Chapter 16: Choosing a Date

As Lin Qiao was about to put the bankbook away, she casually opened it. One glance, and she couldn’t believe her eyes. She closed it, wondering if she had seen it wrong.

Over eight thousand? There was over eight thousand!

Ma Rongliang had planned to spend a thousand to marry her…

A hundred for a bicycle, four hundred for a 12-inch black-and-white TV, and the remaining four hundred for a watch. That would be enough for the new house and wedding banquet.

But Ji Duo had given her nearly ten times that amount. How could this man save so much money?

Then she remembered he planned to go into business, seize opportunities, and make a fortune. Interest rates were high in this era, often starting at 10%. She calmed down. After putting things away, she returned to the front yard, where the hot meal was already on the table.

Fresh seasonal sprouts, refreshing stir-fried shrimp, and Aunt Zhang had prepared a light, appetizing soup for Old Mr. Ji, who had just been discharged.

Old Mr. Ji looked at the steamed pork in front of Lin Qiao and Ji Duo, then at the greens in front of him. He wanted to say something but remained silent.

Xu Li pretended not to notice and pulled out the chair next to Ji Duo for Lin Qiao. “Hungry?”

Lin Qiao used to sit next to Xu Li. This change in seating didn’t go unnoticed by Aunt Zhang, who was serving rice. She quietly glanced at Lin Qiao.

Lin Qiao thanked them as usual and sat down. “I’m not too hungry. I had a big breakfast.” She had always been like this, confident and composed, even when she first arrived.

This made Xu Li comfortable. “Since it’s settled, when do you plan to get married?”

Get married? What?

Aunt Zhang glanced at Lin Qiao again, worried she was being too obvious, and quickly returned to the kitchen. She had thought Lin Qiao was just seeking refuge with the Ji family. When rumors spread, she had helped explain, not realizing it was true.

Since it was settled, there was no fear of others knowing.

Lin Qiao thought for a moment. “As soon as possible.”

Without a household registration or a house in Yandu, she was staying with the Ji family. It was better to get married soon and have a place of her own. But there was another person involved. Lin Qiao turned to Ji Duo beside her.

Before she could speak, he said calmly, “I have no objections.”

“I’ll get the calendar.” Xu Li clearly wanted to settle this quickly, fearing delays. She put down her chopsticks and got up before finishing her meal.

“How about May 1st?” Old Mr. Ji suggested. “It’s a good time for a holiday, and there’s enough time to prepare.”

“May 1st it is. The weather will be perfect for a wedding.”

Seeing no objections from Lin Qiao and Ji Duo, Xu Li remembered something. “By the way, are you still living in the dormitory?”

Officers above the battalion level could bring their families with them. Ji Duo’s rank was more than sufficient, but he had remained single and given up his housing allocation to others, living in the dormitory and sharing facilities.

Now that he was getting married, Lin Qiao couldn’t continue living with the Ji family.

Ji Duo understood his mother’s implication. “I’ll submit a report and apply for housing.”

“If you have time this afternoon, take Qiao Qiao to the market. Get a TV, fridge, washing machine, and rice cooker. Your father and I will cover the costs. If you don’t have enough industrial coupons, I have some…”

“Another day.” Ji Duo suddenly put down his bowl and checked his watch. “I have something to do this afternoon.”

Something to do, always something to do…

He had something to do every time he was asked to accompany his future wife to buy things!

Old Mr. Ji was displeased, and Xu Li, thinking he had finally come around after handing over the bankbook, was disappointed.

But Ji Duo timed it well. As soon as he finished speaking, Xiao Fang arrived with the car. Xu Li had no choice but to cover for her son. “I’ll go with you, Qiao Qiao. He’s a man; I’m afraid he won’t know what to buy.”

Lin Qiao didn’t mind. “I’m not in a hurry. It doesn’t matter who I go with.”

After all, their relationship was a partnership of mutual benefit. Ji Duo was probably still unhappy.

Unexpectedly, Ji Duo returned shortly after leaving and placed a few notebooks beside Lin Qiao. “Use these to take notes.”

Ji Duo put on his military cap and strode out. Soon, the sound of a car driving away could be heard from outside the courtyard. Lin Qiao casually flipped through the notebooks and found they were blank. It seemed he had given them to her for taking notes while studying. This gesture showed that although he might not be entirely willing, once he made a decision, he would take care of her. They would be spending a lot of time together in the coming years. While there might not be any romantic feelings, mutual respect would make their life together manageable.

Seeing Ji Duo give Lin Qiao the notebooks, Xu Li remembered the books at Lin Qiao’s door. “I saw you got some high school textbooks.”

“Yes, I graduated almost a year ago. I flip through them when I’m free, so I don’t forget.”

Recalling Aunt Zhang’s words, Xu Li nodded thoughtfully. “Since he can’t go, I’ll take you out after lunch.”

With Ji Duo absent and the house not yet allocated, Xu Li didn’t take Lin Qiao to buy large items but instead went to a familiar tailor.

The tailor was an old hand, elderly with poor eyesight but steady hands. His shop not only had the usual clothes, pants, and jackets but also two cheongsams hanging on the inner rack.

Xu Li smiled at the sight. “You’re making these again?”

“How could I? Embroidery makes them look good, and I don’t have the eyesight for that anymore.” The tailor cut the fabric and put down the scissors. “I just saw the reform and opening up, and people are wearing more styles again, so I brought out the old family treasures.”

In small towns, trends spread slowly. While Lin Qiao’s hometown hadn’t changed much, Yandu was already full of Hong Kong-style shirts. The once-popular blouses from the 1950s, which had disappeared during the Cultural Revolution, were making a comeback. Although it wasn’t hot yet, they were already available in stores. Being ready-made, they didn’t require coupons, but the prices were much higher.

“Make two outfits for my future daughter-in-law to wear at the wedding.” Xu Li smiled and pushed Lin Qiao forward, pointing to the newly cut blouses. “Make two of these as well, but no rush. Start with the wedding clothes.”

“Oh, your second son is finally getting married?” The old tailor chuckled.

Xu Li showed some relief. “Yes, he’s almost thirty, and finally, the iron tree is blooming.”

The atmosphere in the shop was warm. Hearing this, a mother and daughter who had just entered paused before greeting them. “Congratulations, Aunt Xu.”

The familiarity in the greeting made Lin Qiao look over and see a stylish woman in her forties. However, the focus was on the beautiful young woman behind her, Song Jing, whom Lin Qiao had met briefly at the hospital.

Facing the newcomers, Xu Li was clearly less relaxed than when talking to the tailor. “Are you here to make clothes too?”

“Yes, Xiao Jing is about to start her internship, so we’re making her a couple of shirts.”

The woman smiled and pointed to Song Jing. After Song Jing finished her measurements, the woman looked at Lin Qiao. “Where did you find such a beautiful daughter-in-law? I’ve searched all over Yandu and couldn’t find anyone like her. No wonder your second son never found one; you have a good eye.”

The woman’s words praised both Lin Qiao and Xu Li, showing her skill in flattery. But how did she know Lin Qiao wasn’t found by Ji Duo himself, but by Xu Li?

Xu Li smiled without responding, and the woman wasn’t embarrassed. She introduced her daughter to Lin Qiao. “You two are about the same age, so you should get along. Xiao Jing’s father and Ji Jun are childhood friends, so you can trust her. If you need anything, just ask her.”

Song Jing, the daughter, was also clever. She smiled and nodded politely, showing no sign of recognizing Lin Qiao from the hospital.

She was well-behaved, but Lin Qiao was even more so. With Xu Li present, it wasn’t her place to speak.

Xu Li clearly had no intention of agreeing to the woman’s suggestion. After measuring and setting a time to pick up the clothes, she took Lin Qiao and left.

As they walked away, Song Jing’s mother lowered her voice and asked her daughter, “Isn’t that the girl you saw at the hospital?”

Without needing to specify, Song Jing knew who she meant. “Yes, it’s her, but she’s dressed much better now.”

“Of course, she’s about to marry into the Ji family. How could she not be?”

Song Jing’s mother lowered her voice even more. “I didn’t expect she and Ji Duo would actually get together. If Minshu finds out, who knows how angry she’ll be.”

Ye Minshu was indeed furious, repeatedly confirming over the phone before she believed it.

“I don’t understand what our old man and old lady are thinking. She’s just a girl from the countryside, and they treat her like a treasure. First, they betrothed her to Xiao Ze, and now to the second son. Are there no other girls in the world?”

“Isn’t it better to betroth her to your second son? You don’t have to worry about her marrying Xiao Ze.”

“What’s good about betrothing her to the second son? She’s not even twenty, and I have to call her sister-in-law.”

Just thinking about it made Ye Minshu uncomfortable, let alone saying it out loud. “The girl who was betrothed to Xiao Ze is now betrothed to the second son. They’re not even in the same generation. Don’t the old couple feel awkward?”

The more she thought about it, the more wrong it seemed. “The old couple is so biased towards the second son. He says he doesn’t want to find a match, and they let him be. I kindly introduced someone, and he gave me the cold shoulder. How come now he’s marrying her? And the second son agreed?”

This caught her completely off guard, and she had no idea how to tell Ji Jun.

Last time, Ji Jun almost hit her. She had a hard time calming him down. If he finds out she made this blunder and forces Ji Duo to marry Lin Qiao, who knows how he’ll react?

Ye Minshu pressed her temples in frustration. “Ji Jun is almost off work. I’ll talk to you later.”

While she was still figuring out how to tell Ji Jun, Ji Ze found out first.

Ji Ze had dinner plans with a childhood friend from the compound. When he arrived, most of the group was already there, playing with two pieces of ancient Hetian jade.

In recent years, some people have been rehabilitated, and their confiscated belongings have been returned. Although some items were damaged, well-preserved antiques were sold in the market at low prices, attracting little interest.

Seeing Ji Ze, someone called him over to look. He waved them off with a smile. “I don’t understand these things.” He took off his jacket and sat down.

The Ji family wasn’t local. They owed their success to Grandpa Ji’s bravery and hard work and didn’t know much about the hobbies of the Eight Banners’ descendants.

Old Mr. Ji was strict with the children, sending all the sons and grandsons to the military. Even if they didn’t excel, they weren’t idle.

His friends knew this and didn’t push him. “I heard you’re getting a new aunt?”

“Which of your little sisters or cousins has taken a liking to my uncle?” Ji Ze raised an eyebrow, smiling mischievously. “Just so you know, if any of you have the guts, talk to him yourselves. I won’t play matchmaker.”

“Not us. I mean the one your family arranged for your uncle.”

Though Ji Duo was only a few years older than the others, he never fit in with them. It wasn’t because he was an elder; it was mainly because Ji Duo was always so serious, making them feel a bit frivolous in comparison. Moreover, someone once tried to lead Ji Ze astray, and Ji Duo had dealt with them harshly, making everyone a bit afraid of him.

Seeing Ji Ze still hadn’t reacted, his friends were surprised. “You don’t know yet?”

Ji Ze really didn’t know. But for some reason, he immediately thought of his mother, feeling uneasy. He asked his friends about the rumors, and his heart sank when he heard them, but he still didn’t want to believe it. “You all believe this?”

“Someone saw Grandma Ji taking someone to make clothes for the wedding. How could it be false?”

His friend answered confidently and nudged his shoulder. “I heard she’s staying at your house. You must have seen her, right? How could you not know?”

At this point, Ji Ze could barely maintain his facade of calm. Afraid of arousing suspicion, he forced himself to finish the meal, speaking little, and left as soon as he could, heading straight to the Ji residence. He couldn’t believe his mother had agreed so easily and then caused such a mess.

Even more surprising was that Grandpa and Grandma Ji would let his uncle marry her, making his uncle clean up the mess…

His face burned all the way to the Ji residence. He rushed into the main house. “Grandpa, Grandma, you…”

Before he could finish, he met the cold, stern gaze of a man. He paused, realizing that not only were Grandpa Ji and Xu Li there, but Ji Duo and Lin Qiao were also in the living room.

His sudden entrance drew everyone’s attention. The girl he had only met once, his betrothed, was sitting next to his uncle. On the coffee table in front of them were some wedding items like sheets and pillowcases.

His throat tightened, and Ji Duo stood up. “I need to talk to Xiao Ze.”

His gaze fell calmly on Ji Ze. “Since you’re here, let’s talk in my room.”