Chapter 47: Jia Dongxu Gets Married

Next came the dull and tedious life of study; over half a month, Zhang Ping'an went to the Library to borrow a large number of books related to the Russian language.

Libraries in this day and age were genuinely teaching things, not like those of later generations where any book could be put in.

"Ping'an, I didn't expect you to progress so quickly. I have nothing left to teach you. Just come over for the final exam later, but if your grades don't meet the standard, this privilege will be revoked."

"Alright, no problem."

Zhang Ping'an finally handed the Tiger Bone Wine over to his master, Lao Wang.

"Master, this wine has been soaking for three months. You go back and get a taste of it."

"Done."

Early the next morning, Zhang Ping'an had just arrived at the Pharmacy when he was nabbed by his master, Lao Wang.

"Ping'an, this wine has been soaking for more than three months, right? The medicinal potency is so strong."

"Master, I knew I couldn't hide it from you. This is Tiger Bone Wine I acquired in the countryside; I heard it had been soaking for three years, and I added a bit more to it."

Zhang Ping'an had indeed forgotten his master's expertise; if he had known, he would have told him this excuse yesterday.

"You brat, it's lucky it was me. I smelled that something was wrong as soon as I opened it. I only drank half the usual amount, but the kick was still quite strong. In the future, you must not be sloppy when it comes to medicine or medicinal wine; this is a major taboo."

"I understand, Master." Zhang Ping'an scratched his head in embarrassment; sure enough, one lie requires a thousand lies to cover it up.

"Alright, continue your studies. From now on, you need to have a sense of things yourself."

"Okay."

In the evening, Zhang Ping'an returned home. Jia Dongxu was getting married in five days, and he, as the uncle, had to bring out something decent.

"I'll just give a watch; I happen to be missing one myself." Although it was hard to buy a new one, there shouldn't be a shortage of second-hand ones, especially foreign brands, which might even appreciate in value in the future.

The next morning, Jia Dongxu happily brought back a new Bicycle and had the steel seal stamped at the Military Control Commission.

"Dongxu, did you buy this?"

"Yes, the money I saved from work was finally enough, so I bought it."

"Good thing, good thing. It can also add a major item for the wedding." Yan Bugui couldn't keep his hands off it, his gaze giving Jia Dongxu a bout of goosebumps.

"Ahem, Teacher Yan, it wouldn't be difficult at all for you to buy a bike."

"Eh~ I have a family to support, I'm not as carefree as you young people. Money still needs to be spent sparingly. I'll just go hunt for a second-hand one later; it'll be convenient for fishing and commuting."

Jia Dongxu was speechless; he knew that Yan Bugui had earned four or five million during the previous summer vacation just from fishing, enough to buy three new ones.

"Teacher Yan, I'm going in."

"Oh, oh, okay." Only then did Yan Bugui awkwardly let go of the bicycle.

Zhang Ping'an was just about to go out to the Jia Family when he saw Jia Dongxu pushing a brand-new Twenty-Eight Bar Bicycle.

"Dongxu, you bought it?"

"Yes, Uncle. I was thinking that the tricycle belongs to the factory after all, so if I buy one myself, I can use it for transport later."

"Hmm, that's true."

It didn't matter now before the Public-Private Partnership, but after the Public-Private Partnership, it would likely be difficult to ride it home every day like this.

"Come on, you're getting married, Uncle will give you a gift. Let's just try out this Twenty-Eight Bar Bicycle."

In his past life, Chen Ping'an was not short and had long legs, so he didn't use the 'threading the crotch' method, but learned to ride the bicycle from the back seat, and slowly he got the hang of it.

"Okay, Uncle. Wait a moment, I'll ride slowly at first, you jump on."

"Done."

At the Trust Store, the clerk was introducing watches to Zhang Ping'an and the other.

"This model is a Patek Philippe, a fully automatic mechanical watch. Although it has some years on it, it still keeps time accurately; it is a rare boutique item."

"Pick two recent models for us; if the price is right, we'll buy them."

Zhang Ping'an was also a loser in his past life; he knew nothing about watches, let alone these famous luxury ones.

"Alright, these two models are new arrivals from last year, the total price is three million."

"What? Why is this second-hand one so expensive? Uncle, let's go buy new ones."

"Ahem, let's say 1.5 million, just to make friends."

"This friend, you are a bit expensive."

"...."

"Boss."

"Hmm, this friend, my surname is Jin. I see you are truly wanting to buy, and we are just selling on consignment, earning a commission. How about this, 2.6 million."

"Boss Jin is straightforward. You're direct, so I won't be fussy either. We'll take it. Also, wrap up that Table Clock for me as well."

There wasn't a clock at home to tell time, so they just looked at the sky to guess the approximate time; it was perfect to buy one now.

"Little brother is generous, then it's 2.61 million." Asking for an extra ten thousand was just a gesture; after all, he couldn't give Zhang Ping'an a clock as a gift.

"Boss Jin is classy."

Boss Jin replaced the straps for the two of them with new, suitable leather ones; after putting them on, it added a bit of a Cadre image.

On the back seat of the bicycle, Zhang Ping'an held the Table Clock. This Table Clock was a Republic of China style, flat and long, which was easy to hold.

"Uncle, this watch is too expensive, it costs about the same as my bicycle." Jia Dongxu was still feeling the pinch.

"Alright, just take it. You'll have face when you wear it to your father-in-law's house, won't you? We'll just hunt a Wild Boar and the money will be back."

Returning home, Zhang Ping'an set the time on the Table Clock and placed it on the cabinet in the main room.

In the evening, Zhang Ping'an came to the Jia Family again for dinner.

"San Jie Fu, how many tables are you planning for Dongxu's wedding banquet?"

"Hmm~ three tables in the courtyard, one table for my hometown, two tables for your side, one table for colleagues, and the Qin family's wedding party will probably need two tables. Let's prepare for ten tables. Daqing has already listed the menu for me, take a look."

"Braised Fish, Braised Pork, Four Joy Meatballs, Stir-fried Shredded Pork, Braised Chicken Chunks, Spicy Rabbit Meat, Shredded Jellyfish, Peanuts, Volcano Snow, Cucumber with Wood Ear, Egg Soup."

"San Jie Fu, this standard is quite good."

It's simply too much; these ten tables will cost nearly a million, and adding the chicken, duck, fish, meat, candy, and cigarettes for the wedding procession, it will definitely exceed a million.

"Hahaha, Dongxu is the big brother of the younger generation after all; as his brother-in-law, I have to support him and make sure he has a grand showing."

If it weren't for Zhang Ping'an and Jia Dongxu giving all their spare earnings to Zhang Xiaohua, Lao Jia wouldn't dare spend money like this, but who could blame him when he has such a good son and brother-in-law.

In this past year or so, the money Zhang Ping'an gave his San Jie alone was three or four million, and adding Jia Dongxu's, it's definitely five million; Lao Jia's family savings now must be at least close to ten million.

"San Jie Fu, leave the fish and meat to me." There are three days left excluding today, so even if I have to hunt them now, there is still time.

"Done." Lao Jia knew Zhang Ping'an's abilities, so he didn't stand on ceremony with him.

"Uncle, let me go with you."

"No need, Dongxu. It's just a matter of a few traps; you should just focus on preparing to be a groom these next few days."

In two days, Zhang Ping'an used a tricycle to bring back ten wild rabbits and a Wild Boar weighing nearly two hundred jin, one after another, all placed at the edge of the yard.

Since it's a wedding, it has to be festive, so Zhang Ping'an also prepared ten red-tailed carp weighing about four jin each to keep in a vat.

Early on the morning of the sixteenth day of the eighth lunar month in 1950, all three vehicles were tied with large red flowers, and everyone was dressed in formal attire; not many people went this time, just the matchmaker and the elder, who was Lao Jia's cousin, Jia Youzhong, an honest and simple rural man.

There were also two of Lao Jia's nephews and a few little companions from the Siheyuan; Zhuzi rode a bike carrying four people, and Zhang Ping'an carried a cart of gifts and four people; amidst the sound of firecrackers, Jia Dongxu took the lead, and the others followed behind.