I was married off to a disabled hero in lieu of marriage; my in-laws doted on me and I aspired to gr

Qiaoqiao and her brother went home after finishing work at noon.

Zhou Zhonghai and Luo Meiyun stood happily at the door to greet them.

"Hello, Uncle and Aunt!" Qiaoqiao greeted Yang Zheng politely.

As if meeting Qiaoqiao for the first time, Zhou Zhonghai said warmly, "Good, good girl, so simple and unpretentious. Yang Zheng, good lad, not bad either."

After saying that, he punched Yang Zheng on the shoulder.

Yang Zheng blushed, feeling extremely uncomfortable.

Ignoring the mud on Qiaoqiao's hands, Luo Meiyun pulled her aside and said, "Qiaoqiao, don't go to work. Look at your little face, it's all sunburned."

"It's okay, we work every day." Qiaoqiao lowered her head shyly.

"Good children, both of you are good children."

The children returned, and the meal was ready. Qiaoqiao's grandma, Qiaoqiao's mother, Aunt Fang, and Huang Hongmin did not sit at the table; they ate in the kitchen.

Qiaoqiao's grandfather went to the supply and marketing cooperative and bought half a jin of baijiu (Chinese liquor), but Zhou Zhonghai refused: "I don't drink. I have to drive back after dinner. Drinking is dangerous."

Insisting on not drinking, Zhang Wei drank half a cup with Qiaoqiao's grandfather and father.

Qiaoqiao ate her food quietly, taking small bites. Luo Meiyun liked her more and more as she watched her. It was rare to see a farmer's child so well-mannered.

"Eat meat, eat more." Luo Meiyun took the initiative and kept putting food on Qiaoqiao's plate.

"Auntie, please eat, I've already eaten a lot."

These dishes are rarely eaten on ordinary days. Qiaoqiao only needs two pieces, and the rest is left for the guests.

Zhou Zhonghai started chatting with Yang Zheng: "Yang Zheng, the Municipal Machinery Factory is one of the top pillar factories in the city. You are educated, so after you join the factory, learn from your mentor and work hard. You have a bright future ahead of you."

Yang Zheng nodded silently. He really wanted to be a worker. He had the best grades in physics when he was in school, but unfortunately, he needed a recommendation from the brigade to go to university. No matter how ideal he was, it was just empty talk.

Now, his sister has traded her own happiness for his future, a future that is so bittersweet.

"In the early years, we were in poor conditions, but we managed to maintain a peaceful life with our passion and enthusiasm. However, the price was too high. Now, our country is vigorously developing its industry, and everything is getting better and better. Our lives are also more stable," Zhou Zhonghai said solemnly.

Yang Zheng also had ideals. He was inexplicably inspired by Zhou Zhonghai and vowed to work hard for this hard-won opportunity and win glory for the country.

Lunch was eaten casually. Zhou Zhonghai and Yang Zheng chatted enthusiastically, while Luo Meiyun held Qiaoqiao's hand and whispered something to her.

Zhang Wei then chatted with Qiaoqiao's grandfather and Qiaoqiao's father about crops.

After a satisfying meal, Zhou Zhonghai was about to leave. Luo Meiyun kept turning back to look at Qiaoqiao, her eyes filled with longing for her future daughter-in-law, as if she would be snatched away if her daughter-in-law stayed at her parents' home for even one more day.

Before leaving, Zhou Zhonghai talked with Aunt Fang for a long time before waving goodbye.

Zhang Wei left with Zhou Zhonghai's car; he would come back on the wedding day.

After seeing the guests off, the Yang family breathed a sigh of relief. Their in-laws were soldiers, and although they were approachable, they still exerted a strong sense of pressure.

Aunt Fang returned with a smile and said, "Commander Zhou instructed before he left to inquire about the local wedding customs, and to follow the standards of Dashui Village. What customs could we possibly have? It's just a few tables of food for everyone to enjoy a meal."

Aunt Fang took a big gulp of water and continued, "The Zhou family will send the banquet dishes, as well as melon seeds and candies, in advance, so you don't need to worry about it. However, on the wedding day, Commander Zhou and his wife will still need to come."

All that buildup was for this final sentence.

"What? The groom isn't coming to the wedding?" Qiaoqiao's father was very surprised.

"You know that the child has mobility issues and the journey is long. Isn't it better for the parents to take care of him? He has to live his own life. Why care about those formalities?" Aunt Fang advised.

"You didn't even come to my wedding? Does that mean you'll never set foot in my house again?" Qiaoqiao's father said, somewhat angrily.

"That...it can't be. Once you're familiar with the relationship, it will naturally happen. Isn't there a process involved?"

"The Zhou family is nice and approachable, which makes us happy. But what's the point of having the parents come when the groom doesn't come to pick up the bride?" Qiaoqiao's father muttered.

Qiaoqiao smiled and said, "If you don't want to come, you don't have to. It'll only make things worse for the neighbors. Dad, I don't care."

Ultimately, it's just a marriage of convenience, so why bother with all that pointless formality?

"My child, I'm so sorry to have wronged you." Qiaoqiao's mother's eyes reddened again. Ever since her daughter was arranged to marry, she would cry whenever she thought about it.

"Qiaoqiao is right. When things go better in the future, we'll bring the children home."

"You've asked clearly, is it possible to have children?" Qiaoqiao's mother asked in surprise, not even wiping away her tears.

"You can have children, Qiaoqiao's mother, why do you always think the worst? You're definitely going to have two or three."

Aunt Fang didn't know if the man could have children, but she had to make the marriage happen. Her son was under Commander Zhou's command, and only if the marriage went through would her son have a future.

If they could have children, they wouldn't care who came to fetch them as brides. The Yang family's biggest concern was whether or not they could have children.

"Then it's settled. I'll go to the commune tomorrow and call Commander Zhou. It'll be the eighth of next month, about ten days from now. Qiaoqiao should have two nice outfits made."

Aunt Fang was very satisfied. After working on it for almost a month, she finally got it done.

The Yang family got busy; their daughter was getting married, and their son was going to work in the city.

Grandma and Mom were busy preparing for Qiaoqiao's wedding and dowry. No matter how poor they were, they still had to have a basic ceremonial occasion.

Two cotton quilts, two sets of bed sheets, two porcelain basins, two embroidered pillows, six towels, two sets of new clothes...

The thousand yuan sent by the Zhou family was left untouched. Grandpa said that the money should be taken back to Qiaoqiao, as his family was marrying off their daughter, not selling her.

Qiaoqiao firmly disagreed. She didn't want a single penny. She wanted to keep the money at home to buy medicine for her grandmother, and her brother also needed to take some money with him to work.

After a stalemate, Qiaoqiao agreed to take 500 yuan back with her and leave 500 yuan at home.

While the family was busy preparing for the wedding, Qiaoqiao and her brother continued to work every day.

My brother earns ten work points a day, and Qiaoqiao earns seven. Ten work points are worth 35 cents, and seven work points are worth 24.5 cents.

The more days you work, the more food you get.

The soil in the cornfield is loose enough. After a couple of days of sun exposure, it will need to be fertilized. Corn will be planted after the Grain Rain solar term.

After Grain Rain, Qiaoqiao will be getting married, and she won't be able to plant corn in time.

After graduating from junior high school, Qiaoqiao went to work in the fields to earn work points. For five years, she planted wheat in the autumn and corn in the spring every year.

For five years, Qiaoqiao has never been full. Even during holidays like Chinese New Year, when her mother cooks a large portion, Qiaoqiao doesn't dare to eat too much.

Grandpa, Dad, and my brother are all laborers, so they need to eat more.

To save food, Grandpa and Dad only ate until they were 70% full, leaving the rest for her and her brother.

Despite their poverty, the family members secretly cared for each other and always wanted to give more to others.

Qiaoqiao loves this family very much. She doesn't want to marry Zhou Wenhui, but she has no choice but to marry him.

As the workday was drawing to a close, Zhao Jintao, the village brigade leader, walked towards Qiaoqiao carrying a hoe. The women working with her started commotion: "Leader Zhao, Qiaoqiao is getting married, so forget about her. Fenglin is a good match, how about I act as your matchmaker?"

Zhao Jintao said with a dark face, "Auntie, Qiaoqiao and I are just friends. Look at the rumors you've spread."

"Really? Your mother said she'd break your legs rather than let you marry Qiaoqiao, and now look what's happened, Qiaoqiao really married a man with a broken leg. Hahaha..."

Zhao Jintao's face was grim: "Auntie, you should watch your words. Qiaoqiao's husband is a hero."

"Oh dear, Fenglin uses heroes to scare us, and now you're using heroes to scare us too. Heaven protects this land, and we can't even get enough to eat. What can you do to us?"

"Auntie, think about your child, even if not for yourself."

The woman pouted and said, "Such a nobody official dares to threaten us."

Looking at the stubborn women, Zheng Fenglin said angrily, "Don't pay attention to those foul-mouthed women. Qiaoqiao, you're getting married in a few days, so you don't need to go to work."

The closer the wedding date gets, the more rumors and gossip circulate in the village.

"It's okay, I don't care," Qiaoqiao said calmly.

After hearing it so many times, you get used to it.

Zhao Jintao walked up to Qiaoqiao and whispered, "Qiaoqiao, I'll be waiting for you by the reservoir tonight."

Qiaoqiao looked up in surprise, unsure how to answer.

Zheng Fenglin nudged Qiaoqiao: "Go on. It'll be hard to see each other again."

Qiaoqiao didn't answer and lowered her head.

"I will wait for you forever," Zhao Jintao said, and then hurried away.

There are too many people; it would be bad if word got out.

Qiaoqiao continued hoeing the ground with her head down, while Zheng Fenglin said in a low voice, "Within a radius of ten miles, Zhao Jintao is considered an outstanding man. He's only 23 years old and he's already become the team leader. By digging ditches and opening up channels, the water from the reservoir flows directly into the wheat fields, saving so much manpower and resources."

In the past, during the irrigation season, villages would fight over water resources. I always thought the two of you could make it work.

"He never said he liked me," Qiaoqiao said in a voice softer than a mosquito's buzz.

"Anyone with eyes can see he likes you, it's just his mother. Alas, Qiaoqiao, it's fate, you two are destined to be apart."

Every word is a matter of fate, encompassing countless hardships and bitter experiences.