Revealing one's true feelings
The next day, at Jinniang's wedding to Shi Dayong, Gu Heng and Pei Qingwu tacitly kept quiet about the fleeting kiss.
However, the atmosphere between the two subtly changed, and when their eyes occasionally met, they would unconsciously look away quickly.
Gu Heng's ears often flushed a suspicious blush, as if the warmth of last night's gentle kiss had not yet dissipated.
Before dawn, the Sushan market was already brightly lit and bustling with activity.
As "family members," Pei Qingwu, along with Yin Lan, Qian Tao, Wu Niang, Yu Yi, and others, got busy early on.
A room was specially prepared to serve as the bridal chamber, with bright red "囍" paper-cuts pasted on the doors and windows, and red silk ribbons hanging under the eaves, exuding a strong festive atmosphere.
Jinniang had already bathed and perfumed herself, and sat gracefully in front of the mirror.
Pei Qingwu invited Lady Liu to be his wife and to do Jinniang's makeup carefully.
She was dressed neatly in a light green jeweled gown, the gold and silver embroidered lotus flowers shimmering with a warm luster in the soft morning light.
Her high-piled hair was adorned with a set of jeweled gold comb and floral hairpins, the pearls and gemstone fragments shimmering as she moved. Her delicately drawn eyebrows and lightly blushed lips made her gentle features even more exquisite and captivating.
The bride in the mirror has shed her past sorrow and pallor. Although there is still a hint of shyness and unease in her eyes, there is more of an anticipation for the future and a radiant glow of rebirth.
"The bride is so beautiful!" Qian Tao exclaimed again as she watched from the side.
After she finished dressing, Madam Liu carefully straightened her clothes and cuffs, her eyes filled with a relieved smile: "From now on, all the days will be good."
On the other side, Shi Dayong also changed into a brand new scarlet round-neck robe.
He was a robust man who usually wore simple work clothes. Now, dressed in this formal robe, he felt a little uncomfortable, but his back was as straight as a pine tree, and the joy between his brows made him look exceptionally energetic.
Gu Heng and the other shop assistants he knew surrounded him, laughing and offering their congratulations.
Shi Dayong just smiled憨厚ly, his one eye sparkling with excitement and happiness.
As dawn breaks, the auspicious time for the wedding procession is approaching.
According to custom, the groom's side is required to perform the "bride-urging" ceremony. The best man invited by Shi Dayong was Manager Zhou, along with his former comrades-in-arms from the Longyou Army. They led them to the door of the bride's room, laughing and loudly reciting the prepared poem to urge the bride to get ready.
"It is said that rouge is mixed under the candlelight, and spring is created before the mirror. There is no need to make up the face, just leave the eyebrows for the painter to draw."
"Tonight, the Weaver Girl descends to earth, her mind at ease as she applies her makeup before the mirror. With her delicate face like a peach blossom, she needs no cosmetics to tarnish her beauty."
Shi Dayong was a rough man who couldn't write poetry, so Zheng Youning had written these poems in advance for him.
Inside the house, Pei Qingwu and the other women laughed and tried to stop them, but Yin Lan, representing the bride's family, responded by asking the groom to show more sincerity.
With repeated invitations and urgings, laughter and chatter filled the air, creating a very lively atmosphere.
Finally, amidst cheers and laughter, the door slowly opened.
Next came the "laying out of the room." Pei Qingwu, as the officiant and a member of the bride's family, together with Yin Lan, personally arranged Jinniang's dowry—including brand-new bedding and curtains, clothes for all four seasons, jewelry and dressing cases, as well as some auspicious items such as vases and bronze mirrors—into the bridal chamber for relatives and friends who came to offer their congratulations to view.
Although these dowries were not as extravagant as those of wealthy and powerful families, they were still complete and presentable, demonstrating Pei Qingwu's thoughtfulness and his high regard for Jinniang, which drew praise from the onlookers.
The auspicious hour arrived, and drums and music filled the air.
Shi Dayong mounted his horse, dressed in auspicious attire with a red silk ribbon tied around his chest. Behind him was the wedding procession and a decorated wedding carriage adorned with red silk.
Surrounded by best man and relatives, the procession made a lively procession through the town, accompanied by music and cheers, on its way to Sushan Market to fetch the bride.
However, halfway there, they were blocked by neighbors and children who had been waiting for them, which is the custom of "blocking the car".
People laughed and surrounded the wedding procession, asking for sweets and money, intending to leave a happy atmosphere and also to give the groom a hard time.
"Groom, how beautiful is the bride? Tell me quickly!"
"Shi Dayong, now that you've married such a beautiful woman, you can't be stingy!"
Shi Dayong was prepared. He smiled and gestured to Gu Heng and the others to scatter handfuls of the cherry fritters, candied fruit, and zongzi candies that Pei Qingwu had prepared in advance to the crowd. He also prepared copper coins strung together with red rope to distribute to the children.
Amidst a chorus of blessings wishing everyone "a long and happy marriage" and "may you have a son soon," the procession was able to continue its journey.
The wedding procession returned to the courtyard, where a green tent had already been set up with blue cloth curtains, and an incense table was set up with red candles burning brightly.
Supported by Qian Tao and Yin Lan on either side, Jin Niang slowly entered the Qinglu Pavilion, her face veiled by an exquisite silk tapestry fan.
She moved with light steps, her gown flowing like ripples on water. Though her face was partially hidden by a fan, her graceful figure and the joy she radiated were enough to draw admiration.
Shi Dayong stood at the other end of the green pavilion, watching his bride slowly walk towards him. His palms were sweating with nervousness, and his one eye was fixed on him, filled with excitement and devotion.
Under the master of ceremonies' loud chanting, the newlyweds performed the "three bows" ceremony.
First bow to Heaven and Earth, second bow to the parents. Since neither set of parents is present, empty seats are set up to show respect.
Third, the husband and wife bow to each other.
When Shi Dayong and Jinniang bowed to each other, the crowd erupted in cheers and applause.
After the wedding ceremony, the "removing the fan" ceremony takes place.
The crowd egged them on, demanding that the groom compose a poem about "returning the fan".
Shi Dayong was a rough man and had no idea how to compose poetry. He blushed with frustration and, with a quiet prompting from the best man, he finally stammered out the poem he had prepared.
"A fairy maiden drops her jade earrings, adorned in new finery, and ascends the jade tower. Fortunately, she has a flute player to accompany her, and together they ride on colorful clouds."
The poem may be ordinary, but the sentiment is sincere.
After reciting the words, amidst the gentle laughter of the women, Jinniang slowly removed the round fan that covered her face, revealing her meticulously made-up, beautiful face.
She glanced shyly at Shi Dayong, then quickly lowered her head again, her cheeks flushed, making her even more charming.
Shi Dayong was stunned until good-natured laughter broke out around him, which brought him back to his senses. He then scratched his head with a silly grin.
Next came the lively "spreading the tent" ceremony.
Unmarried women such as Wu Niang and Yu Yi, holding bamboo baskets filled with gold and silver coins and dried fruits—red dates, peanuts, longans, and lotus seeds, symbolizing the wish for many children—as well as candies, laughed as they scattered the contents of the baskets to the newlyweds sitting on the wedding bed and to the guests and children watching.
"The tent is set up to the east, the hibiscus-scented curtains warm as we spend the spring night!"
"As the tent is laid out to the west, the phoenixes and luan birds sing in harmony for a hundred generations!"
"..."
The children laughed and scrambled for candies and coins, while the adults spoke auspicious words, filling the entire Qinglu with joyful laughter.
After the curtains were lowered, Lady Liu presided over the "combination of hair buns" ceremony.
She cut a small strand of hair from Shi Dayong's and Jinniang's heads respectively, carefully tied them together with red thread to form a bun, put it in an exquisite brocade pouch, and handed it to Jinniang to keep safe.
This gesture symbolizes the fusion of blood between husband and wife, their shared destiny, and their vow to never abandon each other.
The grand ceremony came to a temporary close, and the lavish wedding banquet began immediately.
A dozen tables were set up in the courtyard, and all the seats were taken.
Pei Qingwu, along with Wu Niang, Yu Yi, Qian Tao, and others, served up a continuous stream of dishes, including chicken, duck, fish, meat, and seasonal fruits and vegetables.
Of course, the most eye-catching items were the three auspicious pastries: the "Fu" character pastry, the "Tie-Knot" mung bean cake, and the persimmon-shaped pastry. Their unique shapes and sweet tastes were highly praised by the guests.
After several rounds of drinks, the atmosphere became increasingly lively.
According to custom, the "teasing the wife" and "playing with the son-in-law" activities began.
The guests, especially the younger generation and their peers, came forward to tease and joke with the newlyweds, or to pose harmless little questions to them, which drew laughter from everyone.
Shi Dayong was forced to drink a lot of alcohol, his face was flushed, but he remained cheerful throughout.
Jinniang, protected by the women, was too shy to lift her head, but a happy smile remained on her lips.
As the host, Pei Qingwu moved among the guests with grace and poise, handling their needs with elegance and grace.
Gu Heng was busy taking care of the drinks and the table, but his eyes kept involuntarily following that busy figure.
Whenever his eyes met Pei Qingwu's, he would hurriedly look away like a startled deer, his heart pounding erratically. He felt that the liveliness and celebration in the courtyard had become different because of her light kiss and the words "the one who makes my heart flutter" last night.
They were busy until night fell, and as the guests gradually left, the courtyard, which had been bustling all day, finally quieted down.
Inside the new house, red candles burned brightly, filling the room with warmth.
Nianci and Mingyi had been lulled to sleep by Yinlan. After a whole day of tedious rituals and bustling noise, Shi Dayong and Jinniang were finally able to be alone.
Yinlan brought over the nuptial wine, smiled and offered her blessings, then considerately withdrew and gently closed the door behind her.
Inside the room, only the two of them remained.
The red candles crackled as the two drank the nuptial wine together, their arms clasped, their eyes lingering, a thousand words unspoken.
Pei Qingwu and the others also returned to the shop to rest.
"The host is so thoughtful, making such a meticulous arrangement. Today's wedding banquet is truly lively." Qian Tao reminisced about the scenes just now, feeling that the joy had not yet subsided.
"Brother Shi and Jinniang have both suffered a lot. Such an important day should be celebrated in a grand manner."
Qiantao nodded and said, "Jinniang has finally found happiness after all her hardships. It's not easy for a woman to meet a man who truly treats her well, like she did."
Having come from a brothel, she had seen too many comings and goings, and too much hypocrisy. Now, seeing such genuine affection, she was naturally moved.
"That's true."
Just as Pei Qingwu was about to speak, Gu Heng looked up and their eyes met. Pei Qingwu smiled gracefully, while Gu Heng hurriedly looked away.
"Then... will Master have a man he likes?" Wu Niang asked curiously.
Gu Heng listened, lowering his head even further.
"Yes, there is," Pei Qingwu said directly.
"Huh?" Fifth Sister exclaimed in surprise, "I thought Master was so focused on making money that he wouldn't have his mind on anything else."
Pei Qingwu smiled helplessly and tapped her forehead: "What kind of image do I have in your heart?"
Fifth Sister chuckled and fell silent.
If she were lucky enough to meet a man who was good in every way, Pei Qingwu would not object to her having a relationship or getting married.
After all, isn't the purpose of people's efforts to make their lives better? If having more people would bring more happiness, then hold on tight.
Back at the shop, everyone was exhausted and rushed to go to sleep.
Pei Qingwu wasn't in a hurry: "Aheng, are you sleepy?"
"I'm not sleepy," Gu Heng replied hastily.
"If I'm not sleepy, I'd like to drink your pork heart soup."
"I'll make it for my employer right away."
Pei Qingwu moved a small chair and sat down to the side, watching Gu Heng carefully prepare the dishes and make soup.
Wearing an apron, he really did look like a "good husband and father".
"If I want to drink pig's heart soup in the future, can I ask Aheng anytime?" Pei Qingwu tilted his head and smiled.
"That, that's natural..."
Seeing that the pork heart soup was ready on the stove, Gu Heng had nothing to do, so Pei Qingwu reached out and gestured for him to come over and sit down next to him.
The two stood shoulder to shoulder, gazing up at the starry sky.
There is no light pollution in this era, so the stars are very clear.
“That’s Altair, that’s Vega, and the Milky Way is in between.” Pei Qingwu pointed to the sky and said, “Aheng, you’ve heard their story.”
Gu Heng said softly, "I've heard of it."
What do you think?
"It is inappropriate for the Queen Mother to insist on preventing lovers from being together, but... it is even less gentlemanly for the Cowherd to steal the Weaver Girl's clothes."
Pei Qingwu chuckled lightly: "You interpreted it quite well."
As she spoke, she casually took Gu Heng's hand and played with it in her own palm.
Gu Heng is handsome in every way, including his hands, which are long and slender with well-defined knuckles and perfectly placed veins.
Seeing his fingers being pinched and manipulated by Pei Qingwu, Gu Heng felt embarrassed for a moment, then mustered his courage and asked, "Master said he likes me... is that true?"
"Of course it's true. When have I ever lied to you?"
"So, what does the employer like about me?" Gu Heng asked, his tone suddenly dropping. "Or, does the employer not mind my background?"
Pei Qingwu smiled and reached out to pat his head.
Gu Heng obediently let him pet him, like a large dog clinging to its owner.
“I have never looked down on you, or rather, I don’t think your background matters.”
"I just like you as a person, nothing else matters."
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