted Zhang Baosheng and the others, and arranged for everyone to have breakfast.
Yu Wanxia pushed the door open and came in, bringing a slight chill with her. She glanced at Zhou Jiani and said with a smile, "Our bride is so pretty."
Zhai Hong laughed: "We just finished praising Jiani's parents for being so good at giving birth..."
It's lively inside and outside.
Zhao Mei and Aunt Su also peeked in, and when they saw Zhou Jiani, their eyes lit up and they both said, "Oh, she's so beautiful."
Several girls in the room laughed.
Zhou Jiani greeted them: "Aunt Su, sister-in-law, have you eaten?"
"Let me see you first, then we'll go out and eat."
"Then go eat quickly, and come back to talk after you finish eating."
Zhao Mei: "I won't be coming in for a while. Zhenghui is too noisy. I'll take him to play in the yard. You should also eat something to fill your stomach."
"I understand, sister-in-law. You guys go eat first."
Zhou Jiani pushed Zhai Hong and the others to go out for dinner, and she stayed in the room to pack up her things.
Zhang Baosheng and his friends brought a lot of gifts to the villagers.
There were socks made by hand for her and Qiu Zeming, embroidered insoles, pairs of pillowcases, pairs of towels, enamel pots, and so on.
It doesn’t matter how much you have, the friendship is the most precious.
The village and Bin County Weaving Factory jointly sent Zhou Jiani a complete set of storage bench furniture, which was delivered by the transport team a few days in advance and placed in the new house.
County Magistrate Wang also asked Li Jingdang to bring him a gift.
When Aunt Su came to the capital this time, the Bai family invited her to their home and gave her a warm welcome.
Xiao Min and Sun Ping also wanted to come, but they had just reported to the unit not long ago. Zhou Jiani specifically instructed them not to ask for leave, and the same applies to calling to send their blessings.
Xiao Min used the industrial coupons she had just received last month to buy a pair of thermoses for Zhou Jiani, and Sun Ping bought a towel blanket. In that era, these were considered expensive gifts, so she asked Aunt Su to bring them over.
The wedding date Zhou Jiani set happened to be Sunday, so Bai Haoyang, Wang Qianjin, Yu Wanxia, Zhai Hong, and Lu Minjuan didn't need to ask for leave.
Not long after, her aunt came in and joked a few words with a smile. Not long after, Yu Huifang came in again, looked her over, and said, "You should have listened to your grandma and got a perm."
Zhou Jiani laughed: "I don't think permed hair looks good."
Yu Huifang smiled and said, "My daughter is so beautiful, any perm is fine with her."
He said a few words and then turned to leave. A few minutes later, he returned with a bowl of noodles with a poached egg in it. This was a custom in Qiyang, signifying a long and smooth life.
Zhou Jiani took it and said, "Thank you, Mom!"
"Why are you being polite to Mom?"
Comrade Yu Huifang's eyelids were a little swollen. She couldn't bear to leave her daughter, and she couldn't help but hugged her mother-in-law and cried last night.
Zhou Jiani also felt uncomfortable and lowered her head to eat noodles.
Soon, they heard a bustling noise outside. Jia'an ran in breathlessly and said, "Sister, my brother-in-law is here. There are several cars parked outside, and all the neighbors in this alley have come out to watch the fun..."
The neighbors outside were still talking about it. They all knew that Zhou Jiani came to the capital to study, but they didn't expect that she found a local in-law. The in-laws seemed to have a good family background. They often saw a couple in military uniforms coming here. Today they were getting married, and the scene was even more spectacular.
The alley is narrow and cars can't get in, but a row of cars parked at the head of the alley is quite intimidating.
The groom who came down was also wearing a military uniform and looked handsome.
The entrance was bustling with activity. Jiaping and Jiaan were blocking the door, demanding red envelopes. Yu Wanxia was also jumping up and down beside them, making a fuss. Outside, Bai Haoyang said, "Wanxia, you're such a traitor! Didn't we agree this morning that we'd let you in as soon as Brother Ming arrived?"
Qiu Zeming is very good at coaxing his two brothers-in-law. He bought two toy cars at some point, but when he took them out, Jiaping and Jiaan were overwhelmed by the calls of "brother-in-law".
Yu Wanxia: "Cunning!"
Qiu Zeming was escorted into the room.
Although she had seen Qiu Zeming in a military uniform before, Zhou Jiani felt that Qiu Zeming looked particularly handsome today. His uniform was particularly straight, making his posture as straight as a pine tree. He also had a red flower pinned to his chest. His eyebrows were sharp and his eyes were bright, with a smile on the corners of his lips. He looked at her gently and said softly, "Jiani, I'm here to pick you up."
Zhou Jiani's face flushed slightly, and she smiled and nodded.
After paying respects to her grandmother and parents, Zhou Jiani saw a faint gleam of tears in the corners of the old lady and her mother's eyes. She couldn't help but feel a soreness in her nose. She took a deep breath and suppressed the tears that were about to surge in her eyes.
Qiu Zeming said seriously, "Grandma, Dad, Mom, Jiani is the treasure in your hands. Thank you for handing her over to me. Don't worry, she will be the treasure in my hands forever. I will love her forever!"
"Pa" he saluted, solemnly as if he was taking an oath.
Jiang Xinfeng nodded: "Good children, you are all good children, live a good life in the future."
Zhou Wanli and Yu Huifang also gave a few instructions. Qiu Zeming took Zhou Jiani's hand and walked out. The sound of firecrackers could be heard outside.
The two got in the car, and Bai Haoyang and Wang Qianjin assisted Ge Fengdang in entertaining the relatives from the Zhou family and arranging for them to go to the restaurant.
The car carrying the bride and groom drove into the compound. Some people watched from afar and lit firecrackers in advance, creating a lively atmosphere with crackling sounds.
Zhou Jiani and Qiu Zeming got out of the car. Qiu Zeming's comrades and friends didn't dare to come over and make a fuss, but just cheered and yelled from the side.
The downstairs was set up as a simple open-air auditorium, surrounded by neighbors from the compound. Seeing Zhou Jiani and Qiu Zeming standing side by side, many people exclaimed, "I always think these two children are good-looking, especially Zhou Jiani. Today, she's dressed up and looks so good."
"Yeah, that's perfect."
"Isn't this a perfect match?"
"Zhou Jiani is so beautiful. She looked good even without makeup. But today she looks so beautiful."
"Zeming is also good-looking, but what do these two children look like?"
While the neighbors were talking about it, Qiu Zeming and Zhou Jiani had already finished their oath in front of the great man's portrait and saluted their parents and grandfather.
Mr. Qiu spoke on behalf of the family, asking the young couple to live a good life, respect their parents, work hard, and serve the country in the future.
The wedding ceremony at that time was very simple. It was held in the military compound. There were several leaders at a glance, but no one dared to make trouble. After the ceremony, they went upstairs to rest for a while and then went to the Friendship Hotel.
There were many guests at the Qiu family's side, including neighbors in the compound, Qiu Zeming's comrades-in-arms, brothers, and relatives from his maternal grandfather's side.
Qiu Zexun felt uncomfortable again.
Although his family also held a banquet at the Friendship Hotel when he got married, the neighbors in the compound who came were all the middle-class people in the family, and there were not so many people; unlike today, the people who came were the most important pillars of the family.
You can tell at a glance which is more important.
Qiu Zexun knew that although these people in the compound looked righteous, in fact, huh, they were just treating people differently based on their status. Isn't it just that his mother's family was not strong enough, isn't it just that he didn't grow up in the compound, isn't it just that... he was not as promising as Qiu Zeming!
Thinking angrily, I drank several glasses of wine.
Another person who felt unhappy was Qiu Wen. To this day, she still disliked her niece-in-law Zhou Jiani. Her sister-in-law and her husband were indeed framed later. After the unit was restructured, they were transferred to a corner. It was an easy life for them. Every day, they drank tea and read newspapers. They could predict the end of their days at a glance.
But their teacher's son has been promoted step by step and is now the second in command of the unit. It will be difficult for her sister-in-law and her husband to make a name for themselves in their lives.
Oh, she also saw those two old guys.
Just now, when she saw Zhou Jiani supporting an old lady, she thought she was a relative of the Zhou family. When she passed by, she heard her say, "You and Professor Fu are sitting at this table..."
Leading those two old guys to the main table, bah, they are worthy!
The aunt and nephew had indignant looks on their faces. One of them sat there drinking alone, while the other one cracked melon seeds and complained about this and that in her heart.
Another person who felt uncomfortable at the scene was Xin Jiamei. On the wedding day, she was not familiar with the situation in the compound. She just felt that the fact that her in-laws could arrange her wedding at the Friendship Hotel made her very face-saving among her sisters. Moreover, she felt that the ceremony was quite grand that day. The relatives all said that the in-laws she found were good, which made her feel particularly proud.
But in recent years, I have gained some understanding of the situation in the compound. Today, I took a quick look and could tell the difference.
It's not just a little difference, the difference is huge.
For example, if other neighbors in the compound get married, it is one kind of significance if Mr. Qiu and Qiu Dongshu go to attend; but it is another kind of significance if only Qiu Zexun and she are arranged to attend.
When she married Zexun, the guests were all people of the rank of "Qiu Zexun and Xin Jiamei." Today, when Qiu Zeming got married, the guests were all people of the rank of "Qiu Hongzhen and Qiu Dongshu."
Xin Jiamei felt depressed, but she knew how to save face and forced herself to cheer up and greet the guests at the banquet as the eldest daughter-in-law of the Qiu family.
After the wedding banquet at noon, Zhang Baosheng and his friends set off directly. Qiu Zeming, Zhou Jiani and several members of the Qianjin Brigade took a group photo at the entrance of the hotel.
Zhou Jiani gave them earnest instructions, teased the lively and lovely Zhang Zhenghui, and gave them a lot of snacks and candies as gifts. After returning to the village, she also had to thank the fellow villagers who gave her gifts on her behalf.
She didn't let Zhang Baosheng and the others pay for the fare, but bought sleeper tickets for them herself. Qiu Zeming arranged a car to take them to the station and only came back after seeing them get on the car.
Aunt Zhou Peilan's family and Su Meiqiao will stay for two more days, planning to have a good time in the capital before going back, and will stay at Jiani's house.
The Zhou family also wants to stay here for two days and wait for their daughter to return home before setting off again.
I also took the opportunity to go out for a walk with my sister-in-law and Su Meiqiao before going back.
The lunch banquet was over, and another banquet was held in the evening to entertain the brothers who had helped in the past few days. This time it was lively, with all the young people there, and they were making a lot of noise. Qiu Zeming was forced to drink several cups of wine by Zhao Xiaocheng and others, and then Bai Haoyang and Wang Qianjin helped to block them.
The newlyweds were busy until almost eleven o'clock in the evening before returning to their new home.
Before leaving in the afternoon, I had already made an agreement with my family to stay in Shichahai at night.
When she entered, she noticed that Qiu Zeming had slammed the door shut a bit loudly. Zhou Jiani thought he had been drunk and hadn't stopped. She was about to go check on him when she heard him say, "Finally, I don't have to avoid anyone anymore."
He slammed the door again and said, "You can keep this door closed as long as you want."
Under the starlight, Comrade Xiao Qiu looked proud.
Zhou Jiani: ...
After the renovation, the yard has changed a lot. The Qiu family ordered a full set of wooden furniture, and the Qianjin Brigade also sent a set of woven furniture. Now they are placed in the living room without any arrangement. I will rearrange them tomorrow, and those that are not needed will be taken back to grandma in a few days.
"You take a rest, I'll go boil some water." Qiu Zeming was about to go into the kitchen.
Zhou Jiani held him back: "You drank a lot tonight, are you okay?"
Qiu Zeming smiled slyly, "Can I get them drunk?" Then he hugged his newlywed wife and nuzzled her neck, whispering, "Don't worry, it won't affect our wedding night tonight."
The two got their marriage certificate years ago, and Qiu Zeming almost got pregnant several times during hugs and kisses, but he just kept restraining himself and insisted on keeping it until today.
Zhou Jiani's face was a little hot, and she pushed him: "Go and boil some water to wash it, the smell of alcohol and cigarettes is too strong."
Qiu Zeming doesn't smoke, but many of the people dining tonight do smoke, and both of them are covered in the smoke.
Qiu Zeming took a deep breath on her neck, then turned and went into the kitchen to boil some water. Not only did he have to boil water, he also had to heat up the kang, otherwise the room would be cold.
Zhou Jiani touched her neck which was a little stinging from being sucked, glared at the kitchen, went into the house to count the red envelopes she had received today, and then sorted out today's gift list.
I boiled water and took a shower, and it was almost twelve o'clock when I finished.
Zhou Jiani changed into a thin set of pajamas bought from the Friendship Store, and while Qiu Zeming went out to pour water, she slipped into the quilt.
The kang was already burning, and the room was warm. But when I thought about what might happen next, my face started to feel a little hot.
Not long after, Qiu Zeming came in changed into pajamas. The two of them bought couple's style. Of course, there was no such thing as couple's style in this era, but buying a pair of the same style of pajamas did make them couple's style.
A corner of the quilt was lifted up, and Qiu Zeming came in like a gust of wind, his movements were smoother than when she got into the quilt just now.
"Jia Ni!"
Zhou Jiani couldn't help but want to laugh: "Is this your first time getting into a woman's bed? How come it's so smooth, haha."
Qiu Zeming had a very dark face. He couldn't just lift up her clothes to admire his wife first and then come in shyly, right?
Qiu Zeming leaned over and whispered, "I've wanted to get into your bed for a long time. I've practiced it in my head many times."
Zhou Jiani smiled and pushed him: "Rogue!"
"It's now open and aboveboard to act like a hooligan... Wife, I want to act like a hooligan to you." Qiu Zeming muttered, and anxiously lowered his head to kiss her. Zhou Jiani was amused by him, but her mouth was blocked before she could even stop laughing. She made a few grunts, and soon, the breathing rhythm of the two became disordered.
Pajamas were scattered all over the kang, and there was restlessness in the quilt, accompanied by tiny moans and groans. Comrade Xiao Qiu completed his task as the groom successfully and worked tirelessly all night.
The next day, he was given the cold shoulder by his wife.
He served like a young wife, lowering his head and looking submissive. He diligently made breakfast, washed the pots and dishes, and cleaned the dining table and kitchen thoroughly.
The two of them have to go back to the compound today to visit Xi's grave.
Zhou Jiani supported herself with her broken body and went to pay homage to the ancestors. When she came back and sat in the car, she couldn't help but want to doze off, but because her parents-in-law were next to her, she had to hold it in.
At noon, we had lunch in the courtyard. As soon as we finished, Qiu Zeming said, "Jia Ni and I are going to see a movie."
He brought his wife out.
Zhou Jiani got on the back of the bicycle, grabbed his clothes, leaned her head on his back, and said, "What movie are we going to see?"
She felt like she could fall asleep in a movie theater.
Qiu Zeming chuckled: "Don't watch a movie, go home and sleep."
When she was eating, her head almost hit the bowl.
Zhou Jiani understood his thoughtfulness and said "hmm" with satisfaction: "You are so thoughtful. I appreciate it."
Saying you're going to the movies is a better excuse than saying you're going home to sleep.
On the second day after her wedding, the bride couldn't open her eyes. Even if the elders didn't make a fuss, they would smile knowingly. She would be so embarrassed.
It seems much more serious to go out and watch a movie.
Perhaps seeing that Zhou Jiani was really tired, someone who had just tasted the sweetness for the first time endured it all night, allowing Jiani to have a good rest. The next day, the two of them returned home in high spirits.
There was no need to prepare anything special at home, as everything was ready. When Zhang Baosheng and his friends came, they also carried a woven bag of vegetables. Zhou Jiani also had chicken, fish and meat prepared at home early in the morning, so Yu Huifang basically didn't have to worry about anything.
With the help of Mrs. Jiang, my sister-in-law and Su Meiqiao, we prepared two large tables full of dishes.
Zhou Jiani took the time to hold Yu Huifang's arm and snuggle with her.
In the past, she often didn't see her mother for several months or half a year, and she was used to it. But after she got married, she became the daughter-in-law of the Qiu family. When she went home, it became "going back to her mother's home" instead of "going home". The feeling was different and very subtle.
Today I especially want to stick close to my mother.
Yu Huifang was delighted by her daughter's affection, but she also said with amusement, "What's wrong with you? How come you're still acting like a child even after getting married?"
Zhou Jiani: "Mom, you and Dad should stay in the capital for a few more days."
Yu Huifang said angrily, "We don't want to work anymore?"
Zhou Jiani took the opportunity to discuss: "In a few years, when Jiaping and Jiaan take the college entrance exam, if they can get in here, you and Dad can take a leave of absence from work and live with Grandma in Beijing."
Yu Huifang didn't think that far ahead and said with a smile, "Come here and support us."
Zhou Jiani: "I'll support you guys, and maybe my business will be big by then. Can you and Dad help me keep an eye on it?"
Yu Huifang couldn't imagine how big her daughter's business would be in the future, so she just took it as a joke: "Okay, when you have a big business in the future, your dad and I will come to work for you."
After returning home, my parents, my aunt's family, and Su Meiqiao returned to Qi Yang.
Qiu Zeming's vacation was almost over, and he was clinging to his wife and reluctant to leave. The price Zhou Jiani paid was that she felt like she had been run over by a truck when she woke up in the morning.
This man seemed to have endless energy. Not only did he plow the fields at night, but he also cleaned every corner of the house during the day, tidied up the messy furniture in the house, and even delivered a storage stool to grandma.
When he came back, he dug up a piece of land from the yard, fertilized it, and when he came back next time, he had planted a few rows of vegetables.
But as long as he is at home, Zhou Jiani doesn't have to prepare three meals a day or keep the house clean.
Zhou Jiani thought, if she could keep behaving like this, she would just be crushed. After all, she would only be passionate when she was young. When she reached middle age, she wouldn't be able to crush him anymore, huh!
When Qiu Zeming returned to school, Zhou Jiani went back to live with her grandmother. She attended classes on weekdays and kept an eye on the business in the store when she was not in class. However, she went back to the Qiu family more frequently than before they got married.
If it weren't for the red paper couplets on the door and the brand new "囍" character in the house, she would even feel that this day was not much different from not getting married at all.
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