Chapter 429: Grandma, Don’t Cry, I’ll Go Find Someone to Marry Right Now

Chapter 429: Chapter 429: Grandma, Don’t Cry, I’ll Go Find Someone to Marry Right Now

A few years ago, the old village chief had repeatedly tried to set up Uncle Deng and Dong Sanhua.

But Uncle Deng felt he wasn’t good enough for her.

He always said that he had been married before and had a child. Although he had completely lost contact with his former wife and child, he still felt he couldn’t take advantage of Dong Sanhua.

After all, Dong Sanhua was more than five years younger than him and an unmarried young woman.

She was not only beautiful and vibrant but also hardworking.

Heizi and the other aspiring young men in Xiangyun Village all had a crush on her.

So, Uncle Deng had always treated her like a younger sister, looking out for her in every way.

Over time, Dong Sanhua developed feelings for Uncle Deng first. When Granny Chen found out, she stepped in to play matchmaker.

Since they were from the same village, they spent more time together, and mutual affection blossomed. The marriage was soon arranged.

The old village chief was so happy he couldn’t stop smiling.

It just so happened that Xiangyun Village had earned a lot of money from its loquat candy. The old village chief even had a derelict village house renovated, turning it into a large courtyard home with four main rooms and two side rooms to serve as their marital home.

To show respect for Dong Sanhua, the old village chief provided a generous betrothal gift.

He bought gold and jewelry specially from Guangyang Town, spending a great deal of silver without batting an eye.

Knowing that Dong Sanhua had few relatives on her mother’s side and feeling sorry that she would have to toil over her own needlework, the Deng Family also hired an embroideress to custom-make a wedding gown for her.

Dong Sanhua was to be married from Grandma Qin’s house. She had no family of her own, and Grandma Qin was her last remaining relative.

On her wedding day, custom dictated that Dong Sanhua should kowtow to her parents. But since she had no parents, she lifted her skirt and knelt before Grandma Qin instead.

"Aunt, thank you and Ningning for your guidance and care. If you hadn’t saved me, I wouldn’t be alive today. Thank you."

Wiping away her tears, she kowtowed to Grandma Qin.

With red-rimmed eyes, Grandma Qin pulled her to her feet. "Don’t say that. We’re family. From now on, you’re married to Jixiang. Live a good life with him. If you’re ever mistreated, you come back here. There will always be a place for you with me."

Dong Sanhua nodded through her tears. "Yes."

The wedding matron at the door flicked her handkerchief, her laughter booming. "The groom has come for his bride! Mistress, quickly put on your veil!"

The courtyard erupted with the deafening sound of gongs, drums, and firecrackers.

Every household in Xiangyun Village came to see the wedding celebration. It was an incredibly lively scene.

Shen Ningning was dressed in a festive red outfit. With her fair skin, big eyes, and smooth black hair coiled into two small buns, the little girl looked like a good-luck charm.

She ran around with Sister-in-law Liu’s son, Hu Zi, and a few other village children, asking for wedding candy.

"Grandma, look! I got so much candy!" Shen Ningning ran back to Grandma Qin, panting, her little face flushed.

She held out her hands, which were full of wedding candy.

However, when she lifted her watery eyes, she saw that Grandma Qin’s eyes were filled with emotional tears as she watched Dong Sanhua being carried away on the groom’s back.

"Grandma," Shen Ningning tugged on her sleeve. "Don’t be sad. Granny Chen said that even though Aunt Sanhua is married, she’s still in the village. We can see her every day."

Grandma Qin wiped away the tears welling in the corners of her eyes, a helpless smile on her face. Her silver-white hair seemed even more radiant.

"You’re such a good girl, Ningning. Grandma isn’t sad about your Aunt Sanhua getting married. I was just thinking... I might not be able to see the day you get married."

She was old. Although the Spiritual Spring Water had life-extending properties, there were still seven or eight years until her Ningning was grown up.

’I wonder who my Ningning will marry in the end.’

The thought of not being able to watch her get married with her own eyes made Grandma Qin’s tears fall faster than she could wipe them away.

Shen Ningning grew anxious and dropped the wedding candy.

"Grandma, don’t cry! I’ll just get married early so you can definitely see it!" The little girl didn’t yet understand the true meaning of marriage.

’It just seems lively and fun,’ she thought. ’Like Aunt Sanhua and Uncle Deng. You pick someone you get along with, everyone plays music and laughs and talks... that must be what getting married is.’

’Since Grandma wants to see it, I’ll go find someone to marry!’

Grandma Qin chuckled at her innocent words. "You can’t be so rash. We have to at least wait until you’re grown up to consider it."

Shen Ningning pouted. "I don’t want to grow up! I want to get married right now! Three hundred times! So Grandma can watch a lively celebration every single day!"

"Oh, my! My dear Ningning, you silly child, you’re really..." Grandma Qin hugged the little girl, unable to stifle her laughter, at a loss for words.

"Come on, let’s go to Grandpa Deng’s house and see how lively their wedding is."

Grandma Qin took Shen Ningning’s little hand, and they had just stepped out of the courtyard.

Suddenly, Shen Ningning saw the Black Wolf King and his pack with their ears pricked up alertly, fur bristling, as they scanned their surroundings on high alert.

"Get back inside," the Black Wolf King warned Shen Ningning, acting as if facing a great enemy.

Shen Ningning was puzzled. "What’s happening?"

The moment the words left the little girl’s mouth, a buzzing sound came from the sky in the distance.

Grandma Qin’s face went pale with shock as she pointed into the distance. "What is that?!"

Shen Ningning looked up and saw a huge, dark mass of unidentified flying objects rapidly approaching Xiangyun Village.

The little girl furrowed her delicate brows. Before she could get a closer look, the swarm was already directly over Xiangyun Village.

The Black Wolf King abruptly shoved Shen Ningning and Grandma Qin into the house with his paw.

The wolf pack blocked the doorway.

The BUZZ was so loud it felt as if the very ground was shaking. The vast, azure sky was instantly blotted out by the swarm.

The sight of them obscuring the sun and sky made Shen Ningning’s watery eyes go wide with astonishment. Her small hand gripped Grandma Qin’s clothes tightly.

"It’s locusts!" Grandma Qin finally recognized them, and panic crept into her usually calm voice.

She had encountered a locust swarm once when she was a child. A dark mass flying over like a thick, dark cloud.

Wherever they went, not a blade of grass was left.

The people of Xiangyun Village who had been at the wedding feast also realized what was happening, and a chorus of shouts rose up throughout the village— ℯℯ𝘭.𝘤ℴ𝘮

"It’s locusts! The locusts are here!"

"Quick, protect our loquat trees!"

Everyone scrambled back to their homes in a panic. Those who had farms rushed toward their fields.

Even Dong Sanhua and Uncle Deng, the bride and groom who were halfway through their wedding ceremony, frantically dropped the red silk sash and veil to go save their family’s loquat trees.

Shen Ningning and Grandma Qin hid inside the house while the wolf pack guarded the door. Any locusts that got close were eaten by the wolves. Soon, the swarm changed direction, spreading out to all corners of Xiangyun Village.

It took a full hour before the people of Xiangyun Village managed to drive the locusts away. They watched as the swarm flew east, off to bring disaster to the next village.

The villagers gasped for breath, not bothering with anything else as they all went to inspect the damage.

Some people’s loquat trees, which had just begun to bear fruit, were riddled with bites, and even the green leaves had been stripped away.

To say nothing of the crops in the fields. The rice and wheat were a horrific sight. The fields were a complete mess, as if bandits had passed through, leaving not a single blade of grass behind.

"Damn those locusts! They ate so much of our food! We’ve only had a few good days, why did they have to come back? Oh, heavens, what are you trying to do to us?!"

Sister-in-law Liu collapsed crying in the field, beating her chest and stamping her feet in despair.

Xiangyun Village was hit hard. Soon, three or four days later, the Capital City and the surrounding villages and towns had also been ravaged by the locusts.

Following that, urgent 800-li dispatches from governors in other provinces reported that locusts were devouring crops all across Cangyun Country.

Cangyun Country had only just recovered from the last disaster five years ago, having finally solved the problem of keeping everyone from going hungry. But now, unexpectedly, the locusts had returned.

The Emperor was on the verge of a complete breakdown.