Back to the small fishing village in 1982

Chapter 1525 Marriage Certificate

It was rare for him to have a good night's sleep, but the next day Ye Yaodong was woken up early as usual.

Outside, the noise of children, the hawkers' cries, and the sound of firecrackers can be heard incessantly. The New Year is approaching and the festive atmosphere is particularly strong.

Ye Xiaoxi was also calling him constantly, and he could hear the voice in the yard.

"Dad, Dad, get up, Mom is calling you to put up the couplets, get up quickly..."

She shouted from outside to the bed and even pulled off his quilt.

"Dad, you should get up soon. You are so lazy. If you don't get up soon, the sun will burn your butt."

Ye Yaodong pressed the edge of the quilt tightly and shrunk his head inside, "Don't make noise, I'll get up soon."

Ye Xiaoxi pulled twice, but there was nothing he could do, so he ran out, but came back in after a while.

"Dad, are you sure you can't get up?"

Ye Yaodong stuck his head out impatiently and wanted to scold a few more words, but he felt something hitting him on the head.

I turned around and saw it was a horn.

I woke up instantly from my doze and sat up quickly.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm calling you to wake up. My brother asked me to use the loudspeaker to call you."

He snatched the speaker from her hand and said, "If you dare to be so naughty, I'll beat your ass."

"Hey, I'm just here to scare you. I'm not bragging. I'm not stupid. My brother will only give me bad ideas to get me beaten. Mom is calling you to go out and put up the couplets."

"understood."

Ye Xiaoxi grabbed the plastic trumpet she bought from Shanghai and went out to play happily.

When Ye Yaodong got up and put on his clothes, he could hear her playing the trumpet outside, which was so noisy.

Lin Xiuqing was already waiting for him with a bowl of paste, "Then your daughter called you for a long time but you couldn't get up."

He yawned, "I'm so tired. I slept too late yesterday and don't want to get up."

"Go to sleep for a while after dinner."

"It's so noisy, either setting off firecrackers or blowing horns, how can I sleep?"

"Who told you to buy her a trumpet? You can't get up early in the morning and play it every day."

Lin Xiuqing smeared the paste on the back of the couplet and asked him to hold it. After it was evenly spread, he pasted it on the wall and the door.

"The weather is quite good during the Chinese New Year this year, but it rained during the Chinese New Year last year."

“That’s not good.”

"It's pretty good. I hope it can last until the fifth day of the New Year. Otherwise, if... bah, there's no if. If the weather is good then, it will be easier to celebrate the birthday. Listen to the weather forecast more often these two nights."

"Ah."

Ye Yaodong put up the couplets before washing up and eating.

Looking at the wolfdog squatting at the door to bask in the sun, he walked over, touched the dog's head, and then pried open its teeth to take a look.

"Okay, you're not going to be in a bad mood anymore?"

Lin Xiuqing smiled at the door and said, "It lay listlessly on the ground for several days, and only started to walk out of the yard yesterday. Your daughter talked to it, but it ignored her for several days, and it ignores her now."

The wolfhound stood up and licked the palm of his hand, then continued to squat and bask in the sun.

Another wolf-dog and other local dogs were walking around, avoiding the children's firecrackers.

They could obviously stay farther away, but these dogs just liked to stay close to Ye Chenghu and Ye Chengyang. They would only hide for a while when they heard the sound of firecrackers, and then return to them.

"He's quite temperamental."

"I wonder how long I'll be angry?"

"Are the chickens and ducks tied up in the yard going to be killed?"

"Yes, I was thinking of waiting for my father to come and kill him, but he hasn't come yet."

"Let me do it. You go and boil some water first."

"Go catch two rabbits on the hillside behind you and fry them in the evening. Then send a bowl to your eldest brother, second brother, and Huimei."

"Well, these rabbits are not raised in vain. Two rabbits give birth to a litter, which is enough to feed them."

"Haha, if it weren't easy to raise, and if it wasn't a living thing that could be eaten as meat, I would have killed it long ago. It's stinking dead, and it can reproduce again. It can produce a whole litter in a month or so."

"Spring is here, and I am more fertile now."

"Let's kill them and eat them while we're raising them. I'm wondering if I should kill them all for my birthday in a few days. Just keep two."

Ye Yaodong refused outright, "No, keep it for yourself. Chicken, duck, fish and meat are enough."

"OK then."

"Ye Xiaojiu, Ye Xiaojiu, catch the rabbit, Ye Xiaojiu..."

"Why did you call her?"

"Let her choose which one she wants to eat."

"There are so many things to do. I will cry in front of you later. Just eat it. Why do you have to ask her to choose?"

"You have to let her feel a sense of involvement. Otherwise, if she says this can't be killed and that can't be eaten, will you still keep her raising it?"

Ye Xiaoxi came running back upon hearing the news, "Dad, what are you doing? Catching rabbits? Are we going to the mountains?"

"Go up the mountain, you idiot. Go to the back door and catch two for the New Year's Eve dinner."

"Ah, you're going to kill my little rabbit again..."

"Then do you want to eat it? If you don't, I'll catch it myself and you can't eat it after I fry it."

"Yes! If you want to eat it, I can choose it myself. You can't choose my Xiaobai."

Ye Xiaoxi skipped towards the back door, and Ye Yaodong followed her with a sack in his hand.

"Why don't I see you sad? You seem quite happy?"

"Ah? Is there any?"

"Yes, my mouth is watering."

Ye Xiaoxi laughed and said, "No."

"How's your erhu learning going? Can you play it for me later?"

"No."

"Then, during the New Year's Eve dinner, can you play some music to liven things up?"

"No."

"So what did you learn?"

"I learned a lot of fun."

"..."

Ye Yaodong also imitated Lin Xiuqing's usual behavior and poked her forehead fiercely, "When did you become so eloquent and respond to every word you say?"

"No way, it's you who asked me and I answered."

Ye Xiaoxi rubbed his forehead which was hurt by the poking, stood in front of a pile of wooden rabbit cages and started turning around, intending to pick out the two ugliest ones.

"Just this gray one and this gray-white one. They're so ugly."

"So after eating these ugly ones, we can eat the white ones?"

"After eating these ugly ones, I'll eat my sister's little gray ones!"

"When will you eat yours?"

"I have to save mine for having a baby and I can't eat it."

"Sustainable development, just eat it and let your descendants eat it?"

"That's right." Ye Xiaoxi nodded, unscrewed the screws, opened the cage and caught it.

Looking at his skillful movements, he felt that he had caught a lot of rabbits. When talking about eating rabbits, it seemed that she was about to drool. She didn't look like she was crying like before.

Now tears are flowing out of my mouth.

After Ye Xiaoxi caught the two rabbits and threw them into a sack, she wanted to carry them herself. He helped her twist the mouth of the sack, then put it on her back and asked her to carry it back to the yard.

She was curious and wanted to watch him kill the rabbit, but Ye Yaodong drove her away and said he had to kill the chicken first.

If I saw this, I wouldn't be able to eat anymore and would burst into tears again.

While Ye's father was plucking the feathers from the chicken's neck, he slowly came over.

"Are you going to kill me now? Do you want me to do it?"

"Then come here, the hair is plucked, you come and wipe it."

"Okay, you came back last night?"

Father Ye picked up the kitchen knife. The gold ring on his hand was shining brightly, and he also had one on the other hand.

Ye Yaodong joked, "Didn't I hear that it was taken away by my mother?"

Father Ye said angrily, "She usually does rough work and goes out to sea, so it's fine that she doesn't let me wear it, but she also doesn't let me wear it during the New Year holiday. I'll scold her to death. Those little bastards can't keep any secrets. They told me about it as soon as they came back, and they spread the news one by one. They all came to me to ask for hush money, but they couldn't keep their mouths shut."

"There are two more rabbits in the bag. You can kill them together later."

"Well, the old lady is having a birthday party on the fifth day of the first lunar month. There will be more than 60 tables. I thought I would just kill the rabbits, sheep, and geese at home and add two bowls."

"Kill the sheep. There's no room to release them. Keep the others for yourself. It'll be enough for the chickens and ducks to catch two of them."

"That's okay..."

The father and son sat together discussing the birthday party for the entire morning without delaying the work at hand.

The chickens, ducks and two rabbits have all been killed and plucked.

Lin Xiuqing was also there preparing dishes in the morning. I heard that Ye's mother was killing fish and making fish balls in her hometown, and all the adults in the family were very busy.

Every household is so busy, slaughtering chickens and ducks at the doorstep and preparing for the New Year's Eve dinner. Only the children are carefree, without any worries. They don't need to help. They just happily play around and wait for dinner.

New Year’s Eve dinner is women’s job, so men are only busy for the whole morning. After killing the poultry, they have nothing to do, so they start to organize a party. It happens to be sunny today, which is suitable for playing cards while basking in the sun.

However, in the afternoon, I heard that there was a commotion in Haozi's family.

They were sitting there playing cards, far away and not running around, so I couldn't really see clearly, but the boys had nothing to do but had nothing to do.

Ye Chenghai and Ye Chengjiang didn't want to play with their younger brothers and sisters, so they went out to look for friends. They were bored and wandered around, and happened to run into them. After watching the fun, they were still not satisfied.

"Uncle San, there's a big show going on at your friend's house again. It's so lively, wow, wow, wow..."

"It feels like I can hear their plays every year, especially during the Chinese New Year..."

Ye Yaodong finished playing the cards in his hand and stopped playing. "We haven't been in contact for long, what happened now?"

"We passed by halfway and saw a lot of people gathered there, so we went over to see what was going on. They were all fighting, and the woman was calling the man heartless..."

"I heard from the neighbors that his wife was worried about him being away from home all year round, and after they got the divorce certificate, they didn't get a marriage certificate. His wife asked him to get one after the Chinese New Year."

"Then the man refused, saying that they had lived together just fine for more than a decade without a marriage certificate. He also said that he was busy and would be going out to earn money in two days."

"His wife asked him for money again, and he only gave her 200 yuan. That's when things started to get serious. We heard them swearing at each other. The woman called the man heartless, and the man told the woman to be content, saying they were divorced and he could still let her live here."

"Tsk tsk tsk tsk, the man's face was scratched in an instant, and then the man slapped her. The two started fighting, and the woman even took out a kitchen knife. Fortunately, there were people around to hold them back, otherwise they would have been beaten to death."

"They live together without a marriage certificate, so are they considered a couple?"

"You're divorced, why are you still living together?"

Mrs. Ye said, "What do you two know? You have been together for more than ten years and are from the same village. How can a divorce certificate separate you?"

Mrs. Ye also agreed, "Yes, what use is that certificate? The whole village knows that they are a couple. Even if they don't want to separate, they can't be separated with a piece of paper. Both families are in the village."

Ye Chenghai said: "I heard that the man has made a lot of money, so giving him 200 yuan is too much. I heard that he didn't come back all year."

"The first two years were even more outrageous. It seemed like in the first year after his divorce, he made some money and brought home a young and beautiful daughter, but he didn't even know his divorced wife was still living at home. Then they had a fight, and later on the three of them could sleep in one bed. That was also amazing." Ye Yaodong added.

"Fuck!" Ye Chenghai was shocked. "Three people sleeping together, is that so awesome? Sleeping in the middle?"

Mrs. Ye glared at him, "Why is the kid asking so many questions?"

"I'm still a child? I'm already 20, and you keep asking me to get a wife and calling me a child, so don't introduce me to one."

Ye Chengjiang patted his shoulder, "Don't you know? I've heard everything."

"I don't know. Maybe he ran away somewhere."

Ye Yaodong asked, "What happened next? They were holding kitchen knives, and they were pulled apart. What happened next?"

"Then she started crying, and while crying she scolded the man for being heartless, saying that she managed the household and raised the children for him, but he didn't give her a penny all year round, and he just spent his time out drinking and partying, and so on."

"Neighbors around her advised her to be more open-minded and also advised the man to take care of his family and send some money to his wife to support the children."

"It seems that after Secretary Chen's mediation, they said that they would remit 500 yuan a year for the child's living expenses, and then they would not get the marriage certificate. That's what they said."

"Mom, is it okay for them to not have a marriage certificate?" Ye Chenghai asked curiously.

"How would I know? Your father and I don't have a marriage certificate. It shouldn't matter. The whole village knows that they are a couple. It should be a minor quarrel and it will be fine after it's over."

Ye Yaodong said: "It's different. If they haven't obtained a divorce certificate, then it's considered a de facto marriage. After all, they have lived together for many years, and the law recognizes it. Many of the older generation don't have a marriage certificate, which is normal."

"But they have received a divorce certificate, which means their relationship has broken down. Their de facto marriage is over, and they will not be protected by the law if they continue to live together. Even if the man becomes wealthy and has a lot of money, the woman will not get a share."

"Moreover, a man can find another woman to register for marriage. It is useless for his ex-wife to continue to rely on his family. The new wife is legal."

Ye Chengjiang: "Fuck, that chicken flies and the eggs are broken."

Ye Chenghai: "Isn't it? She stays at home like a nanny, taking care of the elderly and children, and has no money. As a result, the man marries another wife outside, and it's legal, and she can have more children."

The three sisters-in-law suddenly felt a sense of crisis and stared at their men.

Even Ye's mother stared at Ye's father, "What are you talking about? Your father and I don't have a marriage certificate, so is it legal for him to find another woman outside? Can he have more children?"

Father Ye was terrified by her stare, "Stop talking nonsense, who is looking for a woman outside? I am already old, why should I have a child?"

Mrs. Ye said to Ye Yaopeng, "Let's go get the marriage certificate tomorrow. We can't do without it. What if you find someone else outside? What will I be at home?"

Mrs. Ye also agreed, "Yes, let's go get the marriage certificate tomorrow. Don't think that you can get rid of your old hag when you become rich."

"What are you talking about? Are we such people?"

"That's right, don't believe everything you hear, they are just that..."

Father Ye said, "Just now we were talking about a village. How can a piece of paper restrain us? Why are you talking like this now?"

Ye's mother scolded, "That's what you say, but what if he really has some bad intentions? Having a certificate will at least give you some assurance."

Ye Yaodong also quickly explained, "You heard me wrong. I said that they have already obtained a divorce certificate, so they are officially separated. Even if they live together, it is not considered a de facto marriage and is not protected."

"You haven't divorced, so you are a legal couple, and the state recognizes your marriage."

Mrs. Ye asked quickly, "Then the country will recognize us even if we don't have a marriage certificate, right? If he gets a marriage certificate with another woman, that would be against the law, right?"

"No...no..." Ye Yaopeng waved his hands quickly.

Ye Yaodong said affirmatively: "Yes, you have lived together as a couple for so many years. If he gets married with another woman, he will be guilty of bigamy and will be arrested."

Ye's father, Ye Yaopeng, and Ye Yaohua all felt nervous after hearing this. It was bigamy and they would be arrested... It felt like the words were coming down on them, as if they had really committed this crime.

They all felt a little wronged. Why did the fire burn them? It was obviously none of their fault.

Mother Ye said with some worry: "Then you should go get a certificate. It will make you feel more at ease if you have the certificate in your hand. Otherwise, if you really go get a certificate with someone else, you will have one at home and one outside. You will be so angry."

The sisters-in-law, including Aqing, nodded as well.

Originally, every family lived like this. There was no such thing as a marriage certificate in the past. They would just hold a banquet to let everyone know, then move in, and the couple would live together.

Now it sounds so complicated. A couple living together are not considered a couple. The law does not recognize it and they need a certificate. I feel a sense of crisis instantly.

Ye Chenghai reminded them, "Tomorrow is the first day of the Lunar New Year, and the marriage registration office is closed."

"What time do you go to work?"

"How would I know? I don't live there. Why don't you go ask in a few days?"

Ye's mother muttered, "We've lived together for most of our lives, and we still have to get a certificate. What's this?"

"It's okay if you don't get the certificate..."

Ye Yaodong felt that he was looking for trouble. Why did he bring this up? Now he had to explain it with great effort.

"That won't work. Nowadays, people have to get a marriage certificate to be legal. Your father and I don't have a marriage certificate, so isn't that illegal? We've lived together for half our lives, so that won't work. People are old and can't keep their integrity in their old age. We have to get a certificate. We have to get one. We have to crawl over there to get one."

"Do it, do it, do it. You say so and I'll do it." Father Ye was too lazy to argue.

"Then wait until the birthday party is over, and then go to the city to ask when to go to work."

Mrs. Ye said, "His wife looks pretty miserable. She lived a good life but she even applied for a divorce certificate. Now, it's illegal. They are no longer considered a couple even if they live together. What if she gets married again outside? We have to make room for her."

Mrs. Ye: "Forget about vacating the position, but I still can't get a penny. I'm getting old."

Lin Xiuqing: "Luckily it's out now. The man knows he can't get married without a marriage certificate, but he's still unwilling to get one. If he had waited until he was 50 or 60 and found out he was the illegal one, and the other person's children were grown up, what would have happened? He would have nothing left and would have waited himself to death."

"You are such a jerk," Ye's mother scolded. "You are such a piece of shit. After all, it's been more than ten years. At least you have money now. You should give some to your wife and children."

"You don't even want to get a certificate, and you don't even want to pay me. You're just trying to use me as a free babysitter. Why don't you take a piss and look in the mirror to see if you're worthy enough?"

"He may look ugly, but he has beautiful thoughts. The red flag is flying high at home, and the colorful flags are flying high outside. And it's legal."

"God must have been blind to let this man get rich. If he comes back in poverty, I wonder if he will still have a wife to serve him..."

Ye's mother scolded the man in a very proud manner and cursed him with a lot of dirty words.

"Don't associate with him. He is such a wicked person..."

"Don't be so long-winded. We don't have any contact. You are the only one who has too much to do. I am away from home all year round, and he is away from home all year round. We have never seen each other. There is no point in having any contact."

Mrs. Ye: "If you ask me, you should find someone to marry as soon as possible. Why hang yourself on this crooked tree? It's not like you can't have children. Just find someone else. As long as you can have children, there will still be someone who wants you."

Mrs. Ye: "Yes, knowing that this man has no conscience and won't get married, why bother to waste time here and your youth. While you are still in your 30s and can still have children, find another one quickly. In case you find someone like Lao Pei like Widow Ma, you can have another son and have money to spend..."

"Yes, all the money went to Widow Ma. Who wouldn't say she's lucky?"

……

Several women were carrying plates of food, picking vegetables and gossiping at the same time, talking excitedly with saliva flying everywhere.

It's mostly gossip about other people's families, which is exciting to listen to.

The men continued playing cards.

After Ye Yaodong stood up, he stayed there, hooking his arm around Ye Chenghai's shoulder and chatting.

"Good boy, I guess I'll have to make an appointment to see you next time. We can't even meet until New Year's Eve."

"Uncle San, aren't you insulting me by saying this? I was able to see you because I made an appointment. You are so elusive. I heard that you came back more than a week ago, but I only saw you now."

"Too busy. Have you found a date yet? How many dates do you have in a day now?"

Ye Chenghai pulled him away and said, "I'm telling you, don't tell my mother. The daughter of the director of our shipyard runs into me every day and keeps blushing when she talks to me. I think she's interested in me."

"Should we act quickly? Ask her out for shopping, movies and ice skating?"

"I'll think about it."

"What are you still thinking about?"

"I'm worried that his family won't agree. After all, I'm just a poor boy from the countryside."

"How can I be poor? Wait, after the New Year, I will take all the boats in our family to your factory and ask your factory to send a few technicians to inspect them for me."

"what?"

"Just do it!"

It just so happens that some of the small boats are quite old and can be repaired.

The big ship is relatively new, but it’s okay to check it out. After all, he plans to go to the deep sea next year, so it’s better to inspect it in advance.

There are no ship inspection certificates now, and there are few large ships, so it all depends on the voluntary inspection and maintenance by each unit.

The laws and regulations are not perfect, and there are no hard and fast rules.