CHAPTER 383: CHAPTER 376: GRADUATION

April 1982, Beijing

Although it’s still spring, this year’s temperature in Beijing is somewhat high. Sisi had long shed her heavy cotton-padded jacket and donned a light sweater. Today is a good day, and Sisi got up early, moved around in the backyard for a while, then went to the kitchen to make breakfast.

Last year, she moved out from Old Man’s place and settled into a previously purchased house. This house has three sections and two courtyards, covering about 1000 square meters. It’s not too big but not too crowded either; just perfect.

Today is Liu Qiqi and Zhuge Yun’s wedding day. Although they didn’t plan to have a banquet, surely some close friends would gather together. Since graduating from college, these friends haven’t been able to meet often. It’s rare to have a chance to get together.

Two years have passed, and many things have happened. Their group had graduated from university. Tian Shouhua and his wife stayed in Beijing. Tian Shouhua took a job as a junior clerk at a court, while Mo Xiaomi went to teach at a high school.

Zhong Anping also stayed in Beijing, working at a hospital. As for Zhuge Yun and Liu Qiqi, the bittersweet couple, they got their marriage certificate earlier this year and became a happily married couple.

Originally, Liu Qiqi’s family strongly opposed their relationship. Liu Qiqi listened to Sisi’s advice and communicated it to Zhuge Yun. It turned out that Zhuge Yun was a responsible man; he didn’t just leave the problem to Liu Qiqi alone. Instead, he took time out to visit the Liu family with her.

According to Liu Qiqi, Zhuge Yun talked alone with the Liu Family for a long time that day. No one knows exactly what was said, not even Liu Qiqi. But this is not the point. The important outcome is that the Liu Family finally agreed to let the couple be together, and the young couple was so happy that they went to get their marriage certificate that same day.

Of course, the Liu Family didn’t want their precious daughter to get married so simply, but since Zhuge Yun and Liu Qiqi both stayed to work in Beijing, the Liu Family did not prepare a dowry nor demanded any bride price. They only insisted that a wedding be held in Shanghai.

Zhuge Yun also bought a house in Beijing, which Sisi personally thinks was a key factor in persuading Liu Family to relent.

Zhuge Yun and Liu Qiqi had their wedding in Shanghai during January, and Sisi happened to be in Shanghai and could attend. The wedding was very lively.

Originally, Liu Qiqi wanted to have the wedding in Beijing, but the Liu Family objected. Zhou Meili scolded at that time.

"If we don’t hold the wedding in Shanghai, how can we reclaim all those red envelopes we’ve given out before? It’s not fair for us to be at a loss!"

Thus, in order to recover the previously given gift money, Liu Qiqi and Zhuge Yun had no choice but to have a grand wedding in Shanghai. Of course, the Liu Family weren’t petty—on that day, they handed all the received gift money to the newlyweds to help them start their life.

Now, in Beijing, this isn’t a wedding; just that Zhong Anping and a few others insisted that they missed the wedding feast, so they asked Zhuge Yun to host another one in Beijing. Zhang Jie and Zhong Anmei were also clamoring to partake in a wedding feast, so the couple decided to hold another meal in Beijing, considering it as a gathering among old friends.

Zhuge Yun’s purchased house is not far from Sisi’s house, just about ten minutes’ walk. Sisi, arriving early, discovered that there were others even earlier than her; Zhong Anmei and Zhang Jie had already arrived and were busy in the kitchen, while Shangguan sat in the courtyard, eating steamed buns with big bites.

Zhang Jie is still at the Overseas Chinese Affairs Office, but now she has become a section-level cadre - guess that counts as an official.

Shangguan’s parents originally wanted her to return to the Northeast, but Shangguan was unwilling and said she wanted to stay with Sisi. Unable to persuade their daughter, her parents let her be, especially since they felt that their daughter being with Sisi was quite good.

Currently, Sisi is an art teacher at a high school in Beijing, and Shangguan is also an art teacher at another high school. Both of them dislike restrictions, so being free-spirited art teachers at school is indeed quite suitable for them.

Since parting ways with them, Zhu Yunxiu has become a lone ranger. After graduating, she returned to her hometown in Nanjing. It is said that she went to a fan factory to paint fan surfaces. Now that the factory is still state-run, it is considered a stable "iron rice bowl" job by everyone, so Zhu Yunxiu’s job should be considered quite decent.

When Zhu Yunxiu left, she wrote a letter to Sisi with only three words: "I’m sorry," accompanied by a few teardrops on the paper. Zhu Yunxiu must have been in tears at the time. Sisi simply smiled lightly and put away the letter casually.

If genuine friendship is unattainable, then let’s just remain strangers!

Mo Liu’s parents originally wanted him to go to Hong Kong, but he was unwilling. His parents, quite open-minded, didn’t force him and let him decide for himself; as a result, Mo Liu stayed in Beijing.

Due to his existing minor fame in the Chinese painting circle, Qinghua School naturally made efforts to retain him. Thus, Mo Liu stayed on to teach at the school.

It is said that Mr. Mo’s classes are always full, and predominantly attended by female students. These girls come to admire Mr. Mo’s peerless charm, especially since he is even more shy than the girls themselves, which makes him all the more beloved by the female students.

It is also said that many bold female students secretly write love letters to Mo Liu and even give him small gifts like candies and snacks, making Mo Liu’s heart flutter excitedly.

At this moment, the popular Mr. Mo also came to Zhuge Yun’s house. Perhaps due to becoming a university teacher, Mo Liu has become much more generous than before. Seeing Shangguan eating breakfast, he casually snatched two steamed buns from her hands and ate them, no longer afraid of Shangguan’s cold gaze, quite bold now.

"Ah Liu, haven’t had breakfast yet?" Sisi asked.

Mo Liu nodded pitifully. He now lived alone in the school’s staff dormitory, where the breakfast in the cafeteria was quite unpalatable, and he was unwilling to cook, naturally ending up hungry.

Sisi smiled and shook her head, heading to the kitchen to make some noodles for him, while Shangguan called from behind, "Cook more."

Sisi laughed even more. Shangguan always had such an appetite; who knows whether Yang Shu knew his childhood sweetheart was such a big eater?

Speaking of Yang Shu and Shangguan, this pair indeed shared some comically ironical tales. Shangguan was romantically inexperienced, and Yang Shu was in no rush, always bringing her heaps of delicious meats and watching contentedly as Shangguan feasted.

The two of them had happily continued this exchange of giving and eating meats for three years, still marking time at the same spot. This made all their acquaintances anxious, but if the Emperor isn’t worried, what can these eunuchs do in their anxiety?

Moreover, seeing the enjoyment in these two’s current relationship, perhaps it’s best not to disturb it.

However, both sets of parents eager to hold grandchildren are really growing anxious to the point of going white-haired!