Married Life

 

According to tradition, after the wedding ceremony, groom’s family members would escort the wife to the bridal chamber to await the groom. However, Jing Yi was not an ordinary person, so today, during this wedding banquet, he entered with Chuxia together.

 

Also, because Chuxia was accompanying him, some reserved men didn’t dare to make a scene today, and Jing Yi managed to escape some trouble.

 

After the ceremony, the banquet began. There were twenty tables set up inside the courtyard of Jing’s house, and an additional outdoor banquet area.

 

Inside the courtyard, they naturally entertained the distinguished guests from the groom’s family, as well as the village head, elders, relatives, and friends from the village, and friends and clients Jing Yi had made in the nearby town. The rest of the guests were seated at the outdoor banquet area.

 

There was nothing to complain about this arrangement. Guests from near and far have their distinctions. Moreover, there was good food and wine served in the outdoor banquet area, so no one felt disappointed.

 

Inside the courtyard, Jing Yi, along with Chuxia, started toasting from the main table. Jing Yi was accompanied by Jing Feng, Liu Xianzhi, and Meng Hong, who helped him with the toasting.

 

Originally, it was only supposed to be his younger cousins, but Jing Yi was a bit cautious, fearing that too much alcohol might affect his performance on his wedding night, so he sneakily convinced the tall and robust Meng Hong from the opposing side to help him with the toasting.

 

They toasted around all twenty tables in the courtyard and then roughly did the same for the guests at the outdoor area. Even though Jing Yi didn’t drink much, he started feeling a bit dizzy. At this point, he clung to Chuxia, acting spoiled, not wanting to continue with the formalities, and wishing to rest with his spouse.

 

People around started teasing them.

 

“Jing Yi, you’re a grown man, and you’re still acting spoiled with your spouse!”

 

“Hurry up! Give way to Brother Jing, and let him head straight to the bridal chamber!”

 

“Hey! I’ve always thought these two lovebirds were really sweet!”

 

Jing Yi paid no attention to the comments and kept snuggling against Chuxia, rubbing his cheek against him. Chuxia pretended to remain calm and apologized to everyone, saying his husband had drunk a bit too much and he was going to take him to have some sobering tea.

 

Once they arrived in their room, indeed, Jing Yi drank the sobering tea, but then he clung to Chuxia and refused to come out. Well, they had their parents there, so it wasn’t considered too rude not to send off the guests on their wedding night.

 

This break continued until late into the night, and they were both exhausted.

 

Jing Yi’s wedding ceremony ended successfully, and the day’s events were still being talked about in the village. There was plenty of gossip.

 

Whether it was the grand setup of the wedding ceremony or the delicacies and drinks served at the banquet, it was all seen as lavish and exquisite by the villagers, with a hefty price tag.

 

And one topic that had been discussed incessantly was Chuxia’s dowry.

 

If the betrothal gifts from the Jing family had caused a stir in Wangjia Village, then the gifts and money from the Lin family had silenced those who had criticized Chuxia for aiming too high.

 

In the dowry, the most important items were the double happiness bedding and mandarin duck pillows. Lin’s mother had enlisted the help of a skilled granny in the village a year in advance to make the bedding. They used top-quality thin cotton for the inner layers and spent a significant amount on satin for the outer layers, making a total of sixteen sets.

 

The mandarin duck pillows were entirely made of silk, three pairs in total, with auspicious patterns embroidered on them: mandarin ducks playing in water, flowers blossoming in prosperity, and the hundred-child motif.

 

Among the other items in the dowry, ranging from the happiness basin, comb, rice container, embroidered shoes, new clothes, and pants to larger items like cabinets and camphorwood chests, Lin’s mother had even considered getting a bed for the young couple. He had heard that in wealthier families in the capital, they would provide a bed as part of the dowry for the groom. However, Jing Yi managed to persuade him against it.

 

The most crucial part of the dowry was the cash gift from the Lin family to Chuxia, a total of ninety-nine taels, symbolizing a long and prosperous life.

 

On the day of the wedding, people weren’t entirely aware of this, and they didn’t think that the Lin family’s mountain goods store in town could make that much profit. However, when a few women and men who had attended the welcoming ceremony returned and shared the details of the dowry and cash gift, everyone was amazed and envious, realizing that Chuxia had indeed married a valuable husband.

 

On the second day of their marriage, the newlyweds were utterly exhausted. The weather in the north during October was already getting chilly, and in the morning, the warmth of the blankets was undoubtedly inviting.

 

Chuxia had been kept awake half the night by Jing Yi, who was like a “psychological bachelor.” At first, things were fine, as Jing Yi had done his homework and made it an intimate and passionate evening until late at night.

 

However, everything has its limits. Could that young man’s stamina match that of a rugged man? Moreover, given Chuxia’s current age, if he were placed in modern times, he would be a high school student.

 

So, in the second half of their night, the consequence of irritating Chuxia was that Jing Yi had bite marks on his shoulder. However, he didn’t feel embarrassed about his injury; instead, he considered it a badge of honor. He woke up early and proudly touched it, chuckling stupidly.

 

“Hehehe” it began again.

 

Although Chuxia was tired, he remembered that they had to wake up early today to serve tea to their parents-in-law. So, he didn’t sleep soundly either.

 

Yesterday, Mother Jing had specifically told them that they didn’t need to wake up too early today, but Chuxia still felt obliged to prepare breakfast in the morning.

 

He was awakened by laughter and, in his half-asleep state, saw a handsome face right in front of him, followed by a warm sensation on his lips—a loud “smooch!”

 

He blinked, realizing the situation at hand. Memories of the previous night rushed back, and his face turned as red as a tomato. He pulled the blanket up to his nose, leaving only his watery eyes exposed.

 

“What are you doing?” Chuxia scolded teasingly.

 

“Kissing my wife! Good morning, Xiaxia!” Jing Yi shamelessly said.

 

“Good morning,” Chuxia replied with a hoarse voice, feeling sore all over and constantly avoiding Jing Yi’s continuous kisses.

 

“Don’t be silly, what time is it? I need to get up and make breakfast.” Chuxia looked at the sky outside, sat up, felt a chill on his back, realized he wasn’t wearing clothes, and quickly lay back down.

 

“Haha!” Jing Yi chuckled, pretending to be innocent, but in reality, his eyes had been fixed on Chuxia’s smooth back.

 

“Don’t worry, my mother said yesterday that you don’t need to make breakfast.” Jing Yi tried to reassure Chuxia, who seemed a bit anxious.

 

“No, it’s the first day of our marriage. How can I let my mother prepare breakfast for us? Please bring me my clothes.” Xiaxia felt that in his perspective, it was improper for a newlywed husband to let his mother serve them breakfast.

 

“Alright, let’s both get up, and I’ll help you.” Jing Yi had no choice, although he was concerned about Chuxia’s health, he couldn’t persuade him otherwise.

 

Chuxia initially wanted to refuse, but he thought about it. His husband was different from ordinary men; he was respectful and considerate. He didn’t want to reject his kindness. Instead, he boldly kissed Jing Yi on the cheek to express his gratitude and then hurriedly got dressed and left the room, though his steps were a bit unsteady.

 

“Hehe! Wife, this is too heavy. Let me handle it.” Jing Yi touched his face with a delighted smile, then chased after Chuxia. When he saw Chuxia carrying a small bucket to fetch water, he immediately took it from him.

 

“Wife, you go to the kitchen and pick a few steamed buns from the basket, then take a break.”

 

After Jing Yi finished speaking, he went to fetch water in the courtyard, then carried it into the kitchen. He started washing the pots, boiling water, and cooking porridge, adding some wolfberries and red dates.

 

The second kitchen in the courtyard was quite spacious because the homeowner frequently used it, and both stoves were large.

 

When the porridge was almost ready, Jing Yi placed a steaming tray inside. Chuxia placed the steamed buns and some leftover vegetables from yesterday on top to heat together.

 

It was almost 8 o’clock by now, and there were gradual movements in the side rooms of the main house in the courtyard. Getting married yesterday had indeed been physically demanding, and everyone had slept in.

 

A moment later, Jing Yi’s mother came out of the house, habitually heading towards the kitchen. From a distance, she saw the young couple affectionately cooking together. She smiled, said nothing, and turned to the main room to set the table.

 

At exactly 8 o’clock, an auspicious time, Jing Yi and Xiaxia knelt to pay respect to their parents by serving tea. After receiving red envelopes, they stood up happily.

 

Jing Yi’s mother didn’t impose any strict rules, as she had experienced being subjected to rules right after her own marriage. Thankfully, she had Jing Yi’s father to support her, so she had vowed to treat her daughter-in-law well from the beginning.

 

The Jing family’s dinner table was never a place for discussing business matters. So, after everyone had eaten their fill, Jing’s father, Jing’s mother, Jing Yi, and Chuxia sat in the main room, chatting. The two younger ones ran outside to play, enjoying their rare day in the village.

 

“Xiao Yi, your mother and I have been thinking that both you and Xiaxia are capable and quick-thinking. So, from now on, you two will be in charge of the shops in town, while your mother and I mainly enjoy our retirement here in the village,” Jing’s father explained.

 

Currently, the Jing family had two shops in town. The original Jing Family shop went without saying, but the subsequent Jing’s Hot Pot restaurant was a venture started by Jing Yi and had been quite profitable.

 

Jing’s parents understood that without Jing Yi, they wouldn’t have these businesses. For now, everyone lived together harmoniously, but as their grandchildren, Xiao An and Xiao Shu, grew up and started their own families, outsiders might mistakenly assume that the family businesses belonged to Jing’s parents. This could lead to unreasonable demands, and not only might Chuxia object, but Jing Yi might also feel hurt.

 

So, Jing’s father and mother thought that it would be a good idea for them to retire early. But this left Chuxia feeling uneasy, as if he had taken his in-laws’ position by coming here. Although he knew they meant well, it made him even more uncomfortable.

 

Seeing Chuxia’s discomfort, Jing Yi patted his hand to reassure him, signaling that he would handle this matter. After a brief moment of thought, he understood his parents’ intentions. Although he was touched, he felt it was unnecessary.

 

As the saying goes, you can judge a person’s character at three years old and their demeanor in old age at seven. The Jing family knew what Xiao An and Xiao Shu would grow up to be since they were family. They were certain that their own children wouldn’t engage in disputes over family wealth, even after they got married. As for outsiders attempting to sow discord in their family, like Jing Yi, they weren’t naive.

 

Furthermore, what the Jing family currently had couldn’t be called substantial wealth. They earned a fair amount, but their roots were shallow, and they couldn’t even be considered minor gentry, let alone in the city or county. Even in Fuyang Town, those wealthy merchants who had been in business for generations might appear polite on the surface, but privately, they probably wouldn’t give you the time of day.

 

Jing Yi, after transmigrating, hadn’t initially aimed for great riches. However, he hadn’t yet achieved the financial and operational freedom he hoped for within the confines of Fuyang Town. He would continue to work hard.