Chapter 15

Chapter 15

Sun Yunniang went to town to buy supplies the day after the betrothal was settled.

Zhu Ge'er's wedding date was coming up soon, so she needed to quickly buy red cloth to make the wedding clothes. She also had to prepare a new quilt and sew new clothes for Zhu Ge'er. Although their circumstances weren't as good as before, she wanted to prepare the best she could for her boy.

Since Lai Laoer lived in town, even though Pei Mu had resolved that trouble, she still didn't feel comfortable letting Zhu Ge'er go with her. So she had Zhong Yizhu stay home while she went to buy supplies.

Inside the Zhong house, Zhong Yizhu placed a peach-pink sachet in Liu Mingtao's palm.

Tao Ge'er gasped, "Wow!" holding it up in surprise and lifting it to his nose.

"It smells so good! I noticed that scent on you earlier and was going to ask! Is this for me?"

Tao Ge'er's eyes lit up as he looked at Zhong Yizhu, who nodded: "I said earlier I'd give one to you and Aunt Zhou, but some things came up, and I only finished them in the last couple of days. Sorry for the wait."

The unfinished sachet had been on his pillow the night Lai Laoer ambushed him. After that night, the sachet was torn, and he hadn't touched his needlework for days.

Yesterday, when he saw Aunt Zhou, he suddenly remembered this gift he hadn't finished and quickly found some cloth scraps to make new ones.

Tao Ge'er had no idea about what had happened and was simply delighted with the gift.

"What's a little wait? This scent is so unique—I've never smelled anything like it! I love it, thank you, Zhu Ge'er!"

"You're welcome." Zhong Yizhu smiled and took out the other sachet meant for Aunt Zhou, handing it to him. Tao Ge'er sniffed it left and right, looking totally delighted, making Zhong Yizhu bite his lip to hold back a smile.

Liu Mingtao tucked the sachets away, hesitated, then couldn't help asking in a low voice: "Zhu Ge'er, are you really going to marry that hunter Pei?"

When Pei Mu was mentioned, Zhong Yizhu thought of yesterday and still felt a little awkward. He nodded and answered softly: "Yes."

Tao Ge'er frowned worriedly: "But he's so fierce—what if he hits you?"

Probably because Liu Mingtao had once witnessed Pei Mu savagely break Pei Jin's leg, as a young man seeing such a brutal scene for the first time, it left a deep impression. Even though later his friend Chen Xiaorong told him Pei Mu wouldn't hit people randomly, he was still terrified of Pei Mu.

He couldn't understand why Zhu Ge'er would choose such a fierce man as a husband. Just thinking about it made his legs weak.

Zhong Yizhu knew Tao Ge'er was worried about him. He thought for a moment and carefully explained:

"Why would he hit me? Didn't you say he's never hit women or young men before? When Carpenter Pei and Tian Shi schemed against him, he only hit Pei Jin and didn't lay a hand on Pei Shui, right?"

Tao Ge'er nodded, then shook his head: "Well, he did hit someone—Zhang Guihua got a big bump from him. Serves her right, hehe."

Yesterday, Zhang Guihua first got a bump from Pei Mu's throw, then pretended to faint. While being carried back, she bumped into things here and there. She held it together in public, but once they entered the alley, she "woke up" and cursed the two women helping her.

Those two aunties weren't to be messed with; they cursed her right back. In the end, it turned into a full-blown fight, with Zhang Guihua getting beaten by both of them. Word was her face was a mess of black and blue—quite a sight.

Liu Mingtao felt a thrill of satisfaction just hearing the story, wishing he could have been there to watch, maybe even sneak in a kick when nobody was looking.

He hadn't forgotten how Zhang Guihua had spread rumors to bad-mouth Zhu Ge'er and Aunt Sun. Thankfully, everything was cleared up now, and Zhang Guihua had been punished. All's well that ends well.

Liu Mingtao didn't stay long at the Zhong house. The harvest was approaching, and he had more chores at home.

He chatted with Zhong Yizhu a little, then left bouncing along, clutching the two sachets.

The northern part of the village was on slightly higher ground. Zhong Yizhu walked to the door to see Tao Ge'er off, and the golden rice paddies in the distance caught his eye, making him suddenly feel the passage of time.

When he first arrived in the village, the fields were still green. Back then, he couldn't tell rice from water grass—and he didn't have the heart to care.

He'd only been back in the village a little over a month, but it felt like ages. In a daze, it seemed even longer than the previous decade.

Zhong Yizhu lingered at the doorway for a moment before turning back inside and closing the door.

·

The next several days saw no rain. Hot winds swept through the village fields—the early rice needed harvesting.

The villagers had no time left to gossip about Pei Mu and Zhong Yizhu's marriage; every household was busy.

Reaping, threshing, drying—people started before dawn, and even the naughtiest kids were put to work delivering food and water, too scared to goof off.

After the harvest came tax time, another mad rush of counting and hauling grain. The days quickly slipped into the latter half of the month.

On the twenty-third day of the sixth month, firecrackers popped and crackled on the west side of the village, startling people out of their harvest work. They grabbed the almanac and suddenly realized what day it was.

That jinx from the Pei family and the young man from the Zhong family were getting married!

For the past half month, the villagers had been busy harvesting, while Zhong Yizhu and Sun Yunniang were occupied with cutting cloth and embroidering quilts, barely stepping out.

In Zhong Yizhu's room, two boxes tied with red cloth sat on the bed. One held two new embroidered quilts; the other contained all his clothes and belongings.

Zhong Yizhu had gotten up early to bathe and burn incense. Now dressed in his wedding robes with his hair done, he hadn't even put on makeup yet when the groomsman beside him started showering him with praise, saying that in all his years of seeing off weddings, he'd never seen such a handsome groom.

The Zhong family had been eating well for the past half month. Sun Yunniang, perhaps worried that Zhong Yizhu wouldn't get enough meat at Pei Mu's place, had been cooking all sorts of delicious food for him.

Fortunately, the Zhong house was an end unit, so the smell of meat only carried as far as Aunt Zhao's next door, earning a few snide comments.

After half a month of good food, Zhong Yizhu was still thin, not yet back to his former plump softness, but much better than the gaunt, skeletal look of a fortnight ago.

His peach-blossom eyes shone, his hair was jet-black, his skin fair as snow. The red wedding robes gave his complexion a rosy glow, like a flower on a spring branch ready to be picked.

The groomsman finished threading his face and put on his makeup, never stopping the praise. Zhong Yizhu watched quietly, saying nothing until the groomsman finished and left the room, leaving only him and Sun Yunniang. Only then did emotion show in his eyes as he looked at her.

Sun Yunniang touched his hair and said with a smile: "Our little Zhu Ge'er looks so beautiful."

That was what his parents used to call him when he was little. Zhong Yizhu hadn't heard it in ages. His nose started to sting: "Mother..."

"Don't cry. If you turn into a little kitten from crying, your father will laugh at you when you go bid him farewell."

Zhong Yizhu nodded, but then saw Sun Yunniang sliding her own dowry bracelet onto his wrist. He immediately tried to pull his hand back and refuse, but she held him firm.

"Keep it safe. This is for you to fall back on. Don't be foolish and tell him about it. There's not much I can do for you. Once you marry into another household, you'll have to rely on yourself."

Zhong Yizhu bit his lip hard, held back as long as he could, then finally broke down sobbing, hugging Sun Yunniang's waist.

"Oh dear, on such a happy day, don't cry. Let me see—"

Hearing the young man's cries, the groomsman hurried in to console him, throwing in auspicious words to lighten the mood.

Soon, the matchmaker's voice called from outside the door. Sun Yunniang, eyes reddened, helped cover Zhong Yizhu's face with the red bridal veil. She spoke blessings, but tears streamed from the corners of her eyes, impossible to stop.

The Zhong family had no relatives in the village. The mother and son had only specially invited the village head's family; several clan elder families also sent people to help celebrate and see off the bride. It wasn't boisterous, but it wasn't cold either.

With the red veil blocking his view, Zhong Yizhu could only follow the groomsman's guiding hand. The voices around him were a bit noisy, and he was too caught up in his sadness to tell whose voices they were.

The groomsman beside him suddenly paused, and Zhong Yizhu stopped as well. Then, a piece of red cloth was pressed into his hand.

The edge of his vision was blocked on the left; the hem of a man's wedding robe caught his eye. Zhong Yizhu's eyes burned at the sight, and he unconsciously tightened his grip on the red cloth.

He followed the man in bowing farewell to his parents, then climbed onto the oxcart. Amid the unfamiliar noise and excitement, he was led into a strange house.

It wasn’t exactly a lively affair. Most villagers came to watch the commotion, but few brought gifts or stayed for the feast. Even Carpenter Pei and Tian Shi—the groom’s parents—were absent, and other households deemed it wisest to keep their distance.

The wedding feast ended swiftly. By dusk, all guests had dispersed.

No one urged the groom to drink, nor did anyone come to tease the newlyweds in the bridal chamber. When Pei Mu entered the room, his first impression was the unfamiliar sight of red “Xi” characters everywhere; then his gaze settled on the figure seated by the bed.

The young man sat upright, back straight, hands neatly folded in his lap—the only sign of tension the whitened tips of his fingers betrayed.

The sun was nearly down, casting the room in dim light. Pei Mu casually lit the red candle on the table, stepped forward, and lifted the bridal veil.

Pei Mu had always known Zhong Yizhu was handsome—even at his most disheveled, his beauty remained undimmed. Now, dressed in his wedding finery, he was even more radiant, lending an almost elegant air to the simple hardwood bed Pei Mu had hastily assembled for himself.

Zhong Yizhu blinked against the sudden light, then looked up—to find Pei Mu standing directly before him. Startled, he quickly lowered his eyes again, his lashes trembling incessantly.

Pei Mu leaned in, studying him in silence for a long moment until Yizhu’s breathing grew ragged. Then he straightened.

“Are you really that afraid of me?”

Yizhu hesitated, then shook his head. Perhaps because Pei Mu had saved him the first time they met, he’d never truly feared him. What he felt now was something closer to nervousness.

Pei Mu raised an eyebrow, his voice losing its earlier cold edge. “I left food for you on the table in the main room. Go eat.”

Outside, everyone had already left—the guests were gone, the hired cook had cleaned up and departed, and Wang Ping’an and his husband had helped return the borrowed tables and benches.

On the table in the main room sat a bowl of meat, a fish, and a bowl of rice—clearly set aside earlier, untouched.

Though Pei Mu remained in the inner room, Yizhu ate quickly. The bowls were large, and his appetite small, so plenty remained. As he stored the leftovers in the kitchen, Pei Mu followed.

Pei Mu pointed out where the grain and meat were kept. “I’m heading into the mountains tomorrow. Just take care of your own meals. If you need help, go to Ping’an Ge and his husband—their house is the first one toward the village.”

“Alright.” Yizhu nodded, still slightly dazed. *Heading into the mountains tomorrow…?*

After finishing his instructions, Pei Mu paused briefly to check whether he’d missed anything, then turned and went to inspect his hunting tools. Yizhu washed the bowls, then used the warm water left on the stove to wash up before returning to the bedroom.

The sky had darkened. Not long after, Pei Mu pushed open the door.

The red candle on the table was small, illuminating only a narrow circle around it. Beyond that, faint shadows stretched into the gloom.

Yizhu sat properly on the edge of the bed, watching from the corner of his eye as Pei Mu drew nearer—until he was fully enveloped in his shadow.

Pei Mu stood before him.

Pei Mu was taller and broader than him, and the candlelight cast his shadow over Yizhu, making it hard to breathe.

Yizhu’s mind reeled in chaos. His entire body was taut as a drawn bow, and with all his strength, he suppressed the nightmares this scene evoked, holding back the urge to flee. Yet he waited—long—for Pei Mu’s next move.

Through the ringing in his ears, Yizhu faintly heard a voice. Summoning his courage, he looked up—meeting Pei Mu’s gaze, confused.

In the dim candlelight, the harsh lines of Pei Mu’s face softened. The ringing in Yizhu’s ears gradually faded, and he heard Pei Mu ask,

“What are you doing blocking the way here? Or do you want to sleep on the outside?”

Yizhu snapped back to reality and quickly pulled his feet in, scrambling to the far side of the bed. Watching Pei Mu untie his belt and shrug off his outer robe, his heart hammered wildly. He lowered his head, unsure where to place his hands or feet.

The red candle was blown out. In the darkness, the man’s shadow approached once more. Yizhu stiffened, curling inward and digging his nails into his palms—but the expected touch never came.

Pei Mu pulled the covers over himself and lay down. Soon, his breathing evened.

Inside the bed curtains, only breathing filled the silence. Yizhu, somewhat dazed, slowly unclenched his fists.

The wedding attendant had instructed him this morning on what to do on the wedding night—even warning him to endure the pain if it hurt at first, assuring him it would ease afterward, and cautioning him not to spoil the man’s mood, lest he lose interest later.

Yizhu had been terrified by the description, finding the whole notion frightening. Now that Pei Mu had simply gone to sleep, he didn’t know why—but instinctively, he breathed a sigh of relief.

He fumbled in the dark to remove his wedding robe and slipped into his side of the bedding. This was the new quilt his mother had made for him—soft and warm. He stole a glance at Pei Mu, but in the darkness, saw nothing—only heard his steady breathing.

Yizhu rolled over, turning away from Pei Mu, and closed his eyes.

Naturally, Yizhu slept poorly that night in such unfamiliar surroundings.

Nor did Pei Mu fare much better. With an unfamiliar person suddenly beside him, he kept jolting awake, only settling back to sleep after confirming who it was. It wasn’t until the latter part of the night that exhaustion finally pulled him into deep slumber.

As a hunter, he didn’t need to rise at dawn like the farmers; restoring his energy through sufficient rest mattered more. So sleeping until the sun hung high in the sky was nothing unusual for him.

All night, the bed curtains held a faint, unfamiliar scent of pear blossoms—pleasant, even. But near the end of his dream, a sharp, acrid smell of burning reached his nose.

Half-asleep, Pei Mu wondered if someone had burned a hole through their pot—then abruptly remembered there were no houses nearby.

His eyes snapped open. The burning smell was real.

The spot beside him was empty. It was obvious who’d caused it.

Pei Mu rose with a dark expression, fastening his belt as he strode out.

Recalling Zhong Yizhu’s disastrous laundry attempt by the river when they first met, he genuinely believed setting the house on fire on the very first day of their marriage was entirely within the young man’s capabilities.

So this was his retribution.

Author’s note:

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Pei Mu: What’s scarier than a foolish person? A foolish person who works hard!

Dear readers, I plan to launch the paid chapter system the day after tomorrow.