Chapter 13: Married the Right Man

“Stop looking, I’m not angry.” Lu Zhao calmly pinched Su Yunqi’s cheek and raised his voice.

“Father, Mother, I’ve brought Yunqi back for a visit.” As he spoke, he was the first to step into the courtyard.

“Ah! You’re back!” Father Su and Mother Su were overjoyed and quickly ran out.

“My dear child!”

Neither Father Su nor Mother Su spared a single glance at Lu Zhao. They went straight to Su Yunqi, pulling her this way and that, carefully examining her as if afraid she had suffered any grievance.

“Her complexion is rosy, and her spirit is full—very good!”

After giving her a thorough look, Mother Su nodded in satisfaction. Indeed, she had married into the right family! She immediately warmed up to Lu Zhao. “Quickly, come inside and sit down. Our son-in-law must be tired. How has Yunqi been these past few days? Has she given you any trouble? This child is still young, and we’ve spoiled her since she was little. If she does anything wrong, just tell us. We’ll discipline her for you! And since you two live so close by, if you don’t know how to cook or do laundry, I’ll come and do it for you!”

Mother Su felt distressed as well. She feared that Lu Zhao would make Su Yunqi wash his clothes, so she offered to come over and do the laundry herself.

“Mother, it’s not that bad. I know how to wash clothes, I just don’t know how to cook. He doesn’t either.” Su Yunqi stuck out her tongue, a little dissatisfied.

“Then how have you two been eating these past few days? I didn’t want to come over during the first three days after the wedding, but if you two don’t know how to cook, I’ll come every day and make meals for you. Just tell me what you want to eat!” Su Yunqi’s mother immediately volunteered, afraid her precious daughter might go hungry.

Now that things had opened up and people could do business again, Father Su and Mother Su still lived a simple life. They just farmed and grew vegetables at home, raised chickens, and occasionally sold eggs and produce to make a little money. Since the old couple didn’t spend much, of course they wanted to use what they had to support their daughter.

“These past few days, we’ve been eating at my parents’ place. Don’t worry, Mother, I’m learning to cook. Yunqi won’t go hungry.” Lu Zhao immediately spoke up.

“Huh? You’re learning to cook?” Su Yunqi’s parents were stunned. Judging by how he plopped down on the chair, he didn’t look like the type who would step into a kitchen, let alone learn to cook. Was there even enough space for him in the kitchen?

“Yes, I’m learning.”

“Yunqi’s clothes are also washed by me. I will take good care of her, please don’t worry.”

Lu Zhao emphasized this point.

He didn’t feel there was anything shameful about saying such things. Although he sat there in a commanding, broad-shouldered manner, his attitude toward Su Yunqi’s parents was respectful, and even his fierce-looking face had become much more serious.

For a moment, Su Yunqi’s parents were speechless. Was he for real?

“Ahem, let us men have a little chat. Let Yunqi go talk with her mother and help with the cooking. Oh? You even brought wine with you? Then let’s have a few drinks together. We’ve got some peanuts at home.” Father Su exchanged a look with Mother Su, then took hold of Lu Zhao.

“I’ll go get you two some peanuts.”

“Alright.”

Lu Zhao pretended not to see the exchange of glances between the two elders. He patiently sat and accompanied Father Su for drinks, while allowing Mother Su to pull Su Yunqi off to the kitchen for a private talk.

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“Yunqi, is Lu Zhao telling the truth?” Mother Su asked anxiously.

If it was true, then this was no small matter! It really seemed like her daughter had married the right man!

“It’s true. He washes my clothes and is learning how to cook. But he always tries to scare me. He’s so annoying.” Su Yunqi puffed up her cheeks and couldn’t help but complain to her mother, clearly still upset about that ghost story.

In the past, he never told her any ghost stories before—now he was getting worse!

“How did he scare you? Did he hit you? What about that other thing—does he bully you in that regard?” Mother Su, who had just started to feel at ease, tensed up again.

“He told me there’s a ghost! And that it was following me home! I got so scared I didn’t even dare to bathe or sleep! But he doesn’t hit me, Mother, don’t worry. He said he would never hit me, and he doesn’t bully me. He’s even gentle with me in bed.” Su Yunqi held her mother’s hand and spoke sweetly, reporting everything one by one.

“Really? And then what happened?”

“Then he stood guard outside the door while I bathed, and when I came out, he even helped dry my hair.”

Su Yunqi didn’t exaggerate; she recounted the incident exactly as it had happened. When Mother Su heard this, she was filled with relief. As she had expected—who could stay cold-hearted in front of her delicate, pampered Yunqi?

Now that things had turned out this way, Mother Su could finally be at ease.

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The mother and daughter chatted in the kitchen for quite a while. Upon learning that Lu Zhao had already taught those little bullies a lesson, she became even more pleased. She ended up preparing an entire table full of dishes to host him properly.

“Xiao Lu, we’re entrusting our Yunqi to you from now on! Those little bullies fear neither heaven nor earth—even reporting them to the authorities doesn’t help. Thank goodness for you!”

Both Father Su and Mother Su were extremely satisfied with Lu Zhao! What a fine young man—brave and righteous! He was truly worthy of their Yunqi!

However, they still harbored a small concern in their hearts. “Xiao Lu, what are you doing for a living now? After all, now that you’ve started a family, you need a proper job. If nothing else, coming back to farm wouldn’t be a bad idea either. Look at your build—you’d be great at farming. As for Yunqi, just let her find some light work in town. This child can’t handle heavy labor.”

Although Lu Zhao had provided a generous bride price and the wedding banquet had been splendid, Father Su and Mother Su still believed that the money must have come from his parents, not earned by him personally.

After marriage, one couldn’t rely on one’s parents forever—especially since he had many brothers. How could the parents support them all? In the end, Lu Zhao had to stand on his own.

“I used to travel around doing trade, selling medicinal herbs and furs. Now I’ve saved up some capital and plan to open a shop in our town to run my own business.”

Lu Zhao answered every question they asked, and while speaking, he didn’t forget to pick out the fish bones and place the fish meat into Su Yunqi’s bowl—a rough man, yet incredibly thoughtful.

“I don’t want fish. I want shrimp.” Su Yunqi said with a spoiled tone, shaking her head.

She usually liked eating fish, but today, she suddenly craved shrimp.

There was a river near Datang Village, and the fish and shrimp on the table had been caught by her parents, not bought. The only thing on the table that was likely purchased was the pork. Even the chicken had come from their own coop. The family was quite self-sufficient.

“Alright.” Without a word of complaint, Lu Zhao picked up a few shrimp and began peeling them for her.

After peeling, he even dipped them in soy sauce before placing them into her bowl.

Su Yunqi ate them silently, without another word. Lu Zhao didn’t make a fuss about it either. Once he had finished peeling shrimp for his little darling, he resumed the topic of conversation from earlier.

The two of them coordinated naturally, as if Lu Zhao had taken care of her countless times before.

Father Su and Mother Su watched in growing surprise—and a bit of suspicion.

Could it be that these two had already been secretly seeing each other beforehand? Otherwise, how could they be so in sync after just two or three days of marriage?

But that question, for now, Father Su and Mother Su had no chance to ask. After the meal, Su Yunqi wanted to go to town for a stroll. They had gone yesterday, but hadn’t really done any shopping.

She had been cooped up indoors for days now, and she was long overdue for some fresh air.

“Alright then, go ahead. Just remember to come back and visit us often. Your father and I will come see you whenever we have time too.”

Father Su and Mother Su patted Su Yunqi’s small hand as they watched the couple walk off into the distance. The heavy stone weighing on their hearts was finally lifted.

“Lu Zhao seems like someone who has a solid plan in mind. He’s not like what people were saying. What matters most is that he treats our Yunqi well—nothing else really matters.” Father Su commented. Mother Su slapped her forehead.

“That’s right! Oh dear, I forgot to give the money to Yunqi!”

Su Yunqi’s bride price was still with them. At first, they had hesitated to hand it over, worried that Lu Zhao might not be trustworthy. If they gave the money to Yunqi and he took it from her, it would be safer kept at home for the time being.

“Next time then.” After all, they lived close by and could see each other often.

“That’s true.”

With smiles on their faces, Father Su and Mother Su headed back inside.

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On the other side, just as they reached the entrance of the village, Su Yunqi had already climbed skillfully onto Lu Zhao’s back again. She swung her little legs leisurely as she asked in a soft voice,

“Lu Zhao, why don’t you buy a bicycle? Is it because you don’t have the money?”

“No.”

Riding a bicycle was nowhere near as comfortable as carrying her on his back.