Chapter 48 Instead of a wedding night, lock me up, imprison me, and teach me not to…
Meng Shutai kept his word, and in less than twenty-four hours, Le Jinren was already sitting on the bridal bed in the bridal chamber.
The noise of the fireworks and firecrackers was so loud it almost deafened everyone. If it weren't for the red veil on her head, Le Jin estimated that she would have been blinded by the fireworks.
She personally saw Le Zhao and the others off on their way back to Shuzhou before boarding the bridal sedan chair. Originally, Le Jin wanted to send Bao Yin back as well, but both Le Zhao and Bao Yin disagreed. In the end, Bao Yin had no choice but to go with her to the Meng residence.
She now understands that defying fate is impossible; all she can do is go with the flow of the plot and use it to accomplish her mission.
That's good, at least there's hope for the future; but it's also bad, her head is throbbing right now!
This phoenix crown is almost bigger than the Empress's! It was so heavy that Le Jin's head went numb, and she didn't dare to move, terrified that it would fall and break her neck.
"Baoyin, give me a shoulder massage, quick!"
His slender fingers gently landed on her shoulders, but kneading them through her beaded and jeweled bridal gown was like scratching an itch through a boot.
Le Jin lost her patience and whined, "Fine, fine, just pinch my neck, it's too sore..."
The fingers obediently moved to Le Jin's exposed neck, the fingertips were icy cold, the knuckles slightly protruding, and even though the pressure was slowed to a gentle touch, there was still a slight distance between them.
These are a man's hands.
Le Jin was jolted awake. Her red veil was ripped off with a "whoosh," and she turned around and slapped away the hand that was kneading her neck.
After the crisp sound, red marks appeared on the back of those jade-like hands.
"Hello!"
Le Jin's heart skipped a few beats, and she shrank back into the bed, scolding him, "Meng Shutai! You pinched me?!"
Meng Shutai's gaze lingered on the marks on the back of her hand for a moment, then he subtly raised the corners of his mouth and quickly lowered them, answering her with a mixture of grievance and innocence.
"No. It was Ah Jin who asked me to ease the tension, so I did it."
I clearly called out Baoyin! But when Le Jin looked over, she realized that Baoyin had been sent away at some point.
There's nothing wrong with that. Tonight is the wedding night for the newlyweds, and no one else should be present except for the two of them.
Le Jin pouted, feeling uneasy.
Do men all change drastically after marriage? Why is he suddenly using so many mushy terms of endearment? Has he completely devoured that aloof and cold-hearted nobleman?
The form of address is a minor matter; the key issue is Meng Shutai's sudden change in his intimate attitude towards this woman...
The reason why Le Jin was not afraid to marry Meng Shutai was because of his behavior outside Yu Yang Nunnery. He was indifferent, very indifferent, extremely indifferent.
That would be safer for her, since she didn't really want to be his wife anyway.
But now... this guy's role has changed so quickly?!
Le Jin swallowed hard, deciding to stay in a corner of the bed tonight.
Today, Meng Shutai was dressed in a crimson brocade robe, with gold and silver threads interspersed with the feathers of five birds and embroidered with auspicious beasts and clouds that Yue Jin could not recognize. His fair skin glowed with a rosy light amidst his dignified and noble demeanor, and he was more joyful and lively than before when he was pure and aloof. He looked like a beautiful Bodhisattva or a handsome Guanyin descending to earth and becoming her husband sitting by the bed, watching her with a gentle smile.
Her divine husband reached out to her, "Isn't your neck sore? Come here, let me help you undo your phoenix crown and hair bun."
One second Le Jin was acting like a turtle eating a weight, the next she was holding that hand.
It hurts so much!
She demanded an incredibly lavish wedding from Meng Shutai, but it backfired, leaving her with a sore neck.
Meng Shutai led her to the rosewood dressing table, where the three mirrors reflected the candlelight of the night onto the two of them.
A pair of radiant and beautiful people were clearly visible in the mirror.
His movements were incredibly meticulous. He untangled Le Jin's hair, which had been tied up for over an hour, without hurting her at all, all under the care of her jade-like fingertips. It was a hundred times gentler than the meticulous way her mother combed her hair when she was a child.
Feeling relaxed, Le Jin immediately closed her eyes in comfort and let out a long sigh. However, before she could finish sighing, someone suddenly leaned down and kissed her on the side of her neck, startling her so much that she almost jumped off the chair.
"What are you doing?!"
“My father would do this whenever my mother was in pain.” He paused slightly, then asked sincerely, “Jin doesn’t like it?”
She was always happy when her father coaxed her like this.
Le Jin forcibly suppressed the urge to roll her eyes at him, huffing in dissatisfaction. Who would like someone who killed them but is now all lovey-dovey with them?
That's disgusting.
The skin on her neck, where he had just kissed, was almost chafed raw by Le Jin. She muttered, "I agreed to marry you because I didn't want to see you go crazy and kill people again. Who said I wanted to actually be your husband?"
"Besides, you didn't really marry me because you loved me."
She knew perfectly well that a madman like Meng Shutai would never fall in love with anyone else. He might marry her because of the engagement, because of surprise, or because he wanted to keep her secret about his murder forever, but it could never be because of love.
He doesn't have that thing at all.
Let's both save our energy.
After Le Jin finished speaking, she lowered her head, avoiding the gaze and figure of the man in the mirror, not wanting to pay any more attention to him.
Getting married is exhausting; all she wants to do right now is sleep.
Suddenly, the sound of jade belts, sachets, and jeweled ornaments hitting the ground echoed behind me, followed by the soft rustling of fabrics falling to the ground one after another, layer upon layer…
He's taking off his clothes!
Le Jin covered her eyes, almost screaming, "Meng Shutai, you big pervert!"
My ears were burning hot, and even with my eyes closed, I was so embarrassed that I was about to burst into tears.
She doesn't want to sleep with a madman! She'd rather die again than!
However, nothing terrible happened.
Meng Shutai simply patted Le Jin's hand covering her eyes, smiling helplessly: "Shutai is not a lustful person, nor is he a beast who forces women. Don't worry, A Jin."
As if knowing that Le Jin was resisting, he stopped referring to himself as "husband".
"I just wanted to show you my wound."
Le Jin peeked through her fingers and saw that the man in the mirror was indeed only half-undressed; she had made a mountain out of a molehill.
With her hands trembling slightly, Le Jin put them down and said blankly, "Why are you showing me this? I'm not a doctor."
When Meng Shutai heard her utter such heartless words, he couldn't help but chuckle softly.
His broad shoulders and narrow waist, like jade carvings, and his refined chest and abdomen trembled slightly in the mirror. He was reflected in three mirrors on the dressing table, as if surrounding Le Jin.
Her cheeks flushed red, and she dared not look up again.
“Shutai knows he has done foolish things in the past that have upset you… But look, although the wound has healed now, it is so deep that it will leave a scar to teach me a lesson.”
The man slowly squatted down beside her, his smooth, broad, bare shoulders pressing against Le Jinyan's bright red dress, making him exceptionally conspicuous.
The last time she saw those shoulders, he was bathing in the water. She had never been this close before, and Le Jin felt as if her skirt was about to catch fire.
"Ah Jin, I am indeed a little crazy."
Meng Shutai's expression was indifferent, as if he were caught in some kind of stagnant emotion, which Le Jin couldn't understand.
"I am truly sorry for taking your life. If you hate me, you might as well lock me up, imprison me, and teach me to stop being so mad and bloodthirsty, and to understand the meaning of worldly thoughts."
...I don't have that ability.
Le Jin inwardly objected, but she had to admit that if Meng Shutai were to relinquish the right to control herself, then completing the mission would be just around the corner.
She lowered her eyes and met Meng Shutai's gaze as he looked up at her.
Those shimmering eyes were filled with sorrow and confusion, as well as a burning persistence, as if she were the only cure and the only comfort.
"So you want me to stay with you?"
Meng Shutai smiled and nodded, looking as obedient as could be.
Le Jin took a deep breath and slowly exhaled, before finally managing to say with difficulty, "Fine, that's settled then." She then angrily tugged at Meng Shutai's brocade robe, which had slumped to his arm. "Put it on properly! Aren't you ashamed..."
She got up and walked to the bridal bed, picked up a bridal quilt and threw it onto the chaise lounge in the room.
"We'll sleep separately, you don't mind, right? I'll sleep here, so I won't take up your space."
As soon as Le Jin sat down on the chaise lounge, Meng Shutai, who had just finished adjusting his clothes, also sat down.
"There is no reason for a woman to be wronged while living under the same roof."
He took Le Jin's hand and helped her lie down on the wedding bed. His phoenix eyes curved upwards, gentle and affectionate, like the sunlight on apricot branches in spring.
"The bride is precious, so please sleep here. I will keep watch over you from now on."
The chaise lounge was colder, harder, and much smaller than the bed, but Meng Shutai lay down on it without saying a word, showing no disgust at all, truly making a gentleman's pact with Le Jin.
Of all the red candles in the room, only a pair remained, engraved with the image of a phoenix seeking its mate. This symbolized a couple's lifelong commitment and happiness, and it had to burn until dawn, never going out.
The flickering orange flames licked at the tranquil night within the bridal chamber.
The chaise lounge was not far from the wedding bed. Meng Shutai could see Le Jin curled up there like a little cotton ball with just a turn of his head.
His eyes remained fixed on her figure, his fingers quietly pressing against the thin, healing wound on his ribs.
It still hurt; pressing it caused a little sticky fluid to seep out, the pain sharp and piercing. But Meng Shu, as if addicted, wouldn't let go, even deliberately tearing open the already healed skin, letting it bleed a little.
His fingertips traced the wound with lingering affection through his clothes, as if the wound wasn't on his body but on the little cotton ball on the couch.
Touching it is like touching her.
The blood ties between them made him reluctant to let the wound heal so quickly.
Just being with him wasn't enough. Meng Shutai's previous obedience vanished under the glow of the phoenix candles, replaced by an almost insane greed.
It didn't matter that she was afraid of him, terrified of him, or wary of him. He knew now anyway—that she was soft-hearted.
By retreating to advance, defending to attack, and adding a touch of weakness and pitifulness, he could easily put Yue Jin at ease. At that point, he could bully her without her even realizing it.
Since meeting Le Jin, his murderous intent had not subsided, and his sadistic desires had risen again. The two desires clashed wildly within him. With each glance at her, his noble, gentle, and serene bodhisattva-like exterior grew closer to bursting. He could only endure the pain to delay the exposure of his fangs and claws.
Meng Shutai curled his lips in self-deprecation, thinking how much he resembled a monster that could only maintain its human form by consuming vital essence.
The girl on the couch shifted back and forth, completely unaware of how long she had been being watched by Youyou.
Covered by the bright red and fragrant quilt, Le Jin tried to close her eyes but couldn't fall asleep.
She's getting married today; this is her wedding night. A girl's sentimental emotions churned within her, and as Le Jin smelled the fragrance of the quilt, a sudden pang of sadness welled up inside her.
Although this is in a book, the thought of her getting married like this makes Le Jin extremely sad.
She has no one she truly loves, only a madwoman. She has no younger sister, San Niu, and no one even among the characters in the book who is close to her; she's all alone...
"Meng Shutai..."
A pair of watery eyes peeked out from under the brocade quilt on the bed, looking pitiful, like a whimpering puppy.
Meng Shutai smiled and gave a soft "hmm," patiently waiting to see what she had to say.
"I want to see the congratulatory gifts that others have sent."
"What?"
His smile froze for a moment, then returned to normal.
Should I go and count the wedding gifts on our wedding night? It's a bit strange... but it's fine to let her do as she pleases.
Meng Shutai got up, put on his clothes, took the glass lamp and hung it above Le Jin's bed. He lifted the quilt and helped her up, then carefully fastened her outer cloak by the light.
"It's quite a walk to the reception room, and the night wind is blowing outside, so don't catch a cold."
Meng Shutai carried a lantern in his left hand and held Le Jin's hand in his right. When he went out, he startled the servants outside.
The young master and his wife shouldn't... how could they have the leisure and inclination to stroll around at night with lanterns?
Everyone stared at her, and Le Jin finally realized how absurd her idea was. While gazing at priceless treasures might alleviate her anxiety, that might be acceptable for modern couples counting red envelopes on their wedding night, but in this feudal environment…
She squeezed Meng Shutai's hand, "Let's go back to our room, there are so many people watching."
A gentle night breeze carried Meng Shutai's candid and almost plain words.
"Your happiness is the most important thing, not just tonight, but always from now on."
The warm yellow light shone right beneath her feet, and Meng Shutai's lantern was also tilted towards her. With each step she took, she felt as if she were melting in the light, almost as if she wanted to stick to him.
...
A chill ran through Le Jin's heart, but she kept a slight smile on her face, preventing others from noticing anything amiss.
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Author's note: Happy Qixi Festival everyone! [cheering emojis]
I only realized after I finished writing that their wedding was actually on Qixi Festival (Chinese Valentine's Day)! How amazing! hhhh
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