Chapter 1565

Jiang Chaoyang and Weng Guoying certainly couldn't be left out, nor Yang Jiong, the traffic police captain, who had called Su Xinghui several times, insisting he mustn't forget to invite him when Su Xinghui got married.

The Hou family mustn't be forgotten either; if they weren't invited, Hou Guangbi would surely get angry.

Yu Ruizhi, Yu Ruoqiu, Yu Junchu, Chu Zheng, Han Xiang Dong, and others were obviously to be invited; investment figures like Xiang Tianlu, Min Zhiqiang, Feng Quanjie, Feng Yuandong, Mai Yongyuan, Qiao Dashu, Xiong Ruisong, Mi Xiuyuan, Xie Junqiang had all told Su Xinghui in advance: when he married, he must invite them to the wedding feast—they'd come to offer congratulations.

Hackett had asked Su Xinghui when he was coming to Changshan to inspect the project, saying he intended to attend Su Xinghui's wedding.

Thinking of this, Su Xinghui felt a headache coming—he should invite Xia Zhu and Xue Qin? He couldn't decide.

There were others he wasn't sure whether to invite, like Wang Yibin from Jianggang and Shao Dejin from Jiangcheng Meat Processing Group, plus some of his subordinates; after much thought, he decided not to invite them—but he'd still reserve a few tables, in case anyone showed up uninvited, he'd still have to host them.

Roughly counting, the invited guests already filled dozens of tables; adding the reserved ones, it was nearly fifty tables or more.

This was only Su Xinghui's own guest list; his parents' colleagues also needed inviting, but they'd have to sort that out among themselves. Su Xinghui tallied his own invitees and gave the number to Su Wenjun.

Su Wenjun looked at the number, nodded, and said he'd verify the guest list with Guo Suhua that night, then finalize the total table count; clearly, their total guest count would likely exceed eighty tables—though not the most in Shangjun County, it was still considerable.

Former Shangjun County Magistrate Shan Guozhi once hosted two or three hundred tables; that was the county record, unlikely ever to be broken, because he used banquets to amass wealth—two or three hundred tables, even at an average of one hundred per guest, amounted to two or three hundred thousand yuan. When the magistrate hosted, could anyone dare give less than a hundred?

Almost every official in Shangjun County showed up then—even if Shan Guozhi hadn't invited them, they came anyway; some delivered their gifts and left without eating, because no one in Shangjun County could ever host so many tables at once; eventually, they resorted to a rotating banquet, and the food grew worse, but no one complained, since guests weren't there for the meal.

Thinking of this, Su Wenjun said: "Xinghui, can we avoid accepting gifts this time? I'm afraid you'll make a mistake."

Su Wenjun was genuinely worried: Su Xinghui was inviting so many guests, many of them wealthy or powerful, who'd give heavy gifts; if he collected tens of thousands in wedding gifts and someone reported it, another scandal would erupt—he still remembered the time Su Xinghui was investigated by the Discipline Commission.

Su Xinghui smiled and nodded: "Dad, you're thinking exactly what I am—we won't accept any gifts this time."

Su Xinghui had no doubt that if he opened the floodgates for gifts this wedding, collecting tens of thousands was certain, even a million possible; people like the Hou family, Yu Ruizhi, Min Tong, Xiang Tianlu, Mai Yongyuan, Mi Xiuyuan, Xie Junqiang—given their ties to him—could give any amount.

So this time, he'd simply tell guests in advance: no gifts, only a feast; given their relationship, once he explained the stakes, he trusted they'd understand.

Seeing his son understood this principle, Su Wenjun nodded with deep satisfaction.

Guo Suhua and Lu Xiaoya had prepared a meal; Su Xingyun's family of three returned, and the whole family enjoyed a happy meal; during dinner, Su Xingyun asked where they planned to hold the wedding.

Su Xinghui said it would be at the New People's Hotel, and the guest list was finalized; Su Wenjun and Guo Suhua said they'd book the tables tomorrow, and Guo Suhua nodded eagerly in agreement.

After dinner, Su Xinghui had Lu Xiaoya rest briefly, then they went out together; that afternoon, they'd visit every close contact in Shangjun County to personally invite them to their wedding.

Walking down the street, Su Xinghui said: "Xiaoya, our wedding will be a feast only—no gifts. What do you think?"

Lu Xiaoya, sharp as ice, immediately understood Su Xinghui's intent; she was never greedy, so she nodded: "Fine, you decide on this."

Su Xinghui smiled: "Thanks for understanding, wife."

Lu Xiaoya gave him a soft smile, squeezed his hand tightly, her heart filled with sweetness.

To her, as long as she could marry Su Xinghui, how much could wedding gifts possibly matter?

They first arrived at Zhuangyuan Alley; Grandpa Hou Guangbi was playing with his great-grandson, the son of Hou Wenhai; seeing Su Xinghui and Lu Xiaoya, he smiled and handed the child to the nanny: "You're back today?"

Su Xinghui and Lu Xiaoya sat down, placing the items they carried on the stone table, and replied: "Yes, we got back today."

Hou Guangbi immediately spotted a knife of meat and a fish in their bags; he asked in delight: "Are you here to invite us to the feast?"

In old Shangjun County custom, when inviting guests for a wedding, one brought fish and meat to their homes—though it was symbolic, the quantity didn't matter; few still followed this tradition now, most just sent someone to deliver invitations.

But for elders like Hou Guangbi, Su Xinghui and Lu Xiaoya had to follow the old custom by visiting in person.

Su Xinghui smiled and nodded: "Yes, Grandpa Hou, our wedding is set for National Day, October 1st, at the People's Hotel—you and your whole family must come!"

Hou Guangbi stroked his beard and smiled: "A great joy indeed—we'll definitely come, and bring you a grand congratulatory gift!"

Su Xinghui shook his head: "Grandpa Hou, just come yourselves—no gifts needed."

Hou Guangbi's face darkened instantly: "What do you mean by that?"

Su Xinghui hurried to explain: "Grandpa Hou, don't misunderstand—I'm a government official, now even a cadre; this wedding, I've decided not to accept gifts from anyone—not just you. You know, government cadres must remain clean and upright; accepting gifts could spiral out of control, and if someone reports it, it'll bring trouble."

Hou Guangbi understood the principle well; hearing Su Xinghui's words, his expression softened slightly, but he still said: "But our relationship isn't ordinary—I'm your grandfather, you're like my own grandchildren; when my own grandchildren marry, I give any gift I wish, and no one can say a word."