Zhang Cuijuan and Feng Jianshe busied themselves in the kitchen, and even Feng Tianbao was called over to help.
However, it seemed like help, but in reality, Feng Jianshe worried that his son might speak without thinking and offend Cheng Lang.
In the main room, only Feng Baozhu chatted happily with her big sister, catching up on old times. The sisters had not seen each other for months, and they had plenty to say.
“Sis, you really married Big Brother Cheng?” Feng Baozhu secretly glanced at the neighbor big brother from her past, then fearfully withdrew her gaze.
In Feng Baozhu’s memory, Cheng Lang was still the neighbor big brother she had seen when she was three or four years old—very imposing and good at fighting. Whenever any child in the village was bullied by Zhao Gang, they all sought out Big Brother Cheng to stand up for them.
But because of that, Feng Baozhu thought he was very fierce.
How did her big sister dare to marry him!
“Yeah, your big brother Cheng is a good man—upright and kind… Oh right, you have to change how you address him to brother-in-law.” Feng Man touched Baozhu’s round little head.
“Sis, brother-in-law.” Though scared in her heart, Feng Baozhu still changed her address. After all, her big sister looked quite happy, so she would be happy too.
“Mmm.” Cheng Lang was not good at getting close with others, and he remained expressionless.
“Baobao, have these past few months been okay for you?” Last time on the phone, Feng Man had learned that Baozhu was not implicated, but hearing and seeing were different.
“Pretty good.” The clever little girl smiled sweetly. “I was just worried about you, not knowing where you had run off to.”
In these few months, it seemed like the winds of change had swept through.
Who could have imagined that one day, these people would sit around the square table eating lunch.
Feng Baozhu watched as her parents respectfully urged her big sister and brother-in-law to eat their dishes. Even the naughtiest little brother was extraordinarily well-behaved. Where was the family she usually knew?
Feng Jianshe put away all his petty thoughts and focused on being humble and subservient. “Son-in-law, eat more, eat more. You and Zhaodi must be tired from coming back this once—take care of your health.”
Feng Baozhu silently ate her food, her eyes widening a bit.
Having overheard in the kitchen about how Cheng Lang had threatened her husband and son, Zhang Cuijuan broke out in a cold sweat. Now, she had lost all her arrogant demeanor. “Son-in-law, we were really rushed today, so the dishes are a bit few. We didn’t host you well—don’t take it to heart.”
Feng Baozhu bit into the braised pork belly and pursed her little lips.
Feng Tianbao sat ramrod straight in an unprecedented display of obedience, and he even poured wine for Cheng Lang. “Brother-in-law, drink, have a drink.”
Feng Baozhu chewed her greens, her mouth slightly agape, almost unable to close.
Feng Man was also shocked by the Feng Family’s sudden change in attitude, but hearing the name Zhaodi really grated on her. “We’re back this time to transfer the household registry. After eating, bring out the household registry—we still need to go get the proof.”
“Transfer…” Feng Jianshe reflexively wanted to curse—what household registry to transfer! But Cheng Lang’s threat was too terrifying, and he instantly became obedient. “Transfer it then. You’re married now, so transfer it if you want.”
Cheng Lang, who had been respectfully hosted by the Feng Family, spoke up a moment later. “Our house—you all go clean it up this afternoon. Be careful with your hands and feet. Once you bring the household registry, prepare the dowry too—give Manman 1500 yuan.”
1500 yuan dowry?
Everyone at the table was stunned!
Feng Man’s eyes lit up. Were the Feng Family people really this generous? 1500 yuan was a huge sum!
Feng Jianshe nearly jumped up. He had already submitted, not daring to ask for bride price, not daring to provoke Cheng Lang, not daring to beat or scold his daughter anymore. He only hoped to send these two Buddhas away, yet now they were demanding money instead?
He had toiled for decades, and the family’s savings totaled only three thousand yuan. Giving away 1500 would be like half-bankrupting the family!
“What? Unwilling?” Cheng Lang’s tone was deep and calm, without any anger, but to Feng Jianshe, it sounded like a threat.
“No, it’s not…” Feng Jianshe wanted to cry but had no tears. He could only grit his teeth and nod. “We’ll give it. For a daughter’s marriage, of course a father has to provide a dowry.”
Taking the household registry from the Feng Family, along with 1500 yuan, and then making Feng Jianshe and his wife clean the dusty, long-vacant house like servants—Feng Man realized things had gone unbelievably smoothly.
With the household registry in hand, they went to the village committee to get the proof. Before leaving, Cheng Lang swept his gaze over the Feng Family members. “When we return this afternoon, have the house cleaned spotless. If anything is missing or extra, it won’t do.”
Feng Jianshe stood straight with his wife and children, nodding obediently.
“Baobao doesn’t need to go. Everyone else, work hard.” Cheng Lang dropped these final words and left with Feng Man.
Feng Baozhu had originally guessed that her parents would dump all the dirty and tiring work on her, but with one sentence from her brother-in-law, she could slack off!
Watching her big sister and brother-in-law’s backs as they left, Baobao was thrilled. Brother-in-law was truly a good person!
……
The village committee office of Nine Mountains Village was on a higher piece of flat land. The freshly painted walls were neat and clean, with flat-roofed buildings laid out inside—offices for the village chief, party secretary, and several village cadres.
After entering the village, Cheng Yulan first went to catch up with old friends. She chatted with the village chief’s family and learned about the changes in her hometown over the years, sighing with emotion.
Around two in the afternoon, Cheng Yulan arrived at the village committee office together with the village chief of Nine Mountains Village, Wang Chonggui, who was about her age. Not long after, Cheng Lang and Feng Man also arrived with their documents.
“A-Lang and the Feng family girl got married—great news. We’re back just in time to transfer the household registry and change the name while we’re at it.” Cheng Yulan explained to Wang Chonggui.
“Cheng Lang and Zhaodi got married?” Wang Chonggui nearly dropped his jaw in shock.
Everyone knew about the Feng family eldest daughter’s runaway marriage—no one could find her. Then a few days ago, news came that Zhao Gang might be gone, and now Feng Zhaodi was back, married to Cheng Lang…
Chaos—it was utter chaos!
The village chief was well-traveled and composed. Suppressing his shock, he hurriedly offered congratulations. “Great! As the saying goes, a talented man and a beautiful woman—a perfect match!”
He didn’t mention Zhao Gang at all, avoiding bad luck.
Feng Man handed over the documents and mentioned to the village chief that she wanted to change back to her original name. The name Feng Man jogged Wang Chonggui’s distant memory.
“Oh, I remember now. Zhaodi was changed later, right?” After more than ten years, being reminded suddenly brought back some impressions.
“Yes.” Feng Man watched the village chief swiftly write, preparing the proof for her name change. “My mom chose that name with care, but it got changed. I don’t want to be called Zhaodi.”
“Feng Man sounds much better.” Wang Chonggui finished writing the proof, opened the drawer to take out the official seal, pressed it into the red ink pad, and raised his hand to stamp the bottom of the page.
“Wait a minute!” But a commotion from the office doorway interrupted his stamping.
Village party secretary Zhao Decai rushed in hurriedly, his face dark with anger. “My son’s bride dares to marry someone else? And transfer the household registry?”
His precious son Zhao Gang had vanished somewhere—or perhaps was dead—and Zhao Decai didn’t dare make a big fuss, since it wasn’t glorious, and Zheng Er was no pushover.
But no matter what, his son had earnestly held a wedding banquet to marry her. How could she run away and marry someone else!
With the powerful village party secretary interrupting forcefully, village chief Wang Chonggui found it hard to handle.
One side was the influential party secretary; the other was Cheng Yulan’s nephew and niece-in-law. One side had half-completed the wedding rites—did it count or not? The other side had been gone for so long, only saying they had held the banquet and married.
Look at that—chaos, total chaos!
Feng Man stared at Zhao Gang’s menacing father and thought, Here it comes, here it comes—the chance to tear into these top-tier relatives was here again!
The chance to reason, act dramatically, call on elders as witnesses, and wail all the way to the police station for justice!
The skills she hadn’t used at the Feng Family home—now she finally had a stage to perform!
Just as Feng Man rubbed her fists eagerly and opened her mouth to give a full performance, she saw Cheng Lang’s little aunt step forward loudly. “Zhao Decai, what—still want to steal someone from my nephew? Ask first if I agree!”
The highly positioned village party secretary Zhao Decai was about to angrily rebuke whoever dared speak to him like that when he looked closely. This, this—this wasn’t Cheng Yulan, who had married out decades ago?
“Yulan-jie, it’s you? You’re back!”
After many years apart, Zhao Decai was both shocked and delighted, reacting just like village chief Wang Chonggui.
Other village committee members rushed over upon hearing the news—mostly in their fifties or sixties—and they too were delighted and familiar, calling out to Yulan.
Cheng Yulan snorted coldly and unleashed a torrent of scolding at Zhao Decai. “You still know to call me Yulan-jie? I see you’ve gone lawless. Your son bullied and domineeringly forced a marriage with the Feng family girl, and you indulged him! Did that wedding banquet even happen? The bride didn’t even show up—how did the Feng family girl become your family’s daughter-in-law? Now Zhao Gang has vanished without a trace, and you’re still scheming to drag her back to widow for your son? Pfft!”
Cheng Yulan’s momentum was fierce, her voice loud and deep like a drumbeat. She scolded Zhao Decai until he didn’t dare retort, and the entire office fell silent.
Cheng Yulan then turned to the other respected elders in their fifties and sixties from the village. “And you lot—old but disrespectful, ganging up to bully a little girl! Aren’t you ashamed!”
Everyone: “…”
Feng Man watched wide-eyed as these white-haired elders, who usually put on airs as village seniors, took the scolding without retorting. They just obediently listened to her little aunt’s lecture—it was jaw-dropping.
Feng Man had been ready to take the stage, rubbing her fists, but now she had no place to shine.
Cheng Yulan single-handedly scolded the whole room, leaving the usually arrogant old men too afraid to breathe. Feng Man’s household registry transfer and name change proofs were smoothly prepared and stamped.
Holding these things that came all too easily, Feng Man sidled up to Cheng Lang and softly asked, “Why did they all take little aunt’s scolding without talking back?”
Cheng Lang’s lips curved in a slight smile. “When little aunt was four, she earned merit fighting the Japanese devils. Without her pointing them to the trap, the whole village might have been gone. She’s the only four-year-old in the entire Nine Mountains Village—no, all of Chongling Town—to be commended as an anti-Japanese hero child soldier. Those old men in there are about her age; they’ve known since childhood that little aunt is a hero. Even now in their fifties and sixties, they still don’t dare talk back.”
“Whoa~” Feng Man sucked in a breath of cold air. “Little aunt is incredible!”
With her chest feeling much better after the scolding, Cheng Yulan saw village party secretary Zhao Decai personally pour her a cup of water. “Yulan-jie, please don’t scold anymore. It’s my fault, all my fault.”
Zhao Decai, only three months younger than Cheng Yulan, had known of the four-year-old anti-Japanese hero Cheng Yulan’s feats since childhood. He had even touched the medal she received in town. Parents and elders had always taught them to learn from little hero Cheng Yulan. How could he dare act out now?
Suppressed in childhood meant suppressed for life—always a head shorter.
Feng Man and Cheng Lang smoothly submitted the documents to the town police station, filled out the application forms, and waited for the procedures in seven days to successfully change her name and transfer out the household registry.
That evening, the two rode back to the village on the motorcycle Cheng Lang had borrowed from Yang Jun.
In this era, a motorcycle costing over twenty thousand yuan was extremely flashy. It kicked up dust and drew the eyes of the villagers.
The motorcycle stopped in the Cheng family courtyard. Cheng Lang and Feng Man returned to the long-vacant house and saw that everything was spotless and tidy—clearly, Feng Jianshe and Zhang Cuijuan had not slacked off.
Cheng Lang’s “reasoning” education had been quite effective. The Feng couple had even prepared a sumptuous dinner on their own initiative and brought over old lady Cheng Yulan.
Feng Jianshe was a bit younger than Cheng Yulan, but he too had heard of her heroic deeds since childhood. Even now, the village still had a monument at the trap site from decades ago where they ambushed the Japanese devils, with the names of major contributors engraved—and Cheng Yulan was prominently listed.
Even the village’s most no-good ruffians knew of Cheng Yulan and respected this legendary hero warrior.
“Yulan-jie, sit, please sit.” Feng Jianshe was respectful toward Cheng Yulan and afraid of Cheng Lang—he was exceedingly proper now.
Feng Man once again marveled at Cheng Lang’s capabilities. Look at how he had tamed Feng Jianshe.
At the dinner table, Feng Man sat with Feng Baozhu. Worried that the little girl was mistreated at home usually, she kept piling meat onto her plate. Watching Baobao’s little mouth move as she ate filled her heart with joy.
Feng Jianshe and Zhang Cuijuan seethed inwardly but dared not speak, not even daring to serve their son meat. They only watched the aunt and nephew across from them for cues.
Cheng Yulan didn’t know exactly what her nephew had done, but he had tamed the Feng Family into submission—not too useless after all. She immediately said, “Past matters are done with. From now on, little Manman is our family. Don’t hold us back, and don’t think of stirring up trouble.”
“Yes, yes.” Feng Jianshe didn’t dare make a fuss. One Cheng Lang was frightening enough—this madman would do anything. Add Cheng Yulan, whom even his long-dead father had treated with respect, and he could only behave obediently.
He had no idea how Zhao Di’er had found the Cheng family as her backer. She sure knew how to pick people!
Cheng Yulan picked at the soft, tender meat as she ate and sighed repeatedly. “It’s good that you know your mistakes and correct them. After all, our two families are neighbors. My brother and sister-in-law previously arranged a baby betrothal with your family. That showed good judgment—a fine deed.”
That single mention of the baby betrothal nearly stunned Feng Jianshe. When had his family ever arranged a baby betrothal with the Chengs?
As for baby betrothals, back when Zhao Di’er’s mother was alive, they had set one up. But after she died, he paid it no mind. Over a dozen years passed, and no one mentioned it again.
Who had that betrothal partner been? It seemed like… right, it was Jiang Ping from the neighboring Jiang Family!
“The baby betrothal wasn’t…” Feng Jianshe couldn’t figure it out. He suspected the Chengs had misunderstood. Yet his eldest daughter Zhao Di’er ate her meal without reaction, and Cheng Yulan spoke of it casually, as if it were true.
Feng Man noticed Feng Jianshe’s odd expression and asked curiously, “What’s wrong with the baby betrothal?”
Cheng Lang, seated opposite, swept over a cold, stern gaze. His deep eyes gleamed faintly, tightening hearts.
This living King of Hell curved his thin lips in a smile, his brows deep-set, a chill glinting in his eyes. “What’s wrong with the baby betrothal partner? Say whatever you remember.”
Feng Jianshe instantly caught on and abruptly changed his tune, cold sweat pouring down. “Yes, yes—it was the baby betrothal we arranged with the Cheng family’s eldest brother and sister-in-law. We betrothed her to Cheng Lang! It happened over ten years ago. I nearly forgot. Looking back now, what great foresight. Look at our son-in-law, so…”
At a time like this, he had to praise the man. But recalling Cheng Lang’s terrifying ways, Feng Jianshe struggled to find even one complimentary word.
After racking his brain, he met the gloomy gaze nearby, braced himself, and forced out praise—sarcasm churning inside. “Manman, look at the partner your mom and I chose for you. So upright, so kind!”
Feng Man sighed inwardly once more. Even a rotten scum like her father Feng Jianshe willingly praised Cheng Lang as upright and kind. What high praise that was!