When it came to the wedding date, Shen Jiao felt that either of the two days calculated by the old blind fortune-teller from Shuanma Village would be fine.
However, considering her current situation, the eighteenth day of the second lunar month was the better choice.
The fact that she had nowhere to live was an immediate and practical problem.
Grandma also preferred the earlier date because she wanted to see Gu Xinguo settle down and begin married life as soon as possible. Her health was worsening by the day, and she feared that if they chose a later date, something unexpected might happen before then.
“I don’t have any objections. Either date is fine.”
Grandma patted her hand.
“I know you’re a good child and that you’re considering my feelings. But if we choose the first date, time will be very tight. We might not be able to prepare the wedding as well as we should. You’ll have to suffer some unfairness.”
“Grandma, the most important part of marriage is the person you marry. As long as you and Xinguo don’t mistreat me in the future, I won’t feel wronged no matter how hastily the wedding is arranged.”
Shen Jiao smiled sweetly.
Grandma’s eyes filled with delight.
This child was clear-headed and sensible. She understood what truly mattered when building a life with someone.
Naturally, Shen Jiao felt both nervous and excited about the wedding.
Across both lifetimes, this would be her first time marrying—truly like a young woman climbing into the bridal sedan chair for the first time.
But life was like this. How could everything always proceed exactly as one wished?
What mattered most was seizing every opportunity and working steadily to build a good life.
“Grandma, if you choose the eighteenth day of the second month, we won’t have time to prepare anything,” Gu Xinmin said while packing.
“Forget everything else—even making the bedding will take a great deal of time.”
Although she was busy gathering their belongings, she had continued listening to the conversation.
The moment she heard Grandma choose the nearest date, she hurriedly voiced her opinion.
“If time is tight, then we’ll make fewer sets of bedding and compensate her in other areas,” Grandma replied.
“Other families give the three rotations and one sound. We’ll replace the radio with a television. If we can’t purchase everything in time, we’ll convert it all into cash and give the money directly to Jiaojiao.”
The “three rotations and one sound” referred to a bicycle, a wristwatch, a sewing machine, and a radio.
Gu Xinmin remembered that when their family had prepared for Gu Xinguo’s marriage to An Qing, they had purchased the full set.
Although several years had passed, everything had been carefully maintained and still looked almost new.
If they threw it all away and bought replacements…
Just thinking about it made her heart ache.
But if they did not replace them and instead asked Shen Jiao to use the items An Qing had left behind, Gu Xinmin felt uncomfortable even imagining it.
She sighed inwardly.
She would have to speak to her younger brother later and tell him to dispose of everything at home as quickly as possible.
He absolutely could not be soft-hearted.
Anything that needed to be replaced also had to be purchased immediately.
Only six or seven days remained.
No matter how she calculated it, there simply was not enough time.
“Grandma, there’s no need to buy a television,” Shen Jiao said.
“A watch, bicycle, and sewing machine will be enough. If time is too tight, prioritise the sewing machine. That way, it’ll be convenient whenever we need to mend or make clothes at home.”
Shen Jiao glanced at Gu Xinmin’s hesitant and pained expression and immediately understood what she was thinking.
Considering An Qing’s troublesome personality, Shen Jiao did not believe that Gu Xinguo’s family had failed to prepare the three rotations and one sound when he married her.
Even though she had guessed the truth, she did not suggest reusing those items.
She could compromise on other things, but the thought of using something An Qing had left behind genuinely made her uncomfortable.
She laughed at herself inwardly.
So she was capable of being particular and difficult too.
As for why she specifically requested a sewing machine, naturally, it was because it would make it easier for her to earn money.
Through her conversation with Gu Xinmin the previous day, she had learned that tailors were still highly valued in this era.
The streets were nothing like later generations, when clothing shops were everywhere.
People rarely bought ready-made clothes. Most purchased fabric and either made simple garments themselves or paid a tailor if they wanted better quality or a more fashionable design.
Naturally, the tailor charged a processing fee.
When Shen Jiao discovered this, she had been overjoyed.
She had finally found a way to make money.
Although her parents had never loved her, a chance encounter in her previous life had allowed her to learn tailoring from an elderly woman.
She could absolutely open a small tailoring shop.
It might not earn her a fortune for the moment, but at least it would provide an income and prevent her from living with her hand constantly stretched out towards someone else.
Because she had lacked security since childhood, money gave her confidence.
Her previous life could be summed up in one sentence: if she could not have love, then she would compensate herself with plenty of money.
That was why she had worked desperately.
Only when she saw the number in her bank account increasing every day did she feel secure.
She had not expected that even after travelling through time, she would remain a child forgotten by heaven.
Although Gu Xinguo and his family currently seemed kind, her past experiences made her unwilling to place every hope in other people.
Therefore, she still needed to earn as much money as possible.
“Besides the sewing machine, we also need to buy the wristwatch. It’ll make checking the time more convenient,” Gu Xinmin said.
“And there’s the bedding. It’s too late to send the cloth at home to be dyed now, so we can use some of my original dowry.”
“I still have several unused quilt covers. What do you think, Jiaojiao?”
“Huh? What?”
“I mean the bedding for your wedding. We can use the quilt covers from my dowry. You won’t dislike them because the patterns are old-fashioned, will you?”
“Why would I dislike them? I should be thanking you.”
“Who doesn’t carefully store their dowry and refuse to use it so they can pass it on to their own children one day?”
“The fact that you’re willing to give yours to me proves you truly regard me as family.”
Her words made Gu Xinmin feel extremely comfortable.
Even Grandma smiled upon hearing them.
Who would not want the new daughter-in-law entering their family to recognise and appreciate kindness?
The three women then began discussing the other details of the wedding.
There was a great deal to learn regarding banquet dishes, gifts, and social obligations.
Shen Jiao learned quite a lot from listening.
Although she had worked hard enough in her previous life to own a home, a car, and substantial savings—and could even be considered a successful career woman—she knew very little about maintaining social relationships and exchanging favours.
The three women were speaking animatedly when Gu Xinguo returned after completing the discharge procedures.
However, he was not alone.
Wang Xiangxiu followed behind him.
Shen Jiao gave Gu Xinguo a meaningful smile.
Remembering the conversation they had shared not long ago, Gu Xinguo immediately felt his scalp go numb.
He offered Shen Jiao a placating smile, only to receive a glare in return.
He awkwardly rubbed his nose.
He also felt rather wronged.
Before Shen Jiao mentioned Wang Xiangxiu, he had never known that the girl had feelings for him.
Moreover, he had not invited her to follow him.
She had arrived carrying gifts to visit his Grandma.
They were from the same village. He could hardly drive her away.
“Grandma, how are you feeling?”
Wang Xiangxiu approached with concern.
“Things have been busy at home, so I haven’t had time to visit. Please don’t blame me.”
Grandma smiled and said she did not blame her, but her manner was far from warm.
She also knew that Wang Xiangxiu had feelings for her grandson.
However, she shared Gu Xinmin’s concerns.
No matter how good Wang Xiangxiu herself might be, the Gu family could not afford to marry her.
Grandma did not want Gu Xinguo to become tied to a father-in-law like Wang Naozi.
Once she passed away and Xinguo no longer had an elder protecting the household, Wang Naozi would surely take advantage of his position as father-in-law and empty the entire Gu family home.
Even after Grandma closed her eyes for the final time, the thought would make her coffin lid impossible to keep shut.
After Wang Xiangxiu exchanged a few sentences with Grandma, the atmosphere quickly cooled.
She did not appear embarrassed.
Instead, she turned and began chatting with Shen Jiao.
When she first learned the previous night that the man she loved had married, and when she saw Shen Jiao that morning, she had been too shocked and distressed to gather herself enough to confront her properly.
But Wang Xiangxiu was the youngest daughter of the Wang family.
Apart from her younger brother, she was the most favoured child.
Her parents, despite favouring sons over daughters, had still paid for her to complete middle school.
How could she possibly be a naïve and foolish girl?
After recovering from her panic that morning, she quickly adjusted her mood and decided to test the depths of her romantic rival.
“Comrade Shen Jiao, where are you from?”
Wang Xiangxiu smiled warmly.
“Your Mandarin sounds very pleasant—even better than the educated youths who came here in the past.”
The moment Wang Xiangxiu addressed her with a smile, Shen Jiao became fully alert.
That morning, the girl had stared at her as though they shared a blood feud.
Yet only a short while later, she had adjusted her state of mind enough to speak as though nothing had happened.
Shen Jiao admitted that at the same age, she would never have possessed such self-control.
Her gaze shifted towards Gu Xinguo, who was helping Gu Xinmin pack.
Broad shoulders, a narrow waist, and long legs.
His personality was calm, responsible, and dependable.
More importantly, he worked as a driver in town and held an iron rice bowl—a secure state job.
Apart from the fact that he had been married before, he was undoubtedly an ideal husband.
It was no wonder Wang Xiangxiu liked him so much.
Unfortunately, there was no point in dreaming about him now.
This man belonged to Shen Jiao.
“Really? I’m from neighbouring Anyuan County. It isn’t far from here.”
“The accent where I’m from is difficult to understand, so I have no choice but to speak Mandarin.”
“Anyuan?”
“I have a cousin who married there.”
Wang Xiangxiu laughed lightly.
“Why am I mentioning her? Comrade Shen Jiao is clearly from town. My cousin’s family are ordinary farmers, so you couldn’t possibly know them.”
“I’m from the countryside too.”
Wang Xiangxiu looked surprised.
She had not expected Shen Jiao to be a rural woman.
If she was from the countryside, why was she showing off by speaking Mandarin?
She did not look like a decent person at all.
After despising Shen Jiao inwardly, the smile on Wang Xiangxiu’s face faded slightly when she spoke again.
She truly could not understand what Brother Xinguo saw in her.
“Oh my, I genuinely couldn’t tell.”
“Which commune and village in Anyuan are you from? Perhaps it really is the same village as my cousin.”
“Our village is extremely remote,” Shen Jiao replied.
“Comrade Xiangxiu’s cousin must have married into a respectable family. It’s unlikely they live in the same village as mine.”
A flush immediately spread across Wang Xiangxiu’s face.
It was caused by anger.
She believed Shen Jiao was mocking her family for valuing sons over daughters.
Her cousin had not properly married into Anyuan.
She had been sold into the mountains in western Anyuan.
It was precisely because her own parents favoured sons so heavily that Wang Xiangxiu had clung so desperately to Gu Xinguo.
Besides genuinely liking him, he was also the best marriage prospect within her reach.
He could afford the outrageously high bride price her parents demanded.
Otherwise, she might end up like her cousin and be sold away by her parents.
Shen Jiao had done it deliberately.
Her romantic rival had come directly to interrogate her background. Why should she remain polite?
In this era, very few women married into another county.
It was nothing like later generations, when transportation was convenient and travelling across the country required little effort.
During the seventies and eighties, transportation remained poor.
Urban women occasionally married elsewhere, but it was almost unheard of in the countryside.
When it did happen, it usually meant the daughter had been sold.
Gu Xinmin had been paying attention to their conversation.
When she saw that Shen Jiao had not suffered any disadvantage, she smiled inwardly.
She had not expected her new sister-in-law to be someone who refused to be bullied.
That was good.
Her younger brother’s work required him to travel frequently. If Shen Jiao had possessed an overly gentle personality, she would never have been able to manage the household by herself.
Wang Xiangxiu failed to gain any advantage over Shen Jiao.
Moreover, Grandma was about to leave the hospital, and the entire family was busy.
Wang Xiangxiu offered to help, but Gu Xinmin politely yet firmly asked her to leave.
Unable to continue making her presence known before the Gu family, Wang Xiangxiu had no choice but to depart.
There would be plenty of time in the future.
One day, she would discover Shen Jiao’s true background.
Grandma was extremely happy to be discharged.
The smile never left her face.
Even the smell of fertiliser lingering in the large lorry seemed fragrant to her.
Gu Xinguo had borrowed the vehicle from the transport team, and it had only recently been used to carry fertiliser.
Wang Chengjun visited the Gu family home almost every day to clean, so there was no need to tidy anything upon their arrival.
They only needed to settle Grandma comfortably.
At last, she returned to the heated bed in her own home and smiled so broadly that her lips remained tightly pressed together.
“Xinguo, come here. Grandma wants to speak with you.”
“I want to set your wedding date for the eighteenth day of the second lunar month. What do you think?”
Gu Xinmin and Shen Jiao had gone to the kitchen to prepare lunch.
Wang Chengjun had returned home to call the two boys over to eat.
Only Grandma and Gu Xinguo remained in the room.
Grandma chose this moment to discuss his wedding.
Once they finished lunch, the people who had heard about her discharge would begin visiting.
With people constantly coming and going, it would become difficult to speak privately.
“Either date is fine. As long as Jiaojiao has no objections.”
“I already asked Jiaojiao. She doesn’t object.”
“If you have no objections either, then I’ll set the wedding for the eighteenth day of the second month. When everyone visits this afternoon, I’ll announce it.”
“All right.”
Once Gu Xinguo heard that Shen Jiao had no objections, he immediately agreed.
He began calculating how many additional days of leave he would need to request from the county transport team.
He had to prepare for the wedding and find an experienced traditional Chinese doctor for Grandma.
For the moment, he would not be able to give much attention to work.
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