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

On the eighth day of the fourth lunar month, the sun shone brightly and the weather was fine.

The village of Dashui was even more lively than during the Spring Festival. Each household sent one laborer to help Yang Wenjin's family, earning ten work points in return.

Having meat to eat and earning work points is truly a wonderful thing!

Those with young children at home might as well skip school and go to the Yang family's house to freeload.

Zhang Wei delivered half a pig, fifty catties of fish, as well as chili peppers, cabbage, peanuts, etc., a couple of days ago...

Who would give half a pig as a wedding gift for their daughter?

The men and women who came to help arrived very early in the morning.

Qiaoqiao's mother brought out some roasted peanuts, roasted melon seeds, and candy to treat the guests. The children each grabbed a handful, and they were all gone in a few seconds.

Qiaoqiao only has one close relative, her aunt, who arrived early in the morning. The rest of the guests are all villagers from Dashui Village.

It's been a long, long time since Qiaoqiao's house has been this lively. Even her aunt doesn't come back very often.

No wonder my aunt felt distressed seeing my mother constantly in pain and unable to afford medical treatment.

Now that Qiaoqiao has married a soldier, the Yang family is considered military dependents, which elevates their status and attracts more people eager to curry favor with them.

Zheng Fenglin helped Qiaoqiao dress up. In the countryside, there were no cosmetics, only a bottle of face cream and a few pieces of red paper.

Fenglin helped Qiaoqiao braid two long braids and tied them with red ribbons.

I rubbed the face cream on it again and again, but the natural dark skin of rural people can't be whitened no matter how much I rubbed.

Moisten red paper with water and pat it on your lips a few times; it adds a lot of color.

Zheng Fenglin looked left and right, then nodded in satisfaction: "It's so beautiful. The groom will be overjoyed to see it."

"He's not coming." Qiaoqiao let Zheng Fenglin do whatever he wanted, but she didn't show any joy in her reflection in the mirror.

"Not coming? Who's not coming? The groom isn't coming?" Zheng Fenglin exclaimed in surprise.

"Yes, his parents came to pick him up."

"No, even an ugly daughter-in-law has to meet her in-laws. You're married now, doesn't he come to pay his respects to his parents-in-law?"

Zheng Fenglin was anxious; he had never heard of parents coming to fetch their sons for the wedding.

Qiaoqiao stopped talking; she didn't know how to explain.

"If the groom doesn't come, won't the gossip from the villagers drown you out?"

"I don't care, Fenglin. Would you look down on me?" Qiaoqiao looked up at Fenglin.

Feng Lin hugged Qiao Qiao's head tightly, choking back tears, "Silly girl, we're friends, how could I look down on you? I'm heartbroken."

The tears she was holding back dripped onto Qiaoqiao's hair.

Qiaoqiao smiled and said, "Fenglin, I only care about your opinion. As for those people in the village, they'll always gossip, but I don't care."

"Qiaoqiao, I'm sorry you had to go through this. After we get to the city, live a good life. We'll prove ourselves and live better than others, and make those gossipy people angry." Zheng Fenglin wiped away her tears and forced a smile.

"Fenglin, I'll write to you once I'm settled. Remember to reply."

"Yes, I'll definitely go back. I wrote to tell you that a few piglets were born in the village."

"Qiaoqiao, don't be sad. The villagers are talking about you. I'll help you scold them back."

"Come visit me in the city when winter is less busy."

"Okay, I'll come see you."

Three jeeps arrived to pick up the bride, and all the villagers flocked outside the courtyard, eager to see what the hero with the broken leg looked like.

Unfortunately, the groom was not seen; only his parents and a few soldiers in uniform were present.

"Isn't the groom coming?"

"That's incredibly disrespectful. He's supposed to be the son-in-law of the Yang family, yet they won't even visit his home."

"Qiaoqiao is in trouble; people don't take her seriously at all."

"What do you mean by 'marrying off a daughter'? Isn't it just selling her?"

The women whispered excitedly.

Zhou Zhonghai and Luo Meiyun got out of the car, carrying a large bag of candy, and warmly greeted the villagers: "Thank you for your hard work, folks. Come on, have some wedding candy."

If we have to say something, we should accept wedding candy; you don't see such high-class candy in the countryside.

The villagers ate candy while whispering and gossiping about the marriage.

Zhou Zhonghai entered the main room, where he was warmly received by Qiaoqiao's grandfather and father, while Luo Meiyun went into Qiaoqiao's boudoir.

"Qiaoqiao, you're so beautiful, so pretty."

Luo Meiyun looked Qiaoqiao up and down and praised her.

"Auntie, please have a seat."

Qiaoqiao hurriedly stood up and said awkwardly.

"What? Auntie? You're going to change how you address her now? The marriage certificate is issued, so you'll have to call her Mom."

"Mom..." In the countryside, people call their mothers, while in the city, they call their mothers. Qiaoqiao's "Mom" sounded awkward.

"Oh, good, good." Luo Meiyun's eyes inexplicably welled up with tears. She hurriedly took out a red envelope from her pocket and stuffed it into Qiaoqiao's hand: "It's fashionable to give a change of address fee now. Mom should follow the trend too."

Qiaoqiao accepted the red envelope.

Zheng Fenglin called out shyly, "Auntie, my name is Zheng Fenglin, Qiaoqiao's friend."

"Zheng Fenglin, good, he's a good kid too. Why don't you go to town today and keep Qiaoqiao company?" Luo Meiyun warmly invited.

"No, the team needs to plant corn, so I have to go to work."

"Then you're welcome to visit the city anytime you have free time."

"Thank you, Auntie. You stay and talk to Qiaoqiao, I'll go help in the kitchen!" Zheng Fenglin said, rubbing his hands together.

"Don't go..." Qiaoqiao cried out in her heart, but Zheng Fenglin had already left.

Luo Meiyun pulled Qiaoqiao to sit down on the edge of the bed: "Qiaoqiao, I'm sorry, I've wronged you."

"Mom, it's okay," Qiaoqiao said, bowing her head.

"Wenhui... Qiaoqiao, mothers are all selfish. Wenhui is disabled, but I still hope he can have a normal family and a normal life. Actually, your father and I met you at the conference. At that time, your grandfather was on stage, and you were crying in the audience. So we specifically asked Zhang Wei about your family."

Your grandfather did nothing wrong. It's just that in this day and age... Qiaoqiao, now that you're in my family, you're my child. No one will ever make things difficult for your grandfather again.

Wenhui was a proud boy, and losing his legs was a huge blow to him. But he was also a good man; he said he would rather die on the front lines... Qiaoqiao, but I'm his mother. The fact that he survived is the greatest blessing.

"Qiaoqiao, what your mother worries about most is whether we'll have any children in the future. Actually, I want grandchildren even more than your mother does. If you two really can't be husband and wife, I... I'll adopt you as my daughter and allow you to divorce. No matter who you marry, I'll prepare a dowry for you. Just remember, you must treat Wenhui as your own brother. After his father and I are gone, please take care of him."

As she spoke, Luo Meiyun burst into tears.

Qiaoqiao also cried, hugging Luo Meiyun and saying, "Mom, I will stay with Zhou Wenhui, I will not divorce him, and I will not remarry."

"Silly child, if Wenhui really can't make it, how can I let you live a life of widowhood?"

The mother and daughter embraced and wept; their tears were so bitter and astringent.

Outside, someone was shouting, "The wedding banquet is starting!"

"Wait a minute, let's set off firecrackers! Let's set off firecrackers!"

The courtyard was bustling with activity. Luo Meiyun wiped away Qiaoqiao's tears: "Child, don't cry. Today is a good day for you. Your mom and dad are here. Don't overthink things. Everything will be alright."

Qiaoqiao smiled shyly: "Mom, I'm so lucky to have met you and Dad."

"Yes, yes, I'm so lucky to have such a good daughter like you." Luo Meiyun's heart was even more bitter than Qiaoqiao's.

After Wenhui was injured, he attempted suicide by starvation several times. It was only after his father knelt by his bedside and begged him to have pity on his parents that he drank a mouthful of porridge.

When Wenhui was in college, he had a girl he liked. He planned to propose to her after he returned home.

Now that their son is disabled, how could the girl's parents possibly agree to their marriage?

Luo Meiyun was suffering, and so was her son.

Luo Meiyun cried until her tears ran dry. In the end, the couple discussed finding a kind and down-to-earth rural girl and having another child, hoping that their son might be able to get over it.

Luo Meiyun really liked Qiaoqiao; her round face and clear eyes made her seem approachable.

Zhou Zhonghai brought his driver today, and they drank heartily.

He stood in for his son, toasting each table and shaking hands with each fellow villager.

The villagers, who usually couldn't even leave the commune, were incredibly proud to see a division commander in military uniform shaking their hands.

Zhou Zhonghai was genuinely happy. He placed all his hopes on Qiaoqiao. If she could help his son recover, he would drink himself to death.

His son was the greatest pain for this man of unyielding integrity.

Facing the enemy, Zhou Zhonghai charged forward without fear, but his heart ached for his son who had lost both legs.

His parents knelt down and begged him to live. He did live, but he was completely devoid of vitality.

He didn't read the newspaper, didn't speak, didn't laugh, didn't argue, didn't make a fuss, he just stared blankly out the window. He was only 28 years old, how could he possibly live out his whole life?

The wedding banquet lasted until 2 p.m., then the bride got into the car and returned to the city, where there was another banquet that evening.

Qiaoqiao's grandfather and father went out to see her off, while Qiaoqiao's grandmother and mother hid in the house and shed tears.

Yang Zheng put on a new set of clothes, sent his younger sister to the city, and then went to the city's machinery factory to report for duty.

Zhou Zhonghai was swaying from drinking, but he kept waving his hand and saying, "Fellow villagers, come drink again next time, next time!"

Qiaoqiao's dowry wasn't much, but it still filled a whole car.

Aunt Fang and Zhang Wei bowed and scraped as they saw Zhou Zhonghai off to his car. Zhou Zhonghai patted Zhang Wei on the shoulder and said, "Thank you, brother. I'll take it all to heart."

She then said to the other woman's aunt, "Liu Songming is a good soldier. He's in the logistics department now, and he's doing quite well."

Aunt Fang's mouth was crooked with a smile. She had gone to such great lengths just so that her son would have someone to take care of him in the army.

In another car, Zheng Fenglin held Qiaoqiao's hand and said, "Write a letter, write a letter."

"Okay, okay, Fenglin, come visit me in the city when you have time."

Qiaoqiao did not see Zhao Jintao until the car started moving.

Zhao Jintao stood on the hillside, watching the jeep adorned with red ribbons start up, watching his beloved girl marry far away.