Chapter 28

On the twelfth day of the first lunar month, the Cui Pingzhou household was bustling with activity. Aside from Grandma Xu, who lay in bed, and Jiang Guozhu and Kang Guixiang, who were too embarrassed to show their faces, everyone else had arrived.

Second Son Jiang’s wife, Zhong Huihui, stood in front of the dressing table, following tradition by helping the newlywed daughter-in-law with her makeup. Jiang Ci, young and with beautiful skin, hardly needed any makeup; she only had a touch of rouge on her plump lips, making her look vibrant like a rose about to bloom.

Zhong Huihui felt envious for the first time of Lin Wan, who had such a charming and clever daughter. She began to anticipate the scene of marrying off her own daughter one day.

“Xiao Ci is truly beautiful; she’s lucky to have Brother Chuan,” the room was filled with aunts and older women surrounding the dressing table, cheerfully offering their congratulations.

Lin Wan felt a deep pang of sorrow in her heart; her daughter was about to get married. Even though it was a day of great celebration, she couldn’t help but feel like crying.

Zhong Huihui tugged at Lin Wan’s sleeve and whispered in her ear, “Sister-in-law, did you talk to Xiao Ci about that matter last night?”

“What matter?” Lin Wan, caught off guard by the inquiry, wondered if there was something else she needed to address. “Haven’t all the wedding details been discussed? What could go wrong?”

“Ah, sister-in-law, you…” Zhong Huihui hesitated, realizing it was not entirely Lin Wan’s fault. After all, the day after she married into the Jiang family, Jiang Guozhu had run off. After marrying Cui Pingzhou, the couple also slept in separate rooms, so she probably didn’t understand the matters between a husband and wife very well.

“Tonight is the wedding night; shouldn’t you teach Xiao Ci?” Such things should certainly be advised by the mother.

Lin Wan suddenly understood, her face turning red. “I… how can I say that? How would I even begin?”

Zhong Huihui grew anxious. “Sister-in-law, Brother Chuan, and Xiao Ci are both young; if they didn’t manage tonight, it would be good for someone experienced to talk to Xiao Ci. You should go; it would be embarrassing for Xiao Ci if someone else said it.”

Lin Wan felt torn. She had no experience herself; how could she teach her daughter? She remembered what Cui Pingzhou had said after speaking with Gu Qingchuan: Xiao Ci was still young and shouldn’t have children too early. Did that mean there was no need to teach her?

“Maybe it’s best to forget about it. Pingzhou said Brother Chuan guaranteed they would wait a couple of years to have children, so there’s no need to teach her,” Lin Wan replied.

Zhong Huihui thought to herself, “…” Could Gu Qingchuan really be that honest? She didn’t believe it. When she married at eighteen, she gave birth to a chubby boy the following year.

Hehe…

Jiang Laoshan’s wife, Shen Meimei, pushed the door open with a smile and urged them, “What are you all dawdling for? The wedding procession has already filled the living room.”

“Let them wait,” Zhong Huihui blocked the entrance. This was not like when Lin Wan got married; no one dared to make a fuss then. Xiao Ci was the younger generation; it wouldn’t be so easy for them to marry a daughter from the Jiang family.

A group of aunts who loved to stir up trouble joined in and crowded the door, saying, “Where’s the red envelope? If it’s not enough, we won’t let you in!”

Shen Meimei laughed from behind, “You all can give it up. Qin Li, Kong Yan, and a few others won’t help us as the bride’s family; they’ve gone to Gu Qingchuan’s side to assist with the wedding. With those soldiers, how can you stop them?”

It was indeed impossible to stop them. After stuffing four or five red envelopes through the door, it was pushed open, and a swarm of young men rushed in. They were all unmarried youths, and when they saw the bride sitting on the bright red wedding quilt, their eyes sparkled with admiration. A few shy ones even dared not look directly at her, each one envious of Gu Qingchuan. How had he gotten so lucky?

Gu Qingchuan stepped forward, his eyes shining with brilliance. “Xiao Ci, I’m taking you home.”

“Okay.” Jiang Ci smiled softly, blinking her eyes. Tears nearly spilled out; in her previous life, after coming out of prison, the man who had waited for her outside the high walls had said the same thing.

“Xiao Ci, I’m taking you home,” he had said.

…

The lively atmosphere of the wedding contrasted sharply with the quieter reception at the Gu family’s side. Over the past ten years, most of their relatives had severed ties, and the only ones who could attend were a few brothers who had struggled with Gu Qingchuan in the Heishui River market, along with members of the special operations team led by Qin Li, and Jiang Ci’s colleagues and superiors from the factory.

Three tables were set up for the feast, and the open courtyard felt somewhat empty. Gu Qingchuan, filled with apologies, said, “Xiao Ci, I’m sorry for the inconvenience.”

Jiang Ci smiled, replying, “What’s inconvenient about it? The ones who could come today are all genuine friends. To have three tables of such friends, you should be content.”

Gu Qingchuan paused for a moment, then smiled as well. He turned to look at the noisy relatives and friends in the courtyard, feeling a warmth in his eyes. Yes, the Gu family had suffered for ten years, and he was still able to have so many people attend his wedding. What was there to be dissatisfied about?

Sun Feifei, a good friend of Jiang Ci’s, rushed into the newlyweds’ room and pulled Gu Qingchuan out, exclaiming, “Why hasn’t the groom gone out to toast? Everyone is waiting for you!”

Once Gu Qingchuan stepped outside, Sun Feifei hesitated, and Jiang Ci, laughing, asked her, “What’s wrong with you today? You don’t seem like yourself.”

“Well… the person we saw on the train,” Sun Feifei’s eyes lit up, “why were they dressed in military uniform, and why were they so friendly with Gu Qingchuan? Are they from Qin Cheng?”

Today, when attending Gu Qingchuan’s wedding banquet, they had seen them right after entering. Qin Li even took the initiative to greet them, making Sun Feifei blush and her heart race; she had only exchanged a few words before running off.

Jiang Ci chuckled and said, “I’m not close with them. If you want to know more, why don’t you go out and chat with them?”

Sun Feifei lowered her head, saying, “How can I do that? It’s too embarrassing.”

As Jiang Ci went out to toast, her cup was already filled with sweet rice wine. Gu Qingchuan had already drunk quite a bit, so she rushed over and said, “Don’t bully Brother Chuan.”

“Look at you protecting him,” a few people teased.

Gu Jiansheng, an elder, came over to shield Gu Qingchuan from the toasts. With a moment of respite, Gu Qingchuan leaned close to Jiang Ci’s ear and whispered, “It’s fine; today is a happy day.”

After the lively feast, the aunts who helped in the kitchen kindly tidied up the courtyard. Jiang Ci thanked each of them, and in addition to the wedding gifts, each aunt also gave her twenty wild duck eggs.

By the time the courtyard quieted down, it was already past ten at night. Jiang Ci and Grandma Miao cleaned up leftover dishes and ingredients in the kitchen. Grandma was particularly happy today, saying, “Xiao Ci, don’t worry about it; go take a rest.”

“Grandma, I’m not tired. You and Xiaotixing can go to sleep first.” Jiang Ci washed Xiaotixing’s face and feet with warm water. Snuggling in Jiang Ci’s arms, Xiaotixing was also very happy today, knowing that her sister would never leave again.

Xiaotixing had fallen asleep in Jiang Ci’s arms, and Jiang Ci handed her over to Gu Qingchuan, saying, “Brother Chuan, please take Xiaotixing to bed. Make sure to cover her with the quilt. I need to fill a basin with hot water and take a bath.”

The mention of bathing made Gu Qingchuan’s face flush slightly. He took the little sister into his arms, replying, “Alright.” He turned and left the kitchen. The room he had originally slept in was now given to his sister, and he himself… was in the wedding room with Jiang Ci.

Grandma Miao followed him out, tucking in the corners of her granddaughter’s quilt. “With that smell of alcohol on you, you should go wash up too. We old folks can sleep through anything; you can do whatever you like. Ah, I can finally hold my great-grandson soon.”

Gu Qingchuan thought, “……” Let’s wait and see.

With Grandma and Xiaotixing having gone to sleep, Gu Qingchuan stood at the kitchen door. The sound of running water inside made his heart race, and the cold wind blowing made him sober up quite a bit.

Jiang Ci changed into her cotton pajamas, her long black hair cascading loosely down her shoulders. She opened the door and saw Gu Qingchuan standing dazedly at the entrance. “Brother Chuan, the hot water is ready. You can wash up yourself; I’m returning to my room now.”

She had just finished her hot bath, and her neck was flushed pink. Gu Qingchuan glanced at her and quickly turned his head away. “Okay, if you’re tired, go to sleep.”

Once Jiang Ci returned to her room, she noticed that although it was a space she had previously slept in, it had now become their wedding room. The furniture had all been replaced, including a new 1.8-meter-wide bed with three layers of cotton underneath. Even a few saltwater bags were tucked into the quilt; she had no idea who had thoughtfully placed them there. The bed felt soft and warm as she lay down, and the two red candles on the bedside hadn’t completely burned out yet. Jiang Ci couldn’t help but feel a bit annoyed, thinking that tonight Brother Chuan had let her sleep first… hum!

In the cozy quilt, she really started to doze off.

Suddenly aware of someone beside her, Jiang Ci opened her eyes to find Gu Qingchuan lying next to her. Rubbing her eyes, she asked, “Brother Chuan… did you take an unusually long bath?”

The fire in Gu Qingchuan’s eyes burned bright, causing his ears to turn red. He lay beside her, feeling at a loss—he couldn’t eat, nor did he want to move away. In the end, he lowered his gaze and sighed, “Little girl, what am I going to do with you?”

Jiang Ci turned on her side and playfully bit him, her large black-and-white eyes sparkling with laughter.

Gu Qingchuan felt as if his mind had exploded; rationality had vanished entirely. He recalled that year in May when he and Jiang Ci went to the mountains to pick mulberries. The branches were heavy with clusters of red and purple fruit. They had picked a handful and stuffed them into their mouths; they were incredibly sweet.

Jiang Ci was just like those mulberries. Gu Qingchuan steeled himself, closed his eyes, and leaned in to taste that refreshing sweetness.

Miao Xiulan thought that the newlywed couple would probably sleep in, so she woke up early to prepare breakfast. Just as she was about to leave her room, Gu Qingchuan came in carrying breakfast, saying, “Grandma, has Xiaotixing gotten up? It’s time for breakfast.”

“Up so early?” Miao Xiulan noticed Jiang Ci following behind and felt a pang of concern for her. “Xiao Ci, don’t you have a wedding leave? You’re not going to work today, so why don’t you sleep a little longer?”

“Brother Chuan has to go see Director Zhao this morning. If he’s up, I can’t sleep anymore.” Jiang Ci smiled at the little Xiaotixing, who was getting out of bed. “Hurry up and brush your teeth and wash your face. We’ll go to a nice place after breakfast.”

Grandma Miao reminded Xiaotixing, “You’ll have to start calling her sister-in-law now.”

After breakfast, Jiang Ci went to find Jiang Dasheng. She took Xiaotixing back to the valley in the mountains, where there was a hot spring. Jiang Dasheng regularly carried grains there to feed the animals. Not a single wild chicken or duck had escaped throughout the winter, and quite a few had come in, amounting to around three or four hundred.

Xiaotixing chased after the chickens and ducks curiously, exclaiming, “Sister, this place is really nice!”

Jiang Dasheng, having shed his status as a rich peasant, looked at the farm he had nurtured over the past few months and said, “Xiao Ci, I heard from your mother that she wants you to come work in the factory. What are your plans?”

“I don’t want to go to the factory,” Jiang Dasheng replied, feeling distressed. He gazed at the farming operation he had carefully managed. “I started working as an apprentice and only made twenty or thirty a month. The market in Heishuihe is great right now; I can see that I’m about to make a profit. I really can’t bear to give it up.” His mother had always known what her son was doing; previously, he had been forced to secretly engage in some side hustles to supplement the family’s income because he couldn’t find a proper job. Now that their status as rich peasants had been lifted, she insisted that he find a legitimate job.

Jiang Dasheng was deeply troubled.

“Don’t worry, I’ll go back and talk to Auntie.” It was now 1980, and the pilot cities in the south had begun to encourage individual businesses. Qin Province had not yet followed suit, but it was getting close. With spring arriving, about two hundred chickens and ducks were ready for sale. Jiang Ci made a decision. “Brother Da Sheng, from now on, you can have thirty percent of the profits from this farm. What do you think?”

Thirty percent? This batch of wild chickens and ducks could sell for around a thousand. Thirty percent meant three hundred yuan, and the continuous stream of chicken and duck eggs would also bring in money. Jiang Da Sheng was filled with excitement. “Little Jiang Ci, how could you…?” How could she be so generous?

Jiang Ci smiled and said, “I discussed this with Brother Chuan. Let’s agree on that if you don’t think thirty percent is too little.” Brother Chuan had left for two months, and every time he returned to the valley, Jiang Da Sheng had been carrying the rice. He worked tirelessly, and he deserved this.

Jiang Da Sheng was almost blindly obedient to Jiang Ci now. She was like a lucky star; she had been the daughter of Cui Pingzhou. The white lotus that had been in Uncle Cui’s family for twenty years had revealed its true nature after marrying into the Gu family, and Brother Chuan was sailing smoothly.

It was said that while on the train if it hadn’t been for little Jiang Ci’s quick thinking to send Liu Cui Lian away, Brother Chuan would have been exposed. How could the mission have gone so smoothly otherwise? Following Xiao Ci, whatever they did, they were sure to make money.

“Alright, I’ll do whatever you say.”

The three of them descended the mountain. Jiang Ci and Xiao Ting Xiang had just arrived home when Lin Wan and Grandma Miao were anxiously waiting at the door. Jiang Ci hurried over. “Mom, what are you doing here?”

She had just gotten married yesterday; it wasn’t even time for her to return home after three days.

“Quick, come back with me.” Lin Wan looked anxious.

Jiang Ci felt a rush of panic. What had happened at home?

“What’s wrong, Mom?”

Lin Wan grabbed her hand and ran. “Your dad Cui… he stood up! Several professors came to the house but couldn’t figure out why. Tell me, what kind of Chinese medicine did you give your dad?”