The two hit it off right away and chatted for quite a while before they had time to attend to anyone else.
Among those who came with Xiao Juan, two were familiar faces. One was Jiang Yan, who had been by Xiao Cheng’s side before Zhou Jinlai came along back in Lanxi County, and the other was Dongzi, whom they had frequently interacted with in Changzhu Village.
Dongzi was a smooth talker, calling out “good sister” left and right, and with just a few words, he had Zhang Wenhua grinning from ear to ear.
Jiang Yan, on the other hand, stood off to the side silently moving things, his head lowered. He had only politely greeted everyone at the beginning and had not spoken a word since.
“Such a brooding mute.”
Lin Aiyun had been watching Xiao Cheng and Zhou Jin move things when she caught this mutter out of the blue. She turned toward the source of the voice and saw Xiao Juan staring intently in one direction, her lips puckered so hard they could hang a soy sauce bottle, but her eyes were clearly gleaming.
Following her gaze, there stood only one person—Jiang Yan.
A memory suddenly came to mind. In her past life, although Xiao Juan appeared glamorous and generous, she was warm on the outside but cold within, showing little interest in most things. She never married, had no children, and did not live in the Xiao residence but separately on her own.
Lin Aiyun had asked about the reason back then, but Xiao Juan refused to speak of it, and Xiao Cheng was unwilling to say either. She only vaguely knew it had something to do with a man, but he had passed away very early, apparently in an accident on Xiao Juan’s twentieth birthday. That event had hit her hard, leaving her devastated for a long time, and it took her many years to gradually recover.
As for Jiang Yan, Lin Aiyun had never seen him nor heard of him in her past life. While it was possible he had simply stopped working for Xiao Cheng afterward, it was also possible that…
So, could he be the early-departed “first love” in Xiao Juan’s heart?
If so, since she knew the general timeline, Lin Aiyun wanted to help Xiao Juan and Jiang Yan avoid that calamity.
There was still plenty of time before the accident, so Lin Aiyun set the matter aside for now and pulled Xiao Juan inside to try on the wedding dress. The latter was visiting the southern countryside for the first time and was curious about everything, looking left and right with boundless energy.
“My brother also prepared a wedding gown for when we hold the banquet back in the capital.”
In this era, couples who could wear wedding gowns and suits came from wealthy and influential families. It wasn’t just because of the high cost of the garments themselves, but also due to societal acceptance at the time. For ordinary families, it was already quite something if the groom wore a Zhongshan suit and the bride wore a red dress—no one went after the fashions popular among Westerners.
Preparing a traditional Chinese wedding outfit was too cumbersome, and they did not have enough time. Moreover, in recent years, campaigns against feudal superstition had been raging, and hardly anyone dared to dance on the edge of the storm. So Lin Aiyun had been forced to abandon that style from the start.
For the wedding banquet held in the village this time, they chose a more understated style. After consulting Lin Aiyun, Xiao Cheng had Xiao Juan commission a famous tailor in the capital to make it. The slightly fitted design carried hints of a traditional cheongsam and suited her perfectly.
A long crimson dress, cinched at the waist, with a row of white pearl buttons, a skirt hem adorned with a few calla lilies, and a pair of subtly embroidered mandarin ducks nearby—symbolizing devotion, eternal unity, and good fortune.
Lin Aiyun let down her braided long hair, then had Xiao Juan help her pin it all up into a bun, securing the matching red hair accessories. She then changed into a pair of low-heeled leather shoes, and it was pretty much complete—just a touch of rouge on the day of the banquet and she would be flawless.
“Sister-in-law, you look stunning.”
Hearing Xiao Juan’s sincere compliment, Lin Aiyun gave a faint smile and stared blankly at herself in the mirror. She rarely wore such vibrant colors and had never realized she could look so radiant and captivating.
Her youthful, delicate face was like polished jade, with dark hair and fair skin. Her eyes, brimming with a limpid autumn sheen, sparkled with warmth, and her lips were naturally rosy without any color. Every movement she made exuded breathtaking beauty.
“Oh my, oh my! Hurry out and show my brother—he’s going to love it.” Xiao Juan took Lin Aiyun’s hand and flung the door open with force. Before Lin Aiyun could mentally prepare herself, she came face-to-face with Xiao Cheng, who had been waiting outside.
“Aiyun?” Xiao Cheng’s dark eyes could not hide his amazement, and he murmured unconsciously, staring blankly at the woman before him—this was his future wife.
“Wow, sis, you look absolutely gorgeous!”
“It suits you perfectly. I’ve never seen such a beautiful bride.”
“Haha, the groom is a lucky man.”
The others’ effusive praises made Lin Aiyun’s cheeks flush crimson. Her fingertips unconsciously twisted the hem of her dress, her ears burning red, and she said softly, “It fits well. No alterations needed.”
“Mm.” Xiao Cheng suppressed the urge to step closer and nodded, his gaze fixed unblinkingly on her, as if he wanted to devour her whole. Under such pressure, Lin Aiyun quickly went back into the room to change out of the dress.
With Xiao Juan and the others helping out, the task of decorating the house was quickly completed. At dinner, they squeezed around a full table, and everyone set aside their usual formalities, chatting and drinking merrily.
After the meal, Zhang Wenhua pulled Lin Aiyun into the room for a private talk, her brow brimming with joy. “Xiao Cheng’s sister is a good one too. They say sisters-in-law can be hard to get along with, and I was worried she might look down on us because we’re from the countryside and give you attitude. But after meeting her today, I’m completely at ease.”
“Come to think of it, their whole family is good-looking. Hehe, and you’re beautiful too, Aiyun. Your children will definitely be handsome.”
At this, Lin Aiyun shyly shot Zhang Wenhua a reproachful glance. “Mother…”
“What’s there to be shy about? You’re about to be married.” Zhang Wenhua waved it off nonchalantly. Then, remembering something, she figured the next few days would be busy and she might not have another chance to speak with Lin Aiyun alone. So she lowered her voice, leaned close to her ear, and began teaching her some marital knowledge.
“Men have an extra part down there that we women don’t. Anyway, when you undress at night, you’ll see. Xiao Cheng should know what to do—just leave it to him. But you can’t go in completely clueless either, Aiyun.”
“Simply put, that thing goes where you usually pee. Then you do this and that. It’s normal for it to hurt at first. I can tell Xiao Cheng is tall and sturdy, with a big straight nose, a prominent Adam’s apple, and a strong build. Ahem, you’re bound to suffer a bit, but bear with it, and later you’ll discover the pleasure in it.”
“Do it a few more times, and you’ll have a baby.”
“…”
Emerging from Zhang Wenhua’s room, although she had been mentally prepared, Lin Aiyun’s head was still a little dizzy. Who could tell her why her mother could speak so seriously about such blush-inducing matters?
But she had to admit, her mother wasn’t wrong—Xiao Cheng was indeed overwhelmingly strong, and she certainly hadn’t suffered little. Yet the further it went, the more pleasure she experienced.
Lin Aiyun shook her head, trying to cast these messy thoughts out of her mind. But involuntarily, last night’s scene in the bathhouse surfaced—Xiao Cheng whispering dirty words in her ear about “doing her to death” after marriage and “making her beg for mercy”…
It was too crude to even hear.
She buried her face in her palms and took several deep breaths to barely calm herself down.
But the next second, her wrist was seized, and the familiar deep voice sounded by her ear, wrapped in tender concern. “What’s wrong? Why is your face so red? Did you drink too much and feel tipsy? Are you uncomfortable? Let me get you some hangover soup.”
Xiao Cheng pressed his broad palm to her forehead, his handsome brows furrowed.
Lin Aiyun shook her head, her gaze unconsciously drifting over his straight nose, his tightly pressed lips, and finally landing on the rounded, prominent Adam’s apple. It seemed those old wives’ tales about judging a man’s prowess were quite accurate.
“What are you looking at?”
Snapping back to reality, she looked up to meet Xiao Cheng’s amused, knowing eyes. She cleared her throat guiltily and averted her gaze, mumbling, “Nothing, just looking around.”
“I didn’t say you couldn’t look.” Xiao Cheng chuckled and reached out to ruffle her hair. She hadn’t taken it down since it was pinned up earlier, and now it was a bit disheveled. Lin Aiyun raised a hand to the back of her neck and felt a few loose strands of hair.
Perhaps realizing he had messed up her hairdo, Xiao Cheng’s eyes flickered. “Want me to fix it for you?”
“Do you know how?”
“…”
Xiao Cheng fell silent, rubbed the tip of his nose sheepishly, then quickly declared, “No, but I can learn. I can help you with it later.”
Lin Aiyun caught the implication in his words and curved her lips. “Then take your time learning. No rush—we have all the time in the world.”
“Then you’ll teach me.” Under the glow of the setting sun, Xiao Cheng’s long lashes looked like two rows of tightly closed feather fans, and his dark eyes shimmered with gentle light.
“Alright.” Lin Aiyun agreed, and he took her hand toward the kitchen. But at the door, he let go—inside, Lin Jianzhi and Lin Wenkang were still chatting with Dongzi, while Zhou Jin was busy pouring them drinks.
She looked around and didn’t see Xiao Juan or Jiang Yan.
There was some hangover soup ready in the pot. Although Lin Aiyun didn’t feel drunk, Xiao Cheng still made her drink half a bowl, just in case—otherwise, a headache later would be really unpleasant.
The two lingered in the kitchen chatting for a while before heading off to wash up one after another. By the time Lin Aiyun finished her bath and returned to the room, she ran into Xiao Juan at the doorway, who had just come back from outside.
“Sister-in-law.” Xiao Juan’s eyes were still rimmed with red, as if she had been crying earlier. After greeting Lin Aiyun hastily, she kept her head low and went inside to rummage through her bundle for clothes.
Pretending not to notice anything unusual, Lin Aiyun casually mentioned where the bathhouse was while calmly combing her own hair.
“Thanks.” After saying that, Xiao Juan sat at the foot of the bed for a while, seemingly composing herself, before taking her clothes and going out to find Zhou Jin to help her fetch water.
Once she was alone in the room, Lin Aiyun stopped brushing her hair and furrowed her brows slightly, guessing that Xiao Juan had gone out with Jiang Yan earlier. After all, she was new here and didn’t know anyone else besides them—who else could she have gone with?
Something must have upset her to make her cry.
Whoever tied the knot must untie it. When it came to matters of the heart, no one else could intervene.
That night, Lin Aiyun and Xiao Juan slept together. Though they had hit it off instantly, they were still strangers at heart, and with the latter in low spirits, they didn’t chat for long before each drifted off to sleep.
Zhou Jin took Dongzi and Jiang Yan to stay overnight at the eldest uncle’s house and would return the next morning.
The entire Lin household fell into deep silence after nightfall, until the rooster crow at dawn woke everyone up.
Come morning, Xiao Juan was fully recharged, as if nothing had happened. She stuck close to Lin Aiyun affectionately, helping with chores without a single complaint of tiredness. Their relationship blossomed rapidly and became wonderfully close.
As the wedding day drew near—on the evening before the banquet—Zhang Wenyue also arrived with the entire Ding family. Since the house couldn’t accommodate everyone, they stayed with relatives nearby.
Everything was in place, and Peng Juan and her lot, whom Lin Aiyun had been somewhat worried about, never showed up to cause trouble—almost as if they had vanished into thin air. Their absence was a relief, and Lin Aiyun didn’t bother digging into the reasons.
The big day soon arrived. Before dawn broke, deafening firecrackers began warming up the celebration. Lin Jianzhi had hired a troupe of performers who started singing on the stage. To catch the excitement, most of the villagers rose early to watch the show, though many were really there for the first round of the “tossing blessings” in the morning.
It was a local custom: three times a day—morning, noon, and evening—the bride’s parents would stand at the doorstep tossing out candies and peanuts. Anyone who picked something up had to say a blessing, symbolizing the gathering of good fortune.
Then came the procession to fetch the bride. The groom, dressed in his finest, would lead his male relatives to the bride’s home to bring her back to his. But since Xiao Cheng had no residence here, the ritual was adapted: he drove Lin Aiyun around the village a couple of times in his car before bringing her back to the Lin household.
Today, Xiao Cheng was radiant with joy. Dressed in a crisp black Zhongshan suit, his short hair slicked back with gel into a sleek pompadour, revealing a broad forehead and sharp, refined features. A large red flower was pinned to his chest. Standing tall amid the crowd, he exuded a calm, steady, and imposing presence.
His gaze ahead was composed, but it wasn’t hard to detect the nervous excitement barely contained within.
The wedding feast was set up in the Lin family courtyard. But since there were too many guests to fit inside, the tables spilled out onto the path outside. From a distance, swaths of red stretched out—a lively, bustling sight.
Many crowded into the yard to catch a glimpse of the bride, but out of respect for the hosts, they didn’t push or shove, instead clearing a path for Xiao Cheng to approach.
The bridesmaids were Lin Aiyun’s former classmates—some of her closer friends from the village—who blocked the door and threw challenges at Xiao Cheng.
After a wave of laughter and merrymaking, and after handing out generous red envelopes, Xiao Cheng was finally allowed into the bridal chamber. Inside, boxes tied with red silk ribbons filled the room. Lin Aiyun sat on the bed, her heart pounding wildly.
She clenched her fingers, her lashes trembling. Lifting her gaze amid a chorus of exclamations, she met Xiao Cheng’s smiling face.
They exchanged a knowing smile. Then he took her hand and led her out, step by step.
Their hands held fast, fingers tightly interlaced, never to part again.
After driving around the village, they returned to the main hall to serve tea to the elders. Zhang Wenhua and Lin Jianzhi sat in the place of honor, their eyes slightly reddened but their faces beaming with uncontrollable smiles. After tea and red envelopes were exchanged, Xiao Cheng called out loud and clear:
“Father, Mother.”
“Good children.”
After the tea ceremony, Lin Aiyun was escorted back to the bridal chamber. A while later, she came out with Xiao Cheng to toast the relatives and friends and distribute eggs—all boiled early that morning, white, tender, and plump.
It wasn’t until late afternoon that the last guests departed. The relatives stayed behind to help tidy up, returning borrowed tables, chairs, and utensils to their owners and sweeping the yard from end to end.
Zhang Wenhua had each of them take a large bowl of chicken home. By the time everyone had left, dusk was deepening into night.
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