A whirlwind marriage with a high-ranking official: Lights out, don't force me to take the initi

Grandpa Chen from the mutual aid society was tasked with fixing the door in a pinch. He found a few hinges and quickly repaired it.

But the house was already packed with people, coming and going, and even though the door was repaired, it couldn't be closed.

Once the noise finally subsided a bit, Zhang Yunxia clapped her hands and organized everyone to take their places.

Ding Jiahe straightened her hair, and Wang Hao adjusted his military uniform. The two of them stood upright next to the sofa.

Four elderly people were sitting on the sofa—Ding's parents and Wang's parents.

"Come, come, the newlyweds, serve tea!" Zhang Yunxia brought out four cups of tea.

Wang Hao and Ding Jiahe took the tea, walked to Ding's parents, and knelt down together.

"Dad, Mom, have some tea." Wang Hao's voice trembled slightly.

Ding's mother took the tea, her eyes instantly reddening, her hands trembling. "Good...good children," she said. She quickly pulled two red envelopes from her pocket and stuffed them into their hands. "Take these, take them, and live a good life from now on."

The two turned around again, carrying tea to Mr. and Mrs. Wang.

"Dad, Mom, have some tea." Wang Hao's voice was quite steady this time. Ding Jiahe's voice was a little shy and embarrassed to speak.

Wang Ma smiled so broadly her eyes disappeared, and she held Ding Jiahe's hand tightly, saying, "Oh, my good daughter-in-law, we're family now!" She then stuffed two red envelopes into her hand, each containing a thick wad of cash.

Mr. Wang nodded in agreement, "Good, good! Jiahe, if this kid makes you angry, tell me, and I'll beat him up!"

After the tea ceremony, the noise inside and outside the house resumed.

Ye Wenxi suddenly pulled a box of semi-transparent tissues from her bag, held it up, and waved it around: "Bride and groom, let's try something new!"

"What is that?" Everyone crowded around to take a look.

"Glutinous rice paper! The stuff you use to wrap candy." Ye Wenxi picked one out and walked between Ding Jiahe and Wang Hao. "The rules are simple: hold it in your mouth and pass it from one end to the other, into the box on the other side."

"Ouch—" The room erupted in chaos as everyone yelled in surprise.

Ding Jiahe's face flushed bright red, reaching her ears, and she nudged Ye Wenxi with her elbow: "Why didn't you tell me?!"

"If I told you, would you still let me do it?" Ye Wenxi grinned and handed the rice paper to Ding Jiahe's mouth. "Here, hold it in your mouth."

With no other choice, Ding Jiahe opened her mouth and gently bit the glutinous rice paper.

The paper was so thin it was almost transparent; it would tear with the slightest pressure.

He leaned forward, carefully getting closer to Ding Jiahe. Their faces drew ever closer, their noses almost touching.

"Hurry up! What are you standing there for! It'll melt in a minute!" Chen Yuanchuan spurred from the side.

In his nervousness, Wang Hao was too late in picking it up, and the glutinous rice paper was already stuck to Ding Jiahe's lips, impossible to shake off.

Wang Hao could only apply slight pressure to Ding Jiahe's mouth...

"oh--!!"

A deafening commotion erupted both inside and outside the house, and the faces of several young female soldiers flushed red.

The male soldiers slapped the table and stomped their feet, laughing so hard they were doubled over.

The rice paper was so thin it was practically useless; the two could almost feel the temperature of each other's lips.

"You two have almost chewed up this paper!" Lu Weihua laughed heartily from the side.

Ding Jiahe blushed and simply ripped the piece of fabric off her lips: "This is impossible to pass off! It melts as soon as it's stuck on!"

Ye Wenxi pulled out another piece of paper and slapped it onto Ding Jiahe's mouth: "Again! Quickly!"

As soon as Ding Jiahe turned her head, Wang Hao simply stopped tearing the paper and popped it with his mouth.

"Ah—!!" The crowd burst into laughter again.

Ding Jiahe shoved Wang Hao away, covered her face, and squatted down, yelling, "I'm not playing anymore! It's so embarrassing!"

Wang Hao stood there, chewing on half a piece of glutinous rice paper, grinning foolishly, and said, "...It's quite sweet."

"Oh my god!" Zhang Yunxia laughed so hard she slapped her thigh. "Look how sweet our Wang Hao is!"

The room erupted in laughter, and several elderly people were laughing so hard they were wiping away tears: "These kids are so mischievous!"

After resting for half an hour, some people ate sunflower seeds, some peeled wedding candies and put them in their mouths, and glass bottles of Arctic Ocean soda were placed on the table. They gathered in twos and threes to chat.

Ding Jiahe touched up her lipstick again and pursed her lips in front of the mirror.

Ye Wenxi glanced at her watch, then clapped her hands: "That's about it. The auditorium should be starting soon. Let's go!"

A large group of people poured out of the residential compound.

In the middle of the crowd, Ding Jiahe linked arms with Wang Hao, her red dress standing out conspicuously in the crowd.

The two walked side by side, both with sweet smiles on their faces, their steps in unison, toward the military district's small auditorium.

The small auditorium at this time.

A red banner with gold lettering that read "Congratulations on your marriage" was hung on the platform, with couplets on both sides: "Revolutionary Couple" and "Growing Old Together".

Four red-lacquered pillars were wrapped with red ribbons, several large red lanterns hung from the ceiling, and red double happiness paper-cuts were pasted on the windows.

The audience was filled with chairs.

The military leaders sat in the front row, leaving several empty seats in the middle for the newlyweds and their parents.

The chairs behind were occupied by members of the garment company, military dependents, comrades-in-arms, and soldiers who had taken a break to watch the excitement.

The auditorium was packed with nearly two hundred people, and the noise was deafening.

Chen Yuanchuan, dressed in a neat military uniform with a red flower pinned to his chest, strode onto the stage, picked up the enamel microphone, and tapped it: "Comrades! Quiet down! The wedding... is now beginning!"

Thunderous applause erupted from the audience.

"Today, our military region has a joyous occasion! Comrade Wang Hao and Comrade Ding Jiahe, witnessed by all our leaders, comrades-in-arms, and relatives, have become revolutionary partners!" Chen Yuanchuan's voice boomed. "Let's invite Commander Zhou Qiwen to officiate the wedding for the two newlyweds!"

Zhou Qiwen, acting as the officiant, offered a few words of encouragement, presided over the couple's wedding ceremony, and then solemnly announced that they were now revolutionary partners.

Zhou Qiwen immediately announced the ceremony was complete, and applause and cheers erupted from the audience.

Chen Yuanchuan handed over the microphone, smiling as he pushed it forward: "Bride and groom, would you like to say a few words?"

Wang Hao took the microphone and looked at Ding Jiahe: "Xiao Ding... the two things I'm most proud of in my life are being a soldier and marrying you." His eyes were slightly red, and his Adam's apple bobbed. "Thank you for being willing to marry me. When I was on a mission, I gave my life to the country; now that I'm back, I'm giving my life to you."

The vow of "I entrust my life to you" is almost commonplace at weddings.

But when Wang Hao said those words, no one would question their authenticity.

Ding Jiahe looked at him, and memories flooded her mind.

How many life-and-death situations must have separated these two people to get to this point? She cried uncontrollably, unable to utter a single word.

Ding Jiahe simply waved her hand, shook her head, and said with trembling lips, "No... I... I just want you to be alright... Never... Never again..."

Wang Hao didn't let her finish her sentence; he pulled her into his arms and held her tightly.

The officers, soldiers, and their families in the audience were all moved by this scene.

The women couldn't hold back their tears, which streamed down their faces. Several men also had red eyes and secretly wiped their eyes with their hands.

Lu Weidong was also moved by what he heard, and turned to look at Ye Wenxi.

Good heavens, his face and neck were covered in tears, his chest was soaked, and his features were distorted from crying.

"Oh dear..." Lu Weidong quickly pulled a handkerchief out of her bag. "Quick, quick, wipe it off."