Chapter 38: The Wedding and Banquet

The next day, when Gu Jianing stepped outside, she overheard villagers gossiping that Bao Shanyan had taken Wen Zhuqing to the county seat to have their photo taken and register their marriage.

It seemed Bao Shanyan had taken her advice to heart after all.

With that scoundrel Wen Zhuqing temporarily out of the picture, Gu Jianing’s days became much more peaceful, and she officially entered the “waiting to be married” phase.

During this time, Huaihua Village was bustling for a couple of days, thanks to the annual pig slaughter and pork distribution at year’s end.

Out of nine pigs, five were handed over to the commune, and the remaining four were slaughtered for the village. That day, every household received a share of fresh pork.

For those two days, the chimneys of every house in Huaihua Village filled the air with the mouthwatering aroma of meat.

Once the festivities died down, the day of Gu Jianing’s wedding finally arrived.

Half of the pork the Gu family received had already been eaten; the other half was reserved for today’s wedding banquet. Her second brother had also gone up the mountain to hunt some wild chickens and rabbits to add to the feast, and they managed to swap for a few more dishes with other families in the village.

It was a rare and beautiful day. Although it was winter and bitterly cold, the sun rose early in the morning. The Gu family’s close friends and relatives arrived at dawn, making their way straight to the kitchen to help prepare the banquet dishes, chatting and laughing as they worked.

As the bride, Gu Jianing also got up early to get ready in her room.

Her red woolen coat set off her complexion and figure beautifully—a prized purchase from the system’s shop, bought with her points.

Red fabric was a rare luxury in this era.

A ready-made woolen coat in red was even more of a treasure—almost impossible to find, even in the provincial department stores. After all, red was the color of celebration, and everyone wanted it.

As for where the coat came from, Gu Jianing told her family it was a gift from Sheng Zexi.

If Sheng Zexi ever asked, she’d say her family had prepared it.

Previously, Sheng Zexi had come to take her wedding dress shopping, but even after driving all the way to the provincial capital, they couldn’t find anything suitable.

So, Gu Jianing ended up buying one from the exchange shop.

Everything she needed for daily life was sold cheaply in the shop.

She didn’t just buy the red woolen coat; she also picked up a set of modern cosmetics.

Today was her wedding day, in front of so many people, and it marked the start of her new life after being reborn. Of course, she wanted to look her best.

So, she politely declined her sister-in-law and some of the village girls’ offers to help her get ready.

She couldn’t let anyone see her cosmetics.

Gu Jianing was skilled at makeup, and finished in half an hour. She also styled her hair, deciding not to tie it up but to braid it into a princess hairstyle.

No man could resist a woman with a princess hairstyle.

As time passed, the delicious aromas from the kitchen grew stronger, and the villagers who’d been invited to the banquet arrived one after another.

They handed over their wedding gifts and offered their blessings, everyone’s faces beaming with joy.

This time, the Gu family had invited almost the entire village. Even most of the educated youths from the commune, except for one or two who weren’t on good terms or had spoken ill of Gu Jianing, were invited—like the shy young man Lu Weixian and another quiet, hardworking female educated youth who’d come down to the countryside early.

That female educated youth had already given up on returning to the city. Recently, she’d taken a liking to a young man from Huaihua Village, and they were already engaged. In a few days, she’d be getting married too, just in time to celebrate the New Year together.

As the sound of a jeep approached from afar, the children who spotted it ran over, shouting excitedly to spread the news.

“They’re here, they’re here! The officer groom has come to fetch the bride!”

Many people came out to watch.

The jeep stopped at the Gu family’s door. The car door opened, and out stepped a tall, striking man in a crisp military uniform, with sharp brows and starry eyes.

Grandpa and Grandma Sang had come today to witness their grandson’s wedding. They’d been staying at the hotel, reluctant to leave, just waiting for this day.

After Sheng Zexi got out, they were helped out as well.

“Today is the day I, Sheng Zexi, marry my bride. Everyone, please have some wedding candy and share in our happiness!” Sheng Zexi took out several bags of candy he’d prepared in advance. As Grandpa and Grandma Sang entered the Gu house, he stood at the door handing out sweets.

Anyone who offered their blessings, young or old, got a handful of candy.

Sheng Zexi was generous, giving several pieces to each person.

Candy was a rare treat in those days, loved by everyone, especially children.

So the kids kept coming up with auspicious phrases, and even the toddlers, barely able to speak, saw their older siblings getting candy and stumbled over to mumble a blessing. Their big eyes fixed on the candy in Sheng Zexi’s hand, and when he gave it to them, they broke into a toothy grin, showing off to their grandmothers, “Candy, candy, so sweet~”

Once all the candy had been handed out, Sheng Zexi entered the Gu house.

There, he saw Gu Jianing step out of her room, dressed in blazing red.

The moment Gu Jianing appeared, everyone gasped in awe.

She was stunning—truly breathtaking!

Radiant and charming, lively and adorable, she was like a blazing flame, warming everyone’s hearts and lighting up the whole winter.

“Our Ningning is even prettier than the city girls. I’ve never seen anyone more beautiful.”

“That’s right, even those educated youths from the city can’t compare.”

“No wonder Officer Sheng is so taken with her.”

“Ningning and Officer Sheng are just…what’s the word?”

The shy Lu Weixian, seeing Gu Jianing, was momentarily stunned, then blurted out, “A perfect match—talented man and beautiful woman, a marriage made in heaven.”

“Yes, yes, that’s it! A talented man and beautiful woman, a match made in heaven. Lu, you’re so well-educated!”

Lu Weixian blushed at the praise, but his eyes shone brightly.

Gu Jianing’s hand was placed by her father into Sheng Zexi’s large palm.

“Xiao Xi, I’m entrusting Ningning to you. You must take good care of her. If you ever treat her badly, none of us in the Gu family will ever forgive you.” Father Gu’s eyes were red.

As the head of the family and its pillar, Father Gu had always been reserved and not good at expressing himself.

But there was no denying that the person he loved most was his daughter, Gu Jianing.

Now, after raising her for seventeen years, she was about to be married off. He couldn’t bear it.

Only his wife knew that lately, he’d been losing sleep at night, thinking about his precious daughter leaving, heading off with the army to the far northwest, and how he might not see her even once a year. It made him miserable, and he’d secretly cried several times. But there was no need to tell Ningning any of this."