Volume One, Chapter 8: Now It Is Legal

Song Yi also felt deeply embarrassed. Shang Chen had just saved her father’s life yesterday, and today she was using him as a shield. Even a clay figure would have been roused to some spirit by now.

But she was truly cornered, unable to think of any other solution.

Old Madam Song glared at Old Master Song’s meek demeanor in anger and spat harshly at Granny Shang, “Fuqi Shen, the Shen family has long been ruined. What are you playing at, pretending to be some grande dame here? Let me tell you, I will never agree to this marriage.”

Granny Shang shot her a disdainful glance, her tone carrying the unspoken authority of one in power. “When I’m talking, do you have a right to interrupt? Xiao Chen, do you have any money on you?”

Shang Chen nodded. “I brought some.”

“Take out two thousand, give it to Xiao Yi as the betrothal gift, then go find the village committee secretary to get a letter of introduction. You two are going to register your marriage now.”

Song Yi stared at the thick stack of banknotes in her hand like a hot potato, eyes wide, wanting to cry but unable to. “Granny... wait, I’m not...”

She only wanted to use Shang Chen as a shield, not actually marry him!

Li Yuhua nudged Song Yi, cutting off her unfinished words, and pressed the household registration book into her arms, beaming with joy. “Stop dawdling, hurry up and go.”

Xie Yu blocked them. “You... you can’t get married!”

If they married, what would happen to his university tuition?

Shang Chen narrowed his eyes coldly. “What? Still want to jump into the cesspool again?”

Facing Shang Chen’s sharp, wolf-like gaze, Xie Yu’s lips trembled. Begrudgingly, he stepped aside.

With so many people around today, if he got thrown out again, his reputation would be completely ruined.

Shang Chen sneered, turning his head to see Song Yi still looking dazed. His eyes softened slightly, and without a word, he quietly took her hand.

Song Yi felt the searing warmth radiating from his palm; her eyes widened in stunned surprise.

That stunned feeling lingered even an hour later, as she stared at the marriage certificate with their photos stuck on it.

How... how did we get married?

She suddenly felt a hand reach out and take the certificate away.

She looked up blankly, meeting Shang Chen’s gaze.

He slipped both certificates into his inner pocket, his handsome face still cold and stern, but if one looked closely, his dark eyes gleamed with pleasure. “Do you want to go home now, or eat something first?”

Song Yi rubbed her growling stomach and sighed. “Let’s eat first.”

As for whether the marriage counted or not—that could wait until after they’d eaten their fill and returned home.

Shang Chen nodded and led Song Yi to the state-run restaurant.

In the 1980s, state-run restaurants were still publicly owned, and the dishes were quite simple. After the abolition of the ration coupon system, money could be used to buy food.

—

When ordering, Shang Chen glanced Song Yi up and down, then ordered braised pork, braised pork knuckle, sweet-and-sour ribs, and roast chicken.

When the dishes arrived, Song Yi nearly went black in the eyes, forcing a stiff smile. “Are there no vegetables?”

Shang Chen raised an eyebrow but said nothing, instead making another trip to the counter. After a while, he returned with two plates of vegetables.

While eating, he pursed his lips slightly and said calmly, “You’re too thin; you should eat more meat.”

Song Yi had thought he simply liked meat, but now she realized he was concerned for her. Her chest felt warm. “I only look thin; I still have plenty of flesh on me. Besides, eating only meat is bad for your health.”

Shang Chen made no reply, just fixed his dark eyes on her chest, his gaze flickering.

Indeed, there was quite a bit of flesh in certain places.

Noticing his stare, Song Yi was both angry and embarrassed. She shot him a fierce look. “Where are you looking, you shameless man? Eat your food.”

Couldn’t this man be a bit more decent? Every day, his gaze was like he wanted to strip her clothes off.

Shang Chen said lightly, “Now it’s legal.”

Song Yi was speechless.

After the meal, they returned to Tianqiao Township.

Song Xingmin sat on a bench, his expression complicated—both relieved and sad.

Li Yuhua busied herself tidying up, her face radiant with happiness. When she saw Song Yi and Shang Chen return, she hurried over. “Nannan, come help Mom pack up.”

Song Yi was startled. “Mom, what’s going on?”

Li Yuhua smiled. “We’re separating from your grandparents and moving to live with Xiao Shang from today.”

Song Yi’s mouth dropped open. “Moving... to Shang Chen’s house?”

Since her rebirth, she had been thinking about splitting the family, even planning how to gently plant the idea in her parents’ ears.

She never expected the matter would be settled without her involvement.

Li Yuhua was genuinely happy; her once perpetually troubled face now shone brightly. She briefly explained the situation.

After Song Yi and Shang Chen left, Old Madam Song began to make a fuss, threatening her father to take Song Yi back, or else she would split the family. She wouldn’t let them live in the house.

Though her father wanted to split the family, he worried about having nowhere to go. In the end, Granny Shang made the final decision: they would all live together. And thus, this scene unfolded.

The Song family’s three-tiled houses were mostly paid for by Song Xingmin, who also helped with the work. In the end, they agreed not to keep the house but to take the money instead. Old Master Song paid three hundred yuan.

During this time, Old Madam Song caused trouble—if the marriage failed, the extra thirty yuan promised to Zheng Hongxia was off the table. Now with the family splitting and two fewer laborers, she was naturally unhappy but was slapped twice by Old Master Song and reluctantly quieted down.

Once everything was settled, they went to the village committee to notarize it; the family split was final.

—

After finishing, Li Yuhua hesitated and looked at Granny Shang. “Aunt Shen, we’re moving in with you. I hope it won’t cause you any trouble?”

Granny Shang smiled kindly. “What are you saying? Your mother and I are as close as handkerchiefs. Taking care of you is only natural. Besides, Xiao Yi is married to Xiao Chen now, so you ought to live with us. I just worry you’ll think I’m meddlesome.”

Li Yuhua quickly waved her hand. “How could I blame you? I’m grateful to you.”

Though she had thought about splitting the family before, she was always afraid of the unknown. Now that it had really happened, she felt a sense of liberation, like escaping the mud and starting a new life.

After packing for half a day, they finally finished and began moving to Shang Chen’s home.

Shang Chen carried a large bundle wrapped in a bedsheet in each hand. Seeing Song Yi struggling, he took the things from her hands. “You just follow me.”

Song Yi busied herself for a long time, her delicate face flushed red as she reached out to grab back her belongings. “This... this is embarrassing.”

Granny Shang teased, “I was worried Xiao Chen’s quiet nature wouldn’t know how to cherish his wife, but it seems I was overthinking.”

Then she winked at Song Yi.

Song Yi blushed again, embarrassed and unsure what to say, her heart full of conflict.

She planned to make things clear with Shang Chen—that the marriage was only a temporary measure, and they would find a chance to divorce.

Now that things had turned out like this, she didn’t even know how to bring it up.

The Shang family’s courtyard was much larger than Song’s, with four big tiled houses. The yard was clean and tidy, with vegetables growing green and lush in the corner near the gate.

Inside, the rooms were bright and airy, sunlight streaming through the windows, unlike her old Song home, which felt dim by comparison.

Granny Shang quickly assigned rooms. “Xiao Yi, you and Xiao Chen will stay in the main house’s south wing. Yuhua and Xingmin can stay in the side house. Is that alright?”

Li Yuhua looked at the clean, spacious rooms and felt a bit intimidated. “No problem, thank you, Aunt Shen.”

Granny Shang smiled and waved her off. “Don’t be so formal. We’re family now. You two go unpack while I prepare a meal to celebrate.”

Li Yuhua was too polite to let Granny Shang cook, so she hurried after her, instructing Song Yi to help tidy up before leaving.

Song Yi agreed and asked Shang Chen to help arrange Song Xingmin’s things before beginning to organize.

But as she stepped into the room and saw the large bed against the wall, her red lips pressed tightly together, her heart beginning to flutter with unease.

She and Shang Chen were married. From today on, they had to share a room.

How... how could this be?

She had to make things clear with Shang Chen.