The 1970s: Married First, Fell in Love Later-Chapter 235 - 234: Moved Away, Shitou Gets Married

Chapter 235: Chapter 234: Moved Away, Shitou Gets Married

Niu Hongjun spent most of the night in the latrine pit. After he was finally pulled out, he came down with a high fever. Li Lanying was also so frightened that she was a nervous wreck and didn’t even dare to go out during broad daylight.

The next night, the couple didn’t even dare to go out to use the toilet. Even when they stayed inside, they kept thinking they saw ghostly shadows flitting past the window, accompanied by strange, intermittent noises.

It was absolutely terrifying.

After a few days, Li Lanying just couldn’t take it anymore.

She steeled her heart, took the children, and left the place. She went to the landlord to get their rent deposit back, telling him the house was haunted since their lease wasn’t up yet.

Of course, the landlord refused. "My house was perfectly fine. How come it’s suddenly haunted the moment you move in? Maybe the only ghosts here are your own guilty consciences. I’m not returning the deposit. Otherwise, you can just keep living here until the lease is up."

With no other choice, and now too scared to even return home, Li Lanying immediately took her children and boarded a train back to her parents’ house, leaving Niu Hongjun to fend for himself.

Niu Hongjun was left with no other option but to apply for a dormitory at his school and move in there. 𝕗𝗿𝕖𝐞𝐰𝗲𝕓𝐧𝕠𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝐨𝚖

Xue Yue only found out the family next door had moved out when Mrs. He mentioned it.

"Tsk tsk. A bunch of people showed up early this morning, making a huge racket moving their things. CLANG! BANG! They claimed the house is haunted and unlivable. I think *they’re* the ones with guilty consciences. No wonder they’re always up to no good. It’s a relief they’re gone. Now I don’t have to watch my back around them every day."

Xue Yue paused to think for a few seconds after hearing that. It all seemed a little strange. ’Isn’t this a bit too much of a coincidence?’ Still, it was definitely a good thing.

Xue Yue had been planning to go to the clothing store, but this delayed her, and she never made it.

He Lang, however, did go today.

When he returned that evening, he told Xue Yue, "Shitou and Yang Wenxiu are a couple now. Shitou told me she’s already taken him to meet her parents."

Xue Yue was stunned. "Shitou and Yang Wenxiu? How? Already?"

Xue Yue was more than surprised; she had never imagined those two getting together.

He Lang smiled at her. "Why not? They’re both single adults, and they see each other day in and day out. It’s perfectly normal for feelings to develop."

Xue Yue thought for a moment. "Yang Wenxiu’s family is probably in a tough spot, aren’t they? Did you ask Shitou about it? Does he know about her family situation?"

He Lang nodded. "Shitou told me a bit."

"He said that Yang Wenxiu’s father passed away, and at home, there’s just her mother and a younger brother who isn’t an adult yet. Even though their situation might not be great, Shitou said he thinks her family is nice and they were very welcoming to him."

Xue Yue didn’t know what to say. She had a good impression of Yang Wenxiu—the girl was ambitious and a diligent worker. As for her family, Xue Yue had never met them, so she couldn’t pass judgment. Besides, this was Shitou’s life, and it wasn’t their place to get too involved.

"So, does this mean Shitou wants to settle down with her?"

"Mhm. Shitou told me that when he went home for the New Year, he told his mom about his breakup with his ex. His mother was devastated, so now he’s in a bit of a rush. He wants to take Yang Wenxiu home for his mom to meet, and if all goes well, they’ll get married as soon as possible."

"That fast?"

He Lang nodded. "Shitou isn’t getting any younger, so it’s understandable that he’s anxious. And he’s a filial son; his mom is probably nagging him again. It’s good for him to marry and settle down soon. It’ll give him peace of mind. For now, Yang Wenxiu seems great. It’s just her family... if things go as expected, Shitou won’t be able to escape the responsibility of looking after her mother and brother."

Xue Yue frowned. "Goodness, what kind of luck does Shitou have? His journey to marriage is never smooth."

"I know. That’s why the older generation always says you should start a family early. If you wait too long, you don’t have as many options to choose from."

At Shitou’s age, and having lost his father when he was young, starting a family was truly difficult for him.

"When is he planning to go back home?"

"Probably in the next few days. He said he’ll buy train tickets as soon as he has a moment."

Two days later, Shitou left with Yang Wenxiu.

They stayed in their hometown for three days.

As soon as Shitou returned, he excitedly went to He Lang for help buying a house.

It turned out they had already registered their marriage back in their hometown. They weren’t planning a large banquet; they would just find a decent restaurant, invite all their friends, and celebrate over a nice meal.

Yang Wenxiu didn’t have many relatives, and her mother’s expectations weren’t high.

Speaking of buying a house, Shitou said, "It doesn’t have to be too big, just large enough for us. I have a budget of five thousand yuan right now. I know that’s not a lot, but it’s all I can manage. Axiu said we could just rent, but I don’t want her to have to settle like that. We can buy a small place for now, and once I’ve earned more money, we’ll upgrade to a bigger one."

He Lang clapped him on the shoulder. "Sounds good. I’ll take you to check with some agents. If you don’t get an apartment, a decent single-story house would work just as well."

Living in apartment buildings was becoming the trend in Beijing City. Many people were eager to move into them, so single-story houses were slightly cheaper.

He Lang took Shitou to look at several places, and they finally settled on one. It wasn’t a private, single-family home; they would be sharing a courtyard with another family. However, the house itself was spacious and already divided into several rooms, so it would be large enough to live in even after they had children.

He Lang had Shitou bring Yang Wenxiu to see it. Yang Wenxiu was very pleased, so Shitou made the decision on the spot.

On the day of their wedding reception, the clothing store closed for business.

At a relatively fancy restaurant, all of Shitou’s good friends in Beijing City—He Lang’s family and Xue Xingzhou’s family—came to join the festivities.

Xue Yue finally met Yang Wenxiu’s mother and younger brother. Her mother had a kind and gentle face. Her clothes weren’t fancy, but they were spotless. Her brother was small and thin, with clear eyes, and he seemed a little shy.

Shitou was dressed in a Zhongshan suit, while Yang Wenxiu wore a red dress. Guan Wenwen had done her makeup, and she looked beautiful.

The Yang Family had precious few relatives in Beijing City. Apparently, their family was not originally from the city. Only a few of their neighbors came to attend.

Shitou’s mother wasn’t there. Since they had already officially registered the marriage in their hometown, the plan was to hold another banquet there during the New Year holiday, inviting all the local friends and family. After all, people in the countryside were particular about such traditions.

He Lang was genuinely happy for Shitou. Though a few years apart, they had grown up together, and He Lang had long been concerned about Shitou finding a wife.

He Lang, for a change, actually drank until his face was flushed. Xue Yue saw that he was walking steadily, so she assumed he wasn’t drunk. But once they were back in their room, He Lang started rambling on about the old days. When he even brought up running around with Shitou in split-crotch pants as toddlers, Xue Yue knew he was definitely drunk.

That night, when Yang Wenxiu got home and started opening her red envelopes, she was taken aback when she opened the big one from her boss.

"Shitou, Shitou, look! Why did the boss give us so much money?"

Shitou looked at the thick stack of bills on the bed, and a touched smile spread across his face.

"Brother He has always been generous to me," he said with a smile. "Just put it away safely. But don’t ever forget his kindness to us."

Yang Wenxiu still felt a little overwhelmed, but hearing Shitou’s words, she carefully put the money away.