The villagers who picked up the candy were very embarrassed.
Everyone loves to take advantage, and how rare were wedding candies…
“That’s embarrassing. There are no wedding receptions around here these days…”
It’s not a good idea to rush the ceremony.
“It’s fine, we are all from the same village. Everyone watched me and Xiaolu grow up. If you feel sorry, just bless us more.”
As he said so, everyone could only accept it with joy.
He also said, “As the saying goes, people are in good spirits at happy events. It’s true. Changze you’re looking a lot more energetic.”
Ji Changze laughed so hard that people knew that he was very happy at first glance, “That’s right, I’ve been fond of Xiaolu since I was a kid, and now I’m finally the happiest I’ve ever been, to marry her!”
His attitude of attaching importance to it made the villagers who were still whispering in their hearts feel that they were thinking too much.
Ji Changze really liked An Xiaolu.
Yes, An Xiaolu used to be the object of affection for the young boys around half the village.
They laughed and took the candy, but when Grandma An came back, they refused to talk about ‘Ji Changze would abandon An Xiaolu’.
They took someone’s wedding candy; how could they still have the nerve to talk about them behind their backs?
She won’t believe it anyway, and when Ji Changze’s wedding day comes, she’ll have to say more unfavorable things about An Xiaolu.
Even if it doesn’t change the fact that An Xiaolu is marrying a good man, she’s going to make him disgusted too.
Ji Changze was up early in the morning, dressed to the nines.
Father Ji also wiped his cigarette pouch clean and joined his wife in the new clothes his youngest son had bought for them.
Mother Ji has been fretting today, and following her husband’s lead in speaking every now and then.
“Tell me, both sons are married now. Later, they would have their own families, leaving the two of us.”
Mother Ji spoke with sour eyes, “Why am I so reluctant? Changguang too. Married a wife, and won’t listen to me. Changze is so sensible now, but maybe in the future …”
Mother Ji spoke in sadness, “In the future, Changze won’t do whatever I tell him to, but whatever his wife tells him to.”
Father Ji corrected her, “Changze didn’t do anything you told him to do before either.”
The child is lazy, so they could never get him to move.
After thinking about it, he added: “Xiaolu is mute, she can’t speak.”
She pinched her husband, but wasn’t sad anymore. She angrily went out of the door and raised her voice, as if she had deliberately spoke to Ji Changze, pulling him to talk:
“Changze, get up! Come on, let Mom tell you, when you get married, you must care for your wife, don’t let your wife be wronged. Make way for her, but don’t be like your father.”
Ji Changze nodded his head and looked obedient, “I’ll listen to Mom.”
Seeing that her son was so obedient, the last bit of resigned sorrow in Mother Ji’s heart also faded:
“Go on, brat. You’ll be your wife’s from now on.”
Ji Changze laughed at her: “It was Xiaolu who married me. She is coming to our house, not my wife’s, it’s Xiaolu who comes to our family. You have gained a daughter. Are you happy?”
She blamed Ji Changguang, that brat. He obviously married a wife but ended up staying at his wife’s parents’ house, causing her to get carried away as well.
Why is she so sentimental when it’s that good girl Xiaolu who came to their house?
Mother Ji suddenly straightened up, her chest stood up, and she looked very high-spirited.
“Let’s go!! Mom is taking you to pick up your wife!!”
Nowadays, many of the old marriage customs are difficult to get rid of.
They were simple, and directly invited someone who could play the suona in the village. Ji Changze lead the group of people playing instruments while beaming, towards the An’s house.
(TNote: Suona = also called laba or haidi, is a Chinese sorna (double-reeded horn). It has a distinctively loud and high-pitched sound, and is used frequently in Chinese traditional music ensembles, particularly those that perform outdoors.)
There were also things carried in the back, and a bicycle was pushed to show how much the bride was valued.
The bride was received without incident, and there was no horse or cart, so the party arrived at Ji’s house.
An Xiaolu was wearing a red dress today, her skin was as white as snow, which was very beautiful. Her eyes are full of happy smiles.
Mother Ji and Liu Huifen both stood beside her with their eyes full of fondness, one on each side, and pulled her in with a warm embrace.
Father An and Mother An were also behind. Mother An came out with her sick body. When her daughter got married, she had to see it. Seeing her daughter so well-liked by her mother-in-law and sister-in-law with her own eyes, she was relieved and smiled more.
She said to Father An, “Husband, what you said is true. Our Xiaolu is really blessed. Look at how much her mother-in-law likes her.”
In fact, he was uncertain, that is, just comforting his wife.
Unexpectedly, the Ji family actually gave face.
When he was happy, Father Liu suddenly discovered that Grandma An had followed them.
She was on crutches and was mouthing off.
There was a look of rejection on her face.
However, when he saw Grandma An step forward and opened her mouth: “An Xiaolu, she …”
“Xiaolu and Changze are really made for each other! The man is handsome and the woman is pretty!!”
A vague male voice suddenly rang out of nowhere.
Then a slightly tapering male voice echoed: “Yes, Xiaolu is beautiful and a high school student. Ji Changze is good-looking and could make money. It must be a long-lasting marriage.”
“Happily, and blissfully!”
“These two are good people and good natured, they will be able to live well in the future!”
Ji Changze, who was being made fun of by several of his peers, had an embarrassed look on his face and raised his voice:
“Come on people, I just handed out some wedding candy, didn’t I? No need to compliment us like that.”
The crowd who hadn’t thought to praise them: Oh, yes, they received the wedding candy.
How can you not boast a few words when you take someone’s stuff?
As a result, all kinds of blessings and compliments literally overflowed throughout the house.
Grandma An, whose words were drowned in the blessing several times, “…”
She covered her chest, and her eyes suddenly turned black.
Third Brother Zhang, who was mixed in the crowd and spoke a few more words, found that he was completely useless, so he emerged from the crowd.
He also gave a few passing glances at the livid (and exasperated) Grandma An with a strange look.
He knew that Grandma An had been bad to An Xiaolu:
“Don’t come out if you’re not feeling well on this big day, I remember Brother Changze didn’t invite you.”
Grandma An: “… who cares!”
She went home on crutches with a stifled breath.
She was so angry, furious to death.
Third Brother Zhang saw that she was gone, and strolled in front of Ji Changze, boasting, with a flattering face:
“Elder Brother Changze. You see how well I’m doing?”
Ji Changze praised him with a smile: “Keep up the good work, you can do it.”
It so happened that An Xiaolu blushed and was brought over by Mother Ji, who looked pleased with herself and addressed her daughter-in-law.
“Xiaolu, you see, the whole village knows about our good character, and everyone praises us so sincerely.”
“The great leader said that the eyes of the masses are bright, and I see that the eyes of our village are especially bright.”
Saying that, Ji Changze looked to the side again and introduced Third Brother Zhang to An Xiaolu; “You remember him, don’t you? He just admired my character and came to work with me, right Third?”
Third Brother Zhang: “Err …”
He looked at the pure curious clear eyes from An Xiaolu, and was a little embarrassed to lie.
Ji Changze turned and smiled at him, “By the way Third, you can receive an advance on your salary, but I have to approve it.”
Third Brother Zhang: “!!!”
“Yes, yes, yes!!! Sister-in-law, Brother Changze is right, I simply admire his character!!!”
He gave a thumbs up, “Brother Changze’s character.”