Chapter 388: The Guests' Amazement, an Impressive Wedding Caravan

Chapter 388: The Guests' Amazement, an Impressive Wedding Caravan

  Sui Feng Hotel.

  After the bride's party and the guests finished their dinner and late-night snack, it was already 10 PM.

  Then, they split into two groups. Deng Yunheng led his old leaders, colleagues, classmates, and alumni back to the Naye Deng Clan Community to rest.

  Deng Shirong, on the other hand, took the bride and the accompanying guests to a hotel to rest.

  This was not because the Naye Deng Clan Community did not have enough rooms; it was mainly due to the local wedding customs in Bobai. According to these customs, it was inappropriate for the bride and the accompanying guests to stay at the groom's house the night before the wedding, as that would make the next day's wedding procession awkward.

  Therefore, they had to stay at a hotel, which was a bit of a compromise.

  Fortunately, Bobai County had developed significantly over the past few years. Besides the existing inns and guesthouses, the Xiyuan Hotel (Sui Feng Hotel in the previous life) and the Fuhao Hotel had both opened at the end of last year.

  In the previous life, the Sui Feng Hotel opened at this time, but in this life, influenced by Deng Shirong, the hotel was completed and opened three months earlier, with a total investment of 700,000 yuan. The exterior was decorated with glass mosaics, the columns were inlaid with marble, and the windows were made of tea-colored glass, making the quality of the interior decoration quite impressive.

  The Xiyuan Hotel had guest rooms on the third to fifth floors, available for accommodation.

  The Fuhao Hotel was even more impressive, located at the east end of Xinglong Street. It covered an area of 900 square meters and had a total construction area of 4,500 square meters, with a main building of six stories. The ground floor housed shops, a savings office, and the hotel's reception desk.

  The second floor featured a dance hall that could accommodate over 110 people and a restaurant that could seat 400.

  The third to sixth floors were guest rooms, with a total of 143 beds. Each room had a bathroom with hot and cold water facilities, color televisions, and wall lamps.

  Additionally, the third and sixth floors each had a meeting room that could accommodate 200 people.

  The ground floor's exterior was inlaid with marble, and the second floor and above were decorated with glass mosaics. The windows were made of bronze-colored aluminum, and the total investment in the building and decoration was as high as 4 million yuan, making it one of the most luxurious buildings in the county.

  Such a hotel would be nothing special in the future, but in the early 1990s, it was the epitome of luxury.

  Because it had just opened, the interior was not only luxurious but also very clean. The bride's party was very satisfied with the living conditions.

  After settling in, Deng Shirong said apologetically, "Dear relatives, you'll have to put up with staying here tonight."

  Gu's father smiled, "Dear relatives, you're too polite. The living conditions here are already very good. The hotel I stayed at in the capital for a conference wasn't much better than this."

  Gu's mother also smiled, "Yes, don't worry about it. The hotel is both luxurious and clean, which is already very good."

  "Alright, it's quite late. Let's not talk more. Everyone should get some rest early!"

  Deng Shirong then looked at his second daughter-in-law and said, "Weiwei, at 5:30 AM tomorrow, Yunheng will bring the makeup artist to you. They will do your makeup and styling, which will take some time, so make sure you get plenty of rest."

  Gu Caiwei nodded, "Sure, I understand."

  After that, Deng Shirong greeted the other accompanying guests and left the Fuhao Hotel.

  ...

  On the other side, Deng Yunheng led his old leaders and the other guests from the Sui Feng Hotel to the Naye Deng Clan Community.

  Since the Sui Feng Hotel was not far from the Naye Deng Clan Community, it only took a few minutes to walk there. Therefore, everyone decided to walk back, partly to enjoy the night scenery of Bobai County (admittedly, there wasn't much to see at night) and partly to digest their food.

  The guests present were not ordinary people.

  Some were high-achieving graduates from Peking University, while others were influential figures working in government ministries.

  Neither side underestimated the other, including Zhao Jing and Li Haibo, who also had significant backgrounds.

  Everyone in the political arena understood the importance of connections and relationships.

  In Zhao Jing's and others' eyes, it was hard to predict how far these high-achievers would go, but they knew that the most outstanding among them would definitely become the backbone of the system.

  From Li Haibo and other Peking University graduates' perspective, the people in the ministries also had bright futures. Those who could enter these key departments were either like them, the pride of the nation, or had significant backgrounds.

  In any case, they were all worth befriending.

  Thus, with both sides eager to form connections, the conversation flowed smoothly.

  The few minutes passed in a flash.

  As they talked, the group arrived at the south gate of the Naye Deng Clan Community.

  Seeing the grand entrance and the prominent sign "Naye Deng Clan Community," the guests were all taken aback.

  Although it was night, the landscape lights allowed everyone to see the grand entrance and some of the beautiful scenery inside.

  Zhao Jing asked in surprise, "County Chief Deng, the name 'Naye Deng Clan Community' sounds a bit unusual. Is it related to your surname, Deng?"

  Deng Yunheng smiled, "Leader, Naye is the name of our village and also the origin of the Deng surname in Bobai County. This community was built a few years ago through a collective effort by the Naye Deng Clan, hence the name 'Naye Deng Clan Community.'"

Everyone was enlightened by this explanation.

As they spoke, no one stopped walking. They had already passed through the gate and entered the community.

The layout of the buildings in this community was designed by Deng Shirong, referencing mature residential areas from the future. Although the lighting effects of this era were not as advanced as in the future, the use of various colored lights was quite mature. Combined with the greenery, the overall appearance was quite impressive.

In short, even though everyone present had seen many grand things, they were still slightly stunned by the beautiful community.

Even in major cities like the capital or Shanghai, there were no such mature and beautiful residential areas at the moment!

Of course, what amazed them the most was that such a beautiful community was built by the collective effort of a clan in a rural area, and this was only a few years after the start of the reform and opening-up. This truly left them in awe.

"County Chief Deng, your Naye Deng Clan is truly remarkable!"

"Amazing! How can your Deng Clan be so wealthy, County Chief Deng?"

"A few years ago, your entire clan built such a beautiful residential area. I wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't seen it with my own eyes."

"..."

Deng Yunheng explained with a smile, "Actually, this didn't cost too much. The houses were built by our clan members, the sand and gravel were transported from our hometown, and the bricks were provided by clan members who run brick factories at cost price. The timber was also transported from our hometown.

So, the biggest expenses were the land, steel bars, and cement, while other costs were relatively minor.

Therefore, a 160-square-meter apartment in this community actually only cost 5,000 yuan, and there was even some money left over!"

Hearing this, everyone breathed a sigh of relief. Although 5,000 yuan was a significant amount, it was much less than what they had initially guessed.

Soon, Deng Yunheng led everyone to the first unit of the 9th building and said with a smile, "We're here. My home is on this floor. Everyone, please follow me up!"

The guests followed Deng Yunheng upstairs.

On the third floor, Deng Yunheng took out his keys, opened the door, and turned on the lights.

Instantly, the interior of the house was revealed to the guests.

This floor belonged to Deng Yunheng, and the interior was decorated in a Wei-Jin style, which looked graceful, soft, and elegant. Under the glow of red and yellow lanterns, the living room was truly magnificent, ancient, and full of charm, creating a beautiful and atmospheric environment.

In short, stepping into this place felt like traveling back to the Wei-Jin era.

Then, they saw the framed calligraphy of "The Short Song" written in cursive script hanging in the living room.

Most of the guests were high-achieving graduates from Peking University, and their cultural backgrounds were well-established. Seeing this calligraphy, which complemented the interior design, they were all amazed.

At this point, Liu Xiaoman from Guilin couldn't help but exclaim, "My goodness, this house is so beautiful!"

This comment was like a drop of water in a hot oil pan, and the whole room erupted in excitement.

Huang Shengjun from Sichuan Province nodded in agreement, "Yes, it's really beautiful. This is the most beautiful and atmospheric house I've ever seen. The ancient and elegant feel is really fantastic!"

Zhao Changzheng exclaimed, "I never thought a house could be decorated like this. It's truly amazing!"

Tang Mingjie widened his eyes and said, "Wow, which dynasty's style is this? It's both beautiful and sophisticated, almost like a palace!"

Wang Limei added, "If I'm not mistaken, this is the Wei-Jin style. The calligraphy in the living room is the perfect touch, truly beautiful."

The others also praised it profusely. This style, which combined modern elements with ancient charm, truly amazed them.

Even someone with the breadth of knowledge like Zhao Jing felt enlightened, "County Chief Deng, your house is so spacious. How many square meters is it?"

Deng Yunheng smiled and said, "This floor is 640 square meters."

Upon hearing this, everyone was amazed once again.

After all, it was only the early 1990s, and such a large and spacious apartment was unheard of.

After a brief tour of the house, Deng Yunheng said with a smile, "With so many of us, this floor won't be enough. Those who want to stay here can choose a room. The rest can follow me upstairs to check out the other floors."

Liu Xiaoman was surprised, "County Chief Deng, there are more such houses upstairs?"

Deng Yunheng smiled and said, "To be honest, this entire unit belongs to my family. The first floor is my eldest brother's, the second floor is my eldest sister's, the third floor is mine, the fourth floor is my sister's, and the fifth, sixth, and seventh floors belong to my three younger brothers."

Everyone was stunned!

Just one floor had already left them in shock, and now they learned that there were six more floors like this. This was simply unbelievable.

One floor is 640 square meters, so seven floors would be 4,480 square meters.

Just now, Deng Yunheng mentioned that a 160-square-meter house costs 5,000 yuan. If we calculate based on this, wouldn't the total cost for these seven floors be a staggering 140,000 yuan? This is just the construction cost, not including the renovation expenses.

Even if they didn't understand the specifics of renovation, they knew it wouldn't be a small amount.

In any case, these seven floors were worth at least several hundred thousand yuan, and that's a conservative estimate. The actual value could be even higher.

This was just a few years ago. To spend several hundred thousand yuan on such a house, what was the situation with the Deng family? How could they be so wealthy?

After a moment, Zhao Jing, who had just recovered from her shock, asked, "County Chief Deng, are the other floors also decorated in the same architectural layout and style?"

Deng Yunheng replied, "The architectural layout is the same, but the decoration styles are different. My eldest brother's house is in the Qin-Han style, my sister's is in the European-American style, mine is in the Wei-Jin style, my younger sister's is a blend of Chinese and Western styles, my third brother's is in the Sui-Tang style, my fourth brother's is in the Song-Yuan style, and my youngest brother's is in the Ming-Qing style."

Upon hearing this, Zhao Jing couldn't wait to say, "Quick, take us up to see them."

The others were also eagerly anticipating the different styles and no longer cared about choosing rooms. They were all eager to see the different decoration styles.

Deng Yunheng, naturally, satisfied their curiosity and took them up floor by floor. The completely different but consistent decoration styles left the guests speechless, completely refreshing their understanding of home decoration.

Even people with excellent family backgrounds like Zhao Jing and Li Haibo were already considering the possibility of building a similar house, which would surely be very comfortable.

After a brief tour of the house, Deng Yunheng said, "Leaders, colleagues, classmates, alumni, and fellow townspeople, it's already very late. I need to wake up at 5 AM tomorrow, so I won't be able to accompany you. Feel free to choose any room you like, and I'll go down to take a shower and get some rest."

"Sure, go ahead and rest. You need to stay energetic as the groom. We can manage on our own."

"Right, go and rest. You don't need to stay with us. We can go to bed a bit later without any issues."

"County Chief Deng, you don't need to accompany us. Go and get some rest!"

"..."

Everyone spoke up, and Deng Yunheng no longer accompanied them, returning to his room to take a shower and rest.

The other guests took another look at the interesting decoration details before choosing their rooms and getting ready for bed.

...

The next day.

It was still dark when Deng Shirong got up.

Although he had already arranged the entire wedding process, as the father of the groom and the master of the wedding, he still had a lot to do, whether it was big or small matters, many of which required his decision.

Arriving at the Sui Feng Hotel, the wedding convoy was already parked there.

"Grandpa Ji."

"Clan Head."

Seeing Deng Shirong come over, the drivers greeted him.

"Are the wedding cars ready?"

"They are all ready, Grandpa Ji. Come and take a look at the results."

Deng Shirong went over to inspect. For his second son's wedding today, a total of 10 Santana sedans and 10 large buses were used as the wedding convoy.

Speaking of the evolution of wedding cars, before the founding of the People's Republic of China, flower litters were used to fetch the bride.

In the 1940s, donkey carts were commonly used.

In the 1960s, bicycles became popular.

In the 1970s, tractors and trucks were fashionable.

In the 1980s, large buses and minibuses became popular.

Now, in the 1990s, using Lada cars as wedding cars was quite common in big cities, and the most luxurious ones were naturally the Santana cars.

However, this was only the case in big cities. In a county like Bobai, such conditions did not exist.

Without a market, few people knew how to decorate wedding cars.

Fortunately, Deng Shirong had seen many wedding car decorations in the future and even hired an artist to draw the decoration effects based on his ideas. He then collaborated with a flower shop to decorate the wedding cars according to the drawings.

This wedding car decoration could be considered a pioneering effort in Bobai County.

Deng Shirong inspected the decoration and found it exactly as he had requested, nodding in satisfaction. The decoration of the lead car, while ordinary by future standards, was stunningly beautiful in this era, catching everyone's eye.

The other wedding cars, though not as elaborate as the lead car, were also decorated, giving a festive feel.

"Alright, have breakfast first, and then drive the wedding cars to the Fuhao Hotel around 7 AM."

"Sure, Grandpa Ji."

With the wedding cars ready, Deng Shirong then went to the Fuhao Hotel to check on the progress of his second son and daughter-in-law's makeup.

...

At the family compound of the county government, Song and his daughter, along with other leaders of the county government, also got up early to have breakfast before attending Deng Yunheng's wedding.

The guests staying at the Naye Deng Clan Community also woke up early.

Although they had stayed up late the previous night admiring the house's interior design, everyone present was a leader with strong self-discipline, so they naturally woke up early without needing to be called.

While his older brother, the groom, was busy, Deng Yunsong, a Tsinghua University graduate, was specifically responsible for receiving these guests.

After the guests woke up, he led them out for breakfast.

Deng Yunzhu, who loved photography, also got up early and followed the hired photography team to capture the grand wedding ceremony.

At the same time, the branch relatives of the Naye Deng Clan, those with significant status, also woke up early and set out for Naye Village to attend the wedding.

Each of these invitees was beaming with joy, as this was a clear sign of recognition from the head of the Naye Deng Clan, a matter of great pride. Being invited to attend this wedding was enough to boast about in the clan for a long time.

...

6:30 AM.

In the third-floor meeting room of the Fuhao Hotel.

Deng Yunheng and Gu Caiwei were both getting their makeup and hairstyles done.

By now, both had finished their transformations, which can be summarized in four words—perfect match.

At this time, Gu's father, Gu's mother, and the other guests who accompanied the bride had also woken up.

Everyone gathered in the meeting room, admiring the newly transformed Gu Caiwei, and couldn't stop praising her.

As the saying goes, "One-third is fate, and two-thirds are effort," which is indeed a profound truth. Gu Caiwei was already a beauty in her natural state, but after being meticulously styled by a professional, her beauty reached new heights.

To put it bluntly, she could easily rival famous actresses.

Even her family and relatives were seeing this beautiful version of Gu Caiwei for the first time.

As for Deng Yunheng, he was utterly captivated. Such a beautiful, graceful, and well-off girl was about to become his wife, and he was naturally overjoyed.

When Deng Shirong came to call everyone down for breakfast, he also saw his second daughter-in-law all dressed up and couldn't help but smile with satisfaction. It was worth the effort of hiring a professional makeup artist from Guangzhou, as the result was indeed impressive.

In fact, this makeup artist was already a familiar face. He had also styled Deng Yunzhen during her wedding.

Of course, Deng Yunzhen's beauty couldn't compare to Gu Caiwei, so while her transformation was beautiful, it wasn't as stunning as Gu Caiwei's.

Deng Shirong said with a smile, "Dear in-laws, it's getting late. Let's go downstairs for breakfast. I've already instructed the wedding cars to arrive around 7 AM."

Gu's father nodded and said, "Sure, let's go down for breakfast."

Thus, the group moved to the second-floor dining room for breakfast.

...

7:00 AM.

The county town was bustling with people: parents sending their children to school, workers heading to their jobs, people exercising, buying groceries, and having breakfast. On this ordinary morning, they all witnessed a historic moment.

A total of 20 wedding cars were heading from the Sui Feng Hotel to the Fuhao Hotel. The first 10 were high-end Santana sedans, and the next 10 were large buses.

The lead car was beautifully decorated, and the other cars were also adorned with red double happiness characters. Even those seeing such a wedding convoy for the first time could immediately tell that this was a grand wedding celebration.

"My goodness, whose wedding is this? This is such a grand scene!"

"Although I've seen people use large buses to pick up the bride before, it was usually just one bus. Now, there are 10 large buses and 10 small cars. This is really a big deal. Who could be so generous?"

"It's really frustrating to compare. When I got married a few years ago, my husband's side only sent two bicycles to pick me up. Compared to this, the difference is huge."

"I never thought a wedding could be arranged like this. The cars are decorated so beautifully, full of joy and celebration."

"Being able to ride in such a luxurious wedding car on your wedding day is something to brag about for a lifetime."

"Indeed, being able to ride in such a grand wedding car is truly a glorious moment."

"Let's follow them and see whose daughter is getting married and who is the groom."

"Let's go together. I want to see who is so generous."

"..."

Seeing such a luxurious wedding convoy, the crowd was both shocked and envious.

Those with nothing to do followed the convoy, eager to find out whose daughter was getting married and who was the groom.

...

PS: Dear relatives, good things come to those who wait. The author will write this climactic scene with great care to ensure everyone enjoys it.

County Chief Deng clasped his hands and said, "Thank you to all the relatives who have given gifts (tips and monthly votes). The wedding cars have already set off. Please get in the cars, and let's head back to our hometown for the banquet. ^_^"

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end