As usual, we had dinner in the yard.
The staple food was corn freshly picked from the private plot, and the side dishes were the dried mutton brought by Lu Zheng, Li Chuntian, and Lu Zheng, and the Chen family's pickled radish strips. Each person had a bowl of wheat rice porridge.
Eight people gathered around the square table, eating and chatting lively, but the atmosphere at the table was clearly divided.
Jiang Shiyue, Li Chuntian and Lu Zheng were enjoying themselves like on vacation.
Everyone in the Chen family had something on their mind, especially Chen Shanlin, who kept his head down and drank alone without saying a word.
Even Chen Jiadong didn't seem to be in a good mood.
Wu Xiu'e's smile was somewhat forced, and even Chen Dingguo's smile was much more restrained.
Suddenly, Chen Shanlin slammed his wine glass down on the table and looked up at Chen Dingguo, "Dad, I want to divorce Zhao Caifeng."
His eyes were not very clear due to the alcohol, but they were extremely firm.
Chen Dingguo paused, put down his chopsticks, and asked him, "Have you thought it through?"
Chen Shanlin nodded heavily.
Chen Dingguo was silent for a moment, "You're almost fifty, just make up your mind."
Wu Xiu'e was a little anxious, "No! If you divorce now, what will happen to Shanhe's marriage?"
"What does Zhao Caifeng have to do with our wedding?" Jiang Shiyue was confused.
Chen Shanhe explained in a low voice: "Brother and sister-in-law are very important people at the wedding."
In their commune, when a wedding takes place, eight relatives and friends are required to welcome the bride and eight relatives and friends are required to send the bride off.
There are two pairs of uncles and aunts, or uncles and aunts, totaling four people, and two pairs of brothers and sisters-in-law, also totaling four people.
The two guests who send off the bride and the one who welcomes the bride are the main guests and the main companion, and they are the most important guests in the wedding.
Chen Shanlin and Zhao Caifeng are Chen Shanhe's brother and sister-in-law. They are indispensable guests at the wedding. It is really embarrassing for them to be absent at this time.
That's why Wu Xiu'e was so angry.
Jiang Shiyue rolled her eyes. "First, I think the most important things at a wedding are the bride and groom. It's enough for me and you to be present. Second, even if you can provide eight guests to greet the guests, I still have to send them off, right? Can you invite my uncle, aunt, brother, and sister-in-law to attend the wedding as well?"
Chen Shanhe: “…”
He can't.
Li Chuntian smiled: "That's right! If the bride's brother and sister-in-law don't come, it doesn't matter whether the groom's comes or not. But, Yueyue, you are so miserable. So, Lu Zheng and I will be your relatives and friends. We will send you off to marry."
Lu Zheng: “…”
Although he has no objection, shouldn't we also ask him if he is willing?
Besides, he seemed to be the best man.
Chen Dingguo comforted Wu Xiu'e, "Shanhe and Shiyue's situations are different from those of other young people. Special matters should be handled specially. Don't think too much about it."
Wu Xiu'e frowned, still worried. "That's what I said. But what's going on when the younger brother gets married and the older brother gets divorced?"
Chen Jiadong burped. "Grandma, don't worry. My mom won't get a divorce. She's made a fuss so many times since I was a kid. When did she really get a divorce? Isn't she just waiting for my dad to go to my grandma's house to pick her up? Dad, when you sober up tomorrow, go to my grandma's house, apologize, and bring my mom back."
Jiang Shiyue was wondering why Zhao Caifeng wanted to divorce, and why Chen Jiadong, the "mama's boy", was so calm. It turned out that he was used to it.
Chen Shanlin snorted heavily, "This time, I will never go to pick her up. If she has the guts, don't come back!"
Everyone thought that Chen Shanlin was drunk and angry.
Unexpectedly, Chen Shanlin didn't go to Zhao Caifeng's parents' home to pick her up for three consecutive days.
Wu Xiu'e anxiously tried to persuade him several times, but Chen Shanlin was determined not to go.
Chen Jiadong did go to his grandmother's house once. After returning, he ate and drank as usual and did not mention Zhao Caifeng again.
Neither the father nor the son cares about Zhao Caifeng, and no one else will care either.
Chen Shanhe and Lu Zheng spent a day setting up the frames of the sofa and coffee table.
The next day, the four of them went to the county town to buy sponges, sofa covers, and other wedding supplies.
For example, wedding candy, cigarettes and alcohol.
With the wedding certificate issued by the production brigade, you can buy some hospitality goods such as cigarettes, alcohol, sugar and tea at the supply and marketing cooperative without a ticket.
Of course, purchases are limited.
Jiang Shiyue went to the county town with injuries in order to buy wedding clothes.
In 1978, getting married in the city was just about wearing a red dress, and in the countryside, there was no such thing as it was anything special. Wearing a red flower on the head and a new dress was considered the treatment for a bride.
Jiang Shiyue thought about it and discussed with Chen Shanhe, "I want to make the clothes we wear for our wedding myself."
Chen Shanhe nodded in agreement without saying a word.
Jiang Shiyue chose two pieces of festive red fabric. She had actually considered buying mosquito net fabric for her wedding dress.
But in rural areas people only wear white during funerals.
She may not care about other people's opinions, but she also doesn't want to go against the times.
No one wants to hear unlucky words at their wedding.
Jiang Shiyue had already drawn the pattern of her wedding dress and was waiting to take it to the tailor shop to have it made according to her wishes.
"This is what you drew, it's so beautiful!" Li Chuntian's eyes lit up when he saw the rendering.
There is no woman who doesn't love beauty.
What Jiang Shiyue painted was not a wedding dress, but a modified cheongsam. The upper body retained the classic buttons of the cheongsam, while the lower body was a long, pleated skirt with a wide hem.
Relatively conservative, in line with the aesthetic of this era.
The suit made for Chen Shanhe was a modified version.
There are also suits nowadays, but they are all very large and can fit two people.
What Jiang Shiyue wanted was naturally a slim-fit suit with two buttons.
To be more precise, it was modified based on the 07-style military uniform.
When the tailor heard that they needed it for their wedding, he said he would make it for them expeditiously, but it would take at least a week.
At noon, the four of them found a restaurant and ordered some dishes. In the afternoon, they accompanied Li Chuntian to buy some medicines and medical supplies such as syringes for Chen Dingguo's treatment.
Jiang Shiyue and Li Chuntian, both women, had no shortage of money or tickets, and they forgot about time while shopping.
At best, Chen Shanhe and Lu Zheng are two walking shelves, responsible for carrying things.
Lu Zheng complained from time to time, but Chen Shanhe didn't say a word from beginning to end, and just looked at Jiang Shiyue with a smile the whole time.
It was not until they were about to miss the last bus home that I reminded them to leave the mall.
But Chen Shanhe misjudged the women's perception of time while shopping, causing the four of them to almost miss the bus.
Chen Shanhe's reminder was given at the exact moment.
He was used to being in the army and thought that when he was told to leave, everyone would just turn around and leave quickly.
But Jiang Shiyue and Li Chuntian were not his soldiers, so he could not obey his orders.
Buy as you go.
If Chen Shanhe hadn't run fast and caught up with the bus and asked people to wait, they would probably have had to walk home.
There are no taxis available in the small county town.
When I returned to the production team, I saw from afar that the gate of Chen's yard was crowded with neighbors.
I could also hear Zhao Caifeng's arrogant shouting and several other unfamiliar and unfriendly insults.
The four of them looked at each other and quickened their pace.
"Make way, make way!"
Li Chuntian and Lu Zheng led the way and squeezed into the yard.
Chen Shanhe protected Jiang Shiyue by holding something and not allowing her to stretch her arms to avoid touching her injured parts.
"Hey! Shanhe, you're back! Your sister-in-law and her family came home to beat your brother. Go check it out."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
