Since that day when she learned from the barrage of comments that the college entrance exam would be reinstated, Lu Qingyuan had been taking out her high school textbooks to read whenever she had free time.

Zheng Xiaoxin had come over twice to borrow books. Not only did Lu Qingyuan lend her the books, but she also gave her the notes she had organized before.

“Your handwriting is so beautiful,” Zheng Xiaoxin said, running her fingers over the elegant handwriting.

“I practiced it by imitating my history teacher’s handwriting,” Lu Qingyuan shared how she had improved her penmanship.

“When I first started middle school, my handwriting was as messy as chicken scratches. Sometimes, when I rushed to finish an essay, my teacher couldn’t even recognize some of my characters. After being called out a few times, I made up my mind to improve my writing.

“Our history teacher had beautiful handwriting, so I shamelessly asked her for a sample to copy. I kept practicing it over and over.”

As she spoke about her history teacher, Lu Qingyuan’s eyes turned red.

Zheng Xiaoxin asked softly, “What happened to your teacher?”

“She took her own life.”

Lu Qingyuan couldn’t hold back her emotions. Thinking about that gentle teacher, she teared up and said, “At the beginning of the first semester in ninth grade, we got a new history teacher. Our homeroom teacher told us that something had happened to our previous teacher.

“Later, we found out that she had committed suicide. To this day, we still don’t know why she did it.”

Lu Qingyuan took out a handkerchief and wiped her tears. “We wanted to visit her grave, but our homeroom teacher told us that her family had taken her away from Heizhu Town. As for where they went, no one knew.”

Zheng Xiaoxin wrapped an arm around her shoulders, silently offering comfort.

The wedding was approaching. Lu Qingyuan herself had nothing much to prepare, but her family was busy with everything.

Her father and his two brothers were making chests and cabinets for her dowry, while her mother and her two sisters-in-law were sewing clothes and trousers.

Her sisters-in-law were also organizing the wedding banquet, figuring out how to arrange the tables and inviting capable aunts and elder sisters to help with the preparations.

Since Lu Qingjun was still young, he was told to stay with Jiasheng and Lusheng instead of getting in the way. His job was to take care of the nephews.

“Sister,” Lu Qingjun sat down next to Lu Qingyuan, who was reading under the eaves, and asked, “After getting married, will you stay in the production team, or are you moving to the county with Brother-in-law?”

“I’m moving to the county. He has already rented a house there,” Lu Qingyuan replied.

“The county, huh?” Lu Qingjun sighed. “So if I want to see you, I’ll have to go there?”

“That’s right.” Lu Qingyuan looked up at him. “Will you miss me?”

“Yeah, I will.” Lu Qingjun nodded. “When my brothers got married, they stayed in the family courtyard. We got sisters-in-law, then nephews, and the house became livelier. But now, you’re getting married and leaving.”

The house would have one less person.

Lu Qingjun finally understood why his friends always said that it felt different after their sisters got married.

Lu Qingyuan smiled at her youngest brother. “If you miss me, just visit me in the county. I’ll cover your bus fare.”

“Really?” Lu Qingjun grinned. “If I go every two days, will I get my legs broken?”

“You will,” Third Uncle Lu scoffed. “You can’t just show up to freeload that often.”

“I’m not freeloading!” Lu Qingjun’s face turned red. “I’m visiting my sister!”

“Exactly,” Lu Qingguo nodded. “Going three times a day would be freeloading. What do you think, little brother?”

“Hahaha!”

Lu Qingtian, holding a tool, laughed so hard that he nearly doubled over—until Lu Qingjun started chasing him around to hit him.

The courtyard was filled with laughter and noise. Lu Qingyuan watched them, feeling a tinge of sadness in her heart.

After she got married, she would no longer be part of this scene.

Closing her book, she returned to her room to keep her grandmother company.

Grandma Lu was asleep, so Lu Qingyuan sat quietly by her side, watching over her.

At the end of the month, when Shu Beiqiu was on leave, he accompanied Lu Qingyuan to visit her maternal grandparents.

Grandma and Grandpa Zhou were very pleased with Shu Beiqiu and showered him with praise.

Shu Beiqiu handed Lu Qingyuan the money that Zhuo Bin had given and told her that someone was interested in hiring her to weave something.

Lu Qingyuan thought for a moment and said, “I’ll consider it after the wedding.”

“Alright.”

Shu Beiqiu smiled at her.

In the quiet of the mountains, away from prying eyes, he bent down and kissed her.

Before they knew it, the wedding day had arrived.

Lu Qingyuan woke up early to get ready. Zheng Xiaoxin and Chunhong came over to help her dress up.

Chunhong braided her hair, while Zheng Xiaoxin applied powder and rouge using makeup she had brought from the city.

“You’re already beautiful. Just a little touch-up, and you look absolutely stunning.”

Zheng Xiaoxin stepped aside and placed a mirror in front of Lu Qingyuan so she could see herself.

In the mirror, Lu Qingyuan’s brows and eyes curved into a soft smile. Her gaze was bright like the stars, and she wore a thick, single braid adorned with a pearl hair tie that draped over her shoulder, resting on her red wedding dress.

She had powdered her face, making her complexion appear even fairer and more delicate than usual. Her lips were rosy and moist, and when she smiled, her bright eyes and white teeth made her beauty utterly captivating.

Lu Qingyuan’s dress was made from red fabric that Mother Lu had personally sewn for her. It fit her perfectly, accentuating her slender waist beautifully.

Lu Qingyuan stood up and spun around in front of them. “Do I look good?”

“You look beautiful.”

Chunhong wiped away her tears. “Time flies so fast. It feels like just yesterday we were little girls playing in the mud, and now you’re getting married.”

“That wasn’t yesterday—it was over ten years ago.”

Thinking of those childhood days, Lu Qingyuan stepped forward and wiped Chunhong’s tears. “Don’t cry. Even I haven’t cried.”

“You will in a little while.”

Zheng Xiaoxin recalled when her own sister got married. “My sister was also all smiles before she left, but the moment she got in the car, she cried like a lost puppy.”

“A puppy? How does a puppy cry?”

Chunhong was curious.

“It’s just a figure of speech,” Zheng Xiaoxin explained helplessly.

【Wuwuwu, Xiao Qingyuan looks so beautiful!】

【She’s getting married! We’re no longer stuck in a tragic love story!】

【Charge forward! Onward to a new life!】

【So you’re saying this novel is shifting its original storyline just like that one next door? Turning from a tragedy into something else?】

【Absolutely! I can’t wait to see what kind of life Xiao Qingyuan will build for herself.】

By the time the wedding procession arrived, Lu Qingyuan was chatting with Grandma Lu. The elderly woman was in high spirits today, holding Lu Qingyuan’s hand and giving her repeated instructions on what to do and how to behave.

Lu Qingyuan listened attentively.

“Xiao Shu and the others are here,” Second Aunt Lu said with a smile as she walked in.

Grandma Lu held Lu Qingyuan’s hand and slowly led her to the main hall entrance.

Dressed in black, Shu Beiqiu stood tall and handsome. His smile was warm and gentle. “Qingyuan, I’ve come to take you home.”

Lu Qingyuan blushed and nodded.

Here it was tradition for the groom to wear black and the bride to wear red on their wedding day.

After bowing to their elders and offering them wine, Lu Qingyuan stepped under Shu Beiqiu’s black umbrella, walking alongside him as they left the Lu family home.

She wanted to look back one last time, but Chunhong was vigilant. “You can’t turn around.”

A bride must not look back when leaving.

It was at that moment that tears fell from Lu Qingyuan’s eyes.

Shu Beiqiu reached out and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. “Don’t cry.”

“I can’t help it. Do you have a handkerchief?”

Lu Qingyuan asked softly.

Shu Beiqiu took out a handkerchief and handed it to her—it was the same one she had given him before.

Lu Qingyuan wiped her tears. “You have to treat me well, okay?”

“I promise,” Shu Beiqiu answered solemnly.

The barrage of comments was filled with blessings.

Since the two production teams were not far apart and the weather was pleasant, they soon arrived at the Shu family’s house.

“The newlyweds are here!”

Red confetti burst into the air as Lu Qingyuan smiled, stepping into the Shu family home side by side with Shu Beiqiu.

They served tea to their elders and received red envelopes for addressing them by new titles. Then, together, they moved from table to table, toasting the guests.

However, while Lu Qingyuan’s cup was filled with sweet rice wine, Shu Beiqiu’s contained strong white liquor.

After making their rounds through over twenty tables, Lu Qingyuan glanced worriedly at Shu Beiqiu. Seeing this, the best man, Liang Xiang, laughed and reassured her. “It’s been diluted with water, don’t worry, sister-in-law.”

“When did you dilute it?”

Chunhong was curious.

Liang Xiang blushed and replied, “Last night, when we were preparing the drinks.”

He avoided looking directly at Chunhong the entire time.

【Hahaha, this guy has a crush on Chunhong, doesn’t he?】

【Come on, kid, stop blushing and make a move! Talk to her, chat with her!】

【Blushing alone won’t get you anywhere! Useless!】

There were so many barrage of comments today that Lu Qingyuan barely kept up. Since everyone’s words appeared above their heads, the sight was truly something to imagine.

She glanced at Chunhong. Though Chunhong wasn’t blushing, she kept sneaking glances at Liang Xiang.

When Lu Qingyuan sat down to eat, she whispered, “What do you think of Comrade Liang?”

“He’s nice,” Chunhong answered bluntly, never one to beat around the bush with her close friends. “He’s my type, but I don’t know if he already has someone.”

She was dropping a huge hint.

Lu Qingyuan suppressed a laugh. “Wait here.”

She turned to Shu Beiqiu.

Shu Beiqiu had been placing food onto her plate, but when he heard her question, he glanced at Chunhong in surprise. Chunhong quickly pretended to focus on eating.

Mm, a sister’s banquet is truly delicious.

“He’s my sworn brother,” Shu Beiqiu explained. “No girlfriend, his house is right in front of ours.” He pointed toward a stone house near their courtyard. “Doesn’t seem to have any crushes either. He’s twenty-three, finished middle school, and works at the town’s paper factory.”

Not bad.

Lu Qingyuan quickly turned back to Chunhong and relayed the information.

Chunhong’s eyes sparkled as she nodded. “Hurry up and eat.”

“Alright.”

Lu Qingyuan thought that if the two of them got together, she’d be relieved. After all, she hadn’t forgotten about that scumbag.

Meanwhile, Shu Beiqiu turned to talk to Liang Xiang.

He had noticed his friend acting oddly around Chunhong for a while now. But since today was his wedding day and Chunhong was Lu Qingyuan’s close friend, he hadn’t pried.

Now that his wife had asked, he naturally wanted to help his brother out.

“If you like her, just tell her,” Shu Beiqiu advised.

Liang Xiang’s face turned bright red. “W-What nonsense are you talking about?”

“…Pathetic.” Shu Beiqiu scoffed. “If you miss this chance, you won’t get to see her often.”

“Eat your food.”

Even as he spoke, Liang Xiang had lost his appetite.

Unable to resist, he peeked past the newlyweds to look at Chunhong—only to meet her gaze.

The two of them blushed furiously and quickly looked away.

【Hahaha, I’m dying of laughter.】

After the meal, Chunhong decided to take the initiative.

“Comrade Liang, I’d like to take a walk around the area. Would you mind showing me around?”

That was quite bold.

“Alright, alright!”

Liang Xiang hadn’t expected such a good thing to happen, so he happily agreed.

He eagerly left with Chunhong.

Since Lu Qingyuan and the others only needed to see off the guests, they didn’t need any extra help.

An hour later, the two of them returned.

They seemed to have grown closer.

Liang Xiang grinned foolishly and said, “Brother, who did your family ask to propose the marriage? I want to propose too.”

“My wife’s Fifth Aunt. She’s here. Come on, I’ll take you to her.” Shu Beiqiu patted his shoulder and led him to Fifth Aunt, who was chatting and laughing with others. He lowered his voice and explained the situation.

Fifth Aunt squinted slightly as she assessed Liang Xiang, then nodded. “He’s a good young man. Chunhong is a capable girl. If it were just any ordinary guy, I wouldn’t approve.”

Although Liang Xiang wasn’t as tall as Shu Beiqiu, he still stood at 1.8 meters. His round face and cheerful smile made him look like a happy, doughy bun.

“What family members do you have at home?”

“My parents and two older sisters.”

Meanwhile, Lu Qingyuan was also chatting with Chunhong.