Chapter 426
Su Xiaoxiao had her makeup done, but her mother had specifically hired someone to style her hair. Instead of the simple braids common in the 1970s, her hairstyle reflected a modern bridal look inspired by Harbor City trends, with a touch of the era’s unique flair. This made Su Xiaoxiao look even more beautiful.
“Oh my goodness! Manager Su’s daughter looks stunning today!” someone couldn’t help but exclaim.
Gu Zhiwei immediately boasted, “Of course, my cousin has been beautiful since she was a child.”
Some people choked on their words, feeling a hint of regret. Looking back, they shouldn’t have been so stingy when they came to propose to Su Xiaoxiao, simply because they thought her family was in a hurry. Now, someone from the countryside got to marry this lovely young woman. With a daughter-in-law this beautiful, their future grandsons would surely be handsome. The more they thought about it, the more sour they felt, though there was nothing they could do now.
Of course, there were also those who genuinely wished Su Xiaoxiao well, recalling memories of her childhood and expressing hopes that she would return often to visit her parents, even though she was marrying far away.
Mrs. Su cheerfully said, “Our Xiaoxiao and her husband have agreed—they’ll come back to visit when the farm work isn’t busy… Yes, yes, even though the northeast is quite cold, at least there’s less farm work. There are several months of downtime in winter. They came back this time to take advantage of that, and they won’t be leaving until after the Lantern Festival.”
Hearing this, the others started to think that maybe Su Xiaoxiao’s marriage wasn’t so bad after all. After all, even for their own daughters who married within the city, it was rare to see them more than a few times a year.
Just then, Jiang Yexun entered the room, and everyone gathered around him.
“So, this is the groom! Oh wow, he’s quite handsome!”
“Look how tall he is—he must be almost six-foot-three! Their future kids will surely be tall too.”
With a polite smile, Jiang Yexun’s gaze drifted over the crowd and landed on Su Xiaoxiao, who was surrounded by people. Her bright red wool coat blended with the memory of the red dress he had first seen her in, so vibrant that it seemed to drain the color from everything around her. Seeing his beloved girl tilt her head and smile sweetly at him, Jiang Yexun’s lips couldn’t help but curl upward too.
Seeing his expression, the crowd teased, “The groom seems captivated! Is our bride really that beautiful?”
“Beautiful,” Jiang Yexun replied sincerely, without hesitation, openly showing his affection for Su Xiaoxiao in front of everyone. He moved past the crowd to stand by her side, reaching out to straighten her coat, his deep eyes locked on her.
Blushing, Su Xiaoxiao muttered softly, “There are so many people here. Don’t stare at me like that.”
“You look so beautiful today,” Jiang Yexun whispered in a husky voice, making her feel even shyer.
Thankfully, Jiang Yexun didn’t say much more. Instead, he took the tea offered by someone nearby, knelt in front of Mr. and Mrs. Su, who were seated on the sofa, and began solemnly, “Mom, Dad, thank you for entrusting Xiaoxiao to me. I promise to cherish her forever. I’ll put her needs above everything else, make sure she never has to do any housework, and give her control of all my earnings. I’ll never give her the cold shoulder or lose my temper with her, and I swear I’ll never do anything to let her down.”
Mr. and Mrs. Su were deeply moved. “Good, good! We believe you’re a good man.”
“Yexun,” Mr. Su continued with a choked voice, “if you and Xiaoxiao ever have a disagreement, don’t rush things. You can always send her back to us. Our home will always be hers, but you must never lay a finger on her.”
“Dad, rest assured—I’d never do something that inhuman.” Jiang Yexun vowed again.
In his mind, he felt that no matter how angry a man might be, it was better to take it outside. Taking it out on his gentle little wife would be the act of a true coward. To him, marrying her meant treating her with all the love and care he had.
“Good, as long as you remember what you said today,” Mr. Su nodded in satisfaction before handing him a red envelope as a traditional gift.
Afterwards, Su Hongchen, Gu Zhiwei, and Gu Lijun also gave him some reminders and a few lighthearted threats, and he finally returned to Su Xiaoxiao’s side. Just as she smiled sweetly at him, she suddenly felt herself being lifted off her feet. Amidst the cheers from everyone around them, she clung to Jiang Yexun’s neck, burying her face in his broad chest. Even through his thick wool coat, she could feel the strong beat of his heart.
Since Shanghai wasn’t Jiang Yexun’s home base, the wedding cars had been arranged by Su Hongchen. Leading the procession was a black Hongqi sedan, followed by two green military jeeps, and lastly, a borrowed truck from the transport team, loaded with gifts like a TV, washing machine, and electric fan. The rest of the entourage rode bicycles, with those without bikes walking behind at a leisurely pace. Fortunately, the wedding procession moved slowly, and the distance to the new house wasn’t far.
By the time they arrived at the house, a crowd had already gathered, mostly neighbors coming to join in the festivities. Su Xiaoxiao’s neighbors and Mr. Su’s coworkers marveled at the spacious courtyard and house.
“Renting a place like this must cost at least forty or fifty yuan a month, right?”
“It’s not rented,” Mrs. Su said proudly. “My son-in-law bought it and put it solely in Xiaoxiao’s name, as part of her dowry.”
“Oh, he must be wealthy!” someone gasped in disbelief.
“Not particularly, but my son-in-law is a skilled hunter. He’s been going up into the mountains since he was barely a teenager. After over ten years of hunting, he’s managed to save up a bit. And in the northeast, as you know, it’s easy to come back with a bounty of game and fish,” Mrs. Su explained with pride.
Everyone had heard stories of the abundance in the northeast, though they hadn’t expected Su Xiaoxiao to marry such a capable man. In their minds, a seasoned hunter would be in his thirties or forties, not just in his twenties.
Some felt that Su Xiaoxiao must have been destined for a good life. Born into Manager Su’s family, which wasn’t partial to sons over daughters, it sometimes seemed like they even favored her. Now, after only a short time working in the countryside, she had found a husband who, although a bit tanned, was tall, handsome, and financially stable. Even daughters married into the city couldn’t compare.