1979: My fiancée is a goddess

It was early in the morning, at seven o'clock.

From the streets near Tuanjiehu Community, the sounds of gongs and drums and the singing of "The East Is Red" could be heard.

"The east is red, the sun is rising, something happened in China..."

Today is May 1st, International Workers' Day.

To celebrate the glory of labor, the glory of workers, and the glory of the proletariat, Beijing once again welcomed its most lively annual Labor Day parade.

Even the Spring Festival can't compare to this.

Young Pioneers with red scarves, women's waist drum teams, and agricultural machinery such as harvesters and tractors all paraded through the streets adorned with red embroidery...

In short, the air was filled with the sounds of gongs and drums, the crackling of firecrackers, and a sea of ​​people—a truly lively and extraordinary scene…

Of course, for most comrades who don't participate in the march, it's a good day off.

Inside a nearby small building.

In a room decorated with many red, festive paper-cuts, the windows and doors were wide open.

A refreshing breeze wafted through the room, gently stirring the curtains.

The bedside near the window.

A slender, graceful woman with an elegant and quiet demeanor was tidying up the room, humming a tune softly along with the singing coming from outside.

Leisurely and comfortable.

Her jet-black hair was meticulously combed, neat and tidy, and tied into a bun at the back of her head, with a strand of hair left by her ear.

The thin morning sunlight made the woman's gentle and bright oval face appear translucent, like a piece of green jade with a rosy hue inside.

Her round, almond-shaped eyes were lowered, brimming with soft, watery light.

Her delicate, straight nose is perfectly positioned on the dividing line between light and shadow, making it exceptionally captivating.

The way her lips were slightly pursed made her look exceptionally gentle.

She wore a loose white shirt casually, not tucked into her black trousers, with the sleeves rolled up to reveal a small section of her fair, lotus-root-like arms.

Slender, but not weak.

Liu Xiaoli gripped the two corners of the quilt tightly with both hands, turning the 2.1-meter-long wedding quilt up and down.

When exerting force, fine blue veins appear on the slender arms, like the blue flower stems on blue and white porcelain, which is quite impressive.

After folding the quilt into a neat square, Liu Xiaoli picked up a feather duster and smoothed out the sheets.

After finishing the simple chores, she pulled out a chair and sat down to rest.

Open the desk drawer.

A pile of snow-white letters appeared before my eyes.

These were all sent back by Cheng Kaiyan.

Liu Xiaoli picked up a letter that she had deliberately not put in the pile of letters and read it silently, her expression calm and indifferent.

She looked down for a while, then, holding her snow-white widow's peak, she looked around the room again.

This is the master bedroom of the bridal suite.

The items and decorations inside were all arranged little by little by Liu Xiaoli in her spare time from studying and living.

Looking at it now, it's full of life.

After the house renovation was completed last month, she still lives at her aunt's house.

I only come over to clean up on Saturdays and Sundays when school is out, and I stay overnight there.

However, with the wedding date approaching, Liu Xiaoli finally moved all her luggage over these past few days after being persuaded by everyone, and moved into the master bedroom of the bridal suite.

Both my mother and Aunt Xiu said that before the engagement, the master bedroom of the bridal chamber should be used for sleeping to add some life to the room.

Although the two are not yet engaged, and Cheng Kaiyan is not at home.

But she had no choice but to move in, and she was left alone in the empty room, feeling lonely and cold.

"Eh……"

Liu Xiaoli looked at the mandarin ducks on the quilt with a hint of resentment in her eyes, lost in thought.

In short, after sitting there in a daze for a while, I heard some noise in the living room and then slowly walked out in my sandals.

His gait was casual, and his expression was languid.

Anyway, she's starting to feel more and more like the lady of the house.

I walked into the living room and looked up.

In the kitchen, a gentle and beautiful woman, just like her, was cooking while wearing an apron.

Liu Xiaoli casually said, "Mom, you're up so early?"

"You're up? Dinner will be ready soon. Your aunt and Aunt Xiu will be over in a bit. They said some of their relatives will be there too. Do you know what kind of relatives they are?"

Jiang Wan responded. She had originally planned to come with her husband and youngest daughter on the 4th.

However, Cheng Kaiyan, the only man in the family, was not at home.

She was worried that her daughter, sister, and Xu Yuxiu wouldn't be able to handle the engagement banquet and that something might go wrong, so she took the train from Harbin ahead of time to help.

"I know, it's Kaiyan's aunt's family, right? They're our only relative. We even went there for a few days last summer."

Liu Xiaoli walked into the kitchen and leaned against the kitchen door to explain.

With the wedding date approaching—no, engagement date approaching—they invited all the important relatives and friends from both families in advance.

Cheng Kaiyan has few relatives, just her aunt's family, who came over yesterday and are now staying in the Wutong Courtyard.

Because of the long distance, not many people come to their area.

One relative from each family is coming, but they won't arrive until the 4th.

As for their close friends and elders, Liu Xiaoli also sent letters in her own name and Cheng Kaiyan's name, saying that they were very welcome to come, but it was okay if they couldn't.

After all, travel is inconvenient these days, and it's just an engagement, not a wedding.

I never intended to have a big celebration; I just wanted to invite relatives and friends for a meal and have them witness it.

"That's it."

Jiang Wan nodded and didn't ask any more questions, instead asking:
When exactly will Cheng Kaiyan return to China?
He went abroad to film a movie at this perfectly good time, and he's almost engaged, but there's still no sign of him!

When he gets back, I'll definitely have a good talk with him!

Although his mother-in-law had known for a while that he was going to leave, the day was fast approaching, and just thinking about how he hadn't come back yet made her a little unhappy.

If they can't make it back by May 5th and keep the guests waiting, then both families will lose face.

"Alright, don't worry. He'll be back soon, in the next couple of days. He knows what he's doing."

Liu Xiaoli raised her hand and patted her mother's back, comforting her with a gentle laugh.

During this time, the young couple maintained contact, although they didn't strictly adhere to the exaggerated level of sending a letter every day.

However, Liu Xiaoli was fully aware of Cheng Kaiyan's schedule.

I mentioned in the last letter that the filming would be finished by the end of the month.

Since no letters have been sent back in the last two days, Liu Xiaoli guesses that he is already preparing to return to China.

"Forget it, let's eat first."

Jiang Wan was speechless when she saw her daughter's behavior of siding with outsiders even before she was married.

He quickly waved his hand, not wanting to say anything more.

Breakfast was a simple white rice porridge, cabbage and tofu, plus a plate of sweet and sour pork ribs that I didn't finish yesterday.

"It's so convenient to have a refrigerator. You can put the leftovers from last night in there and eat them with peace of mind the next day."

Jiang Wan picked up a piece of spare rib with her chopsticks and put it into her daughter's bowl, marveling at it.

"That's nothing. When summer comes, having a refrigerator will be truly comfortable."

Liu Xiaoli shook her head.

"You have excellent taste."

Jiang Wan sighed inwardly, thinking that most families didn't have such good conditions. Fortunately, her daughter had persevered and hadn't been discouraged.

"hehe."

The girl smiled noncommittally, saying nothing more, only her rosy lips slightly pursed.

The mother and daughter ate and chatted, when a knock came at the door.

"I guess it's your aunt and Aunt Xiu who's here. You eat, I'll go open the door."

Jiang Wan put down her chopsticks, got up and left.

"sister."

Upon opening the door, one is greeted by Jiang Ting, a tall, voluptuous, and icy-cold beautiful woman.

She was as indifferent as ever, simply calling out her name before walking straight in.

"Good morning, Sister Wan. Have you eaten yet?"

Behind her were the pretty and gentle Xu Yuxiu, and a middle-aged woman with a pale and sickly face.

There was also a young woman in her twenties, with a pretty face, holding a child of about three or four years old in her arms. "We're eating right now, come in quickly."

……

After exchanging pleasantries, everyone went inside and sat down on the sofa.

Liu Xiaoli finished her meal in a few bites, cleaned up the dishes, and then hurriedly went to pour hot water and brew tea, naturally using Cheng Kaiyan's treasured Da Hong Pao.

Fortunately, she had anticipated having guests coming over, so she bought a set of glass teacups in advance and kept them at home, which came in handy now.

"Let's all have a cup of tea, it's still a bit chilly this morning."

Liu Xiaoli poured tea into each cup and handed them to everyone, then looked at Sister Qiaoqiao and said, "Sister Qiaoqiao, have some tea."

"Xiaoli, congratulations! You and Kaiyan have finally become a couple!"

Nie Qiaomei, holding the child in her arms, took the baby and placed it on the coffee table, offering her joyful congratulations.

"Thank you, sister."

Liu Xiaoli smiled, her eyes crinkling with happiness, and her gaze fell on the little girl in the woman's arms. She then squatted down to play with the child.
"Xiao Bao seems to have gained some weight since the last time we met? He's so cute with his fair and chubby skin."

"Hehe, the food at home has been good these past two years, and I haven't been controlling my weight, so I've almost gotten as fat as a ball. Little Bao, call her 'sister'..."

Nie Qiaomei patted the child's bottom and quickly laughed, "Oh! No, that's not right! Now you should call her 'Auntie'!"

"Sister and Aunt..."

The little kid looked up with his chubby, pink face and called out in a childish voice.

"Sigh... what's going on here?"

Liu Xiaoli responded with a wry smile.

"Hahaha!"

Everyone in the living room burst into laughter.

"Everyone knows about Xiaoli's situation. She is still in school and cannot get married in the short term."

The two kids were engaged when they were little, and this is basically a reaffirmation. If you ask me, apart from not having a marriage certificate, it's practically the same as being married.

Xu Yuxiu laughed and said, "We've already moved into the wedding room and prepared the betrothal gifts. What's the difference between this and getting married?"
Jiang Wan frowned and shook her head, saying, "How can this be the same? When Xiaoli graduates, we'll still have a big wedding."

"That's what I think too. The wedding will definitely be a big one."

Xu Yuxiu quickly explained.

“If Xiaoli weren’t in college and couldn’t get married right now, I was thinking of getting them married after their engagement, maybe at the end of this year or next year.”

"There's nothing we can do about it, they're college students after all..."

"Alright, alright, let's not talk about this. Have you all bought your candy and melon seeds yet?"

"I've already bought them, and I'm just waiting for the day to come."

"Where's the food?"

"About five or six tables. We've invited Chef Cai from Jinyu Hutong to come to our courtyard to cook the wedding banquet. The taste is definitely top-notch."

"That's right, they've had over ten years of experience."

……

Everyone chatted enthusiastically about the engagement banquet four days later.

Liu Xiaoli went back to her room and got some candy and melon seeds, then turned on the TV to help everyone pass the time.

"Xiaoli, show me around the house. Is this the house you two bought for your wedding? Aunt Xiu said it cost over ten thousand yuan!"

Nie Qiaomei put the child on the sofa to watch TV, and then enthusiastically dragged Liu Xiaoli around the house.

Living room, bedroom, bathroom, kitchen, balcony.

She was especially curious when she saw the refrigerator and washing machine.

While trying it out, he remarked, "Kaiyan is really willing to spend money. Just the renovation and appliances alone will probably cost several thousand."

The two wandered around, listening to television programs and conversations among the people.

A joyful atmosphere filled everyone's hearts with laughter and happiness.

At 9:30, the two sisters returned to the living room and sat down to watch TV.

Jiang Ting sat alone for a while without saying a word. She finished her tea in one gulp, got up and went to the restroom. On her way back, she asked her niece, "Xiaoli, when is Xiaoyan coming back?"

"Don't worry, it'll be in the next couple of days."

Liu Xiaoli explained.

"Ah."

Jiang Ting nodded indifferently, then said coldly, "I'm afraid they're having too much fun abroad to remember home?"

At this point, the image of a girl flashed through the mind of the icy beauty.

She still remembers the very serious reminder she gave Cheng Kaiyan.

If there really is something...

She will be really disappointed, really disappointed!
"Hehe, Auntie, why are you more worried than I am? Don't worry, Kaiyan writes to me every day."

Liu Xiaoli smiled gently and comforted her.

"That's good. If he gets into trouble with this engagement, your aunt will stand up for you and make sure he doesn't get away with it."

Jiang Ting snorted coldly, her eyes sharp.

"Yes Yes Yes."

Liu Xiaoli nodded repeatedly, not finding anything wrong with Jiang Ting's behavior.

In her view, her aunt was the closest to her and was worried about her marriage.

Even when facing Cheng Kaiyan, her aunt would stand by her side without hesitation.

Just as the two women were chatting, a heavy knock came from outside the door.

This attracted everyone's attention.

"Hmm? Who else is coming?"

Liu Xiaoli glanced at the door, then, as if remembering something, exchanged a look with her aunt.

The two walked to the door together in perfect unison.

"Click..."

The door opened, and a familiar figure appeared before the two of them.

Cheng Kaiyan, wearing a gray coat and tennis shoes, was standing in front of the two of them, smiling at them.

He was carrying large and small bags on his back and two large suitcases in his hands.

The black hair lying flat on his head was a bit greasy and had some dust and red paper scraps stuck to it, probably because he was outside when firecrackers were set off.

Dust clung to her clothes, her once bright and beautiful eyes were now bloodshot and weary, and her lips were dry and chapped.

They looked travel-worn, as if they had just fled from somewhere.

The two women felt a pang of heartache, and they stared at him blankly, their eyes quietly reddening.

"What's wrong? Why aren't you saying anything when you see me come back? Aren't you welcoming me?"

Cheng Kaiyan smiled and said.

His voice was hoarse and low, with a thick nasal tone, making his jokes sound rather unpleasant.

"Brighten up!"

The girl, whose eyes were already red, exclaimed in surprise. Always a clean person, she disregarded everything else and threw her petite and slender body into her beloved's arms like a swallow returning to its nest.

"No, no, no, we ran into people setting off firecrackers on the road, and they're covered in ash."

Cheng Kaiyan shouted instinctively, but it was too late.

"You are finally back. I miss you so much."

Liu Xiaoli hugged the man's strong body tightly, burying her fair face in his chest.

The familiar scent emanating from him made the girl feel at ease and reassured.

It seems that with him around, there's nothing to worry about.

"call……"

Cheng Kaiyan took a breath, released her luggage, and wrapped her arms around the girl's slender waist, whispering softly beside her delicate ear, "I missed you too."

The two embraced quietly, a unique warmth flowing through their hearts.

"came back?"

Jiang Ting looked over with indifferent eyes, and with a slender, pale hand, she gently patted Cheng Kaiyan's hair through Liu Xiaoli, brushing away the dust and scraps of paper.

"Yes, Auntie is back."

Cheng Kaiyan smiled gently, her eyes clear and soft.

Just then, the women chatting in the living room heard the commotion and rushed out, only to find that Cheng Kaiyan had returned. (End of Chapter)