novelraw Chapter 239 - 236: What’s Mine Is Yours
Chapter 239 - 236: What’s Mine Is Yours
Lin Lan lifted her chin slightly, looking at him with utter confidence. "Don’t worry, we definitely won’t lose all our money. We’ve already looked into the national regulations. We’ll be the pioneers in the East Market."
Hearing Lin Lan’s words, Li Xiangyang smiled at her. "Alright! Whatever my wife says, I’ll do! My mom used to say that a man who listens to his wife will prosper!"
’My wife is so capable.’ Li Xiangyang suddenly felt an invisible pressure. From the first time he saw Lin Lan, he knew she was the one and wanted to shelter her from life’s storms. ’Looks like I’ll have to work harder too,’ he thought. ’A man has to be stronger than his woman to be able to protect her.’
"Thank you, Xiangyang!" Lin Lan said, looking at him, moved. ’Heaven must be trying to make it up to me,’ she thought, ’by letting me meet such a wonderful man.’
Li Xiangyang smiled and gave her a peck on the lips. "Silly girl, what’s mine is yours. There’s no need to thank me!"
Lin Lan looked at him, at a loss for words.
"Uncle Li, is Xiangyang here?" Just then, Brother Yong’s voice sounded from the courtyard.
Inside, the two, whose gazes had been locked, quickly stood up, adjusted their jackets, and opened the door to go out together.
Li Xiangyang looked at Brother Yong and said, "Is your house all fixed up?"
"It is!" Brother Yong turned to Lin Lan. "Little Lin, I want to take Yuezhen back to my hometown to get our marriage license."
Lin Lan smiled and nodded. "Okay, I’ll head back right now."
"We’ll go together," Li Xiangyang said.
"Mhm!" Lin Lan nodded. The two said goodbye to Old Li and rode their bikes back to Lexing with Brother Yong.
Lin Lan gave twenty yuan to Lin Yuezhen. "Sis, since it’s your first visit to his family’s home, buy a little gift to take with you."
Lin Yuezhen took the money and looked at Lin Lan uneasily, signing, "Little Lan, will Brother Yong’s family look down on me?"
Lin Lan patted her on the shoulder. "Sister Yuezhen, don’t worry. You’re going to be living your life with Brother Yong, not with his family."
Lin Yuezhen looked at Lin Lan’s encouraging gaze, nodded, put on her jacket, and left the room.
After Brother Yong and Lin Yuezhen left, Li Xiangyang said to Lin Lan, who was preparing to go to the brigade office for a certificate, "Little Lan, while you’re getting your certificate, why don’t you get the one for our marriage, too? Then we can go to the photo studio, take our wedding photo, and register our marriage, okay?"
"You want to jump on the marriage bandwagon too!" Lin Lan said, giving him a playful look of reproach. "Our wedding banquet isn’t for a few more months. There’s plenty of time to register after the banquet!"
Li Xiangyang nodded with conviction. "What’s the difference between registering in a few months and registering now? You’re going to be mine sooner or later anyway, so let’s just get it done!"
Lin Lan shot him a glare. "And how come you never say you’re *my* man!"
"Okay, okay, I’m your man," Li Xiangyang laughed. "Wait for me. I’ll go back to the commune office to get my certificate first, change my clothes, and then come get you. We’ll go to the brigade office for your certificate, and then we’ll go take our wedding photos."
Without giving Lin Lan a chance to object, Li Xiangyang hopped on his bicycle and pedaled away at top speed.
"That guy is so impulsive!" Lin Lan muttered, holding her household registration book as she turned and walked toward the kitchen.
Qiaohui, who was sitting by the stove snipping broad beans, looked up at her and smiled. "Cousin, how come you’re back again?"
"I came back to wait for Xiangyang so we can go to the brigade office together." Lin Lan put away the household registration book, then paused. ’I might as well change,’ she thought, and went back to put on the outfit Li Xiangyang had made for her.
When Li Xiangyang got home, he said to Old Li, "Dad, Lin Lan and I are going to get our license."
Old Li glanced at him. "What’s with the sudden idea to go register?"
Li Xiangyang smiled. "Little Lan and I are planning a trip to the coast to source some things like digital watches and cassette recorders. We want to open an electronics shop, and it’ll be more convenient to travel once we have our marriage license."
Old Li pondered for a moment before nodding. "A trip to check things out is a good idea. Before you do anything, go find Liu Da and ask him when he’s heading to the coast. Have him show you the ropes."
"Got it. I’m going to change. Could you find the household registration book for me? I’m heading to the commune office to get my certificate," Li Xiangyang said as he walked toward his room.
Old Li watched his retreating back, stood for a moment, then went to his room. He took the household registration book from a drawer, brought it to Li Xiangyang’s room, and handed it to him. "Here."
Li Xiangyang took it and stood up straight, looking at Old Li. "Dad, how do I look? Sharp?"
"Sharp!" Old Li patted his shoulder, pleased. "Of course my son looks sharp!"
Li Xiangyang gave Old Li a hug. "Thanks, Dad!"
Old Li rubbed his hands together and playfully scolded, "Get outta here! All this sentimental stuff is giving me goosebumps!"
Li Xiangyang left with a smile, rode his bike to the commune office, got his certificate, and then rode to Lexing.
He saw that Lin Lan was wearing the outfit he had made for her and said happily, "Hop on, I’ll give you a ride."
Lin Lan nodded, said a word to Qiaohui, and the two of them left for the brigade office together.
When they arrived at the brigade office, He Xianghua, Jin Huaji, and Liu Guozhi were all there.
Seeing the two of them, He Xianghua smiled. "Xiangyang, Lin Lan, what brings you to the brigade office?"
Li Xiangyang pulled out some cigarettes and passed one to each of the men. "Lin Lan and I are here to get a certificate. We’re planning to register our marriage. We also need another certificate to apply for an individual business license from the Bureau of Industry and Commerce."
Liu Guozhi gave Li Xiangyang a surprised look. ’He couldn’t believe it. Why would a man like Li Xiangyang marry a widow with a child?’
"Congratulations! Congratulations!" He Xianghua said to the couple with a broad smile. He then glanced at Liu Guozhi before turning to Jin Huaji with a grin. "Old Jin, help them get this processed."
"You got it!" Accountant Jin replied with a smile, then turned to Lin Lan. "Congratulations, Little Lin."
Lin Lan smiled politely. "Thank you, Jin Huaji."
Accountant Jin filled out the marriage certificate, then wrote out the other certificate according to what Xu Dong had written, and gave them to Lin Lan.
"Thanks, thanks!" After giving cigarettes to the three men, Li Xiangyang left with Lin Lan on his bike.
Liu Guozhi watched the two ride away, then turned to He Xianghua and Accountant Jin. "Times have really changed. I can’t believe even a family like Butcher Li’s would agree to their only son marrying a widow with a son."
"Brigade Leader," He Xianghua said with a smile, glancing at him. "Do you have any idea how capable Lin Lan is? Do you know how much money she’s earned, working day and night for the past half-year?"
Accountant Jin nodded. "Lin Lan is very capable. I heard she and the sisters Liying and Liqun bought a shop on Vegetable Market Street in the southern part of the city."
"The shop on Vegetable Market Street is nothing!" He Xianghua tossed his cigarette butt to the ground, crushed it with his foot, and looked at the other two. "I heard from Meihua that one of the small Western-style houses across from Ding Bang’s place was bought by Lin Lan. She’s even having it renovated right now!"
"What!" both Accountant Jin and Liu Guozhi exclaimed, staring at He Xianghua in shock. "Are you talking about the villas over on Yucai Road?"
He Xianghua nodded. "That’s the one! Don’t underestimate Lin Lan. People with stable government jobs don’t earn as much as she does."
Accountant Jin sighed. "It’s true! My Jianming got a raise last month, and he only makes forty-five yuan a month now. He’d have to save for a very long time to afford one of those villas on Yucai Road!"