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Chapter 22
“This pit isn’t very deep. Maybe some kids dug it for fun,” Tang Wan said, trying to dismiss it. She desperately wanted to pull Lu Huaijing down the mountain quickly. Thankfully, the box wasn’t large, so the pit wasn’t too big either.
“Maybe,” Lu Huaijing replied, casting her a probing glance. Tang Wan stiffly patted the dust off her pants and stood up.
“It’s getting late. Let’s head back, shall we?” she suggested.
“Alright.”
Lu Huaijing carried the stunned deer, holding a wooden stick in his other hand, tapping it on the ground as they walked to guard against snakes.
Tang Wan followed closely behind him. Just as they were about to descend, a rustling sound reached her ears.
“Shh…”
Lu Huaijing quickly pulled Tang Wan down into a crouch. Sure enough, within seconds, the sound of two sets of footsteps became audible.
Tang Wan: ???
She was confused. Who else would be wandering up the mountain so late at night?
As she puzzled over it, a strange sound reached her ears.
“Can’t you be a little gentler…?”
The woman’s voice carried an unmistakable tone of pleasure. Tang Wan’s face flushed bright red.
This late at night, they’d stumbled upon a pair of illicit lovers!
She peeked at Lu Huaijing, crouched just ahead of her. The faint moonlight fell across his face, and with her sharp eyes, she noticed the tips of his ears turning red.
“I’ve missed you so much…”
Forced to eavesdrop, Tang Wan was so embarrassed she wished she could dig a hole and crawl into it. She wanted to flee.
After about twenty minutes, the footsteps gradually faded into the distance. Lu Huaijing’s face darkened as he said, “Let’s go back.”
“Lu Huaijing, you know who those two were, don’t you?”
Tang Wan, new to the Shiping Brigade, naturally had no idea who they were, but judging by Lu Huaijing’s dark expression, they were clearly people he recognized.
“Don’t spread this around. I’ll handle it,” Lu Huaijing said in a low voice.
Tang Wan didn’t argue. She stood up to leave but had squatted for too long. Her legs were numb, and when she stood suddenly, she felt dizzy and lost her balance, pitching forward.
Just as she thought she’d face-plant into the ground, a pair of strong hands caught her.
The scent of fresh grass surrounded her as Lu Huaijing held her steady. Tang Wan’s face turned beet red.
“Be careful,” he said. Once she was standing securely, he quickly withdrew his hands with measured composure.
“I’m fine,” Tang Wan murmured. The strength of his grip on her waist had left her feeling as if it were burning.
Fortunately, Lu Huaijing didn’t seem to notice her racing heart. He was likely still too shocked by the earlier incident.
Lu Huaijing remained unusually silent, his face stern as they walked back to the house, avoiding the main roads of the brigade.
By the time they got home, Wang Dani had been searching for them all over and was anxiously sweating. When she saw them return, she angrily smacked Lu Huaijing on the shoulder.
“You little rascal! Where on earth did you run off to in the dead of night? Running around is one thing, but you brought your wife along too! What if you scared her?”
Rural nights were pitch black, and young women were indeed easily frightened.
“Mom, I went to the mountains and caught a deer. It’ll be a nice addition to tomorrow’s feast,” Lu Huaijing said, shooting Tang Wan a glance.
Tang Wan immediately understood and quickly smiled. “Mom, I’ll head back to our room first.”
She hurried inside, leaving Lu Huaijing to endure Wang Dani’s scolding.
By the time he returned, Tang Wan had already washed up in her personal space and taken her washbasin to the kitchen. Afterward, Lu Huaijing took his turn washing up, giving Tang Wan time to retreat back into her space.
Inside, she beamed as she looked at the small wooden box she had retrieved.
The box was about three feet long and two feet wide. Donning a pair of white gloves, Tang Wan carefully took out a hammer and smashed the lock off the box.
When she opened it, the dazzling sight nearly blinded her.
Compared to the neatly organized storage of the Tang family, the items inside this wooden box were placed somewhat haphazardly, likely buried in haste.
The contents included a significant number of silver ingots, gold ingots, jewelry, jade artifacts, and gold and silver locks. There were even gold and silver peanuts and beans.
Since the rain had already partially exposed the box, Tang Wan felt no guilt in taking it, reasoning that someone else would have picked it up if she hadn’t.
Hearing Lu Huaijing about to return, she hurriedly exited her space and closed her eyes to rest. But as soon as she shut her eyes, the indescribable sounds she had overheard on the mountain earlier replayed in her mind.
Ah!
Irritated, Tang Wan rolled over, just as Lu Huaijing walked into the room.
“Can’t sleep?” he asked naturally, lifting the blanket. Tang Wan’s body visibly stiffened.
“No,” she mumbled, her voice muffled as she buried her head under the covers, not wanting him to see her blushing face.
“Rest early. We have the wedding tomorrow,” he said, his gaze lingering briefly on her exposed, jade-like arm. His Adam’s apple bobbed slightly as he forced himself to look away.
Tomorrow was their wedding day—there was no rush.
“Mm-hmm,” Tang Wan replied. But her thoughts spiraled uncontrollably, and when she finally looked up, she was met with the sight of Lu Huaijing sound asleep.
Tang Wan: ???
She blinked in confusion, glancing at Lu Huaijing, who lay perfectly straight, his even breathing audible in the quiet room.
Am I really that unattractive?
Tang Wan touched her smooth, soft face, feeling a slight crisis of confidence.
She fell asleep while lost in thought, exhausted from the day’s events.
The next morning, when she woke up, Lu Huaijing was already gone.
Today was their wedding day, and the entire Lu family was bustling with activity.
Since simplicity was encouraged during these times, the wedding was not a grand affair. Instead, friends and family were invited for a meal at noon before heading off to their respective work.
After washing up quickly, Tang Wan was greeted in her room by Wang Dani, accompanied by Li Cuihua and Wang Shuhua.
“Third daughter-in-law, let the second daughter-in-law put on new sheets and make the bed,” Wang Dani instructed.
“Alright, Mother,” Tang Wan agreed, not fully understanding the customs but willing to follow directions.
Li Cuihua immediately protested. “Mother, shouldn’t I be the one making the bed? Although the second sister-in-law has both her parents, she doesn’t have any sons.”
It turned out that making the bed also had specific requirements: the task was traditionally performed by someone considered “fortunate,” meaning a person with both parents alive and children of both genders.
Hearing this, Wang Shuhua stiffened and stepped back. “Mother, let Eldest Sister-in-law handle it,” she said, her discomfort evident.
Wang Dani shot a sharp glare at Li Cuihua but relented. “Fine, you can do it. Be careful not to ruin the third daughter-in-law’s new bedding.”
If not for her own widowhood, Wang Dani would have done it herself.
“Got it,” Li Cuihua responded cheerfully, opening the new bedding Tang Wan had prepared. Her tone turned a bit sour as she remarked, “Third Brother really went all out—these are brand-new.”
“Less talking, and say something auspicious instead,” Wang Dani admonished, wary of Li Cuihua’s penchant for gossip.
Despite her chatter and tendency to take advantage, Li Cuihua genuinely wished for Lu Huaijing and Tang Wan to have a good marriage. After all, a divorce would mean another expensive dowry from the family for a remarriage!
With each layer of bedding, Li Cuihua chanted auspicious phrases: