After making his decision, Tao Wang wrote a letter to his third son.
When Tao Sanniu received the letter, his feelings were complex. There was guilt, anticipation, and joy...
After composing himself, Tao Sanniu went to meet his fiancée. Her surname was Su, and her name was Yuyao; she was an office clerk.
Su Yuyao was very happy to see Tao Sanniu waiting to walk her home from work. "Wenrui, why are you here?"
After discovering his third son's talent for learning, Tao Wang had sent him to school to study. Once Tao Sanniu became close with his teacher, he asked him to bestow a scholarly name upon him. However, the people in Taojia Village and his own family were still accustomed to calling him Sanniu.
Tao Wenrui smiled. "I came to pick you up." Although Su Yuyao was not as pretty as Jin Xing, she was more educated. "Are you tired from work?"
"Not tired." Su Yuyao gave a gentle smile. "What about you? Are you tired from your training?"
"Not at all. Let's go; I'll take you to dinner. What would you like to eat?"
"Anything is fine. I'm not a picky eater."
Seeing her say this, Tao Wenrui joked, "Then I'll pick what I like."
"Okay." Su Yuyao looked at Tao Wenrui with deep affection. "It's not easy for you to get out here, so I'm available to eat whenever you are."
Tao Wenrui reached out to hold Su Yuyao's hand. "Why are you so good to me? My father wrote to me. Things back home are settled, and we can get married."
"Really? That's wonderful." She could finally escape the fate of her past life. In her previous life, she had also married a soldier, but he was killed in battle not long after. The country woman who lived next door to her had lived a good life with Tao Wenrui for their entire lives.
Su Yuyao firmly grasped Tao Wenrui's hand. "Let's go get the marriage certificate right now." Once they had the certificate, Tao Wenrui would be hers. Having Tao Wenrui meant not only a life of luxury but also a steady climb up the social ladder.
The more Su Yuyao thought about it, the happier she became.
Seeing how eager she was to marry him, Tao Wenrui was also pleased. "I'd like to go right now too, but the comrades at the Civil Affairs Bureau need to eat lunch as well."
"Then let's go this afternoon."
"All right." His marriage application had long since been approved. "My parents want to come for our wedding ceremony."
They could come if they wanted; weren't they just a country old man and an old woman? "Oh? Will your parents think I’m ugly?"
"How could you be ugly? 'A belly full of poetry and books brings its own elegance.' By the way, my two older brothers and my second daughter are coming too."
They could come if they wanted; weren't they just two peasants and a good-for-nothing who only knew how to eat, drink, and play? However, that good-for-nothing had quite a lucky life. "Oh? Will your second daughter be upset with me?"
"Does she dare?"
"Don't be like that; she's still just a child."
"If she dares to show you any disrespect, just tell me, and I'll deal with her."
"No, no, she's still young and doesn't understand anything."
"It's precisely because she's young that she needs to be taught properly. Once she grows up, she won't be easily molded."
"Oh, why are you like this? Forget it, I won't argue with you. You should focus on your work; leave the rest to me."
Tao Wenrui squeezed Su Yuyao's hand. "Yaoyao, why are you so virtuous?"
Su Yuyao smiled. "It is my honor to hold down the home front for you."
The two held hands and looked at each other for a long moment before letting go.
After their meal, the two went to register their marriage.
Once they had the certificate, Tao Wenrui began arranging for his parents, two brothers, and second daughter to attend the wedding. His parents and brothers had never traveled far from home, and as for his second daughter, it went without saying—she had likely never even left the village. Besides, how old was his second daughter, anyway?
The issues Tao Wenrui was considering had occurred to Xiao Yanyan as well. Xiao Yanyan felt that her father would probably find someone to bring them there. Xiao Yanyan had been hanging around the entrance of the village during this time.
She saw Qi Zhiwei the moment he entered the village.
Xiao Yanyan ran over, *thump-thump-thump*. "Uncle, which village are you from? What are you doing in our village?"
Qi Zhiwei happened to be looking for someone to ask for directions. "I'm from the Armed Forces Department. I'm looking for Tao Daniu's house. Do you know where he lives?"
Hearing the words "Armed Forces Department," Xiao Yanyan guessed that this man had been sent by her father. "I know. Tao Daniu is my eldest uncle."
What a coincidence. "Then, will you take me to your uncle?"
"Sure. Uncle, what is your surname?" Xiao Yanyan chatted with Qi Zhiwei as they walked toward her house.
Tao Wang was in the yard weaving a basket when Xiao Yanyan brought Qi Zhiwei through the gate. "Grandpa, Uncle Qi is looking for my eldest uncle. He's from the Armed Forces Department."
Tao Wang quickly stood up upon hearing this. "Greetings, Comrade Qi. Are you Wenrui's comrade-in-arms?"
So it really was Deputy Regiment Commander Tao's house. "Hello. Our department head served in battle with Deputy Regiment Commander Tao. He went to the provincial capital for a meeting, so he asked me to come first and ask when you would like to visit. When the time comes, our department head will buy your train tickets. Besides, there will be comrades of ours on the train as well."
Tao Wang felt relieved. "Come inside, come inside. Old woman, brew a bowl of egg-drop soup for Comrade Qi."
"Right away!" Granny Tian replied and went to get the eggs.
Just as Qi Zhiwei was about to decline, Xiao Yanyan said loudly, "Grandma, brew one for me too. It wouldn't be polite for me to just watch Uncle Qi drink it."
Granny Tian wanted to say, "Then go back to your own home," but there was an outsider present. "Fine."
"Thank you, Grandma! You're the best."
Xiao Yanyan followed Qi Zhiwei into the house while talking. "Uncle Qi, when will your department head be back?"
"He'll be back today; he drove there."
Xiao Yanyan said "oh" and looked toward Tao Wang. "Grandpa, let's go tomorrow. I want to see my father as soon as possible. He doesn't even know what I look like yet."
Tao Wang also wanted to leave sooner. "Comrade Qi, would that be alright?"
"It is. I'll buy your tickets as soon as I get back. There are four of you in total, right?"
Hearing this, Xiao Yanyan quickly spoke up. "Five, five!"
Qi Zhiwei laughed. "Uncle knows you're going too. However, a child your age doesn't need a ticket."
There was such a good thing? "Then I'll go visit my father whenever I have free time!"
"Hahaha... that won't work. The comrades at the train station won't let you board without an adult to lead you."
Xiao Yanyan looked devastated.
Tao Wang asked, "Let me give you the money. How much are the four tickets?"
"No need. Deputy Regiment Commander Tao has already sent the money to our department head."
Qi Zhiwei sat for a while, drank his bowl of egg-drop soup, and then took his leave.
Granny Tian tapped Xiao Yanyan on the forehead. "From now on, you are not allowed to ask for food when there are outsiders around."
Xiao Yanyan made a face at Granny Tian and ran to the house next door. "Mother, I'm going to see Father tomorrow! Sister, Brother, I'll bring you back some delicious treats!"
Granny Tian was both angry and helpless. "Why is this child like this? Should we just... not take her?"
"And have her mother raise a ruckus with us? Forget it, she's just a child. If she doesn't listen, a good spanking will do the trick."
Granny Tian thought that made sense. Once they were out on the road, there wouldn't be anyone there to back up the little girl.
The next day, Tao Wang set off early with the group.
Under Tao Wenrui's arrangements, the group arrived smoothly at the city where he was stationed.
Seeing them come out of the train station, Tao Wenrui walked up to greet them with long strides. "Father, Mother, Eldest Brother, Second Brother, Yanyan—you're here?"
Tao Wang and the others were very excited to see Tao Wenrui. Xiao Yanyan was excited too. "Father, Father! Where is your bride? I want to see the bride; I love looking at brides!"
Tao Wenrui: "..." Was his second daughter a bit slow?