Reborn in the 60s, I hunt to support my family and even seduce the village beauty.

When they arrived at Zhang Quhun's house, it was still dark.

The courtyard gate was open, and smoke was billowing from the kitchen. A woman in her forties, wearing an apron, was squatting in front of the stove adding firewood. When she saw someone coming from the doorway, she stood up and wiped her hands.

Liu Meifen parked the car and went over to greet her, "Second sister-in-law, are you busy so early?"

"That's right. I need to get things started on Qu Hun's marriage. Now that you're here, Auntie, you can lend a hand."

Liu Meifen took off her coat and hung it on the door frame, then rolled up her sleeves and went into the kitchen to help.

Zhang Pianxin was squatting at the entrance of the main room, smoking his pipe, his mouth wide open, his face full of wrinkles.

Chang Dashan walked over and said, "Old Zhang, today is a joyous day. You, as a father, look to be in good spirits."

Zhang Pianxin stood up and chuckled, "My second son is getting married, how could I keep a straight face? Come in, come in, have a smoke."

Chang Dashan accepted the cigarette, and the two squatted down by the threshold to talk.

Chang Kun searched around the courtyard and found Qu Hun coming out of the main room, wearing a new dark blue outfit with the collar neatly turned up, the cuffs rolled up, and a pair of new cloth shoes on her feet.

Chang Kun looked her up and down: "Not bad, much prettier than usual. Xiao Cui has good taste!"

Qu Hun scratched the back of his head sheepishly: "Xiao Cui brought it the day before yesterday and insisted that I wear it."

"Just put it on. Today you're the groom, so you and Xiao Cui are the most important people here."

Cheng Min entered the main room and saw that the red double happiness sticker on the window had a corner curled up. She went around to the kitchen, found some paste, dipped her finger in it, and pressed it flat.

He glanced at the bed sheet on the kang a few more times, straightened the corner of the quilt, and straightened the pillowcase.

Liu Meifen called out from the kitchen, "Xiaomin, check if anything's missing from the cupboard?"

Cheng Min responded and went over to rummage through the cupboard, stacking the plates by size to help organize them.

Chang Kun stood in the courtyard and scanned the area.

Chang Dashan had told him last night that the first thing a host should do is to finish his own chores: arrange the tables and chairs properly, make sure there are enough bowls and chopsticks, prepare the dishes in the kitchen, and stand in the seat to greet guests at the door.

Don't wait until the guests arrive before you start moving the table; that would be embarrassing.

After looking around, I saw that the tables and chairs were all set up and there were enough bowls and chopsticks. I turned around and walked to the door, pressed the "double happiness" character pasted on the door frame again, and glanced at the road outside the gate. There was no one on the road yet.

Xiuer's voice came from behind: "Big brother, what are you standing there for? You look like a door god."

Chang Kun didn't turn around: "You'll know when your brother Qu Hun's wife arrives."

Chang Dashan walked over and patted him on the shoulder: "What did I tell you yesterday? The guests wouldn't arrive until noon. What are you doing standing at the door now?"

Chang Kun smiled awkwardly. He wasn't nervous when he was the groom, but he was nervous when he became the host.

Chang Dashan lowered his voice: "Alright, stop standing there, come with me."

"Where to?"

"Follow Qu Hun to welcome the bride." Chang Dashan pulled him to the corner of the wall.

"Originally, it was supposed to be Qu Hun's father, his eldest brother, and Qu Hun himself who went to fetch the bride."

"But this morning, his sister-in-law said her mother wasn't feeling well and took Zhang Buxiao back to her parents' house. It's clear she deliberately didn't want to come."

Chang Kun glanced back at the courtyard. Zhang Quhun was standing at the kitchen door, holding a roll of red paper in his hand, his face expressionless.

"So who's going now?"

"His dad goes, I go, you fill in," Chang Dashan said. "You're about the same age as his brother, so no one can say anything if you step in."

Chang Kun nodded: "Okay, I'm free anyway."

He glanced at his watch; it was almost seven o'clock.

The wedding procession cannot be delayed, as it is considered unlucky to be late.

Zhang Pianxin came out of the kitchen in the courtyard, wearing a half-new blue cloth jacket, and was stuffing cigarettes into his pocket.

Chang Kun walked up to Qu Hun and said, "Let's go pick up your wife."

Qu Hun glanced at him, a slight smirk playing on his lips: "Brother Kun, you're going too?"

"Since your brother's not here, I'll fill in."

Qu Hun didn't say anything more, nodded emphatically, and turned to walk out.

Chang Kun got on his bicycle, Zhang Quhun followed beside him, and Chang Dashan carried Zhang Pianxin behind them.

The three vehicles rode along the dirt road at the village entrance toward Xiao Cui's house in the city. The dirt road was bumpy and uneven, and the bicycle bells jingled loudly.

Chang Dashan called out to Zhang Quhun, "Quhun, when we get to Xiaocui's house, don't rush in."

Zhang Quhun: "I know, Dad told me."

"I know your dad told you this, but I'll remind you again: set off firecrackers before you enter, don't come in empty-handed, and only go inside after you've finished setting off the firecrackers."

"When you come in, call her 'mother-in-law' first, then 'father-in-law.' Don't get them mixed up."

Zhang Quhun: "I've got it."

"Don't look around once you're inside. Just sit there and drink your tea. Don't look for a chair yourself. If Xiao Cui's mother pours you tea, just drink it. Don't refuse it."

Zhang Pianxin chimed in from the side, "Second brother, if you don't know how to be polite, just talk less and smile."

Chang Dashan: "Yes, just smile."

"Eat breakfast and then leave. Don't linger. Even if Xiao Cui's mother asks you to stay a little longer, don't. She understands and won't blame you."

Zhang Quhun: "Okay, I understand."

It was obvious that Zhang Quhun was quite nervous. He rode his bicycle with his back ramrod straight, his face tense, and he couldn't even smile.

Chang Kun shook his head. It was his first time being a groom, so it was inevitable.

When we arrived at Xiao Cui's courtyard, a clump of jujube tree branches peeked out from over the wall.

Zhang Quhun stopped the car, took a string of firecrackers off the handlebars, and the firecrackers exploded, scattering red paper scraps all over the ground.

The courtyard gate was opened from the inside, and Xiao Cui Niang peeked out. When she saw Zhang Qu Hun standing at the door in his new dark blue clothes, the corners of her mouth turned up slightly.

"Coming, come in quickly, come in quickly."

Zhang Quhun took out two bottles of wine, two cartons of cigarettes, a piece of meat, and two packets of pastries from the back seat of the car. They were neatly wrapped in red paper and handed over with both hands: "Auntie, I'm here."

Xiao Cui's mother took it, weighed it in her hand, and grinned.

"You're here, that's enough. You didn't bring so much stuff."

He turned and walked into the courtyard: "Dad, Qu Hun is here."

Xiao Cui's father came out of the main room, holding a pipe in his hand, and looked Zhang Quhun up and down.

"It's good that you're here. Please come in and have a seat."

Zhang Quhun followed her inside. In the main room, Xiao Cui was sitting on the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed), wearing a new bright red floral dress. Her hair was combed neatly, with two braids hanging down in front of her chest, the ends of which were tied with red ribbons.

When she saw Zhang Quhun come in, she lowered her head, pursed her lips, and her ears turned red.