With Li Juan engaged, the arrangements that followed moved much faster.
Both sets of parents felt that, now the couple had stable jobs, they should hold the wedding as soon as possible. They settled on August.
Unfortunately, Li Qiang would probably have only just received his military posting by then and would not be able to take leave.
Li Long went home and discussed wedding gifts for Li Juan with Gu Xiaoxia. His idea was simply to give her a car.
They had all sorts of cars themselves anyway. If necessary, he could ask Liu Gaolou to get a new one from across the border.
As for the brand, Li Long thought that, as the Li Family's first university graduate, Li Juan deserved a Mercedes-Benz.
As someone who worked within the state system, Gu Xiaoxia had reservations. She thought it would be too conspicuous for Li Juan and her husband to commute in a Mercedes-Benz.
So they asked his eldest brother, Li Jianguo, for his opinion. Li Jianguo told them not to give her a car, saying that, as her father, he should provide it.
Li Long argued that he had watched Li Juan grow up, after all. His brother's family could arrange the other things; he would take care of the car.
A Mercedes-Benz was definitely out. Li Jianguo also thought it would attract too much attention. When they discussed it with Li Juan, she shook her head like a rattle-drum. Absolutely not.
In the end, Li Long and his wife decided to give Li Juan a luxury Volga.
That settled the matter.
Li Long did not need to get involved in the wedding preparations at all. The Li Family's relatives each took on tasks and handled them.
What concerned Li Long more these days was his two boys.