Transmigrated as Cannon Fodder — I Rise to Female Lead Through Hard Work-Chapter 148: Attending the Wedding Banquet

The following day, the fifteenth day of June, a propitious day, many families were holding weddings, and Yi Roujing encountered two families celebrating on the way with Ding Ancheng to Huang Huimin’s wedding banquet.

Huang Huimin’s parents were teachers at a primary school in Huaixi County. The couple shared a matrimonial room, though it was small, in a tube-shaped building, it was cozy enough for the three of them.

Huang Huimin was being married from home, with the groom’s family living next door in Bright Alley, where Li Hongying had visited before. It was not big enough for a wedding feast.

Nowadays, arranging banquets at state-run hotels is for families with good financial conditions. Generally, people host them at home, and if the space isn’t big enough, they hold it in the alley.

Huang Huimin was a teacher at County First Middle School, a formal employee. Her fiancé worked at the Huaixi County power plant, and his parents also worked there. Both families were intellectuals and matched in status.

The wedding banquet was jointly organized. Both families wished to meet more people, as County First Middle School and the power plant were both good institutes with many formal employees, knowing more colleagues benefitted them.

Upon deliberation, the banquet was held in the alley under Huang Huimin’s tubular apartment, coinciding with Sundays, not affecting the school, and being quiet, it was more appropriate than the groom’s home location.

Yi Roujing and Ding Ancheng arrived around half past ten, with the banquet starting at eleven. Their timing was neither early nor late, but the alley was already lively.

Yi Roujing assessed roughly twenty tables, already half-filled with guests.

"Ding, over here, over here," called the Chinese teacher who co-taught with Ding Ancheng.

Ding Ancheng nodded, taking Yi Roujing to find a seat, filling up the table. Though Yi Roujing didn’t know the other guests beforehand, she recognized them now as they had been exam invigilators recently.

Still, they weren’t familiar, exchanging greetings upon sitting down; most of the conversation was directed at Ding Ancheng.

"Ding, you’ll be going to Jing City soon, right? Do you have confidence in this national math competition?"

"It’s the students who need confidence, not me," replied Ding Ancheng calmly.

"Are you going for at least a week, Ding? If you have time, could you help bring back some things?" asked a female teacher. Upon her asking, the other women at the table looked over, as Jing City had many items or trends unavailable elsewhere.

"It might not be convenient," Ding Ancheng declined without hesitation. "Besides, I plan to visit my university instructor, and the competition schedule is tight."

Ding’s temperament was consistently tepid, as colleagues at school were accustomed, exchanging a few words before ceasing conversation.

"Roujing—"

Yi Roujing awaited the banquet when she heard a familiar voice, recognizing Feng Lishu approaching with a couple, aiming for a seat at the groom’s head table.

"Mom and Dad, that’s my colleague from the hospital; I’ll just go say hi," Feng Lishu announced before eagerly hopping over, prompting Yi Roujing to stand with a smile.

Coming closer, Feng Lishu noticed Ding Ancheng seated next to Yi Roujing, her mouth slightly agape, then making faces at Yi Roujing and nudging her arm. In a whisper, she remarked, "You look like a perfect match, a talented man and a beautiful woman; you should find joy just looking at each other all day."

Yi Roujing chuckled at the comment, and noticing movement beside her, as Ding Ancheng stood to nod at Feng Lishu, then glanced at Yi Roujing, waiting for her introduction.

"Feng Lishu, my colleague at the staff hospital; Ding Ancheng, my husband," Yi Roujing introduced with a smile.

"Hello," greeted Ding Ancheng. "Thank you for looking after Jing in the hospital."

"No worries, we take care of each other," Feng Lishu replied.

Considering it was someone else’s wedding banquet, they didn’t converse much; after a few exchanges, Feng Lishu returned.

"Seated at the head table, those must be the power plant’s heads."

"Haven’t you recognized him yet? That’s Feng Guolun, the power plant manager of Huaixi County."

"Why would the manager attend a regular employee’s wedding?"

"I recall the manager’s spouse is surnamed Zhang, working in the county government."

"No wonder! Today’s groom is surnamed Zhang, likely relatives."

...

Yi Roujing listened to the discussions among her tablemates.

At eleven o’clock, the newlyweds appeared. In this era, there was no bridal gown; wearing something slightly red counted as wedding attire, Huang Huimin donned a red dress, her face made up, radiating happiness.

The groom wore a green work uniform, looking particularly spirited, with a red flower pinned on his chest, easily identifiable as the groom.

Before the banquet, the groom invited someone from the head table to speak, it was Feng Lishu’s father.

"Today marks my nephew Zhang Jiyuan and niece Huang Huimin’s great day..."

Indeed relatives are involved; having heard the first sentence, Yi Roujing paid less attention to the rest, as the sentiment was clear. Yet, when the speech ended, she applauded without hesitation, as the applause concluded, the meal began.

The meal today was commendable, with a good variety of dishes, and none lacking chicken, duck, fish, or meat, the portions were also ample. Midway, the newlyweds circulated with toasts and handed out wedding candies.

Nowadays, leftover banquet dishes could be packed. Seeing guests at her table pull out lunchboxes, filling them with the untouched dishes, surprised Yi Roujing but didn’t prompt her to comment.

As guests gradually began to leave, everyone eventually stood to depart, leaving Yi Roujing and Ding Ancheng’s departure in realization.

"Did we give a wedding gift?" Yi Roujing hadn’t seen Ding Ancheng give out a red envelope.

"We did," replied Ding Ancheng. "It’s collective, pooled by the teachers and handed to the bride."

"Oh, I see," Yi Roujing sighed in relief.

"By the way, are there any unmarried, decent teachers at your school?" Yi Roujing recalled a request from a colleague to help find a match, today seeing Feng Lishu made it cross her mind again.

"Thinking of being a matchmaker?" Ding Ancheng teased.

"Not really, worried about being blamed if they’re unhappy, but today’s girl, Feng Lishu, she’s quite good. If there’s someone suitable, I’d like to introduce them," Yi Roujing replied, wrinkling her nose.

"Knowing their family situation, you’d have to find someone equally well-matched," Yi Roujing advised candidly.

"I’ll inquire," Ding Ancheng didn’t deny initially—rare for his wife’s interest—and indeed, there were plenty of fine young bachelors at the school.

"See who you can find. Anmin doesn’t have a partner either," Yi Roujing sighed, "Look for female teachers as well, Anguo seems to have difficulty finding someone suitable, Anmin’s always worried."