Having enough food to eat and clothes to wear was already a blessing. How could one afford to be picky?
Whenever the Jiang Family opened their door, the neighbors would pretend they were looking for Aunt Yuan, happen to pass by, and then, feigning surprise that the gate was open, casually turn in to greet the new residents.
"Oh my, your Little Jiang is just so exceptional! Getting his hands on Vice Director Yuan’s house before even starting a family... Their vegetable garden was amazing, you know, producing more than their family of seven or eight could eat. They even had extra to give away." The unspoken implication was clear: if the young couple had leftovers, they should consider sharing with their neighbors.
"You’ve even painted the walls! They look brand new. And my, all this furniture and these decorations... you’re quite particular, aren’t you? Even putting a floral cloth on the table..." ’Don’t people have enough trouble finding decent clothes to wear? Putting a cloth on a table just to get it oily is a complete waste. Such a petty bourgeois mindset!’
The Jiang Family just smiled and didn’t take the bait. There would be plenty more for the neighbors to be jealous of in the future.
Amid the hustle and bustle, time flew by. On the ninth day, Jiang Yihua and Chi Yun’er went to register their marriage and take their photos, then stopped by the department store to buy a few things.
"Let’s go home and get some rest tonight. Our relatives will definitely be here before dawn tomorrow."
"We’re hosting relatives for lunch, and then in the afternoon, we have to entertain our friends. Who knows how late it’ll go," Jiang Yihua said, his gaze filled with warmth and affection.
They say a man should be full of ambition, with aspirations as grand as a rainbow spanning the heavens. But he felt that for a man’s life to have meaning, he needed someone to fight for, to protect, a place to anchor his heart. Only then could he truly speak of ideals and ambitions.
And in that process, his achievements would only be greater than before.
Chi Yun’er smiled softly and nodded, turning to look at the house under the lights.
She had only moved here when she started elementary school. It was the only place she could truly call home.
But from now on, she and Jiang Yihua would have a new home. Then they would have their own little baby, completing a new cycle of life.
"Brother Hua, from now on, let’s support each other, talk everything over, and live our lives earnestly, okay?" Chi Yun’er tugged on his sleeve, looking at him with that obedient, expectant, and pitiful expression he could never resist.
"We’ve gone through so much to be together, and we’ve been blessed with so much good fortune. It wasn’t easy at all. I cherish the fate that brought us together and the love between us."
"I want to grow old with you. Let’s not let other people or any messy complications tear us apart, okay?"
Jiang Yihua stroked her head. "I will always be right behind you. As long as you need me, I’ll be there. Silly girl, I’m even more reluctant to let go than you are."
"Besides," he said with a low chuckle, "you’re the only woman I’m not allergic to. That must be a sign from heaven. Do you think I’m so stupid that I want to die alone?"
"Alright now, what on earth is going through that little head of yours all day?"
Mrs. Chi smiled and poked her on the forehead. Before she could even speak, her eyes welled up with tears.
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