Chapter 38: Premarital Anxiety
"I’m a married man now. It’s inappropriate for us to meet alone again. In fact, it would be best if we never met again."
With that, Lu Cheng went home.
Meng Wei staggered, her eyes filled with intense jealousy and resentment.
’I won’t give up!’
...
Jiang Dahai and Jiang Peng had been out all day arranging Jiang Moli’s dowry. They didn’t get home until eight in the evening, exhausted and drenched in sweat.
Li Hongying quickly brought the father and son a basin of clean water to wash their faces, then told Jiang Qing to serve dinner.
The family had just picked up their bowls and were about to eat when someone shouted from the courtyard for Jiang Peng to take a call at the gatehouse.
Jiang Peng went out, bowl in hand, and returned a moment later.
"Who was it? This late at night."
Jiang Dahai’s tone was disapproving. He assumed some of his son’s troublemaker friends were calling for him to go out and fool around.
"It was my brother-in-law. He asked me to pass a message to my sister. He said the issue with her being sent to the countryside has been resolved, and she should just relax at home and wait for the wedding."
Hearing it was his son-in-law, Jiang Dahai’s anger turned to delight.
Although his son-in-law had assured him earlier that day he would handle it, a part of him had remained anxious. He worried his son-in-law might forget, or that the problem wasn’t so easily solved.
Now that his son-in-law had sent word, his anxious heart could finally rest easy.
"Did your brother-in-law say anything else?" Jiang Dahai asked his son, his mood much improved.
"Nope, that was it."
Seeing Jiang Dahai’s suspicious stare, Jiang Peng exclaimed, "Really, that’s it! I’m not lying!"
"That’s it? Why didn’t your brother-in-law just have your sister take the call herself?"
Jiang Qing and Li Hongying also looked at Jiang Peng, wondering why Lu Cheng wouldn’t just tell Jiang Moli directly, choosing instead to go through his future brother-in-law.
"My brother-in-law said it was late, and he was worried it wouldn’t be safe for my sister to go out at night."
The table fell silent.
Even Jiang Moli herself was surprised. Lu Cheng looked so big and imposing, yet he had such a thoughtful and considerate side.
Li Hongying glanced at Jiang Moli, then at her husband. "Xiao Lu is a leader, all right," she said, a hint of envy in her voice. "He’s so thorough."
Jiang Dahai was just as pleased. "The ancestors are truly watching over us, to let our family find such a fine son-in-law."
Jiang Qing lowered her eyes, finding it hard to swallow her food.
’She couldn’t understand what Jiang Moli had ever done to deserve such an outstanding and considerate man.’
"Moli, from now until Xiao Lu arrives to escort you to the wedding, you are forbidden from leaving the house."
To ensure nothing went wrong with the wedding, Jiang Dahai put Jiang Moli on lockdown and had Jiang Peng and Li Hongying watch over her.
Jiang Moli glanced at her task progress and thought, ’Taking a two-day break should be fine.’
After all the commotion and drama of the day, her Disdain Value was already approaching 1900.
’The events from today will probably continue to generate buzz for another day or two. It shouldn’t be too hard to get another hundred or so points and break the 2000 Disdain Value mark.’
Besides, the Jiang family had been in the spotlight too much lately. With everyone watching, it was best to know when to stop.
Jiang Moli readily accepted Jiang Dahai’s arrangement.
In an era without internet, cell phones, or computers, being stuck at home for two days was genuine torture.
So, Jiang Moli decided to learn how to use the sewing machine from Li Hongying. It would be useful for when she got out... Pah!
In any case, you can never have too many skills.
In two days, Jiang Moli learned to sew straight lines, curves, single stitches, and backstitches. She managed to produce a canvas tote bag, though the stitching was rough.
Even Jiang Moli thought it was shabby, but Jiang Dahai was so delighted he couldn’t stop grinning.
It was the first piece of needlework his daughter had ever made. He insisted he would carry it to work as his tool bag.
’Whatever makes you happy,’ Jiang Moli thought.
...
The day before the wedding, Zhang Jia Ming’s marriage application was approved, and he and Jiang Qing went to get their marriage certificate.
...
It was already eleven at night, but the Jiang family home was still brightly lit and buzzing with activity.
Jiang Dahai and a few relatives were gathered in the courtyard, counting the dowry items and discussing the plan for sending off the bride the next day.
In her room, Jiang Moli tossed and turned, unable to sleep.
For one, it was too noisy outside. For another, she was getting married tomorrow, and she was feeling a little uneasy.
She was a sucker for Lu Cheng’s looks, so she hadn’t really objected when he proposed.
But as she got to know him better and sensed how serious and sincere he was about their marriage, she started to have second thoughts.
’I only came here to complete my mission.’
’A year at most, maybe just three to five months. Once the mission is done, I have to go back to my own world.’
’After just a few days together, I can already tell that Lu Cheng is a sincere, earnest, and responsible man.’
’Hurting a man like that... it’s hard not to feel guilty.’
Jiang Moli belatedly realized what was happening. ’Am I having pre-wedding jitters?’
Meanwhile, the Lu Family’s home was just as busy as the Jiang family’s.
An Hui was leading her two daughters-in-law, along with some relatives and friends, in a flurry of activity—draping red and green decorations and pasting the "double happiness" character on doors, windows, and all around the house.
Lu Cheng, meanwhile, was with a group of male relatives and friends, inspecting the bicycles for tomorrow’s procession one by one.
He had borrowed twenty old-fashioned, heavy-duty roadsters from relatives and friends to form a wedding procession.
Using bicycles for the procession would avoid any criticism of having a "capitalist flair" while still being impressively grand.
He was determined to give his wife the grandest wedding possible.
Lu Deyao bustled about, looking here and there. He seemed busier than anyone, though it wasn’t clear what he was actually doing.
BRRRING... BRRRING...
Lu Deyao answered the phone. As he listened, his cheerful expression hardened into a serious one.
"Third son, get in here!"
Hearing Lu Deyao’s shout, Lu Cheng handed what he was doing to Jiang Xiaoguang and hurried into the house.
"What is it? I’m busy."
"We’ll talk in my room."
Seeing the serious look on his father’s face, Lu Cheng had an inkling of what it was about and followed him into the bedroom without a word.
"Half an hour ago, there was a magnitude 4.0 earthquake in Dian City."
Lu Cheng’s expression turned grim. "Are the casualties severe?"
Lu Deyao looked at his son. "The magnitude wasn’t high, but mudslides have hit several villages. The exact number of casualties isn’t clear yet. The nearby garrison is already en route for disaster relief. You need to return to your unit immediately."
Dian City was in his unit’s garrison area. As a battalion commander, Lu Cheng had to return at once to lead the rescue and relief efforts.
In fact, the moment his father had called him into the bedroom, Lu Cheng had guessed it was a military matter and had already started running through contingency plans in his head.
It was a commander’s instinct.
Lu Deyao looked at his son, his heart heavy with conflict.
His son was about to turn twenty-seven and had finally found a wife. As a father, he wanted more than anything for his son to have a perfect wedding.
But a soldier’s sacred duty is to protect the nation and its people.
When the people are in peril, they must be the first to charge to the front lines.
"There’s a train to Kun City at 12:30. I’ll have Jiang Xiaoguang drive you to the station now."
He paused, his tone softening slightly. "I’ll give you five minutes. Go explain things to your fiancée."
"Understood. I’m on my way."
Lu Cheng’s response was crisp and decisive, without a hint of hesitation.
In just a few hours, he would be marrying the woman he loved, but obeying military orders was an instinct etched into his very being.
"Mom, I have to go. Take care of yourself."
Before An Hui could even react, Lu Cheng swept out the door like a gust of wind.
"Where are you going so late?"
Only after she asked did it dawn on her: he must have had an urgent mission.
But the wedding was tomorrow. Without a groom, how could they possibly have a wedding?