The Life of a Son-in-Law in a Courtyard House

The meal, eaten by dozens of people, was quite a lively affair.

We ate intermittently until two or three in the afternoon before finally heading home.

Even though Yang Dalin was as strong as an ox, he felt extremely tired today.

Afterwards, Yang Dalin told Sha Zhu, "Brother Zhu, there were even more people at my wedding than today."

Why don't you invite a few of your fellow apprentices that day?

Don't let yourself get too busy one day.

Sha Zhu wiped his sweat and said, "Da Linzi, even if you didn't bring it up, I was going to say it anyway."

We did need to ask a few fellow apprentices for help that day.

Otherwise, I'm really afraid I'll work myself to death.

How many leaders, colleagues, and friends do you estimate will come that day?

Yang Dalin roughly calculated: "I estimate there will be at least a hundred people, plus those from our courtyard. If each table seats ten people, you'll probably need to set up thirty tables that day."

Sha Zhu opened his mouth, somewhat surprised, and said, "Brother, this is really going to kill me."

However, I suggest that we invite our neighbors in the building in the evening, instead of all crowding in at noon.

One reason is that our courtyard is too small, and we're afraid we won't be able to fit it all in.

The second group is too large; it would be better if they were spread out.

I called my two senior brothers and two junior brothers to join me.

Then call four or five more people to help out in the factory kitchen, plus the neighbors in the yard to help with the washing and cleaning, and that should be about it.

"Okay, Brother Zhu, you can arrange it as you see fit. You can set the labor costs yourself, and I'll give them to you in advance."

We decided what dish to cook that day three days in advance.

I'll prepare the ingredients.

Sha Zhu nodded and said, "It's best to prepare more dishes, just in case there are extra for each person. You said there are thirty tables, so we should prepare enough for at least thirty-four or thirty-five tables."

"By the way, do you have enough money? If not, I can get you some to use first?"

"There's enough money, don't worry, Brother Zhu. My aunt, me, Ma San'er, and my sister Yan are all earning money and saving it up."

"Okay, that's good."

After resting for a while and finishing up, everyone went home.

It was already evening when I got home.

Everyone ate a simple dinner.

I was mainly too tired today, and I also ate a lot of good food, so I wasn't very hungry.

On the fourth day of the Lunar New Year, Sister Yan, her aunt, Ma San'er, and others went to work.

When Yang Dalin had nothing to do, he would go to the house in the courtyard near the freight station that he had exchanged for a unit-allocated apartment.

Yang Dalin plans to use this main house as his marital home.

We need to clean it up.

We'll be staying here for a few more days.

We also need to invite the two neighboring families and Grandpa and Grandma Wang who moved away.

If that doesn't work, we can arrange for a chef and two assistants to be hired separately here.

After all, we can't forget about them.

These three main rooms were quite well-maintained when the chubby Yuan Qiao lived there.

Yang Dalin and Chu Xiaoning, who hadn't started school yet, cleaned up again.

They also pasted up the paper-cuttings and other things that Gong Xuemei's sister-in-law had prepared.

We've also prepared a set of some daily necessities here.

Before we knew it, it was the ninth day of the month.

Yang Dalin took his fiancée, Chu Yanhua, to the neighborhood committee to receive a large award certificate.

That's right, marriage certificates nowadays look like a big award certificate.

Having the certificate means that Yang Dalin and Chu Yanhua are legally married.

Yang Dalin then took Chu Yanhua and several large bags of candy to the freight station and scattered them all over the yard.

The wedding was to be held early the next morning, which was the tenth day of the lunar month.

Many people came to help early that morning.

Chu Yanhua also put on a set of red, not-too-exaggerated Chinese clothing specially prepared by Yang Dalin.

Unfortunately, there are no wedding dresses or antique-style Chinese wedding attire available now.

Yang Dalin could only have the tailor modify a set of clothes to fit modern people.

However, it's all red.

Sister Yan looks great in it.

Yang Dalin wore a well-fitting Zhongshan suit that accentuated his figure.

Yang Dalin is now 1.78 meters tall, his clothes fit him well, and he wears a pair of shiny leather shoes.

He's still very dashing and handsome.

Xu Damao became the photographer, constantly taking pictures with his camera.

Yang Dalin gave him a full ten rolls of film to shoot as he pleased.

These days must be recorded.

All of these will be wonderful memories.

In the morning, a group of Yang Dalin's good buddies from the courtyard, some by car and some by bicycle, delivered a pile of betrothal gifts.

A brand new bicycle, a new sewing machine, a new radio, and a new ladies' watch.

There are also wedding quilts, new furniture, etc.

Then around 11 a.m., we transported them to the small courtyard at the freight station.

Yang Dalin rode his bicycle and picked up Sister Yan.

It took a process.

Then they went back to courtyard number 95 for the wedding banquet.

There are so many people here today.

Many leaders came, including Minister Teng and several ministerial-level figures from the last time.

Several leaders from the ministry also came, not to mention Station Chief Wang and Section Chief Qi.

Deputy Director Dou will naturally participate as well.

Fu Shuai must have heard about it, because he even sent him a calligraphy piece.

The inscription reads: "May you have a long and happy marriage."

Yang Dalin did not display this calligraphy piece.

However, Yan Bugui, who wrote the gift list, saw it.

I was incredibly surprised.

Yang Dalin instructed him not to tell anyone.

Yan Bugui nodded repeatedly.

Besides these, the children of high-ranking officials from the compound, as well as several generals and colonels from the compound who were available today, also came.

However, they were all dressed casually.

Otherwise, it would have scared Yan Bugui to death.

Several college students also gave calligraphy works as congratulatory gifts.

They all came too.

Even the cars and bicycles parked outside need to be watched over by someone.

Otherwise there would be too many cars.

The entrance to No. 95 courtyard was almost blocked.

Yang Dalin calculated that there were probably close to three hundred guests.

This doesn't even include the people from their own courtyard.

Fortunately, Yang Dalin had prepared everything he needed.

Sha Zhu said he needed to prepare ingredients for 34 or 35 tables.

Yang Dalin prepared enough for forty tables.

Only a few of the older neighbors sat down at the table for lunch.

The rest of the hospital staff were invited separately in the evening.

The main problem is that too many people came at noon.

Many of the tables were borrowed from nearby courtyards.

There are bowls and chopsticks at No. 88, Dongsi Shitiao, Yangdalin, so I didn't borrow any from my neighbor.

Otherwise, I'm afraid people will dislike it.

The chopsticks were simple; they were all brand new.

Yang Dalin had never been married in his past life, so he had no idea that getting married could be so tiring.

No wonder so many grooms look miserable on their wedding day.

And you also have to drink alcohol.

It's absolutely exhausting!

Yang Dalin was very clever; he had already switched his liquor to liquor diluted with boiled water.

Otherwise, we really wouldn't be able to offer all the respects today.

The water just needs to have a slight alcoholic taste.

Otherwise, I'd drink myself to death today.

The space is usable, but it's not good if there's no alcohol at all.

Right? On your wedding day, when people toast you, you have to at least pretend to be polite.

Lunch was quite a lively affair.

Ten dishes per table.

Eight meat dishes, two vegetable dishes, and one soup.

There's plenty of steamed buns and rice to go around.

Many of the meat dishes are made from wild animals.

Some people have ideas, but it's not easy to say anything about them.

Not to mention, with so many leaders around, who would dare to report Yang Dalin so easily?

That's just asking for trouble.

I didn't see any ministers, only two came.

They all treated Yang Dalin like a junior or family member.

Who dares to speak recklessly?