Chapter 340 – Arranged Marriage
When Grandpa Xie woke up, he didn’t expect that upon stepping out of his room, he would encounter so many people who had come specifically to see him.
He was a very amiable person by nature. Even though he felt it wasn’t quite appropriate to meet these people and talk at the Xu family residence, and he hadn’t made a grand announcement about his visit, the situation could have been even more overwhelming.
Nevertheless, these people had come for him, and one by one, they addressed him affectionately as “Old Leader.” Grandpa Xie couldn’t let them lose face.
So, he spent half an hour talking with them individually in the room.
No one knew exactly what they talked about. They only knew that when he came out of the room again, the leaders looked at Grandpa Xie with even more admiration.
Some of them even had reddened eyes, with tears welling up.
When it was time to see them off, Grandpa Xie patted the leader on the shoulder and said, “Keep up the good work, stay true to your original aspirations. The organization sees all your efforts and contributions.”
“Yes,” the leader responded loudly, saluting him.
The others also saluted Grandpa Xie as they said their goodbyes.
Zhang Changzheng, who had naturally accompanied them into the small room for the conversation, looked at Grandpa Xie with the same fervor in his eyes.
As the others left, Zhang Changzheng, Xu Jinning’s godfather, didn’t leave.
After all, as Xu Jinning’s godfather, he had to be present for the marriage proposal.
The other leaders looked at Zhang Changzheng with envy, wishing they could stay as well.
However, they knew they had already taken up enough of Old Leader Xie’s time. He had important matters to attend to, and they couldn’t delay him further. Otherwise, they would only incur his displeasure.
They could only hope for another opportunity in the future.
Although the conversation had been brief, it had greatly benefited them.
Still, some of them were surprised to learn about Zhang Changzheng’s connection with the Xu family.
And now, the Xu family was about to form a marriage alliance with the family of the old leader.
It seemed that in the future, they would have to pay more attention to Zhang Changzheng and the Xu family.
After these people left, Grandpa Xie took another rest.
Then, the proposal was brought up.
Just with Grandpa Xie’s status, the sincerity in his words, and the significant gifts brought along this time, including the ‘three turns and one ring’ and five thousand yuan in bride price, it was impressive.
There was even the property rights to a courtyard house in Beijing that Grandpa Xie intended to transfer to Xu Jinning’s name.
It could be said that the Xie family’s sincerity was exceptionally strong.
Given this, there was no reason for Xu Aiguo and Zhang Ailian to refuse.
Especially since their Ningning and Xiao Xie were simply a match made in heaven.
The proposal proceeded smoothly, as it was a destined and perfect match.
It was fate that brought them together despite one being in Beijing and the other in the Qinghe Production Brigade.
So, with the agreement of Xu Aiguo, Zhang Ailian, and Xu Jinning, there was no reason for this marriage not to happen.
“Wait, I think our Ningning might have had a childhood betrothal with Xiao Xie,” Xu Aiguo suddenly remembered.
Everyone’s eyes turned to Xu Aiguo.
The others looked puzzled, except Grandpa Xie, who smiled knowingly.
Grandpa Xie stroked his beard and said, “Aiguo, did your father lead our country’s organization during the war?”
With Grandpa Xie’s reminder, Xu Aiguo remembered.
Yes, back then, Grandpa Xu, a young man with several children, had indeed said so.
Because of this, the Xu family had enjoyed a somewhat elevated status in the Qinghe Production Brigade over the years and had earned everyone’s respect.
He recalled that his father had once told him, while he was still a child, that he had promised the marriage of one of his younger daughters to the grandson of an old leader surnamed Xie.
Of course, the old leader’s grandson hadn’t been born yet, and his own children were still young.
This was the old leader’s way of thanking Grandpa Xu for guiding them.
At the time, young Xu Aiguo didn’t really understand the significance of the promise.
But he remembered it clearly.
Even later, on his deathbed, his father handed him a medal.
He said it was given by the old leader named Xie, as a promise for the marriage.
At that time, Xu Aiguo hadn’t yet had his daughter, Xu Jinning, and found it quite amusing that his father had promised his unborn daughter’s hand in marriage.
Nonetheless, he kept the medal.
His father had said, “If the Xie family ever comes to claim the promise, we will honor it. If not, we’ll let it be.”
Over the years, Xu Aiguo had almost forgotten about it, not only because of the long time that had passed but also because he found the whole thing a bit far-fetched.
He thought that if the marriage had been promised to him or one of his siblings, it would have been more plausible. But to promise his future daughter’s hand when he himself was still a child seemed unrealistic.
So, he never brought it up.
Not even his children knew about it.
Now, for some reason, it suddenly came to his mind.
Thinking of the Xie family, the old leader, Xu Aiguo looked at Grandpa Xie, who had a smile in his eyes, and a realization struck him.
He rushed into the room.
It took a while before he came out.
When he did, he was holding a medal marked by the passage of time.
Grandpa Xie reached out and gently took the medal.
“This is the medal I received for my first battle and first achievement.”
Well, the mystery was solved!
Xu Aiguo was astonished. “You… you are really the old leader my father spoke of. I can’t believe my Ningning and Xiao Xie actually have a childhood betrothal, arranged by their grandfathers before they were even born.”
“Yes, that’s right. Ningning and my Xiao’an are destined by fate,” Grandpa Xie said.
Grandpa Xie had always remembered this promise. From the moment Xie Ting’an brought Xu Jinning back to the Xie family and he asked for her grandfather’s name, he knew these two were meant to be together.
Xu Jinning and Xie Ting’an exchanged glances, both surprised by this early connection between them.
Was this destiny between the original owners, or was it truly theirs? Xu Jinning thought, perhaps it was meant to be theirs.
Maybe their crossing of paths was predestined long ago.
Even Xu Xiangdong and Xu Xiangbei couldn’t say anything against it now.
They knew that despite their reluctance to let their little sister go, they wanted her to have a loving partner and a happy future.
And the Xie family, especially Xie Ting’an, despite their previous critical scrutiny, had proven themselves faultless.
Moreover, with the revelation of the childhood betrothal, they had no grounds for objection.
