Love Began with the First Meeting



While looking at the ring, Maggie asked, "By the way, will we violate any of our military disciplines for registering our marriage so abruptly? Well... You're someone of note, and even if I am not that well known in the forces, I think it is inappropriate for us to get a marriage certificate so rashly. Am I right?"

"I have already reported our marriage registration!" As he uttered these words, Edgar pushed the glass door open, grabbed Maggie's hand and swiftly guided her into the administrative service hall, walking straight towards the lonely staff on duty...

"Hmm, the two of you were confessing your love to each other out there. I have only slept for two hours, but then I was called to come here just for your marriage registration. Didn't you think about my feelings..." So saying, the official behind the desk stared at Maggie with his blurred sleepy eyes. Then, he added, "Well, Edgar... Previously, I never see you dating any women, but now, you've managed to hook up with such a beautiful lady who is much younger than you... Do you think it is suitable for you to do this?"

"It is none of your business! No matter if it is suitable or not... I know that you can't make it like me, so don't be too jealous!" As soon as he finished chastising the official, Edgar took their household registers and identity cards out of his pockets. Then, he spontaneously handed an application form to Maggie, and took one for himself. As he started to fill in the form, he blurted out to the man, "You always act crazily on weekends. I am often confused as to how your wife could have tolerated you."

"I am so busy during the week that I feel rather exhausted. During the weekends, I just like playing mahjong to relax myself. I don't think that I've gone too far by doing that." While rolling his eyes, the man added, "But think of you. You called me so early this morning... I would not have come here as you asked me to, if it wasn't for your own marriage certificate. So far, almost 10 years have passed by since I stopped working in the administrative service hall, but today? Here I am, working specially to issue the marriage certificate to you. Don't you appreciate it?" After saying that, he took a camera out, tuned it, and then put all things in order on the spot where Edgar and Maggie would sit to take their photos for marriage certificate. Grimacing, he said, "You two, come here first to take your photos!"

Until this moment, Maggie had still been in a daze. Edgar took her by the hand for the administrative photo-shoot. At the end of taking their photos, the man taking pictures for them started to babble about his story with Edgar. His name was Rene Lu. He told Maggie that Edgar had been one of his comrades in arms and that he had worked in the Civil Affairs Bureau since he retired from the military service.

"Maggie, if Edgar ever bullies you, come find me. Then, I will take advantage of my connections here to make it possible for you to divorce unilaterally, without his consent..." While only joking, Rene teased continuously, "Or I can immediately give you two divorce certificates and you can put them beside your pillow so that Edgar will always be reminded that you can leave him any time as you wish... I assure you that those green certificates will be absolutely useful for you to make him submit to you."

Upon hearing these words, Maggie nodded pensively after raising her eyebrows. But before she could laugh at Rene's words, he declared that they had to pay nine dollars as administrative fee. This didn't shock Maggie a lot. What stunned her was how Edgar then replied, "You are paying for it. I have no money..." Edgar said as if he took for granted that Maggie should pay for it.

In addition to Maggie, Rene was also equally dazed and retorted, "Shit! Are you joking with me? You only have to pay nine dollars as a fee, but you can't afford it?"noveldrama

"Yeah, I really don't have any money!" Edgar replied without feeling any shame at all. "Well, Maggie and I are going to be a family right away. So, we can share everything between us." Then, he tilted his head to look at his wife-to-be and questioned, "Maggie, don't you think so?"

She subconsciously nodded, as if she agreed with what he had said... After some further consideration, something didn't feel right, but she couldn't figure out where the problem was. Thus, she took the money out of her wallet as Edgar had told her to. Rene was still grumbling, with the red marriage certificates that had been just affixed with embossed stamps in his hand...

In this modern society, what the hell could one do with only nine dollars? Enough for buying two bottles of cool drinks? Or enough for buying an ice cream? Or enough for buying a magazine... All of these things were not quite worthwhile. But meanwhile, nine dollars could even endow people with certain responsibility... By paying nine dollars, Edgar and Maggie received their marriage certificates. From now on, they were legally bonded. They would keep each other company and support each other for the rest of their lives.

Right after accepting their marriage certificates, they walked out of the bureau. It was very sunny outside, but the wind was piercingly chilly... In spite of the nippy wind, Maggie still hadn't become clear-headed. She asked in a daze, "Well... Does this mean that we will spend the rest of our lives together?"

Edgar opened the door of his car and motioned for her to get into the car first. After she took her seat, he closed the door and walked over to Rene, who had followed them out. Then, he said, "Buddy, thank you!"

"By the way, is Maggie the daughter of William Du, the head of our regiment?" William had still been the head of a regiment in the army when Rene retired from the military service. Rene had gotten used to calling him the head of our regiment, although he obviously knew that William had been promoted to a higher rank. ☐☐