In the living room, Zeng Jingchu, who had been chattering non-stop with Ji Xiang, was sent away.
Li Weibo, along with his younger brothers, tidied up the living room. They were going to play the wedding ceremony game.
Even though it was his sister's wedding, there was no bridal procession. So, they decided to create a lively atmosphere.
The doors and windows of all the rooms had already been adorned with "xi" characters, and now, only the living room remained to be decorated.
Li Weihao, emerging from the reception room, also joined in.
...
The village road was blocked off again.
After the villagers moved their tables and stools onto the road, they proceeded to the accounting table behind the village committee building to offer their gift money.
Zhou Chenbin was in charge of the accounts, and Yang Jianjun was receiving the gift money.
When another villager offered ten thousand yuan in gift money, Yang Jianjun went to ask Tian Jing.
Tian Jing nodded, "Accept it. When there are happy occasions in the villagers' homes in the future, I will return the same amount."
Ouyang Meihua's family, all dressed in brand-new clothes, came to the accounting table and also offered ten thousand yuan in gift money.
After his father-in-law's family entered the courtyard, Zhou Chenbin found someone to call Zhang Shitiao to take over the accounting for him.
He hurried home to ask his parents how much gift money they planned to give.
Zhou's father pointed to the red envelope on the table, "One thousand. What's wrong?"
Zhou Chenbin called out to Xiaomai upstairs.
Xiaomai came downstairs with her son, who had changed his clothes. "Weren't you supposed to be doing the accounting?"
Zhou Chenbin asked in return, "How big of a red envelope did you prepare?"
Xiaomai glanced at her in-laws and said, "Ten thousand."
Zhou's father and mother were taken aback.
Zhou Chenbin breathed a sigh of relief, "Most villagers are giving ten thousand, so Dad and Mom also gave ten thousand."
"I was worried you might give too little. The cashier Yang asked your aunt, and she said to accept it and return it later when villagers have happy occasions."
Zhou's father quickly asked his son, "What about us? How much should we give?"
Zhou Chenbin thought for a moment and said, "Add another thousand. Some villagers who have already moved out and set up their own households are giving five hundred or one thousand."
Zhou's father took his wife into the room to re-wrap the red envelope. "Chenbin, you go back first. We'll go with Xiaomai later."
Zhou Chenbin returned to the accounting desk.
Xiaomai had intended to ask her eldest sister to go with her, but since her in-laws were going together, it would be fine.
When Xiaomai arrived, her eldest sister's family of three was already waiting by the accounting table.
Seeing that her sister's parents-in-law had also brought out a red envelope, Dama glanced at her husband.
Yuan Man shook his head. Whether his martial uncle would give a red envelope or not was none of his business. After all, his martial uncle had a thick skin and loved to mooch meals at the Li family's.
As the two families entered the courtyard, they saw that several red silk streamers were hanging from the ceiling of the second living room. In the center of the streamers hung a large red ball, exuding an atmosphere of festive joy.
The sisters, leaving their families behind, went to the backyard to see their cousin.
In Li Weili's room in the backyard, Han Lushih and Li Weili had already changed into their wedding attire.
Han Lushih, in a bright red groom's wedding suit, looked even more handsome.
The pure Chinese-style bride's attire, with its high waist and flowing skirt, concealed Li Weili's pregnant belly.
Dama glanced at her cousin's loose hair and nudged her sister.
Xiaomai stepped forward to help her cousin style her hair.
A simple bun, adorned with a simple hairpin, transformed Li Weili's heroic face into a delicate one.
Han Lushih nodded at Xiaomai, "Thank you, Sister Xiaomai."
Then, he lowered his head and gently kissed Li Weili's cheek. "Beautiful bride."
Li Weili blushed. "Sister Dama and Sister Xiaomai are still here."
Dama and Xiaomai exchanged a smile and changed the subject. "Where are the groomsmen and bridesmaids?"
Han Lushih pointed to the adjacent rooms. "They're changing."
Shortly after, Li Weihao, Li Wuyan, and Li Weixin, the three brothers in purple-red robes, entered.
Li Weixin adjusted his robe. "When I get married, Brother Da and Brother Yan will probably be married already. Who will be my groomsman?"
Li Wuyan patted his younger cousin's shoulder. "Don't worry. Your Brother Xiao Yu said he won't find a partner until he's thirty. If you get married before you're twenty-seven, you'll still have a brother to be your groomsman."
Li Weixin looked up and asked, "Brother Yan, are you planning to end your single life soon?"
"Nonsense!" Li Wuyan patted his shoulder again. "If you're not dating for marriage, are you dating for hooliganism?"
Li Weixin pouted. "You must have been stimulated by Second Brother, and now you're stimulated by Sister. I guess you'll beat Big Brother to it."
"Impossible!" Li Wuyan shook his head. "Brother Hao is the eldest. I'll let him go first."
"Hmph!" Li Weihao snorted. "If I don't get married, can you?"
As they were talking, three bridesmaids in pink Chinese-style outfits, with short tops and long skirts, walked in.
The three girls were all younger members of the Yang family, the oldest being only sixteen.
Li Weixin... "Why can't I pick up girls when I'm a groomsman?"
Li Weibo, who had been 'planning' everything, arrived. "Hurry, hurry, the auspicious hour is here."
Yang Yun, sixteen years old, busied herself holding a red umbrella for Li Weili.
Li Weixin, from somewhere, produced a red umbrella and, on tiptoe, held it over Han Lushih.
Han Lushih turned to look at him.
He said righteously, "The bride needs to be shaded when she leaves. Aren't you the bride?"
Not only Han Lushih was stunned, but everyone in the room was taken aback.
Soon, Han Lushih broke into a smile. "Yes, Little Brother is right. To be precise, I am the bride today."
"Hmph!" Li Weixin snorted heavily. "Second Brother prepared all this. If it were me, I'd definitely have your wedding attire made inside out."
"Little Brother!" Li Weili shot her younger brother a look. "If you bully your brother-in-law again, I'll hit you, okay?"
Li Weixin sidled behind Han Lushih. "Brother-in-law, you need to control your wife. She's too violent and only knows how to bully those younger than her."
Han Lushih chuckled softly. "The younger ones are meant to be bullied, aren't they?"
"You?" Li Weixin, annoyed, stopped tiptoeing and directly placed the red umbrella over Han Lushih's head.
"Lili, Second Brother will carry you." Li Weibo turned around, preparing to carry his sister.
Han Lushih pushed the red umbrella off his head, bent down, and picked up Li Weili. "Second Brother, it's not appropriate to carry her."
Li Weibo slapped his forehead. That's right, his sister was pregnant, and it wouldn't be suitable to carry her. "Then let's go."
Dama quickly picked up the red veil from the bed and placed it over Li Weili's head.
In the second living room, Li Zhenguo and Tian Jing sat facing the door.
Li Zhenguo was still a bit nervous. "When Xiao Bo got married, I didn't feel anything. But seeing Lili get married, I've become nervous."
Tian Jing smiled. "Xiao Bo's wedding didn't have the tea ceremony, so today he's teasing Lu Shi."
Li Zhenguo defended his son. "It's good to have some excitement. It should be lively."
Zeng Jingrong, who had been entrusted with the important task, stood at the door and shouted as soon as he saw the couple arrive, "The bride and groom are here!"
Yu Ziyu quickly pushed the brazier to the living room entrance.
Han Lushih, holding his bride, easily stepped over the brazier and then gently set her down.
Shen Jianrong handed the wedding silk streamers to the bride and groom.
Zeng Jingrong shouted again, "First bow to heaven and earth!"
Han Lushih was about to help Li Weili.
Shen Jianrong, beside Li Weili, supported her as she slowly knelt down.
"Second bow to the honored parents!"
Li Weili, who was helped up, was then guided by Shen Jianrong to turn and slowly kneel before her parents.
This kneel from her daughter actually brought tears to Tian Jing's eyes. Her daughter, even if she wasn't leaving home, was officially a wife.
Someone handed over a tray. As Shen Jianrong was placing the teacup into Li Weili's hand, the red veil on Li Weili's head was snatched away and landed on Han Lushih's head.
Everyone was taken aback.
The instigator straightened up and loudly asked, "Brother-in-law, shouldn't this red veil be on your head?"
Han Lushih didn't seem to mind his brother-in-law's teasing. Since Lili was pregnant, wearing the red veil would obstruct her vision:
"Dad, have tea. Mom, have tea."
Seeing that the groom had no objections, he calmly continued. The people in the living room who had been holding back their laughter began to erupt in laughter.
The groom was in the process of offering tea, and with a red veil covering him, it was both awkward and hilarious.
Tian Jing glared at her younger son.
Li Weixin stared at the ceiling, resolutely ignoring the signals.
Li Zhenguo pursed his lips, accepted a sip of tea from his son-in-law, and gave his daughter and son-in-law a red silk packet each.
Tian Jing accepted a sip of tea from her daughter and also gave her daughter and son-in-law a red silk packet each.
"Couple's bow!"
After Han Lushih and Li Weili bowed to each other, Li Weixin immediately stopped Zeng Jingrong, who was about to call out the next step. "Wait."
Then, a small scale appeared in his hand. "Sister, it's time to lift the red veil. This scale has used up all my savings, so you can keep it well and pass it down through generations."
This scale was slightly thinner than chopsticks, about half a foot long, and entirely golden yellow.
Li Weili looked at her younger brother in surprise. "You forged a golden scale?"
"Yes!" Li Weixin nodded. "This is my wedding gift to you. Do you like it?"
"I like it." Li Weili took the small golden scale.
"What about mine?" Han Lushih, under the red veil, asked. "Aren't gifts supposed to be in pairs?"
"Here you go!" Li Weixin held a small golden scale weight and swung it under his red veil.
"The scale and weight are inseparable, just as the husband and wife are. Brother-in-law, I wish you and Sister a lifelong union and eternal love."
Han Lushih was stunned. He had never expected his mischievous younger brother-in-law to give such a gift.
He took the golden scale weight with both hands and said earnestly, "Thank you, Little Brother."
Li Weili used the golden scale to lift the red veil off Han Lushih's head.
The people in the living room applauded and laughed.
"Escort the bride to the bridal chamber!"