Chapter 740: Registering the Marriage

After moving to the new house and passing the New Year, Wang Yan could be considered to have made a name for himself in the old Xu family. His main praiseworthy achievement was drinking a bunch of the Xu family's relatives under the table, which was the most intuitive manifestation.

Xu's father and mother were also happy, showing off the bracelets and watches to relatives and friends, and they couldn't be more satisfied with Wang Yan. He had money and didn't worry about livelihood, had no parents or relatives, basically equivalent to a son-in-law living in the wife's house. Their daughter didn't have to go far and could stay by their side. He could go out to establish a household, and he could also do chores at home—at least the dishes he cooked were better than what the old couple could make.

To a certain extent, this made up for the old couple's regret of not having a son. After all, Xu Hongmi had married far away, and the eldest son-in-law didn't have a tough temper; Xu Hongmi was the one in charge inside and out, and the distance was too far, and she was too busy. Unlike Wang Yan, who was idle all day and could play Chinese chess with Xu's father for a whole day, laughing and joking. Even if they didn't stay home in the future and went out to wander around, it would be convenient to go back and forth, and there would be no nagging. Of course, this premise was that Wang Yan could marry Xu Hongdou.

So, generally speaking, they still cherished Wang Yan very much and served him like a master.

On the third day of the New Year, Xu Hongmi's family of three returned with a bunch of things. Wang Yan also met his brother-in-law, a chubby middle-aged man who also wore glasses and looked very gentle and easygoing. His Mandarin was passable, with a Shanghai accent. He was also gentle and easygoing, greeting everyone one by one as he entered the door, then sat there smiling and watching the liveliness of the family, occasionally interjecting a few words, which also showed his sense of participation.

Lingdang had a deep impression of her little uncle. Upon meeting again, she basically hung onto him. Little Lingdang was on winter break, so this time she would stay with her grandmother and grandfather for a longer period.

Today the family was lively. Wang Yan was in charge of the cooking, and the whole family pitched in—picking vegetables, chopping, and kneading dough. As the saying goes, "dumplings when boarding the car, noodles when getting off." At the very least, they had to make a meal. When Wang Yan and Xu Hongdou returned, Xu's father had made noodles. Xu Hongmi and her husband would only stay for three days, after which they had to go back to work, so the whole family would have to pitch in to make dumplings then.

Little Lingdang wasn't idle either; she very seriously helped Wang Yan in the kitchen. It was just that for every dish Wang Yan made, she helped taste one, mainly to taste the saltiness. Not only was it delicious, but she also had a great sense of participation.

Watching Little Lingdang's face smeared with food, Xu Hongmi laughed, "Wang Yan's cooking is indeed delicious; no wonder you all said so."

When they went to Dali before, Wang Yan didn't cook for them. After all, they only stayed for two days, and there were so many things they hadn't eaten yet, so there was no need for Wang Yan to cook.

Xu's mother nodded repeatedly and said with a smile, "For this period, whenever guests came to the house, Wang Yan did the cooking. He, just by this culinary skill, could make a living. He can also eat. In previous years, the food we cooked for the New Year could be eaten until the fifth day. When you come back and cook for a few more days, your father and I could eat until the fifteenth. Now this is great; Wang Yan can eat and drink, saving us from eating leftovers every day."

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Wang Yan drank a cup of wine with his father-in-law and brother-in-law, picked up some food to go with the wine, and said, "It does save us from eating leftovers, but cooking new dishes every day is also troublesome."

His brother-in-law picked up the conversation, "That's true; eating and drinking every day is not easy."

"Alright, stop showing off your credit whenever you get the chance. I'm not blind; I can see it, can't I?" Xu Hongmi glared directly.

She was a successful high-level employee, while her husband was a civil servant in a leisurely unit who didn't worry about food and drink and just waited to die. So, of course, the man took care of the family more, and doing housework and taking care of the children were his jobs. Although Xu Hongmi might not earn enough in a lifetime of working to buy the houses they had, after all, an annual salary of a million, after tax, was about seven hundred thousand, and twenty years of work would only be fourteen million, which was barely the price of one house...

Xu's father, Xu's mother, and Xu Hongdou always acted as if they didn't see such things. Xu's mother would just scold a few times, which of course was useless; it was basically to liven up the atmosphere. It was a reserved program of family entertainment, and the name of this program was "The Story of Xu Hongmi Training Her Husband."

Chatting, laughing, eating, and drinking, occasionally interspersed with Little Lingdang's childish words, it was quite joyful.

Xu Hongmi asked with a sigh, "Wang Yan, what are your plans regarding you and Hongdou?"

As soon as she said this, the dining table suddenly became quiet. Except for Little Lingdang, who was eating happily, everyone was looking at Wang Yan, and then they seemed to be not very concerned, continuing to eat and drink. Even the sound of smacking lips was gone; everyone was chewing quietly.

Xu's father still took on the appearance of a father. Since the words were already out, he would speak to the end. "That's right, Little Yan. Hongdou is thirty-three, and you're thirty-one. You're not young anymore. We haven't asked before, but what are you two thinking?"

"Oh my..."

Before Xu Hongdou could speak, Wang Yan interrupted, "Regarding this matter, we haven't discussed it yet. But it is true; we are at this age, so it's better to do it sooner rather than later. This is what I'm thinking: first, buy a house here and renovate it, and when the renovation is done, we'll get married. Of course, the registration can be done first; we can register anytime. When the house renovation is finished, we'll find an auspicious day to hold the ceremony."

"Look, how thoughtful this child is." Xu's mother laughed out loud and said in a loud voice, "Actually, that's our meaning too. This dead child Hongdou doesn't take it to heart; you say, as parents, can we not worry? Forget about other things; just talk about having children. Although everyone is getting married and having children late now, scientists have said that the best age for childbearing is twenty-five, twenty-six, twenty-seven, or twenty-eight. The older you get, the more dangerous it is. Isn't that right, Wang Yan?"

Wang Yan of course nodded in agreement. "That's indeed the case. From another perspective, life is impermanent. Having children early means seeing them grow up early. Otherwise, when you reach retirement age, the child is only twenty-something; that's enough to be annoying."

Xu Hongdou, whose face was a bit red, looked at Wang Yan, who was telling jokes, with a smile on her lips. Although one could still divorce if one didn't live well after marriage, clearly, she wasn't getting married with the intention of divorcing; she was very sure of this point.

Now that she had heard the definitive word from Wang Yan's mouth, the way she felt about Wang Yan was different. He was already a shining man, and now in her eyes, he was the sun, blindingly bright.

Xu's father said, "The sooner it's done, the better. Where do you plan to buy the house? In the city, or here with us? Hongdou's cousin who came yesterday is an agent; he helped look at this house, and he can also work in the city."

"Buy it in the city; the city is better than this county seat after all." Xu's mother was very serious. They were used to living here, and the people were familiar, which was why they didn't go to the city, but it was undeniable that the city was indeed better than the county.

Wang Yan shook his head, signaled with his cup, drank a sip with his father-in-law and brother-in-law, and said with a smile, "Let's buy it in the county seat. Let's buy in this compound, upstairs or downstairs, or in an adjacent building; it's fine as long as it's close. The city isn't that much better; it's about the same. You two are getting on in years; living close is convenient for taking care of each other."

"I think so too; being close is good." Xu Hongdou nodded in approval. "But Wang Yan has invested in a homestay, so we have to stay there for a few years before coming back. Mom and Dad, why don't you go stay there after the homestay is built? The place is very big, and the air and environment are quite good."

"We'll talk about that later; there's still a long time." Xu's mother waved her hand casually, not taking it to heart at all, and looked at Wang Yan with a smile, asking, "Then when are you two going to register?"

"Mom, are you in such a hurry to send me away?" Xu Hongdou was a bit annoyed, but if one listened carefully, there was still anticipation. They had known each other for more than four months; they had done everything that should be done, understood each other well enough, and were mutually satisfied. Where was the need for more nagging?

Xu's mother ignored her completely and just stared at Wang Yan, waiting for his answer.

Wang Yan laughed, "Wait for the Civil Affairs Bureau to open, and we'll just go handle it. After registering, we'll buy the house, and when the renovation is done, we'll hold the ceremony. This year, we'll take good care of our health, and next year we'll have children, striving to hold a child by the end of next year."

"It's settled then." Xu's mother slapped the table, one hundred percent satisfied with this son-in-law. "However, the money for buying the house will be paid by us, as our support for you."

Xu Hongmi couldn't sit still. "Hey, that's unfair. Why buy a house for Xu Hongdou when she gets married, but I got nothing when I got married?"

Xu's father laughed out loud. "Hongmi, your mother and I would like to buy one for you, but we really can't afford it; we have the heart but not the strength. With the little money we have, maybe we could buy you a toilet in Shanghai?"

Wang Yan said, "You should keep your money; let's not haggle over money. I know you didn't look at my money, but at me as a person. But it's also true that I have money. Although it's not much, as long as I don't squander it, there's no problem eating and drinking for a lifetime. I, too, really took a fancy to Hongdou, and she isn't the type to look at money either. So, you don't need to have any concerns in this regard. Just like Sister Hongmi, the eldest brother-in-law is also a rich man; his houses are much more expansive than mine. Didn't you buy her a house in Shanghai as a dowry?"

"Not bad, learning and selling on the spot." Xu Hongdou slapped him and very sensibly revealed the gap. "But, I can't compare to her; she's a high-level executive with an annual salary of a million, and I'm just a service worker who is tired to death."

"Speaking sarcastically, do you want to die?" Xu Hongmi's eyes were filled with murderous intent.

Xu Hongdou didn't show any weakness.

"Pah, pah, pah." Xu's mother stepped in to mediate, slapping each of them once. "It's the New Year; what's this about dying? You start fighting in three sentences; how old are you? Do you still think you're children? Eat!"

"If you don't listen, I'll spank you." Little Lingdang giggled.

"Hey, Grandma will spank them in a while."

Having heard the definitive word from Wang Yan, Xu's father and mother were quite attentive. The next day, they called over the nephew who sold houses to help look for a house in the compound.

This was a new building project that the county's richest man had only completed in the last two years. Naturally, the richest man's move was extraordinary, and he was determined to build the county's number one luxury residence, which was indeed the best building project in the county. However, it wasn't sold out yet, and there were quite a few housing sources. It was just that the old Xu family's new house was in a good location, and the houses nearby were all sold out, which was not a good thing.

Wang Yan had requirements: he only bought the top floor and the first floor, because the county's richest man's move was extraordinary—the top floor and the first floor were both duplexes, and at the same time, the top floor came with a terrace, and the first floor came with a garden. Xu's father and mother didn't buy them—it wasn't that they couldn't afford them, but the houses were too big, and it was too empty for the two of them to live in. Wang Yan was different; if there weren't any, that was fine, but if there were, of course, they were the first consideration.

So, after a lot of effort, Wang Yan finally added some money, covered the taxes, and bought the first floor of the building adjacent to the Xu family. They signed the contract first, paid the deposit, and would go to handle the transfer after the holiday ended and they were married.

On the seventh day, the first day of work after the New Year, Wang Yan went to the Civil Affairs Bureau with Xu Hongdou to register their marriage. After registering, they went with the Xu family's cousin and the house owner to handle the house transfer.

It was a small county seat, after all. Although the Civil Affairs Bureau and the Housing Management Bureau were equally busy, relatively speaking, it was still much less so. In addition, the Xu family's familiar face wasn't just talk; they could still find connections among relatives and friends. So, by the time these two things were done, it was only noon.

The excitement of registering was still there. Xu Hongdou had long since sent the red book with the steel seal to her parents. The two of them didn't stand on ceremony with their cousin and went directly to a hotel in the city.

There were always some emotions that needed to be released, needed to be released with passion...

Xu Hongdou lay in the man's arms, the blush on her face not yet faded. Although she was already very tired, she still looked at the two red books in her hand with great interest.

Wang Yan played with his "big treasure" as usual. "Happy?"

"Aren't you happy?" Xu Hongdou raised her head, her gaze leaving the red book, her eyes very dangerous.

"What kind of look is that?" Wang Yan applied a little force with his hand. "It's a blessing cultivated over eight lifetimes for me to marry such a great beauty like you; how could I not be happy?"

"Consider yourself sensible." Xu Hongdou reached out and tapped Wang Yan's forehead, then turned to say, "Why don't we go to Chen Nanxing's house in a while?"

"Forget it, let's go tomorrow. Dinner time has passed; what are we going there for?" Wang Yan reached out to pick up the phone on the side to check the time. "Let's get up, too. We'll have a bite to eat and go back; the old couple are still waiting."

Xu Hongdou responded and got up decisively to put on her clothes. The passion had been released, and now her body was exhausted, her heart and spirit were full. Going back now meant starting to live their lives.

She hummed and asked, "When are we going back to Yunmiao Village?"

"It depends on you. Teacher Hu told me the situation yesterday; the homestay is built quite well, the workers are also diligent, and there are no problems with the materials on Xie Zhiyao's side; everything is quite good. So if you don't want to go back, staying here is fine too. We'll wait until it's completely finished before going back to study the furniture and such."

Xu Hongdou scoffed, "They must be working hard; how could they possibly slack off on you? Just being the one selling the materials, knowing it's you building the homestay, even without Xie Zhiyao there, they wouldn't dare to fool you."

What she said was the truth. Wang Yan had great prestige in Yunmiao Village. The construction workers, whether they were pouring concrete, plastering mud, or the further electricians, tilers, and so on, were basically all from Yunmiao Village.

Before, perhaps there were still Yunmiao villagers who were resentful of Wang Yan, but ever since he gave all the video proceeds to Yunmiao Village, there were none. Subsidies for the impoverished, scholarships for students, construction for the village—the whole village benefited. If they didn't work hard for him and slacked off, and problems arose later, not to mention anything else, this bad reputation would have to be carried for two generations, and it would be very difficult to live in the village.

As for the material suppliers, that was simple. With Wang Yan's own strength, he had facilitated Dali's economic growth in the last quarter of last year and had met with government leaders many times. One would have to be truly out of their mind to try to pass off inferior goods as superior ones with him. Basically, it could be achieved that if they passed off inferior goods today, tomorrow would be a joint law enforcement package from multiple departments. Industry and Commerce, Taxation, Urban Management, Fire Protection, etc. —after this set, they would basically have to go to the construction site to move bricks, and if things went poorly, they might even have to squat for a while. After all, they had passed off inferior goods to deceive the masses; how could they be good people? They must have some dirt, and one grab would be a hit.

So, Wang Yan was very reassured about the construction of the homestay and was not worried about any problems at all.

He laughed, "Did good deeds, this is the reward."

"How is Yunmiao Village now? I haven't been able to see it much when I scroll through videos these past two days."

"It should be fine. Even without tourists from other places, aren't there still locals? Going home for the New Year, there are also people walking around and looking. I don't know too much about the rest, and I didn't ask them. But it's only the seventh day now; actually, you can't see much. Wait until after the fifteenth, when the New Year is completely over, then we can count how it will be in the future."

Wang Yan said, "Regardless, they actually all succeeded. Future tourists will definitely be more than when we first went there, but they might not meet their expectations. Live streaming and bringing goods are also doing quite well. Over these few months, the transaction volume has been several hundred million. In these two months of popularity, those who earned more earned a year's worth of money, and those who earned less also earned several months' worth. Xie Zhiyao even more so; not only did he pay off all his loans, but he also had quite a bit of money left."

"They must be dissatisfied; after all, they have been glorious. If the number of people drops suddenly, that gap is not something that can be accepted in a moment."

"Then that's not our business. Let's go, let's go, let's go home. You say, when we go back in a while, should I call them Uncle and Aunt, or change my address to Mom and Dad?" Wang Yan asked with a chuckle.

"As you like, but if you go back and call them Mom and Dad, they'll be happy for half the night."

"Then why did you say as I like?"

"The latter part is the key point; is that not allowed?"

The two chatted and laughed, checked out of the hotel, went to a restaurant, had a sumptuous dinner, and then wandered around the supermarket, buying some miscellaneous things before returning to the county seat.

Unsurprisingly, Wang Yan was shameless; as soon as he entered the door, he called them Mom and Dad, which made Xu's father and mother extremely happy. The two looked at the marriage certificate left and right and wouldn't let go. As for the property deed with both their names on it, which was placed together, it was not welcomed. The old couple just took photos with their phones and posted them on Moments. Before long, they each made video calls, talking about Wang Yan and Hongdou's affairs.

Xu Hongdou had an expression of "as expected" and happily hugged Little Lingdang to make a video call with Xu Hongmi.

For a moment, Wang Yan became the idle person. He had no choice but to take his computer and start the interior design for the new house... ===== CHAPTER 741 =====