Chapter Four
Originally, Zhou Ling had planned for Mu Jin to get married after the New Year, but the Zhou family had unexpectedly chosen such a close date. Not daring to embarrass Mu Laoqi on this joyous occasion, Zhou Ling pretended to invite her aunt and uncle from the same clan to the house and made two quilts for Mu Jin as part of her dowry.
On the day of their wedding, the two dowry chests contained only two quilts and Mu Jin's old clothes. From the outside, they looked like a lot, but there was really nothing of value inside.
Today, Mu Jin is getting married in Mu Bai's house, which is filled with relatives. Mu Laoqi is the seventh child in his family, and with many brothers and sisters, the small room is almost too small to fit everyone.
"Jin-ge'er, you look so beautiful today."
"That means I've attended quite a few banquets this year, and I've never seen a better-looking new husband than Jin-ge'er!"
The teasing from her cousins nearby made Mu Jin feel unusually nervous, thinking about how she would be living in a strange place from now on.
"The groom is here!" The laughter of children came from outside the door. Mu Jin tightened her hand holding the bridal veil, feeling her heart beat faster. The pounding of her heart seemed to hurt her ears.
"Jin-ge'er, hurry, quickly put the veil on."
Fifth Aunt urged from the side, saying that she had a good relationship with Mu Jin's mother before and treated Mu Jin well on weekdays. Today was his wedding day, and she came to help out at home early in the morning.
As soon as Fifth Aunt finished speaking, Mu Jin's vision was covered in red, and she could no longer see anything else, only a sea of red and the pounding of her own heart.
"Speaking of which, our son-in-law is quite presentable when he tidies himself up."
Fifth Aunt leaned out and glanced outside. Zhou Linyi, a man who stood out from the crowd, was eight feet five inches tall. He had a simple and honest face, and when he was happy, he was full of energy. Apart from being a little thin, he seemed like a man who could be entrusted with one's life and take on the responsibility of supporting the family.
"He's alright looking, but my brother-in-law is a bit too thin."
Mu Bai was still somewhat dissatisfied. His favorite older brother had gotten married and left home to live with Zhou Lin. It was fair to say that he couldn't stand anything about him.
Uncle San patted his head gently and said reproachfully, "There are a few fat men in the village, but Lin is not too thin."
Mu Jin sat obediently to the side, listening quietly. Thinking of Zhou Lin, whom she had seen a while ago, she felt that her younger brother was right; he had indeed lost some weight.
The bridal chamber suddenly became lively. Mu Jin's heart, which had just calmed down a bit after listening to their conversation, started pounding again. All she could hear was the commotion, and she couldn't make out what they were saying anymore.
He was helped up and walked step by step toward the door.
Zhou Lin valued Mu Jin very much. He had a brother named Mu Sheng, who could be considered Mu Jin's cousin after five degrees of kinship. Mu Sheng's family was doing well. Zhou Lin had made a special trip to see him yesterday to borrow his oxcart to pick up his new husband.
Mu Sheng naturally wouldn't refuse, and he came along today. Seeing his brother, who was twenty-two years old and had just gotten married, he was genuinely happy for him.
However, when Zhou Lin borrowed the oxcart to go home, he was scolded by Zhou Wushi again, "You owe someone a favor for this. We're from the same village, it's just a short walk, why bother?"
Zhou Lin just smiled and didn't say anything, which made Zhou Wushi even angrier.
In any case, the oxcart arrived safely at the Mu family's door. A large red flower was tied to the ox's horn, making it look very festive.
Mu Jin felt a warmth in her heart and her mind calmed down. She felt Zhou Lin's affection for her. She was helped onto an oxcart and rode around the village.
They have a custom here: the longer the wedding procession travels, the longer and more harmonious the couple's life will be. Because Zhou Lin picked up Mu Jin, he chose the longest route home, not to show off the oxcart.
As soon as Mu Jin stepped out, Zhou Ling splashed a basin of water on her. It was done cleanly and efficiently. This was how it was done when a young man or woman from Mu Family Village got married. It meant that once the young man was married off, the water that had been splashed out was now part of the Zhou family.
The villagers in the Mu family's village were used to it and continued chatting and laughing in the courtyard.
"This week, Lin seems to be paying a lot of attention to our Jin-ge'er," the third uncle said with a smile, watching the oxcart disappear into the distance. "He even borrowed the oxcart."
Although the villagers lived a decent life, few families owned oxcarts. When people from the same village got married, few would come to pick them up in an oxcart; the newlyweds would walk home, or at best, push a cart.
Fifth Aunt chimed in, "That's right. If the man values our son, then Jin-ge'er's life will be more comfortable."
As soon as Fifth Aunt finished speaking, the courtyard fell silent for a moment. Although Zhou Lin was a good man, his mother was not so easy to get along with.
But it only lasted a moment before things returned to normal. After all, everyone minds their own business and doesn't care how Mulan is doing.
Hibiscus sat obediently on the oxcart, the red veil on his head swaying in the wind, revealing his fair and delicate chin.
Mujia Village, however large, is still just a village. Before long, they arrived at the Zhou family's door.
Zhou Wushi placed a brazier at the door, and the fire inside was burning brightly. Zhou Si took advantage of her inattention and gathered some firewood to go outside. His mother was really something, was she trying to burn his older brother?
Mu Jin was helped across the brazier and into the main room. Xi Mei announced loudly, "First bow to Heaven and Earth, may our days as sweet as honey!"
Mu Jin and Zhou Lin bowed respectfully to heaven and earth together.
"Bowing to the parents twice, the couple's life is as sweet as honey."
"May the couple bow to each other and have a baby next year."
Hibiscus blushed under the veil, her heart filled with anticipation for the yet-to-be-born baby.
Xi helped Mu Jin back to the bridal chamber, leaving Zhou Lin outside to entertain the guests.
Every man in the village was envious of Zhou Lin, and they were all determined to drink him under the table. Fortunately, Mu Sheng was there to keep him company, and Zhou Ming, though not entirely willing, was helping his older brother by drinking for his sake. As a result, Zhou Lin didn't get too drunk.
"Brother, are you hungry? Have some noodles first."
Mu Jin was sitting obediently on the edge of the bed, feeling a little nervous and uneasy, when she heard a sweet voice. She guessed it must be Zhou Lin's third brother.
Zhou Si placed a steaming bowl of noodles on the table beside her. As if afraid of startling Mu Jin, she said softly, "Big brother, it's just the two of us here. Lift your veil and eat something first. You must not have eaten today. If my brother finds out, he will definitely be heartbroken."
Mu Jin wasn't one to suffer in silence. Her stomach had been rumbling for a while, so she lifted the veil, and the beauty under the lamplight stunned Zhou Si. "Big brother, you're so handsome."
Zhou Si had met Mu Jin before, but today, dressed in red, he looked truly radiant.
Mu Jin smiled shyly, glanced at the noodles in the bowl, and was surprised to find that it was still chicken soup noodles with a fried egg in it. As far as he knew, his mother-in-law was not the type to treat him so well.
Zhou Si snapped out of his daze and murmured, "Big brother, eat quickly. I specially asked my aunt to fry an egg for you."
He even got a glare from his mother. In front of the villagers who came to help, his mother didn't scold him, but Zhou Si didn't tell Mu Jin about it, lest his older brother have a conflict with his mother as soon as he entered the family.
Mu Jin understood immediately. He then turned to Zhou Si and smiled, saying, "Thank you, Third Brother."
Zhou Si blushed. No wonder everyone said that Mu Jin was the village beauty of Mu Family Village. She truly lived up to the name.
"Big brother, you eat first, I'm going to go outside to take care of something."
Zhou Si blushed and smiled at Mu Jin. Actually, he was about the same age as Mu Jin, only a year younger than her, but he felt like a child in front of her. Was this the difference between being married and not being married?
Zhou thought to herself, and considerately closed the door for Mu Jin before going out to do her work.
Today is Mujin's wedding day, a rare chance to rest. The noodles are incredibly chewy, the broth is rich and flavorful, and the poached egg is crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. He doesn't know how long it's been since he's had such delicious food.
Mu Jin drank the soup broth clean, let out a satisfied burp, and then looked up at the house she would be living in from now on.
It's no wonder that Zhou Lin was not favored at home. The paper on the windows looked tattered and torn, as if a gust of wind could blow a big hole through them. The tables, chairs, benches, and even the new bed inside all had a musty smell.
The walls were made of yellow mud, but fortunately the roof was still made of bricks and tiles. The whole house only had windows. The "double happiness" character on the door was new. Even the bedding on the bed, although it looked clean and smelled of sunshine, looked like it had been built for many years.
Mu Jin sighed inwardly. She really didn't know what to say about her husband. It was fine to be good to his family, but there had to be a limit, and he also had to consider whether his family members were worth it.
While she was thinking, Zhou Si came over and cleared away the bowls and chopsticks. Estimating that Zhou Lin would be returning to the room soon, Mu Jin quickly sat on the bed and covered her head with the veil.
The door opened, and a gust of cold wind blew in. A pair of large feet stopped in front of her, and her heart started to beat faster again. It wasn't until the veil was lifted that Mu Jin saw what Zhou Lin looked like today.
As the saying goes, clothes make the man, and Zhou Lin looked more handsome than usual tonight. It is said that people are in high spirits when they are happy, and he was radiant today.
"Husband...husband, you are so handsome." Zhou Lin stammered. When he entered the room, he didn't know what to do with his hands and feet. He walked in without any direction and could barely walk.
It's said that you can judge a person's appearance by their appearance under the light; even a 5 out of 10 can look 7 out of 10. Moreover, Mu Jin was already a handsome guy, and under the light, he became even more charming. No wonder Zhou Lin stuttered.
Seeing his appearance, Mu Jin was no longer afraid and said softly with a smile, "Husband, it's time to drink the nuptial wine."
Upon hearing this, Zhou Lin quickly brought over a wine cup and drank with Mu Jin, their arms crossed. After drinking the wine, Mu Jin thought for a moment, then took scissors and cut off a lock of their hair, putting it in her purse to store.
At this moment, Mu Jin was thinking about living her life well with the person in front of her.
The outer garment was removed, and the inner garment was also stripped off. Under the light of the wedding candles, the hibiscus was still dazzlingly white.
Zhou Lin felt his mouth was dry and his movements became a little hurried.
Mu Jin was a little nervous, as this was her first time. But before she came, her third uncle had told her that she could just lie down and leave the rest to the men.
Zhou Lin, being a complete novice, was eager to find an opening to express his love for hibiscus.
The two novice couple struggled for a long time, almost half an hour, before they finally got it going.
At first, Mu Jin was in some pain, but gradually she also found it interesting. The pink birthmark on her forehead turned red, and from then on, she was truly Zhou Lin's husband.
The waves tossed and turned overnight.
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