Chapter 18

Chapter 18: Go Inside Before Taking It Off

Huo Zheng said: “You still can’t take off my clothes in the courtyard.”

Chun Zhi’s cheeks warmed: “Then let’s go inside before taking it off.”

Huo Zheng looked at her, said nothing, and pushed his wheelchair into the room.

Chun Zhi followed him in, untied his clothes, and checked the wound on his chest.

She felt relieved when she saw the bandage was tight and the cut had not split open.

She helped Huo Zheng put his clothes back on, then said: “It’s late, and tomorrow will be busy. You should sleep early.”

Huo Zheng asked: “What about you?”

Chun Zhi said: “I’ll look over what we still need to buy, then go out first thing in the morning.”

She had no parents or brothers. Even for her own wedding, there was no one to help run errands.

Everything fell on her.

Huo Zheng was also from out of town and knew no one here.

Chun Zhi thought that since she had asked him for help, she should not trouble him with these small chores too.

After she tied his belt, she turned to leave.

She had only taken two steps when Huo Zheng asked: “We’re about to marry. Where is your wedding dress?”

“In my room,” said Chun Zhi: “Do you want me to put it on so you can see?”

Huo Zheng said: “No need.”

“Then rest well.”

Chun Zhi went out and closed the door for him.

She put away the old lantern and the ladder, returned to her room, and pulled the chest from under the bed.

When she lifted the lid, a red wedding dress appeared before her.

She had sewn it by hand, stitch by stitch. When she made it, her heart was full of thoughts about marrying Lu Jing Yun.

Now not only had the groom changed, but this wedding was also to avoid a fine and a prison cell. It was only a fake marriage.

She would probably marry only once in this life.

There would only be one chance to wear a wedding dress.

Hugging the dress to her chest, Chun Zhi stared at it for a long time. At last she put it back, blew out the oil lamp, and lay down to sleep.

Before dawn, she woke up.

At this hour she would usually get up to make tofu. Today there was no tofu to make, but there were many other tasks.

She rose and began to work, tidied the room until it was neat, then swept the courtyard.

As the sky grew light, someone knocked on the gate.

Chun Zhi opened it and saw Auntie Zhang, who sold pancakes, along with two vegetable sellers. She said in surprise: “Auntie Zhang, Sister-in-law Wu, Sister-in-law Zhou, why are you here so early?”

In Linshui Town, the custom was to hold the wedding at dusk and the feast in the evening. Some families also gave a noon send-off banquet for the bride.

Chun Zhi had no parents or brothers and not much money, so she skipped the noon banquet and planned to set only two tables of wine and dishes at dusk.

“We’re here to help you,” said Auntie Zhang: “Who lets a new wife do chores on her wedding day?”

“That’s right,” said Sister-in-law Wu and Sister-in-law Zhou as they stepped inside: “Tell us what to do. When my husband finishes selling his vegetables, he’ll come help too.”

“Today you only need to dress up and look beautiful,” they said, laughing: “You marry once in a lifetime, so don’t be careless.”

Chun Zhi said, moved: “Thank you, thank you all.”

“Silly girl, we’re all neighbors. No need for thanks,” said Auntie Zhang as she urged her to start getting ready.

With the three of them helping, the little courtyard turned lively at once.

As the light grew, Auntie Li from next door also came to help.

She said that although Chun Zhi had not chosen her mother’s nephew, they had been neighbors for years, and it was right to help at a time like this.

Chun Zhi went to the kitchen and made breakfast, then invited everyone to eat a bit first.

Before long, Huo Zheng woke up. He opened the door and rolled out in his wheelchair, and Auntie Zhang and the others stared, dazed.

“This must be the groom, right?”

“He’s so handsome!”

“No wonder Chun Zhi decided to marry so fast. Compared to the top scholar, he isn’t a bit worse.”

As Sister-in-law Wu spoke, she brought up Lu Jing Yun.

Auntie Zhang and Sister-in-law Zhou kept winking at her to stop, to not mention the top scholar again.

Only then did Sister-in-law Wu realize and slap her own mouth: “Listen to me, saying the worst thing at the worst time!”

Huo Zheng stayed silent.

Chun Zhi served him a bowl of egg noodles and told the others to rest and eat breakfast.

By local custom, the bride and groom should not see each other before the ceremony.

But since Chun Zhi had brought Huo Zheng home after finding him, the two already lived under the same roof, so they did not follow that rule.

Everyone had been dazzled by the groom’s looks for a while before they noticed he sat in a wheelchair.

Auntie Zhang pulled Chun Zhi aside and whispered: “So the groom’s legs don’t work?”

Chun Zhi said: “He’s injured. He’ll use the wheelchair for a few days. His legs are fine.”

Only then did Auntie Zhang relax. She had worried that Chun Zhi, tempted by a pretty face, might not care even if a man had to rely on a wheelchair.

After all, Chun Zhi had supported Lu Jing Yun for years and suffered a lot.

Auntie Zhang and the others truly hoped she would find a good person and never meet another ungrateful man who let her work herself to the bone, then left once he was well.

While eating, Huo Zheng felt the aunties and sister-in-laws glance at him again and again.

He quickly finished his noodles and went back into the room.

Chun Zhi followed and stood by the door to ask: “Only one bowl today?”

From what she knew of his appetite, he should have had two.

Huo Zheng said: “Mm,” and did not explain.

“Did they keep looking at you and make you feel shy?” said Chun Zhi as she moved closer: “I can bring another bowl in here for you.”

Huo Zheng said: “No.”

He was not afraid to be seen, and he did not need to hide to finish a bowl of noodles.

Chun Zhi could not guess what he was thinking and thought he was upset because of the aunties’ talk.

She lowered her voice and said: “They only asked because they saw the wheelchair. They didn’t mean anything bad.”

Huo Zheng said: “I don’t mind. Go on with your work.”

Chun Zhi smiled and asked: “You really don’t mind?”

Huo Zheng looked up at her.

“Then I’ll get back to it,” said Chun Zhi as she left the room. She washed the used bowls and chopsticks, scrubbed the pot, and joined the others to set up the wedding room.

They freshened up her room. Auntie Zhang piled longan, red dates, and peanuts into a high little mountain on a plate, and they set Dragon and Phoenix Wedding Candles on the table.

They switched the light-colored curtain for a red gauze canopy.

When you are busy, time flies, and before they knew it, it was afternoon.

Auntie Zhang urged Chun Zhi to change into her wedding dress and sit before the mirror to groom herself.

Small vendors who were friendly with Chun Zhi and nearby neighbors came, and the waiter from Fragrance Pavilion carried in two banquet tables and chairs and set them up in the courtyard.

Brother Zhao, the butcher, brought two strings of firecrackers. When everyone shouted that the lucky hour had come, he lit them. Firecrackers crackled and boomed, and smoke spread through the courtyard.

Wearing her wedding dress, Chun Zhi stepped out with Sister-in-law Zhou and Sister-in-law Wu on either side to support her.

Huo Zheng had put on his red wedding robe by himself. He came out from the next room, and his eyes met hers.

Their gazes locked, and it felt like everything else around them faded away.

In their eyes, there was only each other.