Chapter 96: Dali's Wedding, Part 2

Li Dan Niu took four large red flowers from a bag by his side, intending to tie them to his and Xiao Weiguo’s bicycles. Xiao Weiguo glanced over—Brother Da Li had really prepared a lot. But today, it seemed only these four flowers would be needed.

“Brother Da Li, what are you saying? Even if I knew the real story, I’d still come,” Xiao Weiguo said, taking a red flower from Li Dan Niu and tying it to his bicycle.

The two climbed onto their bikes, ready to set off, when suddenly from the distance came the sputtering sound of a motorcycle. Xiao Weiguo turned his head and saw a three-wheeled motorcycle with a sidecar approaching, its earthy yellow paint making it look particularly striking.

Li Dan Niu noticed the motorcycle as well, thinking how wonderful it would be if he could use that three-wheeler for the wedding procession. Even if no one else came, nothing could dampen the impressive sight of his wedding convoy.

Watching from afar, Xiao Weiguo found the driver increasingly familiar. As the motorcycle came closer, he recognized him—it was Shi Guanglin.

“Brother Lin!” Xiao Weiguo shouted from afar, then turned to Li Dan Niu, “That’s Brother Lin.”

Li Dan Niu recognized him too but didn’t rush forward. Instead, he lowered his head, his eyes glistening with moisture. For a wedding that was so disregarded, having these two brothers by his side was worth it.

Shi Guanglin had come late, mainly because he’d borrowed the motorcycle. Judging by the timing, he hadn’t delayed anything. Arriving, he punched Li Dan Niu’s chest twice with his fist.

“What’s with the sentimentality? If you ask me, you should’ve driven your big Liberation truck for the procession. Wouldn’t that be even more impressive?”

Li Dan Niu replied, “That’d cost me my job instantly—that’s the factory’s vehicle.”

Then, turning to Shi Guanglin and Xiao Weiguo, he said, “Brother Lin, Weiguo, thank you so much for today. Without you two, my wedding would be even more embarrassing.” He repeated what he’d said to Xiao Weiguo earlier for Shi Guanglin.

Shi Guanglin listened in silence, then hugged Li Dan Niu’s shoulder. “It’s not easy for a brother. Live well from now on—let them see what a good marriage really looks like.”

“All right, let’s go pick up the bride together,” Shi Guanglin said.

Li Dan Niu quickly took a few more red flowers from his bag, festively decorating the three-wheeled motorcycle. He handed Xiao Weiguo a bag of wedding candies to distribute as needed along the way.

The three set out—Li Dan Niu riding the motorcycle, Shi Guanglin and Xiao Weiguo following on their bicycles, heading for Xiao Qin’s house.

Along the road, everyone stared at the eye-catching three-wheeler with envy. In these days, having even a bicycle as a wedding vehicle was a big deal, let alone a three-wheeled motorcycle with two bicycles trailing behind.

Seeing the admiring looks, Li Dan Niu felt his resentment fade somewhat. After all, he’d made his own choice—it was best to look ahead.

When they arrived, Li Dan Niu’s bride, Wang Xiaoqin, lived in a particularly messy communal courtyard. After her in-laws met misfortune, Xiaoqin, who had married out, returned with her three children to live with her parents, enduring many disapproving looks.

Fortunately, Wang Xiaoqin could earn her own money, which allowed her parents to accept her family back. But each month, there was nothing left from her wages.

Li Dan Niu entered and called out, “Xiaoqin, I’ve come to pick you up.” He took the candies from Xiao Weiguo and handed them out to the crowd gathering in the courtyard, giving each person one.

Unlike Li Dan Niu’s neighborhood, where all the neighbors pretended nothing was happening, here everyone eagerly came to ask for wedding candies, especially the children, who clustered around Li Dan Niu and wouldn’t let him pass.

Xiao Weiguo took out a handful of candies and said to the children, “Come to big brother, I’ll share candies with you,” finally freeing Li Dan Niu.

Li Dan Niu continued inside and found Wang Xiaoqin’s parents talking to her. He greeted them, calling them Mom and Dad.

Wang Xiaoqin saw Li Dan Niu and her eyes softened. “Let’s go,” she said gently.

No obstacles, no arrogance—just a gentle “Let’s go.”

From here on, it would be a lifetime of mutual support.

Li Dan Niu grinned foolishly, holding Wang Xiaoqin’s hand as they headed outside.

Xiao Weiguo and Shi Guanglin came in, carrying the dowry from Wang Xiaoqin’s family, which consisted of a few quilts. In these days, bride price and dowry were simple, and wedding preparations were modest—a family would prepare an empty room, a bed, a spittoon, a thermos, and a ceramic basin, and that would suffice.

If there was no room, a partition would be made to give the young couple a space of their own.

The bride’s side usually prepared several quilts as a dowry. Even though quilts aren’t valuable now, back then they were essential, since keeping warm was a basic requirement.

When they came out, Wang Xiaoqin saw the three-wheeled motorcycle as the wedding vehicle and was overjoyed. She looked at Li Dan Niu, moved that he had managed this much for her.

By now, the courtyard residents had gathered around the motorcycle, curious and touching it. When the bride and groom emerged, they congratulated them, saying Xiaoqin was lucky to have found such a good husband.

Li Dan Niu handed out another round of candies, then prepared to leave.

So, Li Dan Niu rode the three-wheeled motorcycle, Wang Xiaoqin sitting behind him, the quilts as dowry placed in the sidecar. Wang Xiaoqin’s eldest and second sons, named Da Bo and Er Bo, also sat in the sidecar—being small, they could fit in with the quilts.

The children were excited, constantly showing off to the other kids around.

Wang Xiaoqin still had a little daughter, named Xiao Xiao, who rode with Xiao Weiguo, seated on the back of his bicycle, as the group headed to Li Dan Niu’s house.

When they arrived, the courtyard was bustling—some people washing clothes, some chatting, some sitting idle just to watch the Li family’s spectacle. There were all kinds.

But when they saw a motorcycle approaching with Li Dan Niu on it, their eyes were full of confusion, then envy.

A second marriage, yet such a grand procession. Some newly married women glared fiercely at their own husbands, as if to say, “Look at their wedding, and then look at ours.”

Li Dan Niu led Wang Xiaoqin’s family into the courtyard. Despite their parents’ strong opinions, they had prepared an empty room for them. From now on, the five of them would live together in this single room.