Chapter 3 After the ceremony, she forgot that husband and wife should consummate their marriage.

That day, Qingduo left early to avoid the crowd. When she returned at dusk, she saw the new gift and knew that Zeng Zhengqing had already come.

"How is it?" she asked Tang Li impatiently.

Tang Li chuckled and said, "Brother Zeng is a good father. He's very agreeable and agreed to all my requests." He then told Qing Duo about his conversation with Zeng Zhengqing.

After listening, Qingduo praised, "Father is really something. I never thought of these things."

"Then see, I've lived in vain, haven't I?" Tang Li puffed out his chest and said smugly.

Qingduo pressed further, "Did you say anything good about me to him?"

"Of course! I'll praise you to the skies, saying you're intelligent and kind, skillful and quick-witted, dignified and virtuous, with a noble and virtuous character..."

"Wait, wait, wait!" Qingduo shouted urgently. "What? Dignified? Virtuous? Where am I dignified? Where am I virtuous?"

"This doesn't seem to fit," Tang Li said, scratching his head.

Qingduo stamped her foot in frustration: "Oh dear, I asked you to praise me, not to talk nonsense! If you describe me like this, what will happen when I get married and the family sees that I am nothing like 'dignified' or 'virtuous' and wants to call off the engagement?"

Tang Li comforted him, "It's alright, A-Zhao. Once the ceremony is over, it'll be a done deal. Even if he wants to back out, he won't be able to. Besides, what matchmaker doesn't exaggerate? Our words are really nothing."

“When you were a child, when you got engaged to him, our family was not as wealthy as his, but we were still quite well-off. If it weren’t for what happened later, you would have been a dignified and virtuous young lady. I’m saying this because it meets their expectations of you!”

Yes, Father is right. When the engagement was arranged, the Zeng family definitely wanted to marry a lady of equal social standing. It's just that those memories have become blurred in the distance. She's been so unruly for so many years, she's no longer behaving like a proper young lady.

A flash of inspiration struck.

She may not be, but she can pretend!

But does that mean she has to pretend to be "dignified and virtuous" for the rest of her life?

Tang Li was startled when he saw Qing Duo's "heartbreaking" expression and quickly asked, "A Zhao, what are you thinking about? Why aren't you saying anything?"

Qingduo sighed and said, "Father, you really are my father."

*

With the Zeng family's encouragement, the betrothal, auspicious date selection, gift presentation, and wedding date setting were completed swiftly. Tang Li couldn't stop smiling as he looked at the "dowry" and betrothal gifts piled up in the courtyard.

"My son-in-law is really generous, preparing two gifts, not being stingy at all," he praised.

Qingduo poured cold water on the idea, saying, "What's wrong with him being stingy? The dowry will just be brought into his house anyway, it's just a formality. If we can't make it work, all of this will still be his, it has nothing to do with us."

"Pah! Pah! Don't talk nonsense, or your words might become a self-fulfilling prophecy!" Tang Li quickly said, putting his hands together and praying, "Passing deity, it was just a child's joke, please don't take it seriously."

After he finished speaking, he looked around as if there were other people present, then took out a silver note from his pocket and handed it to Qingduo.

"Fifty taels?" Qingduo exclaimed in surprise when she saw the words on the sign.

"Keep your voice down!" Tang Li warned in a low voice.

Where did you get so much money?

"What's so difficult about that? It's just a promise to paint a picture!" Tang Li said nonchalantly, his hands behind his back.

Qingduo couldn't quite describe her feelings. A single erotic painting she painted could only fetch a few dozen coins at most, and sometimes it wouldn't even sell. Her father, on the other hand, could sell a painting for fifty taels. She felt a bittersweet ache in her heart, like she had eaten an unripe persimmon.

Suddenly, she had a change of heart and questioned, "Since your paintings are so valuable, why are we still living so hard? The money you make from one painting is enough for us to live on for several years!"

"I just don't want to draw!" Tang Li muttered.

Like a sour persimmon stuck in her throat, Qingduo felt choked up. Fine, fine, first Zeng Zhengqing said his gift of the ultramarine was just a "small token," then her father painted a painting worth tens of taels of silver, yet refused to paint more. Only she had neither money nor the skill to paint.

Heaven is blind!

"What a waste," she squeezed out through gritted teeth.

"What's wrong with that, I..." Tang Li was about to speak when Qing Duo raised her hand to stop him: "Don't say it, don't say it, your stomach hurts." The invisible sour persimmon finally settled in his stomach, and the sourness spread throughout his body.

Tang Li returned to the original topic and said, "Ah Zhao, here's fifty taels for you to keep. Although our family is not as good as the Zeng family, in your father's eyes, you are priceless. Even if they gave us all their possessions, it wouldn't be worth one ten-thousandth of what you have. You don't need to look down on yourself."

“Ah Zhao, although it is said that ‘before marriage one obeys one’s father, after marriage one obeys one’s husband,’ I have not forced you to obey me at home. There is no reason for you to run to someone else and obey him. Daughter, you married him to be his wife, not sold to him. If he treats you harshly, come back. With my painting skills, I can support you for the rest of your life! However, judging from your son-in-law’s appearance, he is a responsible person and will not bully you. I hope that you two can live in harmony and happiness for a long time.”

It was rare to see her father so serious. Hearing his earnest instructions, a warm feeling welled up in Qingduo's heart. Just as she was about to say something to express her gratitude, she heard Tang Li say in a low voice:

"But you'd better bear with it if you can. It's not that your father doesn't want to support you, it's just that painting a work takes too long and is too mentally taxing."

Qingduo breathed a sigh of relief. That's right, this is the father she knows.

*

Before they knew it, the wedding day arrived. The moment the bridal veil was lifted, Qingduo saw Zeng Zhengqing, who was also dressed in red. He was calm and composed, his face expressionless, as if he were not the one getting married.

The restraints on her head were finally gone, and Qingduo smiled easily at him. Laughter erupted around them: "The bride is smiling at the groom!"

She then noticed a crowd gathered around her, some even standing on tiptoe to catch a glimpse of the bride. Seeing everyone smiling at her, she smiled brightly and waved to them.

Everyone couldn't help but laugh, exclaiming, "The bride isn't shy at all!"

"This is the first time I've ever seen a bride who, after lifting her veil, stares at us and smiles so openly!"

Hearing their words, Qingduo posed even more enthusiastically. But then she caught a glimpse of surprise in Zeng Zhengqing's eyes, which immediately snapped her out of her reverie. She was supposed to be playing the role of a quiet young lady, so she quickly put her hands down, sat upright, and lowered her eyes.

"Alright, alright, the bride has been seen. Everyone, let's go outside and have some wedding drinks!" The matchmaker urged everyone to leave, then turned and closed the door, leaving only Zeng Zhengqing and Qingduo in the room. The room immediately fell silent.

"Are you tired?" he asked first.

Qingduo quickly raised her head and replied, "Not tired." She smiled slightly and met his gaze: "It's so lively today, I'm very excited."

A faint smile appeared on his lips as he said, "I'll have the maid bring some food in a bit, so you can have something to eat. I'm going to offer toasts first, so I might be back late. If you're tired, you can rest now; you don't need to wait for me."

Qingduo nodded emphatically: "Okay."

He glanced at her intently for a moment, then left on his own. Not long after he left, a maid opened the door and entered, curtsied, and said, "Young Madam, my name is Fangqing, and I will be serving you from now on. Please feel free to ask me anything you need."

Qingduo stood up to help her up and said, "Sister Fangqing, there's no need for such formalities."

Fang Qing was startled and quickly said, "Young Madam, you can't call me that. You are the master and I am the servant. We can't break the rules. Just call me Fang Qing."

Qingduo was taken aback, then thought for a moment and said, "Then I'll call you by your name. I call my friends by their names too. It'll make us feel closer."

As they were talking, a woman carrying a food box came in from outside. Fangqing called her "Aunt Zhou". Smelling the food, Qingduo realized she was a little hungry. However, mindful of her "dignified" image, she could only endure her hunger and eat slowly.

Seeing her eating nonstop, Zhou Ma couldn't help but remind her, "Young Madam, please eat less, otherwise it might be inconvenient tonight."

Qingduo swallowed the cherry flesh in her mouth, looking puzzled: "Why would it be inconvenient?"

"This..." Aunt Zhou hesitated, then smiled vaguely, "After the young master comes back from toasting, you'll have to serve him until he goes to bed!"

"Oh, he said I should go to sleep if I'm tired, and not wait for him." Qingduo picked up a piece of shrimp.

"That won't do!" Zhou Ma said urgently when she saw that she didn't understand. "This is the perfect time for the wedding night. How can a newlywed couple sleep separately on their wedding night!"

Qingduo loosened her chopsticks, and the shrimp fell into the cherry meat broth, instantly turning it red. She stared blankly at Zhou Ma, her gaze gradually shifting from joy and happiness to fear.

ah!

Husbands and wives should consummate their marriage! She completely forgot!

Although her mother died early and no one taught her about these things before she got married, as a small-time painter who made a living by painting erotic scenes, she knew all too well what was going to happen!

Tonight, she will have a completely honest conversation with a stranger!

This man is nominally her husband, but in reality, the two have only met twice: once when he came to her doorstep, and the other time just now, after she lifted her veil!

"Clatter." The chopsticks slipped from her hands, tapped on the plate, and fell to the ground.

Qingduo lost her appetite and, following Fangqing's instructions, began to bathe. She sat in the tub, letting Fangqing gently scrub her arms with a ceramic scrubber. The bathroom steamed, creating a white mist that made her feel disoriented, wondering if she was still at the Zeng family home, or watching a wealthy family slaughter a pig during the New Year. The plump pig lay stiffly on the wooden tub, and people continuously ladled boiling water over it, scalding the pig's hair. With a sizzle, a plume of white smoke rose…

In terms of being "ready to be eaten," she is no different from a pig.

Qingduo shivered. Fangqing thought she was cold, so she quickly helped her dry off and change into her nightgown.

Qingduo sat on the bed waiting for Zeng Zhengqing to return to the room. The candlelight flickered at the top of the wedding candles, and she frantically racked her brains for reasons to escape the bridal chamber. For example, she could say she had her period, but no, she had just taken a bath, and Fangqing knew she hadn't; or she could say she wasn't feeling well, but she had been quite energetic all day, and suddenly complaining of feeling unwell at the last minute would be unbelievable; or she could say that today was the anniversary of her mother's death, and that it was inappropriate for such a thing.

Tang Qingduo! Do you even have a brain?! If today is not auspicious for any part of the wedding, why didn't you say so when the Zeng family requested the date before the wedding?

Damn it! Her mind was a complete mess, and she couldn't think of any useful solutions. She angrily slammed her thigh, her face contorting in pain. She hissed and began rubbing her leg. Just then, the door opened, and someone walked in. Fang Qing called out, "Young Master."

Ignoring the pain in her leg, Qingduo stared blankly at Zeng Zhengqing, whose cheeks were flushed and whose eyes were veiled with intoxication. As if sensing Qingduo's gaze, his eyes also fell on her.

This was the third time the two had met. The increased frequency of their meetings did not shorten the distance between them; instead, it deepened Qingduo's fear of consummating their marriage. He was like a death warrant, drawing ever closer.

Seeing this, Fang Qing was about to quietly retreat when she heard Qing Duo shout:

"Fangfang, Fangqing, where are you going?"

Fang Qing immediately stopped and obediently asked, "Does the young mistress have any further instructions?"

Under Zeng Zhengqing's gaze, Qingduo withdrew her outstretched arm, which she had halfway extended to grab Fangqing, and said desperately, "No, the young mistress didn't."

"This servant takes her leave." Fang Qingfu bowed and retreated. With a "click," the door closed, leaving behind the couple who had only met three times.

Qingduo lowered her head, not daring to look at him. She could feel Zeng Zhengqing's burning gaze fixed on the top of her head, as if the sun was scorching every inch of her skin, making her feel hot all over.

"Madam, are you waiting for me?" he whispered.

"Mmm," she murmured, her voice barely audible, a shyness she had never felt before in her life.

"Mrs. Lao, please wait a little while I take a bath and will be right back."

When he returned to the bedside, looking refreshed, Qingduo thought sadly, "It didn't have to be so soon."

"Let's rest," Zeng Zhengqing said, extinguishing the candles in the room one by one. As he approached the last candle, Qingduo suddenly said, "Leave this one. I... I'm afraid of the dark."

Zeng Zhengqing nodded and returned to the bedside. The two of them remained motionless and silent for a long time before he finally broke the silence.

"Take off your clothes...and rest."

Qingduo was utterly despondent, knowing she had reached her end and had nowhere to escape. At this moment, she was suddenly filled with a kind of courage to sacrifice herself. She said sadly, "I will do it myself!"

She was about to untie the sash of her white undergarment when, after a moment's thought, she got up, removed the bed curtains, took off her clothes, and quickly slipped under the covers, leaving only her head sticking out. She heard rustling sounds outside the bed curtains, guessing that Zeng Zhengqing was also undressing.

The sounds outside stopped, and a corner of the bed curtains was lifted, letting in the dim candlelight. She closed her eyes tightly, afraid to move, yet she felt the light lingering on her face.

The soft silk quilt covering her body was lifted and placed inside, exposing her entire body to the air. She subconsciously wrapped her arms around her chest.

"Excuse me." His voice was a little hoarse. After saying that, he took her arms and placed them on either side of him.

Qingduo felt like she was on a riverbank, with waves of cold air rushing in around her, making her shiver.

She kept her eyes closed, afraid to look. As she lost her sight, her other sensations became more pronounced. She felt Zeng Zhengqing kneeling on the bed, looking down at her.

Oh my god, she was seen completely naked!

She gripped the mattress on either side, trying her best to endure, and then felt him lean down, his palms burning hot, and hold her shoulders.

Qingduo's body trembled violently, and a current flowed from where their skin touched to her limbs. She felt her mouth dry and her limbs stiff, and she was about to scream.

Be patient, just a little longer! This is what it means to go through things when you get married!

Every pore on her skin screamed for her to escape, and she struggled to maintain her composure with what little calm she had left.

Suddenly, I touched something hot and smooth on my inner thigh.

What is this? She frowned and examined it carefully. In a flash, she suddenly realized what it was, and a jolt ran through her body. It was as if a thunderbolt had exploded in her mind, leveling the hill of reason.

She could no longer bear it and shouted, "No!" Instinctively, she kicked out with her leg.

Caught off guard by the kick, Zeng Zhengqing let out a muffled groan, instantly losing his balance. Then, with a loud thud, the back of his head slammed hard against the bed frame.