Hongyan saw the surprised look on Ye Yunniang's face and smiled.
From the moment Hongyan arrived at Courtyard No. 7, she was surprised and even looked on with amusement at almost everyone she met.
“I am Ma Hui’s second mother, after all. He has formed a bond with me, so I have to take over.”
Hongyan is currently Ma Kouzi's second wife and Ma Hui's stepmother. As an elder, it is not a problem for her to attend the marriage ceremony of the younger generation.
"You have such a strong heart." Ye Yunniang admired her greatly, realizing that she herself could never do what you do.
"That's the right way to do it, be open and honest. We won't let anyone find fault with us," Chunyao agreed.
Liang Maimiao didn't speak, but she nodded.
Liang Maimiao and Chunyao sat together, while Ye Yunniang sat next to Hongyan.
Looking at her bright red, protruding belly, Ye Yunniang estimated, "You're about five months pregnant, aren't you?"
"Five and a half months. He's so caring. He's been so quiet during my pregnancy." Hongyan stroked her belly, radiating maternal warmth. "Would you like to touch it?"
"May I?"
"Come here, touch it." Hongyan unbuttoned her thin coat, revealing her belly so that Ye Yunniang could better feel the baby's movements.
Ye Yunniang carefully reached out and stroked her rosy belly. The little one inside seemed to sense Ye Yunniang and reached out its hand.
Even through his clothes and belly, Ye Yunniang could sense his longing for the outside world.
"He moved." Hongyan's smile grew even more loving as she spoke of the baby in her belly.
Ye Yunniang sensed an unfriendly gaze. After searching for a while, she saw a boy of about fourteen or fifteen years old looking at her red belly with disgust in the distance.
Noticing someone was watching him, the boy looked away and down at the ground.
“He is my eldest son, Wang Jizu.”
Hongyan told Ye Yunniang the boy's name and his relationship with her.
“I also have a second son named Wang Yaozu. They were taken away and raised by Old Lady Wang after they were born. They were never close to me from a young age. The way they looked at me was like I had stepped in chicken poop, disgusted and repulsive,” Hongyan said, a hint of sadness flashing in her eyes.
It was the attitude of her two biological sons that made her decide to completely sever ties with the Wang family.
"They're too young to understand."
"I'm not young anymore. I was bought by the Wang family to be a child bride when I was 11. I worked from morning till night every day without a moment's rest."
Three years later, she was violated by that old beast and gave birth to Wang Jizu. The following year, she gave birth to Wang Yaozu.
Old Mrs. Wang dared not speak ill of her husband, but she doted on her son, so she tormented me relentlessly. Hongyan recalled her days in the Wang family, saying it was like drinking bitter melon water, the bitterness couldn't be more intense.
Ye Yunniang looked at Hongyan, wanting to ask, "How can you be so sure that the Ma family is your happiness?" But then she felt it wasn't a good idea and swallowed the words.
"The auspicious time has arrived," someone shouted.
Ye Yunniang looked towards the doorway.
Wang Qiang and Ma Hui, dressed in bright red wedding attire, walked into the courtyard.
Both wore smiles of long-awaited happiness. With the matchmaker's enthusiastic shouts, their marriage was successfully concluded.
After the initiation ceremony, the next step is to have a grand feast.
In the front yard, a table was set up, and the guests sat down.
Ye Yunniang sat with Chunyao and Liang Maimiao. Hongyan, as the hostess, was pulled to the main table by Ma Kouzi.
The Wang and Ma families hosted a banquet together, with a lavish spread of food and drinks, every dish containing meat. The food was prepared by a chef from a restaurant, and it tasted excellent.
The guests were very satisfied with their meal.
As Ye Yunniang savored the food, she wondered if she could cook it herself.
"Watch out!" Chunyao's shout came too late. Ye Yunniang hadn't dodged, and her arms, sleeves, and collar were covered in oil stains.
"Oh dear, I'm so sorry, I've gotten your clothes dirty." The woman serving the dishes apologized repeatedly and offered to wipe Ye Yunniang's clothes.
Ye Yunniang looked at the greasy handkerchief in the aunt's hand and waved her hand, "No need. I can do it myself." She took out a clean handkerchief from her sleeve and wiped her hands.
The more you wipe the clothes, the greasier they look.
"Why don't we go to the backyard and get some water to wipe it up?" the aunt suggested.
"Hmm, forget it. I'll go home and change." Ye Yunniang wanted to leave.
"No, I can't leave right after the meal starts. The host will be angry with me and dock my pay," the aunt said, stopping Ye Yunniang from leaving.
“Alright, let’s go to the backyard.” At the aunt’s request, Ye Yunniang got up and followed her to the backyard.
"Yunniang, I'll go with you." Chunyao was a little worried and got up to accompany Ye Yunniang.
"Chunyao, let's have a drink." A woman who knew Chunyao well came over with a wine glass in her hand.
"Sister Chunyao, I can do it myself." Ye Yunniang got up and went to the backyard to take care of it.
Upon arriving in the backyard, a cloud of smoke greeted me.
Ye Yunniang tried to hold her breath but it was too late; her body went limp and she collapsed.
The woman serving the food and another person caught Ye Yunniang, carried her into a room in the backyard, and locked the door.
Wang Qiang, who was starting to toast people in the front yard, saw the aunt's gesture and knew that things had gone well.
Wang Qiang's smile widened, and he nudged Ma Hui with his arm, gesturing for him to go to the backyard.
"After the toast," Ma Hui said hesitantly.
"Brother Hui, hurry up. I'll handle this." Wang Qiang took the wine glass from Ma Hui's hand and told him to do as planned.
Urged by Wang Qiang, Ma Hui came to the backyard and stood in front of the door.
Ma Hui's heart was pounding, but he didn't tell anyone.
The first time he saw Ye Yunniang, her gentle and charming appearance caught his eye and was etched in his heart.
Ma Hui knew he wasn't good enough for her, and watched silently.
The woman he had been longing for for years was now in the room just a door away. Ma Hui nervously wiped the sweat from his palms and pushed the door open.
Seeing her slender figure lying on the bed, my heart raced.
Ma Hui approached step by step. The doors and windows were closed, making it a bit dark. He couldn't see the face that was hidden by his hair, but he could smell a faint fragrance.
Ma Hui had smelled that fragrance when he approached Ye Yunniang in the alley that day. He knew it was Ye Yunniang's natural scent, the fragrance he had dreamed of countless times.
Ma Hui felt a surge of heat rise within him, his breathing quicken, and he lunged onto the bed…
Time flew by, and the banquet came to an end.
Someone asked Wang Qiang, "Where's Ma Hui? Why are you left here alone drinking with everyone?"
"Brother Hui couldn't hold his liquor and went to rest in the backyard," Wang Qiang explained.
"We've rested, shall we go take a look?"
"What do you mean, 'look'? You want to cause trouble in the bridal chamber, don't you?"
“It’s not good to be too explicit about consciousness.”
"Let's go, let's go, they're going to the backyard."
...
A group of people pushed Wang Qiang toward the new house in the backyard.
Upon reaching the backyard, everyone heard intermittent sounds coming from the new house.
None of the people present were children, and they understood what was going on as soon as they heard the voice.
The group exchanged glances, their eyes conveying a variety of thoughts.
Wang Qiang's face was grim as he clenched his fists and strode forward, "Ma Hui, it's you, how come it's you!?" Wang Qiang asked, his voice filled with confusion and shock.
The bystanders rushed to the door and saw two people inside, panicked and pulling blankets and clothes at themselves.
"Wow, so white."
"Xiumei! Ma Hui, I'll kill you—" One of the people in the crowd saw the woman inside the house, his face full of anger, and he clenched his fist and rushed toward Ma Hui on the bed.
"Let go of Brother Hui." Wang Qiang stepped forward to stop him.
What's going on?
"Why is Xiumei here?"
...
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