Chapter 94: Then reward me.
Before the wedding dress was finished, Li Yue'er had seen that her wedding dress was the same style as the mistress's, only the size was different.
At that time, she was still living in the Qu residence. After Teng Huang sent over two sets of wedding dresses, he told them to try them on and if they found any size issues, they should send them back to the embroiderer for alteration.
After washing up, the matriarch hesitated between two identical wedding dresses, and finally pursed her lips and randomly picked one to wear.
When Li Yue'er came out, she saw the mistress frowning in front of the full-length mirror, and then she said to her seriously, "It seems that the chest area is a bit loose."
Li Yue'er held the towel in her hand, pondering for a moment, before finally stating, "Then this set might be mine..."
The mistress, "..."
The mistress looked down at herself, then looked up at her, and her already red face turned even redder. Finally, before going to sleep, she placed her hand on her chest and gently stepped on it with her fingers before mumbling, "When I wore it, I didn't feel much difference."
Li Yue'er silently straightened her chest and gestured to her with her eyes:
There's still quite a bit of a difference.
Her provocation was so obvious that the mistress turned her back to her and slept with her arms around her all night.
Their wedding dresses were indistinguishable, except for their headdresses.
Li Yue'er loved things that were gorgeous and elaborate. Her golden crown was made in the shape of blooming peony petals. But she wasn't satisfied with just a golden flower on her head. She also wanted jade inlaid in the gold, shaped like teardrops, hanging down beside her face and behind her ears. As she shook her head, the jade made a crisp sound as it clattered.
On days like these, red and green surprisingly create a harmonious and elegant look.
Compared to her, the mistress preferred a more straightforward style, with a simple gold crown and her black hair all gathered into the crown, making her look refreshing and dignified. Because of her pale appearance and cold eyes, even with the strong red color to neutralize it, she still had a sharp temperament when she didn't smile, making people dare not approach her to joke or tease.
Only when the bridal sedan chair arrived and she bent down to lead another bride out did a gentle smile appear in her eyes. The beauty mark at the corner of her eye echoed the red of her wedding dress, making her seem somewhat lively and human.
Dansha noticed that whenever the mistress was standing beside him, the head of the household would become much more subdued, even when he wasn't smiling, and seemed much more approachable.
Of course, these are all just appearances.
If the mistress is really not here, the head of the household is meddlesome, sharp-tongued, and very picky.
"You've come out to greet me," Li Yue'er said, shaking hands with her mistress and asking with a smile, "Do I look good today?"
The mistress's eyes never left her, but she said, "The same as usual."
Li Yue'er, "..."
Li Yue'er gave her a reproachful look, taking it as a compliment that she looked as beautiful as usual.
She instinctively wanted to take her mistress's arm and go home, until the sound of firecrackers suddenly exploded in her ears, startling her so much that she shrank into her mistress's arms. Only then did Li Yue'er truly realize what day it was.
She was held in the arms of her mistress, whose long sleeves of her wedding dress were draped over her shoulders, and whose warm palms covered her ears.
Those around who witnessed this scene all started to jeer and make sarcastic remarks.
Li Yue'er blushed slightly. After getting out of the mistress's arms, she straightened her slightly disheveled tassel hair ornament, gracefully reached out and took one end of the red silk flower that Teng Huang had given her, holding it with demure elegance.
She started using Su Rou's tricks again.
Qu Rong glanced at her, then glanced at her again, a faint smile appearing on her lips as she turned her face away.
Among the group, only Su Rou felt that Li Yue'er's demeanor looked somewhat familiar, but she couldn't remember who she resembled. She stood there lost in thought, and the crowd surged past her from behind and around her. Shi Yi walked to her side and subtly tugged at her sleeve. Su Rou suddenly snapped back to her senses, withdrew her gaze, put on a faint smile, and followed the newlyweds into the main hall.
Li Yue'er had already knelt and paid homage to her mother, the headmaster, and his wife while she was at the academy. She had even gone with her mother and sister to burn paper money at her maternal grandparents' graves before her wedding to inform the deceased of her happy occasion.
The matriarch followed the same rules as her, and had also gone to the Qu family ancestral hall to burn incense and paper money. However, for today's wedding ceremony, she still invited the memorial tablets of Qu Su and Zheng Qianxi to the main hall.
One was her biological father, and the other was her stepmother who raised her. According to the rules, Qu Rong's actions were not problematic. The only thing that puzzled the guests was why the old lady of the Qu family did not come.
The old lady of the Qu family naturally wouldn't come. She never approved of Qu Rong marrying a woman, especially Li Yue'er, whom she disliked the most. Even if he could leave the courtyard, she wouldn't be willing to bless the two as an elder, especially since she couldn't leave Shouhe Hall anyway.
"They say the old lady is sick? Dr. Fu, Dr. Fu, they're calling you!"
Dr. Fu was busy eating sunflower seeds when he heard someone call out behind him. He squinted, turned around, and asked, "What?"
The Qu residence was bustling with activity today. There were two groups of lion dancers at the entrance, dancing head to head. Whoever lost would lose face, so they danced with great effort!
Besides the drumbeats of the lion dance, there were also the sounds of suona horns, voices, and children running around the yard laughing and setting off firecrackers.
Although it's called the Beginning of Winter, it feels as hot as midsummer.
Dr. Fu didn't hear clearly who was calling him at first.
Someone approached and exclaimed, "Is Old Madam Qu really sick?"
As the matriarch of the Qu family, if she hadn't been ill but hadn't attended the wedding banquet, there would have been some gossip circulating.
Dr. Fu replied in a loud voice, making sure everyone who wanted to hear him could hear, "Sick, sick! Everyone gets sick sometimes, especially at your age."
Incontinence in her legs is a problem, and headaches and chest tightness are also problems. The old lady has both of these, so it wouldn't be a lie to say she's sick.
The man nodded. "It's a pity that all her children and grandchildren are dead, and now her only remaining granddaughter is getting married. She can't even come out to see this joyous occasion."
Dr. Fu chuckled, "No pity, no pity. They'll be living in the same courtyard from now on, seeing each other all the time. Why are you feeling sorry for her? Come on, have some melon seeds. The melon seeds at the Qu residence are really good. If we don't eat more today, we won't be able to get any when we get home."
He distributed what he had in his hand, grabbed a handful of new ones from the basket, and looked at the beautiful couple inside the hall.
The two were of similar height and build, standing side by side, dressed in wedding attire and bathed in the glow of the sunset. They were like two sides of a mirror, and neither could achieve such symmetry without the other. It was no exaggeration to say that they were a match made in heaven.
He said that it was already unusual for Qu Rong to invite him to the Qu residence to treat Mingyue'er in the first place, not to mention that Dansha came to him later to ask some strange questions.
He should have realized it much sooner!
The way those two little kids looked at each other back then was hardly innocent.
The master of ceremonies announced that the wedding ceremony was about to begin, and Doctor Fu quickly pushed his way to the front.
"One bow, to Heaven and Earth—"
Qu Rong and Li Yue'er stood facing each other, each holding one end of a red silk flower, the heavy bouquet of flowers hanging in front of them.
Their eyes met, and smiles appeared in both of their eyes. Then they turned to face the main gate to the south and bowed.
"Second bow, to the elders—"
Li Yue'er knew that the mistress was the daughter of the Qu family, but she did not know who the mistress's birth mother was. She asked her about it in a veiled way, but the mistress changed the subject.
Li Yue'er naturally wouldn't pry into what she didn't want to talk about.
Since the mistress said to worship these two, she would follow her and kowtow. Even if the Qu couple did not have true feelings for the mistress, they had at least raised her. Besides, Teng Huang had said that most of the mistress's skills were learned from Zheng Qianxi.
at last.
"Wife, wife, bow to each other—"
The master of ceremonies came from a background of performing traditional operas. He had a loud and clear voice, and when he spoke these words, he would unconsciously bring out the operatic style.
This is what makes him stand out from other masters of ceremonies. When they invited him, the mistress said, "Why follow the rules? Our marriage should be different from the norm."
Li Yue'er liked the opera singing style and also liked the unusual relationship between her and her mistress.
Li Yue'er turned her toes slightly to face her mistress.
The mistress looked serious, even a little solemn, as she bowed to her head.
The ceremony is complete.
Both are brides, both can be escorted to the bridal chamber, and both can come out to greet guests.
Qu Rong led Li Yue'er to toast and introduce themselves to others. As newcomers, they naturally couldn't finish every cup, so they had to ask for help.
Lin Mu and Shi Yi were pushed out.
Shi Yi, "..."
Others treated her as a man, but only the head of the household's wife treated her as a jar.
The drinks were all pushed onto her and Lin Mu. Shi Yi would drink a glass and glance at Su Rou when she looked up. If she happened to make eye contact with Su Rou across the crowd, Shi Yi would be so satisfied that she wished she could drown in the wine.
If she were to die, would he shed tears for himself, or would he have felt even a little bit of genuine affection for her?
Su Rou frowned and shook her head slightly at Shi Yi.
She didn't have to drink, but Qu Rong even asked Zheng San, that old fox, for help. Things at drinking parties should be left to people like him who frequent such places.
Shi Yi ignored the advice and continued to accept every cup of wine offered.
He's as willful as a child.
Having exhausted all other options, Su Rou finally managed to get someone to support her before she collapsed from exhaustion.
The Qu residence has countless guest rooms. Today, all those who drank too much and didn't want to leave stayed in the guest rooms to rest. Besides, Su Rou had stayed at the Qu residence for a while before, and even though she left later, Qu Rong had the maids keep that room for her and just clean it regularly.
Today, it came in handy.
Su Rou had someone help Shi Yi inside, and then stood at the door to avoid suspicion. Only after the person left did she push the door open and go in.
Almost as soon as she stepped inside, she was pulled into a cool, warm embrace filled with the smell of alcohol. Kiss rained down on her neck, as if trying to extract something from her.
Su Rou raised her hand and gently patted her, coaxing her, "Wash up and sober up first."
Seeing that Shi Yi wouldn't listen, Su Rou lowered her hand from Shi Yi's back and said softly, "If you don't listen, I'm leaving."
Shi Yi: "No."
Shi Yi: "I'll be good."
She always used this to scold her. When Shi Yi was so angry that she wanted to bite Su Rou hard, to let her know that she was no longer a child, that she had grown up and was no longer the naive little girl she was the first time.
But she still obediently let go of his hand, letting Su Rou lead her back to the bedside, gently wash her face and hands, and personally feed her hangover soup.
Su Rou said, "There are many people at the Qu residence today, so I will only stay with you for half an hour. It would be inappropriate if we stayed in the same room for too long and were discovered."
Shi Yi looked up at her and said in a hoarse voice, "Then reward me and I'll be obedient."
Su Rou lowered her eyes to meet hers, which were wet with the effects of alcohol, and finally softened. She stroked her cheek with one hand and kissed her eyelids. "Okay."
Today, the Qu family is holding a banquet. The guests are all in the main hall in the front yard, which means that most of the maids and servants are also serving in the front yard. There aren't many people in the back yard, so you have to stand in the yard and shout loudly before anyone will come.
So no one heard the low, suppressed breathing and sticky water sounds coming from the guest rooms.
Su Rou has always been low-key, and Shi Yi is not a talkative or enthusiastic person. After the two of them disappeared, no one cared except Li Yue'er.
She stood on the steps, looking left and right, the tassels of her hair ornament gently patting her cheek. "Where's Sister Su?"
She's such an elegant and refined Sister Su, isn't she?
The mistress of the house has many guests to look after, but Li Yue'er is only responsible for a handful.
Meng Xiaoxiao was standing next to Aunt Qiu, peeling shrimp for her, a scene of maternal love and filial piety.
Garcinia was secretly sipping fruit wine, while Cinnabar, while busy with his work, kept an eye on her to prevent her from getting drunk and feeling unwell. The two were childhood sweethearts.
Aside from these two, the only person Li Yue'er needed to pay attention to was Su Rou.
Sister Su was aloof and distant, so Li Yue'er didn't want to send the maids to look for her, lest she upset Sister Su. Just as she was about to lift her heavy skirt and go find her herself, the mistress arrived.
The mistress held a plate with her favorite pastries on it and handed it to her.
Li Yue'er picked up a piece of food, her eyes crinkling and bright, "Are you done with your work over there?"
Qu Rong: "No."
Li Yue'er: "When will we be able to consummate our marriage?"
Qu Rong, "..."
Qu Rong looked up at the sky; it wasn't even dark yet, but she was already anxious.
Qu Rong blushed, and said gently but helplessly, "I'm craving it."
Li Yue'er looked completely innocent. "I haven't eaten anything today, and you're saying I'm greedy!"
She can't eat her like that.
Qu Rong led her to dinner.
Li Yue'er had already picked up her chopsticks when she remembered Su Rou. She raised her head and whispered, "Sister Su is missing."
There are a lot of people today, so let's hope nothing goes wrong.
Qu Rong placed her hand on her shoulder and gently pressed her back down as she tried to get up. "She's with Shi Yi."
The mistress scoffed at her, "Everyone else is well-fed, so you should stop worrying about that and take care of yourself first. There's so much food at home today, how could you possibly go hungry?"
Li Yue'er, "..."
Li Yue'er was too lazy to argue with her, so she just puffed out her cheeks and wrinkled her nose, pretending to be a little pig, which made the mistress turn her face away and smile, refusing to look at her.
Since Sister Su was alright, Li Yue'er sat down and ate her meal in peace.
The weather was perfect today; at dusk, the sky was ablaze with a soft, orange-red veil, draping the entire Qu residence. The lively atmosphere, filled with laughter and chatter, permeated the entire courtyard.
The wedding banquet lasted from dusk until evening, with guests gradually leaving around 9 PM.
The guests who came today were all acquaintances of the mistress from her business dealings. She changed into another set of light wedding clothes and saw them off in the front yard.
Having eaten and drunk her fill and with nothing else to do, Li Yue'er returned to Songlan Hall.
The room was brightly lit with auspicious dragon and phoenix candles, creating a festive atmosphere.
In addition, the doors, windows, bedside tables, and wardrobes were all decorated with the character for "double happiness," and even the bed sheets, quilts, and bed curtains were carefully changed to a bright red color with ducks playing in the water.
As Li Yue'er sat in front of her dressing table having Xiao Mei remove her hair ornaments, Teng Huang brought her the gift list for the day.
Garcinia: "The items have all been put into the private treasury, but you will need to verify and count them again tomorrow before they can be recorded in the accounts."
When you receive a gift, you should remember the name of the person who gave it and what they gave you, so that you can reciprocate when they have a happy occasion in the future.
These tasks could naturally be left to the maids, but the mistress of the house should at least have a clear idea in mind and personally inspect the gifts first.
While she isn't required to remember every single gift someone gives her, she needs to know the approximate price range of the gifts so she can know how to respond when interacting with others in the future.
These are all tasks that the matriarch of the household must perform.
It looks easy, but it's actually not simple.
Su Rou had explained these things to Li Yue'er in detail when she handed over the responsibility of managing the household.
Remembering something, Li Yue'er blinked and asked Teng Huang, "Did the head of the family receive a lot of gifts during that fake marriage?"
Fujiwara tapped his chin with his finger, his eyes darting around. "Huh? What fake marriage? This is clearly the head of the family's first wedding today."
Li Yue'er, "..."
Li Yue'er reached out and pinched the soft flesh on her side. "I was in the house that day, how could I not know?"
Teng Huang chuckled, "The gifts the family head received last time have already been counted and put into storage."
Li Yue'er understood immediately. Holding the gift list, she slowly said, "In other words, these things can be pushed to the head of the family to do for me. After all, she's used to it."
Teng Huang felt a chill run down his spine and had no intention of getting involved. He simply covered his face with his hands and cried out, "The alcohol is kicking in. Ugh, where's Dan Sha? Why hasn't Dan Sha helped me back to bed yet?"
He then ran out.
Xiao Mei laughed and said, "Sister Teng Huang should be looking for a hangover remedy if she's drunk, why is she looking for Sister Dan Sha instead?"
Li Yue'er teased, "She probably wants to sleep."
Li Yue'er looked down at the gift list and noticed that someone had given her a jade-inlaid glass mirror. She couldn't help but wonder, "How is it different from the full-length mirror in my room?"
Xiao Mei didn't know either.
Since Li Yue'er had nothing better to do, she asked Xiao Mei to bring a mirror over so she could take a look while she was taking a bath.
On the mistress's dressing table was a glass mirror, only the size of a large bowl, but when reflecting one's face, it was far superior to ordinary bronze mirrors. The glass mirror could clearly show even the number of eyelashes and the amount of fine hairs on the face.
The mistress said that this thing came from the West. It is not commonly used and is more expensive. Few people make it into a full-length mirror, since glass is too brittle and easily breaks.
When Li Yue'er came out after taking a bath, the jade-inlaid glass mirror had already been carefully moved into the inner room by the maids and placed opposite the dressing table.
The red cloth covering it was lifted, and a clear, reflective mirror appeared before my eyes.
Li Yue'er was overjoyed and went to look at herself in the mirror.
She had just finished showering, her face was flushed, and the dampness on her eyelashes seemed to be clearly visible through the mirror.
The full-length mirror next to it was originally useful, but compared to this glass mirror, it seems to lack clarity.
After finishing her makeup, Li Yue'er returned to her dressing table and combed her hair, saying, "Leave it here, I'll show it to the head of the family later."
Just then, the mistress returned, and Xiao Mei closed the door as she left.
Li Yue'er got up, turned around, leaned slightly against the dressing table, and raised her chin to indicate to the mistress that she should look in the mirror.
With the mirror there and her in this posture, Qu Rong said expressionlessly, "I'm going to take a shower."
The sound of water came from the clean room. Li Yue'er extinguished all the candles except for the Dragon and Phoenix Auspicious Candle in the inner room. For a moment, the room was dimly lit and ambiguous, neither bright nor dark.
When the mistress of the house came out with her long, damp hair wrapped in a towel, Li Yue'er sat on the sturdy dressing table, holding a gift list in her hand, and winked at her.
Qu Rong, "..."
Li Yue'er bit her lower lip, her bright eyes tempting her, "Patriarch, help me."
It was impossible for Qu Rong to do it for her, but she was quite willing to teach her how to do it.
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