Xu Qinghe and Ji Ying, as a couple, quickly refused. Nowadays, nobody in the village used a car for weddings; instead, most would walk, carrying their dowries back home. Who would use a car?
"Nian’an and Nianhua, those siblings, they are filial and sensible, and I really like them from the bottom of my heart. Nianji is their eldest brother, so he must be a child who is also filial and sensible. I would feel quite embarrassed coming to drink wedding wine uninvited, but we didn’t mean anything by it, just thought we could offer a little help, just a little."
Doctor Du’s words were very sincere, treating Xu Nian’an and the others like beloved younger family members.
"Uncle Xu, Auntie Xu, the last time Nianhua helped me translate a contract, it really was a huge help. I can’t move my legs, so the only assistance I can offer is to have Ling Dong drive people around," Pei Yicheng said, trying to persuade them.
"Doctor Du, Pei Yicheng, thank you for your kindness, I have taken it to heart," Xu Nianji sincerely thanked them. He didn’t know how Nian’an and his little sister had become so familiar with them, nor about the contract translation they later assisted with.
But Xu Nianji knew that translating the contract had cost money.
"What circumstances my family is in, Xiaohe knows. If we really went to pick people up in a car, wouldn’t that give them quite a shock?" Xu Nianji said, half-jokingly.
Xu Nianhua nodded silently to himself. His eldest brother’s thoughts were always so direct and honest. He had never liked to take advantage of others. In the past, if Gu Mingzhu hadn’t used some dirty tricks, how would his brother have...
Xu Nianhua shook off the thoughts in his head and looked at his elder brother, dressed particularly smartly today, and suddenly felt supremely content.
Now, they were doing better step by step than before, and in the future, they would become even better.
In the end, Xu Nianji still walked to Zhou Family Village.
Xu Nianhua followed her elder brother to fetch the bride. Although it wasn’t comparable to modern weddings and they mostly walked, the suona and drums were loud along the way, creating quite a lively atmosphere.
With happy faces all around, the noisy crowd continued on as they picked up Zhou He, the bride. On their return journey, Xu Nianhua kept close to Zhou He, who looked exceptionally beautiful in her red dress.
They chatted and laughed merrily along the way, making the walk not feel exhausting at all.
Amid the sounds of firecrackers, she saw one joyful smiling face after another, chomping on wedding candy.
Xu Nianhua found it all very novel. Once they reached the Xu Family home and the formalities were completed, she stayed with the bride at home.
"Sister-in-law, are you hungry? Would you like something to eat?" Xu Nianhua asked with concern.
Zhou He’s face was flushed with color, whether from happiness or shyness, it was hard to tell.
Many people in the house were there to see the bride, and Xu Nianhua decided to step out for some fresh air. As soon as she left the house, she bumped into her uncle Ji Shan and his son.
"Hello, Uncle," Xu Nianhua greeted with a smile. Uncle Ji Shan hadn’t changed much from what she remembered.
"Nianhua has grown into a beautiful young lady," Ji Shan observed Xu Nianhua. Unlike the quieter Nianhua of the past, he said, "Shuyuan, come over and say hello."
Ji Shuyuan, the second son of her uncle, had opened a law firm in South City and was a well-known lawyer.
She still remembered when her face was disfigured; he thought she had been harmed by the Gu Family and even went to the Gu Family to seek justice on her behalf. Unfortunately, the Gu Family was too shameful, and with Gu Mingzhu’s health, they were too preoccupied to be in South City.