Chapter 324: White-Haired, Never Parted
Firecrackers crackled and popped—not just one string, but three in a row. Below the stage, Second Uncle and Second Aunt Niu were completely numb with shock. The county secretary was here to officiate the wedding. ‘What kind of family *is* this?’ they wondered. ‘Did Guizhi have the luck of the gods and marry into royalty?’
Looking at the three new couples on stage, Chen Yanmei, who was at the very front of the crowd next to Secretary Jiang and the others, couldn’t stop wiping away tears of joy. Beside her, Zhao Dashan also sat with reddened eyes. He had been brought here on a sled by Zhao Wenjun and Zhou Mancang, just so he could witness his two sons’ weddings in person.
Next to them were Zhao Wendong’s grandparents, elders like Third Master, Granny Liu, and Grandmaster Ai, and other relatives from the family. On the other side were his buddies, who kept winking and making faces at Zhao Wendong on the stage.
“First, bow to the ancestors!”
After Zhao Weiguo’s shout, a large portrait was carried out, and Zhao Wendong and the other five bowed to it three times.
“First bow: to Heaven and Earth!” Zhao Weiguo shouted again.
The six of them turned and bowed deeply three times to the world around them. The guests below the stage burst into applause. Little Tuanzi jumped up and down, chanting, “Third Brother’s getting married! Third Brother’s getting married!”
“Second bow: to the parents!”
Zhao Wendong and Lin Zhiyin went to the edge of the stage first. They bowed three times to Zhao Dashan and Chen Yanmei, and then three times to Lin Huaimin and Wang Lulu. All four parents beamed with gratified smiles and nodded at them. From Zhao Dashan and Chen Yanmei’s perspective, for their son to find such a beautiful wife was an absolute windfall. As for Lin Huaimin and his wife, they couldn’t have been more pleased that their daughter had found such a capable and sincere son-in-law.
Chen Yanmei remembered how just a short while ago, they didn’t have enough to eat and her youngest son was unconscious with a high fever. She had been at her wit’s end, and it had all felt like a bad dream. Seeing their happy life now, she found her tears were endless.
“Third bow: the couple to each other!”
Zhao Wendong and Lin Zhiyin faced each other and slowly bowed. Their eyes met, filled with deep affection.
Zhang Dadan and the others started heckling good-naturedly, “A hug! A hug!”
The chanting grew louder and more synchronized. Lin Zhiyin, a smile blooming on her face, reached her arms out to Zhao Wendong. He stepped forward and pulled her into a tight embrace. In that moment, it felt as if the two of them owned the entire world.
“Yeah!”
Everyone cheered. Jiang Weimin and Former Secretary Tao were also smiling and applauding gently, completely sharing in the people’s joy.
Next up were Zhao Wenwu and Jin Xiuying, followed by Zhao Ergou and Niu Guizhi. All four were also urged to hug. Zhao Wenwu swept Jin Xiuying up by the waist and spun her around several times. Zhao Ergou and Niu Guizhi just shared a quick, gentle hug, which left them both blushing beet-red and drew waves of good-natured laughter from the crowd.
“Normally, this would be when we escort the newlyweds to their bridal chamber, but today is different! Comrade Zhao Wendong has prepared a grand banquet for all his friends and family, so the next step isn’t to the bridal chamber, but to the mess hall!”
“Hahaha!”
It was a rare moment of humor from Zhao Weiguo, and everyone laughed. Zhao Wendong gave him a thumbs-up. The simple wedding ceremony was now over. But even this simple ceremony surpassed what ninety-nine percent of people had in this era, because most people didn’t hold weddings at all.
Former Secretary Tao sighed in a low voice, “This was well designed. It has a sense of ceremony without wasting time or being extravagant. Very good!”
“Mm, yes. It’s very well done.”
Jiang Weimin’s eyes were filled with approval. He had been worried that Zhao Wendong might go overboard and make a huge spectacle, but he hadn’t expected such a concise yet dignified ceremony. It respected the current social climate while adding as much solemnity to the wedding as possible.
Everyone moved to the mess hall, where seating had already been arranged. The bride’s family and the leaders were given priority seating, followed by those who had traveled from afar. As for the local villagers and their own family members, they were seated for the later meal service.
Inside the production team’s public mess hall, each table was already set with a few small dishes of pickled vegetables and a plate of cold tossed mountain wood ear mushrooms.
“Whoa, these wood ear mushrooms are good stuff! Comrade Wendong, you really spared no expense.”
Zhao Wendong was pleased by Jiang Weimin’s reaction. ‘If even the county secretary is praising me, it wasn’t a waste to bring out these treasures.’ “Since the leaders are here, we must of course be good hosts.”
Next came a classic Northeast dish: pickled cabbage stewed with meat. There weren’t many glass noodles; it was served with potatoes instead. At this time of year, every household had a potato cellar, and the production team grew a lot of them, so Zhao Wendong had plenty. Add to that fish and fried sparrows, and the spread was nothing short of impressive. For the leaders’ table, there was also an extra basin of Forest Frogs and a basin of loach paste—a little something extra from a private stove.
All the dishes were served directly in basins. There wasn’t as much variety as at the New Year, but there was definitely enough to fill everyone up. Tao Dongdong had also come along. He had been behaving himself and sticking close to his father, but now he really couldn’t hold back.
“Holy shit, Brother Dong, this is fucking awesome! Wood ear mushrooms, sparrows, Forest Frogs—this is all rare stuff!”
“Haha, Dongdong, if you like it, eat up! Come, come, Secretary Jiang, Former Secretary Tao, Brother Wang, please, have a seat.”
Zhao Wendong gestured for them to sit. If Tao Dongdong was this surprised, one could only imagine the guests at the other tables. Second Uncle and Second Aunt Niu were already starting to look anxious and out of place. In contrast, their children’s eyes were shining with excitement. If the parents hadn’t been holding them back, they probably would have started grabbing food with their hands already. But the people of Dragon King Pond were a cunning bunch; they’d set the banquet but hadn’t handed out any bowls or chopsticks yet. This, of course, was Zhao Wendong’s idea.