Chapter 604: Rural Absurd Past Events Chapter 604: When Will the Dishes Be Served

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Protagonist:

Li Xiulan

At seven o'clock in the evening, the guests had all arrived, and the wedding was about to begin.

The emcee first went down to the audience and briefly discussed the process with Wang Dashan, Du Xiaojuan, as well as Wang Erhai and Liu Mei Qi.

"Respecting seniority, the older brother and sister-in-law go on stage first, and the younger brother and sister-in-law follow behind. According to this rule, what do you all think?"

The emcee asked.

"Fine, no problem."

Wang Erhai said cheerfully.

The reason the emcee let Wang Dashan and Du Xiaojuan go on stage first was not only because of seniority, but also another reason: if Wang Erhai and Liu Mei Qi went on stage first, then when Wang Dashan and Du Xiaojuan went on stage afterward, they would look like little followers.

After all, the two of them were not wearing formal attire.

The emcee was quite puzzled by this: why was the younger brother's side dressed so formally, while the older brother's side was dressed so casually?

This situation was truly rare.

Fortunately, she was experienced and could more or less handle it.

"In a moment, when I call your names on stage, once the gate opens, you come in. People will be arranged to set off gift cannons here, and you'll follow the ceremony process. Just follow my rhythm; don't worry about anything else, and don't be nervous."

The emcee comforted them with a sentence, then went up on stage.

Wang Dashan and Du Xiaojuan were quite calm, Wang Erhai was also unperturbed, but only Liu Mei Qi seemed very nervous.

After all, she attached great importance to this wedding.

The two groups of newlyweds arrived outside the Wedding Banquet Hall gate; the gate closed, and the lights went out.

The emcee walked onto the stage and picked up the microphone:

"Respected guests, good evening everyone. Thank you for coming to attend this unique wedding. Tonight's newlyweds are not one couple, but two! Brothers holding a wedding together—what a special, what a memorable moment! Now let us witness together: Mr. Wang Dashan, Ms. Du Xiaojuan, and Mr. Wang Erhai, Ms. Liu Mei Qi—the sacred wedding ceremony of two couples! Let us welcome the two couples with the warmest applause!"

Applause rang out, and the gate of the Wedding Banquet Hall opened again.

Wang Dashan and Du Xiaojuan walked arm in arm in front, and Wang Erhai and Liu Mei Qi walked arm in arm behind.

Staff arranged by the Wedding Company stood on both sides of the red carpet setting off gift cannons.

The wedding photographers arranged by Liu Mei Qi kept taking photos on the side.

Soon, the two couples walked onto the stage.

Following the process, the emcee had the two couples take turns making vows, exchanging Engagement Rings, drinking Cross-cupped Wine, and then giving speeches.

These processes were all proper and orderly.

The guests below were not interested in any of it at all.

They only thought about finishing the process quickly, and then quickly serving the Dishes to eat.

Wang Dashan and Du Xiaojuan didn't care much about this process either.

When it was their turn to speak, they both just said a few casual sentences.

Liu Mei Qi, however, cared very much. When it was her and Wang Erhai's turn to speak, she said a lot, and as she spoke, she couldn't help but shed Tears.

She said her family wasn't very good, she hoped Wang Erhai would love her well, that after she and Wang Erhai got married, she would be Wang Erhai's woman for a Lifetime. She said she hoped Wang Erhai could give her a Promise—to love only her for a Lifetime.

Wang Erhai stood to the side, somewhat distracted and absent-minded.

"Mr. Wang Erhai, your wife now hopes that in front of so many guests, you can give her a Promise. Are you willing to give it?" The emcee improvised this line on the spot.

"What?" Wang Erhai came back to his senses.

Everyone present couldn't help but laugh.

"It seems our groom is too nervous, but that's normal—it's a major life event, who wouldn't be nervous? Mr. Wang Erhai, do you dare swear to love only Ms. Liu Mei Qi for a Lifetime?"

The emcee was very experienced at controlling the scene. Since Wang Erhai had zoned out and didn't hear Liu Mei Qi's words clearly, she repeated them once.

"Oh, that—we're already married, so of course I'll love only her for a Lifetime!" Wang Erhai said without thinking, very casually.

"Husband, this is what you said. If you dare betray me in the future, I won't let you off!"

Liu Mei Qi happily wiped away her Tears.

The emcee said with a smile:

"If the groom dares to do anything wrong to you in the future, not only will you not let him off, but so many relatives and friends present here won't let him off either, right everyone?"

Many guests below scatteredly echoed, shouting "Yes."

After the wedding ceremony was over, Liu Mei Qi said she would next lead the Bridesmaid Group to give everyone a talent performance.

Then she led her Bridesmaid Group and danced a dance for everyone.

This dance was carefully prepared by Liu Mei Qi; Wang Erhai didn't know about this matter at all—it was all to give him a surprise.

When Wang Erhai heard she was going to dance, he was Speechless in his heart, but didn't say anything on the spot.

Meanwhile, the guests below were getting somewhat Impatient from waiting.

"When are the Dishes being served? This is too slow!"

Someone muttered.

Fortunately, the music on site was loud enough to cover up these sounds.

The dance finally ended.

Finally, the Dishes began to be served.

All the guests began to eat.

Wang Dashan, Du Xiaojuan, Wang Erhai, and Liu Mei Qi, however, still had no time to eat.

Because they had to start preparing to make toasts.

After all, there were over a hundred tables at the wedding banquet, and every table had to be toasted, so they had to hurry and arrange the toasting process.

If they dragged it out, by the time the guests finished eating they still wouldn't have gone to toast, which would be rude.

Fortunately, on the hotel's side, waiters helped arrange things.

Those taking wine took wine, those pouring wine poured wine, those carrying plates carried plates.

Several waiters came over together to help.

The toasting group composed of Wang Dashan and Du Xiaojuan, Wang Erhai and Liu Mei Qi, these two newlywed couples, plus Wang Zhanggen and Li Xiulan as the parents, Wang Xiaohua as the younger brother, Wang Zhangtian as the elder uncle, and Wang Yaohua as the cousin, began to go toast.

The order of toasting had rules; according to local custom, first toast the bride's maternal home, then toast the groom's maternal grandfather, grandmother, uncles, and such, and then toast other guests.

However, Wang Erhai said this time they should change the process, first toast the guests at the three VIP tables, because those were either big leaders from the county or big merchants from the county, and they had to give them enough respect.

As for the bride's maternal home, her own uncles and such, they could be toasted later.

Wang Dashan and Du Xiaojuan also felt it made sense; they didn't care so much about the order of toasting.

Liu Mei Qi was somewhat unhappy, feeling that not toasting her maternal home's table first was not very respectful to her.

However, Wang Erhai was very forceful; although she felt disrespected, she couldn't say anything, and finally endured it, because she didn't want to argue at the wedding venue.

If they really started arguing there, she would become a laughingstock.

In the end, the minority obeyed the majority, and they started toasting from the county leadership.

The toasting group swarmed over to Guest Table 1, toasting the table of big leaders represented by Xiao Xueqing.

After toasting, the guests offered a few polite words of blessing, and then gave red envelope gift money.

In some places, gift money might be given upon entering the venue, and a designated person would register who gave how much.

But the custom here was different; gift money was given during the toasting, and whether more or less didn't matter, as long as it was given, no one would register how much you gave, and how much to give depended entirely on personal intention.

Many people didn't even prepare red envelopes; after toasting, they stuffed the gift money into the wine cup, had the waiter take back the cup, and then collected the gift money from the cups together to give to the father-in-law and mother-in-law.

Generally, gift money was one hundred or two hundred yuan, rarely exceeding five hundred.

Some elderly people in the rural area brought their whole families, and a family might give fifty or one hundred.

However, it didn't matter; as long as they could come, no one would dislike you for giving too little.

The wedding banquet here was just for joy and liveliness, not for making money.

……