Chapter 106: Buying the Betrothal Gifts

By the time Zhong Xiao came downstairs, everyone in the Song family was already waiting for her on the first floor.

Song Qingfeng, who had just finished his shift after an early morning duty.

Jiang Yuan, belly round with child, and Song Yanzhou, seated in his wheelchair.

Zuo Lan, whose face was so bright with joy she could hardly hide it.

The four of them sat neatly around the dining table. When they saw Zhong Xiao come down, all four lifted smiling faces and greeted her warmly.

“Xiao Xiao, you’re awake?”

The sight of the Song family’s grand display made Zhong Xiao feel a little nervous. She was just about to say something when the Song family gave her no chance to refuse.

Zuo Lan pulled a kraft paper bag from her arms, heavy and thick, and anyone could tell at a glance what was inside.

“Xiao Xiao, inside there is one thousand and one yuan. This is our Song family’s betrothal gift to you. It also shows that you are the one-in-a-thousand daughter-in-law our family has chosen. We are all very satisfied with you, we all really like you, and we all welcome you into our family.”

With that, she firmly stuffed the paper bag into Zhong Xiao’s arms.

“Xiao Xiao, take it. This money was saved year after year by your Aunt Zuo when your engagement was first settled. It was saved for you.” The one speaking was Song Qingfeng.

Zhong Xiao did not refuse.

A betrothal gift was part of the marriage custom. If she turned it down now, it would only make the Song family and Song Tingshen think she did not truly want to marry in, and that marriage was merely a stopgap measure.

She obediently tucked the kraft paper bag into her arms and said, “Thank you, Aunt Zuo.”

Zuo Lan thought to herself, Go on, keep calling me Aunt Zuo. Call me that all you want. It won’t last more than two days anyway. In a few days, you’ll have to change how you address me.

Zuo Lan chuckled softly and exchanged a look with Song Qingfeng.

Song Qingfeng understood at once and took out a metal box from the drawer beneath the table.

When he opened it, it was packed full of all kinds of vouchers.

Aside from the special grain and cooking oil vouchers used on Taizhou Island, there was also a thick stack of industrial coupons, several radio coupons, and more than a dozen watch coupons.

He then took out another bundle and opened it. Inside were furniture coupons, lumber coupons, paint coupons, and small hardware coupons.

After that came some fabric coupons and cotton coupons.

Song Qingfeng said, “Tingshen has taken the day off today. You two will take the shuttle to the city department store later. Take your time, look around slowly, and buy whatever you like. These vouchers were all originally set aside for Tingshen’s wedding. If you don’t spend them all, you’re not allowed back!”

As he spoke, his tone once again took on the commanding air of a man ordering subordinates in the army.

It was Jiang Yuan who smiled and said, “Dad, you’re obviously very attentive about Tingshen’s marriage. Why do you make it sound as if you’re being harsh and forcing someone into something?”

Her words were deftly spoken.

On the one hand, she reminded Song Tingshen that Song Qingfeng was putting a great deal of thought into his affairs.

On the other, she reminded Song Qingfeng that his relationship with his son did not need to be the same as it was in the army.

Everyone knew the father and son had a delicate relationship, and all of them hoped they would open their hearts to each other soon.

Zhong Xiao took it all in and smiled faintly. Before Song Tingshen could speak, she said first, “All right, I understand. As for me, I may not know how to do much, but when it comes to shopping, I’ll make sure every last one of these vouchers is spent to the very end!”

Zuo Lan and Song Qingfeng were greatly pleased.

The shuttle from the military district on Taizhou Island to the city took three and a half hours, but because Zhong Xiao and Song Tingshen set out early, they arrived at the department store before eleven.

The moment she got off the bus, Zhong Xiao saw the dazzling array of shops and little stalls, and her eyes practically lit up.

Goodness, it had truly been too long. After spending all this time in the military district, she had almost started to feel as though the world consisted only of loess highlands and regimented Soviet-style buildings.

So the outside world was still this wonderful.

Song Tingshen saw the delight in Zhong Xiao’s face and knew that she still preferred lively, bustling cities.

Their military district was located on the southwest coast of Taizhou Island. The nearest village was about a fifteen-minute drive away, but it was an extremely poor mountain village. It had no shops to speak of, and its supply of goods probably did not even compare with the military district’s.

Most of the people there were the old, the weak, women, and children. The slightly younger ones had gone out to work.

Song Tingshen felt somewhat guilty toward Zhong Xiao.

He said, “If there’s a chance, I’ll only stay in the military district for a few more years. Once things have settled down here, I’ll find a way to transfer to the city or back inland.”

Zhong Xiao froze, then turned to him and asked, “Why?”

Song Tingshen’s eyes were deep. “Isn’t a livelier place what you prefer?”

Zhong Xiao understood what he meant and raised an eyebrow with a smile.

With a faint curve to her lips, she said, “Who said only the city and the inland have lively places? Actually... Taizhou Island is really quite good. Song Tingshen, do you believe that one day the area around our military district could be bustling too? That people who want to go shopping and visit department stores won’t have to travel all the way into the city anymore, because we’ll be able to provide for ourselves right here. Do you believe that?”