Chapter 25: The Wedding—I Will Protect You for a Lifetime!

Hearing An Jianmin’s words, the others were truly stirred. Especially after hearing An Jianping mention earlier that he hadn’t managed to save enough money for his son’s wedding home. Among the An siblings, aside from the eldest's children, who were all married, most of the other children remained unwed.

An Jianping was considered one of the more successful earners among the siblings. Not only did he join the First Silk Mill in Shuncheng directly after technical school, but his wife was also a city native with a stable, official job. Even after the Reform and Opening-up, he had done accounting for many private factories. While his earning power didn't match An Jianmin’s, who had been riding the wave of the fruit business in recent years, his financial foundation was still remarkably solid compared to his siblings. If even he couldn't scrape together enough money for his son’s new home, then as for the rest of them...

"So, Songlin isn't planning to buy that new home after all?" the second aunt asked, clearly skeptical. Since ancient times, a marriage proposal has required sincerity. In the past, the dowry prepared by wealthy families covered everything from food to clothing, leaving nothing out. The new era had simplified things, yet the ever-changing trends made it difficult to keep up. When she married the eldest brother, the "three rounds and a sound" were all the rage. By the time the third brother married, the "new three items" had become popular. By the time the eldest niece got married, people were adding small appliances to the "new three items"—stereos and DVD players began to appear. Some wealthy families even prepared air conditioners and mobile phones. Now, with the millennium approaching, people were starting to buy houses for weddings. In another two years, would they be expected to provide cars too? Thinking this, the second aunt felt a deeper sense of anxiety.

"It is indeed a disservice to the two children, but we plan to find a way to save for two more years and see if something more suitable comes along then," An Jianping admitted, not hiding his situation from his siblings. Hearing this, the others were filled with emotion. Songlin really had found a wonderful partner, and his in-laws must be incredibly understanding; otherwise, he never would have been able to marry her. The more they thought about it, the more they wondered. They knew what kind of person An Jianping was—if he said he had wronged the children and needed two more years to save, it meant he would definitely make up for the wedding home in two years’ time. But based on what he was doing in Jiang Village... could the village really hold such potential? Could he truly be so confident that his investments would be recouped within two years, with significant returns to boot?

That night, the An family members squeezed into An Songyu’s home and those of nearby neighbors, making do as best they could. The next morning, everyone was up early and bustling about. The remaining An family members, who hadn't arrived the day before, hurried over at dawn, including the young boy and girl chosen for the wedding ceremony.

The wedding was held in the residential compound, so all the bridal procession items had to be moved out from there. By ten o'clock, the dowry and gifts were lined up downstairs. At the front were a pair of large white geese, honking away; in Shuncheng, they symbolized a "precious goose for a precious bride." Behind them were the book box, followed by the four ceremonial gifts: wedding candies, wine, tea, and fruit, along with incense, candles, wine pots, and a red umbrella. These items were moved by people recruited in advance to the entrance of the compound, then loaded onto An Jian’an’s small truck. For his nephew’s wedding, the truck he usually used for moving had not only been scrubbed clean but was also decorated with red "double happiness" decals and festive ornaments. Additionally, three cars and several motorcycles, borrowed by pulling every favor the An family had, joined the procession.

As the auspicious hour approached, the motorcade set off amidst a chorus of firecrackers. An Songyu and her sister sat in one car with two cousins. In the lead car sat An Songlin with his best man and the young pair. The car behind held the second aunt, cousins, and the lead bridesmaid. The truck at the back carried the ceremonial advisor and the fourth uncle, who was driving. The rest of the guests had to make do with the wind on the back of the motorcycles.

When the group arrived at the Xuan family home, they were blocked at the door. The reception party stood ready. First came a test of wits—riddles and brain teasers. The four An sisters offered suggestions from the sidelines, and they finally managed to clear the hurdle. After some bribery with red envelopes, they were allowed into the main hall. But they were still far from seeing the bride.

Next came the physical challenges, where the sisters couldn't help. Watching the groom and his groomsmen go through rounds of push-ups, squats, and frog jumps, and after An Songyu sang "The Moon Represents My Heart" at the door, they finally caught a glimpse of the bride. But it wasn't over yet.

The bridesmaids and the Xuan sisters brought out chopsticks and plates filled with peanuts and red dates, demanding they transfer a certain number within a set time. This time, it wasn't the groomsmen who stepped up, but the eldest uncle’s son, who had honed his hand speed in the family orchard. True to expectations, he succeeded just as the bridesmaids’ countdown grew frantic. The bridesmaids laughed and protested in mock disappointment. The groomsmen immediately clamored to take the bride away, but the bridesmaids refused. "This is the final test," one said with a triumphant smile, "blow up balloons into shapes that represent the groom’s feelings for the bride."

The groomsmen looked at the colorful, standard round balloons and were momentarily stunned. The An sisters immediately huddled to discuss. After a moment, they directed the groomsmen to blow up the balloons. Since shaping standard balloons wasn't easy, the sisters had them tie the balloons together into a heart shape. Though they used some extra tools, they met the requirement.

Finally, the group breathed a sigh of relief. The bridesmaids kept their word, accepted the red envelopes, and stopped making things difficult. However, taking the bride away was not that simple. Seeing her feet tucked into red socks, the groom and groomsmen searched for the wedding shoes. They were well-hidden, and it took several more red envelopes worth of hints before An Songlin finally found the beautiful pair.

He knelt on one knee before Xuan Ying, carefully put the shoes on her feet, and then looked up, saying solemnly: "A-Ying, you are my bride today. I am so happy and so moved. From today on, we will spend our whole lives together. I promise you, I will treat you well. I will listen to you, respect your thoughts, work hard to earn money, and take you to eat good food and go to fun places. I will do my share of the housework and share in the burdens of our life and work. If there is conflict, I will be the first to apologize. I will put you and our family at the top of my life. I will do my utmost to make your life easy and comfortable. I will use my entire life to prove my love for you. So, A-Ying, come with me now! I will protect you for the rest of our lives!"