Traveling back to 1977

Chapter 487 Welcoming the bride
January 24th, the 16th day of the twelfth lunar month, Tuesday.

It was the day of great joy for Zhang Wenliang and Yang Xingxiu.

These days, city dwellers usually get married on Sundays or holidays, generally avoiding work hours. One reason is to avoid gossip about using work time for personal matters, and another is that if they host a dinner on a weekday, fewer people will come, resulting in a significant loss in gift money.

But it's different in the countryside. Every day is a workday and a holiday all year round. You can hold a wedding whenever you want... except for busy farming seasons such as spring plowing, double harvesting, and autumn harvest!

Choosing to hold a wedding at this time is not a good idea; people might gossip about you behind your back, or even curse your whole family to your face!
Zhang Wenliang chose a good time; although it didn't coincide with the idle winter in the north, it could still be considered a time of leisure.

So this day was exceptionally lively.

Almost every household in Team 5 sent people to offer their congratulations, and soon they occupied most of the brigade headquarters' courtyard.

Yes, using the brigade headquarters' courtyard for weddings and funerals is a tradition of Team 5 in Lujiawan, just like Team 10 in Lujiawan always holds weddings at the village school. It is a reasonable use of resources.

Zhang Wenliang was wearing a brand-new Zhongshan suit with a brand-new thick cotton coat over it, a Lei Feng hat on his head, and a cigarette in his hand, constantly offering cigarettes to the newly arrived guests.

If female guests or children came, the women of the Zhang family would come forward to distribute candy.

Once most of the villagers had arrived, people from other villages also gradually arrived.

The Zhang family is large, so Zhang Wenliang naturally has no shortage of people to help him, but he can't be considered a best man; at most, he's a "guest master."

Whenever a guest arrived, a member of the Zhang family would lead him inside, while Zhang Wenliang would step forward to offer him a cigarette and greet him. That was the end of the formality, and then they would wait for the next guest.

The guests from other squads were also carefully selected; they weren't just sent randomly. Usually, it was just the squad leader and the militia squad leader. The squad leader represented the squad, and the militia squad leader was Zhang Wenliang's subordinate, so it could be considered a semi-official, semi-private affair.

Soon after, Captain Yang of Team 6 and the militia squad leader arrived. After exchanging pleasantries, they were led into the courtyard.

The weather was quite nice today, with a rare sunny day. Our team members sat directly in the courtyard, while the squad leaders and militia platoon leaders from other teams were led to the back.

Captain Yang followed a member of the Zhang family into the temporarily vacated office and immediately saw Chen Fan sitting on the back of a chair, hands tucked in his pockets, watching the commotion through the glass.

Yes, many people born in the 70s and 80s should have sat like this. You stand on the chair first, then sit on the back of the chair with your body slightly leaning forward. You must not lean back, otherwise you risk falling.

The advantage is that you can sit high up and see far, with excellent visibility.

After entering, everyone dispersed to chat with others. Captain Yang, with a cigarette tucked behind his ear and dangling from his mouth, swaggered up to Chen Fan and asked, "You and Company Commander Zhang are such good friends, aren't you going out to help him entertain them?"

Chen Fan had already seen Captain Yang come in through the window. When he arrived, he first took out a cigarette and handed it to him, while smiling and saying, "I'm a guest today too. Captain Zhang has made arrangements. Today, I'm only responsible for helping with the wedding procession. I don't need to do anything else."

Captain Yang shook his head. "What a pity."

Chen Fan blinked. "What's a pity?"

Captain Yang said, "It's a pity we didn't ask you to cook. Your cooking is much better than Lao Liu's!"

Chen Fan pouted, "Haven't you eaten enough of what I made?"

Captain Yang laughed and said, "We don't eat that often."

He paused for a moment, then asked with a hint of curiosity, "I heard from Xiaoju that Huangli is learning cooking from you. A couple of days ago, she was thinking of coming over with Liu Jujiang to help out and gain some experience, but you rejected it. Why?"

Chen Fan shrugged. "If she wants to cook large-scale dishes, I certainly won't stop her. But if she wants to learn how to stir-fry dishes from me, then she can't come to learn. Otherwise, she'll mess up her basics and won't be able to learn any complicated dishes in the future."

Captain Yang became interested upon hearing this, pulled up a chair and sat down next to him, looking up to ask, "What's the story behind this?"

Chen Fan laughed and said, "You've eaten my cooking before, what's the difference between it and Liu Jujiang's?"

Captain Yang frowned slightly, thought for a moment, and said, "Yours tastes a little better."

Chen Fan's lips twitched slightly. "That answer is actually correct."

After a pause, he patiently explained, "It's actually very simple. Cooking large pot dishes doesn't require very precise knife skills, and the taste requirements aren't high either. Generally speaking, as long as the food is cooked through and flavorful, it's considered acceptable."

If you watch Chef Liu cook, you'll see that he cuts such a big potato in half with one stroke, and even throws smaller ones into the pot whole. He also uses the same seasonings, regardless of whether they are meat or vegetables, hot or cold. It's just a few kinds of seasonings, only the cooking methods are different.

Some ingredients need to be stir-fried, some need to be braised, some need to be deep-fried, and some need to be pan-fried. Once all the ingredients are prepared and cooked until flavorful, they can be plated and served.

Captain Yang listened and thought, nodding repeatedly. "That's how it is. When he prepares a banquet, he pours seven or eight kinds of ingredients into a wooden basin, then washes them twice with water, drains them in a sieve, and then haphazardly cuts them into chunks or strips. The same goes for meat and fish; they're either in large chunks or large slices, with the main focus on quantity and strong flavor, and the key is to make them go well with rice."

As he spoke, he looked up at Chen Fan and said, "The dishes you make are different. The potato shreds are cut as thin as sewing thread, the cucumber slices are even with sharp edges, the meat is also sliced ​​thinly and in small pieces, and the meat shreds, tsk tsk, I can tell from the effort that it took, it's rare that you cut them so finely."

Chen Fan chuckled twice. "So, stir-frying is very different from cooking in a large pot. It starts with knife skills. If you break the foundation at the beginning, it will be difficult to correct it later."

Since Huang Li is learning to cook from me, I naturally have to be responsible for her. Although we don't have many ingredients right now, and she only has three meals a day to practice, I can ensure that her skills are solid. Once her knife skills are up to par, I'll teach her how to identify and process ingredients.

Upon hearing this, Captain Yang was slightly taken aback. "Shouldn't we be teaching how to cook?"

Chen Fan laughed again, "After learning the basics, if you go straight to learning to cook, that's the way a chef does it. He just makes whatever dishes his master teaches him, without his own ideas, and he can't innovate, or he doesn't innovate much."

To become a good chef, one must understand ingredients and comprehend why chefs in the past paired ingredients in a particular way to create innovative dishes. Only then can one innovate and continuously improve based on the characteristics of various ingredients.

At this moment, Captain Yang felt he understood something. “I remember when I was teaching literacy classes, the literacy teacher from the commune talked about something about fish and fishing. One is to give fish directly, and the other is to teach students how to cast a net first and let them catch fish themselves. It seems to be the same principle as your teaching method?”

Chen Fan chuckled and nodded, "Yes, it's better to teach a man to fish than to give him a fish."

Captain Yang pointed at him and nodded repeatedly, "Yes, yes, that's it."

He took a drag of his cigarette and grinned, "When I came out, Lao Huang was worried that you might have a problem with Huang Li, thinking that her offer to help Liu Jujiang chop vegetables might have upset you. Now he can rest assured."

He told Lao Huang to rest assured, and he himself felt relieved.

Xiao Chen is indeed a dedicated teacher who teaches his apprentices. Yang Mei is learning winemaking from him, and she will definitely be more successful than Lao Tang from Team 7 in the future!
The two chatted for a while about the team's income this year, when a member of the Zhang family outside started calling out, "Comrades, dinner's ready!"

As soon as he finished speaking, a group of people carrying trays served food to the guests sitting in the courtyard.

Chen Fan had overheard their wedding ceremony. In the morning, they greeted the guests, but there was no formal banquet at that time; the guests were simply served a bowl of noodles.

Of course, it could also be steamed buns, porridge, and fried dough sticks, but it won't be too lavish.

This welcoming ceremony is actually a two-way reception, with the man and woman each receiving their relatives and friends at their respective homes.

After having breakfast with relatives and friends, wait until around 9 a.m., but this depends on the auspicious time and the distance of the wedding procession.

When the auspicious time arrives, the groom's family can go out to welcome the bride.

There's a specific custom to this wedding procession: "Don't take the same route back."

Sometimes, even if the two families live next door, the bride must go to the groom's house first, and then take a long detour back to the groom's house. Or the other way around is fine, but in any case, the original route cannot be taken.

The implication is that once a woman marries, she will never "return to her parents' home." This "returning to her parents' home" doesn't mean she can't go back to her parents' home, but rather it implies a divorce.

Chen Fan squeezed into a group of squad leaders, quickly finished two bowls of noodles, and then smoked a few cigarettes while holding a teacup. Seeing that the auspicious time had arrived, Zhang Wenliang hurriedly came to invite him.

The groom must personally arrange for the wedding procession to depart; no one else can do it on his behalf.

As Zhang Wenliang shouted, everyone in the courtyard sprang into action.

Chen Fan took the lead and walked out, and everyone automatically moved to both sides to make way for him.

Once outside the courtyard gate, the cleaned jeep was parked at the entrance, the warm sunlight shining on it, giving it a shimmering glow.

Chen Fan opened the car door and got in. He stretched his body a few times, coughed twice, and said, "Driver, get in."

Zhang Wenliang grinned from ear to ear and opened the passenger door to get in. But Chen Fan quickly waved his hand, saying, "What are you doing sitting here? Go wait in the back."

Zhang Wenliang's eyes widened. "Why?"

Chen Fan's eyes widened even more than his. "Hey, you sit here, and the bride has to sit in the back all by herself later?"

Zhang Wenliang shrank back and decisively got into the car through the other door.

Chen Fan started the car and honked the horn twice. The crowd that had come to watch the commotion immediately made way for him.

As the car slowly moved forward, the bicycle convoy following behind also set off at the same time.

These people were basically the ones who accompanied Zhang Wenliang to take his driver's license test last week. Apart from a few of Zhang's relatives, they were the militia squad leaders from various teams, who could be considered Zhang Wenliang's inner circle.

As the convoy slowly passed by, the members began to murmur amongst themselves.

"With a small jeep leading the way and so many bicycles following behind, this wedding procession must be unique in the entire commune, right?"

"More than that, I'm afraid you can't find a second one like it in the whole county."

"It can't be that bad. Quite a few units in the county have cars. When the family members of their leaders get married, wouldn't they lend them a car?"

Even if we borrow them, are there that many bicycles left?

"Including bicycles, this is probably unique in the whole county. There are so few bicycles. How many organizations can gather so many? It would be good if they had two or three."

"Two or three bicycles? Hmph, back when my eldest son got married, he only had one old bicycle borrowed from the brigade headquarters to pick up the bride. The dowry was carried on the back of the bicycle, and my eldest son's wife sat on the front crossbar. Wasn't that quite a grand affair!"

"Haha, it was indeed a glorious time. When we got married, we even had to borrow a horse-drawn carriage from the village team."

"Life is getting better every day. A dozen years ago, people would walk to pick up their brides. Later, at least they would use a donkey-drawn cart, and then bicycles. Today, not only are there more than ten bicycles, but Teacher Chen even drove his car back. The Zhang family has a lot of face."

"Hey, if anyone gets married in the future, could you borrow Teacher Chen's car?"

"Borrow Teacher Chen's car? You wish! I heard from Captain Zhang that Teacher Chen is now an official in the Provincial Writers Association, and many writers are under his supervision. Who do you think you are to dare ask him to be your driver?"

"Exactly! Teacher Chen is on good terms with Zhang Laosan (Zhang Wenliang's third son in the same generation). They're brothers helping each other out. What's your relationship with Teacher Chen? You want to trouble him? You must be out of your mind!"

"Yeah, I did get up too early, and my head is still a little dizzy."

……

Chen Fan drove up the embankment, and to accommodate the cycling team behind him, he didn't drive fast. Even so, he still reached the territory of Team 4 a few minutes later.

Zhang Wenliang shifted his position, leaned against the back of the seat in front of him, and looked around with a displeased expression. "We're here already?"

Chen Fan glanced at the rearview mirror. "What, you think it's too short?"

Zhang Wenliang clicked his tongue, "Yeah, it's only been a few minutes, I haven't felt anything at all."

Chen Fan: "It's easy, just watch me in a bit."

In the four villages below, the Yang family was already prepared. As soon as they saw the jeep approaching, someone shouted, "The new son-in-law has arrived!"

As soon as he finished speaking, several bamboo poles were raised high, followed by a series of crackling firecrackers.

Amidst the thick smoke of firecrackers, the convoy slowly pulled up to the open space in front of Secretary Yang's house.

Before Chen Fan could even pull the handbrake, Zhang Wenliang had already impatiently pushed open the door and gotten out of the car. He tugged at his cotton-padded jacket, puffed out his chest, and Mr. Li's badge shone brightly.

Yunhu has no tradition of wedding pranks. As soon as the new son-in-law got out of the car, relatives of the Yang family shouted auspicious words to welcome him.

Secretary Yang stood in the main room, his mouth twisted with laughter that reached down to his ears.

Zhang Wenliang stepped over the threshold, strode forward, bowed deeply at a ninety-degree angle, and called out, "Dad."

Then she turned around and called out to Aunt Yang next to her, "Mom."

The two elderly people beamed with joy and responded with a "Yes."

Secretary Yang pointed to the room next door and said, "Go and bring them out."

Zhang Wenliang straightened up, chuckled foolishly, and nodded, "Okay."

He turned and walked into Yang Xingxiu's room.

Chen Fan had already secured a favorable position at the entrance, observing aggressively.

Inside the room, the bride sat on the edge of the bed, wearing a bright red blouse, blue trousers, and black leather shoes.

Several relatives were with her.

When Zhang Wenliang came in, the two of them stared at each other with silly smiles, and neither of them said a word.
Chen Fan blinked, initially thinking that the atmosphere wasn't lively enough because no one was making a fuss.

Upon seeing the newlyweds' expressions, he stomped his feet with delight, exclaiming, "Hahaha, say something, won't you two?"

Zhang Wenliang glanced back at him and realized that the room was already packed with people inside and outside, all grinning and laughing.

He immediately blushed deeply, but being a worldly man, he quickly regained his composure and walked over confidently, extending his right hand. "Heung-soo, come with me."

Yang Xingxiu didn't hesitate. Without saying a word, she stood up and grasped the outstretched hand, though her face was already flushed.

When Zhang Wenliang led Yang Xingxiu out, Secretary Yang made them stand still, express their feelings to the portrait of Mr. Li on the wall, and offer tea.

After the entire process was completed, the Yang family treated the wedding party to tea and refreshments before returning to the Zhang family.

At this moment, Yang's relatives put several wedding quilts wrapped in red cloth into the trunk of the small jeep. These were Yang Xingxiu's dowry.

After the newlyweds got into the car, the wedding procession set off again, with several more bicycles joining the procession behind them.

That was the wedding procession arranged by the Yang family. They would accompany the bride to the groom's house, and after the banquet and wedding tea, the groom's family would send someone to escort her back.

They had come by the dike, but now they couldn't walk on it anymore. Chen Fan drove onto the main road in the middle of Lujiawan Brigade, but instead of heading south, he drove north.

Although the bicycle team behind them seemed a bit odd, no one said anything; they just pedaled hard, keeping up closely behind the jeep.

After walking for a while, the two newlyweds, immersed in their joy, realized that something was wrong.

Zhang Wenliang quickly said, "Xiao Chen, are you sure you're going the right way?"

Chen Fan: "Pah, pah, pah, what nonsense are you talking about? Today is always the right direction!"

Zhang Wenliang immediately realized what was happening and gave his new bride a sheepish smile.

Yang Xingxiu wasn't angry; she just gave him a wink.

Chen Fan laughed and said, "Didn't you just say that riding in a car wasn't enough? Now let's go up the dike from Team 12, all the way to the commune, and then back from the commune. Wouldn't that be more exciting?"

Zhang Wenliang's eyes lit up. "That was awesome!"

(End of this chapter)