Chapter 31: Getting the Marriage Certificate

Fang Yuan truly did not understand Wang Cuixiang’s intentions. The girl said carelessly, “No need. I have money in my hands. I don’t need yours. Besides, so what if he’s studying? Does studying mean he can understand nothing about the affairs of the household?”

Wang Cuixiang shot her daughter a glance and wished she could punch her twice. What business was this of yours? Why are you interrupting? “What nonsense are you talking about? Your husband is doing important things. He’ll have a promising future.”

Fang Yuan said, “No matter what important things he’s doing or how promising his future is, he still needs to know how to earn money and support a family. He can’t develop the habit of always holding out his hand for money. Wouldn’t he be embarrassed himself?”

For all her roughness, every word she said made sense.

Lu Chuan’s face turned red. Although it was embarrassing, what Fang Yuan said was more or less the same as what he was thinking. He needed to come up with his own tuition money.

Lu Chuan said, “Dad, Mom, don’t worry. There are still several months before school starts. I’ll go find work. I can save up some money. If it isn’t enough, then I’ll ask my parents to help make up the difference. The only thing is that Fang Yuan will have to endure hardship with me these next few years.”

Wang Cuixiang had never intended to raise her son-in-law into some useless lord who understood nothing. She glanced at her daughter. This was actually pretty good.

Once he understood both hardship and sweetness, he would always be able to appreciate Fang Yuan a little more in the future.

If he graduated from university only to become someone who lacked basic decency and looked down on country people, the first person to suffer would be her own daughter. She had to guard against that.

The only pity was that the advantage she had already gotten her hands on had been thrown away. To Wang Cuixiang, paying for her son-in-law’s university education was practically the same as picking up a bargain.

But if she thought about it from the perspective of the children’s feelings, it was not bad for a husband and wife to endure hardships together. If they never suffered, how would they know that a good life was hard-earned?

Especially for a couple like her daughter and son-in-law, one a university student and the other a rural wife, Wang Cuixiang had countless worries.

Fang Dalen was about to say that their family had money and there was no need to go through all this trouble.

But a single glance from Wang Cuixiang shut him up. When it came to matters at home, he had no authority to speak.

Wang Cuixiang said, “Your lives are your own. Now that you’re married, live well together. As parents, all we want is for your lives to get better and better.”

Lu Chuan understood perfectly well. His mother-in-law was also afraid of raising an ungrateful ingrate.

If it were him, he would not agree to let his daughter take such a risk either, so he genuinely understood.

Wang Cuixiang said, “By the way, in-laws, the two children seem to be getting along quite well. They both agreed to this marriage, and we elders have no objections. Don’t you think they should go get their marriage certificate?”

Mother Lu found the topic completely new. “A marriage certificate?”

The moment Wang Cuixiang heard that, even her tone changed. “What? Do you think the children’s marriage isn’t secure enough?”

It looked as though she was about to turn hostile at any second. Honest people doing dishonest things? They were unwilling even to get a marriage certificate?

Mother Lu felt she had exposed her ignorance and said awkwardly, “No, no, no, that’s not it. We’ve heard of it in the village, but nobody’s ever done it.”

Wang Cuixiang said, “Our generation and the current generation are different. Young people getting married should complete all the proper procedures. Especially Dachuan. He’s going to university. We absolutely can’t let people criticize him over something like this. City people call it a conduct issue.”

Mother Lu listened attentively. All of this was beyond her experience. She slapped her thigh and said, “Right, that’s true. Then should his father and I get one too? We can’t hold the children back.”

Wang Cuixiang could not keep up with Mother Lu’s train of thought at all. What were they getting one for? “Get what?”

Mother Lu said, “A marriage certificate. His father and I don’t have one either. It won’t cause trouble for the children later, will it? We definitely don’t have any conduct issues.”

She said it with complete seriousness.

Wang Cuixiang stared at Mother Lu with wide eyes and could not find a response.

Wang Cuixiang was genuinely rendered speechless by this kind of in-law. All her schemes were useless in front of this woman.

Beside them, Fang Dalen unexpectedly joined forces with Mother Lu. “Dear, maybe we should get one too. We shouldn’t cause trouble for the children. We don’t have any conduct issues either.”

Everyone in the room looked at Wang Cuixiang with utterly sincere expressions.

All of them were considering conduct issues.

Mother Lu had completely led the conversation off course.

Only Lu Chuan, who had kept up with Wang Cuixiang’s line of thinking, turned his head away.

His mother-in-law’s suggestion about the marriage certificate was because she was afraid his thoughts might stray and wanted to tie him down.

Yet this room full of guileless people had managed to frustrate the one person trying to be crafty.

He actually felt sorry for his mother-in-law.

Fang Yuan said, “Why waste that money? Getting a marriage certificate costs several mao.”

Lu Chuan was almost unable to hold back anymore. The person who should have appreciated the gesture had failed to do so. His mother-in-law was probably about to explode. Their family was not wealthy, but they certainly were not short of a few mao.

Once again, Wang Cuixiang wished she could punch her daughter twice. Now you know how to economize? Grinding her teeth, she said, “When you got married, your father and I didn’t spend much money. We’ll pay this.”

Fang Yuan was not very happy. Her mother was not being very generous. “That’s all you’re giving us?” Just a few mao? What was wrong with her mother?

The veins on Wang Cuixiang’s forehead were practically throbbing.

Lu Chuan directly grabbed Fang Yuan. “Mom, Fang Yuan brought money with her. We’ll go to the township and get the certificate first. If the procedures aren’t troublesome, then later, if our parents want to, they can all go get marriage certificates too. We can treat it as trying something new.”

Just look at how considerate the son-in-law was.

Once again, Wang Cuixiang realized that her daughter and son-in-law were not the same kind of people.

If her son-in-law ever wanted to play tricks, Fang Yuan would truly be nothing more than an easy target.

Suddenly she felt the marriage was not quite as reassuring as she had thought.

Fang Dalen, simple-minded as ever, nodded vigorously. “Right, right. You two go first. We’re elders. It’s unlucky for us to go together with you.”

Over there, Mother Lu nodded as well. “The in-law is right. That makes sense.”

Everyone could see the expression on Wang Cuixiang’s face, as though she were wondering where she was and what she was doing. She probably could no longer control how events were developing.

Lu Chuan barely managed to suppress his laughter. He wondered what it felt like for his mother-in-law to be facing a room full of honest people.

Once they left and only the young couple remained, Fang Yuan said to Lu Chuan, “Even if I didn’t get a marriage certificate with you, you still wouldn’t be able to run away.”

Lu Chuan looked at Fang Yuan in surprise. “So you do understand.”

Since she understood what was going on, why had she just watched her mother be frustrated?

His mother-in-law had not raised a particularly considerate daughter.

Fang Yuan thought to herself, Don’t think I’m a fool deep down.

Lu Chuan felt somewhat embarrassed. He really did think Fang Yuan was a little reckless, but anyone so capable of gathering money certainly had plenty of brains.

Using a coaxing tone, Lu Chuan said, “I’m afraid you’ll run away, all right? Come on. If we don’t get the certificate, then all of Mom’s effort will have been wasted.”

After saying that, Lu Chuan glanced at Fang Yuan. The way he had naturally called his mother-in-law “Mom” surprised even himself.

It seemed he had accepted this marriage quite naturally.

Without any struggle at all.

Fang Yuan was not angry. She could still chat with Lu Chuan. “I know. My mom is doing it for my own good.”

Lu Chuan looked at Fang Yuan. Your mother is even more on guard against me. “Mom is doing it for both of us. Come on, I’ll take you there. The sooner we go, the sooner we return.”

Fang Yuan said, “I’m not clever, but that doesn’t mean I’m stupid. If you have something to say, just say it.”