Chapter 23 The First Day of Marriage

The next morning, Yu Junsheng woke up feeling unwell. In his dream, it was as if a ball of fire was chasing him and burning him. It would move forward when he moved forward and backward when he moved backward, sticking tightly to him and burning him so intensely that he woke up.

When Yu Junsheng opened his eyes, he saw a fluffy head buried in his arms, with a patch of snow-white skin peeking out from the shoulder.

Good heavens, his newlywed wife was clinging to him like an octopus, one leg across his waist and the other in some unspeakable place. Every time he moved, she moved too, and she would occasionally rub against him restlessly. How could he not feel extremely uncomfortable?

Yu Junsheng also noticed that his wife was very different from other women. Nowadays, women would stammer and be shy when talking about sex, but his wife was so bold and direct.

Recalling the things he was forced to do last night, Yu Junsheng felt both ashamed and angry. How could a grown man like himself have been forced by his wife? How could he have been pinned down by his wife and unable to resist?

Where does that leave him to save face?

But for some reason, upon closer reflection, he felt a strange, damn sweetness in his heart, as if, seemingly, being with his wife in this or that way was also quite nice.

Anyway, since it's a family matter, no one else will know if I don't tell. Having figured this out, Yu Junsheng happily hugged her tighter. Looking at the sleeping Cheng Jiajia, he liked her more and more. He couldn't help but give her a "plop" kiss on the cheek, secretly smiling to himself.

Hehe, as expected of his wife, she's just so special!

He held her and slept for a while longer. When he woke up again, it was already bright outside, and there were some clanging and banging noises in the yard.

Cheng Jiajia showed no signs of waking up, so Yu Junsheng gently moved her arms and legs away, afraid that she would catch a cold, and covered her with the blanket again tightly.

Their clothes were thrown to the end of the kang (a heated brick bed) in the chaos. He crawled over, picked out his own clothes, put them on, and then quietly opened the door to go out and wash up.

Although the peak time for washing up had passed, there were still quite a few middle-aged women and young wives chatting while washing clothes by the taps.

When everyone saw Yu Junsheng coming over with a basin and teacup, all smiles and winks at each other, their laughter quite ambiguous.

"Hey, Junsheng, is your wife still sleeping?" What does that mean? It means the young couple had a lot of fun last night!

These older women love to tease young couples with these kinds of things, and they're only happy when they've made the young couples blush.

But Yu Junsheng didn't respond at all. He didn't even blink and said with a grin, "Auntie, my wife was scared by the fight between Aunt Chang and the others yesterday. She had never seen people fight so fiercely before. Poor thing, she didn't fall asleep until late at night and she's still not awake."

What? !

Everyone's memory was instantly pulled back to the scene of Chang Dafeng, Bao Dayan, and Fu Jiaojiao fighting yesterday, and their expressions immediately turned sour.

Especially for those who had just eaten breakfast, the mere thought of that scene made them gag, "...Ugh!"

There's no way around it, this is just... this is just too shocking!

Who would have thought, who would have thought, that these people would actually fight with themselves covered in gold and use that stuff as a weapon to attack others!

They've lived so long, it's unheard of.

That's fucking despicable!

Although there were constant frictions and fights in their compound, no one ever used that dirty stuff to disgust others, it was so filthy!

The problem is that this thing bothers not just one or two people, but all the residents of the compound, and they will be condemned by everyone in the compound. So for many years, no one has ever had such thoughts.

This time, Aunt Chang and her group set a precedent. Who knows if anyone else will follow suit? What will their compound become then?

Just imagining that scene made everyone forget about teasing the newlyweds and start cursing the Golden Melee Trio.

Hu Mei, who lives next door to the Bao and Zhu families, suffered greatly from this. Didn't you see her come to the Second Courtyard to wash clothes today? It's all because that troublemaker Bao Dayan was washing her dirty clothes in the pond in the front yard, and she found it disgusting, so she came over.

She cursed bitterly, "They're all no good! I think Grandpa Zou was too lenient. They should have been fined three yuan a day, a severe fine, to teach them a lesson! Let's see if they dare to do such disgusting things again!"

"That's right, that's right. Sweeping a yard is too lenient a punishment. This kind of behavior must be stopped."

"I'll go talk to Grandpa Zou in a bit and suggest that the punishment be increased, otherwise we won't stand for it!"

"I'm going too!" "Me too!" "This behavior must be stopped!"

Seeing that more and more people were in favor of the proposal, Yu Junsheng raised an eyebrow, took the opportunity to quickly wash up, and slipped away.

He didn't say anything. He really just made up an excuse. Who could have imagined it would turn out like this?

Aunt Chang, Bao Dayan, and Fu Jiaojiao, you have a grievance to settle, so blame these aunties and grandmas if you want, hehe!

...

After returning home, Yu Junsheng went into the kitchen, turned on the coal stove that had been sealed off the day before, added a new honeycomb briquette, and cooked a pot of millet porridge. After thinking for a moment, he added a few red dates that he and Cheng Jiajia had bought at the department store last time, and steamed a few cornbreads. Breakfast for the two of them was ready.

Cheng Jiajia was awakened by a delicious aroma. She sniffed and opened her eyes to see Yu Junsheng holding a bowl of red date and millet porridge, waving it in front of her with a malicious smile on his face.

"Wife, you're awake!"

This person is clearly doing it on purpose!

Cheng Jiajia glared at him irritably, "Why are you disturbing my sleep?" She hadn't slept enough last night because they stayed up too late. Besides, this person was probably a little excited because he had just started having sex. Although she had taken the initiative at first, she was still feeling weak and sore. It was inevitable that she would get angry when she saw the culprit.

The sweet aroma of millet porridge made Cheng Jiajia's stomach rumble loudly in the quiet room.

Cheng Jiajia: "..." This is a little awkward.

I ate dinner early last night and burned a lot of energy, so of course I was hungry.

Yu Junsheng smiled even after being glared at, and urged Cheng Jiajia, "Wife, eat something quickly, it's not good for your stomach to be hungry for too long. After you finish eating, you can sleep for a while." His wife had dark circles under her eyes and looked haggard, as if someone had sucked out her life essence, and he felt sorry for her.

Cheng Jiajia was indeed very hungry, but hesitated a bit, "I haven't brushed my teeth or washed my face yet."

"I'll go get you a basin and toothbrush, you can wash up inside." The gossipy women outside haven't left yet, and he doesn't want his wife to go out and be talked about by them.

"Hey..." Before Cheng Jiajia could even refuse, Yu Junsheng quickly went to the washstand in the main room and brought her a towel, toothbrush, and washbasin.

Yu Junsheng attentively helped Cheng Jiajia finish washing up, then applied face cream to her face. Seeing his wife looking fragrant and beautiful again, he smiled with satisfaction.

He couldn't resist giving her another kiss on her fair cheek, and said smugly, "My wife is so beautiful!"

Even someone as thick-skinned as Cheng Jiajia felt uncomfortable after his actions, so she changed the subject, asking, "Have you eaten?"

In his heart, he sighed. Ever since the two of them crossed that line, everything seemed to have become much more natural. Who would have thought that this person was a pure and innocent boy who would blush at the slightest touch of his hand yesterday?

Yu Junsheng hurriedly went to the kitchen and brought out his breakfast. The couple smiled at each other, and soon a pink bubble filled the small house.

Cheng Jiajia noticed that her bowl had brown sugar, but Yu Junsheng's bowl didn't. "Why didn't you put sugar in your porridge?"

Yu Junsheng was taken aback, glanced at his bowl, and casually said, "Oh, I don't like sweets."

"Honey, you bled yesterday, you need to eat more nourishing foods."

People these days lack sugar in their bodies, so how could they not love sweets? It's just that sugar coupons are rare, and he wanted to save them for Cheng Jiajia.

Cheng Jiajia felt a warm glow in her heart. She was very lucky to have met such a considerate man in this era.

She didn't say anything about eating together in the future, but only decided to treat this person better from now on.

Cheng Jiajia lowered her head and silently drank her porridge, feeling that this bowl of red date and millet porridge was sweeter than ever before, even more delicious than the various exquisite desserts she had eaten in her previous life.

...

After breakfast, Yu Junsheng cleaned up the dishes and changed the soiled sheets and blankets from the previous night and took them to wash.

Cheng Jiajia was even more satisfied with this man. He was attentive to his work and didn't hold the chauvinistic view that housework was solely the woman's responsibility.

Yes, he's no wonder he's the man I fell for at first sight!

I have such good taste!

And you know what? This young couple, at times, have a strangely similar way of thinking, both being thick-skinned and fond of embellishing their own reputations.

After all that commotion, Cheng Jiajia couldn't sleep either. Not wanting to stay indoors any longer, she simply moved a small stool to the Guo family's front door, watching Yu Junsheng do the laundry while chatting with Aunt Cao about gossip.

Cheng Jiajia had no idea how many eye-rolls the older women rolled at her leisurely demeanor. They were whispering behind her back, "Junsheng's new wife doesn't seem very good. She's so lazy. She makes the man wash the sheets while she sits there chatting. It's outrageous!"

Guan Ailian, who hadn't been out of the public eye for a long time, pouted and said, "You know what? Women from the countryside just aren't good enough. I wonder what tricks she used to get that Yu family boy to marry her!"

Since returning from the hospital, the Ren family had become much more well-behaved, and Guan Ailian had also stopped being arrogant lately, trying to avoid people when walking. However, seeing the "culprit" who had caused their family's predicament, she couldn't help but make sarcastic remarks. Her voice was loud enough for the entire Second Hospital to hear, and a moment of silence ensued.

Wow, work starts on the very first day of your marriage!

Cheng Jiajia raised an eyebrow, about to speak,

Then Yu Junsheng said with a smile, "Aunt Guan, I know you are not satisfied with Yongsheng's rural wife, but you can just talk to the couple directly. Coming to our Second Courtyard to criticize them indirectly may not be heard by Yongsheng and his wife, and all your efforts will be in vain."

"Pfft!" Everyone present burst into laughter.

"That's right, that's how her second daughter-in-law came to be!"

"Oh, by the way, Lao Guan, I remember you're from the countryside too, right? You can't talk about yourself like that!"

Cheng Jiajia suppressed a laugh and continued to ask expectantly, "Aunt Guan, when are we going to have your wedding banquet?"

Guan Ailian's face immediately turned ashen, looking extremely unpleasant, as if she were constipated.

After the elderly couple from the Ren family were discharged from the hospital, the Dong family came and made a scene. No one knows how the two families negotiated, but three days ago, Comrade Dong Xiangxiang quietly moved into the Ren family home with a small bundle in her arms and officially became the Ren family's daughter-in-law.

Cheng Jiajia said it on purpose to embarrass Guan Ailian.

"Yes, Lao Guan, we've been neighbors for so long, when can we attend your wedding?" an older woman asked, winking and making faces. She couldn't stand Guan Ailian's behavior, her family's dirty business...

Guan Ailian's face turned pale, and she said stiffly, "What wedding banquet? Our house was vandalized, we don't have any extra money for a wedding banquet."

She tried to save face, saying, "Hmph, if you ask me, my daughter-in-law is much more sensible. Unlike some people, who not only spend their in-laws' money lavishly before marriage, but also don't do any housework after marriage. What kind of daughter-in-law is that?"

"I get it, I get it, this is another allusion to her," Yu Junsheng retorted before Cheng Jiajia could speak.

“Aunt Guan, if I don’t give my money to my wife, who will I spend it on? If you want to spend money, go find Uncle Ren. Why are you looking for me? You don’t have any designs on me, do you? That won’t do. Aunt Guan, you’re about the same age as my mother. I’ve always regarded you as an elder. You can’t do such a thing!” As he finished speaking, Yu Junsheng looked at Guan Ailian with a look of horror, as if she really had some improper thoughts about him.

Guan Ailian: "!!!"

Guan Ailian was furious, her face turning blue and purple. "What nonsense are you spouting, you little brat?"

Guan Ailian cursed under her breath, swearing at the language she hadn't used in a long time.

Damn it, damn it! What do you mean she has feelings for him?!

If this gets out, will she lose her reputation?!

"You little bastard, do you even know your own worth? Do you think I'd even look at you?"

Yu Junsheng wasn't angry at all, and just said lightly, "Then why are you being so sour when I'm spending money on my wife?"

Guan Ailian: "..."

She couldn't very well say it was because she was jealous, that would only make things more complicated.

Even the usually quiet and unassuming Aunt Yan spoke up softly, "Old Guan, this is really your fault. The young couple has a good relationship. Junsheng is willing to spend money on his wife and help with chores, so what? We're all so old, what's there to be jealous of, right, Old Guan?"

Guan Ailian: "!!!"

Yu Junsheng is one thing, but even Aunt Yan, whom she despises the most, can teach her a lesson?

"Aaaaaah!" Guan Ailian screamed wildly. What the hell was that?!

Everyone: "..."

Holy crap, Aunt Guan is going crazy!

Everyone quietly moved away from her.

And what's wrong with Aunt Yan, a heavy sufferer of feudalistic ideas, speaking up for Cheng Jiajia and even helping her with chores? Who is it that keeps saying "husband is the most important person in the world" all day long?

Oh my god, it's raining red blood!

...

As they were talking, Jiang Qiubai, looking rather unwell, came to the pool with a basin of dirty clothes. Cheng Jiajia glanced at the clothes in the basin and couldn't help but feel sorry for Jiang Qiubai for a second, but only for a second at most, before she started to gloat.

Hehe, she said, she said, this hard work will definitely fall on Jiang Qiubai in the end!

In the book, the mean old woman Chang Dafeng dumped all the housework on the original owner of the body. Now that Jiang Qiubai has taken over, it's become her job.

Seeing Jiang Qiubai's constipated look, Cheng Jiajia's mood inexplicably improved.

Aunt Cao was the first to get restless. "Hey, no, Zheng's new daughter-in-law, what's in this basin? It can't be Aunt Chang's clothes from yesterday, can it? You can't wash them in the sink. Everyone else is washing vegetables here. It would be so dirty if you washed those dirty clothes here!"

It's not that she's being mean, but anyone who was there yesterday knows how filthy Aunt Chang's clothes were. If you wash that stuff in the sink, and then everyone comes here to wash vegetables or dishes, it's just disgusting!

Guan Ailian, who prided herself on being a respectable person, frowned. Feeling she had something to say, she immediately looked at Jiang Qiubai disapprovingly, "Haiyang's family, this is where you're wrong. How can you wash such dirty things in a public place? You've dirtied the pool, how are others supposed to use it? We all live in the same courtyard, we need to have more public spirit. You're young and ignorant, so I won't say much, just remember to be selfish next time."

Jiang Qiubai: "!!!"

Jiang Qiubai had never encountered such a situation before, and his face turned bright red.

She was just about to do some laundry, and she didn't even say anything. How is that selfish? How is that lacking in public morality? Huh?

Jiang Qiubai felt incredibly wronged. Did she really want to wash these dirty clothes stained with gold? Didn't she know how smelly and dirty they were?

This morning, for some reason, a few idle aunties and young wives jointly suggested that Grandpa Zou increase the severity of the punishment. Their attitude was very firm, so Grandpa Zou had no choice but to let the three people who had the big fight yesterday pay the fines to be used for the construction of the courtyard.

Chang Dafeng was a mean-spirited person. Yesterday she was tricked into falling into the toilet, and today she lost three yuan. With one upsetting thing after another, even with work hanging in the balance, she really couldn't pretend to be kind to Jiang Qiubai.

Sure enough, she threw her smelly clothes at Jiang Qiubai first thing in the morning and insisted that she wash them.

Jiang Qiubai was unwilling and disliked it, but she had a guilty conscience and couldn't stand up to her in-laws, so she could only reluctantly take on this dirty work.

She just hoped that when the incident happened, her mother-in-law would give her a hard time because she was so obedient, and not affect her relationship with Haiyang.

But she didn't expect her neighbors in the courtyard to be so difficult and unfriendly. She was only washing clothes when she was bombarded with questions about her character.

These people are so heartless and indifferent!

They don't understand her predicament and suffering at all. Do you think it's easy for a new bride with a guilty conscience?!

Jiang Qiubai was scorned and driven away by all the older women and young wives. But as a newcomer, she dared not confront them directly. Helpless, she could only reluctantly fetch water and angrily wash her smelly, dirty clothes at her own doorstep, enduring the nausea. As she scrubbed, her face kept changing colors, from blue to purple to yellow, which was quite amusing.

As Cheng Jiajia watched, she suddenly realized that Jiang Qiubai's situation was actually different from that of the original character in the book.

The original owner was a young girl from the countryside, without a job, without a household registration, and without any relatives to help her. In order to stay in the city, she had to live in fear and trembling in the Zheng family, so she took on all the housework without daring to complain.

Jiang Qiubai, however, was a regular worker at the food factory, earning a monthly salary of more than 20 yuan. Her conditions were not bad. She did not need to lower herself to please her mother-in-law like the original character in the book. She had the confidence to refuse her in-laws' unreasonable demands, so why didn't she refuse?

Could this person be so obsessed with love?

Cheng Jiajia didn't understand, and she was greatly shocked.

Soon, Cheng Jiajia learned the reason why Jiang Qiubai was so patient.

That evening, just as darkness fell, a fierce argument erupted in the Zheng family.