146. The Wedding Procession, A Public Declaration

Inside the house, the three women listened to the commotion outside the courtyard gate, all unable to suppress a sense of eager anticipation. Sitting on the edge of the bed, Jing Qingshen remained calm and composed, her hands resting naturally on her lap, a smile as brilliant as the starry sky gracing her lips.

She was waiting for the hero of her heart.

"It’s Brother Gao!" Li Xiaomei shouted excitedly, taking a few quick steps to the main room's door to peek outside.

Sure enough, the courtyard gate was being pounded with a loud thudding sound.

"Who is it?" Li Xiaomei called out.

"The groom is here to collect his bride! Open the door!" Liu Gang grinned, shouting toward the courtyard at the top of his lungs.

Instantly, the wedding party erupted in cheers and playful taunts.

Li Xiaomei quickly turned to shut the main room door before rushing to open the courtyard gate, spreading her arms wide to block the crowd. The men in the wedding party couldn't help but linger their gazes on the petite and charming girl who had suddenly appeared.

"Brother Gao, if you want to marry Sister Jing, you have to get past me first!" Li Xiaomei announced with a bright, playful smile.

Hearing her voice, the young men of the village finally realized it was Li Xiaomei—the girl who usually spoke so little and avoided crowds? Since when had she become so pretty?

"Little girl, here, is this red envelope enough?" Liu Gang stepped forward and handed over two small red envelopes.

Li Xiaomei had participated in the early preparations, so she knew each envelope contained six cents; together, they totaled twelve cents, enough to buy quite a few small treats.

Truth be told, she had only been putting on an act. How could a young girl like her really hold back a crowd of men? She was just taking the opportunity to squeeze some extra red envelopes out of them.

Having achieved her goal, Li Xiaomei happily accepted the envelopes and quickly stepped aside, clearing the path to the door.

Immediately, the crowd surged into the Li family’s small courtyard like a swarm of bees. Many curious onlookers from the neighborhood, whose houses were close by, were already gathered outside the gate.

Li Xiaomei retreated to guard the door of the main room, refusing to let them in.

"Little girl, didn't we just give you red envelopes? Why won't you let us in?" Liu Gang asked helplessly. If it had been men, they would have forced their way in long ago, but what could they do against a delicate young girl? They could only coax her.

"The last ones were for the outer gate; I never said they covered all the doors!" Li Xiaomei teased. She had already agreed with Sister Min that they would only open the inner door after receiving more envelopes.

"If that's the case, we might just have to break down this door!" one of the young men joked, prompting the others to join in the rowdy encouragement.

"Oh! You are not allowed to break my door!" Li Xiaomei panicked, genuinely afraid they might rush in and damage her home.

"Liu Gang, give them to her," Gao Shen said with a soft smile. Watching the men tease the girl until she looked like she was about to cry, he decided to intervene—he was, after all, in a hurry to see his bride.

Liu Gang complied, handing over two more red envelopes. Li Xiaomei, on the verge of tears, instantly brightened and happily accepted them.

"Sister Min, you can open the door now!" Li Xiaomei shouted toward the interior.

As the door swung open, the crowd caught sight of a young woman with sweet features and a serene temperament standing inside. The eyes of the groomsmen lit up—they hadn't expected to find such a beautiful bridesmaid!

Jiang Min, seeing the sea of faces staring at her, felt uncomfortable under the scrutiny. She lowered her head shyly and walked to the doorway of the inner room to stand guard. Li Xiaomei quickly followed to join her.

The wedding party watched as the two girls stood at the threshold, one in white and one in blue, as fresh and pleasant as a clear sky with drifting clouds. The youthful, feminine charm they exuded felt like a gentle spring breeze, bringing a sense of comfort to everyone present.

"Brother-in-law, before you enter, you must answer one question!" Jiang Min was naturally reserved, but for the sake of the man about to marry her beloved sister, she steeled herself to speak up despite the crowd.

"Alright," Gao Shen replied, his deep voice tinged with a joy that clearly reflected his mood.

Jiang Min paused, then spoke with solemnity: "Brother-in-law, will you be good to my sister for the rest of your life?"

Gao Shen glanced at Jiang Min before replying with absolute gravity: "I pledge in the name of a soldier: I will be as loyal to her as I am to my country."

Though the words lacked flowery romantic sentiment, for a soldier, this was the highest oath and the most solemn declaration possible. In this era, people rarely spoke of love in public, and demanding such a promise from a man on the spot would have made many men bristle with annoyance. But Gao Shen’s sincerity was absolute.