My Husband is a Drama King [Book Transmigration] 25p1

Chapter 25 p1: Marriage

The breath of early summer drew nearer. A hot wind blew, and the wheat stalks in the fields turned green and grew taller. Willow catkins were tossed high by the wind, and dandelions drifted everywhere like white robes.

The river sparkled under the sun, warm and inviting. The fish and shrimp in the water hid at the bottom, occasionally poking their heads out to blow bubbles.

The villagers of Qishan Village dug the earth with their hoes. They crumbled the soil, which was soft and damp from the water.

The morning weather was neither cold nor hot, perfect for working. The children stayed at home, either going to the back mountain to cut grass or lying on the ground looking for earthworms, intending to use them for fishing. Children had endless energy. The cats and dogs in the house ran out and darted around. A cat had even brought back a mouse from somewhere.

Elsewhere, the Song and Xu families were busy, fully prepared for their children’s wedding.

Song Changxu, having been given a holiday by Scholar Li, came to help with the arrangements. He moved the double bed from the storage room into his room, laid out the wedding quilt and bedding, and moved the single bed to the storage room. He would have to sleep on the single bed for one more night.

Song Ye ate a coarse grain bun in the morning and went to borrow an ox-cart from a villager to go to Shuibo Town to buy meat and wedding cakes.

Song Mingyan and Liang Su cleaned the house again. They found some red paper to cut out the character for “joy.” Cutting the character required skill. Xu Cheng, seeing this, insisted on cutting one with them. Song Mingyan found a piece of red paper and taught him.

Xu Cheng followed his father’s instructions but couldn’t cut out the character. He frowned, gave up, and nestled in Song Mingyan’s arms, watching his hands.

Liang Feng came to help move the tables and chairs. He and Song Changxu moved them together, working quickly. One-third of the Song family’s courtyard was used for the chicken coop. The remaining two-thirds could fit eight tables, with a few more having to be placed outside the courtyard. They would wait until the next morning to set them up, as they were afraid they would be stolen if left outside.

“One table can seat thirteen or fourteen people, which is not bad,” Liang Feng said, taking a sip of water and smiling as he patted Song Changxu’s shoulder.

Liang Hui had come over with borrowed bowls and chopsticks. Hearing her brother’s words, she laughed. “Brother, you’re just a laborer. How can you be making comments?”

Liang Feng: “I’m just saying. In my opinion, a feast of a dozen or so tables is quite respectable in the village. I saw that my uncle bought a lot of meat and vegetables from town. I’ll have a good meal tomorrow.”

The Song family was quite well-off, and Song Changxu was the only male heir in the family, so they were very attentive to his matters. Besides, it was said that one should start a family before establishing a career, so it was good to get married early.

The people in the house were busy picking and washing vegetables. Song Changxu wiped the sweat from his face and went to the kitchen to chop firewood first.

Song Ye was rolling cigarettes. The villagers all rolled their own. Many people would be coming tomorrow, and he had to offer them cigarettes, so he rolled a few more. He had bought ten jars of yellow wine, and the main meat dishes were chicken, duck, and pork. Pork was fifteen copper coins a catty, while chicken and duck were cheaper. He had also bought a dozen or so fish from a fisherman. Since he had bought a lot, he had bargained for a good price.

He had spent a total of one tael and five qian of silver in town on fruits, pastries, melon seeds, wedding cakes, and wedding candy. This was within his and Liang Su’s budget. They had prepared two taels of silver for the feast.

Song Ye went to return the ox-cart. Song Changxu carried the firewood to the kitchen. Liang Feng said, “Changxu, come with me to the back mountain to chop some firewood. They’re all busy here, and there’s nothing we can help with for now.”

Song Changxu: “Alright.”

The Song family’s house was lively today. Many aunties had come to help, chatting and laughing. They all had smiles on their faces, and the conversation was all about the younger generation: where they were working, how many children they had.

Song Changxu took an axe and went up the mountain with Liang Feng. Liang Feng often went up the mountain to chop firewood and took his cousin to a good spot to start.

Song Changxu had never chopped a tree before. He first observed Liang Feng’s movements and posture, then imitated him. At first, his movements were not smooth, but after a few more chops, he became skilled. Besides the right posture, chopping a tree also required strength.

He had strength now.

After chopping for a while, Liang Feng went to pick some wild fruits and threw them at Song Changxu. He wiped them on his sleeve and ate them.

Song Changxu followed his example, sitting on the grass and eating the wild fruits to quench his thirst. He lay down on the grass, the web between his thumb and forefinger aching a little.

Liang Feng rarely interacted with this cousin. His cousin was not as aloof as the villagers said. He was actually very easy to talk to.

“Let’s chop a few more trees to take back. It’ll be enough for the fire tomorrow.”

Song Changxu agreed and got up. When it was time to work, he was very diligent. Chopping the tree calmed the restlessness in his heart. When his body was tired, his thoughts were not as active.

He and Liang Feng went back together. The ge’ers and women in the main hall were all helping. Song Mingyan brewed a pot of mint tea and brought out some dried fruits and melon seeds for them to eat.

Song Changxu was not used to this lively scene. He went back to his room with his head down. The courtyard was filled with laughter. Now, he couldn’t even concentrate on his book. A cool breeze blew in from outside the window. Song Changxu opened the window and saw the leaves of the plum tree in the courtyard rustling in the wind.

The Song family’s side was not quiet, and the Xu family’s was also a lively scene. Xu Zhizhou sat in the main hall, surrounded by elders and fellow villagers.

After listening to the adults’ conversation for a while, Xu Zhizhou made an excuse and pulled Sun Luzhen and a few other familiar ge’ers and girls back to his room.

“Zhizhou is really getting married. Look, this room is all decorated in festive red now,” a ge’er teased.

Xu Zhizhou’s cheeks were already red from being teased by the elders in the main hall. He had finally relaxed a bit in his own room, but he was being teased again.

He glanced around. The room was a sea of red. He sat on the bed in a huff, his eyes watery, his face radiant, putting the peaches and apricots to shame.

Seeing his friend’s appearance, Sun Luzhen couldn’t help but think that he had never seen him like this before. They were all of a young and romantic age. Before they were engaged, they would secretly talk about the men in the village, but Xu Zhizhou had never blushed.

This time, with just a few teases, his cheeks would turn red, and he would be speechless, lowering his eyes to reveal his long, fair neck.

“It’s so fast. Zhizhou is getting married too. We all thought you would marry one of the other boys in the village, but you ended up with Song Changxu. His looks are top-notch. I don’t think anyone in town is as good-looking as him.”

Song Changxu’s appearance had received their unanimous approval. Xu Zhizhou was also extremely satisfied. They chatted for a while, eating fruits and melon seeds. When the sunset glow appeared, they waved goodbye.

“We’ll be waiting for the wedding wine tomorrow.”

In the evening, Cao Qin looked at Xu Zhizhou with a loving expression. She served him some food. “Eat more.”

Xu Zhizhou nodded. “I know, Mother.”

After dinner, Xu Sunzheng went to check on the chickens, ducks, and the pigsty. When he came back and didn’t see Xu Zhizhou, he felt a bit melancholic.

After washing up, Xu Zhizhou went back to his room. The family had made him new chests. He rummaged through his wardrobe. The family had made him three new sets of clothes, all of good material. He smoothed them out and put them in the chests. His usual comb, shoes, jewelry box, a fragrant balm he had secretly bought with his own savings, some scraps of cloth and colored thread, an unfinished purse, and his private money.

Xu Zhizhou was both expectant and afraid. He fell onto the bed and rolled from one end to the other.

“Oh right, there’s that book,” Xu Zhizhou suddenly remembered.

Just as he was about to get the book from the chest, there was a knock on the door.

Xu Zhizhou quickly withdrew his hand, his expression a bit guilty. “Come in.”

Cao Qin came in and saw her ge’er sitting obediently on the bed. She sat down and handed him a box.

“This is the silver bracelet from the Song family. You can keep it.”

Xu Zhizhou took the box, his eyes sparkling. “Thank you, Mother.”

Cao Qin smiled and patted his hand. “Go to bed early. You have to get up early tomorrow to prepare.”

Xu Zhizhou nodded.

After Cao Qin closed the door and left, Xu Zhizhou opened the box to look at the silver bracelet. Of all the betrothal gifts from the Song family, Xu Zhizhou hadn’t seen the others, but he had taken a liking to this silver bracelet at first sight.

A silver bracelet! He treasured his silver hairpin so much. A silver bracelet could be made into several silver hairpins. And he had seen that the bracelet was even engraved with a pattern, looking simple yet gorgeous.

It was his dream bracelet.

Xu Zhizhou opened the box and saw the bracelet he liked, as well as a five-tael silver ingot.

He was stunned for a moment. He didn’t pick up the silver bracelet, but held the silver ingot and looked at it again and again.

The money his parents earned was all hard-earned. Since he was a child, he had seen his parents working in the fields, rain or shine, with little rest. He and his elder brother had a much better life than their peers. His parents would do their best to get them whatever they wanted.

Five taels of silver was a lot.

His parents were also thinking of them when it came to their marriage. Xu Zhizhou vaguely thought that although his parents were not as wealthy as others, they had already given him their best.

People have feelings. He could feel who was sincere to him, who was good to him.

Xu Zhizhou’s nose suddenly tingled. He closed the box, pulled up the quilt, blew out the candle, and went to sleep.

In the darkness, he sobbed softly.

His parents had never asked anything of him, only that he could live a happier life.

Tears soaked his pillowcase.

.