Hongqi Commune, Nianzishan Village!
July 10th, the 23rd day of the fifth lunar month—an auspicious day for weddings and blessings!
Early in the morning, firecrackers were going off nonstop at Old Li’s house at the east end of the village, and the festive sound of suona horns echoed throughout the village.
Today was Li Yi and Tang Xue’s wedding day. Men, women, and children from all over the village had arrived early at the Li household to feast and lend a hand!
These days, getting married is no simple matter; it often requires the help of many people.
This is when a family’s status and prestige in the village truly become apparent. For families with prestige, helpers stream in without the head of the household even having to ask.
For families with little prestige, they had to notify the villagers days in advance—and even then, there was no guarantee anyone would be willing to help.
The Li family clearly had no worries about finding help. There were plenty of people in the village who owed Li Yi a favor or hoped to profit by following him. Without Li Shankui even having to ask, a large group of young and able-bodied men had arrived early in the morning to help carry water, chop wood, and tend the fire.
Regarding this wedding, the Li family had already informed the villagers long ago that they would hold the celebration for only one day.
According to the customs of North Sai Province, weddings typically last three days.
That is, the first day is for setting up the venue, the second day is the main ceremony, and the third day is the bride’s return visit to her parents’ home.
The banquet on the second day at the groom’s house is the most lavish, considered the main feast.
Although meals are served to guests on the other two days, the food is relatively simple.
For the bride’s family, the return visit day is considered the main event, while the first two days feature simpler meals.
However, since Tang Xue’s family was not from this area, there was no need for a post-wedding visit. Therefore, the Li family decided to cancel both the pre-wedding banquet and the post-wedding visit.
Although the celebration lasted only one day, no one accused the Li family of being stingy or tight-fisted, because everyone knew that to entertain their guests, the Li family had hired professional chefs from the city. It was said that each banquet table cost a full 18 yuan, featuring all kinds of delicacies that the villagers had never tasted before.
Moreover, the chefs had arrived at the Li family’s new home yesterday afternoon and had already begun their preparations. The enticing aroma wafted throughout the village, making countless little children drool with envy.
At seven o’clock in the morning, as soon as the firecrackers went off, the Li family invited the villagers over to their new house to eat crispy cakes!
This is a custom here in the northern frontier: fried cakes served with rice porridge and cold dishes for breakfast!
Although it wasn’t a formal banquet, in no time the courtyard of the new house was filled with villagers and cooperative members waiting to eat.
Once most of the guests had arrived, Master Liu signaled his kitchen helpers to serve the food!
Plates of golden, crispy fried cakes and cold dishes were brought to the table one after another, while the rice noodle soup was served in enamel bowls—half a bowl per table, with more available upon request. It was truly lavish.
What surprised the villagers even more was that the Li family had placed a dish of white sugar on every table for dipping the fried cakes—it was truly extravagant.
People from the south may not be familiar with fried cakes, but they are actually a delicacy made from millet flour.
The unfried version is called “vegetarian cake,” while the fried version is known as “fried cake.” It is a unique delicacy in this northern region, typically served only during weddings and funerals.
There was no way around it—this dish simply consumed far too much oil.
In an era when the average person had only two taels of oil per month, treating oneself to a meal of fried cakes was truly a luxury.
White sugar was an even greater luxury; even wealthy families usually couldn’t afford it.
These two items alone were enough to show just how much the Old Li family valued this joyous occasion, and everyone could feel the sincerity with which they were hosting their guests.
While the Li family was treating their guests to crispy cakes, the educated youth commune was also brimming with festive cheer.
Since Tang Xue’s maternal relatives weren’t present, the female educated youth stepped in to play the role of her family.
Starting yesterday, these female educated youth had plastered the entire dormitory with bright red “Double Happiness” characters and hung red cloth over the door.
And early this morning, they got up extra early.
They were busy packing Tang Xue’s luggage and helping her put on her wedding gown, thoroughly enjoying themselves.
………
Just after nine in the morning, a jeep drove into the village and pulled up in front of the Li family’s new house.
Upon seeing this, Li Yi knew that Wang Anguo and his group had arrived, so he immediately went out to greet them.
Sure enough, as soon as he stepped out of the courtyard gate, he saw Wang Anguo and Li Gang get out of the car first.
They then opened the back door, and Old Master Wang stepped out, supported by a middle-aged woman.
Li Yi took a closer look—wasn’t that Wang Anguo’s sister-in-law, the wife of Wang Anmin, the county’s top official?
Clearly, Wang Anmin was unable to attend today’s wedding banquet, so he had sent his wife in his place.
“Old Man, you’re here! Please come inside!” Li Yi stepped forward and said.
“Hahaha, how could I not come to my grandson’s wedding!” Old Master Wang said with a laugh.
“Please come inside!”
No sooner had he ushered them inside than he saw another car pull up in front of Li Yi’s house.
Li Yi immediately excused himself to Old Man Wang and went out to greet them.
This time, it was Plant Manager Liang Yukuai, accompanied by several officials from the sugar factory, including Director Ge and Team Leader Zhou.
Just as he had welcomed them inside, Liu Jingshan arrived with a few acquaintances from the state-run restaurant.
These people dealt with Li Yi on a daily basis and had become quite familiar with him. Knowing he was getting married, they had all come together.
Seeing the two cars parked outside and all those bicycles, the villagers were dumbfounded.
They knew all the relatives of the Li family—none of them could possibly afford a car.
Clearly, these guests were all Li Yi’s friends.
Everyone knew Li Yi had made it big lately and had some powerful connections in the city, but they never imagined his friends were so well-off—that they actually drove cars.
At 10 o’clock in the morning, seeing that the time was right, Li Yi immediately asked his third sister to fetch the bright red “Double Happiness” characters and the fresh flowers picked that morning.
He then went over to Wang Anguo’s Jeep and started tinkering with it.
Before long, a unique wedding car was ready!
Seeing the county police car transformed into this by Li Yi, Wang Anguo was at a loss for words and said with a mix of laughter and exasperation, “No wonder you insisted I wash the car before coming—you had this in mind all along!”
Li Yi just smiled and said, “I actually wanted to use Director Liang’s car, but I figured you’re the guardian angel of the common folk, so it’s better for you to drive and help me pick up the bride!”
“I’d have to be a fool to believe that. I bet you just thought Director Liang’s car was too old!” Wang Anguo said with a laugh.
Li Yi chuckled and said, “If you’ve figured it out, just keep it to yourself—you didn’t have to say it out loud!”
“Hahaha, my bad, my bad!”
Just then, his brother-in-law, Yang Wenguang, walked over and said, “Xiao Yi, it’s about time to go pick up the bride!”
“Alright!”
Li Yi then smoothed out his suit jacket and loaded a red wedding quilt into the Jeep.
Then, in front of all the guests and relatives, Li Yi called out loudly to his parents standing at the front door, “Dad, Mom, your son is off to marry his bride!”
Li Shankui and Zhang Yuehong replied in unison, “Go on!”
After bidding his parents farewell, his brother-in-law, carrying a bag filled with cigarettes, candies, and firecrackers of various sizes, accompanied Li Yi out the door.
Once outside the courtyard, Li Yi and Wang Anguo got into the car, one taking the driver’s seat and the other the back seat.
Yang Wenguang, the older sister’s husband who was accompanying them for the matchmaking, first set off a firecracker at the main gate before climbing into the passenger seat of the jeep.
Then, the engine roared to life, and the car sped off toward the nearby educated youth commune.