Chapter 35

The county town where Kaoshan Village was located was called Baicheng. It wasn’t very large, but it was well-planned, with neat, paved roads, all made of concrete.

Xiao Shi drove for over two hours to finally reach Baicheng.

It shouldn’t have taken that long; after all, the distance between the two places was only a few dozen miles. However, the road was tough to navigate. In the heavy snowfall, the road was covered in snow that couldn’t be cleared away, and it wouldn’t simply melt away from a few cars driving over it.

Thus, a short journey of a few dozen miles ended up taking over two hours.

Things were much better once they entered the town.

The snow on the city streets had been swept clean, so the car didn’t slip, nor did it affect the driving speed.

“Xiao Shi, head to the county public security bureau.” Wei Ling directed Xiao Shi.

Baicheng’s civil affairs bureau didn’t have a separate office building; it was merged with the public security bureau in a large compound. To apply for their marriage certificate, they would need to enter the public security bureau.

Ever since they got in the car, Chuchu had been gazing out of the window with curiosity. Now, upon hearing Wei Ling’s words, he turned his head. “Brother-in-law, why are we going to the public security bureau? Are there bad guys?”

In a child’s mind, the public security bureau was where bad guys were caught.

Qin Qingman, hearing Chuchu’s question, glanced at Wei Ling for help. She wasn’t sure how to explain this to a child.

Wei Ling, a little embarrassed himself, thought for a moment and then tried a different approach. “The public security bureau doesn’t just catch bad guys. It also handles many other matters. For example, if you, Chuchu, go out to study or work in the future, and you need to change your residence registration, you’d come to the public security bureau’s residence department to handle it.”

“But I’m still young, and I don’t need to go out to study yet. So why are we going to the public security bureau?”

Chuchu’s curiosity had been piqued even more.

“My relationship with your sister needs to be adjusted a bit, so here we are.” Wei Ling explained, feeling a bit of pressure as he faced Chuchu’s clear, bright eyes.

Chuchu processed Wei Ling’s words in his mind and understood. “Brother-in-law, are you going to become family with my sister?”

“Yes, I’m going to become family with your sister.” Wei Ling replied, relieved by Chuchu’s quick understanding.

“That’s great! Brother-in-law will be part of our family from now on!” Chuchu was even more excited than Wei Ling. His small face was filled with delight, and he even pulled down his scarf a bit in his excitement, revealing his whole face.

Xiao Shi took the chance to get a good look at Chuchu’s appearance.

Chuchu looked a lot like Qin Qingman. Previously, when his face was lean, the resemblance wasn’t as strong, but now his cheeks were full, making him at least eighty percent similar to Qin Qingman. He was a very beautiful little boy.

Seeing Chuchu’s appearance, Xiao Shi knew that Qin Qingman must also be quite beautiful.

Now, he could report back to Du Hongyi and the other lieutenant colonels.

Before Xiao Shi had left the headquarters, Du Hongyi and a few others had approached him. They had asked him to make sure to find out what Wei Ling’s partner looked like, her personality, and if she was easy to get along with. It was said that Colonel Wei’s wife was an excellent cook, so if she turned out to be easy to get along with, they could often visit her for meals.

Xiao Shi, who had arrived with a mission, felt confident that he could complete his task.

The county public security bureau wasn’t large. It consisted of a compound with three three-story buildings, and the civil affairs bureau was located on the first floor of the building on the left.

“Chuchu, would you like to come with us to handle some things, or wait in the car? Brother Xiao Shi here is a soldier and can be trusted.” Wei Ling asked Chuchu before they got out of the car. Even though Chuchu was young, Wei Ling wanted to give him a choice out of respect.

Chuchu looked at Qin Qingman, then touched the comfortable seat cushion under him, finding it hard to decide.

This was his first time riding in a car, especially one so nice, and he was reluctant to leave it.

But it was also his first time in the county town, his first time going into the public security bureau, and he was incredibly curious about it as well.

“Chuchu, come with us. The car won’t leave, and we can come back and sit in it after we’re done.” Qin Qingman said, noticing his dilemma. She couldn’t bear to see him torn, so she made the decision for him.

“Alright.” Chuchu agreed.

As soon as he heard that the car wouldn’t leave and that he’d get to ride in it again, he spread his arms toward Wei Ling.

Chuchu was a little short, and the jeep was a bit high, so he couldn’t get down by himself.

After giving Xiao Shi a few instructions, Wei Ling lifted Chuchu out of the car. Even after setting him down, Wei Ling didn’t put him directly on the ground; though the snow had been cleared, the ground was still slippery, and it wouldn’t be worth it if Chuchu accidentally took a tumble.

Held securely in Wei Ling’s arms, Chuchu obediently waved goodbye to Xiao Shi, who was still in the driver’s seat.

Xiao Shi waved back, his impression of Qin Qingman’s family improving. Seeing how polite the child was, Xiao Shi could tell the family was well-mannered. Initially, he had felt a bit sorry for Wei Ling when he heard that the Colonel was marrying a girl from a village.

Now he realized it was his own perspective that had been too narrow.

After starting the car, Xiao Shi found a spot off to the side where he wouldn’t block traffic and parked there to wait for them.

The three of them headed straight to the marriage registration office as soon as they entered the civil affairs bureau.

Winter was the season when farmers had more free time, and the time around the New Year was also the best period for weddings. When they arrived, there was already a line ahead of them, and they spotted a familiar face—Liu Hechang.

Liu Hechang hadn’t noticed Wei Ling and Qin Qingman yet. At the moment, he was standing there, looking disgruntled as he waited to register his marriage.

After the engagement with Qin Caiyun had fallen through, he worried that the Qin Lei family would cause trouble, so he hurriedly asked a matchmaker to find him a partner from an even more remote area. This time, he had learned his lesson—he didn’t dare choose someone too pretty or too young. Instead, he found a widow.

The widow was in her thirties and still had a bit of beauty left.

Liu Hechang thought to himself that he was no longer young, so he had agreed to this marriage. The main reason was that he already knew this widow—she was the mother of his daughter’s classmate. Liu Hechang had met his daughter’s classmate before; she was a pretty, shy girl.

Thinking of the girl’s looks, he felt more inclined to go through with the marriage.

But when he came to register the marriage, he learned that the widow had sent her daughter back to her late husband’s family in the countryside. She explained that, even though her former husband had passed away, the child’s grandparents were still alive. Since she was remarrying, she thought it inappropriate to bring her daughter along, so she had sent the girl back.

Liu Hechang’s face darkened immediately.

This was exactly the scene that Wei Ling and Qin Qingman witnessed.

Seeing the oily-faced Liu Hechang, both Qin Qingman and Wei Ling felt disgusted. Wei Ling didn’t want to stand in line behind him to register for their marriage.

Qin Qingman shared the same thought. With a glance at each other, they silently agreed to leave and return later in the day.

Without needing to discuss, they turned and left in perfect harmony.

Chuchu, who was nestled in Wei Ling’s arms, recognized Liu Hechang as well. His impression of Liu Hechang wasn’t good either. Feeling bolder in Wei Ling’s embrace, Chuchu made a funny face in Liu Hechang’s direction.

Just then, Liu Hechang turned his head.

Their eyes met in an instant.

Chuchu recognized Liu Hechang, but Liu Hechang didn’t recognize the transformed Chuchu. It had only been a few days, but with proper nutrition, children’s appearances could change dramatically in no time. Plus, Chuchu was in Wei Ling’s arms, and the sight of Wei Ling in his military uniform instinctively intimidated Liu Hechang.

Feeling that intimidation, Liu Hechang didn’t dare look any further.

He muttered to himself, “This kid is really bold, daring to make faces at strangers.”

Once outside the civil affairs bureau, both Wei Ling and Qin Qingman felt a bit down.

They had arrived excited to register their marriage, only to have their spirits dampened by an encounter with Liu Hechang, whose unpleasant presence soured their mood.

“Qingman, how about we go to the supply and marketing cooperative first and pick up some things?” Wei Ling suggested, seeking Qin Qingman’s input. Such a big occasion as getting married definitely called for buying a few new things. They might save the celebratory feast for next year when the new house was completed, but even so, becoming an official family warranted preparing some fresh items.

Qin Qingman had been thinking along the same lines, so she nodded in agreement with Wei Ling’s suggestion.

“Wei Ling!” A delighted voice suddenly called out from behind them, and a man in a cadre’s Zhongshan suit strode over. “I knew it! It really is you, Wei Ling, Colonel Wei!”

From a distance, the approaching man extended his hand toward Wei Ling with enthusiasm.

“Wu Zheng.” Wei Ling’s sharp memory served him well, and he recognized the man immediately. Wu Zheng was a former comrade from the capital’s military unit, who had transitioned to local work three years ago.

Since this involved the previous owner of his identity, Wei Ling hadn’t reached out to Wu Zheng after his own arrival.

“Wei Ling, what brings you here?” Wu Zheng was genuinely surprised to see Wei Ling in Baicheng, and his gaze naturally drifted to Qin Qingman and Chuchu.

Though Qin Qingman’s face was mostly covered with a scarf, he could clearly see Chuchu’s youthful face. Given Wei Ling’s age of twenty-six, he could conceivably have a child this young, but Wu Zheng hadn’t heard anything about Wei Ling being married before his transfer. So he deduced that this boy couldn’t be Wei Ling’s son.

“This is my wife, Qin Qingman.” Wei Ling offered, recognizing the confusion in Wu Zheng’s eyes and making the introduction proactively. He also introduced the child in his arms. “This is Qin Yunchu, my brother-in-law.”

After the introductions, Wei Ling formally presented Wu Zheng to the Qin siblings. “Qingman, this is an old comrade from the capital, named Wu Zheng. He transferred back to his hometown three years ago. He’s a good ten years older than I am, so you can call him Elder Brother Wu.”

“Oh, so sister-in-law it is! A pleasure to meet you.” Wu Zheng said warmly, extending his hand to Qin Qingman.

“Elder Brother Wu.” Qin Qingman replied, returning his handshake.

Since they were both wearing gloves, there was no sense of touch, but the greeting was warm nonetheless.

“So, Wei Ling, what brings you and sister-in-law here?” After the introductions, Wu Zheng took note of where Wei Ling and Qin Qingman were standing, just outside the civil affairs bureau. A young couple at the bureau seemed more likely to be there for marriage registration than for anything else.

Wei Ling quickly reviewed what he knew of Wu Zheng in his mind. It seemed luck was on his side.

Wu Zheng had joined the civil affairs bureau after his transfer and had been working there for three years. He was now a cadre, possibly at the rank of section officer.

Recalling the close bond between the original Wei Ling and Wu Zheng, he didn’t hold back and spoke frankly, “Old Wu, I came here with my wife today to register our marriage. But there’s a bit of a line in there, so we thought we’d go over to the Supply and Marketing Cooperative to pick up a few things in the meantime.”

It wouldn’t do, of course, to admit they wanted to avoid waiting behind Liu Hechang in line.

“Wei Ling, you’re here at the Civil Affairs Bureau—there’s no way you’ll leave without taking care of things, right? No need for you to stand in line; I’ll personally handle it for you. Come to my office; I have a lot to talk to you about.” Wu Zheng said, surprised to see Wei Ling in Baicheng. He had no intention of letting Wei Ling go so easily.

After all, if Wei Ling was registering his marriage here, that suggested his work, and perhaps even his food and oil rations, were somehow tied to Baicheng.

Wu Zheng was genuinely curious. Why would someone from the capital choose to move to such a remote place?

Since he’d run into Wu Zheng, Wei Ling felt obliged to give an explanation, so he followed him to his office with Qin Qingman close behind.

The marriage registration process went by very quickly.

As long as the paperwork was in order, it only took a few minutes.

“Do you need to have a photo attached to your marriage certificate?” Wu Zheng, personally handling the registration, naturally became aware of Wei Ling’s current work unit. He held back his curiosity, focusing on the formalities first.

“We came in such a hurry that we didn’t have time to take one. We’ll attach it ourselves later.” Wei Ling replied.

“Alright, you can attach it later, no problem.”

Wu Zheng checked all the information on the marriage certificate, confirmed there were no mistakes, and swiftly stamped it with the official seal.

With that stamp, the certificate was legally valid.

Wei Ling took the certificate carefully from Wu Zheng, examined it for a moment, and then handed it to Qin Qingman, who looked it over, folded it, and placed it in her bag.

The marriage certificate wasn’t a booklet like those in later years; it was just a single sheet of paper.

Much of the information was written by hand.

Yet, with just this thin piece of paper, it confirmed her marriage to Wei Ling going forward.

“Wei Ling, Sister-in-law, congratulations on your marriage. May you soon be blessed with a child!” Wu Zheng said cheerfully, shaking hands with the newlyweds and offering his congratulations.

“Thank you.” Wei Ling replied.

With a faint blush on her face, Qin Qingman expressed her gratitude to Wu Zheng.

Since the office was heated with a stove, Qin Qingman had already pulled down the scarf that covered half her face. While processing the registration, Wu Zheng had gotten a good look at her appearance.

When Wu Zheng saw Qin Qingman’s appearance, he finally understood why Wei Ling would marry someone in the countryside.

Qin Qingman was not only gentle and beautiful, but she also had a refined air, with a scholarly aura that drew attention naturally.

“Sister-in-law, Chuchu, here, have some hot water.” Wu Zheng said, pouring some water for them now that the formalities were completed.

“Thank you, Elder Brother Wu.” Qin Qingman replied, understanding that Wu Zheng still had things to discuss with Wei Ling. She accepted the cup, taking Chuchu from Wei Ling’s arms. The siblings then began to examine the cup.

It was porcelain, white, and more elegant than the large tea mugs they had at home.

“Sis, I still think the tea mugs at home are more practical.” Chuchu remarked, somewhat unimpressed by the cup in his hand. It was nice to look at, sure, but it seemed fragile, like it would break at the slightest bump.

“Yes, I agree, the tea mugs at home are more practical.” Qin Qingman nodded in agreement.

The two then began quietly discussing the pros and cons of the tea mugs versus the porcelain cups.

On the other side, Wei Ling and Wu Zheng were talking.

Wu Zheng wanted to know why Wei Ling had been transferred to a remote place like Baicheng. Not only that, but why it was a lateral transfer. Given Wei Ling’s achievements, it would have made sense for him to have been promoted.

Of course, Wei Ling couldn’t reveal that he was actually a different person in the same body.

But since he had accepted the original owner’s memories, he had a reasonable understanding of the situation in the capital. In his previous life as the son of a Duke, he had been at the heart of power, and his sensitivity to political matters was particularly keen.

So, although he didn’t explain everything directly to Wu Zheng, he gave a few hints.

This was still the decade of turmoil, and even though Wu Zheng was far removed from the capital, he understood enough to pick up on Wei Ling’s subtle hints. Immediately, he realized why Wei Ling had been transferred here.

Though Baicheng was a bit harsh, it had its advantages.

“If you work hard here for a few years, earn a promotion, going back to the capital will be a whole different story.” Now that Wu Zheng understood the situation, he patted Wei Ling’s shoulder with confidence, feeling more assured.

For someone like Wei Ling, who had come here through a transfer, going back would likely be easier in the future.

“Old Wu, today we still need to go to the Supply and Marketing Cooperative to buy a few things, so we won’t stay long. But another day, you must come celebrate and drink with us!” Since Wei Ling and Qin Qingman were now officially married, he didn’t see a need to keep it quiet and invited Wu Zheng directly.

After all, he owed the smooth process of getting the marriage certificate to Wu Zheng’s help.

“I’ll definitely be there, and I’ll bring your sister-in-law too!” Wu Zheng was delighted at Wei Ling’s invitation and readily accepted.

“I still remember those sauerkraut dumplings she made, so make sure you bring her along!”

Wei Ling made an effort to converse with Wu Zheng in the way the original owner would have.

“I will! Your sister-in-law has mentioned you and a few other comrades before. Now that we’ve all gone our separate ways, it’s hard to get together.” Wu Zheng said with a nostalgic sigh.

“That’s why, as long as we’re both here in Baicheng, we should make the most of it and get together often.” Wei Ling replied sincerely.

Building a good relationship with a local like Wu Zheng was mutually beneficial.

After exchanging a few more polite words, Wei Ling finally left with Qin Qingman and her younger brother.

Passing by the office where they’d registered the marriage certificate, they noticed that Liu Hechang was no longer there, which lifted their spirits a bit.

“Alright, let’s head to the Supply and Marketing Cooperative.” Wei Ling said, lifting Chuchu into his arms. Then, he boldly reached out his other hand to Qin Qingman.

They were a married couple now, and it only seemed natural to hold his wife’s hand on a snowy day.

Seeing the joy Wei Ling tried to contain in his eyes, Qin Qingman’s heart softened, and she extended her hand to him.

When Xiao Shi saw Wei Ling and Qin Qingman together again, he couldn’t see anything particularly different about them, but he sensed a change in the atmosphere. Before, there had been a restrained happiness between the two, but now it seemed as if happiness radiated around them.

It was a visible happiness, unmistakable at a glance.

Guessing what had happened, Xiao Shi broke into a shy smile. “Captain Wei, Sister-in-law, congratulations!”

“Thank you.” Wei Ling and Qin Qingman replied together, returning Xiao Shi’s good wishes.

“Captain Wei, are we heading to the Supply and Marketing Cooperative?” Xiao Shi asked, starting the car.

“Yes, to the Supply and Marketing Cooperative.” Wei Ling, or rather, the original owner of this body, had managed to save up a substantial amount over the years, and he had brought it all with him when he left the capital. Today, being his wedding day, he intended to splurge.

Qin Qingman’s family had no parents to support her, so Wei Ling had brought half a pig as a bride price when he proposed. But now, he felt it wasn’t enough; today, he was determined to buy everything he could for her.

Noticing Wei Ling’s intentions, Qin Qingman felt a warm sweetness fill her heart.

Although neither of their parents had been able to help with the wedding, with Wei Ling so dedicated to her, she felt fully content.

The road through the county town was easy to travel, and they reached the Supply and Marketing Cooperative within a short time.

The county’s cooperative wasn’t very big or small; it was a two-story building filled with all kinds of goods. The ground floor was packed with items, and the second floor was just as full.

With the New Year approaching, there were plenty of people browsing the cooperative.

Many families were selecting items for their children’s marriages, some marrying off daughters and others bringing in brides.

The cooperative was bustling with the loud chatter of the crowd, but the moment Wei Ling and Qin Qingman stepped inside, there was a sudden pause in the noise.

Wei Ling and Qin Qingman were simply too eye-catching.

Especially Wei Ling, in his distinctive outfit.

His coat had four large pockets.

Since the abolishment of military ranks, the number of pockets on a coat signified a person’s rank in the army. Only officers wore coats with four large pockets, while most soldiers’ coats had only two.

People glanced at Wei Ling’s face, then at his military uniform, and couldn’t help but feel a surge of admiration toward Qin Qingman.

It was obvious at a glance that they were a married couple.

Both Wei Ling and Qin Qingman were used to attracting attention in their previous lives, so the curious stares around them didn’t faze them at all. They calmly and thoughtfully went about their shopping together.

A new set of washbasins was a must, and they decided on buying a matching pair.

Aside from the basins, other essential household items were on their shopping list as well. Wei Ling even bought a generous amount of red fabric sized for each of them and gave Chuchu a sugar-coated hawthorn stick to snack on as they shopped.

Xiao Shi helped carry the items back to the car, which only deepened the admiration of those watching.

After getting the necessities, Wei Ling led Qin Qingman and Chuchu to the second floor, where the large items were displayed.

Items like bicycles, sewing machines, watches, and radios lined the shelves.

Wei Ling, with substantial savings in hand, planned to buy both a watch and a sewing machine for Qin Qingman.

She was likely to be appointed the Women’s Director of the Hongqi Brigade after the New Year, and a watch would be useful for her work. As for the sewing machine, it was a customary wedding gift, and Wei Ling certainly wanted to make sure his wife had one.

Baicheng was a smaller city, and large items like these were in low demand, so the stock behind the counters was limited.

Sure enough, there was only one Shanghai-brand watch available, priced at 126 yuan.

While the two of them were examining the watch, someone else came up the stairs and, spotting Qin Qingman and Wei Ling at the counter, immediately froze. His face twisted as he shouted, “I was looking at that watch first!”

Qin Qingman turned her head slightly, a smirk of disdain tugging at the corner of her mouth. “Did you pay for it?”