Father's Land Mother's River

Chapter 144 Meng Xiangxiang's Diary
Meng Xiangxiang followed Liu Xiaonan into the stock exchange hall for the second time.This time she wasn't so nervous, she didn't look around, she just quietly observed Liu Xiaonan's expression to understand everything.Although Liu Xiaonan's mood was not visible, the changes in his expression were very subtle.

She was secretly interested in how much money was in Liu Xiaonan's account, but rationality told her that this was something she should neither ask nor pay attention to.

The last time he withdrew 2 yuan, what a huge amount it was!There is not much left for a marriage proposal and root-seeking journey.It was hard for her to imagine how solid the foundation was to support him to make such a move.

When he said that he would see her often in the future, his tone was so understated, completely opposite to the attitude he deliberately pursued in words, which made her feel at ease and full of unknowable variables about her upcoming married life.

Near noon, Liu Xiaonan finally stopped with satisfaction, took out a bundle of RMB, took Meng Xiangxiang into the Friendship Mall, and went straight to the gold and silver jewelry counter.

Meng Xiangxiang knew what Liu Xiaonan was going to do, so he didn't deliberately stop it.

When she first entered college, she first heard of platinum jewelry from photos sent by her senior brother and girlfriend.Since a girlfriend can get such a valuable gift, why can't a wife accept it?
She is already familiar with his behavior style, and since she is married to him, she should naturally adapt to changes that are completely different from her previous life.

Liu Xiaonan personally chose a platinum ring and put it on Meng Xiangxiang's finger, not allowing her to take it off.

When he put a platinum necklace on Meng Xiangxiang's neck with his own hands, he whispered in her ear: "Don't look at me with emotional eyes, I am your husband, I can Whatever step is done for you, that step will be done."

Meng Xiangxiang replied softly: "You let a little girl in a mountain village see a wider world."

Liu Xiaonan patted Meng Xiangxiang's shoulder with both hands, took a step back to admire, nodded frequently and said: "This is my Meng Xiangxiang, pure and dazzling."

Meng Xiangxiang stood there calmly, Liu Xiaonan's public praise and affirmation made her see a more real self.

Liu Xiaonan asked Meng Xiangxiang to choose a pair of gold bracelets and two gold earrings by herself. On the wedding day, both mothers had to wear gold ornaments at the same time.Meng Xiangxiang felt this kindness and concern in her heart. He gave her the responsibility of being a wife and daughter, and she was willing to take on such a responsibility.

Walking out of the Friendship Mall and looking at the time, it was less than an hour before the departure time of the coach.Hurrying to the long-distance bus station, Liu Xiaonan went to buy tickets, and Meng Xiangxiang went to buy food.After getting on the long-distance bus, the two of them ate a little bread mat to pad their stomachs.

When they got home, both of them were hungry, so Jiang Changling hurriedly made dinner with Meng Xiangxiang.Taking advantage of this time, Liu Xiaonan returned the family tree to her father, took out a bag of soil and two bottles of water, and told her father all the details of this visit to the ancestral home.

After hearing this, Liu Zhixin comforted his son and said, "Although it's a bit regrettable, our father and I have done our best. I will save this bag of soil and two bottles of water first, and then sprinkle them on our family's ancestral grave next year during the Qingming Festival."

After dinner, Meng Xiangxiang showed Jiang Changling his marriage certificate and household registration booklet, and asked, "Auntie, are you happy that your daughter-in-law has become a daughter-in-law?"

"Of course I'm happy." Jiang Changling took Meng Xiangxiang's hand and said, "Think about it, I don't know if my aunt can get rid of this disease, and I don't know how many years she can live. While my aunt is still open, you have to let her Auntie hugs her grandchildren as soon as possible. Auntie doesn’t favor sons over daughters, it doesn’t matter if there is one grandchildren.”

Liu Xiaonan said, "Mom, what are you talking about? We're not married yet, and even if we were married, we wouldn't have a house. My dormitory would be crowded for two adults, and there would be no room for an extra child. Besides, Meng thought I want to just start working and my career has just started. It is the critical time to lay the foundation. Pregnancy and childbirth will consume a lot of energy. Let’s talk about it when we have a house.”

Jiang Changling said to her son: "What's the matter with me? Which sentence is not serious. During the operation, I forced myself to live, wasn't it just to see you get married? Now I feel healthy and want to hold a grandson It’s not too much for a granddaughter. It doesn’t matter if you don’t have a house, send the children home, and I’ll bring them to you.”

Meng Xiangxiang said: "Auntie, I promise you. I don't think there will be a big conflict between having a child and doing a job. Any difficulty can be overcome."

"My daughter-in-law is still considerate of me." Jiang Changling glared at her son, went down to open the closet, took out a passbook from it, and handed it to Meng Xiangxiang: "This is prepared for you by your aunt. Living at home, women have a little Surplus."

Meng Xiangxiang opened the passbook and saw that it was another 1 yuan, which he refused to accept.

Jiang Changling forced the passbook into Meng Xiangxiang's hand: "I know my son, he's used to being extravagant. If you don't believe me, ask him, he publishes books and makes movies, can he show me a passbook? In the future, you will be in charge of the house and take care of him."

Meng Xiangxiang thought about it, your son doesn't have a passbook, but he has intangible assets, and he has made a statement long ago to prevent me from intervening.

After repeatedly refusing, Liu Xiaonan asked her to accept it, and she accepted the passbook with peace of mind.She took out the bracelet and earrings and put them on for the aunt herself. The mother-in-law and daughter-in-law sat together and compared their jewelry, enjoying themselves happily.

Liu Xiaonan returned to her room, sat down at the table and began to write. The details of the wedding were handled by her father alone, and he no longer needed to worry too much.After writing for a while, Meng Xiangxiang also walked in and put his clothes in the closet as a matter of course.

Without raising her head, Liu Xiaonan said, "I still have a little money left in my bag, you put it away. I bought everything I should buy, and you decide what else you need to buy when you get married."

Meng Xiangxiang opened Liu Xiaonan's backpack and found two envelopes, which should be the leftovers from the last time plus this time, and there is only a little money after counting.She left 2000 yuan for Liu Xiaonan, and put the rest in her satchel along with the passbook given by her aunt.

She smiled and asked Liu Xiaonan: "That is to say, from now on, I will officially manage the family finances?"

Liu Xiaonan put down the pen and looked at Meng Xiangxiang: "Is it a little too fast? I don't even have time to catch my breath. I suddenly became your husband, and all the intermediate processes are omitted."

Meng Xiangxiang sat next to Liu Xiaonan and said, "You didn't talk about love with me, you omitted it yourself. I talked with you in my heart for four years, and today I became your wife. I think it's too long and painful. Shengsheng turned a little girl from a mountain village who had never seen a diary into a madman who wrote a diary."

"I have to congratulate you, your diary can continue to be written."

"I will keep writing. As you said, when you get old, take it out and have a look for yourself, look for the shadow of yourself back then, and see if you can still recognize the original self."

"Go write your diary, or watch TV. I don't need you here for the time being. You sleep on the kang, and I sleep on the bed. When will I get tired of writing and when will I go to bed? We have to go back tomorrow morning, I Gotta go to work."

"Aren't we officially married?"

"We are husband and wife, but we didn't hold a wedding ceremony. I hope your diary can record all the beautiful things. When you are old, you can still be moved by looking at the diary and seeing how I love you."

Meng Xiangxiang lay on Liu Xiaonan's back, put his arms around his neck and said, "I will write down this important sentence of yours in the diary. To me, this is the most beautiful and profound love story in the world."

Liu Xiaonan shook his body back and forth, like a child on his back, and said, "I no longer believe in love, but I believe in family affection. People generally believe in the saying 'marriage is the grave of love', but I think it's just the opposite. Only by transforming love into family relationship can a marriage be long-lasting and strong. Love is mixed with too many subjective and objective factors, and there is too much water, but what power can break the relationship between flesh and blood? Family relationship is the highest state of love."

Meng Xiangxiang lay sideways on the kang, silently watching the back of the writing desk in the dark, recalling the deep meaning in Liu Xiaonan's words.

Meng Xiangxiang's diary:

Hot weather on July 28, [-]

We finally have a decent little nest.In Xiaonan's dormitory, the walls were repainted, and the doors and windows were also painted with new paint.A tailor-made 1.5-meter-wide wooden bed, two small desks staggered, two original wardrobes in the dormitory, and a washbasin stand—that’s all we have.

The room is small and crowded, but I am very satisfied, because this is our warm nest.It's not that Xiaonan doesn't have a house, it's because he doesn't want to touch the scars in his heart, and he doesn't want to bring other people's shadows into our lives.

I carefully decorated our little home, put on new curtains and bedding, and hung our wedding anniversary photos on the wall.We don't buy household appliances like TVs. First, the room is too small. Second, Xiaonan and I don't have time to watch entertainment programs for the time being.

Xiaonan went to work, I rearranged his wardrobe, and accidentally found some well-preserved old books, a white mohair scarf and a gray sweater with a sweetheart collar.

I have read the book "Longitude and Latitude" written by him. The sample book of this book is put together with those three things, which are exactly described in the book.I thought it was his fiction before, but now I know that these are real existences.

I flipped through those old books. It was these yellowed old books that gave Xiaonan a lifelong dream and guided him on the road of literature.I have seen photos of the original owners of these old books, and I have seen her in person at Xiaoyun’s wedding. She is so glorious and domineering. In front of her, I am not even as good as an ugly duckling.She is now Xiaonan's leader, and I know their friendship will not end because of the end of love.

And who knitted the white mohair scarf and the sweetheart-neck gray sweater?
The patterns are complicated and the needlework is tight, and the craftsmanship is even higher than that of Miss Xiaoyun, because it is woven with heart.

I learned from my aunt that Xiaonan was once engaged to Miss Xiaoyun, and it was the fate of my parents just like me.According to the book "Longitude and Latitude", these two things came from the hands of his first love. Isn't Miss Xiaoyun his first love?
It seems that I have to reread "Longitude and Latitude" to find the answer from the book.

I have learned simple knitting from Sister Xiaoyun, but I have never knit by myself because I have no money to buy wool.If you don’t buy me a sewing machine, I want to learn how to knit. This winter, I must knit a scarf and a sweater for Xiaonan.

I rearranged the old books and stacked the scarves and sweaters.I told myself that those three things were just memories of his love, and what I had with him was love plus family.

On August 25, [-], the weather was fine and windy from the north
Today is the first day I officially joined the work.Xiaonan bought a Phoenix [-] bicycle for me, and personally took me to report for work.The weather was cooler and we rode side by side on the street and it felt like we were flying.

At the school gate, Xiaonan hugged me and encouraged me to become an excellent people's teacher.I kissed back, the ideal door has been opened, how can I live up to his high expectations.

I prepared wedding candy and cigarettes and distributed them to my colleagues.They are my seniors and my big brothers and sisters. I respect them and they will pass on their teaching experience to me.

When I gave the wedding candy to the teacher who took me, he held my hand and blessed me, and I saw the look of pain in his eyes.

It's been a busy day, preparing for the start of school.In the evening, I wrote a letter to Teacher Yue in my own dormitory at the school, telling her that Xiaonan and I were going to get married.

On the day Xiaonan and I registered, I wanted to write this letter, because Teacher Yue asked me to keep Xiaonan a secret, so I had no choice but to keep my promise and write to her after school started.

I told the truth, telling how Xiaonan and I fell in love, and how Xiaonan no longer believed in love.

I found that I still can't forgive Mr. Yue.She hurt Xiaonan so deeply, leaving a permanent scar in his heart.Although without her harm, there would be no happiness for me today.

I also told Teacher Yue that Xiaonan did not regard the house that Aunt Lin left him as his own, and that Xiaonan and I would not live there.All her belongings are kept in that house, and Xiaonan and I will go to clean it regularly.

I wrote down the address in Chinese and English on the envelope. I don't know how Teacher Yue will feel when he receives this letter.

On October [-], [-], the weather was fine and cloudless

Today is a happy day for me and Xiaonan.

Meng Duoduo went home early to pick up his parents, brother, sister-in-law and uncle.I asked my younger sister to send a message to the family not to bring too many relatives, which would add extra burden to Xiaonan and her mother-in-law's family.My father and mother traveled across the ocean to bring us four new sets of quilts, which made our little nest even more full.

Xiaonan arranged for her parents and relatives to stay in the hotel.Cruel-hearted, he refused to keep me with him for the last night, and drove me to the hotel to stay.

A temporarily new bus, with big red flowers on the front and red happy characters pasted on it, carried a team of more than 50 people to Liuzi Street.There were my relatives and colleagues in the car, our classmates who stayed in Bencheng, and his colleagues and co-workers.

Gu Yu is obviously the organizer of this wedding, and his leadership and organization skills have opened my eyes.Xiaonan asked me to call her sister, and I did, feeling a little awkward.

Xiaonan and I sat side by side at the front of the bus. Xiaonan was wearing a gray suit and tie, looking extraordinarily handsome and dignified.I was wearing a traditional red wedding dress that my mother sewed for me, holding a bouquet of flowers in my hand, and my hair was full of happiness.

Sister Xiaoyun and Meng Duoduo sat behind us.Sister Xiaoyun helped me choose other clothes. At that time, she said that if the textile factory hadn't been recruiting workers in the countryside, she should be the bride who married Xiaonan.I said don't mention the past, now you should call me sister-in-law.Sister Xiaoyun said that you have a good idea.

I also know that Mr. Yue, who is far away on the other side of the ocean, will also send us distant and sincere blessings today.

A few days ago, I received a letter and a money order from Teacher Yue.The letter was very short. In addition to blessings, it also asked me to keep in touch with her, and said that if our children want to study abroad when they grow up, she will handle it all by themselves.The remittance slip was five hundred dollars, which was a congratulatory gift from Teacher Yue alone.I secretly saved it, because I had an appointment with Mr. Yue, so it shouldn't be considered cheating Xiaonan.

After the wedding, I returned to Bincheng with the guests and friends in the bus. During the time before dinner, I couldn’t wait to write the above words.The entire wedding process was videotaped by Xiaonan's colleagues, so I don't need to waste any more ink.

(End of this chapter)