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

Liu Dabao's wedding banquet was held in the company cafeteria, with ten tables. In addition to Liu Dabao's colleagues, there were also Uncle Liu's old friends.

Yang Zheng and Chen Hong sat together. Chen Hong took out a few red and green candies from her pocket: "Brother Yang Zheng, I stole these, you can have them."

Yang Zheng smiled and said, "Only little girls eat candy. I don't eat it."

"Eat up, if you eat the wedding candy, you'll have a girlfriend."

"Oh, if eating candy means you'll get a girlfriend, then all the young workers who ate candy at today's banquet must have girlfriends."

Yang Zheng chuckled; the little girl's fallacy was quite unique.

"Then, if you eat the candy, you'll be able to get into university." Chen Hong thought for a moment and then rephrased the statement.

"Hey, that's a good point. Well then, brother, eat one piece of brown sugar, and when I get into university, I'll give you a whole bag of red sugar. You can also go to university someday."

"Okay, it's a deal."

Chen Hong contentedly put the remaining candies into the pocket of her floral dress and waited attentively for the dishes to be served.

Today's banquet costs twenty yuan per table, which is quite lavish.

There was pork belly, braised carp, pan-fried tofu, minced pork offal, meat buns, mung bean paste...

Yang Zheng didn't even bother to eat himself, he put pork belly and fish on Chen Hong's plate...

"I don't want to eat meat, it's too greasy." Chen Hong put the braised pork into Yang Zheng's bowl with dissatisfaction.

"Oh, my dear young lady, you're not even eating the braised pork?"

"It doesn't taste good. I want to eat my sister's pickled cucumbers."

The older sister Chen Hong mentioned is Qiaoqiao.

Qiaoqiao is pregnant, and Han Dan has moved away, so fewer vegetables are planted in the garden, and no pickled cucumbers were made this year.

"My sister just had a big, healthy baby boy and is at home recovering from childbirth. She doesn't have time to make you pickled cucumbers."

"Brother Yang Zheng, my sister is your younger sister, and she already has a child. Why aren't you married yet?" Chen Hong asked seriously.

"I... I guess nobody wants me..."

The little girl had so many questions that Yang Zheng didn't know how to answer them.

"Then wait for me. I'll marry you when I grow up, okay?" Chen Hong said seriously.

Yang Zheng laughed and slapped Chen Hong on the head: "What are you thinking, kid?"

"I'm telling the truth, Dad talks about you every day at home, saying how good you are, and that he wishes my brother looked even a little bit like you. I feel like you're Dad's real son, and my brother and I were adopted." Chen Hong pouted.

"Now that I'm married to you, you really are my son. This is called keeping the good stuff in the family." Chen Hong chuckled.

"In Brother Yang Zheng's heart, Master is like my father, and you are like my sister. We are all one family."

"Who knows? Once you're married, you'll have your own home," Chen Hong said unhappily.

"Hey, the bride's here to toast. Give me a bottle of soda; you have to drink it when she toasts."

Chen Hong was attracted by the bride and hurriedly grabbed a soft drink.

"Thank you all for taking time out of your busy schedules to attend my wedding. Enjoy the food and drinks!"

Liu Dabao was already slightly drunk, and he swayed as he leaned against the bride.

"Liu Dabao, it's not hard work. You're eating and drinking well. We wish you were married every day!" the young workers joked, laughing.

"You foul mouth! I'm only getting married once. If you want to get married, go ahead and get married every day," Liu Dabao retorted with a laugh.

Yang Zheng took out two red envelopes and handed them to Liu Dabao: "Brother Liu, these are red envelopes from me and my master. My master had something to do today, so Honghong came instead."

Chen Hong obediently held the soda: "Brother Dabao, I wish you a happy marriage and a long and happy life together."

Liu Dabao accepted the red envelope and clinked glasses with Chen Hong: "She really knows how to talk, just like Master Chen's daughter. Please thank your father for me."

"Okay." Chen Hong took a sip of soda.

Liu Dabao, holding a freshly refilled glass, put his arm around Yang Zheng's shoulder and said, "Brother, you've worked hard. Come on, let me toast you."

"No, no, Brother Liu, I'll toast you."

"Look at you, we can't be family, yet you're being so polite with me."

"No, it's..."

"Alright, what's past is past. Xiaocao has a boyfriend now. He works at the municipal party committee and likes Xiaocao a lot," Liu Dabao said in a low voice, quite pleased with himself.

"Congratulations, congratulations! I've met that guy, he's very handsome, and he and Xiaocao are a good match."

"Yeah, they're planning to get married at the end of the year. You and your first love should hurry up too."

"Yes, yes."

Liu Dabao finished his drink and walked away satisfied.

"Brother Yang Zheng, Brother Da Bao said about your first love. You had a first love?"

"Why are you, a young girl, asking about adults' affairs? If it weren't for Master's sake, you would have to call me Uncle Yang Zheng. Don't pry into the affairs of your elders."

"Hmph, who cares?"

Chen Hong pouted and picked up a piece of tofu to eat.

After dinner, Yang Zheng wanted to go back to his dorm to study, but Chen Hong was unhappy: "Aren't you going to take me home?"

"It's only a three-step walk, do you expect me to walk you all the way?"

They all live in the same residential area, just a few steps from home.

"My dad's at home waiting for you to have tea."

"Didn't Master have to go out on some business?"

"It's nothing, he just didn't want to come, and I happened to want to come. Dad said that after the banquet, you should go home and keep him company. Come on, let's have dinner at my house tonight." Chen Hong took Yang Zheng's hand and they went home together.

The master was at home, but he wasn't drinking tea; he was reading the newspaper.

"Dad, I snatched a lot of wedding candy, please have some."

Chen Hong happily handed a handful of candy to Chen Yan.

"Okay, Dad will take one pill. You go do your homework. I have something to say to Brother Yang Zheng."

Chen Hong pouted and said, "There's always something going on, something going on every day. All they do is send me away."

Fearing her father's authority, Chen Hong reluctantly went back to her room.

"Yang Zheng, come and see today's newspaper."

Yang Zheng leaned forward, and Chen Yan pointed to the first page, saying, "See that? The Third Plenary Session of the Eleventh Central Committee, point four: reinstate the college entrance examination. Kid, your chance has come."

Yang Zheng looked at the newspaper intently. The college entrance examination was being reinstated, and family background would not be considered; only academic performance would be taken into account.

"I want to tell Zhao Jintao that the college entrance examination has really been reinstated."

"Shouldn't you tell your sister who Zhao Jintao is?"

"Zhao Jintao is the team leader of our village. He also graduated from high school. Last year, I told him that the college entrance examination might be reinstated, and he has been studying for it ever since."

"Oh, is your sister still studying?"

"I am reviewing, but Qiaomei just had a baby, so I'm afraid she won't have time to study."

"Yang Qiao had a baby? You didn't even tell me. When are you going to see her? I need to prepare a gift."

"I was originally going this week, but Brother Liu is getting married, so I'll go next week."

"There's still a week left, you have time to prepare. Come to my house before you go."

Master, the prosthetic leg you gave my brother-in-law is the most precious gift you've ever given me.

"You bought the materials for the prosthesis. I only offered some suggestions. How did it become a gift from me? It was a gift from you, my brother-in-law. It has nothing to do with me."

"Master..."

"Okay, okay, is it a boy or a girl?"

"It's a chubby boy."

"Fatty? I'll have your master's wife sew you some little clothes and shoes."

"Master, your wife is quite busy too, please don't trouble her."

"You ate so many pickled cucumbers and dried vegetables from your sister. She just had a baby. If I don't do something to show my appreciation, am I still a master? Don't interfere."

Yang Zheng didn't know what else to say, but instead asked, "Master, why aren't you going to Brother Liu's wedding?"

"What business is it of you young people? I'm an old man with bones like me, why should I get involved?"

"I've noticed that you often get involved in the affairs of young people."

"Boy, how dare you disobey your master?"

Chen Yan glared at him angrily, and Yang Zheng was too frightened to speak.

Since Yang Zheng was removed from his position as foreman, there have been many rumors circulating in the workshop, and Liu Dabao is the most active among them.

Chen Yan heard it several times: Yang Zheng was pursuing his sister, but his sister didn't like him.

Isn't this ridiculous? If it were the old Chen Yan with his bad temper, he would have given him a good scolding, but he was afraid that Yang Zheng would find out and feel bad, so he held back.

After that, Chen Yan was convinced that Liu Dabao was a despicable person. He believed that the wedding was just a matter of colleagues giving each other gifts, and that he would send Chen Hong instead of giving Liu Dabao any face.