Day Twelve
After obtaining the marriage application, Wen Congyin took a day off and went with Geng Xu to register their marriage.
No photos were required for the marriage certificate; all they needed was to present the application form and their household registration book at the civil affairs bureau to receive it.
When she came out, Wen Congyin felt somewhat dazed. She looked at the pink marriage certificate in her hand, touched it gently, and felt as if she were dreaming.
Geng Xu glanced at her and asked, “Regretting it?”
“What?” Wen Congyin looked up, took a moment to understand, then laughed wryly and shook her head. “No, it just feels unreal. It doesn’t feel like we’re actually married.”
In her past life, her mind had been wholly devoted to her career. Although her superiors and colleagues had arranged many potential matches for her, those men quickly gave up because she was too focused on her work.
Wen Congyin had prepared herself never to marry.
She was not worried about old age either; with her status in traditional Chinese medicine, many people would want to care for her in the future.
Geng Xu’s eyes curved slightly. He checked his watch and said, “It’s still early. How about I accompany you back to the hospital? Since we’re in a hurry to get married and can’t hold a wedding banquet in Beijing, at least we can let your colleagues share in our happiness.”
Though Wen Congyin felt it somewhat unnecessary to make the trip just for that, she agreed since it was Geng Xu’s thoughtful gesture. They bought some candies and pastries and headed to the hospital.
“Already registered?” Xu Xiang teased, “Wen, you’re moving too fast.”
She handed the marriage certificate back to Wen Congyin, her gaze falling on Geng Xu with a hint of admiration. “This is your fiancé, Commander Geng, right?”
“Director Xu, hello. Wen has mentioned you several times, saying you’re very kind and considerate to us juniors,” Geng Xu said with ease, extending his hand to shake hers.
Xu Xiang instinctively stood, feeling flattered. She glanced at Wen Congyin and smiled, “Wen, you praise me behind my back too.”
Wen Congyin smiled back, “You’re good to everyone, not just me.”
She was a little surprised. Someone of Geng Xu’s rank, yet he showed no arrogance and was humble even before Director Xu—a rare sight indeed.
Xu Xiang’s face lit up with delight from the compliments. Spotting Lin Hongyin and others peeking in, she quickly waved them over, “Come in, everyone! Wen and her fiancé have come to distribute wedding candies.”
“Wen, sister,” Lin Hongyin and the others entered one after another, accepting the sweets with bright eyes as they looked at Geng Xu. “So this is your fiancé.”
“Yes, genuine and authentic,” Wen Congyin joked. “What do you think? Not ugly or old, right?”
Lin Hongyin and the others smiled shyly.
Lin Hongyin said, “We almost didn’t recognize him. Where does he look 29? He’s really a perfect match for you!”
Geng Xu wore a heavy military coat, which on a shorter or less sturdy man would resemble a large black bear. But on him, his brows were sharp, and his posture erect.
Geng Xu tugged the corner of his mouth into a slight smile but said little.
Xu Xiang couldn’t help but think to herself that no wonder Wen married so quickly. Such a good match should not be missed.
This man exuded steadiness and reliability, and even with several young nurses around, he didn’t glance at any of them.
Geng Xu had bought plenty of candies and pastries. Wen Congyin stayed a moment in the pediatrics department, where Director Xu instructed her to return the next day to complete hospital procedures before sending them to other departments.
After visiting all departments and handing out the sweets, the candies and pastries were nearly gone, and Wen Congyin left with Geng Xu.
Director Zhang was scheduled to come to work in the afternoon.
---
Upon arriving at the traditional medicine department, Wen Congyin heard several nurses whispering while eating pastries from Daoxiangcun.
Director Zhang’s heavy footsteps halted their chatter. Hearing the noise, the nurses quickly stood and greeted, “Director, you’re here.”
“Hmm.” Director Zhang put down his enamel cup and glanced at the pastries. “So you bought these, huh? I’m not saying anything, but you young ladies sure spend recklessly. These pastries cost money and come with receipts. Wouldn’t it be better to save that money for your families?”
The nurses hurried to deny it. “No, no, we didn’t buy them. Wen Congyin and her fiancé brought these to share with everyone this afternoon.”
“Wen Congyin and her fiancé gave you these?” Director Zhang paused, initially eyeing a piece of donkey roll pastry, then sneered, “This must be subpar goods. Looks crumbly and cheap. Don’t pretend to be better than you are, just for face.”
The nurses exchanged glances.
A relatively new nurse, a bit naive, said, “Wen’s fiancé isn’t short of money. I heard they left in a car.”
“A car?” Director Zhang’s face showed surprise. In all of Beijing, there weren’t many cars, and wasn’t that man from a poor background? How could he afford a car?
“Yes, a Hongqi, and he doesn’t look 29 at all. He looks younger than my brother and is tall. He really… really…”
The young nurse struggled to find words.
“Like a movie star,” another nurse kindly added.
The young nurse nodded repeatedly. “Exactly, like a movie star, totally unlike the rumors!”
Director Zhang’s face darkened. He stood, slammed the table, startling the nurses into silence.
“You’re here to gossip? You earn this much and don’t do your work!”
The nurses didn’t dare argue and quickly took their rounds charts and left.
Once out of earshot, the young nurse pouted, feeling wronged. “What’s gotten into Director Zhang? She asked about it herself.”
An experienced nurse kindly warned, “Are you stupid? Director Zhang is the one who said yesterday that Wen Congyin married some old ugly soldier. Now you’re praising Wen’s fiancé so much. Do you think she won’t be angry?”
The young nurse gasped and finally realized. “But Comrade Wen’s fiancé really is good-looking. It’s not just us—everyone at the hospital has noticed.”
Indeed.
Yesterday, some had whispered that Wen Congyin was foolish for refusing Zhao Shiren’s good proposal to marry a much older soldier and follow him across the country.
But today, after Geng Xu and Wen Congyin toured the hospital, everyone suddenly understood. Judging by looks and stature alone, Wen’s fiancé was truly a man among men.
---
In recent days, Wen’s father had barely acknowledged Wen Congyin. Zhou Yanhong and her daughter noticed this and found it puzzling.
One day, Wen Congyin returned from Geng Xu’s friend’s house and immediately placed the marriage certificate on the table.
Wen’s father, drinking tea, casually glanced at the certificate but suddenly choked, covering his mouth with a handkerchief as he coughed a few times. He glared at Wen Congyin. “You got married without telling me?!”
“I take it you don’t want to have anything to do with me anymore,” Wen Congyin said calmly. “I was afraid you’d be upset, so I didn’t dare ask you.”
Wen’s father looked at his daughter, eyes dark with anger. His words sounded polite, but his actions clearly meant he felt blindsided.
He had hoped to use the marriage to leverage Geng Xu.
Regardless of the future, he still wanted to secure some benefits in the present.
“Dad, I know you tacitly approved of our marriage,” Wen Congyin said.
“My mother died early, and given our circumstances, we can’t hold a wedding ceremony. So, how about you convert the dowry into cash for me?”
Zhou Yanhong, wiping the table in the living room, froze at these words, barely able to believe Wen Congyin dared speak to her father this way—especially demanding a dowry!
Where in this world did such a daughter exist?
“Are you crazy?” Wen’s father was clearly furious. “Others make money off marrying off daughters. You’re at least a university graduate, better than most. Why should I pay you?”
Wen Congyin replied evenly, “Dad, calm down. I must remind you that emotional outbursts can be a sign of many ailments.”
Wen’s father ground his teeth and turned away. “Don’t speak. You acted on your own with this marriage. No dowry for you. Not a chance.”
Zhou Yanhong was secretly delighted! That was how it should be!
She thought to herself that Wen Congyin was her father’s only daughter. If he didn’t give her the dowry, the money would have to go to her and her mother.
“Fine, I won’t force you,” Wen Congyin stood up and dusted off her pants. “But you’re a smart man and must know the saying: ‘A journey of a hundred miles is half completed at ninety.’ You may not have raised me, but you put some effort into me. At your age, having another child would be difficult. Though I’m marrying out, I’m still your daughter. You can ignore me and withhold the dowry, but what that means for how I treat you in the future needs no explanation.”
She said this and headed to the bedroom to pack.
“Stop!” Wen’s father called out, holding the sofa arm to stand. Wrinkles creased his eyes as he squinted. “Is that a threat?”
“No.”
Wen Congyin turned back with the same calm tone, sharp enough to exasperate. “It’s a friendly reminder. Neither Geng nor I lack money, and he doesn’t need my dowry. If you want to make a gesture, this is your only chance. Do you think I’m the kind who blindly obeys? That even if you treat me badly, I’ll still care for you later? You wouldn’t believe that, right? Whether you give the dowry is your decision.”
She smiled at him, turned the door handle, and closed the door behind her.
Zhou Yanhong was dumbfounded. She came over with the cloth and said to Wen’s father, “Old Wen, your daughter is so headstrong! I’ve never heard of a daughter demanding a dowry from her family.”
“Silence! None of your business,” Wen’s father snapped, scowling, hands behind his back as he paced back to his room.
Zhou Yanhong’s mouth opened in shock. Wasn’t she speaking in his favor? Why did he scold her?
She thought Wen’s father would never give Wen Congyin a penny, given how often Wen Congyin had defied him.
Yet the next morning, Wen’s father handed Wen Congyin a box with a sour expression, neither warm nor cold. “Don’t say your old man treats you badly. Inside are 500 yuan as dowry and some jewelry left by your mother. I’ve done all I can!”
Zhou Yanhong and her daughter were speechless.
Wen Congyin took the box, opened it briefly, then closed it and looked up at her father. “Thank you, Dad.”
She glanced at Zhou Yanhong and her daughter’s expressive faces and shook her head inwardly. They still didn’t understand Wen’s father. He was selfish and greedy but never missed an opportunity to advance or profit.
Judging by his tacit approval of her marriage to Geng Xu, Wen Congyin guessed his thoughts. Even if Wen Congli could marry Zhao Shiren, a foster daughter was still a step removed—not as reliable as a biological daughter.
By Wen’s father’s nature, he wouldn’t mind small favors going to Wen Congli, but he wouldn’t give up the big gains.
“We plan to leave tomorrow. Please don’t come to see us off. It’s freezing cold, and your son-in-law wouldn’t want you to catch a cold,” Wen Congyin said with a bright smile.
Zhou Yanhong bit her lip and looked at Wen Congyin. She realized she had underestimated her stepdaughter. Once thought foolish and temperamental but brainless, now it was clear she was very shrewd.