CHAPTER 200: 190 RIPPING UP THE MARRIAGE CERTIFICATE

Meng Shuyan was overjoyed; turns out his taste in food was inherited from his dad. He started counting on his fingers, slowly listing things: "I like eating the things Mom braised—braised eggs, braised chicken legs, braised chicken wings, braised duck necks, braised duck feet, braised pig trotters. Then there’s lamb skewers, beef skewers, bone-in meat skewers, pigeon soup, hairy crabs, crayfish, braised carp, oily wide noodles, and also Mom’s homemade versions of KFC, French fries, sandwiches, bread, little pastries, baozi... Oh, and drinks too, like flower tea, watermelon juice, pomelo tea..."

Jiang Jinghuai silently noted his son’s preferences, but the more he listened, the deeper his gaze became, even as something seemed to stir within.

Hmm, it was clear the little guy had been pampered. His cheeks still carried a touch of baby fat, his little arms and legs were round and plump, and though his belly hadn’t quite shown yet... If he kept eating like this, who could say what would happen?

"Eating well, aren’t you?" Jiang Jinghuai suddenly said, glancing at Tian Sangsang.

Tian Sangsang’s heart skipped a beat. She hadn’t realized it before, but now that it was brought up, their meals were indeed surprisingly lavish—out of sync with the average standard of the 1980s. No wonder she herself was still over 130 pounds; this wasn’t dieting, this was fattening herself up!

"Having money, you can afford to be indulgent." Tian Sangsang chuckled, explaining, "I used to run a small shop in town, specializing in food. Once I had some money, I took Yanyan out to eat. You wouldn’t understand—when he was born, he was so tiny and frail, and our family was dirt poor back then, surviving on wild vegetables. When I finally had the means, I had to make sure he ate well."

She was shamelessly bluffing, wildly fabricating.

"Ah... life can be hard..." Tian Sangsang sighed dramatically, lowering her gaze weakly, looking pitiful.

Jiang Jinghuai paused, then said in a low voice, "From now on, most of my allowance will go to you for safekeeping." A small portion would go to his parents.

"You’ve had a hard time these past years," he added.

"It’s fine, not hard at all, not at all," Tian Sangsang waved her hand, her smiling eyes narrowing into crescents. "You’re too polite; I feel bad taking it... By the way, how much is your allowance again?"

"Normally fifty."

Tian Sangsang’s eyes lit up. She smiled, "So, does that mean there are abnormal times too?"

Jiang Jinghuai glanced at her pair of peach blossom eyes identical to his son’s and nodded.

"In those abnormal times, is it more or less?"

"Always more, never less."

After this little chat, Meng Shuyan’s attention shifted and he no longer fixated on the mermaid and its feet. Lunch was at a nearby restaurant, and after the meal, Jiang Jinghuai had to return to the army. The two agreed to meet at the civil affairs bureau tomorrow to register.

"Mom, once you and Dad are married, I’ll have a dad, right?"

"Yes," Tian Sangsang kissed him. "We’ll be a family, all of us."

"Mom, will you wear a red dress? Like a bride, all pretty?" His dark peach blossom eyes blinked eagerly. He so wanted to see his mom dressed like a bride, looking beautiful~

Tian Sangsang’s smile froze for a moment. Right—marriage. How could there be no wedding? But she and Jiang Jinghuai were only marrying for the sake of appearances; naturally, there’d be no wedding. She wasn’t expecting much, really; she just felt a little disappointed. It was so rushed, so impersonal.

Others marry for love—what was she marrying for? Forget it; love was such a rare thing in this world anyway. Even if one were the female lead, it wasn’t guaranteed that love would come your way. Besides, she didn’t seem to be the female lead.

"I will," Tian Sangsang nodded with a smile. "But your dad’s work is too busy, so I can’t wear red this year. We’ll make up for it later."

While waiting at the motel entrance, Jiang Jinghuai appeared. He was still dressed in his military uniform, his features sharp and deep, his demeanor polished and imposing.

Tian Sangsang glanced at her own drab outfit and suddenly remembered something!

Going to the civil affairs bureau—to get married! Most people going there dressed to impress, but her? She had entirely forgotten to do so! Just look at her face—was it even a face fit for a marriage certificate photo?

"Mom, I want Dad to carry me," Meng Shuyan flapped his little hands.

"Alright." Jiang Jinghuai picked him up and said to Tian Sangsang, "Let’s go." His tone was unusually gentle.

They had barely walked a few steps when he noticed no movement behind him. Turning, he saw the woman hesitating, standing awkwardly in place.

"What’s wrong?"

"I suddenly don’t feel well," Tian Sangsang coughed lightly.

"Where does it hurt?"

"Everywhere. Must be an acclimation issue, or post-earthquake discomfort." She coughed again.

"We can go to the hospital after we register. Bear with it for now."

Huh? So registering was still happening? Tian Sangsang’s expression turned pale as she stammered, "How about we go to the civil affairs bureau tomorrow?"

"You want to stay at the motel another day?" Jiang Jinghuai replied indifferently. Delaying a day meant the approval process would take longer, plus extra days at the motel would add to the cost. With the recent room checks going on, getting caught could cause a lot of trouble.

Looking at the two of them—this high-appearance father-son duo—she couldn’t help but feel like the odd one out. Besides, marriage certificates required photos, and there was no Photoshop back then. Even though this was a fake marriage, the certificate itself was real. Showing someone this certificate in the future would be embarrassing. The stark contrast between her and Jiang Jinghuai in the photo would be undeniable. What would people say? A beautiful rose picked by a black and chubby hand. She had her dignity; she couldn’t leave behind this kind of humiliating evidence!

"But..." Tian Sangsang hesitated, trying to negotiate. "How about I go back to the room and tidy up a bit? Look at me..." She struggled to finish her sentence.

Jiang Jinghuai frowned slightly, puzzled. "What are you worrying about?"

"I..."

"Speak."

"Don’t you think you’re dressed sharp and dashing... uh, wait, wrong idiom! I meant well-dressed. And me? A farmer’s outfit. We’ll have to take pictures for the marriage certificate. Then..."

Meng Shuyan listened on the side, his little eyebrows nearly knotting. "Mom, you’re very pretty, right, Dad?"

"Hmm." Jiang Jinghuai nodded. "You don’t need to take pictures for the certificate, just fill out paperwork. If you want photos, we can go to the studio, and I... am willing to make sacrifices."

"What? No photos for the certificate?" Tian Sangsang beamed with joy, looking at him.

"You didn’t know?"

"How would I know?" Tian Sangsang laughed brightly, in a great mood. "It’s my first time getting married. By the way, is this your first time? Otherwise, how do you know everything so well?"

"Haven’t eaten pork, but I’ve seen pigs run." Jiang Jinghuai shot her a glance, unwilling to exchange words with this silly woman any further.

So, at least at this particular place and time, the process for Tian Sangsang and Jiang Jinghuai was fairly simple. They handed over their documents and filled out some paperwork. Fortunately, she’d stored her crucial documents elsewhere; they hadn’t been destroyed in the earthquake, saving her the trouble of replacing them. Soon enough, she received a marriage certificate—a small one, resembling the old-style awards for essay contests, complete with a red seal. From this moment on, she was officially a married woman.

Holding the distinctly 1980s-style marriage certificate, Tian Sangsang felt a heavy weight lift off her chest. One major life event, finally resolved.