Chapter 17.3

The wedding procession, featuring a truck from the factory, made its way to the city. Luo Lan and the groom sat at the front, while the dowry and wedding guests followed in the truck, creating a grand spectacle.

“Such a display! Our village has never seen a wedding with a truck like this.”

” Old Lady Wang tried to make things difficult for her, but look at this setup. It’s clear she married well.”

“I heard the groom has some issues and his mother is mad. Why else would he choose a rural bride?”

“Who knows? What we see is a grand wedding. The rest might just be envy.”

“Exactly. This wedding is impressive, and Old Lady Wang  missed her chance to cause trouble.”

“Don’t remind me. She’s been thoroughly embarrassed.”

“What happened? Tell me more.”

The wedding party had already left, but the village gossip was far from over. Old Lady Wang remained embarrassed for days, her family arguing and muttering about the events.

Meanwhile, Luo Lan’s wedding procession had completed a circuit of the city and arrived at the groom’s home. Neighbors were astonished by the lavish dowry, and those who had previously belittled the rural bride now had to eat their words.

“Zhou family is so fortunate. The bride’s dowry is so impressive.”

“I knew the Zhou family was well-off. Seeing this dowry makes it clear they didn’t skimp on the wedding. Those who doubted them must be regretting it now.”

Everyone thought the dowry was being used by Zhou Qingshan to impress and show off for Luo Lan. The families of the girls who had previously been reluctant to marry were indeed feeling regretful. However, it was too late to change anything now. The bride had already entered the home, with the new bedding laid out on the bed, and she was settled comfortably.

In the kitchen, according to local customs, a younger sister-in-law or younger brother-in-law should serve tea to the newlyweds. This serves as both an introduction to the family and a gesture of courtesy from the bride to her new siblings. During this ritual, local customs often involve some playful teasing of the bride. At this moment, there was a dispute in the Zhou family kitchen.

“No, just a bit of vinegar is fine. How can you add so much soy sauce, chili, and other condiments?” Zhou Qingshan’s older sister complained, clearly displeased.

“It’s better this way. We need to give the new bride a little challenge so she understands she needs to serve the family well,” said her cousin and his wife, as if they were doing it for her own good.

“Why give the new bride a hard time? It sounds so awkward. If I were getting married and was given this, I would be furious.”

“Being a bride and being a daughter-in-law are not the same. This is to make her understand that she needs to temper her behavior as a daughter-in-law.”

“No way.” Zhou Junhui firmly opposed, “No matter what you say, this water should not be given to my sister-in-law.”

“Hey, the younger sister-in-law needs to bring the tea to the bride.”

The bride was supposed to be served tea upon entering the home, but she was already seated on the bed without any tea being served. The matchmaker came in to hurry them, and upon seeing two cups of tea on the tray, immediately handed the tray to Zhou Junhui and urged her into the bridal room.

“What are you dawdling for? The bride might feel uneasy with all this delay.”

Scolded quietly by the matchmaker, Zhou Junhui was pushed into the bridal room without a chance to explain. The room wasn’t large but was arranged warmly, with fresh bamboo-patterned curtains and a white lace tablecloth.

“Here, the younger sister-in-law is bringing tea to the bride.”

Luo Lan was well aware of these customs and had prepared a red envelope. Seeing the younger sister-in-law approaching with the tea tray, she reached for the red envelope hidden under the bedding.

In the spotlight, Zhou Junhui had a sudden idea and handed the normal cup of red tea to the bride, while the cup with all sorts of condiments was given to her brother.

Luo Lan drank the tea politely and handed the red envelope to the younger sister-in-law, who thanked her with a smile. Everyone’s attention was on this, completely missing the interesting look on the groom’s face.

Zhou Qingshan, being a deep and composed person, managed to drink several sips of the water that was both spicy and salty, with a face that soon returned to normal. Most people didn’t notice, and the Luo family’s relatives thought that the Zhou family must really value their new daughter-in-law and that Luo Lan would not be mistreated in the future.

With both sides satisfied, the bridal room was lively and joyful. Zhou Qingshan’s colleagues, comrades, and school friends started the customary teasing of the bride. Initially, the bride’s family was worried, but seeing Zhou Qingshan protect his wife so vigorously, they felt reassured and went to the main hall to enjoy the feast.

“Look, he’s changed after marrying. He used to be so cold, but now he’s protecting his wife and even serving his friends personally.”

“Exactly, with this attitude, his friends will have to think twice.”

“They even changed the program to make them bite into apples.”

“Now they must be blushing.”

“Of course, their faces are as red as the decorations. Haha!”

With the groom’s protection, the bride’s family enjoyed the feast and left feeling assured. In the bridal room, after greeting Luo Lan, her sister reminded her not to come back too early the next day.

“Come back around noon. We need to work in the morning.”

“Got it.”

The wedding concluded successfully, and by evening, the teasing had subsided. Zhou Qingshan, a bit tipsy and red-faced, went to the kitchen to fetch a clean basin of warm water for his wife.

“Wash your face. It’s been a long day.”

“Thank you.” Luo Lan got out of bed, her first priority being to relieve herself. She was about to burst.

“Where are you going?”

“To the restroom.”

“Let’s go. I’ll go with you.”

The couple went to the restroom together, drawing teasing remarks from the neighbors. Luo Lan, keeping her head down, returned to the room, removed her coat, and washed her face with a towel. The groom, understanding her need for privacy, stepped outside, leaving her alone. Looking at the red double happiness decorations on the furniture and windows, she felt her heart race with a mix of excitement and anticipation.

The rumors outside seemed like they might not be true. The moment of verification was approaching, and it was an exciting time for her.