“I—I got it,” she stammered, unable to meet Zhao Zhigao’s gaze any longer. “I have things to do at home, so I’ll be going now.”
“Oh, oh, alright, Comrade Cheng, you go ahead.”
Zhao Zhigao was more than eager to see her leave. Once she was gone, he felt his whole body burn with embarrassment. Only he knew what he had gone through hearing those words straight from Brother Huai’s mouth.
If the sky had come crashing down at that moment, he doubted it would’ve felt any more earth-shattering than that.
Was this really the same cold and distant Brother Huai he knew? People always said that when a man falls in love, he undergoes a complete transformation. Apparently, there was some truth to that after all.
Their brief encounter ended just as quickly as it began, making it seem as though they had done something scandalous.
Meanwhile, the true culprit behind it all was completely unaware.
After being picked up by the car, Zhou Yinghuai went straight to the county’s post and telecommunications office and dialed a number.
It was unclear how many times the call had to be transferred or how many times his identity had to be confirmed. But just as his patience was about to wear thin, the line finally connected.
“Hello,” a steady voice answered from the other end.
Zhou Yinghuai’s previously relaxed expression grew more serious, and he immediately responded, “It’s me.”
“Have you read the document?”
Hearing this, Zhou Yinghuai instinctively glanced at the yellow envelope in his hand. He had personally broken the seal on its cover, and he had already gone through its contents. So, he simply gave a faint “Mm.”
“What do you think?”
For people in their position, one misstep could lead to complete ruin, even the destruction of their entire future. He had to think carefully about whether he was willing to take unnecessary risks for a woman he hadn’t known for long.
Neither spoke for a while, and the atmosphere grew heavy with silence.
Then, Zhou Yinghuai slowly opened his mouth again.
“…Dad.”
With just that one word, Zhou Zhihong immediately understood his son’s decision. Sure enough, the very next second, a firm reply echoed in his ear.
“Come have a drink at my wedding banquet sometime.”
A faint smile appeared at the corner of Zhou Zhihong’s lips, a rare glint of satisfaction flashing through his eyes. I didn’t raise him for nothing.
“If I have time, I’ll come.” Did they really think he was free all day, with nothing to do but sit around in his own little world?
Despite the gruff remark, his tone softened just a little as he added, “Remember to call your mother and your brother.”
“Alright.”
Zhou Yinghuai’s lips curled slightly. After offering a brief reminder to take care of his health, he hung up.
Two grown men—there wasn’t much to talk about.
With this matter settled, Zhou Yinghuai looked up at the still-overcast sky, feeling incredibly refreshed.
More than anything, he wanted to share this moment of joy with her.
But not yet—there were still things to take care of.
Once everything was settled, he would give her a proper surprise.
Qiuqiu, wait for me.
—
“The groom has entered the village!”
A group of children cheered as they ran alongside the wedding procession, eagerly shouting auspicious words. Before long, their pockets were stuffed full of the sweets distributed by the groom, and their grins stretched so wide that they could barely close their mouths.
Over at the bride’s house, news of the groom’s arrival had just reached them. The previously orderly atmosphere instantly became somewhat chaotic.
“Sister Qiuqiu, I’m so nervous.”
Cheng Xiaohua sat atop the bright red wedding quilt, her fingers intertwined, anxiously fidgeting. “Do I look okay?”
She had already asked this question countless times. Cheng Fangqiu couldn’t help but chuckle and reassured her effortlessly, “Don’t worry. Just wait—you’ll dazzle the groom so much he won’t know where to look.”
The straightforward remark made Cheng Xiaohua blush. She pouted and shot Cheng Fangqiu a playful glare. “I’m not dressing up just for him to see.”
“Alright, alright. You’ll dazzle everyone.”
“Sister Qiuqiu!”
Cheng Xiaohua bit her lip in embarrassment but, thanks to the lighthearted exchange, her nerves eased significantly.
Cheng Fangqiu smiled. She wasn’t lying—today, Cheng Xiaohua truly looked breathtaking, completely different from her usual delicate, demure self.
She wore a set of traditional attire made from the fabric they had bought in the county town. Every stitch had been personally sewn by her mother, Chang Chunlan. In this era, most housewives knew some needlework, but skill levels varied greatly. Fortunately, Chang Chunlan was among the best.
The brick-red fabric had been tailored into a Chinese-style dress. Given the conservatism of the times, Cheng Fangqiu had suggested modifying it into a skirt-pants combination—an outer skirt covering a pair of long trousers. It retained the elegance of a skirt while ensuring not a single inch of skin was exposed.
Golden silk threads embroidered butterfly-shaped knotted buttons around the collar, intricately layered and beautiful. The cuffs were adorned with delicate tassels that conveniently covered the slight fleshiness of Cheng Xiaohua’s arms.
The tailored waistline accentuated her figure, making her look slender without being overly seductive. At a glance, she was simply stunning.
That morning, Cheng Fangqiu had woken up early just to style Cheng Xiaohua’s hair. Her skilled hands deftly arranged an elaborate yet elegant updo—something she had picked up from backstage makeup artists during a fashion week event. She never expected it to come in handy here.
With no makeup products available in the countryside, she carefully shaped Cheng Xiaohua’s eyebrows. Fortunately, in this era, people had naturally thick hair, so a little grooming was enough to enhance her features.
Since Cheng Xiaohua had slightly dry skin, Cheng Fangqiu even took out the precious snow cream that Zhou Yinghuai had gifted her and split half of it for her sister to use at her in-law’s house. This gesture moved Cheng Xiaohua deeply—after all, snow cream was a luxury item. Few rural women could afford it, let alone willingly give half away.
Yet, here her Sister Qiuqiu was, gifting her half a box!
Seeing Cheng Xiaohua on the verge of tears, Cheng Fangqiu immediately scolded her, which promptly made her behave.
For lipstick and blush, they used red window paper1Red window paper (红窗纸, hóng chuāng zhǐ) is a type of traditional Chinese decorative paper that is often used for window decorations and festive occasions, especially during weddings, the Lunar New Year, and other celebrations.—a trick commonly used in rural weddings. Since it was a one-time use and would be washed off by nightfall, they figured it wouldn’t harm her skin too much. After some discussion, the two sisters ruthlessly decided to go for it.
The results were surprisingly stunning. The delicate red hue added a touch of charming allure to Cheng Xiaohua’s features. Her large eyes shimmered, her nose was elegantly upturned, and her lips bloomed in a vivid red—like a peach blossom in full bloom on a spring branch.
Before they could say much more, the wedding procession arrived at the door. Both sisters immediately fell silent, listening to the lively commotion outside.
The groom first spoke a series of auspicious words before having his friends hand out red envelopes to those blocking the door. After several rounds of teasing and bargaining, they finally managed to “break through” and enter the room.
But the moment the groom and bride locked eyes, the once confident and imposing groom suddenly seemed to lose all his wits. He stood there dumbfounded, staring at his bride as if struck speechless.
It wasn’t until his close friend nudged him forward that he snapped back to reality, face flushing as he stepped up.
This was Cheng Fangqiu’s first time seeing Cheng Xiaohua’s official husband.
To be honest, he wasn’t particularly handsome, but he had an air of righteousness about him—a face that radiated a sense of security and stability. Moreover, his actions today had already demonstrated his reliability and quick thinking.
Most importantly, the two of them truly loved each other.
That was enough.
Smiling, Cheng Fangqiu playfully demanded a red envelope. She pretended to weigh its contents before offering her blessings and letting him take his bride away.
After all the lively ceremonies at the bride’s house, it was time to head to the groom’s village. Naturally, Cheng Fangqiu had to go along. The groom’s home was in the neighboring village—not too far, but standing the whole way was exhausting.
By the time all the formalities were nearly completed, the sky had already darkened. The crowd of guests had thinned, so Cheng Fangqiu excused herself and headed to the outdoor banquet tables to finally sit down and eat.
Ding Ximei was also at the banquet. She had been quick to save a bowl of good food for Cheng Fangqiu. Seeing her wolfing down her meal, she couldn’t help but feel a pang of sympathy. “Aiyo, weddings are exhausting—not just for the bride, but for the helpers too.”
“Isn’t that the truth? But as long as it’s a happy occasion, it’s worth it,” Cheng Fangqiu responded cheerfully, grinning as she continued to devour her food.
Just as she was finishing up, a voice suddenly chimed in from the side.
“You two must be from the bride’s side, right?”
A friendly-looking auntie sat down beside Cheng Fangqiu, smiling warmly as she greeted them.
Not wanting to appear impolite, both mother and daughter quickly acknowledged her with a nod. Seeing that she was likely an important relative from the groom’s side, they remained respectful.
After exchanging a few pleasantries about the wedding, the auntie suddenly changed the topic. “If you hadn’t told me you were mother and daughter, I would’ve thought you were sisters instead! You’re both so beautiful—truly enviable!”
There wasn’t a woman alive who didn’t love hearing such compliments, and Ding Ximei was no exception. Her eyes immediately crinkled into a delighted smile. “Oh, you’re too kind! It’s not that exaggerated.”
“I’m just speaking the truth,” the auntie chuckled, covering her mouth before shifting her gaze toward the next table. “Daughters are wonderful, so considerate. Unlike my useless son—he still hasn’t brought home a wife, and it’s driving me crazy!”
Following her line of sight, Ding Ximei and Cheng Fangqiu instinctively turned their heads. There, they saw a young man diligently cleaning up tables and chairs, his movements swift and efficient.
Whether he was truly hardworking or just putting on a show was another matter altogether.
“It’s not even time to clean up yet—why is he already packing up the tables?” Cheng Fangqiu commented with a half-smile, a trace of amusement flashing in her eyes.
The auntie’s face stiffened for a split second before she coughed lightly. “Well, at this point, there probably won’t be any more guests arriving…”
But before she could even finish speaking, a loud inquiry suddenly rang out from the direction of the entrance, where the guests’ gift money was being recorded.
“You sure you want to give this much?”
The speaker was the groom’s older brother, who was in charge of keeping the accounts. His voice trembled slightly as he stared at the stack of large-denomination bills in his hand.
“Mm.”
The man across from him furrowed his brows slightly. Was it too little?
“Uh… okay then. Whose name should I put down?”
“Cheng Fangqiu.”
The moment she heard her name, Cheng Fangqiu’s heart trembled. She snapped her head around abruptly and caught sight of a tall, slender figure standing with his back to them, pen in hand, carefully writing on the account book.
“Zhou Yinghuai!”
The man’s writing hand paused mid-stroke. Then, as if reacting instinctively, he spun around in an instant.
Their gazes collided in midair.
Cheng Fangqiu’s throat tightened, and before she knew it, her eyes had reddened.
Realizing her own loss of composure, she quickly turned her head slightly, wiping the corner of her eyes in an attempt to conceal the emotion welling up within her.
“Qiuqiu.”
Zhou Yinghuai swiftly finished writing and strode toward her.
Yet, with so many people around, they both forcibly restrained the surging emotions in their hearts. Instead, they simply exchanged a smile, eyes speaking louder than words.
Standing beside Cheng Fangqiu, Zhou Yinghuai turned to Ding Ximei and politely greeted her, “Auntie.”
“When did you get back?”
Ding Ximei took in the reactions of her daughter and Zhou Yinghuai in full detail. Shaking her head with a half-exasperated, half-amused sigh, she inwardly scolded, These two have no backbone. Just a few days apart, and they act as if they’ve been separated by the four seasons.