It wasn't long before Yan Bu Gui finished discussing things with He Da Qing, and as he left, he grabbed the remaining peanuts from the plate.
Li Wu Wei thought to himself, "It's fine to eat, but you can't take them."
"Third Uncle, don't you think the entrance to my house looks a little off?"
Yan Bu Gui was startled, his hand came out of his pocket, still salty from the peanuts, and he saw the potted plant at the entrance, his heart aching.
"Li Wu Wei, there's nothing wrong with it. With my potted plant there, it looks great."
"No, tomorrow is my wedding, a double happiness. Come on, I'll go grab a pot from you.
I won't let you lose out. When spring comes, I'll go to the flower and bird market and get you two pots in return."
Li Wu Wei didn't give him a chance to refuse and ran towards the front yard.
"Come back, don't just take the best ones."
Yan Bu Gui hurried after him. Those potted plants were his life, and he was hoping to cultivate them well and give them to the principal, hoping to get a promotion and a pay raise in the next evaluation.
The He family father and son watched the two run off, both taken aback.
"This Li Wu Wei is really something, even Third Uncle was tricked by him."
Sha Zhu had seen it for himself. He had just thought the potted plant looked familiar, and so it had been pilfered from Third Uncle's house.
"If he wasn't impressive, would he have been able to get a wife and set up the wedding feast?"
He Da Qing was ashamed. He had tried to find a widow, but ended up being dumped, and he was the one who paid for the train ticket.
"Dad!"
Sha Zhu wanted to bring up the issue of his salary.
"What is it? You want to find a wife too? You're way too early for that. We'll talk about it when you get your permanent job."
He Da Qing said it impatiently and then left, needing to go back and get the money to give to Old Yan.
Seeing his father run off, Sha Zhu thought, "When I get paid next time, I won't give him anything. He can't do anything to me. I'll learn to be shameless like Li Wu Wei."
Before long, Li Wu Wei happily carried a potted plant back.
"Brother, Third Uncle gave you another pot."
Qin Huai Ru came out of the kitchen. She had just put away the family's bacon and sausage so they wouldn't get eaten at the wedding tomorrow.
"He did, he's wishing us a double happiness."
Li Wu Wei happily put the pot on the other side of the doorway, it looked balanced now, auspicious.
In the front yard, Yan Bu Gui was like a mourner, even though his potted plants hadn't cost him anything, it was a plant he had found at the school, and it had taken a lot of effort.
"Honey, be happy. It's just a plant. We've already invested in this.
You eat more tomorrow, make up for it."
Third Aunt tried to comfort him, but if someone else had taken a plant from her home, she would have gone after them and spat in their faces.
But it was Li Wu Wei, and it was better not to make trouble. He was shameless, and he might spit back in her face.
"No, I have to go out and take another bike ride, I can't take this."
Yan Bu Gui thought for a long time, then came up with a way to soothe his wounded heart.
"You're still riding your bike? Don't, you polished that bike so shiny, don't get it dirty."
Third Aunt was dumbfounded. It was late at night, and he wasn't tired.
"It's okay, I'll wash it again later. Washing the car is a pleasure, it's a win-win."
Yan Bu Gui really did ride his bike out, went all the way to the Big Lanterns to watch the festivities, a round trip of more than ten kilometers, and when he came back he was exhausted.
But he happily washed the car again. It really was a good bike, no wonder Li Wu Wei was willing to empty his pockets to buy it first, others knew how to enjoy life.
…
In the middle courtyard, the Jia family!
Jia Zhang Shi was holding a steamed bun and cursing, "That Li Wu Wei is so shameless, he actually cheated money at the factory.
If you had invited those co-workers, Dong Xu, we would have made so much money. Now it's all gone to that little guy."
"Mom, I don't know those people. But Li Wu Wei definitely doesn't have any money to host a wedding feast, tomorrow when people come, he's going to be the laughing stock."
Jia Dong Xu couldn't help but chuckle at the thought.
"Right, Li Wu Wei will definitely have no way to handle this, tomorrow we'll have a lively wedding, and he'll have workers making a scene at his place, now that's real fun."
Jia Zhang Shi took a big bite of her steamed bun, then went to grab another, only to find there were none left.
With one more person in the house, the food was not enough.
Tomorrow would be good, they would get money from the gifts, have some money, and then eat white flour at New Year's.
"By the way, Mom, did you ask He Da Qing to help cook?"
Jia Dong Xu remembered this. His mother's cooking, he knew, was terrible, worse than the food at the factory.
"Invite him? That's going to cost money. Tomorrow, after Old He gives us the gift, I'll get him to help. It's only two tables of food, he's a great chef, he can do it in a while."
Jia Zhang Shi didn't care, and added, "I've invited your First Uncle to be the accountant. Tomorrow, we'll set up the tables in the middle courtyard, everyone in the courtyard will come to our house for gifts, we'll make Li Wu Wei jealous, and Qin Huai Ru will be so regretful."
"That's great! We'll definitely outdo him this time."
Jia Dong Xu felt reassured, and besides, those co-workers might not even come, maybe Li's house won't have any guests, then how can you even call it a wedding feast.
"Dong Xu, you and Bi Hua go out early tomorrow, go to the Department Store and find a good craftsman, go back to the courtyard with the sewing machine, it will cause a stir.
Who in this neighborhood can afford a sewing machine when they get married? Only our old Jia family has that kind of clout."
Jia Zhang Shi paused, and added, "Bi Hua, you'll find out as time goes by, our Jia family's conditions are second to none in this neighborhood."
"Okay, Mom!"
Chen Bi Hua was not a young girl, she had been married once, and she knew how to deal with her mother-in-law, she wasn't so easy to fool. She took a bite of her steamed bun, she couldn't starve.
Jia Zhang Shi looked on enviously, but she was too slow. Oh well, she'd save her stomach for tomorrow and eat more of the feast.
At this moment, Li Wu Wei was already cuddling with Qin Huai Ru and getting ready for bed.
They would also have to go out early tomorrow morning, and would only return to the courtyard around the time of the ceremony. That's how you welcome your bride.