When Ji Qinghe dug out a box of items from under the jujube tree, Ji Meng was stunned to see the small yellow fish and a complete set of vibrant green jewelry with excellent quality, along with a gemstone necklace inside.

“This is what your mother asked me to bury under the tree before she left, along with the jar of wine I brewed. At that time, she said that when I opened the wine, it would be for your wedding, and these treasures would be your gifts,” he explained.

Ji Qinghe had put a lot of effort into preserving these, and now they were still very new.

This was the only thing left in the Ji family, meant as a dowry for their daughter.

Ji Meng looked at the box, her eyes turning red. She didn’t know if her original body had received this, most likely she had, but if she did, how could she have done such a thing?

With parents who loved her so much, how could she bear to harm her old father?

At this moment, Ji Meng felt very envious of the original body. If her parents were still alive, she absolutely wouldn’t have the heart to hurt them like this.

Ji Meng accepted the box of items but did not plan to keep it for herself. She intended to give it to Qingyu in the future.

As for Ji Qinghe, she had already come to regard him as a father. She would honor him, but this was the Ji family’s property, she was not the original body, and she couldn’t take it.

The items inside were valuable, but she was entering an era of gold mining, and she knew a lot. With Sansan’s assistance, she wouldn’t be short on money, nor would she lack those things.

After a month of careful preparation, August 30 finally arrived—the day of their wedding.

Both Ji Qinghe and Su Cheng had significant input in organizing this wedding, and they invited many people.

They invited neighbors from the alley, some supervisors from the large collective, and employees with whom Ji Meng could usually chat. They also invited the old factory manager and some colleagues from Su Cheng’s factory. They invited everyone they could and should.

They roughly estimated the number of guests, totaling around twenty to thirty tables. These guests were arranged on two sides: some of Ji Meng’s maternal relatives were placed in the Ji family’s courtyard, while some of Su Cheng’s relatives were arranged in the new house at the machinery factory.

The Fu family also attached great importance to this wedding.

On the night before Ji Meng’s wedding, Fu Yuanshan came over with his two sons.

Fu Yuanshan helped Ji Meng with her makeup and presented her with a set of antique gemstone jewelry, which was very valuable. Ji Meng was hesitant to accept it, but Ji Qinghe urged her to take it, so she finally accepted.

Fu Shiyan and Fu Junyan appeared as brothers escorting Ji Meng to her marriage.

They each gave her wedding gifts as well.

Ever since Ji Meng provided Fu Junyan with that fake data on medicinal herbs, Fu Junyan had been researching it together with Ji Qinghe and hadn’t fallen into the trap again.

His personal career was developing very well, he had resigned from his job in foreign trade and was preparing to expand his own business.

He wasn’t short on money, so he directly gifted Ji Meng a color television for her new home.

Ji Meng didn’t refuse him. She had spent over a month working on that project, even writing her night school assignments on it. The content inside would still be useful decades later, so she could certainly accept a color TV.

It’s worth noting that the wedding gift Fu Shiyan gave was also quite substantial: a washing machine.

This practically completed the set of appliances for their home.

When the items were moved to the courtyard, Ji Meng didn’t know what to say.

Seeing Ji Meng’s embarrassment, Fu Shiyan rarely offered an explanation: “This is a dowry from Ji Qiao for his sister.”

It was at that moment that Ji Meng understood why Fu Shiyan had agreed to come for the matchmaker’s visit in the first place.

He felt guilty toward Ji Qiao.

Back then, the original body was forced to replace her cousin and go to the countryside. She wrote a letter to her brother, Ji Qiao, to inform him.

But at that time, Ji Qiao was in no position to help, he wrote a letter to Fu Shiyan, hoping he could help arrange for his sister to go to the countryside with him for some support.

Unfortunately, Fu Shiyan didn’t see that letter. It wasn’t until half a year later, after the original body had gone to the countryside, that he finally read it.

Fu Shiyan didn’t specify the reasons, and Ji Meng didn’t ask.

She suddenly understood why Fu Shiyan looked down on the original body in so many ways yet still tolerated her, and even allowed his son to get close to her. Despite his frown, he never strongly objected.

It was because of guilt.

He felt he owed a debt to the brotherhood he shared with Ji Qiao. He hadn’t realized the problems Ji Qiao was facing in time to bring him back, leaving Ji Qiao’s only sister a widow.

In reality, he didn’t need to feel that way. At that time, everyone was struggling. Fu Shiyan, although he held a position in that remote area, faced exclusion and oppression everywhere, making life difficult for him as well.

Ji Meng thought about this and conveyed her feelings to Fu Shiyan.

Fu Shiyan didn’t respond at the time, he just looked deeply into Ji Meng’s eyes.

Ji Meng felt uneasy under his gaze. Fu Shiyan was not like Fu Junyan, he was somewhat similar to Su Cheng, both being very perceptive. Since Ji Meng realized she could quickly lose her composure in front of Su Cheng, she was particularly cautious in this regard.

She was worried that Fu Shiyan might see through her.

Fortunately, Fu Shiyan ultimately said nothing more, only words: ‘Be happy,’ before leaving to help Ji Qinghe set off firecrackers.

On the wedding day, Ji Meng got up early to dress and groom herself.

With her wedding approaching, Aunt Lai and Meng Ling had come to help.

Aunt Lai helped her with her makeup, while Meng Ling was her bridesmaid and would later assist her in serving the wine during the toasts.

With their help, Ji Meng didn’t mind the trouble and asked Meng Ling to assist her as she directed and styled her hair into a bridal updo and applied her bridal makeup.

Then, she changed into her wedding outfit.

Ji Meng didn’t wear a traditional wedding dress, but she had meticulously prepared her wedding attire. She specifically designed it and commissioned an old established shop specializing in qipao wedding gowns, which took a full month to complete.

The high-slit, sleeveless bright red qipao accentuated her waistline, with a bit of lace design in the middle, and the lower hem featured detailed design elements. It was simple and elegant, yet still beautifully charming.

When Ji Meng finished getting ready and stepped out, Meng Ling, Aunt Lai, Qiuqiu, and Qingyu were all momentarily stunned.

Qiuqiu exclaimed, “Mom looks so beautiful today, the most beautiful bride in the world!”

Meng Ling also clicked her tongue and said with her hands on her hips, “I don’t care, when I get married, you have to make me look just as good!”

Meng Ling and Qiuqiu were chattering loudly, and their voices could be heard in the courtyard. Neighbors were gradually coming over to visit, and while they all knew Ji Meng was beautiful, they had grown accustomed to it and felt she deserved to look that way. Hearing the exaggerated gasps, they became curious about just how beautiful she could be.

Everyone knew each other, so there was no need for formalities. They pushed open the door and entered the house.

“We’re going to see the bride first to find out just how beautiful she is!”

Then there was a chorus of gasps.

“Wow, how can someone be this beautiful? Also, who made this outfit? Oh my goodness, it looks amazing!”

“With a figure like that, oh my, is the groom going to get a nosebleed today?”

Since they were all women, some older ones spoke very directly, making Ji Meng blush.

Their commotion attracted the attention of Fu Shiyan and Fu Junyan, who had just finished their tasks outside. They noticed the noise from the newlywed’s house and thought Jiang Yuan had arrived, so they hurried over. Upon seeing Ji Meng, both brothers suddenly stopped in their tracks.

Fu Junyan stared at Ji Meng in a daze for a long time without responding. He had mentally prepared himself a thousand times, hinting to himself over and over again that from now on, she would be his sister, and today he was sending her off in his capacity as her older brother.

But when he saw her in her wedding attire, so beautiful that everything around her seemed dull in comparison, his heart ached uncontrollably, like his lungs were filled with needles, making each breath feel as if his throat and heart were punctured with a thousand pricks.

Fu Shiyan rarely showed any unusual reactions, he was always reserved and indifferent. However, for a moment, he seemed lost in thought, his gaze dark and murky, hiding something deep inside.

After a while, he noticed his younger brother, who was on the verge of losing his composure. With a stern expression, he dragged him aside and then called Ji Qinghe over to invite the guests out of the room for hospitality.

After this distraction, Aunt Lai, Qiuqiu, and the others were particularly eager to see Su Cheng’s reaction when he saw Ji Meng.

So, in the now-closed room, a new round of discussion began. Even Qingyu couldn’t help but quietly say, “Uncle will definitely be enchanted by Aunt.”

The word “enchanted” was something Qiuqiu had been using recently, and Qingyu had picked it up from her younger sister.

Qiuqiu nodded seriously, “Yes, my dad will definitely see my mom and be so mesmerized that he won’t be able to walk.”

“Yes, yes, your dad will definitely be so entranced by your mom that he’ll lose his way.”

Their innocent chatter made everyone in the room laugh, and Aunt Lai, who particularly cherished Qiuqiu, chimed in with her.

This made Ji Meng’s face, which still hadn’t lost its blush, turn even redder, but she was also somewhat excited to see Su Cheng’s reaction to how she looked today.

It was her first time putting in so much effort to dress up.

Su Cheng arrived earlier than the agreed time, but his efforts to pick up his bride didn’t go smoothly, it took quite a lot of work.

First, there was Fu Junyan, who was particularly good at making things difficult for others. He demanded various guarantees, asked challenging questions, and insisted on drinking games.

Su Cheng had anticipated that getting past Fu Junyan would be tough, so he was prepared. His drinking capacity was decent, and with the help of Yan Jin’s son and two comrades who had hurried over from the army, dealing with Fu Junyan wasn’t a problem, although it took some time.

What surprised Su Cheng, however, was Fu Shiyan. Su Cheng had thought that Fu Shiyan, being an important person now, wouldn’t make things too difficult for him, so he hadn’t paid much attention to him.

But unexpectedly, Fu Shiyan raised challenges and wanted to assess Su Cheng separately.

In an instant, Su Cheng’s gaze sharpened as he met Fu Shiyan’s eyes.

Having served in the military for over a decade and with a commanding presence from years on the battlefield, Su Cheng found himself evenly matched in height and presence with Fu Shiyan, ^[1] “who had risen from the grassroots” means ordinary beginnings and worked his way up to a higher position through his own efforts, rather than inheriting his status or wealth. who had risen from the grassroots and carried a calm demeanor forged through hardships.

Neither was lacking in knowledge.

The two engaged in a back-and-forth competition for quite a while, with no sign of a winner emerging. The tension escalated, and as time passed, it became clear to everyone that something was off.

Even Aunt Lai and Meng Ling, who were in Ji Meng’s room and peeking out the window, couldn’t help but murmur, “They won’t end up fighting, will they? I never noticed before how difficult these two brothers from the Fu family could be.”

Ji Meng had known when Jiang Yuan arrived, but since she was the bride today, she needed to remain composed, so she stayed in the room. Hearing Meng Ling and Aunt Lai’s conversation made her a bit anxious, but then she thought again: it was Fu Shiyan and Su Cheng who were facing off outside, and both were calm, so it should be fine. Besides, Uncle Fu was there too and would help maintain order.

In the end, it really was Fu Yuanshan who intervened. He called out to Fu Shiyan, “Eldest son, don’t bring your work attitude here. If this keeps dragging on, your sister will miss her auspicious time for the wedding ceremony.”

Fu Shiyan met his father’s stern gaze and finally loosened his grip slightly, clearing the way for Su Cheng to enter the room.

Su Cheng, observing the subtle movement, paused for a moment before smiling at Fu Shiyan and saying, “Thank you, elder brother-in-law, for making way.” He then strode confidently toward the front of the house, where Yan Jin and the others were handing Fu Shiyan red envelopes and cigarettes.

With the door closed, Meng Ling blocked the entrance, asking for the red envelopes.

After overcoming numerous obstacles, Su Cheng was now unable to contain his desire to see Ji Meng quickly.

Last night, to adhere to tradition, he had slept in the new house. The two hadn’t been apart for a long time, and suddenly separating, even if it was just for one night, left him eager to reunite.

Hearing that Meng Ling wouldn’t open the door and was asking for the bride price, he didn’t hesitate and stuffed all the remaining red envelopes from his pocket through the crack in the door.

The amount of red envelopes was quite pleasing. Meng Ling and Aunt Lai, who were short in stature, quickly opened the door with smiles on their faces, allowing Su Cheng to finally see his beloved bride.

A woman on her wedding day is the most beautiful, and there is no room for any objections.

When Su Cheng laid eyes on Ji Meng, his heart was completely captivated by her, every frown, smile, glance, and slight pout held his gaze firmly.

At this moment, he thought that with her by his side for life, he would have no regrets.

He stared deeply into her eyes, watching her shyly lower her gaze and occasionally steal glances at him. Moments later, he took a few steps forward, lifted her in his arms, and whispered in her ear.

“Mengmeng, I’ve come to take you home.”

Their home, where they would truly be a married couple, spending their lives together, just the two of them, until they grew old together.