DreamersGN Chapter 522 Visiting the Lu Family
Chapter 522 Visiting the Lu Family
When Huang Yuejuan saw Lu Xiaoqian following her, she no longer dared to throw a tantrum.
It would be terrible if that brat blurted it out.
The story got distorted as soon as it was told.
The consequences could be very serious.
She wasn't trying to argue with Lu Yao; she was just jealous.
She didn't want others to know what kind of relationship she had with Lu Yao.
If you love him, you must protect him.
Moreover, once this relationship is exposed, he may lose Lu Yao forever.
He quickly got dressed, and with a smile on his face, he put his arm around Xiaoqian and they came out together.
Huang Yuejuan was the most popular person in the production team.
Ding Dahu was no exception; he was very polite to her.
During the meal, he specifically told Huang Yuejuan that he was going to Lu Yao's house for a blind date the next day and invited her to come along.
Huang Yuejuan also appeared magnanimous, always smiling and cheerful, showing no sign of feeling upset.
Yuan Shumei glanced at Lu Yao and Ding Mei, wishing she were the shy, smiling girl sitting next to Lu Yao.
Lu Yao, on the other hand, did not seem to show much romantic sentimentality.
Having arranged the blind date for tomorrow, Ding Dahu and I began discussing the development of the production team.
He also said that once things develop further, he might take Ding Mei to the city, and he even gave up the production team leader position to Ding Dahu.
Ding Dahu was so happy that he kept filling Lu Yao's cups with wine.
Lu Yao chuckled to himself.
I thought to myself, once the household responsibility system is implemented, even if you become a team leader, you'll be a commander without any real power.
However, Ding Dahu is so obsessed with officialdom that if he develops his career in the future, it might satisfy his vanity.
After finishing their meal, everyone walked out together, and Yuan Shumei stayed at the Ding family's house again.
She's going on a blind date tomorrow, and she's going with Ding Mei.
Lu Yao also said that he would come to pick her up tomorrow.
There happened to be a car at that moment.
This era advocates diligence and thrift, so there's no such thing as using a car to pick someone up and drop them off.
In rural areas, brides are usually married by horse-drawn carriage, while in the city, many brides carry flowers, and the wedding procession with the dowry walks on foot.
Lu Yao drove Grandpa Zuo, Xiao Ying, Mom, and Sister back home.
That night, Jiang Guizhi tossed and turned, unable to sleep.
She secretly shed tears.
I miss Lu Chuan.
If only the child's father were alive, he would be overjoyed to see his son so successful.
I got up early and started tidying up the house.
Zuo Xiaoying also came over early and helped tidy up the house.
Lu Xiaoqian was in charge of roasting melon seeds and taking out frozen pears and persimmons to thaw.
After breakfast, Lu Yao was sent to pick up Ding Mei.
Jiang Guizhi also went out to inform the neighbors and asked them to come and be witnesses.
Lu Yao went out.
Today is the ninth day of the first lunar month.
The festive atmosphere of the New Year has faded a little.
However, the Lantern Festival (January 15th) is just around the corner, which is also a festival that people attach great importance to.
Although we were poor at the time, we had a strong sense of ritual.
They eat certain things for different festivals and observe certain customs for each festival, celebrating each traditional festival meticulously.
The wealthy have lived rich lives, and the poor have lived poor lives; no one takes holidays lightly.
The jeep was grass green and made a clanging noise when it drove.
But in Northeast China in 1974, being able to sit in it and "observe the household" was a matter of the highest prestige.
When the car stopped in front of the Ding family's house, Ding Dahu was already waiting, wearing a cotton-padded coat.
He rubbed his hands together, walked around the jeep without saying a word, but his eyes shone with light.
A large crowd had already gathered in front of Ding Dahu's house. Everyone knew that Lu Yao had gone on a blind date with Ding Mei, and they all had to come to witness it.
As soon as Lu Yao got out of the car, everyone started congratulating him.
Huang Yuejuan was also in the crowd, and only Lu Yao could understand the look in her eyes.
Ding Dahu turned around and shouted loudly into the yard:
"Little Meizi, Tuwazi is here."
The daughter-in-law, Xie Chunfang, pulled her daughter, Ding Mei, out. Ding Mei was wearing a red plaid wool coat and a white scarf, and her little face was rosy.
Following behind was Yuan Shumei, who was wearing a military overcoat.
Lu Yao was standing at the car door.
Xie Chunfang looked him up and down as if she were seeing him for the first time.
He thought to himself: This kid is really handsome!
Ding Mei, unlike her usual outspoken self, appeared shy and timid.
She didn't dare look him in the eye, only staring at the new cotton shoes on her feet.
She was now able to put down her crutches and walk slowly.
The Ding family got into the car, Lu Yao drove off, and the villagers followed them.
Every household in Jiapigou came out and headed for the Lu family.
Firstly, there's nothing to do during the first month of the lunar calendar, and secondly, both the Lu and Ding families are prominent figures in Jiapigou. Who wouldn't be interested in a marriage between these two families?
Everyone wants to come and see.
The jeep rolled along the frozen, hard snow track.
No one spoke in the carriage; only the sound of the wind and the engine could be heard.
Yuan Shumei was quite generous, teasing Ding Mei and Lu Yao appropriately.
This girl was quite shrewd. She liked Lu Yao and still had the image of him trembling in the back seat yesterday in her mind, but she didn't show a trace of jealousy on her face.
She was genuinely happy for Xiao Meizi.
Human emotions are so complex; they are not as direct as those of animals, where good is simply good and evil is simply evil, without any concealment.
Contradictory mindsets may be limited to humans.
The sun was already high in the sky.
Many villagers and neighbors now live under the old elm tree in front of Lu Yao's house.
As soon as the jeep arrived, the children ran after it, clapping their hands and shouting, "The new bride is here!"
As soon as the car came to a stop, Jiang Guizhi came out to greet her.
Today I specifically wore a dark blue overcoat over my cotton-padded coat.
Yuan Shumei bought it for her during the Chinese New Year, but she hadn't been willing to wear it until today.
Lu Xiaoqian hid behind her mother, also beaming with joy.
"Come inside quickly, it's cold outside," Jiang Guizhi said, pulling Xie Chunfang's hand.
The courtyard was packed with people, both inside and outside.
Grandpa Zuo's smiling face was as bright as the terraced fields as he helped serve the guests.
Zuo Xiaoying helped entertain the guests, carrying a bag of freshly roasted sunflower seeds and distributing them to everyone; the seed shells were still warm.
Upon seeing Ding Mei, he couldn't help but exclaim enviously, "The bride is so beautiful!"
Second Uncle Lu Ming and Second Aunt Zhang Shulan stood at the front of the crowd.
Zhang Shulan craned her neck to see what the Ding family was taking off the car—two net bags filled with canned food and steamed rice cakes, and Ding Dahu was carrying two bottles of liquor tied with a red rope.
"Let his second uncle and aunt come in too," Jiang Guizhi invited.
Zhang Shulan exclaimed "Hey!" and stepped forward to take Ding Mei's hand:
"This girl is really pretty!"
But his eyes darted toward the tin cans in the mesh bag.
The Ding family was the wealthiest family in Jiapigou, so the gift was quite generous.
Thinking back to when I got engaged, my family was poor, and my family members came to the Lu family empty-handed.
It's not surprising, though, since the Lu family was poor and didn't even have sunflower seeds.
It's embarrassing, and not many neighbors came.
Lu Ming wasn't as open and honest as those country bumpkins. It was summer then, and he kept staring at her thighs under her skirt with his lewd eyes.
I didn't know what I saw in him back then. All I knew was that it was an arranged marriage, and girls have no opinions of their own.
She glanced at him but didn't dare say a word to Lu Ming.
We only gradually became familiar with each other after I married into the family.
I remember on our wedding night, I took off my coat and sat on the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed), not daring to look at Lu Ming.
The first thing Lu Ming said to himself was, "Take your pants off too."