Chapter 25: Shulan’s Wedding

Slowly, Shuxin had been working at the train station for two or three months, and her business and job had stabilized.

After the autumn harvest, the Liu family began organizing the wedding for Shulan, Shuxin’s cousin, and the dates had already been set.

Nowadays, weddings are relatively simple; those with means can organize several tables, while those without just need to bring some goods to get married.

The Liu family definitely wanted to hold a proper wedding. After finishing work, Shuxin dropped off her things and headed up the mountain. Originally, Grandpa Liu wanted Liu Jianjun to buy meat from the meat processing factory, but Shuxin felt that was a waste of money and decided she would catch a wild boar in the mountains instead.

Given Shuxin’s capabilities, catching a wild boar was no trouble at all. Besides the boar, she also hunted a few wild rabbits and a wild chicken. Not to mention, if each table had one, a single boar could serve two tables.

In the countryside, hosting a banquet like the Liu family’s was considered very affluent. Since Shuxin was working in the city, others would see that the Liu family was doing well and wouldn’t think much of it. If Shuxin didn’t have a job, the Liu family wouldn’t be able to hold such an extravagant wedding.

Once Shuxin carried the wild boar and her catch back home, Grandma Liu, along with two daughters-in-law, began preparing. They certainly wouldn’t use the entire boar; some would be kept for their own consumption afterward as using everything for the banquet would be too extravagant.

After Shuxin started heating water and taking a bath in the kitchen, she went to visit her cousin Shulan, bringing along the wedding gifts she had prepared for her.

When she arrived at Shulan’s room, she saw her sitting happily on the kang (a traditional heated bed) chatting with a few close friends, and, oh, her fiancé was also there, getting along well with Shulan and her friends.

As time passed, the Liu Lindadui had accepted Luo Yue’s feminine behavior. So now, when the village girls chatted with Luo Yue, no one gossiped about it.

To be fair, it was Shulan who helped Luo Yue integrate into the sisterhood in the village. He spent a long time visiting the Liu family and interacted more frequently with Shulan. Over time, she took this gentle and somewhat delicate brother-in-law as her close friend and naturally brought him into their circle.

When Luo Yue saw Shuxin enter, he hurriedly abandoned his friends and ran to her side, putting his arm around her shoulders and pulling her onto the bench. A few girls nearby noticed this and shot him jealous glances.

“Sis, this is the dowry I prepared for you. I arranged to swap some tickets for a watch, so you can wear it and have some confidence at Old Li’s house. Additionally, I picked out an electric kettle and a blanket for you.”

After Shuxin finished speaking, she took out the items. The other girls present, seeing the watch, turned green with envy. Just the watch alone cost nearly a hundred yuan, and the blanket looked like a fine item. Shulan was indeed lucky to have a generous sister preparing such an expensive dowry for her. Why couldn’t Shuxin be their sister too?

Shulan was equally shocked to see her sister’s dowry, but then felt a pang of regret, wondering how much it cost.

“This is too expensive! You shouldn’t have spent this much. What the family is preparing for me is already respectable compared to nearby villages. You previously bought me a red dress and shoes, and that was enough. Now you buy me such costly items — are you trying to make me worried about your life?”

“It’s nothing, sis. You’re my only sister. If I don’t treat you well, who should I treat well? I have a job now, so buying you a few things is no problem. Take it, or I’ll get angry! You know my temper.”

Seeing her sister say this, Shulan stopped refusing. She knew her sister well; if she offered something, she would insist on giving it, and it was better not to annoy her with refusal. She thought it would be a good idea to ask their parents and brother to look after her brother-in-law more, considering it the best way to repay her sister.

Why is it about taking care of the brother-in-law rather than the sister? Her sister is so capable, whether it’s in work or life; she can’t help much. Given the current situation, in the future, her sister’s family will have Luo Yue managing the household, while her sister will be working outside. So it makes sense to look after the brother-in-law a bit more.

By dusk, the guests arriving for the wedding also showed up. The betrothal gifts from Luo Yue’s family amounted to twenty-eight yuan. Initially, the mother of the Luo family felt a bit pained at giving such a large sum, but after seeing Shulan’s dowry, all that remained was happiness.

Just the bedding alone included four sets, and there were also a vanity and wardrobe. Other bits and pieces could fill several carts. People nearby said that the bride’s sister even sent a watch and blanket as part of the dowry, which made them wish they could pamper the bride even more.

When they were arranging the matchmaking, what caught her attention was Shulan’s gentle and virtuous nature. Just a few days after their engagement, news came that the bride’s cousin had started working in the city. At that moment, she and her husband felt fortunate to have been quick. If they had waited another ten days or so, they would have feared that their family might not measure up to the Liu family’s eldest daughter.

A few days ago, while preparing the betrothal gifts, the couple thought about the bride’s sister, so they added ten yuan to the original eighteen. They decided on twenty-eight yuan for the betrothal gifts sent to the Liu family. The eldest and second daughters-in-law at home even joked with them. By the next day, when the youngest daughter-in-law brought her dowry home, they would see if they still had the face to joke.

Looking at the banquet set for the evening, there was plenty of food, both noodles and meat, all fine dishes that gave their family face. They even heard that the bride’s sister had gone up the mountain to hunt a wild boar for her sister’s wedding banquet.

Seeing her sisters have such a good relationship, she secretly decided that Shulan would be her favorite daughter-in-law in the future, with no exceptions.

The next morning, Shuxin personally helped Shulan get ready. Dressed in the red dress and black shoes that Shuxin bought for her, with a red silk scarf tied into a large red flower in her hair, Shuxin used some simple tools to apply a bridal makeup for Shulan.

Stepping back, Shuxin admired her handiwork; Shulan looked more beautiful than flowers, with a graceful figure and a rosy glow on her face that was quite enchanting.

This beautiful appearance not only left others astonished but also made the groom’s heart blossom with joy, completely captivated.

When her cousin carried Shulan out of the courtyard and they headed to the Luo family, Shuxin felt happy yet sad, with a mix of emotions.

She was happy that Shulan was escaping the fire pit of the Liu family to step into happiness, but sad that they wouldn’t see each other often in the future. Since she had arrived in this world, she grew up alongside Shulan, who treated her like a real sister. After turning four, they slept in the same room, which deepened their bond, and they only began to sleep separately when Shulan reached fifteen.

Seeing the wedding party almost ready to leave, Shuxin quickly came to her senses and hurriedly followed along. She wanted to accompany her brothers to send Shulan off to her wedding.

As the most accomplished person in the Liu family, Shuxin’s presence at the wedding was to show their importance. The Liu family was not without capable people; anyone trying to bully their daughter should think twice.

Arriving at the Luo family, Shuxin could not be overlooked by the mother of the house. Being a working woman in the city was no simple feat. People nearby quickly gathered around, eager to befriend Shuxin upon hearing about the bride’s sister being a city worker, and Shuxin joyfully chatted with everyone.

There was no shortage of remarks either. The relatives and friends of the Luo family were well aware of Shuxin’s regard for her cousin, so they naturally dared not treat Shulan poorly. The other two daughters-in-law of the Luo family felt nervous as well.

Previously, they had complained about their in-laws giving twenty-eight yuan as betrothal gifts, but after seeing the dowry Shulan brought, they were at a loss for words. They had received only eight yuan as betrothal gifts and had no dowry, so they certainly had no standing against a sister-in-law as well-equipped as Shulan, especially with a capable and protective sister like Shuxin.

As the wedding banquet concluded, Shuxin bid farewell to Shulan along with her two brothers. She wasn’t worried about Shulan’s married life; in the future, she would try to visit more often. Surely, the Luo family wouldn’t dare to neglect her sister.