Chapter 39

She looked completely unconcerned, and this time Zhang Haiyao was left speechless. After a long moment she asked, "Haiya is your brother, aren't you worried at all about his future?"
"He has his parents; I can barely manage my own affairs, why would I have time to worry about someone else?" Li Qinghe really didn't care to make a fuss. She sincerely hoped he would do well, but asking her to make herself miserable to help him? Their bond hadn't reached that point. Besides, Madam Xu's temperament meant she wouldn't necessarily be at a loss; if, as Zhang Haiyao claimed, Haiya had a natural talent for study, Madam Xu would surely find a way to let him continue.
She looked indifferent, and Zhang Haiyao truly didn't know how to persuade her.
The two rode in silence. After a while they saw Zhou Chengkang's carriage approaching in the distance. Li Qinghe let out a quiet sigh of relief; they reached home soon after.
The furniture had already been moved in and set up by Li Fu. The wood was solid, Li Qinghe had chosen the sturdiest timber. She hadn't insisted on fancy patterns; compared with Zhao Wanwan's, it lacked some frills, but you could tell at a glance these pieces would last for years.
"Not pretty," Madam Qian observed as she swept her gaze around. "Why pick this style? It's the easiest to make, no wonder it was finished so quickly." Her tone was full of disdain.
Li Fu shot her a look. "You're all talk, get on with the cooking."
Madam Qian turned and left without another word, not even looking back. "Qinghe, come help."
Li Qinghe answered and was about to go change. She had no intention of helping with the cooking, carrying dishes would do. It wasn't that she couldn't do the work; she simply didn't want to give Madam Qian the satisfaction of bossing her around and making her feel small.
Li Fu tugged at her sleeve. "Qinghe, take it." He quickly pressed a silver coin into her hand, about a tael's worth.
Li Qinghe was surprised but didn't take it. "Father, keep it yourself."
"If it's for you, then take it," he said, shoving it into her hand before she could refuse. Then he cautioned, "Put it away quick, don't let Aunt Qian see it. I don't have any more silver to give Wanwan."
Li Qinghe couldn't help but smile; his thoughtfulness was rare. She didn't have to hand it back now, she'd return it when he needed it.
The room piled with dowry slowly filled; the things kept multiplying. By the time the little chick she'd raised lost its yellow fluff and grew larger than a palm, the wedding day had finally come.
She had embroidered her own wedding dress, and all the quilts were the work of Yu Yan. Yu Yan's stitching was so fine that, if not all of Luoyue Town, then certainly in the whole Wang village there was no one with such beautiful quilt covers.
On the surface Madam Qian maintained her composure. After Li Fu bought the provisions, she had invited many close people to help with the preparations the day before. Li Qinghe hadn't done any labor, nor had she been summoned; instead, in front of outsiders Madam Qian wiped her eyes several times to show how reluctant she was to part with her "obedient" daughter.
What drew the most comment was Li Qinghe's dowry. Just looking at the packed goods in the room you could tell a lot of silver had been spent. Not to mention the ten acres of land and the pond, word was they'd even started raising chickens there. Whoever married her would be taking on a great deal; Fourth Brother Zhou should have an easy life ahead.
With so much dowry worth so much silver, it would be a lie to say Madam Qian wasn't tempted. Whenever she let something slip, Li Fu would clamp down on it.
Many people looked at the room and muttered that they couldn't understand why she chose the Zhou family. Apart from a carriage, what did they have? The Zhou family was poor, just poor.
There were plenty of envious folk and some green-eyed ones, but none of it affected Li Qinghe's good mood.
The people who came the day before mostly helped and told jokes. Early the next morning more people arrived, and by sunrise the yard was bustling. Li Qinghe had changed into a vivid red wedding dress she had made herself; it nipped at the waist, and as she moved her slender figure looked particularly lovely.
Yu Yan had done her makeup. Because Li Qinghe had worked in town for so long, she didn't have many close friends in the village; aside from Yu Yan, there was only Qingyuan from her aunt's household.
Staring into the mirror at the girl whose makeup made her brows and eyes look as if they were smiling, Li Qinghe felt a little stunned. Compared to the plain, anxious face she had in her past life, she was very different, yet the same in one way: the eager hope she felt for the future.
"So beautiful you'll get dazed looking at yourself. When Fourth Brother Zhou sees you, he'll be so smitten he won't know which way is north," Yu Yan laughed, and Qingyuan beside her laughed too.
A commotion rose outside. Yu Yan ran to the doorway and peered out. "They're here," she said with a smile.
When she saw her off, Yu Yan's eyes were rimmed in red. "You're the first friend I made after coming here, be happy."
Li Qinghe's feelings were complicated. After hugging her, she said softly, "You too, be happy."
After saying that she stepped out. Zhou Chengkang wore a red long robe that made his already white teeth seem even brighter. His smile never left his face. Seeing her emerge, he reached out to her with an expectant look.
Li Qinghe looked at him for a long moment, then suddenly smiled and slipped her hand into his larger one. He squeezed it tightly. "You look beautiful," he murmured.
Her face flushed at once.
Those around them burst into laughter. Hand in hand, they went toward the main room where Li Fu was already seated at the head, waiting for her to pay her respects and bid farewell.
When Li Qinghe reached the doorway to the main room she suddenly glanced out into the yard. Zhou Chengkang beside her noticed and asked softly, "What are you looking at?"
She looked for a long while but saw no one approaching. Li Qinghe shook her head slightly and prepared to step in, when suddenly there was a stir among the people in the yard. "They're here, they're here..."
"They've got the nerve to come..."
“It's only right for a daughter to come back once she's married,” someone said approvingly.
Li Qinghe stopped and turned, just in time to see a carriage speeding up. Madam Xu threw back the curtain, and as soon as it halted she leapt down and hurried inside.
Madam Xu came in and, seeing her daughter smiling in her wedding dress, felt all her anxieties melt away. She smoothed her hair with a look of tenderness. “You've grown up, I'm not too late, am I?”
“No.” Li Qinghe was delighted and didn't hide it.
At that moment Madam Qian was nowhere to be seen; it seemed she hadn't intended to come receive the formal greeting. Li Qinghe bowed to Li Fu and Madam Xu.
Only when she stepped outside did she see Madam Qian standing in the kitchen doorway, her face not looking pleased. Li Qinghe went over and offered the customary greeting. After all, Madam Qian hadn't deliberately mistreated her as a child, that was enough.
Her frank, proper bow made many people nod secretly; after all, Madam Qian had been part of the household for years, she deserved to receive the greeting.
When the formalities were over, Zhou Chengkang took her outside. There was no bridal sedan; his carriage had already been parked at the gate, its curtains changed to deep red.
The ride to the Zhou home took only a few breaths, but Zhou Chengkang wasn't satisfied, he drove them out of the village and made a wide circuit, laughing loudly the whole way, clearly overjoyed.
Li Qinghe laughed too; when they looked at each other they could see the other's smiling eyes and brows. Their hands tightened. After circling back to the Zhou gate and stepping down from the carriage, he whispered, “Qinghe, I've finally married you. I've waited a long time for this day; from now on, I'll be good to you.” His voice was earnest, his eyes moist.
A faint flush rimmed Li Qinghe's eyes, she knew how long he'd waited. “I'll be good to you too.”
Not everyone can spend a lifetime keeping vigil at a tombstone.
They stepped down and entered to perform the wedding rites. A country wedding was simple: once the ceremony was done, a banquet was held outside, and after the meal the marriage was settled.
Their bridal chamber was a house built just last year, bright and airy. It had stood empty before, but Li Qinghe's furniture had already been brought in, the scent of wood lingering; compared to the old house, the new place looked handsome indeed.
When Li Qinghe came out again, most people had already dispersed from the yard. The whole day had gone smoothly; everyone hoped her life would be as fortunate as this wedding.
By afternoon the guests had gone and the yard began to be tidied. She didn't have to help, the household included the eldest sister-in-law and her mother-in-law, as well as Mrs. Zhou and Fifth Sister, plus Zhang Haiyao and Li Qingmiao, who hadn't left and were pitching in. With so many people, there was no way the new bride would be expected to clean.
She sat inside and watched them work through the window. The eldest sister-in-law, her mother-in-law, Mrs. Zhou, and the Fifth Sister were all sweeping briskly; Zhang Haiyao, however, held a cloth to wipe the table with one hand on her hip, pinching the rag between two fingers as if afraid of dirtying her hands. The force she used would test even fine porcelain, watching made one anxious. Beside her, Li Qingmiao had already wiped each of the three tables twice, yet she was still fussing at them, half unfinished.
Once inside, the excitement of getting married faded. She suddenly realized the house would always be this full, and couldn't help asking, “Can your family really fit this many people at mealtime?”
Zhou Chengkang was wiping one of the newly moved-in tables. They'd been stacked there since they returned from town a month or so ago; they didn't look dirty, but they still needed a wipe to feel clean. He was scrubbing diligently; when she spoke he turned and smiled, “We eat at two tables.”
With so many mouths, a single meal would use up a lot of the provisions; even for a family, that's a great deal to prepare.
At dinner there really were two tables: two small ones, packed tight. One could imagine that in a couple of years, if there were more children, they'd need a third.
“Qinghe, sit here,” Mrs. Zhou said with a smile, patting the chair beside her.
Li Qinghe smiled and went over. “Mother.”
“Ah.” Mrs. Zhou was pleased. Li Qinghe called out to the eldest brother and his wife and also to Granny Liu. When it came to Li Qingmiao, she lifted her chin, beaming and somewhat pleased, waiting for her to speak.
Li Qinghe couldn't help smiling. “Second sister-in-law.”
Hearing that, Li Qingmiao was delighted, laughing as she patted her shoulder. “From now on your second sister-in-law will take care of you...” She didn't finish the sentence, breaking off into loud laughter.
Li Qinghe called out to the third brother and his wife; Zhang Haiyao answered but didn't look at her, her gaze fixed on the food. “After working all day, I'm starving,” she laughed, turning to Mrs. Zhou, “Mother, may we eat?”
The meal was lively. The Zhou brothers sat with Mrs. Zhou and Granny Liu at one table; the daughters-in-law and the Fifth Sister sat at the other. The tables were small but just enough.
When the meal was over, Li Qinghe found that having many people had its advantages: clearing the dishes was quick, each person only had to make one trip.
The eldest sister-in-law did the washing. She was slight and pretty, and she smiled at her shyly, more embarrassed than the new bride. She nudged her out the door, “You don't need to do this. There'll be plenty of chances later.”