"Brother Chen, congratulations on marrying your new wife today. Come on, let's set off firecrackers to celebrate. By the way, you can take your wife to get the marriage certificate first, and it won't be too late to set off firecrackers after you come back."
Chen Dazhu was stunned. Getting the certificate, um, how could he forget such an important thing
"Brother Li Huan, how about you lend me your bicycle? Otherwise, I don't have a bicycle to go to the county, and I'm afraid I won't make it in time."
"Borrowing a bicycle is not a big deal, but Brother Chen, you don't seem to know how to ride a bicycle, let alone lead someone. Breaking a bicycle is a small matter, but breaking a person is a big deal."
Li Huan said with a smile, and handed over the letter of introduction he had gotten from the village committee for Chen Dazhui and the others to get the certificate. He was very enthusiastic, so no need to thank them.
Chen Dazhu also smiled awkwardly. He had been coveting Li Huan's bicycle for a long time, so long that he had forgotten that he didn't even know how to ride a bicycle.
"Haha, brother Dazhu is so happy that he forgot he can't ride a bicycle. Then let's go get the marriage certificate tomorrow. We country folks just need to sleep together. It doesn't matter whether we get the marriage certificate or not."
"Yes, yes, yes, what certificate do you need? Let's go to the bridal chamber to make a fuss."
Xu Laidi was happy to hear this and thought it would be best if they didn't have to get a marriage certificate so that they could avoid the step of divorce in the future.
"Uncle Niu, please take them to the county to get the marriage certificate. We can't bully Xu Zhiqing because she has no one in her family and doesn't even get a marriage certificate."
"That's right, Uncle Niu, thank you for taking the trouble."
Uncle Niu glared at Li Huan fiercely. If Li Huan hadn't secretly stuffed a pack of cigarettes into him, he wouldn't have joined in the fun. He really didn't understand why this second-rate guy was so excited.
Han Chunmei and the others came over happily when they saw Cheng Qiao. They pulled Cheng Qiao to look left and right, up and down, and said, "Cheng Qiao, it seems that you are living a good life. Your face has become rounder."
"Really? My mother-in-law and Li Huan treat me well. I am happy and eat more."
"That's good. We educated youth are alone and helpless. If our husband's family can treat us better, our life will be much better."
Han Chunmei also nodded in agreement, then smiled and urged everyone to go and see Xu Laidie's new house. She had been there when the roof beams were being put up. Although the house was new, it was so simple that she couldn't believe it.
Cheng Qiao nodded quickly and followed the educated youth to Chen Dazhui's home. What she saw was a large yard whose gate had not been closed in time. The yard was empty, and even the place to store firewood was just a shed made of bamboo and straw.
Across the yard is a living room, a room, and a kitchen. In the living room there is a table and two benches made of wood by Chen Dazhu himself, and nothing else.
Pushing open the door of the room, there was a big kang in the room, which took up more than half of the room. There was nothing on the kang, waiting for the bride to spread out her dowry bedding.
"Oh my god, let alone a cabinet, there's not even a kangqin, how do they store their things?"
"Just put it on the kang. The kang is so big, not to mention putting things on it, it's big enough for six or seven people to sleep on."
"Yeah, Xu Laidi and the others have already prepared the sleeping places for the children, hahahaha."
"How can you talk like that? You're a girl, you can't talk like that."
"I'm not telling the truth, haha."
"Let's go check out the kitchen."
"No need to go. The kitchen only has a stove and a broken cabinet that I picked up from somewhere. There is not even a clay pot."
"Yes, look, that's not it."
"That's a water tank, silly."
"A water jar is also a jar, and a clay jar is also a jar. They are used differently."
Xiaofang pouted and said, Xiaoqin gently pinched Xiaofang's cheek, "You are so naughty."
"Let's go back. This is such a shabby place. There aren't even as many things as in our educated youth camp. I don't think they will prepare a feast today."
"Did you give your share of money?"
"I didn't. I wanted to wait until they started the meal before sending it to me."
"Me too."
"Cheng Qiao, don't send me any gifts. They didn't send me any gifts when you got married."
Cheng Qiao smiled. She and Li Huan were not here to give share money, but to collect debts.
I don't know how long I waited, but Uncle Niu came back driving the ox cart with an unhappy look on his face. Xu Laidi also got off the ox cart with an unhappy look on her face. She never knew that Chen Dazhui was so stingy.
Today is a good day for the two of them to get their marriage certificate. They can go to the supply and marketing cooperative to buy candy and some non-staple food without a ticket with their marriage certificate, but Chen Dazhu said he had no money in his pocket.
Xu Laidi quickly held her pocket tightly. The fifty yuan was her betrothal money, and there was no reason for her to use it to buy candy. She didn't even give Uncle Niu the four cents round-trip fare, saying that she would make up for it next time when she had money.
Cheng Qiao walked up and put her hands into her pockets. Chen Dazhu's eyes lit up. Cheng Qiao had said that when Xu Laidi got married, she would give a hundred yuan as a gift.
But when Cheng Qiao took out the IOU, Chen Dazhu's face darkened. Before he could speak, Li Huan loudly urged Xu Laidi to pay back the money:
"Xu Laidi, you still owe my wife 18.74 yuan. Now that you are married, why don't you pay her back?"
"Second, no, Brother Li Huan, I don't have any money."
"Why don't you have money? Didn't you just receive fifty yuan as a betrothal gift? And you're working on the river channel. That's twelve centimeters a day. If you don't pay me back, I'll go ask the village chief for it."
"No, I'll give it to you."
Xu Laidi still had a use for the money, so he went into the inner room reluctantly, closed the door, and took out twenty yuan from a pocket of his trousers. There was no other way, the fifty yuan bet was ten yuan each.
"Yes, and you still need to give me one dollar and twenty-six cents."
Cheng Qiao took the twenty yuan, and Li Huan quickly took out one yuan and twenty-six cents from his pocket and handed it to Chen Dazhu. Chen Dazhu took the money and put it in his pocket.
"you… "
Xu Laidi was furious, but now was not the time to turn against him. He decided to wait until after the wedding to ask Chen Dazhu for money. The two bowed three times to the photo of the great man, and then nothing happened, not even a piece of candy.
Everyone curled their lips, thinking that it was a good thing that no one gave any money as a gift, otherwise the money would be thrown away like meat buns to dogs and would never come back. Chen Dazhu was extremely surprised that he did not receive a penny of money as a gift for his wedding this time.
Chen Weidang was not originally so stingy. He gave money as a gift to Li Huan and Cheng Qiao when they got married. However, he did not like Xu Laidi and was not optimistic about this marriage, so he did not even attend the wedding.
The village chief did not attend, and everyone else was just watching. It was because Chen Dazhu's wedding banquet was so bad that no one had any expectations of him in this marriage.
If Chen Dazhui can set up a decent banquet, then just go with the flow. After all, we are all from the same village and we will see each other every day.