Chapter 48

Lin Xiang and He Hongyuan took the boat into the city. After getting off, they quickly headed towards Jinbian City Train Station. After waiting on the platform for about half an hour, they finally saw the green train that Aunt He was on.

The passengers getting off were numerous, while those getting on eagerly pushed forward. Amidst the crowd, Lin Xiang widened her almond-shaped eyes and carefully searched, trying to spot her future mother-in-law among the mass of people.

“There!” He Hongyuan, being a soldier with sharp hearing and keen eyesight, and with his height advantage, quickly spotted his mother. He grabbed Lin Xiang’s hand and moved forward, calling out loudly, “Mom!”

Aunt He, holding a large burlap sack in each hand, was quite accustomed to carrying heavy loads due to her farming background, and she appeared relatively at ease. Upon hearing her son’s long-lost voice, she turned around and saw the tall figure in a white military uniform in the crowd.

Her son had grown into a tall and handsome man, and while he had been mischievous as a child, he had become increasingly composed as he grew older. Aunt He wasn’t sure whether to feel happy or worried, but seeing her son hurriedly holding Lin Xiang’s hand brought her a sense of warmth.

“Hongyuan! Xiangxiang!” Aunt He put down the two large sacks, then reached for her son’s military uniform, looking him over. She muttered to herself, “You’ve grown taller, you’ve grown taller.”

Her gaze lingered on her son, but this time, it was her future daughter-in-law who caught her attention more.

“Xiangxiang has also put on weight, she used to be too thin,” Aunt He said, her face full of satisfaction.

Lin Xiang hadn’t seen Aunt He for several months, and now, meeting her again felt like a lifetime had passed, yet a deep sense of warmth arose in her heart. “Aunt He, I’ve been eating well and sleeping well here, and I’ve gained some weight.”

Upon hearing her future daughter-in-law’s voice, Aunt He couldn’t help but smile broadly, though she was not entirely pleased with being addressed as “Aunt He.” “Still calling me Aunt He?”

Lin Xiang was taken aback but quickly realized her slip of the tongue. She hadn’t gotten used to addressing her like that yet. She turned to look at the man beside her.

He Hongyuan couldn’t hide the smile at the corner of his mouth. At this moment, he stood firmly on his mother’s side. “If she changes the way she addresses you, make sure to charge her for the name change.”

Lin Xiang chuckled and sweetly called out, “Mom.”

“Hey!” Aunt He had been waiting for this “Mom” for many years!

This long journey was all for the sake of her son and future daughter-in-law’s wedding. After the recent autumn harvest, the production team members had been so busy that everyone had gotten noticeably darker.

But whenever Aunt He spoke about the joy of the harvest and the good grain yield that year, her smile never faded.

The three of them chatted as they boarded the boat. He Hongyuan and Lin Xiang had prepared dried orange peels and sour plum candy for his mother, since Aunt He had a tendency to get seasick.

Despite being fearless and skilled in many things, Aunt He had a sensitive stomach when it came to boat rides. Years ago, when she came to visit, she had nearly thrown up on the boat, so she hadn’t come often since.

Lin Xiang saw that her mother-in-law was tightly gripping the boat’s railing, her face pale. She couldn’t help but say, “Mom, is the seasickness that bad? Try sniffing the orange peels again, maybe it will help.”

Aunt He forced a smile, “It’s nothing, I’ll be fine once I get off the boat! Not feeling like vomiting this time is already a big improvement.”

After enduring the difficult boat ride, when Aunt He finally set foot on solid ground and breathed in the fresh air, she felt like she had come back to life.

“See, there’s nothing wrong now,” Aunt He seemed to come back to life, her energy returning.

He Hongyuan carried the two large bags, while Lin Xiang helped her mother-in-law along. The young couple urged her to rest first and not push herself.

Knowing that her former sister-in-law was coming, Feng Li had prepared ingredients a day in advance to welcome He Guifang. Early this morning, she had been busy, with Yuezhu helping in the kitchen. As the two women were making a pot of seaweed and pig’s feet soup, they heard a familiar voice outside.

“Guifang!” Feng Li wiped her hands on her apron and rushed out, her small steps quickening as she immediately spotted her former sister-in-law, whom she hadn’t seen in many years.

“Li’er!” He Guifang had no contact with her ex-husband anymore, but she had always maintained a good relationship with her third brother and his wife. She felt grateful to them, especially for the care they had shown to Hongyuan.

“Second Aunt!” Zhou Yuezhu, who hadn’t seen her second aunt in a long time, couldn’t help but call her by the same childhood nickname. Neither side minded, as it felt natural.

“Yuezhu, you’ve grown into such a beautiful young woman,” Aunt He said with delight, and the fatigue from her long journey seemed to vanish.

After entering the house and catching up on recent events, Aunt He opened the two large bags she had brought. Inside were dried vegetables, salted duck eggs, cured meat, and even insoles for her son, daughter-in-law, and the Zhou family. She had also embroidered handkerchiefs for the three women.

Aunt He was skilled with her hands, and the stitching was neat and delicate. The three handkerchiefs she made were exquisite. She said she had seen similar ones at the department store in the city, and had embroidered them herself to resemble them.

“Mom, your craftsmanship is incredible,” Lin Xiang said, admiring the beautiful embroidered mandarin ducks on the handkerchief, which seemed so lifelike and fitting for the occasion.

On Zhou Yuezhu’s handkerchief, there was a bright and delicate peony flower. “Second Aunt, this handkerchief is beautiful.”

The group was busy, and when Zhou Shenghuai returned from the army, the lunch table was filled with laughter and chatter.

When Zhou Shenghuai saw his former sister-in-law, who had taken good care of his family back in the village, he still treated her with respect, as he had when they were younger. No one mentioned Zhou Shengqiang, as it felt like just a family reunion.

That night, Aunt He stayed in the guest room at the Zhou family’s house. Feng Li hadn’t seen her in a long time, and they spoke privately for a long time. When Feng Li finally returned to the master bedroom on the second floor and closed the door, she said to her husband, “I still like the old Second Aunt. Guifang is so much better than…”

“Why are you saying this?” Zhou Shenghuai was annoyed by his second brother’s domestic issues, as they were matters completely beyond his control.

“Can’t I talk about it?” Feng Li was both happy and filled with frustration. “Forget it, it’s still Second Brother’s choice. We just treat Guiying as part of our family.”

The next day, everyone had to go back to work. Aunt He and Feng Li were in the new house, checking off the things that needed to be prepared for the wedding. They were ensuring everything was ready, noting what still needed to be bought or replaced.

“We didn’t buy a sewing machine for the ‘three-turns-one-sound’ system. Xiangxiang told me she doesn’t need one, but everything else is almost ready. It’s decent enough. The furniture, with seventy-two legs, is also nearly done. I’ve gone around, and it’s all made of good wood. The craftsmanship is great, the patterns are exceptional, clearly done by someone skilled,” Aunt He said, clearly pleased. She was looking forward to her son and daughter-in-law having everything they needed. “The kettle, enamel cups, enamel basins, bed linens, quilts, and pillows are all set… oh no! Did we forget to buy towels?”

There’s so much to prepare for a wedding, and even Feng Li wasn’t immune to missing something. She thought for a moment and realized, “It seems we really forgot.”

“We’ll go to the supply and marketing cooperative to buy two towels,” Aunt He said. She usually saved money, but when it came to big occasions, she made sure everything was done properly. She immediately went out and bought two towels with double happiness symbols, hanging them on the new house’s wall.

---

Aunt He took full responsibility for the wedding preparations, leaving the young couple with no worries, especially since she felt her son, who was big and clumsy, knew nothing about these things and was too busy with army matters.

Xiangxiang was also persuaded by her mother-in-law not to stress. Aunt He was like a fan of their careers, letting them focus on their work while she took charge of everything. She worked efficiently and energetically, making things much easier for Xiangxiang.

The new house was neatly arranged by Aunt He, with everything in order, creating a very comfortable atmosphere.

As the wedding day approached, Xiangxiang felt a mixture of joy and slight nervousness. She was excited but also a little anxious, especially at night when lying in bed, she would start thinking about everything. It still surprised her that she was really about to get married, and the excitement made it harder to sleep.

Three days before the wedding, on a Sunday, Xiangxiang woke up, rubbing her sleepy eyes. As she stepped onto the stairs, she heard some noise downstairs.

In the living room stood a young man whom Xiangxiang did not recognize.

She was sure she had never seen him before, and thought he was probably a friend or relative of Uncle Zhou and Aunt Feng, come to visit. Just as she was about to greet him, the man spoke first.

“Comrade, do you live here? Are you a relative of the family? I’ve never seen you before. Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Zhou Hongfei, and I work as the deputy manager of the shrimp paste workshop at the famous Shiwei Food Factory in Phnom Penh. It’s not really impressive, but it’s alright.” His eyes gleamed as he looked at Xiangxiang, his gaze full of admiration. “May I ask your name? Where are you from? Are you living here long-term, or just visiting? Do you have a boyfriend? Are you married?”

Xiangxiang: …

Zhou Hongfei? Isn’t that Zhou Shengqiang’s son?

And he works at the Shiwei Food Factory?

Looking at him, he had a strange, sleazy look, asking way too many personal questions!

But this was Zhou Hongfei, a legitimate relative of the Zhou family, so Xiangxiang couldn’t just kick him out. She had no choice but to ignore him: “Are you looking for Aunt Feng? She must have gone out to buy groceries. She’ll be back soon.”

After speaking, Xiangxiang turned to leave, brushing her teeth and holding a basin with a towel to go wash up outside.

Unfortunately, Zhou Hongfei didn’t seem to pick up on her cold demeanor and happily followed her outside.

“Comrade, what’s your last name? How old are you? You look about eighteen or nineteen, right? I guess you don’t have a boyfriend?” Zhou Hongfei had never seen such a beautiful girl. Her round face was cute and lively, her eyebrows and eyes were like paintings, and her lips were delicate. He had to get to know her. He knew many people came to visit their relatives in the military zone, and some female relatives were hoping to find a military man to marry.

It seemed to him that this girl was probably a relative of the third aunt, visiting here to settle down with a good match.

Zhou Hongfei adjusted his shirt cuffs and collar, wearing a confident smile as he chattered on: “I think I’m around your age, so we’re peers. We could get to know each other. By the way, do you like shrimp paste? I can bring you a few jars of shrimp paste I made. It tastes better than the 119 factory’s.”

Xiangxiang washed her face and then aimed her enamel basin at Zhou Hongfei’s direction, splashing water at him.

With a splash, the water hit the ground and left a dark mark on the flagstones. Zhou Hongfei quickly jumped back a few steps, surprised, while Xiangxiang coldly said:

“Sorry, but why were you standing there?”

She grabbed her toiletries and was about to go inside when she added, “Also, the shrimp paste from the 119 Food Factory tastes better. The stuff from Shiwei is horrible!”

“Hey!” Zhou Hongfei’s face turned black. This girl was beautiful, but so prickly!

A few minutes later, Feng Li and Zhou Yuezhai returned from outside. They were both surprised to see Zhou Hongfei.

Zhou Yuezhai didn’t even want to acknowledge him, giving him a cold shoulder as she went upstairs. Feng Li, being the elder, still had to put on a polite front, even though she wasn’t happy with her nephew: “Hongfei, what brings you here today? I heard from your parents that you’re doing well at the food factory. You’ve grown up and become successful.”

Zhou Hongfei wasn’t particularly interested in visiting his third uncle and third aunt. He only came this time to make an appearance and fulfill his duty. But now, he had another gain.

“Third Aunt, who’s the beautiful girl living in your house? She just came down from upstairs.”

Feng Li could easily see what was on the young man’s mind. His excited expression almost gave it away. She said sternly, “She’s your eldest brother’s wife. You should call her ‘sister-in-law.’”

That immediately squashed his thoughts!

Zhou Hongfei froze!

He didn’t have an eldest brother! He didn’t recognize him!

Wait, the beautiful girl just now was actually He Hongyuan’s wife?

Isn’t this like a flower in a cow dung pile?!

---

“What? Captain He is getting married?” Qiu Xiuping, following Zhou Hongfei, arrived at the 119th unit, sneaking in to gather information about Captain He, trying to get acquainted with him. However, she was shocked to hear this ‘bad news.’

The Captain He she had been thinking about for so long was actually getting married!

It was already a shock that he had a partner, but Qiu Xiuping hadn’t felt much of a crisis, because in her previous life, Captain He didn’t get married even in the 90s, and he had no women around him, not even a female mosquito. She always thought they would part ways eventually.

But now, why was he getting married?

Wasn’t this like a flower in a cow dung pile?!

Of course, Captain He was the flower in this case!

Hastily asking someone to call Captain He, who lived in the single dormitory, Qiu Xiuping finally met the younger version of Captain He. She was overwhelmed with emotions. As a soldier, Captain He was righteous, tall, and handsome, with a kind heart, willing to help the common people in need. Someone like him, how could anyone be worthy of him?

“Captain He,” Qiu Xiuping gazed at him with tears in her eyes, her heart full of unspoken feelings.

He Hongyuan received a notice from his comrade that someone was looking for him. When he came out and saw a strange woman, he furrowed his brows and said, “Comrade, are you looking for me? We don’t know each other.”

“No, we do know each other!” Qiu Xiuping quickly tried to remind Captain He, but then remembered that they were separated by an entire lifetime. In her previous life, Captain He had saved her life under the bridge in the 90s. She whispered, “You once saved my life, though you may not remember.”

He Hongyuan didn’t recall anything. Had he saved this woman during some mission?

“Comrade, I have no recollection. What’s the matter? Why are you looking for me?” He remained indifferent.

Qiu Xiuping bit her lip, unsure of what else to say. In this lifetime, they were completely unfamiliar with each other. “I heard you’re getting married, Captain He. How can you get married? Who’s worthy of you?”

She murmured her feelings, and by the time she realized it, she saw Captain He’s face change.

“Comrade, this is the military, and you’re suddenly here to question my marriage? What qualifications do you have?” He Hongyuan’s face darkened on the eve of his wedding. He didn’t take kindly to these unwelcomed words, especially when they were speaking ill of Lin Xiang. “If I hear you speak ill of my wife again, I’ll personally throw you out!”

When Captain He got angry, his aura was imposing and powerful. Qiu Xiuping felt her heart squeeze as she watched him leave angrily.

++++

The day before the wedding, Lin Xiang was still working hard at her job.

The excitement and nervousness from earlier had eased. Now that her big day was approaching, Lin Xiang found herself relaxing.

Zhou Hongfei had unexpectedly visited the Zhou family the other day. When Feng Li hinted that the guest room was already occupied, he shamelessly suggested staying at a guesthouse, which surprised Feng Li.

She discussed it with her husband: “Do you think Zhou Hongfei would embarrass himself by causing trouble at Hongyuan and Xiang’s wedding?”

Zhou Shenghuai furrowed his brow. “That shouldn’t be the case. If he dares to do that… I’ll deal with him myself!”

Feng Li worried that the other daughters-in-law would get upset seeing Zhou Hongfei, so she deliberately avoided them meeting. Fortunately, Zhou Hongfei hadn’t come over for the past two days; no one knew where he had gone.

But on the eve of Lin Xiang and He Hongyuan’s wedding, He Hongyuan came to the Zhou family to visit his mother and his soon-to-be wife, only to run into Zhou Hongfei.

The two, half-brothers, had a completely hostile relationship, showing no pretense.

Zhou Hongfei grinned and deliberately said, “Isn’t this He Hongyuan? I heard you’re getting married. I’ll come and join you for a drink and a meal.”

He Hongyuan sneered, his eyes cold, giving Zhou Hongfei a disdainful glance. “Get lost. Stay away from me and my mother.”

“What’s wrong? We’re family, can’t we talk?” Zhou Hongfei looked down on He Guifang, thinking she was just a country woman. Naturally, she was far below his own mother. But he just wanted to see He Hongyuan uncomfortable.

He Hongyuan’s sharp gaze shot at him. “If you don’t believe me, I’ll throw you out right now.”

Zhou Hongfei, despite being spoiled and pampered as a child of the big courtyard, was still inexperienced in real life. Under He Hongyuan’s strong aura, he suddenly felt a chill.

He realized that He Hongyuan was truly capable of taking action!

Moreover, even if He Hongyuan took action, who would the old man side with? That was the real headache.

With a splash, just as Zhou Hongfei hesitated, he didn’t react in time. A stream of water suddenly poured down, soaking him from head to toe.

“Yo, so there’s someone at the door? I just heard a dog barking and thought I’d throw some vegetable wash water to shoo the dog away,” Lin Xiang said as she held a basin of washed vegetables, one hand on her waist, speaking in a teasing tone. She turned to her husband and smiled. “Hongyuan, why haven’t you come in yet?”

All the hostility in He Hongyuan instantly disappeared as he looked at his wife, and without thinking, he smiled slightly. “Alright.”

Zhou Hongfei was drenched and furious, exhaling angrily. However, he knew he couldn’t fight He Hongyuan, and his biggest ally might not even help him, considering how the old man had been apologizing to He Hongyuan and his mother in recent years… Damn, this was so frustrating!

Lin Xiang held her husband’s hand and walked into the house, smiling and teasing him. “How was that? Did it feel good?”

He Hongyuan was almost amused. “Yeah, you did well with that.”

“If I had known, I should’ve thrown some rotten vegetable leaves in too, and slapped him in the face with it.” Lin Xiang reflected on her first attempt, vowing to do better next time. “Alright, let’s not waste time on him. We’re having our wedding tomorrow, so let’s not let people like him affect our mood.”

He Hongyuan was no longer easily provoked, unlike before. “I’ll listen to you.”

However, he wasn’t completely benevolent. That night, he went to the guesthouse and blocked Zhou Hongfei’s room door, locking it from the outside.

Today was his big day, and there was no way he’d allow Zhou Hongfei to cause any trouble.

At the end of October, with autumn deepening and the scorching summer long gone, the seemingly ordinary day at Langhua Island in Phnom Penh marked one of the most important days for some people.

Early in the morning, coconut juice bottled and packaged at the Factory No.2 was ready to be shipped. Workers loaded the products onto trucks—this was the first time in years that the factory was actively trying to create a new flavor of juice. It was also a risky move for Director Zhao Jianjun, who had sworn a military oath that this juice project must succeed. Failure meant he’d have to kneel before the coconuts at home.

The order for 300 bottles wasn’t much, but the Factory No.2 had a solid reputation, and the Grain and Oil Company wasn’t eager to take on more orders. As a truck carrying the workers’ hard work of the past month departed, the workers began to stir excitedly.

Qiu Hongxia led the group and shouted, “Little Lin is getting married today. Let’s go see the fun and celebrate!”

The workers turned in unison to look at Director Zhao, who glanced at his watch. “It’s only 8:30 in the morning! Do you all think you can slack off for the day?”

“You all want to go and eat up the newlyweds? How can they feed all of you?” Zhao frowned.

In an effort not to be overly lavish or flaunt outdated customs, He Hongyuan and Lin Xiang only invited close family and friends to their wedding, while others were given candy as a token of good luck.

Yang Tianhou shouted, “We’re not so clueless, we won’t eat, but we’ll make some noise and give Little Lin a good show!”

After all, Lin Xiang was from another town and had no relatives here to support her.

“Fine, fine,” Director Zhao waved his hand generously, giving the workers the morning off. “Just remember to come back for lunch at the canteen!”

…

Lin Xiang had been too excited to sleep the night before, finally drifting off in the early hours of the morning. When she got up at 6 am to get ready, Aunt Feng helped her with her hair, braiding it neatly. Just as Lin Xiang was about to leave, Zhou Yuezhu whispered beside her, “Sister Xiang, don’t worry. I just went to block Zhou Hongfei’s room at the guesthouse. I saw that his lock was already blocked.”

Lin Xiang instantly guessed what had happened. Her husband had taken care of it. “Then, it’s fine. You cousin did it.”

Zhou Yuezhu proudly said, “I blocked it even better, made sure it’s completely locked. He won’t be able to come out today!”

As for the lock replacement fee, of course, it would be covered by her cousin.

Lin Xiang: “…”

This truly was a pair of cousins!

On her wedding day, Lin Xiang applied only a light layer of snowflake cream on her face, making her already fair skin look even smoother. As the clouds slowly parted to reveal a patch of sunlight, the golden rays illuminated the sky, and the bride was bathed in a soft golden glow.

The woman in the mirror had red lips and white teeth, with an enchanting beauty. The only flaw was that she couldn’t use any makeup. Cosmetics were banned, and only performers from the Song and Dance Troupe could get special approval to use them.

“Xiangxiang, someone just came by to deliver something for you,” Aunt Feng said, recalling the visitor’s appearance. “It looked like a performer from the art troupe, with Xiao Zhang.”

Lin Xiang immediately understood—it was Yan Min, Zhang Huafeng’s partner.

However, Yan Min had some resentment toward her. After Lin Xiang got together with He Hongyuan, she had invited Yan Min, Zhang Huafeng, Jiang Weijun, and Song Qingya for a meal, and Yan Min had been a little distant.

Lin Xiang looked down to see a piece of checkered handkerchief. When she unfolded it, there was a small tube of bright red lipstick!

Right, the art troupe had makeup needs and could get special approval for cosmetics.

“This young lady really put some thought into it,” Aunt Feng said, thinking the bright red lipstick would add just the right touch to Lin Xiang’s look. Once it was applied to her lips, her already subtle beauty would be magnified even further, making her even more alluring.

“Yuezhu, go check if your cousin has arrived yet. This beautiful bride is waiting for him!”

“Got it, I’ll go check right now!”

As the mother-in-law, He Guifang was waiting in the new house for her son to bring the daughter-in-law to offer tea. For the time being, the Zhou family of three was playing the role of Lin Xiang’s family. Zhou Yuezhu was the most excited and had hardly slept the previous night, but now she was full of energy.

She ran down the stairs excitedly when suddenly, she heard a loud noise outside. Wow, there seemed to be over a hundred people!

At first glance, it looked like a wedding, but could it be a wedding crashers’ situation?

Upon a closer look, Zhou Yuezhu noticed the blue uniforms of the workers from the 119 Food Factory’s Factory No.2 and realized what was going on.

Suddenly, firecrackers went off, and the groom, dressed in a sharp white military uniform, marched forward with confident steps, followed by a group of comrades dressed in military uniforms, all looking powerful.

He Hongyuan and his comrades hadn’t expected such a large crowd outside the Zhou family’s door. Initially, it was mostly neighbors coming to watch, but now the number had multiplied several times, all workers from the Factory No.2.

Qiu Hongxia, cracking sunflower seeds, teased the groom, “Captain He is truly a fine man, a perfect match for our Xiao Lin.”

Yang Tian, with a loud voice, shouted, “From now on, Captain He will be our Factory No.2’s son-in-law. When you come to the factory, you’ll get a meal!”

The crowd laughed, and He Hongyuan raised his eyebrows in acknowledgment.

A few days ago, He Guifang had discussed with He Hongyuan whether they should ask some neighbors to play the part of Lin Xiang’s family to make it look livelier.

But Lin Xiang didn’t care about these customs and wasn’t afraid of people saying she was getting married without her family’s support.

What she didn’t expect was that the workers from the Factory No.2 had all come out, seemingly to support her. He Hongyuan felt pleased and politely said, “Sister Guihua, Brother Yang Tian, next time, I’ll come and join you for a meal!”

The workers were surprised that the usually serious and cold Captain He was so cooperative, and they felt relieved for Lin Xiang.

This girl from out of town had truly found a good match.

Amidst the joyful and festive atmosphere, Zhou Yuezhu handed out wedding candy to the onlookers, generous as always. The workers from the Factory No.2 also brought two boxes of soda, calling it ‘wedding wine’ and handing it out to everyone, which shocked the neighbors who had gathered to watch.

There had already been murmurs about Lin Xiang’s lack of family at the wedding, with people speculating that her family might not approve of the marriage. However, the workers from the Factory No.2 were being so generous, making everyone realize that they had her back.

Upstairs, Lin Xiang could only hear the loud, cheerful noise from below, filled with laughter and excitement. Her curiosity got the best of her, and she couldn’t resist opening the door to peek outside. As soon as she cracked open the door, her beautiful almond-shaped eyes caught sight of He Hongyuan coming upstairs.

He was still in his white military uniform, but for some reason, he looked especially handsome today, sharp and neat in every way.

Lin Xiang didn’t know that He Hongyuan’s uniform had been carefully ironed with hot water by Jiang Weijun and Zhang Huafeng the night before, leaving no wrinkles, looking immaculate.

Their eyes met unexpectedly. Through the narrow door crack, He Hongyuan saw her clear, watery almond eyes, slightly upturned at the corners, sparkling like crystal-clear glass, drawing him in.

His gaze shifted downward to her cherry-red lips, making her porcelain skin seem even more radiant.

He Hongyuan’s steps were firm, but at that moment, his heart was racing in a way he couldn’t control.

“Ah, how did Sister-in-law come out?” Zhou Yuezhu, still planning to tease her cousin, noticed Lin Xiang and immediately shouted.

Lin Xiang smiled brightly and opened the door fully, standing gracefully. “Your cousin has taken so many steps; I only need to take the last one.”

As Lin Xiang finished speaking, He Hongyuan reached the second floor and stood right in front of her. Their eyes locked, and all they could see was each other.

The handsome man and beautiful woman, his pure white military uniform complementing her bright red wedding dress, gleamed in the midst of the dull surroundings.

Amid cheers and laughter, He Hongyuan gently picked up his wife, Lin Xiang, in his arms for the first time. Though he didn’t know what a ‘princess carry’ was, he had chosen this way of holding her, which felt the most comfortable for both.

His arms were strong, giving her a sense of security.

From the Zhou family to the new house wasn’t far, and along the way, they passed curious neighbors watching them. When they reached the new house, they offered tea to He Guifang, formally addressing her as “mother.”

Lin Xiang cheerfully called out “mother,” making He Guifang’s eyes water, and she hurriedly gave Lin Xiang a red envelope.

This wedding was special. The bride and groom only had one elder present, but the crowd was large, and the atmosphere was lively. No one felt sorry or awkward about it.

Before heading to the military canteen for the wedding feast, Lin Xiang had a moment to rest. She heard from Zhou Yuezhu that the workers from the Factory No.2 had come to support her, and she thanked them with a smile. Unexpectedly, Sister Guihua handed her some sunflower seeds: “Even on your wedding day, you’re eating sunflower seeds.”

Lin Xiang laughed, thinking it was funny to be eating seeds on her own wedding day, watching her own celebration.

After eating a few seeds, Lin Xiang and He Hongyuan finished the brief ceremony and headed to the military canteen for the reception.

At the army’s canteen today, there were two pairs of newlyweds. In addition to He Hongyuan and Lin Xiang, there was also Captain Hao and his partner getting married. Their ceremony started early, and they were already eating by the time He Hongyuan and Lin Xiang arrived.

When Captain Hao saw He Hongyuan and his bride, he saluted and then congratulated them with his wife.

“Getting married on the same day is a special bond,” He Hongyuan raised his hand in salute and replied, “Captain Hao, congratulations to you both.”

Lin Xiang also exchanged a few words of congratulations with the other bride, and when she saw the same joyful smile on the other woman’s face, her heart warmed.

Though this day might seem ordinary in the flow of time, for the two newlywed couples in the army canteen, it was equally precious and happy.

He Hongyuan and Lin Xiang had decided to invite Zhou Shenghuai to be their officiant. Zhou, with his loud voice, passionately recited the ideological quotes, followed by He Hongyuan and Lin Xiang repeating them in unison, having memorized them during the last few days of overtime.

Amid thunderous applause, the ceremony concluded. Aunt He clapped so hard her hands turned red, and her eyes became teary.

Zhou Shenghuai, seeing his nephew finally settling down, felt deeply relieved and said, “Congratulations, comrades He Hongyuan and Lin Xiang. You are now officially revolutionary partners. Unite and progress together, work hard for the revolution!”

Attending a wedding is different from hosting one. Lin Xiang was filled with emotions. She had truly accomplished a major life event—she now had someone to walk through life with her.

“In the years when people come and go, with friends and relatives always leaving, now there will be someone by my side,” she thought.

“Congratulations, congratulations! Little sister, from now on, we’ll leave our old He to you. You can scold him or beat him, it’s up to you,” Zhang Huafeng, seeing his good buddy get married, was so excited he almost couldn’t speak coherently.

“He, comrade, and sister-in-law, congratulations! We must drink to celebrate!” Some soldiers, who were several years older than Lin Xiang, called her sister-in-law due to He Hongyuan’s rank and status, which made Lin Xiang a bit shy.

The day was lively, with everyone eager to celebrate. People rubbed their hands, preparing to surround He Hongyuan and force him to drink.

After all, this man was usually so arrogant and never lost to his comrades in any competition. Now, they had a legitimate reason to pour drinks into his mouth.

But He Hongyuan was even more daring: “You guys can’t even outdrink me if you were all tied together.”

The soldiers: Who can stand this!

Lin Xiang: “…”

Lin Xiang watched He Hongyuan, who seemed to be letting loose for once, drinking one cup after another, following every congratulatory toast from his comrades. She couldn’t help but worry.

Lin Xiang ate a few bites of food and quickly put some vegetables on his plate, trying to balance things out. She tugged at his sleeve and said, “Take it easy, don’t drink too much. There are seven or eight of them drinking with you—you’re at a disadvantage.”

He Hongyuan didn’t show any sign of distress, his expression calm, as though nothing was wrong. But his narrow phoenix eyes, usually so sharp, were now unusually bright: “Today’s a happy day. How could I be afraid of them?”

Lin Xiang: “…”

Lin Xiang was completely defeated by this crazy man.

Meanwhile, at the guesthouse where the army was hosting family members visiting, there was also some commotion.

“Comrade, it seems the lock is broken. Please wait, I’ll get someone to fix it,” the front desk army wife tried to calm Zhou Hongfei, who was trapped in his room. She turned and left to continue with her work.

She had already informed He Hongyuan and heard from Yuezhu about the situation. The person upstairs, who wanted to disrupt He Hongyuan and Lin Xiang’s wedding, was truly despicable. She wouldn’t let anyone come to fix the lock. Let him wait until the wedding is over!

It was despicable to ruin someone’s wedding!

Qiu Xiuping was feeling heartbroken. The man she had been dreaming about, He Hongyuan, was getting married, and the bride wasn’t her. She heard the sound of cursing from the room next door. After asking around, she found out Zhou Hongfei was locked in.

“Qiu Xiuping, hurry up and check. Why hasn’t anyone come to fix the lock? I need to go out!” Although there was food and snacks in the guesthouse, he had planned to attend He Hongyuan’s wedding.

“Alright, wait here,” Qiu Xiuping, still a bit grateful to Zhou Hongfei for bringing her to the 119th unit, turned to go and get help.

But just as Qiu Xiuping took two steps, she heard Zhou Hongfei shouting inside: “I’m going to He Hongyuan’s wedding today! Ha, Lin Xiang married him, what a waste. Such a beautiful flower, and she ended up with such a man.”

Qiu Xiuping stopped in her tracks and turned back to the door. “Who are you calling a flower, and who are you calling cow dung?”

Zhou Hongfei snorted coldly from inside: “Of course, He Hongyuan is the cow dung. Lin Xiang is so beautiful, and she ended up with a guy like him.”

“Bah!” Qiu Xiuping could not allow anyone to slander her savior, “You’re the cow dung!”

She turned around and left.

Good, let him stay locked in there!

Zhou Hongfei, left to stew in confusion, continued to shout through the door, but no one answered.

…

By the time the wedding banquet ended, Zhou Hongfei was still locked up and couldn’t get out.

Meanwhile, He Hongyuan, who had been forced to drink by seven or eight comrades, was really drunk!

Lin Xiang, who had once doubted He Hongyuan’s claim to never get drunk, was now shocked to see his eyes tightly shut. He seemed to be feeling dizzy, holding his forehead with one hand, looking uncomfortable.

The comrades who had almost spent the whole day trying to challenge He Hongyuan finally settled down: “Looks like Captain He can’t handle our group attack, hahahaha.”

He Hongyuan was too exhausted to argue with them anymore. In the end, Lin Xiang had to ask Zhang Huafeng and Jiang Weijun to help support him back.

After all, He Hongyuan was tall and strong, and she couldn’t manage to help him on her own!

After sending off all the guests, they went back to the canteen to settle the bill. The two tables of drinks had cost fifteen yuan; any more would have been considered too extravagant and could get criticized for being bourgeois, especially in the army where one had to stay low-key.

He Guifang was taking care of the finishing touches and enthusiastically told her daughter-in-law, “Xiangxiang, go rest, you must be exhausted today.”

Though the wedding ceremony had already been simplified compared to later times, it was still tiring—little sleep, an early start, and a day filled with high excitement. At that moment, Lin Xiang felt her waist and legs aching.

She didn’t argue with her mother-in-law, leaving the remaining tasks to her while she headed back to the new house.

In order to give the newlyweds some space, He Guifang didn’t prepare to move into the new house but continued staying at the Zhou family’s place. So, when Lin Xiang returned to the new house and saw the empty space, she wasn’t surprised.

After a quick wash-up, feeling slightly more relaxed, she took a wet towel upstairs and entered the master bedroom to clean up the “drunkard.”

Upon entering the bedroom, Lin Xiang found the man lying quietly on the bed. His breathing was heavier than usual, a sign of his intoxication. The wide double bed seemed too small to contain his long arms and legs, making it look crowded.

Lin Xiang sat on the edge of the bed, lowering her eyes to gaze at his peaceful sleeping face. Unlike his usual serious and cold expression, there was a rare warmth in his features as his brows relaxed.

She wiped him down with the damp towel, calling softly, “Captain He? Comrade He Hongyuan? How did you get this drunk~?”

The man on the bed didn’t respond, truly out cold.

Lin Xiang moved down and wiped his hands, then, feeling playful, placed her palm against his, comparing the sizes. Wow, his hands were really big. She whispered as she wiped, “I told you, if you couldn’t handle it, just admit defeat. Why force yourself to drink…”

Just as she finished speaking, Lin Xiang suddenly felt someone grip her shoulder, and before she could react, she was lying back on the bed. The man, who had been drunk just moments ago, was now above her, leaning down and looking at her with a slight smile, his eyes clear and wide awake. There wasn’t a trace of drunkenness in his gaze.

He Hongyuan’s voice was low and husky, with a dangerous edge in his eyes: “What did you just say? I can’t handle it? Hmm?”