Chapter 5: Regret? Too Late!

The courtyard was filled with the boisterous sounds of the neighborhood gossiping, and the sound of Pan Hehua knocking on the door urging them.

Xu An looked up at the man who was staring intently at her, still a little afraid, but she couldn’t show any fear. She met his gaze and nodded seriously.

“I’m really marrying you, I won’t regret it.”

Zhou Yu clenched his jaw in annoyance, his unruly face hardened with a fierce expression. He ran his hand through his short, stubby crew cut, a little agitated.

The urging from outside the door and the gossip from the courtyard came again.

The man finally snapped, “Let’s go.”

He turned to leave, but a second later, his sleeve was pulled back.

He turned around fiercely, his thick eyebrows furrowed. He snarled, “What, you regret it?”

He saw the woman in front of him, daring and bold, standing beside him, and she was even using her delicate, fragile hand to hold onto his arm.

Zhou Yu’s throat tightened. He hadn’t had time to push her away before Xu An said in a low voice, “Let’s go.”

Zhou Yu felt uncomfortable, staring at the woman’s porcelain-white profile.  He thought, “Since you dare to marry me, don’t regret it.” He pulled open the door and let Xu An lead him out, appearing in front of everyone.

The door opened, and the people in the courtyard who were watching the show crowded around the door. The courtyard, which had been noisy just a moment ago, was now silent.

All the curious, mocking, or pitying gazes were paused, fixed on the newlywed couple standing in the dim light.

The beautiful woman had skin like jade, her bun revealed her delicate and pretty features, and her red lips were smiling, alluring.

The sky had darkened early.  In the dim light, her skin was so white it seemed to glow, like a soft mist.

Zhou Yu, usually so flippant, was now in a suit, standing beside the bride.  He was tall and strong, making people forget about his leg injury.

They were supposed to be a pair of laughingstocks, but at this moment, they were surprisingly well-matched.

No one expected the country bumpkin to be so beautiful, even city girls couldn’t compete with her.

The people who had come to laugh were now the ones being laughed at.

Zhou Yu impatiently twitched his lips. “Finished looking? Finished looking, then get lost.”

Hearing her second son’s irritating voice, Pan Hehua finally snapped out of her daze. She frowned. “Second son, how can you talk like that!”

“Alright, bring your wife out, have some tea with her.”

Zhou Yu, with a cold face, led Xu An step by step to the main room.  It was only now, as they saw Zhou Yu limping, that people started to feel sorry for the new bride.

Watching Xu An and her second brother enter the main room, Zhou Dandan couldn’t believe her eyes. She poked Feng Yiyou beside her, her face full of disbelief.

“Sister-in-law, that country bumpkin actually looks like this!”

“She even knows how to put on makeup!”

And, even though she didn’t want to admit it, she couldn’t deny that Xu An’s makeup looked good, her hair looked good, even… better than the hairstyle her sister-in-law had done when she got married, which she had hired someone to do. Zhou Dandan wanted to learn how to do it too.

Feng Yiyou’s usually gentle face turned pale. Her little sister was buzzing in her ear like a fly.

She stared at the bright red, noticing her husband looking at the backs of Xu An and her second brother, her palm was about to turn red from squeezing it.

Zhou Shuwen snapped out of his daze and said softly, “Let’s go in.”

He went in first, Zhou Hongguang followed, and Feng Yiyou was pulled in by Zhou Dandan.

In the main room, Zhou Youlu and Pan Hehua were already sitting on the main seats, with two cushions in front of them.

Xu An and Zhou Yu stood side by side in front of them. Zhou Shuwen brought the tea on the table to the two of them.

Xu An and Zhou Yu each took a cup of tea and were about to bend down to offer it to Zhou’s father and mother.

Zhou Youlu slammed his hand on the table, staring at the newlyweds and said in a deep voice, “Kneel down and offer tea.”

Xu An stood silently beside Zhou Yu, keeping her eyes on her nose and her nose on her heart. Zhou Yu didn’t move, she didn’t move.

Zhou Yu lazily raised his teacup, looking like he didn’t care if he drank it or not. “I limped in prison, I can’t kneel.”

“Second son!” Zhou Youlu shouted, “Don’t think that you can get away with anything just because you’ve been to prison. I’m your father!”

Zhou Yu glanced at him sideways, completely unconcerned. “You didn’t say it, I almost forgot.”

Zhou Youlu was so angry that he wanted to find a cane to beat him, but Zhou Shuwen stepped forward to calm him down.

Everyone in the room watched this farce. Pan Hehua still cared about her face. She knew her second son was a scoundrel, he would cause trouble for the Zhou family as much as he could. She patted Zhou Youlu’s arm. “Head of the family, it’s your second son’s wedding today, he can’t kneel, so be it. We have other things to do after the wedding.”

Zhou Youlu understood what she meant, he gave Zhou Yu a cold look. “Hurry up and offer the tea.”

Zhou Yu and Xu An finally offered the tea.  Zhou’s father and mother took a sip with cold faces.

Seeing Xu An staring straight at her, Pan Hehua almost spat out a mouthful of blood. She handed the prepared red envelope to Xu An.

“You two, live a good life.”

Xu An took the red envelope and gently rubbed it with her fingertips, feeling its thickness. The dowry money should be enough.

She smiled at Zhou’s mother, her voice sweet. “Thank you, Mom.”

Pan Hehua was furious but couldn’t vent her anger. She could only agree readily.

Zhou Yu turned his head and stared at the woman’s greedy look as she held the red envelope, snorting with laughter.

After drinking the tea, the crowd dispersed.  The people in the courtyard also started to eat.

Xu An’s body was finally no longer a corpse, and she felt a little hungry.

She reached out and tugged on Zhou Yu’s sleeve. When he looked over, she said softly, “I’m hungry.”

Zhou Yu glanced at the woman’s hand pulling on his clothes and said fiercely, “Wait.”

Xu An found a chair and sat down, lowering her eyes to stare at the ground.

There were subtle gazes on her, but she pretended not to notice.

Zhou Dandan ran to Xu An, her tone still unpleasant. “Second sister-in-law, you didn’t ruin my makeup, did you?”

Xu An looked up and shook her head.

Zhou Dandan stared at the red at the corners of Xu An’s eyes and the seductive eyeliner, and couldn’t help but ask, “How did you do your eyes?”

She didn’t remember having anything that could do that.

Xu An gently touched the corners of her eyes with her fingertips. “I used eyebrow pencil and lipstick to blend it.”

Zhou Dandan suddenly realized. She had never thought of doing it this way. Looking at Xu An’s makeup, Zhou Dandan touched her own face. She wanted to ask Xu An to teach her, but she couldn’t bring herself to ask a country bumpkin.

Zhou Dandan was about to say something else when she saw Zhou Yu walk in with a cold face, holding a bowl in his hand. He handed it to Xu An.

Xu An took it, stared at the meat on top, and looked up at Zhou Yu. Her voice was soft and clear. “Thank you.”

Zhou Yu’s face was cold and uncomfortable. “Eat quickly.”

Xu An was really hungry. She held the bowl and ate, even the mediocre food tasted delicious.

Zhou Yu crossed his arms and watched her.  Noticing the gazes from around him, he glared at them one by one, his face cold, and finally stood in front of Xu An, blocking her completely.

One after another, people finished eating.  Zhou Yu didn’t let Xu An go to toast.  The people in the courtyard slowly left, and the lively courtyard instantly became quiet, leaving only the remnants of the festive atmosphere.

Xu An’s bowl was taken by Zhou Yu after she finished eating. She sat on the chair, still wondering where she would sleep tonight.

The family returned to the main room after entertaining the guests. Pan Hehua stared at Xu An’s face.  This daughter-in-law from Nancheng was indeed beautiful, she hadn’t disgraced her. But she was too eye-catching, Pan Hehua was still dissatisfied.

It was getting late. Pan Hehua looked at Zhou Yu. “Second son, you two will sleep in the west room tonight.”

“Shuwen will sleep in the same room with Hongguang tonight.”  As she said this, Pan Hehua hesitated and looked at Feng Yiyou. “Yiyou, you and Dandan will make do for one night.”

Feng Yiyou felt like she had been patient for a long time.  Since Zhou Hongguang, her husband’s brother who had been to prison, came back, the whole Zhou family had to make way for him.  You’d think the Zhou family owed him something.

He was a criminal, a gangster, and now he married a wife who wasn’t any better.

“Mom, I can’t sleep in Dandan’s room.”

Pan Hehua was in a difficult position.  The second son used to have his own room, but it was small. After he went to prison, it became a storage room. Now, even a person couldn’t stand up straight in it.

After the second son came back, he shared a room with Shuwen, and both brothers were unhappy.  Now that the second son was married, the storage room would have to be cleaned up.

She also knew that her eldest daughter-in-law was definitely upset today, but they had to get the wedding done.

She had no choice but to wink at Zhou Hongguang.

Zhou Hongguang pulled Feng Yiyou over and said calmly, “Mom, I’ll take Yiyou back to the dorm tonight.”

Feng Yiyou shook off his hand. “I’m not going. It’s so late, if you want to go, go yourself.”

Zhou Hongguang pulled her hand and pulled her aside, avoiding Xu An’s gaze. He whispered, “Second brother is getting married today.  After the wedding, they’ll split up. You’ve always wanted to move out, just bear with it for one more day.”

Feng Yiyou was still a little angry, but she really wanted to move out. She didn’t like any of the people in this family, especially this criminal Zhou Yu.

“I’m just putting up with it this once.”

Zhou Hongguang put his arm around her shoulders. “Don’t worry.”

Feng Yiyou didn’t say anything else.

Zhou Hongguang smiled. “Mom, it’s fine, let Yiyou and Dandan sleep together, I’ll sleep with Shuwen.”

Her eldest son was always resourceful. Pan Hehua was finally satisfied.

Since everything was arranged, Pan Hehua urged them to go to rest.

“Alright, alright, you’ve all been busy today, go to rest. We have a lot to do tomorrow.”

Xu An followed behind Zhou Yu, together they went to the west room.

As soon as they entered the room, Xu An saw the books and the desk, everything was neatly arranged. She sat on the chair, glanced at the book on the desk, it was written with Zhou Shuwen’s name.

She looked around the room, the only things that belonged to Zhou Yu were the red window decorations and the bed sheets he was changing.

Zhou Yu changed his clothes silently and then went out.  After a while, he came back with a basin of water, his face cold.

Xu An washed her face first, sat on the bench and took off her shoes.

Zhou Yu stared at the woman’s plain face, her skin was so white it was dazzling under the light.  He silently washed his face, changed the foot basin, and brought the hot water into the room.

Xu An finished washing her feet and sat on the bed.  She took out the red envelope Pan Hehua had given her, took out the money inside, carefully counted it, and handed it to Zhou Yu.

“Here, exactly 1,600 yuan.”

Zhou Yu glanced at it indifferently, didn’t take it, and said casually, “Aren’t you marrying me? It’s your dowry, keep it.”

1,600 yuan was no small amount, this man didn’t even bother to look at it?

Xu An blinked. “All for me?”

Zhou Yu turned back and carefully locked the door, then checked if the windows were closed tightly to prevent the cold wind from entering.

He didn’t respond to Xu An at all, as if she had said something stupid.

Xu An pouted, silently put the money away.  Zhou Yu was a bit of a jerk, but he wasn’t greedy.

The room was quiet. Xu An climbed onto the bed, lay down, turned her head to look at the man who was blocking most of the light in the room, and finally felt the tension and fear that had been suppressed in her heart.  She clutched the bed sheet and swallowed nervously.

Zhou Yu turned his head and saw the woman on the bed, only her eyes were visible. He accurately caught the fear in her eyes and snorted.

“Scared now? Too late.”

He turned off the light and walked over to the bed, directly climbing onto it.

Xu An’s heart beat wildly, but she didn’t think of retreating.  Since she had already married him, if he really wanted to do something, she wouldn’t resist.

In the darkness, Xu An could only hear her own heartbeat.  She felt the man’s warm touch on her arm.  She waited for him to make a move.

She waited stiffly for a long time, but the man didn’t do anything. Xu An couldn’t help but sigh in relief.

She didn’t know if the person beside her was already asleep, but Xu An whispered tentatively in the darkness, “Zhou Yu.”

Zhou Yu smelled a strange, intoxicating fragrance, making him feel hot all over. His throat kept rolling, his craving for cigarettes seemed to be acting up. He said in a rough, cold voice, “I’m not interested in you.”

The man’s gruff words startled Xu An, but she understood what he meant.  She relaxed and whispered, “Oh.”

She let herself relax and fell asleep.

Zhou Yu gritted his teeth, he couldn’t understand why he had to suffer this. He muttered and closed his eyes, finally falling asleep in the late night.