Chapter 66

Zhang Chaoyang saw that Xu Di’s parents had softened, and he was truly relieved.

As for his grandmother’s suggestion to get married before he returned to his unit, he felt it was a bit too soon.

They arrived at a nearby state-owned restaurant. Zhang Chaoyang led them into the private room he had reserved.

This state-owned restaurant was one of the larger ones in Beijing, with two floors.

The first floor didn’t have private rooms, just rectangular tables. The private rooms on the second floor were all the same, large round tables that could seat ten people.

There were six of them, so it wasn’t crowded at all.

Zhang Chaoyang had ordered the dishes in advance, and the waiter had already started serving them.

State-owned restaurants at this time were nothing like the restaurants of decades later. The service and food were incomparable.

“Uncle, Aunt, they have red-braised pork and braised carp on the menu today. Try them.”

Zhang Chaoyang poured a glass of wine for Xu’s father and poured himself one too.

The others didn’t drink. Zhang Chaoyang slowly sipped with his future father-in-law.

Grandma Qian kept serving Xu’s mother and Xu Di food. She used public chopsticks, not her own.

Aunt Wang took care of herself. She knew both sides well, so she chatted warmly, keeping the atmosphere light.

Everyone enjoyed their meal.

Xu’s father wasn’t a heavy drinker. He only had one glass of wine, and they didn’t refill.

Grandma Qian saw that everyone had finished eating. She looked at Xu’s parents.

“Xu Di’s parents, thank you for not objecting to Xu Di, such a good girl, being a couple with our Chaoyang.

I have a suggestion. Listen to it.”

Xu’s mother didn’t know what Grandma Qian was going to say. She glanced at Xu Di, who was also confused.

“Because of Chaoyang’s job, no one knows when he’ll have another vacation.

I was thinking, maybe we should have them get their marriage license. What do you think?”

“Marriage license?”

“Get married?”

“So fast?”

Everyone, including Aunt Wang, was surprised. Although couples nowadays got married quickly after meeting and liking each other.

But Chaoyang had just come back, and the two families had only met once. This was too fast.

“I know, you’ll all think it’s too fast. You want them to get to know each other more.

But the truth is, Xu Di has to work, and they don’t have many opportunities to get to know each other.

Even if they go out every weekend, how much can they learn in a short time?

I was thinking, if they get their marriage license, then even if Chaoyang can’t come back, Xu Di can still visit him.

Most importantly, Xu Di and Chaoyang have confirmed their relationship. Slowly, everyone will know.

But who knows when Chaoyang will be back on his next vacation? Xu Di will be gossiped about. It won’t be good for her.

If they get their marriage license, Xu Di will be a military wife and will be protected.”

Grandma Qian had seen this happen before. The man was in the army and couldn’t come back. His partner was alone, facing all kinds of suspicion, and it almost led to a tragedy.

Xu’s father and mother seriously considered Grandma Qian’s words. They felt she had a point.

The distance was too far, north and south.

Zhang Chaoyang’s job was special. No one could guarantee that he would have a long vacation next year.

If he didn’t come back, Xu Di would be alone here. Officially, she would have a boyfriend, but she wouldn’t see him. She couldn’t get married, and gossip was inevitable.

As for Xu Di, she didn’t mind. It could be sooner or later.

If they got married now, with a little effort, they might be able to have a child.

She was nineteen years old, not young anymore.

In this life, she wanted two children, regardless of gender.

One would be a bit lonely, three would be too many. She was afraid she wouldn’t be able to take care of them. Two would be just right.

It was 1972. Before the college entrance exams were reinstated, she could give birth to a child. After the college entrance exams were reinstated, the child would be older and could go to kindergarten.

It would be much easier for her to take care of them.

The more Xu Di thought about it, the more feasible it seemed. She secretly calculated her menstrual cycle to see if she had a chance to get pregnant before Zhang Chaoyang left.

Everyone didn’t know what Xu Di was thinking. They just saw her smiling happily, and they knew. This girl wanted to get married.

Xu Di had actually calculated that she would be ovulating before Zhang Chaoyang left, so the chances of getting pregnant would be high.

“Aunt Qian, what you’re worried about could happen. As parents, we don’t want our daughter to get hurt.

But getting married, isn’t it too soon? Will we have time to prepare?”

Xu’s mother also understood. Xu Di agreed, Zhang Chaoyang was a good person, and Grandma Qian was reasonable. As parents, they couldn’t stop them.

“We have time. The house I live in is a three-bedroom apartment. I cleaned it up last summer. It’s very bright inside.

I have coupons for a sewing machine, a bicycle, a watch, and a radio.

I don’t have a TV coupon for now, but I have a TV at home. It was bought less than two years ago, and it’s still quite new.

As for furniture, Xu Di can take a look herself. If she needs anything, she can go to the department store and buy it. I have coupons.

At this moment, Grandma Qian was like a wealthy landlord, with money and coupons, very extravagant.

“Grandma, I also saved some.”

Zhang Chaoyang knew his grandmother’s financial situation. She had been waiting for this day for a long time.

“I know, give yours to Xu Di. She’ll need it for her life later.

I’ve been exchanging coupons with people every year for this day, afraid they would expire.

Thanks to Xu Di. Otherwise, I would have had to fiddle around for a few more years. It would have been a hassle.”

Grandma Qian’s words reminded Xu’s mother and Aunt Wang of when they were preparing for their sons’ weddings. It wasn’t easy.

“Aunt Wang, will it be too late for Chaoyang’s unit?”

“It’ll be fine. Send a telegram. Special circumstances, special treatment. Ask them to expedite it. They’ll approve the marriage report.”

Grandma Qian knew the process, and she also had Old Wang’s connections. It wasn’t a problem.

“Aunt Wang, when I came back, our regiment commander said that as long as we could solve our personal problems, he would take care of everything else.”

Zhang Chaoyang felt a pang of sadness. Their unit had tough conditions, and it wasn’t easy to get married.

Their political commissar was worried sick. There were so many bachelors. What to do?

“Why is your regiment commander so eager?”

Xu Di didn’t understand. Did the leader also have to manage marriage and childbirth?

“Our unit has tough conditions. We can’t transfer with our spouses. There are many older unmarried officers. The regiment commander and political commissar are worried to death.

The brother units call us the Bachelor Regiment. How could our regiment commander and political commissar not care?”

“That’s true. If Chaoyang didn’t have a good grandmother, and if Xu Di wasn’t afraid of hardship, we wouldn’t have agreed.

Being separated for years, and having to live with in-laws and sisters-in-law, not many parents would agree to their daughter’s marriage like this.”

If it hadn’t been for Grandma Qian, Xu’s mother wouldn’t have agreed to Xu Di’s marriage.

“Chaoyang, listen to what your aunt said. You have to thank your grandmother. Otherwise, you would have been a bachelor too.”

Aunt Wang also thought so. If she had a daughter, she wouldn’t agree either.

“I know. My grandmother is my most solid rear support. In the future, Comrade Xu Di will have to work hard too.”

Zhang Chaoyang stood up and gave his grandmother and Xu Di a salute.

Their marriage was basically settled. Zhang Chaoyang would go file the marriage report in the afternoon.

Aunt Wang would discuss the dowry with Grandma Qian. Xu Di also had to think about what she needed to buy.

As for Zhang Chaoyang’s parents and grandfather, Grandma Qian planned to inform them before the wedding.

Zhang Chaoyang didn’t expect things to go so smoothly. He didn’t expect that he would be ending his bachelorhood after taking a vacation.