Chapter 161: Rural Absurd Past Events Chapter 161: Choice

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Protagonist:

Li Xiulan

Zhang Zhongtian couldn't say much more about his own son's situation, so he could only let things take their natural course.

Since the marriage conditions had already been settled, they might as well get married!

Since they were getting married, going to school was definitely impossible; he could only go handle the leave-of-absence procedures.

Though it was called a leave of absence, it was actually no different from dropping out.

Once he took this leave of absence, he probably wouldn't go back to school again.

During the next period of time, Zhang Zhongtian began busying himself with preparing the wedding banquet.

First he checked the calendar to pick an auspicious day, then went to notify relatives and friends, notified everyone in the village, and also had to buy various decorations for the wedding day, and then go hire the people to do the flowing-water banquet.

The wedding day was set for half a month later, held right inside Shanggou Village.

Zhang Zhongtian's villa was big enough; outside the villa was a large empty space, where thirty or forty tables could be set up right in front of the door.

The space was definitely enough.

Actually Zhang Zhiqiang wanted to hold the banquet at a hotel in the county town, but Zhang Zhongtian disagreed; from Shanggou Village to the county town was still a long way, too much trouble, and with so many villagers in Shanggou Village needing to be taken to the county town, they'd have to hire quite a few vehicles.

Better to just handle this matter right at their own doorstep.

Zhang Zhiqiang wasn't economically independent yet; he was just a hairy brat who hadn't fully grown up, so this matter was naturally decided by Zhang Zhongtian as his father.

So in the end they held the banquet at their own doorstep.

That evening, Li Xiulan and Wang Zhanggen were eating dinner at home.

Since the eldest son went to the army, and the second and youngest sons both went to high school, most of the time only the couple remained at home, so the huge house felt rather desolate.

The two didn't speak much to each other, but they no longer argued either.

That kind of relationship was very strange, like strangers under the same roof.

Once deeply in love, and then deeply hurt, finally because of various reasons of reality, they tacitly chose to continue living together as partners.

Naturally there would no longer be any talk of love.

The two ate dinner in silence; from the start of eating to finishing, they didn't say a single word.

It was Zhang Zhongtian walking in that broke their silence.

"Zhanggen, Xiulan, eating dinner."

Zhang Zhongtian smiled and greeted them.

"Party Secretary Zhang, why did you come? Have you eaten dinner yet? Why not come eat together!"

Wang Zhanggen hurriedly stood up to greet him.

"No need, no need!" Zhang Zhongtian laughed heartily, "I just came to tell you something."

Wang Zhanggen hurriedly went to pour tea water, and asked:

"What matter?"

Zhang Zhongtian said:

"The 28th of this lunar month, my son is getting married, holding a banquet at home; you two, husband and wife, remember to come eat dinner then!"

Li Xiulan immediately showed surprise:

"Party Secretary Zhang, isn't your son still studying at a technical school? How did he suddenly get married?"

Zhang Zhongtian laughed and said:

"My son found a girlfriend, a classmate from the technical school; I saw that the two of them were well-suited, and the girl's parents didn't object either, so after discussing it, they decided to handle the wedding first."

He didn't want to say out loud the scandal of his son accidentally getting a female classmate pregnant outside, so he acted light-hearted and described the matter in a casual way.

Wang Zhanggen chimed in:

"It's early, but getting married early isn't entirely a bad thing; marry early, and you can hold a grandson early!"

Zhang Zhongtian laughed:

"I think the same way."

Then he added:

"I still need to go notify other villagers; you two eat slowly, the invitation is on the table; goodbye!"

Wang Zhanggen hurriedly saw Zhang Zhongtian out.

He returned to the house and picked up the invitation Zhang Zhongtian had given them.

He couldn't help but sigh:

"I didn't expect Zhang Zhongtian's son to get married so fast."

Li Xiulan casually replied:

"Their business is their business; what does it have to do with us? When the time comes, just go eat a meal, give a red envelope, and that's enough to repay the favor."

Wang Zhanggen said instead:

"Speaking of Zhang Zhongtian's son Zhang Zhiqiang, he's the same age as our Dashan; back then, our Dashan got into high school, while Zhang Zhiqiang didn't get into high school and could only go to a technical school; I used to think our Dashan was more promising than him, but I didn't expect that now the one who got married first is actually Zhang Zhiqiang."

Li Xiulan found Wang Zhanggen's logic baffling:

"You mean Zhang Zhiqiang getting married first makes him more promising than our Dashan? Our Dashan is in the army; what does Zhang Zhiqiang have to compare with our Dashan?"

Wang Zhanggen lit a cigarette for himself:

"They marry early and have children early; just for that, they're quite remarkable."

Li Xiulan coldly said:

「What's so great about it? Only people who have no books to read get married early! 」

Wang Zhanggen looked thoughtful, then said at this moment:

「Speaking of Dashan, he's been in the army for almost two years now. Conscripts usually retire after two years, but he hasn't called home in a long time, and I don't know how he's doing. 」

Wang Zhanggen also said:

「If he retires, we must urge him to find a partner quickly. This matter can't be delayed—the longer it's delayed, the harder it is to get married! 」

Just then, the Mountain Village Mobile Phone at Wang Zhanggen's waist rang, its ringtone like a loudspeaker, playing Phoenix Legend's "Moon Above."

Wang Zhanggen hurriedly took out his mobile phone and saw it was a landline number from Anhui.

Wang Zhanggen immediately said:

「Speak of Cao Cao and Cao Cao arrives—it's Dashan calling! 」

Li Xiulan heard this, hurriedly put down her bowl and chopsticks, and came over to listen to the phone together:

「Answer the phone quickly! 」

Wang Zhanggen pressed the answer key and also pressed the speakerphone key, broadcasting the sound outward.

「Hello, Dashan, how have you been in the army lately? 」

Wang Zhanggen hurriedly asked.

Wang Dashan's voice came from the other end of the phone:

「Dad, I'm fine. The army training is a bit tough, but I've long since adapted. 」

「That's good, that's good. 」Wang Zhanggen nodded.

Wang Dashan asked: 「Is your younger son in high school now? How are his grades? 」

Li Xiulan hurriedly chimed in:

「You don't need to worry. Xiao Hua's grades are very good. Not long ago, in the midterm exam, he ranked fifth in the whole school! 」

「That's impressive. 」Wang Dashan felt genuinely happy for his younger brother.

Wang Zhanggen laughed heartily: 「That's because I opened his mind. Before, in junior high, he hadn't opened his mind, always muddled and half-baked. Now that his mind is open, he can naturally get good grades. Maybe if he works harder, he can rank first in the whole school! 」

Wang Dashan replied with a laugh:

「If he really can rank first in the whole school, that would bring glory to the ancestors! 」

Then Wang Dashan said:

「Dad, Mom, the main reason I called is to ask you something. 」

「What is it? 」Li Xiulan hurriedly asked.

Wang Dashan said:

「My two-year conscription is almost over, isn't it? Now the leaders above told me there's a quota to stay in the army, asking if I want to stay. If I stay, I can become a non-commissioned officer. I just want to ask what you think. 」

Wang Zhanggen did not directly answer Wang Dashan's question, but asked instead:

「Dashan, are there female soldiers in your unit? 」