#59: The Brother from Her Mother’s Side

Jiang Beibei woke up early, slipped into a white dress, styled her hair, and put on the pearl earrings Chu Yao had gifted her. After checking herself in the mirror, she turned to show off to her grandmother. “How do I look?”

“Beautiful!” Grandma praised. “Your nose is your nose, and your eyes are your eyes.”

“Listen to me,” Jiang Beibei said as she held up a pair of white high heels, showing them off to her grandma. “I’ll put these on later, stand next to Yao Ge, and—”

Beaming with pride, Jiang Beibei continued: “Destined by heaven! Perfect match! We’re absolutely made for each other!”

Grandma rolled her eyes. “Your mom’s cousin called yesterday asking about the engagement. She lives too far away, so I didn’t invite her. She said she’d come for the wedding.”

“Mm-hmm.” Jiang Beibei wasn’t particularly concerned.

Her mother’s family was from the borderlands, where her grandparents were anti-terrorism officers. Her mother was their only child. Grandma passed away early, so Jiang Beibei never met her. Grandpa passed away peacefully in his sleep two years ago. Back home, his siblings took care of everything, and his ashes were buried in the local martyrs’ cemetery. Jiang Beibei attended the funeral but barely knew anyone aside from her mom’s cousin.

Relatives who stay in touch are considered close; those who don’t might as well be strangers. So, Jiang Beibei didn’t care much about distant relatives.

But while the young girl didn’t think much of it, her grandmother did.

The engagement itself was simple—just two families sitting together for a celebratory meal and registering the union. However, a wedding would be different. If they held a banquet, more relatives from both sides would need to attend to fill the venue and make it lively. It wouldn’t do to have only one table of guests from the bride’s side.

“The engagement is easy,” Grandma said. “Your cousin’s older brother—he’s pursuing his Ph.D. nearby. He can take the high-speed train here in two hours. I told him to arrive at noon and join us for lunch.”

“Is that really necessary?” Jiang Beibei sighed helplessly. “Don’t I already have two brothers? My Second Brother and Third Brother.”

Even as she said it, she couldn’t help but chuckle.

“Don’t be silly.” Grandma rolled her eyes again. “We need someone from your mom’s side. This way, when you get engaged, your maternal grandparents will also know you’re getting married. Marriage isn’t a small matter… Also, once you set a wedding date, let them know early so they have time to prepare. Invite whoever can come. Don’t leave me as the only representative of your family…”

“How could that happen?!” Jiang Beibei laughed. “I have classmates and colleagues. If you want a lively event, I can gather eight tables! Relax—I’m going to find Yao Ge now.”

With that, she quickly escaped, pushing open the door to the Chu household. Sneaking in quietly, she wanted to take a peek at Chu Yao’s appearance today.

As she passed the sink, Jiang Beibei stopped, staring blankly at Mr. Chu combing his hair in front of the mirror.

Thinking she mistook him for someone else, Mr. Chu turned around and pointed toward Chu Yao’s room, signaling that the person she was looking for was inside.

But Jiang Beibei just stood there, mouth half-open, staring at Mr. Chu in a daze.

Mr. Chu was baffled, full of question marks. “...What’s wrong? Are you looking for something?”

Mrs. Chu poked her head out from behind the door, blinking.

Jiang Beibei asked dumbly, “Uncle... what are you doing?”

“Ah...” Mr. Chu realized what she was looking at and pointed to the black hair dye beside him. “Hair dye.”

He brushed his fingers through his hair. “Most of it has turned white. I can’t go out without dyeing it.”

At least today, he needed to look sharp.

For some reason, Jiang Beibei’s nose stung, and tears blurred her vision. When she looked back at Mr. Chu, all she saw was a blurry outline.

She thought about how her own father—if he were still alive—would probably look like this today: happily dyeing his graying hair in front of the mirror, saying to her, “My little girl has grown up, and she’s starting a family...”

But she would never see her father’s gray hair. Her father remained forever young, frozen in time in photographs. As she grew older, he stayed the same, smiling in those pictures.

It wasn’t clear what kind of emotion this was—no resentment, no pain, just an urge to cry, just a longing.

Standing there, Jiang Beibei’s tears and snot flowed freely, impossible to wipe away.

Suddenly, she wanted her father to hold her, to feel his embrace, to hear him say with a smile, “I can’t bear to let my daughter go.”

Perhaps she mumbled the word “Dad” between sobs. Mr. Chu paused, understanding why she was crying. His gaze softened, and he exchanged a glance with Mrs. Chu, whose eyes also reddened.

Mrs. Chu walked over, gently patted the tear-streaked girl, and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. “Mom and Dad are here. You look especially beautiful today—we all noticed.”

Chu Yao, halfway dressed, heard the sobbing and rushed out of his room. Mrs. Chu waved him away impatiently, patting Jiang Beibei and letting the girl lean on her shoulder as she whispered comforting words.

With tears and snot streaming down her face, Jiang Beibei looked up. Mr. Chu gently hugged her and patted her head. “I see it—Beibei has grown up... healthy, safe, and accomplished. Having such a daughter makes a father proud...”

Mr. Chu wasn’t a man of many words. He was sparing with his speech, rarely initiating conversations unless absolutely necessary. With his stern demeanor, he seemed difficult to approach.

Jiang Beibei got along well with Mrs. Chu, calling her “Mom” naturally and even affectionately using variations like “Mama” or “Mommy.” But addressing Mr. Chu as “Dad” had always felt nearly impossible.

Yet now, enveloped in Mr. Chu’s warm embrace and hearing those words of paternal pride, Jiang Beibei burst into tears. Like a little girl weathered by storms, she finally found her father waiting under a patch of sunshine, arms outstretched, smiling and saying, “So Beibei has grown up this much!”

“Dad...”

Jiang Beibei clung tightly to Mr. Chu, sobbing. “Dad... I miss you...”

I’ve grown up safely and healthily, becoming the kind of adult you wouldn’t be disappointed in.

Mrs. Chu gently stroked her back, sighed, and wiped away her own tears.

Jiang Beibei embraced her, tears still clinging to her cheeks, and smiled as she called out softly, “Mom.”

Dad, Mom—I’ve grown up to be like this. Today, I’m getting married.

I’m forming a new family.

I love you. I... miss you.

When Tang Xizhou poked his head in, he saw the scene of everyone crying in the living room. Startled, he held his breath and retreated.

A few moments later, he peeked in again and said, “Well... Sister, we’re just moving you three steps away from across the hall. No bride has ever moved this close before. There’s no need to cry so hard...”

True enough, after using ten tissues, Jiang Beibei managed to stop crying.

Only then did Chu Yao allow himself to approach. He led her back to their apartment and gently wiped her face with a warm towel.

Sniffling, Jiang Beibei complained tearfully, “...Give me another twenty minutes... I need to reapply my makeup.”

Chu Yao spoke softly. “Take your time. No one’s running away.”

Meanwhile, the two elder Chus were also composing themselves.

Mrs. Chu patted her cheeks to calm down and said anxiously, “Do you think Jiang Hai and Zhang Ling are satisfied with Yao Er?”

“Satisfied... I guess,” Mr. Chu replied uncertainly.

Aside from having decent character and being reasonably good-looking, their son didn’t seem to have much else to boast about.

Mrs. Chu clutched her chest dramatically. “Oh, if only I’d known this day would come thirty years ago, I’d have leveled up my game and raised a perfect son-in-law candidate!”

Mr. Chu countered, “Not bad. Just now I was thinking—if our daughter married someone else’s son, we’d feel guiltier and more anxious, worrying she might end up with someone worse than Yao Er. At least this way, if anything goes wrong, we can beat our son without hesitation.”

Mrs. Chu nodded. “That’s true.”

Thinking about it, their son didn’t seem so bad after all.

Tang Xizhou overheard this at the doorway and almost swallowed the cigarette in his mouth.

So you two think that if Beibei and Yao Er run into marital issues, you’ll step in and beat Yao Er?!

“Captain Yao...” Tang Xizhou didn’t know what to say, so he silently raised his thumb to give props to the elders upstairs. “Unique perspective.”

“Oh, so there’s someone eavesdropping!”

“I’ve been standing here listening for ten minutes,” Tang Xizhou joked. “I’m just here to pick up my sister.”

Mrs. Chu peered over. “Let me see—hey, Xiao Tang, you look sharp today! That shirt doesn’t look like the ones handed out at work!”

“Of course not—it’s from my sister!” Tang Xizhou grinned. “Sister-branded, one for each of us five brothers. We saved them specifically for today’s occasion.”

The six siblings piled into Song Lang’s car to head to the hotel. On the way, Tang Xizhou recounted what he’d overheard earlier at the Chu house.

Making his stance clear: “Yao Er, you understand, right? From now on, Third Brother and I are Northie’s natal family. If you two ever argue or have problems, we’ll settle things reasonably. But if you’re in the wrong, know that Third Brother and I exist to deal with you. Understood?”

Qin Yuan chimed in: “Hey, speaking of which, I should dig out my old Type 92 pistol when I get home.”

Yan Qingming interjected: “Hey hey, Third Brother, watch your words! Keep it low-key!”

Qin Yuan: “Second Brother may be reasonable, but I’m not. Remember, I once confessed to Northie. After marriage, regardless of whose fault it is, if there’s any trouble, I’ll unconditionally punish Chu Yao—and only Chu Yao.”

Song Lang: “Hah, listen to you guys... Yao Er, don’t worry. Unlike them, I’m a reasonable person. I’ll give you ten minutes to confess your crimes, then decide how to handle it. See how civilized I am compared to them?”

Jiang Beibei couldn’t stop laughing, leaning against the car window as she watched her brothers bicker. Suddenly, she felt incredibly rich.

She was like a princess with a mountain of gold, and her brothers were the dragons guarding her treasure. They kept her safe from those who coveted her wealth and shielded her from the world’s malice.

Though she lacked parents, the familial love and security bestowed upon her by her neighbors never faded.

During lunch, Jiang Beibei’s cousin—the son of her aunt—arrived. This official distant cousin found the hotel on his own and immediately recognized Jiang Beibei.

“You look a lot like Auntie,” the cousin, whom she hadn’t seen in two or three years, remarked. “Easy to spot. But I always thought you were still in school. In my mind, you were younger. I didn’t expect you to be getting married today... Who’s the groom?”

Surrounded by eligible men without accompanying family members, the cousin refrained from guessing randomly and waited for introductions.

“It’s me,” Chu Yao stood up and shook hands with him.

“Ah, I remember you!” the cousin exclaimed. “Last time you visited, I recall. You’re... a forensic pathologist, right?”

“Previously, yes,” Chu Yao smiled. “Now I work at the funeral home under the civil affairs bureau.”

The cousin was momentarily surprised but quickly responded, “Good, good! That’s a solid job.”

Jiang Beibei introduced her neighbor brothers one by one, along with their parents.

“Good, good,” the doctoral cousin said amiably, dropping a golden line. “Really good. You all look like family, while I feel like an outsider. Great—Auntie and Uncle can rest assured. Thank you all, good neighbors. Truly, distant relatives are no match for close neighbors...”

During the photo session, after a group picture, the six siblings posed for a separate shot.

The cousin enthusiastically offered, “Let me take it! Everyone, look at the camera.”

This time, Jiang Beibei and Chu Yao sat in the middle, holding hands tightly and smiling at the camera. The four brothers stood behind them, also smiling.

“Wonderful, wonderful... the effect is great,” the cousin marveled. “This marriage is truly excellent, really... The family can rest easy. We live far away, so it’s all up to you. How can people be so good!”

He couldn’t stop marveling.

Jiang Beibei chuckled softly, glanced at Chu Yao, and pulled out the two rings hanging around her neck.

“Just today,” she said. “I hope you’ll wear it.”

“I’ll wear it and never take it off,” Chu Yao replied. “I’ll get used to it gradually.”

He extended his hand.

Qin Yuan placed both hands on their shoulders and muttered teasingly, “Normally, the man puts the ring on the woman first. Only you, Mister Chu, are special!”

Chu Yao: “Can’t hear you—shut up.”

Tang Xizhou covered Qin Yuan’s mouth and dragged him away.

Jiang Beibei whispered, “Thank you, Mom and Dad, for choosing you as our neighbors. Because of you, I found the person I’m marrying today.”

“Thank you, Mom and Dad...” Chu Yao echoed. “For not abandoning me when I was born, and for moving here and bringing her into this world. To the bunch of green leaves in Unit Two, you’ve added a red flower... Meeting her, growing alongside her, twenty-four years of my life have been spent with her. I’m incredibly lucky.”

He closed his eyes and gently kissed his fiancée.

Qin Yuan snapped a photo, then complained, “Who’s using this camera? Who still uses a point-and-shoot these days?”

Qin Yuan’s dad: “Son, that’s ours.”

Qin Yuan: “...”