Chapter 29: Haven’t Consummated the Marriage Yet?

Zhou Daniu was momentarily stunned. “Hmm? Yes, I know a little. How did you find out?”

Du Wanchun smiled. “Mother, have you forgotten? I asked you about your scented sachets last time.”

Zhou Daniu suddenly realized. “Oh, so that’s it. What about them, Wanchun?”

Du Wanchun thought for a moment before replying, “Mother, I have a great idea.”

“Go on,” Zhou Daniu encouraged.

“We can make incense to sell,” Du Wanchun suggested.

Zhou Daniu hesitated. “Incense? Do people even buy that? The people around here are all farmers; they probably don’t need incense.”

Du Wanchun lifted her gaze toward Cheng’an County. “Mother, we can go to Cheng’an County and Qingzhou Prefecture to sell it. There are many wealthy officials and noble families there, and they use incense daily.”

Zhou Daniu furrowed her brows slightly, hesitation evident on her face.

Seeing this, Du Wanchun quickly added, “Mother, don’t worry. We can try selling it at the county market first. If it doesn’t sell well, we can stop.”

After some thought, Zhou Daniu found her words reasonable and nodded. “Alright, we’ll give it a try.”

With that, the two decided to save up more money from selling radishes and duck eggs before making some scented balm and fragrant sachets to sell at the county market.

Looking at her clever daughter-in-law, Zhou Daniu felt delighted and couldn’t help but sigh, “Wanchun, you’re so smart, yet your father and that stepmother of yours still called you foolish. They must be blind.”

Du Wanchun chuckled. “My stepmother wishes I were truly foolish.”

Zhou Daniu raised an eyebrow. “If I ever see her, I’ll be sure to give her a few slaps. Otherwise, I won’t be able to vent my anger.”

Carrying a basket full of duck eggs into the house, Du Wanchun laughed and said, “Mother, don’t dirty your hands by hitting her.”

Zhou Daniu followed behind her and suddenly thought of something. In a hushed voice, she asked, “Wanchun, your mother passed away early. Are there some things she never had the chance to tell you?”

Du Wanchun turned to her. “What kind of things?”

Zhou Daniu pulled her aside and whispered, “That… the matter of consummation…”

Du Wanchun froze, her face instantly turning bright red. Though she was already married, she was still a maiden. No one had ever talked to her about such matters since childhood, let alone brought it up so openly.

Seeing her reaction, Zhou Daniu immediately understood. “I knew it! With the way your stepmother treated you, she definitely never talked to you about this.”

Du Wanchun nodded. “She never mentioned it, but, Mother, I…”

Zhou Daniu held her hand and, lowering her head, continued in a hushed tone, “I know my own son well. His leg may be injured, but his waist isn’t. I won’t tell you much, but if you ever find it too much to handle, remember to call for me.”

Too much to handle? What did she mean?

Du Wanchun looked at Zhou Daniu in shock.

Zhou Daniu blinked at her and said, “Don’t be fooled by Ruiyuan’s leg injury. He’s been strong and healthy since he was a child, even sturdier than most men. And strong men can be… persistent. So if you can’t take it, don’t force yourself—just call for me.”

Du Wanchun’s cheeks turned even redder, and even her ears burned with heat. “Mother, my husband and I… we…”

She hesitated, unable to say it out loud.

Zhou Daniu immediately understood. Her brows furrowed as she asked, “You two haven’t consummated the marriage yet?”

Blushing, Du Wanchun nodded.

Zhou Daniu was stunned. She had thought Wanchun was simply reserved and wouldn’t talk about it, but she hadn’t expected that they hadn’t consummated their marriage at all. She quickly asked, “Wanchun, do you not want to be with Ruiyuan?”

Du Wanchun shook her head hastily. “No, that’s not it.”

Hearing this, Zhou Daniu asked again, “Then is Ruiyuan unwilling?”

This time, Du Wanchun didn’t answer.

Zhou Daniu immediately realized the truth. “That child must be afraid of burdening you, so he’s holding back. But now that he can stand again, he might change his mind.”

Du Wanchun’s heart pounded wildly at her words, especially when she recalled the sight of Zhou Ruiyuan changing his clothes that night. Just thinking about it made her heart race uncontrollably.

Zhou Daniu held her hand and smiled. “Wanchun, don’t be too nervous. Ruiyuan is a man who knows how to cherish and take care of his wife.”

Du Wanchun nodded. That much, she knew—ever since she married into the family, Zhou Ruiyuan had always treated her well.

Then, Zhou Daniu leaned in and whispered a few more words into her ear. This time, her words were even bolder than before.

Du Wanchun nearly covered her face in embarrassment. Without another word, she grabbed the basket of duck eggs and hurried into the house.

Zhou Daniu watched her retreating figure with a satisfied smile.

As night fell, Du Wanchun couldn’t stop thinking about Zhou Daniu’s words, making her hesitate to enter the bedroom.

Zhou Ruiyuan wheeled himself over to find her. “Wife, it’s already late. You should rest soon.”