The next day, Gu Jia Ning went outside and heard villagers gossiping that Bao Shan Yan had taken Wen Zhuqing to the county town to register their marriage.
It seemed Bao Shan Yan had heeded her advice.
With the temporary removal of Wen Zhuqing, that scoundrel, Gu Jia Ning's life became calmer, and she officially entered her pre-marriage phase.
During this time, Huaihua Village was bustling for two days due to the year-end pig slaughter and pork distribution.
Of the 9 pigs, 5 were given to the commune, and the remaining 4 were slaughtered. That day, every household in the village received pork.
For those two days, every household's chimney in Huaihua Village was filled with the aroma of meat.
As the excitement subsided, the day of Gu Jia Ning's wedding arrived.
The Gu family had used half of the pork they received a few days prior, and the other half was used for today's wedding banquet. Second Brother hunted some wild chickens and rabbits to add to the dishes. There was enough food; they could exchange some with other families in the village.
It was a rare good day. Although it was winter and cold, the sun came out early in the morning. The women close to the Gu family arrived early, basking in the morning glow, to help prepare the dishes for the wedding banquet in the Gu family's kitchen. Everyone was chatting and laughing.
Gu Jia Ning, the bride, also woke up early and began getting ready in her room.
The red wool coat enhanced her complexion and figure. Gu Jia Ning bought it from the System Mall using points.
Red fabric was quite precious in that era.
Ready-made wool coats were even more rare.
Even going to the department store in the provincial city, it was basically impossible to buy one. After all, red was a festive color, a color everyone wanted.
As for the coat's origin…
Gu Jia Ning told her family that Sheng Ze Xi had sent it.
And if Sheng Ze Xi asked later, they were to say the Gu family had prepared it.
Previously, Sheng Ze Xi had come to take her to buy a wedding dress, but even after driving to the provincial city, they hadn't found a suitable one.
That's why Gu Jia Ning bought it from the Exchange Mall.
These necessities of clothing, food, housing, and transportation were sold very cheaply in the mall.
She not only bought the red wool coat but also a set of modern cosmetics.
It was her wedding day, in front of so many people. It was also a new life after her rebirth, so she naturally wanted to look beautiful.
Therefore, she refused her sister-in-law and some of her girl friends' offers to help her get ready.
Those cosmetics couldn't be seen by others.
Gu Jia Ning was proficient in makeup, and she finished in half an hour. She also needed to do her hair. She didn't plan to tie it up; she decided to braid it into a princess hairstyle.
No man could resist a woman's princess hairstyle.
As time passed, the aroma of food from the kitchen became more fragrant, and the villagers who came to the wedding banquet arrived one after another.
They gave gifts and offered their blessings. Happiness was evident on everyone's face.
The Gu family invited almost everyone in the village. The intellectual youths from the Intellectual Youth Point, except for one or two who were close to the Gu family and had not spoken ill of Gu Jia Ning, were also invited. This included Lu Weixian, the shy young man, and another quiet, hardworking female intellectual youth who had been in the countryside for a long time.
That female intellectual youth had given up on returning to the city. She had recently found a match with a young man from a family in Huaihua Village and had gotten engaged. She also planned to get married in a few days, just in time to celebrate the reunion year at home.
With the sound of a jeep approaching, the children who saw it from afar cheered and ran to report the news.
"He's here, he's here! The officer groom is here to pick up the bride!"
Many people came out to see.
The jeep stopped in front of the Gu family's house. The door opened, and a man in a crisp military uniform, with strong eyebrows and bright eyes, stepped out with long legs.
Grandfather Sang and Grandmother Sang had come to witness their grandson's wedding. They had been staying at the hotel and were unwilling to go back, just waiting for this day.
After Sheng Ze Xi got out of the car, they were helped out as well.
"Today is the day I, Sheng Ze Xi, marry my wife. Villagers, everyone have some wedding candy to celebrate!" Sheng Ze Xi took out several bags of candy he had prepared earlier and began handing out candy at the entrance as Grandfather Sang and Grandmother Sang entered the Gu family home.
Anyone who offered their blessings, whether old or young, received candy.
Sheng Ze Xi wasn't stingy, giving several pieces to each person.
Candy was a scarce item in this era, loved by everyone, especially children.
So, the children kept saying auspicious words. Even some one- or two-year-olds, who couldn't speak clearly, seeing their older brothers and sisters get candy…
also stammered an auspicious phrase in front of Sheng Ze Xi. Their big eyes fixed on the candy in Sheng Ze Xi's hand. When Sheng Ze Xi put the candy in their hand, the child immediately showed a smile revealing a full mouth of small teeth, showing off to their grandmother beside them, "Candy, candy, sweet~"
After all the candy was distributed, Sheng Ze Xi entered the Gu family home.
He saw Gu Jia Ning, dressed in red, come out of the room.
The moment Gu Jia Ning appeared, everyone gasped.
Beautiful, truly beautiful!
Bright and charming, pretty and lovely, like a blazing fire, leaping into everyone's heart, warming the entire winter.
"Our Ningning is even more beautiful than city girls. I've never seen anyone more beautiful than her."
"That's right, those female intellectual youths from the city can't compare."
"No wonder Officer Sheng is so attached to her."
"Our Ningning and Officer Sheng are… what's that word again?"
The shy Lu Weixian, who also saw Gu Jia Ning, was stunned for a moment, then subconsciously added, "A perfect match, a match made in heaven."
"Yes, yes, that's it! A perfect match, a match made in heaven. Your culture is so good, Little Lu."
After realizing he had been praised, Lu Weixian blushed, but his eyes shone brightly.
Father Gu held Gu Jia Ning's hand and placed it in Sheng Ze Xi's large palm.
"Little Xi, I'm entrusting Ningning to you. You must cherish her. If you dare to treat her badly, our entire Gu family won't agree, we won't let you go." Father Gu's eyes were red.
As the head of the household and the pillar of the family, Father Gu was usually reserved and not good at expressing his emotions.
But undeniably, the person he loved most was his daughter, Gu Jia Ning.
Now, his daughter, whom he had raised for 17 years, was about to get married. He couldn't bear to let her go.
Only his spouse knew that lately, he had been having insomnia. Thinking about his precious daughter getting married and having to follow the army to the Northwest, possibly not seeing her for a whole year, made him uncomfortable. He had even cried secretly several times, but he didn't need to tell Ningning about this.
"