Chapter 212: The Collective Wedding
Ning Qingzhi was wiping down the stove when he turned his head and replied, “Yes, it’s been finalized. There will be eight couples participating, and the ceremony will be held together. Chief Sun from our unit will officiate, and the banquet will be held in the military canteen.”
“That’s great — a very meaningful wedding.” Ning Hai nodded approvingly as he filled a jar with meat sauce. He was happy for his son. Being able to marry alongside the comrades he had fought shoulder to shoulder with was a wonderful thing — it would become a beautiful memory for the rest of his life.
“With your unit organizing everything, I feel reassured.” Yun Xiulan was quite pleased. They were unfamiliar with this place and organizing things themselves would have been inconvenient. The military taking charge meant the wedding would surely be better than anything they could do — and it would save them a lot of trouble.
Ning Xiyue and Ning Qingyuan had never seen anything like this before. They were filled with curiosity about what a wedding in the military would look like.
Three days later, Ning Xiyue attended the legendary collective wedding as a family member — and witnessed it with her own eyes.
Compared to the privately organized wedding banquets common at the time, the military’s collective wedding was far more unforgettable.
It was a truly spectacular sight.
The hall where the ceremony was held was decorated with red “double happiness” characters everywhere, congratulatory banners were strung across the walls, and the podium was adorned with a large red silk flower. On the tables, there were festive snacks, melon seeds, and freshly brewed tea.
The eight couples all wore brand-new military uniforms, each with a large red flower pinned to their chest. Every single one of them was grinning from ear to ear.
The soldiers — their brothers and sisters-in-arms — were all dressed in olive green uniforms, cheering for them, congratulating them, and sharing in their joy.
When Ning Xiyue arrived, she was stunned by the overwhelming sea of military green before her.
The ceremony hadn’t even started yet, and her eyes were already glued to the scene.
The righteous, dignified atmosphere was palpable. To be blessed on your wedding day by so many who defended the nation — that was a happiness few could imagine. A wedding like this was truly unforgettable for a lifetime.
Ning Hai and Yun Xiulan, as parents of the groom, had some ceremonial duties to attend to and were already busy with them.
Ning Xiyue and Ning Qingyuan, having nothing to do for the moment, sat to the side eating melon seeds and wedding candies, quietly watching the ceremony.
“Sis, big brother’s wedding is amazing. It’s so lively — and there are so many comrades celebrating together.” Ning Qingyuan was so excited by the scene that he looked even more thrilled than his big brother, the groom.
Ning Xiyue cracked open a handful of melon seeds and nodded in agreement. “It really is incredible. This is the kind of wedding you never forget — one you’ll remember for the rest of your life. It’s so heartwarming. I’m jealous.”
Ning Qingyuan chimed in, following her lead. “I’m jealous too. If only my wedding in the future could be like this. Too bad only military comrades get to have a collective wedding. But even just watching big brother get married is enough for me — I can say I’ve participated in one now.”
“Second brother, I hate to remind you, but we’re both still single. Weddings are still a long way off for us,” Ning Xiyue teased mercilessly.
“No problem. It’s okay to dream. Being single or not isn’t important. What matters is that I’m here today. Just being part of this moment is enough — this spectacular scene will be etched in my memory forever.”
Ning Qingyuan waved his hand dismissively. He was just speaking casually — what he truly enjoyed was the lively, festive atmosphere.
“True. This is our first time attending a wedding like this, and it’s definitely unforgettable.” Ning Xiyue peeled open a soft, chewy corn candy. It was sweet and delicious.
Behind the siblings, Ji Yanming — who had been serving tea and handing out wedding sweets — overheard their conversation from start to finish. A faint smile tugged at the corners of his mouth.
He would have to work harder — so that one day, Yueyue wouldn’t have to envy someone else’s collective wedding.
Ning Qingyuan set down his melon seeds, drained the tea in his cup, and wanted more. “Sis, do you see anywhere we can refill our tea? My mouth’s dry from all these seeds.”
Ning Xiyue glanced around and lifted her own cup. “I don’t see one. I haven’t drunk from this yet — why don’t I pour you some from mine for now?”
“I’ve got some here.” Ji Yanming looked down at the thermos in his hand and quickly offered.
The siblings turned their heads at the sound of his voice, pleasantly surprised. “Comrade Ji, you’re here? That’s perfect!”
Ning Qingyuan happily handed his cup over. Ning Xiyue, whose mouth was also dry after eating too many seeds and candies, quickly drained the rest of her water and passed her cup to Ji as well.
Unfortunately, after filling Ning Qingyuan’s cup, there was only a bit of white scale left in the bottom of Ji’s thermos. He shook it and smiled awkwardly at Ning Xiyue. “I’ll go get some more. Please wait a moment.”
Ning Xiyue waved it off. “It’s fine, no rush. Take your time.”
Ji Yanming hurried off with the thermos.
“Here, sis, I’ll pour you some,” Ning Qingyuan offered as he held out his now-filled cup.
Ning Xiyue handed her empty cup over and gestured for him to pour. After a few sips, she finally felt less thirsty.
Shaking her head, she sighed. “The five-spice melon seeds taste great, but they make you so thirsty.”
“True.”
At that moment, a young soldier with a flushed face walked over and stopped in front of Ning Xiyue. Standing just slightly to her right, he stammered nervously, “Com… comrade, h-hello.”
