The Marriage Arrangement

Liu Yueyue giggled and said, "Even the best luck can't compare to your destiny, that's a gift from heaven. Just wait and enjoy your happiness. I'm just stubbornly pursuing my dream, wanting him to read me my favorite poems, to write lyrics for me, to watch the small bridges and flowing water in leisure, and to have him warm my company at night."

Liu Qian then said, "Yueyue, love is indeed sweet, but life is reality. I have the same dream as you, but unfortunately, heaven arranged Zhang Xiaolong for me. I can only choose my village life. Different people have different lifestyles. I hope we will all have our own happy lives."

Liu Yueyue said, "Sister, I also believe we will be happy. But, Sister, have you really decided? I still want to ask you one last time. Have you decided to marry a farmer who can barely read and write so hastily? Decades from now, when you look back, won't you regret today's decision?"

Upon hearing this, Liu Qian took Liu Yueyue's hand and said, "Yueyue, some things cannot be decided by logic. Though a thousand people may stand in my way, I will go. Perhaps today's decision will lead to a different life for me, and perhaps decades from now I will regret today's decision. But, at this very moment, I have no regrets. When you hesitate and don't know how to proceed, you lose the right to choose. Life is a combination of many choices, and different choices mean choosing different lives. If you and I had the same choices, wouldn't life lack the joy of difference? Although Xiaolong is a farmer, he is not illiterate, nor is he unteachable. I think the lives of two people are also a process of mutual influence and mutual change. He may not write lyrics and poems for me, but I can read books to him and teach him to write. If we don't have small bridges and flowing water, perhaps we can have the 'man plows, woman weaves' lifestyle. Although I cannot provide him with warm company, a woman's skills in the boudoir are not just about applying makeup, right? He can grind ink for me. In short, we will gradually change and make our lives happier."

Liu Yueyue also smiled and said, "Sister, you've always been better at your studies than me since childhood, and you've read more books than me as we grew up. I can't argue with you, but I always feel you'll suffer a lot marrying into the Zhang family. Why would you make yourself uncomfortable?"

Liu Qian, however, said, "Yueyue, you are still a bit stubborn. The word 'happiness' is the same for everyone. The happiness of the poor is no different from the happiness of the rich. It's not that because you have money, your happiness is better than others'. So, whether I choose poverty or wealth, I am choosing happiness. There is happiness in enduring hardship, and there is happiness in enjoying comfort. As long as it feels happy to oneself, why fear hardship? Even if it's suffering in the eyes of others, how do you know the sweetness within? As the saying goes: If you are not a fish, how can you know the joy of a fish? And there is only so much happiness in this world. If you have more happiness, others will have less. If you feel unhappy every day, then others will have a little more happiness each day. Instead of letting others share more of your happiness, why not be happy every day yourself?"

Liu Yueyue listened, her brow furrowed slightly, and she felt a glimmer of understanding in her heart. However, she immediately let go and said, "Sister, I came here to persuade you, but instead, you've made me thoughtful. However, even if what you say is very true, I still have no feelings for that Zhang Xiaohu."

Liu Qian said, "You silly girl, I'm just telling you my thoughts. I have no intention of playing matchmaker."

While the two sisters were chatting and laughing in the room, the two prospective families in the main hall had already settled the specific details. It was getting late, and if they were to return to Guo Village, they would have to travel at night. Mr. Liu naturally wouldn't let them do that. Dinner was at Mr. Liu's house. After the engagement, they were already considered family, and the meal was naturally hearty and enjoyable, with guests and hosts alike in high spirits.

Early the next morning, before dawn, Zhang Cai and Guo Sufi bid farewell to Mr. Liu and hurried back to Guo Village. With only a few days left until the end of the month, they needed to return quickly to handle the wedding preparations, a very challenging task.

When the elders returned to Guo Village and delivered the good news to the anxiously waiting Zhang Xiaolong, Zhang Xiaohu and Zhang Xiaohua, who were waiting nearby, were so happy they almost jumped for joy. They had a very good impression of their future sister-in-law and were pleasantly surprised that they would be able to see her officially in a few days. When their maternal grandmother heard that Liu Qian had overruled everyone and set the date for just a few days later, she repeatedly praised her, saying, "What a good child, what a good daughter-in-law!" If there were ancestral tablets, she would have already burned incense to thank the ancestors for finding such a good granddaughter-in-law.

Zhang Cai and Guo Sufi's family had a very good reputation in Guo Village, and they had always been a family that didn't have many major events, either joyous or somber. This time, with their eldest son getting married, the villagers naturally offered their full support. Many of them had met Liu Qian. Although the Zhang family hadn't officially acknowledged Liu Qian's relationship with the family before, people had gossiped behind their backs. It was expected that Liu Qian would be officially married into the family this time, but the speed of it was unexpected. Some even had ulterior thoughts, but when someone mentioned the maternal grandmother, they immediately understood and couldn't help but give Liu Qian a thumbs-up.

Weddings in farming villages were simple. A large tent was erected in the courtyard, tables were set up inside, chefs were hired, and preparations for meat and dishes were underway. When villagers came to offer congratulations, they would be hosted in the tent. A bridal chamber was needed, and for the time being, the room where the three brothers lived would be used. Zhang Xiaohu was moved to share a kang with Zhang Xiaohua. The houses in the courtyard also needed some minor repairs. Fortunately, with everyone pitching in, everything was completed within the planned time with the help of the villagers. By the day of the wedding procession, the entire Zhang family courtyard looked brand new, filled with a joyous atmosphere.

Before dawn, the Zhang family courtyard was already bustling with activity. Many people had arrived and were busy with their tasks. Women from the village came to help set up tables and chairs, prepare vegetables, and the chefs lit large fires to start preparing the meals. Zhang Xiaolong was also woken up early, got ready, and prepared to ride a horse, leading the sedan chair and the band to Baligou to welcome Liu Qian.

The route for the procession was naturally not the usual small path they took, and it took longer than usual. They also had to return before noon, so they had to set off before dawn. As everyone was ready and about to depart, Guo Sufi realized that Zhang Xiaohua, who was supposed to be the best man, was nowhere to be found. She quickly asked Zhang Xiaohu, who was also surprised. He had heard people in the courtyard in the middle of the night and had gotten up early to help. He had called Zhang Xiaohua when he woke up, but it seemed he hadn't gotten up. Zhang Xiaohu hurried back to the room to check. As expected, Zhang Xiaohua was still fast asleep on the kang, snoring loudly. No matter how much Zhang Xiaohu called him, he wouldn't wake up. Finally, Zhang Xiaohu resolutely poured water on him, but he just rolled over and continued sleeping, leaving everyone at a loss. However, the best man duties had been explained to him the day before, and they couldn't find anyone else at such short notice. Fortunately, there was still the sedan chair, and the maternal grandmother knew that Zhang Xiaohua always slept until the sun came out. So, everyone carried Zhang Xiaohua into the sedan chair and let him continue sleeping. This was quite ironic, as the sister-in-law's sedan chair, which she hadn't even sat in yet, was being used by her younger brother to sleep in first.

The wedding procession, carrying the sleeping Zhang Xiaohua in the sedan chair, thus set off in the dark towards Baligou. After they had traveled more than half the way, the sky began to lighten, and as the sun peeked over the horizon, its first rays swept across the sedan chair. Zhang Xiaohua finally opened his eyes, rubbed them, and then realized he was in an unfamiliar environment. He curiously lifted the curtain of the sedan chair and finally understood. He quickly greeted the people carrying the sedan chair and stopped it. Zhang Xiaohua got out of the sedan chair and ran to Zhang Xiaolong's horse, profusely apologizing to his elder brother. Zhang Xiaolong pulled him over and let him ride on the horse too, hugging him and saying, "Xiaohua, it's okay. You're growing and need your sleep, and it didn't delay anything, so why apologize? But I'm amazed this time. I never knew you could sleep so soundly before, not even waking up when splashed with water?"

Zhang Xiaohua blushed, feeling embarrassed. "I don't know either. Maybe I always slept like this before, but I just never had to wake up so early."

Zhang Xiaolong thought about it and felt it made sense. He and his brother had always slept together, and he hadn't noticed anything unusual before. Moreover, they had never woken up so early. Perhaps Xiaohua had always been such a heavy sleeper. It wasn't a problem anyway, and he wouldn't have to wake up so early in the future, so he didn't ask any more questions.

The remaining journey was not far. Amidst the casual conversation between the brothers and Zhang Xiaolong's excited anticipation, they quickly reached their destination.

From a distance, they could see the village entrance of Baligou. Zhang Xiaolong reined in his horse and stopped, allowing the wedding procession to rest for a while. Then, a designated master of ceremonies arranged for firecrackers to be set off, and the band began to play music, making their way into the village with a lively clamor. Zhang Xiaohua quickly and obediently jumped off the horse, took the reins from his elder brother, and walked ahead, leading the horse slowly forward.

The Liu family had naturally been waiting at the village entrance early. Upon seeing the wedding procession, someone quickly rushed back to inform Mr. Liu. The wedding band's music broke the early morning silence, waking up the villagers of Baligou. Before the procession even entered the village, many children and villagers blocked their way, asking for candy and other items. The Zhang family was naturally prepared; someone brought out the pre-prepared items and scattered them to the crowd. After picking up the candy, everyone dispersed, allowing the procession to move forward. From the village entrance to the Liu family's house, the procession was stopped several times, but everyone was happy and not annoyed by it. According to rural customs, when a family has a joyous event, everyone wants to share in the good fortune. The more good fortune shared, the greater the joy of the event. The wedding procession was happy to be stopped as many times as possible.

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