After being separated from my family, I became a darling of the military region thanks to my medical

On the dirt road along the Qingyun River, the people from the two villages who had just been at loggerheads were now mixed together, marching in a grand procession towards Heishan Village.

Aunt Liu Fen walked at the head of the procession, clutching a crisp ten-yuan note, her hips swaying more enthusiastically than a female opera singer performing during the New Year. She smiled at everyone she met, her smile practically bringing Ye Cheng and Zhao Xiuxiu's fortunes together to the heavens. Zhao Dahai, the village head of Dahe Village, walked beside Gu Zheng's jeep, his old, shiny sheepskin coat open, his wrinkled face beaming like an old chrysanthemum. His good-for-nothing son, Zhao Shanhe, followed behind, his eyes on Ye Cheng like he was looking at a god of wealth, the fierce glint long gone.

At the entrance of Heishan Village, the gate of the Ye family courtyard was wide open.

Father Ye clutched a rusty iron bar, while Mother Ye held a thick wooden stick. The elderly couple were ready to risk their lives to support their son. But as soon as they rushed out of the courtyard gate, they ran headlong into this cheerful procession.

The iron bar in Ye's father's hand fell to the ground with a "clang," kicking up a cloud of dust. He rubbed his eyes, looking at Ye Cheng walking side by side in the middle of the group with a pretty girl he didn't recognize, and then at his nemesis Zhao Dahai, who was grinning from ear to ear. His mind was a complete mess.

"Father, Mother, let's go inside and talk." Ye Zhen stepped forward, pressed down the wooden stick in her mother's hand, and took her arm as they walked into the yard.

Inside the main room, the curtain was drawn, shutting out the noise from outside.

Ye Zhen laid out the events that had just occurred at the village entrance to the elderly couple in detail. From Zhao Xiuxiu stepping forward to shield her elder brother from the blow, to the root cause of Zhao Dahai's disturbance, and then to the scheme to turn Dahe Village from an enemy into a family through a dowry, every single detail was clearly explained.

Father Ye sat on the threshold, tapping the pipe in his hand against the sole of his shoe. He looked up and glanced at his eldest son, who was standing in the yard with his head down and his face as red as a monkey's bottom, and then at Zhao Xiuxiu, who, although wearing patched clothes, had clear and honest eyes.

"This girl is an honest person. She was willing to risk her life to protect our Chengzi in a crisis. I accept her as my daughter-in-law." Father Ye tucked his pipe into his belt and sighed. "But that was a dowry of 360 yuan, plus three turns and a radio. Although our family is better off now, it's still a huge financial strain to come up with that all at once."

Ye Zhen didn't reply. She turned around and walked to the octagonal table, opening the canvas bag she carried with her. She took out a stack of ten-yuan notes and neatly piled them on the table.

"Dad, you don't need to worry about the money. Gu Zheng said that this money is a loan to my eldest brother. My eldest brother is now the foreman of the quarry, and he can pay me back slowly when he makes money." Ye Zhen pushed the money in front of her father. "Today is an auspicious day. Since we've already made the promise, our Ye family must make this celebration a grand one, so that no one in Dahe Village can find fault with it."

Looking at the thick wad of money on the table, Ye's mother's eyes reddened. She reached out and touched Ye Zhen's hair, her voice trembling, "You silly girl, we couldn't help you when you got married, and now we're even paying out of our own pockets to help your older brother get married..."

"Mother, we're family, no need for formalities. Don't you know Gu Zheng's temper? Once he's made up his mind, nothing can change it. Keep this money and quickly get someone to arrange a feast; the people of Dahe Village are still starving outside."

In the courtyard, Old Wang was greeting Zhao Dahai and his group. The two old men, who had just been pointing fingers and cursing at each other, were now calling each other brothers. Seeing that he was busy, Gu Zheng waved to Liu Fen, who was running around the courtyard.

"Commander Gu, what are your orders?" Liu Fen ran over excitedly, her smile wide and her eyes narrowed.

Gu Zheng pulled out five ten-yuan bills from his pocket and slapped them on the stone table beside him: "Second Aunt, go to the slaughterhouse in town and bring back two of the fattest pigs. Also buy two hundred catties of flour and fifty catties of San Dan Zi wine. Tell the women in the village who are helping out to cut the meat thicker and add plenty of cooking oil. Today's meal is going to be so good that the people of Dahe Village will be unable to walk."

Liu Fen's eyes lit up, and she grabbed the money, nodding repeatedly, "You'll have to take it! I'll take some men and hitch up an oxcart to town right away, and I guarantee this feast will be the best in the surrounding area!"

Ye Cheng squeezed through the crowd, watching Liu Fen rush out the door, and walked up to Gu Zheng, rubbing his calloused hands. He took out a cloth bag from his inner pocket, unfolded it layer by layer, and found a roll of loose bills and a few ten-yuan notes inside.

"Brother-in-law, this...this is the money I saved up at the quarry, a total of one hundred and twelve yuan and fifty cents." Ye Cheng handed over the money, his dark red face full of embarrassment. "The engagement money can't be paid by you and my sister. I...I'll work harder in the future and make up the rest."

Gu Zheng didn't take the money. He stood up and patted Ye Cheng's broad shoulder hard.

"Brother, put the money away and save it to buy your wife some new clothes later." Gu Zheng pointed to the villagers from Dahe Village who were peeking around outside the courtyard. "This money isn't buying a wife; it's buying peace and tranquility for the Heishan Village quarry. This is called strategic investment. As long as you manage the quarry well and produce more quarry materials, you'll be doing Ye Zhen and me a huge favor."

Ye Cheng's eyes welled up with tears. He nodded heavily and put the cloth bag back into his inner pocket.

Around noon, six large iron pots were set up in the threshing ground of Heishan Village. The pine firewood crackled and popped as it burned, the lard in the pots melted, and chunks of fatty and lean pork belly were poured in, sizzling loudly. The rich aroma of meat, mixed with the strong scents of star anise and cinnamon, wafted for two miles on the wind.

The villagers of Dahe Village were seated around several square tables on the east side of the threshing ground. These people usually couldn't even get enough cornmeal porridge to eat and rarely saw any meat all year round. Now, smelling the irresistible aroma of meat, their Adam's apples bobbed wildly, and their eyes were all fixed on the stove.

Zhao Dahai sat at the main table, with Wang Laocai and Gu Zheng beside him. He watched as the braised pork in the large bowl was served. The pieces of pork were cut into pieces about half the size of a palm, trembling slightly, and glistening with a reddish-brown sheen.

"Eat! Don't just stand there!" Old Wang waved his hand, picked up his wine bowl, and said, "Today is Chengzi and Xiuxiu's big day, everyone eat your fill!"

As soon as he finished speaking, a series of loud swallowing sounds and the clinking of chopsticks against bowls erupted from the tables in Dahe Village. No one spoke; everyone was focused on eating. Zhao Shanhe didn't even bother with chopsticks, grabbing a piece of fatty meat and stuffing it into his mouth, scalding it and hissing as he ate, but he couldn't bear to spit it out.

Zhao Dahai's hands trembled as he held the bowl of steamed buns and braised pork. He took a bite of the bun, then a bite of the pork, and tears streamed down his face without warning, landing on the rim of the bowl. He had lived most of his life, served as village chief for over a decade, and dreamed of providing the entire village with a hearty meal like this.

He put down his bowl, stood up, picked up the bowl of loose white wine in front of him, and walked over to Gu Zheng and Ye Cheng.

"Commander Gu, Chengzi. I, Zhao Dahai, am a scoundrel; I've done many despicable things in the past." Zhao Dahai tilted his head back, downed the bowl of strong liquor in one gulp, coughing repeatedly, his eyes red from straining. "Today's meal has won us over in Dahe Village. From now on, Chengzi is my son-in-law. We, the people of Dahe Village, will pave this quarry road for you, even if we have to lay it on our own bodies!"

Ye Cheng quickly stood up and helped Zhao Dahai up by the arm: "Uncle, please sit down. We're all family. If Heishan Village has meat to eat, Dahe Village will definitely have soup too."

The atmosphere at the threshing ground was extremely lively, and the people from the two villages, emboldened by alcohol, put their arms around each other and started calling each other brothers.

Just then, amidst the commotion, the old principal, Li Xuewen, slowly rose from the table next to him, leaning on his cane. He carried a rough porcelain mug, which contained not wine, but plain water. He tapped the edge of the table.