What’s wrong with being a working-class couple?

Marriage, like life, is what you make of it. Those who put their heart into it won’t live too poorly. Society progresses year by year, with arranged marriages becoming less common as more young people choose to date freely.

It’s not unusual to break up with someone and find someone new, or even divorce and remarry – society has become more accepting of relationships and marriage. However, even in free dating, you might encounter terrible people. Both men and women need to keep their eyes open and cut their losses if something doesn’t feel right.

Xia Hongxia had found her happiness in Peng City, with a house and an honest husband. Her two younger brothers – the elder now sixteen and the younger thirteen – would finish their education in a few more years of support.

Truly dim-witted people were rare; most had average abilities. While being top of the class might be difficult, maintaining middle ranks with effort wasn’t impossible. Xia Hongxia’s brothers didn’t dare waste time at school, and their grades were decent. Xia Junshan, the sixteen-year-old, was already in his first year of high school.

Xia Hongxia promised to support their university education, even if they only got into a vocational college. If they couldn’t get in, she wouldn’t support them – she wasn’t about to finance years of repeated attempts. Xia Junfeng, a thirteen-year-old in middle school, was performing slightly better than Xia Junshan. If Xia Junshan could make it to university, Xia Junfeng would likely do well too.

This annoyed Xia Hongxia.

She had wanted to marry a university graduate but didn’t have that fate, and now it seemed she might end up supporting two university-educated brothers! If both got in, she’d have to support them for several more years!

Being pregnant made her more sensitive and thoughtful. Not wanting to scold Zhao Guanghai, she stood with her hands on her hips and lectured her brothers: “If either of you turns out ungrateful, I’ll take a knife to both of you! Without my support for your education, you’d be farmers back home!”

Xia Junshan and Xia Junfeng nodded vigorously.

Xia Hongbing slipped out, while Wang Jingui quietly defended herself, “How is it just you supporting them? If they get into university, it proves I gave birth to smart sons-“

Xia Hongxia gave her a cold smile, making Wang Jingui’s voice trail off as she scurried away to wash radishes.

As for Zhao Guanghai – whatever Hongxia said was right, and he even advised his brothers-in-law not to upset their sister.

This daily chaos at Hongxia Restaurant had become so routine that everyone in the small goods market had grown used to it.

Xia Xiaolan watched from afar, feeling it had a genuine warmth of daily life. She didn’t know what kind of life Xia Hongxia was originally meant to have.

Though Xia Hongxia had taken some detours, she was now back on the right path. At least her current life wasn’t bad – most of her peers weren’t doing as well as she was.

Yes, Xia Xiaolan was at the small goods market too.

She had heard about Xia Hongxia from the building materials store staff.

With construction starting at Jiang City International Airport, Xia Xiaolan could temporarily leave Jiang City.

She hadn’t returned to Qiong Island because Bai Zhenzhu and Pan Bohua were preparing to marry.

Bai Zhenzhu’s intention to remain unmarried had certainly been genuine, but after dating a safe and reliable man for two years, her views on marriage gradually changed. Pan Bohua was in his thirties, and the Bai family had grown wiser – instead of pressuring Bai Zhenzhu directly, they urged her to consider Pan Bohua’s position… It didn’t matter if she didn’t want to marry, but didn’t Pan Bohua deserve marriage?

As a leader, how would his colleagues view him having a steady partner but never proposing?

Eventually, Bai Zhenzhu surrendered to the pressure.

If the person she was marrying was Pan Bohua, it didn’t seem so unacceptable.

With Bai Zhenzhu and Pan Bohua finally getting married, Xia Xiaolan was happy for her friends. She wanted to attend their wedding. While at Bai Zhenzhu’s store, Xia Xiaolan had come to meet her and heard the gossip about ‘Hongxia Restaurant.’

Bai Zhenzhu entered, sweating profusely.

About to become a bride, she had let her hair grow slightly longer, now almost reaching her ears.

To avoid people mistaking the wedding for one between two men, Bai Zhenzhu was willing to compromise this much, but ear-length hair was her absolute limit – any longer was impossible!

“Xiaolan, have you been waiting long?”

Xia Xiaolan shook her head, “No, I heard you all went shopping for wedding items, so I thought I’d wait for you here.”

Just as she finished speaking, a beaming Chang Ying walked in.

“Of course! The wedding house needs proper decoration. We can’t be careless with Zhenzhu’s wedding!”

As Pan Bohua lived alone, there was no point in having a big celebration at his workplace in Qiong Island – just distributing some wedding candy would suffice. He didn’t want his colleagues to feel obligated to give gifts.

So the wedding would be held on Bai Zhenzhu’s side.

Bai Zhenzhu preferred Peng City, where she had a house that could be decorated as their marital home.

Chang Ying had taken leave to help with preparations, showing more enthusiasm than she had for her wedding.

Chang Ying was truly happy!

Dating wasn’t a big deal – marriage was what settled things. Those who had mocked her sister-in-law for being unmarriageable would have to slap their faces now. Who said Zhenzhu couldn’t get married? She was not only marrying before thirty but marrying well!

This gave Chang Ying such pride that no matter how tired or difficult things got, she persisted in helping with the wedding preparations… She feared Bai Zhenzhu might find it too troublesome and abandon the wedding halfway through!

To prevent this, Chang Ying took charge of the preparations.

Pan Bohua had some savings.

During his years of “exile” from his position, he had earned some money. Most of it went to helping his former subordinates who had retired due to injuries and were struggling financially, but the small portion he kept was enough for a wedding.

Since he couldn’t easily take leave from work, he had entrusted Xia Xiaolan with a task, which was why she was here today.

Xia Xiaolan had brought a large box for Bai Zhenzhu.

“For me?”

Bai Zhenzhu didn’t know what it was.

Xia Xiaolan kept the mystery, “Yes, it’s for you. Open it first, then I’ll explain the details.”

The box contained a formal outfit.

While women’s formal wear typically involved various dresses, this was distinctly a pantsuit.

The lace elements on the upper half embodied feminine grace, while the pants showed confidence and capability.

“Third Brother asked me to arrange this, and I requested Chen Xiliang to design it personally. Zhenzhu, this is your wedding dress. Third Brother says you don’t need to force yourself to change – being yourself is perfect!”

Being yourself – three simple words that carried so much weight.

In recent years, more Chinese people have chosen Western-style wedding dresses, and Pan Bohua wasn’t particularly conservative or resistant to progress.

He had asked Xia Xiaolan to find a special wedding dress, one that would accommodate Bai Zhenzhu rather than forcing her to uncomfortably squeeze into a traditional dress. This resulted in this “wedding formal wear” specially customized for Bai Zhenzhu!

Bai Zhenzhu was speechless, as sister-in-law Chang Ying pushed her into the room to try it on.