Rebirth: Seven Years in a Great Dream

Chapter 41: Wedding Photos

A few days later, Xiao Xiao calmed down and gradually came to realize that no matter what kind of car it was, her husband had earned it for her—and that was her good fortune. Plus, the Audi A4 really did have much better features than the Lavida and was more comfortable to drive, so Xiao Xiao slowly grew to like this car as well. Thinking back on her little tantrum a few days earlier, and reflecting on Mu Dong’s patience and thoughtfulness toward her, Xiao Xiao felt a pang of guilt. One evening, she took the initiative to apologize to Mu Dong. Mu Dong gently embraced Xiao Xiao and said, “Honey, there’s nothing to apologize for between us. As long as you’re happy, that’s all that matters.” Xiao Xiao was even more touched, so that evening she took the initiative to invite Mu Dong to take a couple’s bath together. Mu Dong was especially grateful to the previous owner—even the bathtub in the bathroom had been so beautifully renovated. It was so relaxing. The teachers at school noticed that Teacher Li was gradually regaining her former vitality. A few close colleagues went to inquire and learned that the white Audi A4 was Teacher Li’s new car—which left them all speechless. “Is this even fair? In less than a month, she’s already gone through two cars—did her boyfriend rob a bank or something?” Feeling in high spirits, Xiao Xiao suggested treating Cai Jiaojiao and Cheng Qiang to a meal. So Mu Dong chose the Golden Leopard for a seafood buffet and invited Han Yong, Cheng Qiang, and Cai Jiaojiao. Cheng Qiang and Cai Jiaojiao were thoroughly delighted, while Mu Dong sighed to himself, “You two gluttons—you’re practically going to eat your way through the 399 yuan.” During the meal, Mu Dong mentioned how his garage had been blocked for a whole day, which had really gotten on his nerves, and the group burst into laughter. Before they knew it, it was already late March. As the weather gradually warmed up, Mu Dong began making arrangements for their wedding photos. Since Xiao Xiao had to work, Mu Dong did some research and comparison shopping on his own before finally settling on a photography studio. This studio was large-scale, seemed to have good technical skills, offered on-location shoots, and had its own branch in Qingdao, making it very convenient to shoot by the sea there. Xiao Xiao set aside two evenings for makeup trials and wedding dress fittings. Once everything was ready, they decided to go to the coastal city on Saturday and Sunday for the photo shoot. On Friday afternoon, after Xiao Xiao got off work, Mu Dong, Xiao Xiao, and several staff members from the studio boarded a high-speed train bound for the coastal city. They arrived in the evening and checked into the hotel arranged by the studio. Mu Dong and Xiao Xiao did not attend the dinner banquet organized by the studio; instead, they went out together, as he had made plans to meet someone. Qingdao is a pearl of the Eastern Shandong Peninsula—a scenic northern coastal city long known as the “Switzerland of the East.” While working at Northern Electronics, Mu Dong had once attended a business training session in Daocheng organized by the company’s headquarters. That training session was relatively long, lasting half a month. Guided by a local colleague, Mu Dong had explored the city’s streets and alleys during his free time. From the famous Zhanqiao Pier to the bustling May Fourth Square, the crowded Taidong Commercial Street, and the picturesque Badaguan district, he had grown to deeply love this coastal city. Mu Dong took Xiao Xiao to stroll along Taidong Commercial Street. Before long, the people he had arranged to meet began arriving one after another. The first to arrive was Brother Sun. Brother Sun was the colleague who had shown Mu Dong around during the training; his full name was Sun Tao, a man in his thirties and a native of Qingdao. Brother Sun was of average height and slightly on the heavy side. He was a trustworthy man who always had a smile for everyone. As the business manager for the Northern Company in Qingdao, he enjoyed an excellent reputation within the company. Mu Dong first gave Brother Sun a warm hug, and Brother Sun laughed heartily, saying, “Old Mu, after you left the company, I thought I’d never see you again. I’m so happy you remembered to contact me when you came to Qingdao.” Brother Sun was the only one at the entire Northern Company who called Mu Dong “Old Mu.” At first, Mu Dong wasn’t used to it, but later he realized this might just be Brother Sun’s way of showing warmth, so he got used to it. Mu Dong replied, “Brother Sun, Qingdao is such a great place—of course I’d come looking for you, the local host. How could I possibly forget you? Come on, let me introduce you to my sister-in-law, Li Xiaoxiao. We’re here to take our wedding photos.” Sun Tao and Xiao Xiao exchanged greetings, and the three of them chatted and laughed as they strolled around the nearby shops for a while. Then another person arrived. Wang Yan, the youngest daughter of Mu Dong’s eldest aunt, was a junior at the Daocheng Campus of Ocean University of China; Mu Dong had called her specifically to invite her. As soon as Wang Yan saw Xiao Xiao, she rushed over and threw her arms around her shoulders: “Ah, sister-in-law!” She was so excited she was shouting and jumping up and down. Mu Dong couldn’t help but feel exasperated—she was a grown woman, after all, and acting so unrestrained. The four of them headed to a small restaurant on Taidong Commercial Street. Sun Tao had brought Mu Dong to this restaurant before; according to Sun Tao, it had been at least twenty or thirty years. The restaurant was unassuming, tucked away on a small side street deep within the Taidong commercial district. It had a tiny storefront and only about seven or eight small tables inside, yet business was booming—the four of them had to wait quite a while before a table finally opened up. Mu Dong knew that if he wanted to eat authentic Qingdao cuisine, this little eatery would definitely satisfy his craving. They began ordering: veal, clams and chicken in a cast-iron pot, and stewed carp with mussels—three of the restaurant’s signature dishes—along with some seafood and two vegetarian dishes. Hearing Sun Tao’s thick local Qingdao accent and seeing the dishes they’d ordered, the owner realized they were regulars. He gave a quick nod and hurried to have the food served. As the dishes arrived one after another, they opened some Qingdao beer, and the four of them dug in. It was Xiao Xiao and Wang Yan’s first time dining here, and they were instantly won over. The braised veal was cooked to perfection—tender and succulent, with the meat still held together in delicate strands. It was springy yet not tough, melting in their mouths after just a few chews. Then there was the clam and chicken dish—combining these two ingredients created an incredibly fresh and delicious flavor! The stewed carp with mussels had a milky-white broth with a rich, robust flavor. The two young women were so enticed by the food that they didn’t even care about their table manners anymore. Mu Dong had eaten here twice before but hadn’t been back in a long time, so he was really missing it. Seeing his wife and younger sister constantly fighting over the food, he called out, “Save some beef for me, hey—hey—” Finally, at his wits’ end, he called out, “Waiter, bring us another plate of veal.” Sun Tao was deeply gratified to see everyone enjoying the meal so much. When Sun Tao applied for a job at the Northern Company, the HR department wasn’t very optimistic about him because he was a bit older. Later, he heard that Mu Dong had overruled the objections and insisted on assigning a steady, local person to oversee operations in Qingdao, which is how Sun Tao successfully got the job. Because of this, Sun Tao had always harbored a quiet sense of gratitude toward Mu Dong. Later, when Mu Dong was in Qingdao for training, the two explored the city together, and their relationship quickly grew closer—they became buddies. Now that Mu Dong has left the company, the two no longer have a professional relationship. But the fact that Mu Dong reached out to him when he came to Qingdao showed that he truly treated him as a buddy. After the four of them had eaten and drunk their fill, they continued strolling through the shopping district. Xiao Xiao and Wang Yan wandered through various accessory shops, while Mu Dong and Sun Tao sat down on wooden benches in the center of the shopping district to chat. “Old Mu, I’m thinking of quitting too. I’m not making enough money, and the pressure is too much,” Sun Tao said. “What are your plans after you quit, Brother Sun?” “I don’t have any plans yet. I’m just thinking it over—nothing’s set in stone.” Mu Dong thought for a moment, then said to Sun Tao, “Bro Sun, I have a suggestion.” Sun Tao’s eyes lit up: “Let’s hear it.” Sun Tao had heard from colleagues at the Ludong branch that Mu Dong had struck it rich after leaving the company; he’d seen him pull up in an Audi a few times. But Sun Tao had never asked Mu Dong about it directly—between buddies, some things just can’t be brought up too bluntly. Mu Dong said, “Bro Sun, if you have some savings, I suggest you become a regional agent for a courier company. If you have plenty of money, go with a major brand; if not, choose a smaller one. But you have to pick the right location—preferably a commercial district or a densely populated residential area.” Sun Tao asked, “A courier company? Is that for delivering packages?” Mu Dong replied, “Right now, it’s mainly about delivering packages, but in a few years, as e-commerce grows, the main source of revenue will be collecting packages—not delivering them.” Sun Tao said, “Working in the courier industry is just too grueling—you’re out in the wind and rain all the time.” Mu Dong glanced at the bustling crowd on the shopping street and said thoughtfully, “What line of work isn’t hard? Besides, I’m suggesting you become the boss, not that you’ll be delivering packages yourself. However, you should be mentally prepared—there might be times when you’ll need to step in and make a delivery yourself.” Mu Dong was silent for a moment, then continued, “Brother Sun, right now, the franchise fees for courier companies in general areas are around a hundred thousand yuan, and for better ones, they can reach several hundred thousand. In a few years, these prices might rise to a million or even several million. By then, you’ll make a profit if you sell it. Or maybe by then, you won’t want to part with it.” Mu Dong was planning to enter the courier business. Back in 2009, e-commerce wasn’t as booming as it would later become, and couriers’ incomes were relatively low. But a few years down the road, whoever held a small courier franchise area would have a robust cash cow, counting money until their hands went numb every day. Now that Sun Tao had asked, as a buddy, Mu Dong decided to give him a heads-up. If Brother Sun would take his advice to heart, that would be great. Sun Tao fell silent. He’d never even considered getting into the courier business. But from the way Mu Dong described it, the future prospects seemed pretty good, and he found himself wavering. Seeing that Sun Tao wasn’t saying anything, Mu Dong finally said, “Bro Sun, to be honest with you, I’m planning to get into the courier business myself.” That was all he could say. When Sun Tao heard that Mu Dong also planned to get into the courier business, he was surprised at first, but then he realized that Mu Dong was sharing an idea—one he’d probably been mulling over for a long time—with him for free. He felt a little touched. He thought to himself, “It seems like it might be worth a try.” As night fell, the group went their separate ways. Mu Dong and Xiao Xiao first took a taxi to drop Wang Yan off at her school before returning to the hotel. Early Saturday morning, after breakfast, the makeup artist began applying makeup and helping the two change into their outfits. Mu Dong felt a bit awkward. It was one thing for a woman to get made up, but why was he getting his face done too? They applied powder, shaped his eyebrows, and even put on a light coat of lipstick. When he looked in the mirror, he looked exactly like one of those trendy “young heartthrobs” or “male heartthrobs” you’d see on TV a few years later—all he was missing was some eyeliner. Mu Dong questioned the makeup artist, who shrugged: “There’s nothing we can do. Without makeup, the lighting won’t look right in the photos, and you won’t match the bride.” Well, he’d just have to put up with it. It took quite a while before Xiao Xiao finished her makeup and changed into her wedding dress. Mu Dong watched Xiao Xiao emerge from the dressing room, his mouth agape in astonishment. The cup he was holding nearly slipped from his grasp. She was so beautiful! Mu Dong had known Xiao Xiao for so many years, yet he had never imagined she could be this beautiful! Xiao Xiao’s hair was swept up into a high bun, making her appear much taller and her figure even more slender. Her eyebrows were shaped into neat crescents, and her long lashes fluttered over her captivating, large, dewy eyes. A light dusting of powder on her face made her already fair complexion appear even softer and more delicate. Large stud earrings dangled from her ears, swaying slightly with every glance, exuding immense charm. She wore a pure white, floor-length wedding gown, her entire fair, delicate shoulders exposed to the air, glistening with a captivating sheen. Her full bust supported the top of the gown, and a deep cleavage exuded a sensual allure. She’s so beautiful! But isn’t she showing a little too much? Mu Dong glanced around and noticed several male staff members staring at Xiao Xiao. Why did he feel like he was getting the short end of the stick? Hey, why are those women staring at my wife’s cleavage too? You lecherous women! Feeling Mu Dong’s burning gaze, Xiao Xiao felt a bit shy, yet also a faint sense of pride. Everyone boarded the photo studio’s Iveco van and headed for the beach, basking in the early spring sunshine. The Pier, May Fourth Square, the Fourth Seawater Bathing Beach, and Badaguan. These four locations were the final shooting spots selected. Mu Dong had originally thought that once she’d put on her makeup and changed into her outfit, taking photos would just be a matter of a few clicks—it would be over in no time. But when she got there, she realized it was nothing like that at all. They had to adjust the camera angles, wait for the right light, set up the lighting, touch up her makeup, fix her clothes, and get her into the right mood and expressions. By the end of the morning, Mu Dong’s face had gone stiff from smiling, and Xiao Xiao, wearing high heels, kept rubbing her ankles—yet they still hadn’t finished taking all the photos on the pier. Mu Dong was getting a little anxious. Xiao Xiao hadn’t taken time off work—she’d just come over on the weekend for the shoot—and at this pace, they definitely wouldn’t finish. He approached the photographer and suggested speeding up the shoot and reducing the number of shots, insisting they finish by noon the next day so they could return to Quancheng that afternoon. The photographer was at a loss—a professional shoot was a completely different matter from tourists just snapping random photos with their own cameras. But since the client was pressed for time, he had no choice but to scale back on some of the creative concepts. In the afternoon, Wang Yan arrived at the shoot to keep Xiao Xiao company while she rested, touched up her makeup, made sure she had water and snacks, and even massaged her ankles. With Wang Yan’s close attention, Xiao Xiao felt much better; her restlessness gradually subsided, her expressions became more natural, and the afternoon shoot slowly began to go smoothly. By Sunday noon, the shoot at Badaguan was complete, and all the photography tasks were finally wrapped up. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief. Xiao Xiao quickly changed out of the wedding dress and high heels that had been constricting her for two days, washed off her makeup, and put on her own clothes. “Ah, that feels so good,” Xiao Xiao sighed inwardly. Taking wedding photos—such a romantic and beautiful endeavor—turned out to be a long, tedious ordeal. Thus, there’s always a gap between reality and ideal. Behind every beautiful thing often lies untold perseverance and hard work. At noon, Mu Dong treated the entire crew to lunch to thank everyone for their hard work and dedication during the shoot. The staff at the photography studio were quite surprised—as a client, Mu Dong expected the studio to provide meals for him, but now the roles had been reversed. Everyone was deeply moved, and the photographer resolved to put his heart and soul into retouching the photos to make them the best they could be. After lunch, Mu Dong took Xiao Xiao and Wang Yan out shopping. He bought Wang Yan a whole new outfit to thank her for taking care of Xiao Xiao over the past two days. Mu Dong also bought some cosmetics for Xiao Xiao. Mu Dong felt that when she made an effort, Xiao Xiao looked truly stunning. So he bought some cosmetics to have on hand, hoping his wife would dress up every now and then. Xiao Xiao had never worn makeup before and considered such things unnecessary. Since Mu Dong insisted on buying them, she just went along with it. In the afternoon, they said goodbye to Wang Yan, and the two of them took the high-speed train back to Quancheng. The photo shoot was already finished; once the digital files were ready, they’d pick two to have enlarged and leave the rest with the studio. The two of them had a good night’s rest that evening, even skipping their usual evening activities—they were just too exhausted. Over the next few days, Xiao Xiao went to work every day, while Mu Dong spent his time either taking care of her or wandering around the city, mulling over potential delivery routes for the future. Mu Dong planned to start preparing for the courier company once the willow branches were sold out, bringing along anyone from his hometown who was willing to join him. From then on, he’d stay by Xiao Xiao’s side, run the courier company, and explore other business opportunities—living a leisurely life. It was Saturday again, and it coincided with the three-day Qingming Festival holiday. After breakfast, Mu Dong and Xiao Xiao drove the Lavida back to southern Shandong. This time, they intended to return the Lavida to Mu Dong’s older sister. Originally, the two had planned to drive back in two cars so they’d each have a vehicle for the return trip. Mu Dong thought it over, though, and decided against it. Although Xiao Xiao was a skilled driver, she lacked experience with long-distance driving and had held her license for less than a year—Mu Dong didn’t want to take the risk. In the end, they agreed to drive the Lavida there and take the train back; to that end, they had purchased their return train tickets well in advance. Mu Dong dropped Xiao Xiao off at her home first. Since it was the Qingming Festival, there were certain taboos to observe, so Mu Dong didn’t even step through the front gate; he just said hello and left. Back at the elementary school, he saw Coach Zhang leading a few people in driving practice. When they saw Mu Dong return, they all came over to greet him before going back to their practice. Mu Dong watched from a distance for a while. Xie Donglin was the best driver; the young man was very quick on the uptake and handled the car with ease. Next was his brother-in-law, Zhong Guodong, who had experience driving a front-end loader and handled the car quite smoothly. His sister, Mu Xiaoxia, wasn’t quite as good—her driving was a bit bumpy. The worst was Mu Daguo, who even stalled the engine occasionally. It all comes down to individual aptitude; they’ll just have to practice slowly—practice makes perfect. Mu Dong then took a walk around the elementary school. The piles of willow branches on the playground were very stable, with no changes. He peeled back the tarps at a few corners to take a look; the willow branches inside were all dry, showing no signs of dampness or overheating. Mu Dong was very satisfied and then headed to the small building. In every room of the small building, willow branches were neatly stacked in dense piles, and dry powder fire extinguishers were neatly arranged at the entrance of each room. Everything remained exactly as it had been at the beginning; nothing had changed. Mu Dong looked at the still bundles of willow branches and felt a deep sense of satisfaction. If all went smoothly, in a few months these branches would bring him another substantial sum of money, allowing him to walk his future path more steadily and go further. At noon, Mu Dong treated Coach Zhang and his family to a meal at a restaurant in town. After lunch, Coach Zhang took his leave. Today was Qingming Festival, when every family visits their ancestors’ graves, so the afternoon driving practice was canceled.