Chapter 8 008 Newlyweds~

Luo Fu walked into the inner room and sat down on the canopy bed, her heart pounding.

She heard Xiao Yu lingering outside the side room. Panicked, she didn't bother to guess what he was thinking. While he was still outside, Luo Fu looked around at the canopy bed in front of her to distract herself.

This is a canopy bed made of rosewood. After the groom and guests left at dusk, Luo Fu carefully toured the bridal chamber.

In August, Luo Fu agreed to the Xiao family's marriage proposal, largely because she coveted the wealth and status of the Marquis's mansion. So when she saw the room full of furniture made of fine wood and various exquisite and lustrous porcelain, Luo Fu forgot her reluctance to leave home after getting married and fantasized about the good days ahead when she would be wearing gold and silver.

Therefore, Xiao Yu is not only her husband, but also the one who can guarantee her a life of wealth and honor. Without her mother or sister reminding her to be gentle and considerate towards Xiao Yu, Luo Fu will also try her best to win Xiao Yu's heart and make the couple live a harmonious and happy life.

Thinking of this, Luo Fu relaxed a bit, casually smoothing out the slight wrinkles she had made while sitting on the bed, and walked back to the outside of the bed. Coincidentally, Xiao Yu also finally arrived at the door of the inner room. The curtain was lifted, and the couple looked at each other again.

The candlelight and the lights in the room illuminated the groom's handsome face, making him appear refined and gentle, a far cry from the oppressive feeling he had when he stared directly at her in the main hall.

Just as Luo Fu was about to break the silence and ask him if it was cold outside, Xiao Yu stepped in naturally, first looking around the newly renovated interior, then turning his gaze back to the bride's face, and asked with concern, "You must be tired after a busy day?"

Luo Fu knew that not all scholars in the world were exactly the same, but Xiao Yu's scholarly air, which was very similar to her brother-in-law's, still made her feel familiar and approachable. So she took two steps toward Xiao Yu and replied softly, "I'm alright, I've been sitting most of the time. What about you? Did you drink a lot?"

She remembered that when her brother-in-law came to pick her up from the wedding, he was almost drunk by his own relatives and friends, and it was only thanks to her mother's help that a group of people who were making a fuss were driven away.

Xiao Yu smiled and said, "I'm fine too. I only offer one bowl of wine to each table."

Luo Fu was secretly surprised. The wealthy families in the capital were indeed different from their relatives and neighbors back home. They didn't usually pour wine for the groom at their wedding banquets.

A daybed was placed by the south window. Xiao Yu and his newlywed wife sat down on the daybed separately, with a small sandalwood table between them.

On the small table was hot tea that the maids had just changed; Luo Fu poured a cup for her newlywed husband.

After finishing his drink, Xiao Yu glanced at his wife's flushed profile, illuminated by her dress, and continued their casual conversation: "How have you been cozying up to the capital for the past month?"

Luo Fu thought for a moment, then looked at his bright red robe and said, "Everything else is fine, but it's too dry. In Guangling, it's okay to skip face cream occasionally at this time of year, but since coming to the capital, I have to apply face cream every time I wash my hands, otherwise my face feels dry and uncomfortable."

Xiao Yu silently looked at his hands resting on his knees. He didn't use face cream and didn't feel dry, but when the deep winter winds and cold winds came, men in the north would apply face cream if they had the means, otherwise their hands and faces would easily become chapped.

"That's true locally. You might need to stay for a while longer to get used to it. It must be tough."

Luo Fu shook her head, her voice soft: "As long as you treat me well, it will be my blessing to marry into the capital. My girlfriends back home are all very envious of me."

Upon hearing this, Xiao Yu said solemnly, "Although our marriage was arranged by our elders, since I went to Guangling to ask for your hand in marriage, I truly want to marry you. If you ever need anything in the future, or if you suffer any grievances somewhere, please tell me frankly. I will take good care of you and do my best to protect you."

Luo Fu nodded shyly.

The promise was too solemn, and it would be inappropriate to start a casual chat at this time. Noticing that the girl opposite him was nervously clenching her sleeves a few times, Xiao Yu took the initiative and said, "We still have to serve tea tomorrow morning, so let's go to bed early."

Since the wedding ceremony is unavoidable, it's better to have the ceremony completed early and go to sleep than to make her wait anxiously.

After speaking, Xiao Yu went to the clothes rack to change, taking off the outer red dress, leaving only a set of fine silk undergarments of the same color underneath.

After he walked around the four thin gauze screens and into the canopy bed, Luo Fu came to the clothes rack and took off her clothes until she was only wearing a bright red undergarment.

After hanging up the dress, Luo Fu asked uncertainly, "Should we leave the lights on?"

Xiao Yu: "Keep it, we'll need to ask for water for a bath later."

Luo Fu retracted her right foot, which had been raised to the other side, and stepped onto the canopy bed. At this moment, she could no longer feign ease. Her face flushed, she sat down next to the groom, who seemed to have been waiting for her. Her whole body was tense, and her breathing was clearly audible. Because she was looking down, Luo Fu could even see her bra through the thin silk fabric.

She can see it, but did Xiao Yu see it?

Rosé moved her arms forward as slowly as possible, trying to block her view.

Suddenly, Xiao Yu reached out and grasped her right hand. His slender fingers and broad palm, though not forceful, enveloped her completely.

Luo Fu's heart trembled violently, and she almost tried to break free of his hand.

Xiao Yu noticed her barely suppressed movements and asked hesitantly, "Did your family teach you anything? Are you afraid?"

Yesterday, his father gave him a box of books, some serious and some not. Xiao Yu quickly flipped through a few pages and understood what to do tonight.

Luo Fu had read the booklet, but she was afraid that if she admitted it, Xiao Yu would take it for granted that she should cooperate. So she stammered, "My mother gave me a book, but I was too embarrassed to look at it. If you have studied it, I will do whatever you say."

Xiao Yu understood, and there was no need to say more. He pulled the flustered, stuttering bride into his arms, looked at her tightly closed eyelashes, and then at her blushing cheeks and slightly parted lips. Following the surge of fire in his chest, Xiao Yu lowered his head and kissed her cheek first, and then her lips.

From clumsy awkwardness to gradual mastery, from tentative exploration to intimate closeness, the newlyweds soon fell together under the bright red brocade quilt. One was shy but willing, while the other wanted to proceed gradually but couldn't resist the urgency of entering the world of love.

At the moment the ceremony was truly completed, Luo Fu's specially trimmed, rounded nails dug lightly into the groom's muscular back.

The pain, which was negligible, made Xiao Yu stop moving. He looked down at the bride beneath him and saw that her bright, moist eyes were filled with two trembling tears, meeting his gaze pitifully.

Xiao Yu used all his composure to endure; he couldn't say anything comforting, nor could he offer any, because if he delayed any longer, he would be crippled.

Even though he had never discussed bedroom techniques with anyone, Xiao Yu had an instinctive understanding that a quick encounter was definitely not a good thing in this situation.

To avoid being disliked by his wife, Xiao Yu hardened his heart and continued, watching her tears roll down her cheeks and listening to her low moans that were hard to decipher.

Luo Fu didn't feel pain for long, probably only for a dozen or so breaths. Strangely, even though this person made her feel so uncomfortable, Luo Fu felt a strange sense of satisfaction afterward. She also felt closer to the man who was now pressing down on her and breathing heavily. So, Luo Fu hugged his shoulders and back again and affectionately rubbed against his neck.

Unexpectedly, with just these two movements, the groom, who seemed to be completely still and exhausted, suddenly became energetic again.

Luo Fu exclaimed in surprise, "You, you..."

Xiao Yu felt embarrassed but also pleasured. However, it was difficult to explain such a thing. Fortunately, he was a meticulous scholar and noticed at the beginning of the ceremony that there were a few places where his wife could relax if he kissed her a little longer.

Silently, Xiao Yu went straight to the back of his wife's ear.

Luo Fu, who hadn't resisted much at first, gradually softened into a ball of cotton.

.

Practice makes perfect. This time, the bride and groom didn't exchange a single word for about 45 minutes, only going through the motions of their lovemaking with different expressions.

With such a large height difference, Luo Fu was facing Xiao Yu's shoulders and neck, unable to see each other. This made Luo Fu feel more relaxed, but no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't hide her voice. Even with her mouth tightly closed, she could still make some nasal sounds. Moreover, the sounds she made were actually controlled by Xiao Yu. When he slowed down, she slowed down; when he got impatient, Luo Fu would start crying.

"Xiao Yu, Xiao Yu..."

She called his name incoherently. From their first meeting in Huangqiao Village until tonight, all the words she had spoken to Xiao Yu combined did not equal the amount of pleading and shouting she had uttered in these two quarters of an hour.

Finally, the groom collapsed completely once again, panting heavily above her left side.

Luo Fu panted alongside him, their bodies, both covered in a fine layer of sweat, pressed tightly together, closer than ever before to their own parents, brothers, or sisters.

Once their breathing had calmed down and their minds gradually cleared, the unfamiliarity of their lives made their bodies, which had been so intimately close at this moment, stiffen again.

Xiao Yu was the first to pull away, lying flat to the side and pulling the blanket over both of them.

For Luo Fu, the silk quilt was cool and refreshing, far less comfortable than Xiao Yu, who had been her "human quilt" for two quarters of an hour. The coolness made her, naked, turn around and chase after Xiao Yu, naturally hugging him.

His wife was so passionate, and Xiao Yu felt a pang of tenderness. He turned and pulled her into his arms. Seeing her shyly nestle against his shoulder, Xiao Yu finally managed to ask with concern, "Did I hurt you at first?"

Luo Fu nodded, and said softly, feeling wronged, "You know perfectly well, but you only care about yourself."

My sister said that everyone has to experience pain the first time, and even the gentlest man is no match for her. So tonight, Luo Fu can forgive her husband, but if Xiao Yu only cares about his own pleasure in the future, Luo Fu will never indulge him.

Xiao Yu immediately apologized: "It was my fault. I will never force you to do anything next time."

Luo Fu poured out her grievances just for this sentence: "Men are smart." She was very satisfied and thought sweetly, "Indeed, I should marry a scholar who knows how to be gentle and considerate."

After chatting intimately for a while, Xiao Yu rang a bell to call the maids to prepare water. The couple washed themselves separately and then turned off the lights and went to sleep.

The capital was still colder than Yangzhou, and Luo Fu was afraid of the cold. She initially slept next to Xiao Yu, but in the middle of the night, Xiao Yu turned away in his sleep. No matter how many times he turned away, Luo Fu would follow him. If Xiao Yu had his back to her, Luo Fu would take the initiative to hug Xiao Yu's waist from behind. If Xiao Yu was facing her, Luo Fu would snuggle into his arms.

After countless hugs and cuddles, Xiao Yu woke up. The dim candlelight of the wedding candles could only illuminate the face of the girl in his arms as a blurry outline, but Xiao Yu could clearly feel how soft and plump his wife was through his hands and body under the covers.

Xiao Yu shamefully had another thought and tried to back away, but the sleeping girl followed closely behind.

Xiao Yu then unbuttoned her inner garment, abandoning all the propriety and shame he had learned during the day amidst his wife's half-hearted complaints, leaving only his selfish desires.

.

At dawn, Luo Fu was gently woken up by her maid Ping An, but she was very sleepy and wanted to sleep more.

Ping An said urgently, "Miss, have you forgotten that you were supposed to serve tea to the Marquis's wife this morning? If you sleep any longer, you'll be late!"

Luo Fu suddenly sat up with a start. Just as she was about to ask Ping An what time it was, a strange sound came from below, as if her period had suddenly started.

But she was here at the beginning of the month, it's impossible...

Realizing what it was, Luo Fu felt both ashamed and embarrassed. Glancing at her own empty bed, she gritted her teeth and asked, "Where is the Third Young Master?"

Ping An smiled and gestured with her chin towards the outside: "The Third Young Master has been awake for half an hour. He changed his clothes and went to the front study, saying that he would call him when the Madam woke up."

Luo Fu clutched the blanket in one hand, lowered her eyes and recalled for a moment, realizing that, not counting the two times before going to sleep, Xiao Yu had clung to her three more times in the middle of the night. No wonder she was sleepy!

Despite her annoyance, Luo Fu had important business to attend to. She quickly washed up, changed her clothes, and went outside. She then saw Xiao Yu, who had just returned, in the main room. He was wearing a red silk round-necked brocade robe and sitting upright in the main seat on the north side, holding a scroll in his right hand.

"Awake?" Xiao Yu put down his book, his gaze sweeping over his wife's face, which held a hint of resentment, and asked, pointing to the hem of her skirt.

After a brief exchange, Luo Fu hummed in agreement. Taking advantage of Xiao Yu's guilty conscience, she carefully observed his face. Seeing that his complexion was as good as yesterday, without any sallow skin or dark circles under his eyes, which would prevent the young couple from being teased by his parents and siblings, Luo Fu felt relieved and asked, "Are we about to leave?"

Xiao Yu: "It's not in a hurry, would you like some tea?"

Every night after they finished, she would be sleepy and thirsty, so delicate that she seemed boneless, and he had to hold her and feed her.

Xiao Yu loved his beautiful and gentle wife. Even though she seemed to glare at him when she first came out, Xiao Yu still found his wife very tender.

Luo Fu only saw a calm inquiry in her newlywed husband's eyes. She glanced at the tea set and said, "We've had our tea. Let's set off. Walk slowly on the road so I can familiarize myself with the route."

Xiao Yu obediently put down his book and accompanied his wife outside.

Yesterday, Luo Fu entered with her veil covering her face. After lifting the veil, she had to wait for the groom and only briefly looked around the central courtyard. Following the newly painted covered walkway to the front courtyard, Xiao Yu pointed out several rooms to her and explained, "After the wedding, I will also be preparing for next year's imperial examination. Sometimes I may stay in the front courtyard and won't be able to accompany you."

Luo Fu understood and supported this: "The imperial examination is important; one should prioritize studying."

Perhaps, she hoped even more than Xiao Yu that he would pass the imperial examination with flying colors and become a Jinshi (a successful candidate in the highest imperial examinations) next year.

Further ahead was the main gate of the courtyard. Luo Fu had learned about the customs of wealthy families from the Pei family. Each courtyard would have its own name. So after walking a few steps, Luo Fu looked back and sure enough, she saw a plaque above the couple's courtyard gate with the three large characters "Shensi Hall" written on it.

Luo Fu smiled and said, "Is this name taken from 'learn extensively, inquire carefully, think prudently, and discern clearly'?"

Undeniably, Luo Fu intended to subtly show off her knowledge to her new husband, letting him know that although she grew up in the village, she had also studied classical texts.

Xiao Yu was silent for a moment. The original intention of Shen Si was indeed as his wife said, but the fact that the Left Prime Minister named his courtyard "Shen Si" was probably to warn him to learn to assess the situation in the officialdom and not to offend just anyone, especially high-ranking officials like the Left Prime Minister. He should carefully consider the consequences of offending powerful officials.

"It must be so, given by an elder," Xiao Yu said, finding fault with lying.

Upon hearing this, Luo Fu first praised the three characters for being well-written, and then asked curiously, "Which elder is it? He must greatly appreciate you."

Xiao Yu: "...It was the Left Prime Minister who bestowed it upon me. He is my elder brother's father-in-law. He only appreciates my scholarship."

Luo Fu wasn't in a hurry to establish a connection with the Left Prime Minister's residence. As they walked, she asked Xiao Yu to tell her about his two sets of brothers and sisters-in-law and the younger generation in their families. She especially wanted to know if her two sisters-in-law, who came from high-ranking families, were easy to get along with.

Xiao Yu's introduction was simple: "Both of my elder brothers are military officers. My eldest brother is honest but careless, and may be impolite in his words and actions. I hope you will bear with him in the future. My second brother is scheming, much like our father. You don't need to pay attention to him unless necessary."

"Those who speak without fear," Luo Fu thought, looking around in surprise. She whispered a reminder to him, "They are your eldest and second brothers after all. How can you speak ill of them like that? What if the servants hear this and it gets back to them? It will hurt the harmony between the brothers. You must not do this again. People who don't know the situation will think that I am criticizing them."

Xiao Yu nodded, saying that one introduction was enough. Once his wife was familiar with everyone in the Marquis's mansion, he would naturally not need to say anything more.

"My two sisters-in-law live deep within the inner quarters, and I haven't had much contact with them. It depends on your fate with them. If you get along well, then spend more time with them; if you don't, there's no need to force it. If you have anything to discuss, you can go to Mother for advice. By the way, Mother doesn't like to associate with the noble ladies of the capital, so please act as you see fit. After my eldest sister-in-law married into the family, Mother put her in charge of the household."

Luo Fu was more concerned about her mother-in-law's matter: "Why did Mother..."

Xiao Yu: "She couldn't learn the etiquette and manners of the noble ladies in the capital, and her speech wasn't elegant enough. She was afraid of being ridiculed, so she didn't like to go out."

Luo Fu: "..."

Even if these are all true, is it appropriate for a son to expose his mother's shortcomings in front of his wife who has just entered the family?

A note from the author:

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Father Xiao, Mother Xiao, Brother Xiao: It's alright, we're used to it. [Angry]

Waaah, 100 little red envelopes, see you tomorrow! [dove emoji]