Starting from 1950

Chapter 121 The Wedding on the Seventh Day of the First Lunar Month

Evening, at the canteen of Limin Flour Factory.

The crowd was full of people.

Today is Zhang Zhenguo and Wang Cui's wedding day.

Although the couple said they wanted to keep things simple, Zhou Zheng still decided to hold a simple ceremony for them.

In these extraordinary times, everyone does need some happy events to ease the tension.

The entire security team, along with some workers who had already finished their shifts, volunteered to help.

"Hurry up! Hang up the colored paper! And stick two more on the wall!" Ruan Sumei directed the female workers.

Wu Xinxue is using her skillful hands to cut out a complex double happiness character with scissors.

The traditional mandarin duck pattern has been changed to two crossed ears of wheat, with small gear patterns adorning the tips of the ears.

Natalia stared intently at the movements of her hands, her eyes filled with confusion.

What happened?

How did she manage to fold it a few times and cut it a few times, and a beautiful pattern appeared?

Zhang Zhenguo was unusually dressed in a half-new military uniform, and was being teased by several cadres.

"Old Zhang's face is so red, it's hotter than our factory's boiler!"

"Why are your hands shaking?"

"Absolutely! Back when we took down the Japanese pillbox, your hands didn't even tremble!"

"Won't you be shaking in the bridal chamber tonight?"

Su Yang stood at the door holding Xiaobai, smiling back at the workers who came in to congratulate Zhang Zhenguo.

However, his smile looked somewhat forced, and he kept glancing at the clock on the cafeteria wall.

"The auspicious time has arrived—" Zhou Zheng's loud voice drowned out the noise.

The crowd automatically parted to form a passage, and Wang Cui, dressed in a navy blue Lenin suit, walked in from outside, with a red velvet flower tucked behind her ear.

There was no phoenix coronet and embroidered robes, no ceremonial music or procession, only the "Liaodong Provincial Model Worker" medal on her chest shining brightly, drawing applause from her fellow workers.

This award was given to her by her superiors just before the Lunar New Year to recognize her contributions in leading the Limin Noodle Factory's Workshop 1 in making fried noodles and establishing the "Defend the Country Noodles" production line.

"Groom, what are you waiting for?!"

Seeing that the ceremony had finally begun, Su Yang breathed a sigh of relief, temporarily turning his attention away from the peninsula and making a joke to Zhang Zhenguo.

Zhang Zhenguo was nowhere to be seen at this moment, lacking the decisive and efficient demeanor of his usual security chief.

He just grinned and smiled at Wang Cui.

Wang Cui, on the other hand, pulled him directly to her side and stood shoulder to shoulder with him, which drew laughter from the crowd.

"Ahem!"

Zhou Zheng cleared his throat a few times, signaling that he, as the officiant, was about to speak.

Everyone stopped making a fuss.

He smiled and glanced around, his tone no longer serious, but solemn and friendly.

"Comrades, today we gather here to witness the wedding of Comrade Zhang Zhenguo and Comrade Wang Cui, cadres of our factory. They have voluntarily joined together as revolutionary partners and comrades-in-arms in production. Now, the wedding ceremony officially begins!"

The room erupted in enthusiastic applause. There were no firecrackers, only sincere cheers from colleagues. Occasionally, a few young workers would whistle, creating a lively yet peaceful atmosphere.

Amidst applause and blessings from the crowd, Zhang Zhenguo and Wang Cui exchanged a smile and walked side by side to the table placed in the center of the cafeteria.

There was only one portrait on the table; the person in the portrait was that old man.

There are no mandatory rules about who to worship when cadres get married, but Zhang Zhenguo and Wang Cui are both orphans and have no other elders, so they simply followed the practice of most cadres getting married in the past two years and chose to have the elders witness their wedding.

The two stood in front of the old man's portrait, their posture upright.

Although everyone present knew the couple intimately, Zhou Zheng solemnly introduced them: "The groom, Zhang Zhenguo, is the head of the security department at our factory. He is conscientious and responsible, and has repeatedly risked his life to fight against bad elements and protect state property! The bride, Wang Cui, is the director of workshop one at our factory. She is meticulous, diligent, and has performed outstandingly in supporting the front lines! The two help each other at work and support each other in life. Today, they are officially united as revolutionary partners. We hope they will continue to fight side by side in the future, contributing to factory production and national construction!"

"Now, please take the oath in the presence of the elderly gentleman!" Zhou Zheng smiled at the two men.

Under everyone's gaze, Zhang Zhenguo and Wang Cui took a deep breath, faced the portrait of the old man, raised their right hands, and solemnly swore: "We voluntarily become husband and wife, abide by the Marriage Law, respect and love each other, understand and forgive each other, manage our household frugally, work hard, support KMYC, build a new China, stay together for life, and never be separated!"

Su Yang watched with a smile, thinking to himself that the two of them coming together was a match made in heaven.

Suddenly, he felt his hand being grasped by a pair of soft little hands. He pulled away without making a sound and looked over. Sure enough, it was Wu Xinxue, who was smiling like a flower.

"Stop fooling around!"

Su Yang muttered a few words of criticism under his breath, then looked at the bride and groom again.

Next comes the gift-giving segment.

Revolutionary marriages do not involve the concepts of "bride price" or "dowry," and gifts do not need to be expensive; they are simply expressions of mutual goodwill.

The gifts that Zhang Zhenguo and Wang Cui exchanged were both very practical.

Zhang Zhenguo gave a fountain pen, and Wang Cui gave a notebook. The gifts were simple, but they carried the sentiments of both of them and were also appropriate for the working conditions of the factory cadres.

"Now, please let the newlyweds show everyone their marriage certificate!" Zhou Zheng continued.

Upon seeing this, the two carefully unfolded a piece of cardboard.

Su Yang was curious about marriage certificates from this era and couldn't help but crane his neck to look at them.

The first law promulgated by the government after the founding of the People's Republic of China was the Marriage Law.

The so-called marriage certificate looked just like the award certificate he received in elementary school in his previous life; it was even handwritten.

He glanced at it twice and lost interest.

Finally, Zhou Zheng gave the concluding remarks: "Today's wedding is simple yet solemn, in line with the fashion of the new era, and also reflects the excellent work style of our factory cadres."

I hope both comrades will remember their vows, respect and love each other, work diligently, and contribute to the victory of KMYC and the construction of the new nation! Now, I declare the wedding ceremony successfully concluded!

"Whoosh..."

""

The onlookers applauded again.

Ruan Sumei handed two plates to Zhang Zhenguo and Wang Cui.

The two of them each took one and began handing out candies to everyone with smiles on their faces.

"Thank you for coming."

The sugar wasn't anything special; it was the kind that the supply and marketing cooperative gave out for seven or eight thousand yuan a pound, and each person only received two.

But no one objected; they all accepted it with smiles and auspicious words.

"Section Chief Zhang, I wish you and Director Wang a speedy arrival of your child!"

"May you be happy and fulfilled!"

"May you grow old together in happiness!"

Su Yang stood on the outer edge, holding Xiao Bai, with a smile of blessing on his face, but half of his thoughts were drifting to the icy and snowy peninsula.

He couldn't help but feel a little anxious.

Just before the wedding ceremony began, on the peninsula battlefield, the 40th Army, located north of Hengcheng, had already launched an attack.

The counterattack in Hengcheng has begun!

Little White seemed to sense Su Yang's anxiety. Its little ears perked up alertly, and its blue eyes scanned back and forth among the throngs of people and the flashing lights.

The ceremony was over, and Zhou Zheng didn't waste any time with long-winded remarks; he simply waved his hand.

"Alright! Thank you all for coming to witness this today. Everyone, those who are off work can go home, and those who are going to work can go to work!"

Seeing that the crowd was gradually dispersing, he smiled at Zhang Zhenguo and Wang Cui and said, "My task as the officiant is done for today. I'll give you two a day off, and you can come back to work the day after tomorrow."

"Thank you, Factory Manager!" The two bowed to Zhou Zheng together.

"Don't stand on ceremony! That's all, I'm leaving!"

Zhou Zheng smiled, waved his hand, and left swiftly.

Seeing this, Su Yang also bid farewell to Zhang Zhenguo and his wife: "Uncle Zhang, Aunt Wang, is this all I can do? I wish you both a happy marriage, a long and happy life together, and many children to cultivate outstanding successors for our factory and the country! I'll be leaving now!"

After saying that, he left quickly with Xiaobai in his arms without waiting for their reply.

"Sigh...this child." Wang Cui was about to put some of the remaining candy into Su Yang's pocket when she saw this and looked helplessly at her husband.

Zhang Zhenguo, having seen Su Yang's unreliability many times, smiled and gathered the remaining candies together, handing them to Wu Xinxue.

"Xinxue, here you go."

"Thank you, Uncle Zhang. Thank you, Aunt Wang."

Wu Xinxue politely accepted it with a smile, but her gaze couldn't help but drift in the direction Su Yang had left.

These past few days, Su Yang had been keeping an eye on the situation at the front through Xiao Yu, and she knew about it. Seeing his flustered appearance now, Wu Xinxue knew that something must have happened at the front.

Her heart couldn't help but jump.