RIRW – Chapter 106

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Zuo Dan had never realized that she had pre-wedding jitters. But the moment she got on the train to the provincial capital, the anxiety hit her.

Her mind kept racing—what if, after getting married, she found out that she and Shen Yiming were not compatible? Or what if he had some unknown quirks that she couldn’t accept? She even considered the possibility that after ten or twenty years, they might grow tired of each other.

After struggling with these thoughts for a while, she turned to Shen Yiming and said, “Maybe I should go back. Don’t you think we should think this marriage thing through a little more carefully?”

Shen Yiming narrowed his eyes at her, gave her a few glances, then firmly grasped her hand. “Comrade Zuo Dan, now that you’re in my hands, just be good and go get the marriage certificate with me.”

“But what if, after a few years, I change my mind?” Zuo Dan asked seriously, genuinely considering the possibility.

Shen Yiming’s expression darkened immediately. “Who dares to come and tempt you?!”

Zuo Dan patted his hand reassuringly. “Calm down, calm down. It’s just a hypothetical situation.”

Shen Yiming chuckled. “Don’t worry, you won’t even get the chance.”

Well, that’s not certain, Zuo Dan thought to herself. After all, once she passed the college entrance exam and entered university, she’d be a youthful and invincible beauty, soaring in the vast ocean of college life…

When they arrived in the provincial capital, no one came to pick them up this time. Zuo Dan wanted to walk home with Shen Yiming and didn’t ask Song Gang to pick them up.

Hand in hand, the two strolled down the road. Looking at the lamp-lit streets, Zuo Dan thought about how, after marrying Shen Yiming, she would be living here. It suddenly felt surreal. Once she got married, her home would no longer be the same.

Back in the Zuo family, the love and care she received had always felt stolen. But her love with Shen Yiming belonged to her completely.

“Shen Yiming, what was it about me that caught your eye?” Zuo Dan asked curiously.

Shen Yiming glanced at her. “I was drawn to your breathtaking beauty, of course.”

Zuo Dan frowned. “Really?”

Shen Yiming looked at her again and realized that wasn’t the right answer. So, he said honestly, “I liked how cunning you were. The first time we met, I thought, ‘This little village girl is something else. She’s definitely got a devious mind.’”

Hearing that, Zuo Dan burst out laughing. “Shen Yiming, I also liked how cunning you were! The moment I saw you, I thought, ‘This guy is all good looks on the outside but rotten inside. Such a great actor!’”

When they got home, Grandma had already prepared a meal. She knew they were going to register their marriage and had taken out the household registration book. Back when Grandpa Shen was still alive, he had already transferred Shen Yiming’s household registration. Now, only two names were left in the family register.

Grandma had always hoped to add Zuo Dan’s name to the book as well, but that wasn’t realistic. After marriage, Zuo Dan’s household registration would still remain in Zuo Village. Even when they had children in the future, they wouldn’t be able to register under the Shen family’s household.

However, Grandma never brought up these concerns in front of Zuo Dan. Instead, she simply reminded the two of them to live well together after getting married. “Yiming, once you’re married, you’re an adult now. You can’t mess around like before—you have to treat Dandan well.”

Zuo Dan said with a smile, “Grandma, don’t worry. Shen Yiming is a good man. As long as you stay healthy, he won’t have time to misbehave. So, you have to take good care of yourself and live a long life—to keep an eye on Shen Yiming for me.”

Grandma beamed. “Of course! I’ll help you keep an eye on him. And in the future, I’ll even help you take care of your children.”

“Cough, cough…” Zuo Dan quickly stuffed food into her mouth. Kids? She was still preparing for the college entrance exam!

Meanwhile, Shen Yiming’s gaze was sharp and focused on her, as if his mind was already planning something.

That night, she fell asleep quickly, sleeping comfortably until morning. It wasn’t until Shen Yiming called for her from outside the door that she finally woke up.

She hurried to get dressed, combed her hair, and then stepped out to wash up.

By the time she was ready, Grandma and Shen Yiming were already eating. Seeing her come over, they immediately served her porridge and handed her chopsticks.

“After breakfast, you two should go get your marriage certificate. Dress nicely today,” Grandma said with a joyful smile, looking even happier than the two soon-to-be newlyweds.

In contrast, both Shen Yiming and Zuo Dan seemed a little nervous and excited, barely able to eat as their minds were preoccupied with the marriage registration.

After hastily finishing breakfast, Shen Yiming rushed to get the bicycle, urging Zuo Dan to hurry.

“I’m coming, I’m coming! What’s the rush?” Zuo Dan huffed as she sat on the bike, waving to Grandma as they left.

Grandma watched them leave with a smile, placing a hand over her heart, feeling an overwhelming sense of joy. It had been years since she had felt this happy.

As soon as they left the alley, Shen Yiming pedaled the bicycle at an alarming speed. Zuo Dan clung tightly to his waist.

“Shen Yiming, slow down! What’s the rush? The office probably isn’t even open yet,” she protested.

“I want to be the first one to get our marriage certificate!” Shen Yiming declared seriously.

“…” So domineering!

When they arrived at the Civil Affairs Bureau, it was already open. As soon as Shen Yiming stepped in, a female officer in a military uniform waved at him.

“Shen Yiming, you’re really here this early, huh?”

Then she turned to Zuo Dan. “So this is your fiancée? She’s really beautiful. No wonder you weren’t interested in any of those girls back in school… Speaking of which, I also—” The woman’s tone carried a teasing hint of jealousy, but it was clear she was just joking around, deliberately messing with Shen Yiming.

Shen Yiming led Zuo Dan to the chairs in front of the desk and sat down. “Comrade Gong Xiaomei, I think I need to have a chat with Comrade Li Aiguo.”

“Oh, come on, I was just joking! Just making your fiancée appreciate you more,” Gong Xiaomei laughed heartily, then turned to Zuo Dan. “You don’t have to worry about Shen Yiming. Back in school, so many girls had a crush on him. When he was sent to the countryside, half our female classmates cried their eyes out. But he was as cold as stone, never giving anyone hope. Tell me, comrade, how did you manage to snag Shen Yiming?”

Zuo Dan chuckled. “One day, I was out for a walk in the team, and suddenly, this guy rolled out of nowhere. He looked so pitiful, so I picked him up and took him home.”

“Hahaha! Shen Yiming, your fiancée is really lively,” Gong Xiaomei laughed, thinking to herself that it made sense now—Shen Yiming had never liked those delicate, soft-spoken girls.

Shen Yiming squinted and smiled. “Comrade Gong Xiaomei, if you don’t start processing our paperwork, I really will have a chat with Comrade Li Aiguo.”

“Oh, look at you, so eager! If the other girls saw this, they’d be crying at home again. Alright, alright, fill out the forms. Let me see your household registration book and the required documents.”

Shen Yiming had everything neatly organized in his bag. He took them out and placed them in front of her.

As the two of them started filling out their forms, Gong Xiaomei checked the documents.

Once the paperwork was complete, she processed their marriage certificates.

When the two red booklets, as grand as award certificates, were placed in their hands, Zuo Dan still felt a little dazed.

She dumbly asked, “Shen Yiming, are we married now?”

“Yes, we’re married,” Shen Yiming replied with a slight smile.

As they were leaving the Civil Affairs Bureau, Gong Xiaomei called after them, “Hey, Shen Yiming, does this mean I don’t have to give you a wedding gift now?”

“Oh, your Comrade Aiguo already gave me one in advance,” Shen Yiming replied with a grin.

“You sneaky Shen Yiming!” Gong Xiaomei huffed, half amused, half exasperated.

Once outside, Shen Yiming rolled up their marriage certificates, carefully tucking them into his backpack. Then he hopped onto his bike, pedaling with renewed energy.

“Shen Yiming, where are we going?” Zuo Dan quickly noticed they weren’t heading home.

“To our home,” Shen Yiming said, his voice brimming with joy.

The bicycle sped down the road at full speed. Zuo Dan clung to him, not daring to let go. By the time they reached their destination, her legs felt weak from the ride.

Shen Yiming took a deep breath, pulled out a key, and unlocked the still-weathered courtyard gate before leading Zuo Dan inside.

As soon as she stepped in, her eyes lit up.

From the outside, the house still looked the same. But inside, everything had changed.

The courtyard had been planted with flowers and greenery. The doors and windows had been replaced and repainted, and the window panes now had glass installed.

Shen Yiming shut the gate behind them, and they stepped into the house.

“You renovated everything?” Zuo Dan was stunned. She hadn’t expected him to have even furnished the place. At a glance, it was already livable. The living room had a table and chairs, and when she stepped into the bedroom, there was a neatly made bed with fresh bedding. A newly built wardrobe lined the wall, with a few pieces of clothing already hanging inside. Next to it stood a full-length mirror.

Her reflection in the mirror showed her flushed cheeks.

Shen Yiming wrapped his arms around her from behind. “Every day after work, I’d come here to check on things. On my days off, I’d haul in furniture piece by piece. The more it started to look like a home, the more I thought—it’s time to bring the lady of the house in too.”

He leaned down and kissed her cheek. “Are you satisfied?”

“More than satisfied!” Zuo Dan turned around and hugged him. “Shen Yiming, was the money I gave you enough? This must’ve cost more than what I gave you.”

“If it wasn’t enough, I made up the difference. You’re not the only one responsible for this home. Comrade Zuo Dan, you need to understand—we’re husband and wife now. There’s no ‘yours’ or ‘mine,’ only ‘ours.’”

Zuo Dan loved hearing that. Touched, she nodded. “Shen Yiming, you said it yourself—so hand over all your savings, and your monthly salary too. I’ll take care of them for you.”

Shen Yiming froze for a second, then suddenly laughed. He lowered his head, kissed her lips, and murmured, “They’re all yours. I’m yours too…”

Zuo Dan’s face turned red, her heart pounding. She let him kiss her, slowly responding in kind.

The two grew hotter, their hands already slipping under each other’s clothes, and their thoughts straying to even bolder ideas… A man and a woman, legally married, alone in their new home—how could they not get down to serious business?

Just as they were lost in the moment, a sudden barking from outside startled them. Zuo Dan immediately pulled away and, glancing at the bright daylight streaming into the room, suddenly remembered—it was still the middle of the day!

Shen Yiming’s face was flushed red. He still wanted to hold her, but Zuo Dan grabbed his hand. “Shen Yiming, it’s broad daylight! Stop messing around!”

“…” Shen Yiming glanced at the window, making a mental note—he definitely needed to install blackout curtains.

Since now wasn’t the right time, he simply hugged Zuo Dan and said, “Then tonight… Ahem, I mean, since we just got our marriage certificate, we should take some time to… discuss our thoughts.”

Zuo Dan pinched his cheek. “You little rascal.”

Shen Yiming grinned and pulled out their certificate. “It’s legal.”

Since they couldn’t do anything else, the two quickly left the room and went outside to discuss moving in.

The house was already renovated, so there was no need to wait until October to move. Zuo Dan thought they might as well do it while she was still here. The environment was good, and grandmother would be comfortable living there. Plus, she could help out. Once she returned to work, she would be too busy to make another trip.

Shen Yiming nodded in agreement. “Once we move in, we’ll sleep in our new home.”

“No, no, no! I will sleep in the new home, you will sleep in the study. No wedding, no funny business,” Zuo Dan declared firmly.

Shen Yiming pursed his lips and smiled without arguing. After all, the marriage certificate was already in his pocket.

After finalizing their plans, they rushed home to share the good news with her grandmother.

As soon as they arrived, Grandma came up to them eagerly. “Let me see! Where’s the marriage certificate?”

“Grandma, look! It looks just like an award certificate. Shen Yiming and I brought back two awards today!” Zuo Dan pulled the marriage certificate out of Shen Yiming’s bag, presenting it like a treasure.

“How wonderful.” Grandma beamed as she looked at the names on the certificate, then at the two of them. “Today, I am truly happy.”

Seeing Grandma’s eyes turn red as if she were about to cry, Zuo Dan hugged her and acted coquettishly. “Grandma, I’m happy too! From now on, you’re really my grandma. I treasure you even more than Shen Yiming—he can’t even compare!”

Grandma’s eyes crinkled with laughter, and the tears that had been about to fall retreated. She patted Zuo Dan’s back gently. “What a good child.” Then, releasing her, she took her hand and led her into the house, stopping before the photographs of Shen Yiming’s grandfather and mother.

“Yuehong, old man, Yiming got married today. He found himself a wonderful wife—you both must be happy too.”

Zuo Dan solemnly promised, “Mom, Grandpa, don’t worry. Shen Yiming and I will take good care of each other. We’ll make sure Grandma lives a happy and comfortable life.”

The people in the photos wore gentle smiles.

Even though they weren’t having a wedding ceremony, registering their marriage was still a big deal. At noon, Song Gang rushed over to Shen’s house after work, loudly complaining that Shen Yiming had kept such an important event a secret. He had only found out because Grandma had mentioned it when he visited last time.

He even brought a bottle of liquor and picked up some braised pork from a restaurant.

Grandma prepared a feast to properly celebrate the occasion.

“You brat! You actually got ahead of me!” Song Gang gritted his teeth in frustration. He had specifically set his wedding date for May 1st, hoping to beat Shen Yiming to the punch. But now Shen Yiming had quietly registered his marriage first, completely catching him off guard.

“No way, no way! We’re drinking tonight! I even took the afternoon off just so we could have a proper drink together.”

Shen Yiming chuckled as he opened the bottle and poured himself half a cup. “I have a family now—I can’t mess around. A little is fine, but if I drink too much, someone’s going to scold me.”

“That sounded way too sweet,” Song Gang teased, resting his chin on his hands. Then, as soon as Zuo Dan and Grandma went into the kitchen to bring out more dishes, he leaned in and whispered, “Yiming, do you… you know… know about that stuff?”

Shen Yiming’s expression remained calm. “We’re having the wedding in November. What’s the rush? Just drink.”

Song Gang’s eyes widened in shock. After taking a sip of his drink, he muttered, “Shen Yiming, you shouldn’t have the surname Shen. You should be called Liu!”

“What do you mean, ‘Liu’?” Zuo Dan walked in carrying a bowl of egg soup.

“Nothing, nothing! We were just talking about an old friend named Liu,” Song Gang quickly covered up, lowering his head to drink.

Zuo Dan eyed them suspiciously, sensing there was more to it.

Despite claiming he wouldn’t drink much, Shen Yiming was in high spirits, and with Song Gang’s enthusiasm, he ended up drinking a little more than intended. Even Zuo Dan took a small sip, immediately reaching for food to counteract the burn. She couldn’t understand why men treasured alcohol so much.

After the meal, they discussed moving arrangements.

Upon hearing about the move, Song Gang immediately offered to arrange a truck for them.

Grandma smiled and said, “You all handle it. I’m too old to worry about household matters anymore.”

_{Congratulations, Congratulations To Yiming and Dandan for their Marriage.}