RYEY – Chapter 243 Everyone Threw Up

“In-law, these betrothal gifts are very valuable, and we’re very satisfied. Now let’s talk about our dowry: two cotton quilts weighing eight jin each, one wool blanket, one duck-down quilt, and two pairs of pillows.”

Jiang Hua took out a list and read it aloud. Seeing the Li family quietly watching him, he inexplicably felt a little guilty.

“There are also two dowry trunks, a set of pots and pans, two thermos bottles, and two chamber pots, plus one hundred yuan.”

Yuan Qin was startled—why the extra hundred yuan? But glancing at the items on the table, she kept her mouth shut.

“Uncle, Aunt, if there are no other issues, we’ll go get the marriage certificate first thing tomorrow, hold the wedding, and then return the day after.”

“So soon?”

Mother Li looked a little unhappy. Her son only came home once every few years; she thought he should stay a couple more days, and she still wanted to prepare some food for him to take back.

“Mom, I’m on leave, so I can’t stay long. Otherwise, it’ll be hard to explain to my superiors.”

Mother Li nodded. Being in the military had this downside: discipline was too strict, leaving no time to pamper the children.

“By the way, Li Bing, who is Miao Qing?”

Yuan Qin suddenly remembered hearing the name and asked hastily. She didn’t want her daughter marrying into this family without understanding the situation.

“She’s a village girl from our village. Fearing her parents would sell her to some old bachelor, she tricked me. I took her to Gansu, and now she’s married with a child.”

“I see… so there’s nothing between you two?”

“Aunt, my conduct is proper. Our whole family’s conduct is proper. If you can’t even trust that, then this marriage…”

“Li Bing…”

Mother Li shouted. She had already noticed Li Bing’s discomfort, but some words weren’t meant to be said now, so she stopped him in time.

Jiang Hua glared sharply at Yuan Qin. He didn’t understand why someone usually so smart was acting so foolish today. Was it that this place clashed with her?

Yuan Qin was also taken aback. She realized she had crossed Li Bing’s bottom line and hastily laughed it off, trying to smooth things over—but Li Bing’s stubbornness flared. Looking at Jiang Meili, he suddenly felt all his years of love had been in vain.

He had explained the Miao Qing matter countless times, finally waited until Miao Qing was married, and Jiang Meili agreed to marry him. Yet at the last moment, her mother doubted his character.

Jiang Meili’s heart trembled. She didn’t look at Li Bing but fixed her gaze on Yuan Qin. Her tone was gentle, but her words pierced Yuan Qin’s heart:

“Mother, thank you for raising me for twenty-two years. Now I’m getting married. I’ll be a member of the Li family from now on. Please let go. Don’t worry about me anymore. Your concern suffocates me.”

“Meili, how… how can you speak to your mother like this? You’re so rude, so hurtful.”

“Li Bing, I love you. I want to marry you. And I’ve never doubted you; I trust you.”

Seeing Jiang Meili’s determined eyes, Li Bing remembered how she had cared for him so meticulously after his injury. His heart softened, and he nodded:

“Let’s go; I’ll show you our new home.”

Jiang Meili hadn’t expected the ordinary-looking mud-brick house outside to be so cozy inside. There was a whole set of brand-new furniture, bright red bed sheets, and “double happiness” characters on the windows.

“So beautiful! I love it.”

Li Bing smiled at the room’s arrangement and nodded to Mother Li, Li Huan, and the others. Thank you, Mom, thank you, brother and sister-in-law, and thank you, Lele.

Jiang Hua, seeing the simple yet warm new home, felt moved. A child raised in such a family couldn’t have bad character. He was determined: this son-in-law was the one.

“Li Bing, I brought ten jin of candy. Tomorrow, at the wedding, we’ll scatter it.”

That night, Li Huan and Li Bing stayed in Mother Li’s room, while Lele, Mother Li, and Jiang Meili stayed in Cheng Qiao’s house, waiting for tomorrow, when the Li family would welcome their new daughter-in-law.

Early in the morning, Shouhou and Qiu Min arrived on bicycles. Qiu Min was holding her five-month-old son, chubby and cute.

“Come, godmother wants a hug.”

Cheng Qiao picked up the chubby boy. Little Cheng Li, not wanting to be left out, tugged at the boy’s clothes, mumbling for his mother. Qiu Min laughed and picked up Little Cheng Li. What man gets jealous over this—so dramatic.

When Li Bing and Jiang Meili returned with the marriage certificate, Shouhou and Li Huan set off firecrackers. The bangs scared the little chubby boy into crying, but Little Cheng Li clapped and laughed with joy.

Jiang Hua kept throwing candy into the crowd. Every toss was met with a cheer from the children, and the eldest daughter and young bride also joined in.

The wedding was simple yet grand, joyful and lively. Everyone was immersed in happiness, chatting and occasionally popping a piece of candy into their mouths.

As the sun began to set, Jiang Meili’s heart started racing. After dinner, it would be the wedding night, and she suddenly felt unprepared.

Mother Li, seeing Jiang Meili nervous, smiled. Both daughters-in-law were good, but Cheng Qiao was obviously more generous. Thoughts like this could only remain in her heart.

“Here’s the fish! Wishing us abundance every year.”

Li Le placed a plate of fish on the table. Cheng Qiao smelled the fishy odor and suddenly felt nauseous, quickly covering her mouth and running outside. Li Huan’s expression changed, and he put down his chopsticks and chased after her.

“Ugh…”

Cheng Qiao began vomiting. Li Huan panicked, grabbed Dr. Ye’s arm, and rushed out. Ye Jun was also worried, immediately checking her pulse despite her still being sick.

A minute later, Ye Jun laughed heartily and patted Li Huan on the shoulder: “Congratulations, you’re going to be a father again.”

Li Huan’s eyes lit up. He scooped up the wobbly Little Cheng Li: “Son, you’re going to have a younger sibling.”

“Can it be a sister?”

Cheng Qiao rolled her eyes at Li Huan. She wanted a girl.

“A sister is even better, right, son?”

Little Cheng Li nodded enthusiastically and shouted, “Sister!”

Xu Hui, Li Le, Mother Li, and the others came out. Hearing that Cheng Qiao was pregnant, genuine smiles appeared on their faces.

Yuan Qin and Jiang Hua were also moved. If Meili could get pregnant, they’d be grandparents. Just thinking this, Jiang Meili suddenly felt nauseous and ran outside as well.

“Ugh…”

Jiang Meili’s actions startled everyone present. Even Li Bing’s expression began to darken. He didn’t remember ever seeing Jiang Meili…