My Fulang is a Delicate Flower Chapter 40 Part 1

Chapter 40

Huo Shu had anticipated that the ger would cry.  

But he hadn’t expected it to happen even before they had properly begun…  

Looking at the person lying on the bed with reddened eyes, two deep crimson bite marks on his lower lip from holding back, already sobbing to the point of breathlessness—  

He hastily closed his robe, hurriedly got off the bed to pour a cup of warm water, and helped the ger sit up.  

Ji Taoyu looked as if he had fallen into a water vat, drenched all over, his forehead covered in sweat.  

The warm water slid down his throat, slightly soothing the soreness and rawness.  

Huo Shu let him lean against his chest, gently patting his trembling shoulders in reassurance.  

Only when his breathing steadied did Huo Shu ask, “Feeling better?”  

Ji Taoyu sniffled, unsure whether Huo Shu was merely asking if the water had helped or if he meant to continue once he felt better.  

The thought of the latter made him shiver.  

Not better at all.

Yet selfishly, he thought it wasn’t Huo Shu’s fault, just that 'the act itself' was unbearable.  

He pressed his lips together, wanting to ask for more time, but before he could speak, he hissed in pain—his bitten lower lip stung sharply at the slightest touch.  

If they were to continue now, it would surely…  

“Is it… is it supposed to be like this?”  

Ji Taoyu’s voice was hoarse. At this point, he could no longer hold back, nor did he care what was appropriate to say. The question spilled from his heart: “One key opens one lock. If… if the key and the lock don’t match, then… how can it possibly work?”  

Though the bed curtains were drawn and they were buried beneath the mandarin duck quilt, he hadn’t seen the exact dimensions of this key. But… upon contact, he could certainly feel it, enough to roughly gauge its size.  

At this thought, his face burned again.  

The keyhole is only so big. If the key is too large, of course it won’t fit. If forced, wouldn’t it just break the lock?  

Back when he had secretly read those illustrated books under the covers, the depictions of tangled phoenixes and merged heavens made it seem like such a blissful, divine experience.  

It had made him flush crimson, and thinking of Huo Shu’s tall, powerful frame, he had assumed: Of course it would work, no matter what. He had even swallowed nervously, feeling… a secret anticipation.  

After their engagement, his nights had been filled with all sorts of indecent dreams.  

Now that the moment had finally arrived, he hadn’t expected it to be like this.  

Too much… isn’t good either. Those books exaggerated everything, they never mentioned this part!  

His heart was both shocked and a little sad.  

Huo Shu frowned at his analogy. “People and locks aren’t the same.”  

“Then… then why does it hurt so much?”  

Ji Taoyu hurriedly defended his reasoning, his voice trembling slightly.  

Seeing this, Huo Shu couldn’t help but feel a pang of guilt. He had no choice but to admit fault. “I was too impatient.”  

Then, softening his tone, he added, “Your senses are more delicate than most. It’s only natural you couldn’t handle it.”  

At these words, Ji Taoyu’s eyes suddenly lowered, a faint mist gathering in them.  

Huo Shu was at a loss, how did comforting him end up making him cry again? 

He quickly set the cup aside and tucked Ji Taoyu back under the blankets.  

Perhaps worried that the one he had finally obtained might now refuse to stay with him, Huo Shu said, “We’ve come this far. No backing out.”  

Ji Taoyu looked up at him with teary eyes, nestled in Huo Shu’s arms. “I… I’m not backing out. I just… I’m afraid you’ll find me troublesome. This is supposed to be a major life event, yet we can’t even… complete it properly.”  

Huo Shu tightened his arms around the soft, pliant figure. “If I were the type to find you troublesome, we wouldn’t have made it this far.”  

“We’ll take it slow. No need to rush.”  

The words seemed directed at Ji Taoyu, but even more like a reminder to himself.  

Ji Taoyu sniffled and buried himself in Huo Shu’s embrace for a long while before suddenly lifting his head to study the man’s unreadable expression.  

He wrapped his arms around Huo Shu’s neck, leaned in, and pressed a kiss to his lips, then rested his forehead against Huo Shu’s with tender affection. “You... You won’t… return me, will you?”  

Huo Shu’s grip on Ji Taoyu’s slender waist tightened, an indescribable warmth stirring in his heart. “Could I even if I wanted to?”  

Ji Taoyu found this response highly unsettling. Burying himself deeper into Huo Shu’s embrace, he gritted his teeth and said. “Then… let’s try again.”  

Huo Shu ruffled his soft hair. “There’s no hurry. We have plenty of time.”  

Ji Taoyu exhaled in relief. “You said it yourself. You… you can’t blame me if I’m no good.”  

“Mn.”  

Ji Taoyu nuzzled against him, thinking this man was easy to talk to.  

But after a moment, he glanced up again. “Then… aren’t you uncomfortable?”  

Huo Shu was about to ask what he meant when he noticed Ji Taoyu’s gaze drifting downward.  

His brow twitched: This little one used to be so innocent, since when did he learn to say such things?

“Go to sleep. Don’t laze in bed tomorrow morning.”  

Before Ji Taoyu could get an answer, a large hand covered his eyes.  

He could only mumble, “Oh.”  

Huo Shu barely slept the entire night. Having a soft little ger suddenly in his arms was… something he wasn’t used to.  

But that wasn’t the main issue.  

During his years guarding the border, with life and death hanging by a thread, he had rarely felt desire

But now, with this person in his embrace - skin smooth as silk, waist pliant like satin, whimpering beneath him, all those suppressed urges surged forth uncontrollably, yet with no outlet.  

The Sweet little Fulang Chapter 206 Part 1

Chapter 206

    “So it’s little Ling ger.” Li Wanyun smiled and held the child’s hand, teasing him playfully. She had been afraid of asking the wrong question earlier, what if this wasn’t Lu Gu’s child? That would have been like rubbing salt in the wound.  

    Standing in the middle of the street wasn’t ideal, so Lu Gu asked her, “Are you busy? Would you like to come inside the shop and sit for a while?”  

    “I’m not too busy, just delivering these few bolts of cloth to the fabric workshop.” Thinking that they hadn’t seen each other in two years, Li Wanyun didn’t refuse. She glanced at the shop and asked, “Is this your family’s business?”  

    Lu Gu led her and the boy of about eleven or twelve inside, gesturing for them to sit. Holding the child, he could only pour tea one-handed. Smiling, he said, “We just opened this year, selling chicken, duck, and rabbit meat. Sometimes we butcher pork too.”  

    For common folk, eating meat wasn’t an everyday affair, some families only bought it during festivals. To most people, anyone who could afford to run a butcher’s shop was impressive, and Li Wanyun was no exception.  

    She had never forgotten her time in Qingxi Village, the steamed buns Lu Gu had given her during that freezing winter, stuffed with slices of meat and pickled vegetables. They were the most delicious meat and pickles she’d ever eaten. Seeing that Lu Gu’s life had improved, she felt happy for him.  

    She set the three bolts of cloth in her lap and said, “This is my nephew, Wang’er. He’s eleven this year. He came with me to sell the cloth, helping me carry a couple of bolts. Call him little ahma.”  

    “Little ahma,” Li Wang’er echoed, also laying the two bolts in his arms across his lap.  

    Guaizi, who had been following Shen Xuanqing in the back, had sharp ears and keen eyes. Hearing voices at the front, he trotted over. Before he could bark, Lu Gu scolded him softly, so the dog circled around to sniff at Li Wang’er instead.  

    “Shoo,” Lu Gu chided gently, then reassured Li Wang’er, “Don’t be afraid. He won’t bite as long as I’m here.”  

    Li Wanyun still remembered the dog and laughed. “He came with you too?”  

    “He guards the house at night. But how did you end up here?” Lu Gu asked after sitting down with the tea. He was curious, Lijia Village was closer to Fenggu Town, yet Li Wanyun had come to Jixing Town instead.  

    With him, Li Wanyun didn’t hide the truth. Glancing at her nephew, she smiled bitterly. “Fenggu Town is closer, but what if I ran into the Zhang family? They’ve never given me a way out. What can a woman like me do except stay far away?”  

    At her parents’ home, she was safe. Her family was there, so the Zhang relatives wouldn’t dare barge in. But if she encountered them outside the village, things could turn ugly.  

    Realizing he’d touched on a painful subject, Lu Gu felt a little awkward.  

    Li Wanyun noticed his discomfort and smiled. “It’s all in the past. I’ve made my peace, I just avoid them. What about you? Why did you open a shop so far away?”  

    Lu Gu handed the small rattle drum on the table to Lingjun, who was reaching for it, and said, “Erqing’s master and his family are in Jixing Town. Coming here meant we’d have relatives to rely on. They helped us find and buy this shop.”  

    Li Wanyun nodded in understanding. Starting a business in an unfamiliar place was difficult, having connections made all the difference.  

    The rattle drum shook with a dong-dong-dong sound, making Lingjun giggle. The two adults amused themselves with the child for a while as they chatted. Then Shen Xuanqing returned, carrying a freshly slaughtered old duck.  

    “It’s Wanyun, I just saw her on the street,” Lu Gu quickly explained.  

    Seeing Li Wanyun instinctively stand, Shen Xuanqing smiled and said, “Please, sit. I’ll go buy some pastries from the street so we can eat while we talk.”  

    He and Li Wanyun had little interaction, and as a woman, it wasn’t proper for him to engage in too much conversation. But since they had a guest, it was only right to prepare tea and snacks. So he headed out, with Guaizi trotting after him.  

    Noticing the slaughtered duck, Lu Gu said, “Are you in a hurry at noon? If not, I’ll cook a meal. I was just about to stew this duck, why don’t you join us?”  

    Li Wanyun’s smile was noticeably brighter than it had been two years ago. “I came here thanks to a village uncle’s mule cart. He’s waiting for us at the town entrance in half an hour, so we can’t stay.”  

    Since that was the case, Lu Gu didn’t press further. Spotting the five bolts of cloth she’d brought, he asked curiously, “Did you weave all these yourself?”  

    Li Wanyun’s smile changed slightly, her eyes brightening. She unwrapped the cloth to reveal two bolts of silk and one of cotton. “Yes. I don’t have many ways to earn money, but thankfully I know how to weave. Selling to fabric workshops brings in a little income.”  

    She handed one of the silk bolts to Lu Gu, urging him to feel it. “At first, I only wove hemp and cotton. This year, after saving up, I found a villager who grew mulberry fields. I couldn’t afford much, so I negotiated to lease one mu, enough to raise silkworms at home. That’s how I managed to weave these two bolts.”  

    The silk felt completely different under his fingers. Hearing how capable she’d become, Lu Gu smiled and handed it back. “Having a skill to earn money is good.”  

    “Exactly.” Li Wanyun nodded, rewrapping the cloth. These past two years, her life had been decent. With money in hand, she secretly helped her parents. Whenever anyone - openly or not, tried to drive her away, she’d curse them out.  

    Later, between weaving and leasing the mulberry field, she sometimes couldn’t handle all the work alone. So she had her parents help with weeding and watering. After selling the silk, she’d buy them food and supplies or give them a few dozen copper coins. She was clever, she always paid them after they finished, treating it as wages so they wouldn’t complain about working for free.  

    As a widow, she feared her parents might hastily marry her off to some widower. If she ended up with another family like Old Lady Zhang and Zhang Zhengzi, she’d just be jumping back into the fire.  

    So she made a habit of weeping and lamenting her misfortunes in front of her parents, emphasizing how unlucky she’d been in marriage. She also reminded them that she still had three years of mourning left. And she hinted that if she remarried, all her earnings would go to her husband’s family. She wouldn’t be able to support her natal family anymore, and even the leased mulberry field would have to be returned.  

    With their daughter at home, Old Man Li and Old Lady Li had food, clothes, and even earned copper coins from working the mulberry field. Life was much better than before. If Li Wanyun married off, she’d be like spilled water, unable to be gathered back. The money would belong to her husband’s family.  

  

Rebirth to Erase Dark History Chapter 68 Part 2

"Am I dreaming?" Yang Jiabo wondered if he was still asleep. He tugged the blanket up, ready to go back to bed.  

But Wei Jing wouldn’t let him run. He poked Yang Jiabo’s slightly swollen cheek. "Does this hurt?"  

"A little... but it still doesn’t feel real." Yang Jiabo felt like he was floating.  

"Then how about this?" Wei Jing pressed a light kiss to his forehead.  

Yang Jiabo’s vision blurred. The warmth on his forehead told him, he had just been kissed. His face burned as if on fire. Once the realization fully hit, he felt foolish, his entire body overheating. Summoning his courage, he blurted out, "I like you. What about you?"  

"Silly, isn’t it obvious? I like you too." Wei Jing was overjoyed by Yang Jiabo’s confession.  

"When did you start liking me?" The happiness felt too sudden, too unreal.  

"I don’t know. Maybe a long time ago..."  

They had grown up together, and somewhere along the way, their feelings had quietly changed. Even Wei Jing couldn’t pinpoint exactly when.  

"Were you so good to me because you liked me?"  

"Yes."  

Two new lovers exchanged silly, meaningless words until they gradually drifted off to sleep.  

Despite their heartfelt confessions before bed, Yang Jiabo wavered after waking up. The gap between him and Wei Jing was vast in every way—their families would never approve, let alone his illness...  

Yang Jiabo’s sudden avoidance left Wei Jing baffled. They had been fine before falling asleep, why the change? 

Watching Yang Jiabo dodge his gaze, slinking along the walls to avoid him, Wei Jing was both amused and exasperated. He strode forward, catching Yang Jiabo before he could flee, pulling him into a room and locking the door.  

"W-what are you doing?" Yang Jiabo’s eyes widened, guilt written all over his face.  

"I should be asking you that. Did you really think you could take it back after waking up?" Wei Jing closed in, trapping Yang Jiabo between the wall and himself.  

"I—I blacked out last night. I don’t know what you’re talking about."  

Wei Jing laughed in disbelief. Pressing his forehead against Yang Jiabo’s, he said firmly, "Tell me the truth."  

Yang Jiabo felt Wei Jing’s breath against his face, sending tingles down his spine.  

"I’m not good enough for you. And our families would never agree."  

"Whether you’re good enough is for me to decide. You haven’t even tried, how do you know they’d disagree?"  

"I—"  

"You were the one who confessed first. You don’t get to back out now." Wei Jing’s words were resolute.  

"My family has no money or influence. I barely went to school, I’m not particularly good-looking, and I’m sick..." Yang Jiabo’s voice grew smaller, his words increasingly despondent.  

Wei Jing sighed and pulled him into a hug. "None of that matters. You work harder than anyone to live well, and that’s what I love about you. Let’s face any challenges together, okay?"  

"I’m scared..." There were too many obstacles ahead. He feared his illness wouldn’t hold out. Worse, he feared Wei Jing would one day grow tired of him, he wouldn’t be able to bear it.  

"Don’t be. I’ll always be here for you. Trust me."  

"I trust you."  

Yang Jiabo couldn’t bring himself to give up Wei Jing, this was the first time he had truly fallen for someone. He decided to follow his heart, cautiously taking a huge step forward. They agreed to keep their relationship a secret until they figured out how to break the news to their families.  

That morning, when Yang Qing woke up, he found his brother absent-minded, following Wei Jing around like a lovesick fool. Something felt off between them, but he couldn’t quite place it, maybe they were still hungover. Others also noticed the change but assumed Yang Jiabo was simply relieved now that the ordeal was over.  

Happy days always pass quickly. Soon, it was time to part, Wei Jing had to return to the capital. Yang Jiabo worried. Their relationship was already difficult, but now they’d be separated by distance.  

"Don’t overthink it. I’ll visit whenever I can." Wei Jing ruffled Yang Jiabo’s hair affectionately.  

"I’ll come see you instead. You’re the busy one." Yang Jiabo had always planned to live a laid-back life, so he had plenty of free time.  

"Have you thought about moving to the capital?" Wei Jing didn’t want to be apart and hoped to bring him along.  

Yang Jiabo considered it but shook his head. As much as he didn’t want to be separated, the thought of leaving everything familiar behind terrified him. He wasn’t ready.  

"Don’t worry. Once the company stabilizes, I’ll have more free time." Wei Jing already had a plan in mind.  

"Big brother, it’s getting late. What’s taking so long? Don’t miss your flight." Wei Feng urged.  

Wei Jing shot his brother an annoyed look. "If you’re feeling better, hurry home. Stop bothering Jiajia all the time."  

"Yeah, yeah." Wei Feng waved him off dismissively. 

Some brother you are, Jiajia never once complained or told me to leave

After seeing Wei Jing off, Yang Jiabo felt an emptiness, as if something were missing. He even considered moving to the capital but quickly dismissed the idea when he thought of all the practical challenges. He’d rather be the one traveling back and forth.  

Just then, his phone buzzed, a message from Wei Jing.  

[I already miss you.]  

[I miss you too.] Yang Jiabo replied with a silly grin.  

His heart swelled with sweetness, filling him with determination to figure out how to win over his father.  

"Jiajia."  

The voice made Yang Jiabo’s smile freeze instantly.  

The Sweet little Fulang Chapter 205 Part 2

    With only the three of them living there - none of them slovenly, the front yard wasn’t dirty, just a few persimmon tree leaves on the ground. The backyard didn’t need his attention either, because Shen Xuanqing would sweep it when he had time.  

    Unable to sweep, Lu Gu held the child in one arm and used a feather duster with the other to wipe down tables and chairs. With daily dusting and his light touch, there was hardly any dust to begin with.  

    Just as he set down the duster, Guaizi, still hungry after half a bun, stood by the stone table whining pitifully.  

    The other half of Lu Gu’s bun was still on the table. Guaizi had been eyeing it for a while, wanting to eat it but not daring to.  

    Last time, he and Huang’er had stolen meat and were beaten hard by Shen Xuanqing. This time in town, fearing dog thieves might poison them, they’d been trained not to accept food from outsiders. Clever as ever, Guaizi learned quickly. Now, unless it was food placed in their bowl or thrown to them by family, he wouldn’t touch anything offered by others.  

    "Coming, coming," Lu Gu said with a laugh. Not hungry himself, he gave Guaizi the remaining half-bun and fetched another from the kitchen.  

    The sun was up now, and with nothing else to do at home, Lu Gu strapped the child to his back with a carrier, locked the gate, and headed to the shop with Guaizi trotting obediently beside him.  

    The eastern neighbors, the Liu family, had three generations living together - seven or eight people in a house similar in size to theirs, making it feel cramped.  

    "Auntie, off to buy vegetables?" Lu Gu asked with a smile when he saw Granny Liu with her basket.  

    He wasn’t as timid and withdrawn as before, hawking goods on the streets had bolstered his confidence, and he could now exchange a word or two with strangers.  

    "That’s right. You headed to the shop?" Granny Liu had a habit of gossiping and couldn’t keep secrets, her husband had scolded her many times for it, but she wasn’t a bad person and could chat with anyone.  

    She added, "Do you still have rabbits? Save two for me. My elder sister-in-law’s birthday is coming up, and I’d like to bring some meat."  

    "We do. I’ll set them aside for you," Lu Gu agreed cheerfully.  

    "Good, good. I’ll come by later. You go on ahead, I’d best hurry." Granny Liu rushed off, busy with shopping and babysitting duties.  

    The alley’s entrance was to the east. As Lu Gu walked that way, he passed the western neighbors, who ran a teahouse with a storyteller. Shen Xuanqing had mentioned taking him there someday when they had time.  

    "Sister Wang," he greeted a few families along the way. Since they’d be living here long-term, it was best to get familiar.  

    Houses in Zhenzhu Alley were expensive, only those with some savings could afford them, and most families ran businesses.  

    Initially uneasy about the neighbors, Lu Gu had grown more at ease over the past few days. At least on the surface, most were amiable, and with Shen Xuanqing around, he felt reassured.  

    He didn’t dwell on it much, partly because Shen Xuanqing was taller and sturdier than most men, a butcher who could slaughter pigs and sheep, making him less likely to be bullied as newcomers. Secondly, both of them were polite, decent-looking, and neatly dressed, giving a good first impression.  

    Common folks were too busy making ends meet to pick fights or cause trouble.  

    Guaizi ran ahead a few steps but stopped to wait. As Lu Gu reached the alley’s end, the bustling street came into view - vendors shouting about steamed buns and baked flatbreads, noodle and dumpling stalls, shops opening for the day, all kinds of smells mingling in the air. Peddlers with shoulder poles selling vegetables and fruit walked past him.  

    The morning was already this lively, so different from the village.  

    Spotting a woman and a fulang selling eggs from baskets, Lu Gu was reminded of his days with Shen Xuanqing in Fenggu Town, a faint smile touching his lips.  

    Some passersby, afraid of dogs, gave Guaizi a wide berth. But Guaizi, knowing they were outside, stayed close to Lu Gu’s legs without strayin. Shen Xuanqing had trained him well. Sometimes, Lu Gu even felt Guaizi was protecting him. With the dog by his side, he felt less nervous walking the crowded, unfamiliar streets with a child on his back.  

    At the street’s end, he noticed the stationery shop had opened. He glanced inside, every time he passed, he thought about buying paper, brushes, and books for Lingjun here someday. It was so conveniently close.  

    Xixing Street was just as lively. Before reaching the butcher shop, he could already see several people at the door.  

    Shen Xuanqing untied two slaughtered rabbits from the wooden rack. The two women buying rabbit meat picked through them, each choosing the one they thought was bigger, though the rabbits were all similar in size, pre-selected at home to avoid drastic differences. The ones too big or small were kept for themselves.  

    An old woman wanted a live rabbit. Just as Lu Gu arrived, Shen Xuanqing went to the back to fetch one, leaving Lu Gu to mind the front.  

    "Plump rabbits, chickens, and ducks! Come take a look!"  

    When passersby glanced over, Lu Gu called out a few lines to advertise their wares and draw customers.  

    Business was decent today. After the morning rush, they’d sold six rabbits and two old ducks.  

    One duck buyer asked for it to be slaughtered and plucked. Since it wasn’t busy, Shen Xuanqing agreed, swiftly handling the task. His knife skills were unmatched when it came to preparing live animals.  

    Seeing Lu Gu sit down to drink water, Shen Xuanqing said, "We haven’t had meat in a couple of days. Since there’s hot water in the pot, I’ll kill a chicken for lunch stew. Easier to eat here than carry soup back."  

    "Alright," Lu Gu nodded.  

    With the street quieter now, he sat to rest. Glancing up idly, he caught sight of a vaguely familiar figure - a woman carrying three bolts of cloth. After a moment, he realized she looked like Li Wanyun.  

    Holding the child, he hurried to the door for a better look. The woman was accompanied by a boy of about eleven or twelve. The more he looked, the more certain he became. Afraid she’d walk away, he tentatively called out, "Wanyun?"  

    The neatly dressed woman turned, her initial confusion and tension melting into relief and joy upon seeing Lu Gu.  

    "Guzi, what are you doing here?" Li Wanyun walked back quickly, then hesitated at the sight of Lingjun. "This is…?"  

    "My child, Ling ger." Seeing her no longer thin and wretched but slightly plumper, dressed in unpatched clothes, with two hairpins in her neatly kept hair, Lu Gu felt genuinely happy for her.  

My Fulang is a Delicate Flower Chapter 39 Part 3

The heavy robe were suffocating, pressing tightly against him.  

He shuffled to the table to pour himself some water when suddenly the door creaked open. He hurried back to the bed, only to see his mother entering.  

"Wipe your mouth after eating and reapply some rouge with the red paper. I’ll come back later to clear the dishes."  

[红纸 (hóngzhǐ): lit. red paper; fig. traditionally dyed paper used for applying lip color or rouge, made from materials like rice paper or thin fabric coated with natural red pigments, often used in weddings for auspicious symbolism.]

Ji Taoyu watched as his mother brought in an array of dishes - chicken, duck, fish, river delicacies, each portion small but varied, covering half the table.  

He scurried over, pulling a stool to sit down. "I thought brides weren’t supposed to eat during weddings?"  

"Huo Shu asked me to bring these for you."  

Huang Manjing arranged the dishes as she spoke. "Quite indulgent of him, worrying you might starve."  

Ji Taoyu flushed slightly. "I only mentioned it to him once before, saying that brides don’t get to eat the feast, and can only eat the leftovers. I didn't expect he still remembered it."  

Although he was embarrassed, his chopsticks didn’t stop moving.  

He stuffed a slice of braised meat into his mouth. After the morning’s exhaustion without a single bite, his stomach was utterly hollow.  

"Where is he?"  

"Look at you, so eager, aren’t you afraid of being teased? He’s outside with your father, acknowledging relatives and toasting."  

Ji Taoyu chuckled. "No one would dare pressure him to drink."  

Huang Manjing laughed too. "Exactly. No one dares challenge him in drinking games."  

With the door closed, Ji Taoyu feasted on chicken wings and peeled prawns until his belly was round and satisfied.  

Now content, he washed his hands and wiped his face before reapplying rouge as his mother instructed.  

Outside, people were drinking and the sky was gradually getting dark. Once tidied up, he replaced the veil and sat properly by the bed again.  

Nearly everyone in the village had come, along with outsiders acquainted with Ji Yangzong, filling dozens of banquet tables.  

Such a lively feast was rare. Ji Yangzong led his son-in-law table by table, toasting with pride.  

Huo Shu wasn’t one for flowery words. Ji Yangzong introduced each guest, and he politely acknowledged them with a toast.  

Ge Liang, as Huo Shu’s guest, helped fend off drinks, worried he might be overwhelmed.  

After making the rounds, seeing the hour grow late and the banquet winding down, Ji Yangzong considerately waved Huo Shu off.  

With Huo Shu’s imposing demeanor, no one dared suggest teasing the newlyweds or barging into the bridal chamber—sparing the newlyweds an awkward tradition.  

Standing before the door adorned with a red "喜" (double happiness) character, Huo Shu took a steadying breath. It was the first time he’d entered this room through the front door.  

Inside, red silk and paper cuttings transformed the space, making it unrecognizable from before.  

He walked straight to the bed, only to pause at the sight before him.  

The bride who should have been sitting properly at the bedside, waiting for the groom, was instead sprawled across the bed, fast asleep—utterly unbothered by wedding-day nerves.  

Amused, Huo Shu bent down quietly, pulling the blanket over the sleeping ger. But the moment the fabric touched him, Ji Taoyu who curled up on his side blinked awake.  

Dazed, he stared at Huo Shu before snapping to awareness.  

"Y-you… Is it over outside?"  

Ji Taoyu scrambled upright, hastily smoothing his hair and robe.  

"I ate a little and got drowsy… must’ve dozed off by accident."  

Huo Shu caught his fluttering hands. "Did you eat enough?"  

Ji Taoyu paused, cheeks flushing as he nodded.  

"Why’s your mouth so red?"  

Ji Taoyu pressed his lips together. "It’s from the red paper. Does… does it look bad?"  

Huo Shu studied his lips, like April crabapple blossoms, but didn’t answer. Instead, he stood up and abruptly undid his belt.  

Ji Taoyu’s face burned. He turned away but couldn’t resist stealing glances, curious what Huo Shu looked like without the outer robe.  

Huo Shu tossed the wedding robe aside, leaving only a crimson inner garment. Freed from the belt’s restraint, the loose fabric accentuated his broad shoulders and straight posture.  

As the half-undressed man approached, Ji Taoyu’s heart pounded wildly.  

Th-this man... why isn’t he wearing... no, no, that’s not what I meant! He’s really rushing into things!

Clutching his sleeves, he stammered, "N-no! We haven’t even drunk the unity wine yet!"  

[Wedding unity wine (合卺酒, héjǐn jiǔ): a traditional Chinese wedding ritual where the bride and groom drink from two red-lacquered cups (often tied together with red silk) to symbolize their union, with the shared act representing harmony, mutual commitment, and the blending of their lives.]

"'No' what?"  

Huo Shu lifted his sleeve. "The wedding robe reeks of alcohol. Doesn’t it bother you?"  

"Ah?"  

Ji Taoyu’s mouth fell open, his face burning hotter. He really had been too groggy.  

Tilting his chin up, he smiled sheepishly. "I thought you were tired and wanted to sleep."  

Huo Shu looked at the young ger in wedding robe. He just woke up and seemed to be much softer than usual. The thought of seeing him wake up every day made everything worthwhile.

He extended a hand. Ji Taoyu hesitated before placing his own in Huo Shu’s palm.  

At the table, they poured two cups of wine and performed the unity wine ritual.  

Ji Taoyu never drank. Watching Huo Shu down his cup like water, he gulped his own—only to tear up from the burn.  

The wine carried a hint of peach, made from fruits he’d picked in the yard. It was buried under the peach tree and was opened yesterday to drink at the wedding ceremony.

It was a pity that no matter how good the wine smelled, he couldn't tell whether it was good or bad. He only felt a strong spicy taste.

"Where’s my veil?"  

Only after drinking did Ji Taoyu realize he’d forgotten to have the groom lift his bridal veil.  

Huo Shu retrieved it from the foot of the bed.  

Ji Taoyu took it. "Should I put it back on so you can lift it properly?"  

"Empty formality."  

Ji Taoyu eyed his stern husband. "If this is empty formality, what isn’t?"  

Huo Shu arched a brow, sweeping him into a bridal carry. "The wedding night isn’t."

Rebirth of the Useless Young Master’s Counterattack Chapter 77

Chapter 77: The Lowest Depths 

Mu Lichuan had to admit that the young man opposite him was quick, before the other party could even prepare, he had pulled them down in one swift move, leaving no room for recovery. As for the subsequent issue of "dragon energy," that would naturally be left to the Taoists to resolve.  

"Indeed, but if it hadn’t been discovered, all the fortune on your body would have been stolen," Mu Lichuan retorted coolly. "Your father was implicated too, wasn’t he?"  

The two of them were brothers. Without Mi Shen’s father, Mi Rong would never have had such smooth sailing all these years. This would have a major impact on the next generation.  

"As long as a thorough investigation proves he had nothing to do with this, a minor influence is better than being completely framed." Decisiveness had always been Mi Shen’s principle when handling matters.  

When he first learned that his uncle had been placing curses on him, he hadn’t believed it. After all, the man had concealed it too well, even Mi Shen himself hadn’t been able to see through his malicious intentions.  

Mu Lichuan understood. Facing such an enemy, Mi Rong had no chance of turning the situation around. As for the hospital’s formation, without the endless stream of resentment and yang energy from patients, it could no longer function properly. Compared to before, it had weakened significantly. The master beside Mi Rong, upon realizing this, would surely withdraw immediately.  

"Leave the rest to you and the masters from the cleaning company," Mi Shen said after glancing at the young man.  

"Cleaning company? Masters?" Mu Lichuan was particularly interested in the latter part of that sentence. Wasn’t this guy the leading figure in opposing superstition? Since when had he established a cleaning company? At first, he thought it was for ordinary cleaning, but then he remembered the "masters"—those who dealt with unclean things.  

"Yes. I’m formally inviting you to join. You’ll enjoy civil servant benefits, carry out missions when there’s work, and do as you please when there isn’t." Mi Shen’s expression was sincere.  

"Civil servant benefits? Do you think cultivators grow on trees? Besides, Young Master, do you really think I lack money?" Mu Lichuan scoffed at the offer. Did this guy really believe such a petty incentive would sway him? Had he forgotten Mu Lichuan’s background?  

"You don’t lack money, but you lack authority. If you want to deal with certain things, without government orders, you often can’t even enter the necessary locations." Mi Shen clearly understood the young man’s circumstances. "Right, Young Master Mu of Chuan City?"  

Though he didn’t know how Mu Lichuan and his grandfather had escaped death, he had no intention of prying, as long as it didn’t threaten the current rulers.  

"You—" Mu Lichuan’s face showed surprise, but then he relaxed. If the Young Master had no skills, he wouldn’t have earned the reputation of being the "King of Hell" in the flesh.  

"You don’t have to join the cleaning company, but you’ll serve as a consultant. When they encounter something they can’t handle, you’ll step in," Mi Shen added.  

Having witnessed Mu Lichuan’s strength firsthand, he knew the young man was far more capable than the others.  

"Do I have a choice?" Mu Lichuan rolled his eyes unceremoniously. The man had already laid out the pros and cons, there was no room for refusal.  

"No." Mi Shen’s smile was gentle, as if there was nothing unreasonable about his words.  

Mu Lichuan stood up. "Fine. Notify me when you can’t clean up the mess yourselves."  

Ren’ai Hospital had already been sealed. With Mi Shen around, there was no chance of it reopening. Besides, this place was no longer suitable to be a hospital—if it remained, it could easily become a gathering place for yin energy. In that case, the consequences wouldn’t just be illness, something far worse could happen.  

Mi Shen didn’t stop Mu Lichuan from leaving. As for Gu Xiao, she was under protection for now. Once everything settled, she would be sent elsewhere to continue her studies, the capital was no longer a safe place for her.  

All of Ren’ai Hospital’s past incidents were being investigated, and Mi Rong’s misdeeds were being exposed one by one. However, his elder brother, the next leader, was proven uninvolved. Though rumors swirled outside, insiders knew the truth. Once it came to light, no one could stop the Mi family’s rise, it was an unstoppable trend.  

Mi Shen was publicly known as the leading figure against superstition - but secretly, he was also the head of the metaphysical world. Whenever something unexplainable happened in the capital, the "cleaning company" would be dispatched. This quickly boosted the company’s reputation, though only within certain circles. Ordinary people continued their lives unaffected, even as leadership changed hands.  

After resting at home for two days, Mu Lichuan was informed that the team couldn’t descend past the elevator. Everything above the third floor had been dealt with, but whatever lurked in the basement was something they dared not provoke. Instinct told them it was beyond their capabilities.  

Their skills weren’t advanced enough. One had tried taking the elevator down—only to be found dead, his head on the second floor and his feet on the third. The rest of his body was never recovered. The gruesome death made many reconsider their involvement.  

Though their current situation was better than their previous, furtive existence—no longer forced to endure harsh conditions, they had also lost their freedom. Some missions had to be accepted regardless of their abilities, lest the situation escalate and cause panic among civilians.  

"Shall we go take a look? Can’t we use the stairs to reach the basement?" During the day, Ren’ai Hospital’s inpatient building looked no different from any other hospital. But at night, everything changed.  

The elderly cultivators exchanged glances, they hadn’t even considered taking the stairs.  

"Sometimes, you need to think differently. If the elevator doesn’t work, take the stairs. Just because we’re cultivators doesn’t mean we’re not made of flesh and blood," Mu Lichuan explained calmly.  

The members of the "Reformation Bureau" had initially doubted the young man’s capabilities, but out of respect for the Young Master, they kept their thoughts to themselves. Now, his unconventional approach made them wonder, was it because they were too old?  

As night fell, Mu Lichuan set out lightly equipped, dragging Mi Shen along. The cultivators were speechless, they could never have gotten the Young Master to come themselves. During the earlier formation-breaking, they had struggled immensely. Fortunately, everything except the basement had been resolved.  

"Let’s take the stairs." The basement should have been a parking garage, but there was also a morgue below. Whatever was causing trouble now was likely coming from there.  

What could be in a morgue? Anyone with half a brain knew - corpses. If the souls had departed, what use were the bodies?  

"By the decree of the Three Pure Ones—" Mu Lichuan didn’t intervene, watching as the others demonstrated their skills. Their methods resembled modern Taoism, likely inherited from ancient traditions - black dog blood still worked on spirits, and ox tears could let ordinary people see the unseen.  

Mi Shen remained expressionless throughout, utterly unfazed, as if ghosts were nothing more than ants before him.  

The cultivators admired the Young Master’s composure while placing their hopes on Mu Lichuan, what could this young man bring to the table?  

"Such strong corpse energy!" A gray-robed elder exclaimed, his face pale with horror.  

He knew about the cannibalism in the Ai Village, it had been caused by corpse poisoning. The state had quarantined and purged the village. To this day, it remained abandoned, shrouded in faint killing intent, with no one daring to approach.  

"Corpse energy? Have the bodies in there reanimated?" Another elder frowned. "This won’t be easy to handle." None of them had experience dealing with reanimated corpses.  

If corpses revived, they weren’t truly alive, more like zombies. But zombies had classifications, whereas these corpses likely had no intelligence, acting purely on instinct to kill, bite, and drink blood to sustain their existence.

"Whether they’ve reanimated or not, the intense corpse energy is definitely coming from the morgue. And the resentment, the yin energy is overwhelming." Mu Lichuan guessed that the "buses" outside the hospital had been transporting resentful spirits.  

This connected to his earlier encounter with the Nine Sails Ghost Banner. The two were clearly linked.  

By accumulating the resentment of dead spirits into the corpses, it was easy to reanimate them. Once they attacked, they’d be like undying soldiers, capable of turning the living into their tools.  

"Seems you’ve figured it out too." Mu Lichuan glanced at Mi Shen.  

Perhaps siphoning the nation’s fortune was only part of the plan. The master beside Mi Rong likely intended to use this hospital for his own ends.  

With a loud crash, the morgue door burst open, unleashing a flood of yin energy. The elders paled, but Mu Lichuan and Mi Shen remained unaffected.  

Mu Lichuan, a Foundation Establishment cultivator, had soul energy, a natural counter to yin energy. As for Mi Shen, the dragon energy around him repelled the darkness.  

Yet even so, when Mu Lichuan saw the reanimated corpses, he couldn’t help but suck in a cold breath.  

"Just how much hatred went into creating these things…?"

Rebirth to Erase Dark History Chapter 68 Part 1

Chapter 68

"Jiajia, is your hearing alright now? You really scared me that day." Wei Feng said, still shaken.  

"I'm fine." In truth, Yang Jiabo had also been frightened.  

Upon hearing that Yang Jiabo had been discharged from the hospital, Zhang Yi's mother brought a group of people to his doorstep, demanding an apology and compensation. The people Zhang Yi's mother brought were all educated individuals, they didn’t make a scene or curse in the streets but instead argued with reason and subtly threatened him without leaving a trace.  

Yang Jiabo was furious and immediately wanted to confront the Zhang family, but Yang Jianjun and Wei Jing stopped him. Yang Jiabo wanted to face it himself, avoiding the problem wouldn’t solve anything, but he couldn’t overpower these two.  

Wei Jing didn’t waste words with them and directly hired a lawyer to handle the matter. The Zhang family had many relatives in the area and decent connections in various fields. Zhang Yi's mother tried to pressure them with her influence but failed. The two sides couldn’t reach an agreement and refused to reconcile, eventually taking the matter to court.  

The lawyer Wei Jing hired was formidable and ultimately won the case. Zhang Yi's mother, unwilling to accept the verdict, refused to comply with the court’s ruling. Yang Jianjun then took the judgment to the school administration, forcing Zhang Yi's mother to obey.  

The alumni reunion that day wasn’t just attended by teachers and students but also school administrators. The incident became widely known, causing quite a stir, and Zhang Yi's mother’s reputation in the eyes of the leadership plummeted to rock bottom.  

The fallout was severe. Not long after, Zhang Yi's mother was transferred to a rural middle school as a teacher. She wasn’t young anymore, and this transfer meant she wouldn’t return before retirement, let alone get promoted. Before the transfer, Zhang Yi's parents finalized their divorce.  

Despite this, Yang Jianjun still felt she got off too lightly, though it did give him some satisfaction. He hadn’t forgotten what happened years ago, Yang Jiabo’s expulsion from school was largely their doing.  

Aside from Zhang Yi's mother, another person deeply affected by this incident was Liu Yueting, who had organized the reunion. She had used her parents’ connections to invite many leaders, hoping to expand her network and pursue the person she liked. Instead, things backfired.  

After the incident, though no one said it outright, many mocked her behind her back. Furious, Liu Yueting's already feeble crush on Wei Feng evaporated. She wanted to take her anger out on the Yang family, whom she saw as the root cause, but the Wei family shielded them. Left with no choice, she directed her resentment toward the Zhang family and Zhang Yi's mother.  

With the matter resolved, Yang Jianjun happily prepared a lavish feast and invited friends and family to celebrate. Coincidentally, Yang Qing was back on break. Upset that no one had told him about everything that had happened in his absence, he sulked until Yang Jiabo managed to cheer him up.  

The dinner was lively, and even Wei Feng drank quite a bit. Wei Changdong and his wife were delighted to see his son's injuries healing well and his overall condition improving. Wei Changdong drank heavily with Yang Jianjun, thanking the Yang family for taking care of his two sons. In high spirits, they inevitably overindulged.  

After the gathering, Yang Jiabo stumbled to bed and fell into a deep sleep. He woke up in the middle of the night, his body burning with heat and his mouth parched, so he got up to drink some water. When he saw Wei Jing lying beside him, he froze. Wei Jing had also drunk a lot that night and was sound asleep, undisturbed by the noise.  

Yang Jiabo didn’t think much of it. After drinking water, he quietly lay back down. The alcohol-induced heat made it hard for him to fall asleep again. He opened his eyes, and the moonlight streaming through the window cast a faint glow on Wei Jing’s handsome face, making it impossible to look away.  

"Ah—"  

After who knows how long, an almost imperceptible sigh echoed in the room. Wei Jing’s eyes seemed to flicker.  

"You’re so good to me. What would I do if you left me?" Yang Jiabo murmured, thinking his voice was too soft for anyone else to hear—but he underestimated the silence of the night.  

Wei Jing’s eyelids twitched. He had woken up when Yang Jiabo got out of bed, and now, hearing these whispered words, his heart raced. Jiajia was sometimes insecure and timid, and Wei Jing, unsure of his feelings, had been careful not to scare him. Now that Yang Jiabo was speaking his true thoughts under the influence, Wei Jing wanted to hear what else he might say.  

The room was silent for a long time. Just as Wei Jing wondered if Yang Jiabo had fallen asleep and was about to open his eyes, he heard him mutter dejectedly again.  

"Brother, what should I do? I think I’ve fallen for you." The words seemed directed at Wei Jing, yet also at himself.  

"Then just be with me." Unable to hold back any longer, Wei Jing responded to the confession from the person he loved.  

Yang Jiabo’s body stiffened instantly. He nearly forgot to breathe, his mind buzzing, thoughts scattering. It took him a long moment to stammer out, "Brother, you... you were awake?"  

Amused by his reaction, Wei Jing chuckled. "How could I sleep through someone whispering a confession in my ear?"  

"I—I—I—" Yang Jiabo never expected to be caught red-handed. He stuttered, at a complete loss for words.  

"Don’t be nervous. Relax." Wei Jing patted his back soothingly, as if comforting a child.  

Their position was so intimate it almost seemed like an embrace. Yang Jiabo felt surrounded by Wei Jing’s presence, with no escape. What had once felt normal now seemed unbearably ambiguous.  

The Sweet little Fulang Chapter 205 Part 1

Chapter 205

    After buying the small house in Zhenzhu Alley, since it wasn’t a full family relocation but merely setting up a residence in Jixing Town for Lu Gu and the others to have a place to eat and stay, they didn’t neglect any of the customary rituals - selecting an auspicious date and time, making offerings to the gods, and observing all the traditional practices.  

    The liveliness of the moving day went without saying. Several tables were set up in the front courtyard, with their whole family, along with Shen Shunde and Shen Shunwang’s families, several of Shen Xuanqing’s aunts and uncles, and, naturally, the Yang family all in attendance. Even a few childhood friends from the village, like Dachen, came to join the excitement and show their support. Luo Biao didn’t miss it either.  

    Shen Xuanqing felt uneasy about leaving Lu Gu and the child alone in the house, so he decided to bring even Guaizi along in the mule cart, having a dog at night would be safer.  

    When they set off from home, Guaizi wasn’t used to riding in the cart. As soon as he was lifted onto the cart, he jumped right back down. So they let him run alongside instead—after all, he was accustomed to running in the mountains, and the flat official road was even easier for him.  

    Jixing Town was quite far, and Lu Gu felt sorry for Guaizi. Before they were halfway there, he called the panting dog to climb onto the cart and poured water from a bamboo tube into his palm for Guaizi to drink.  

    Initially resistant to the cart, Guaizi seemed to find it comfortable after lying down and stopped jumping off, his long tongue lolling to the side.  

    After everyone else returned, only the three of them remained in town. Being new here, Lu Gu slowly began acquainting himself with the people and happenings nearby.  

    On the fifth day after moving in, early in the morning when the sky was still dim, Shen Xuanqing got up to open the shop for the morning market, needing to slaughter a few rabbits in advance.  

    He washed up in the front courtyard while Lu Gu, already dressed, came out as well. The child was still asleep.  

    "We’re out of bamboo shoots. If I come across any vegetable sellers on the way, I’ll buy some. You can come fetch them later, no need to go to the morning market," Shen Xuanqing said before splashing another handful of water on his face.  

    "Mm, got it," Lu Gu replied, heading toward the kitchen where the water vat was kept.  

    The backyard had a well, making it even more convenient than back home, no long trips to fetch water. When Shen Xuanqing wasn’t around and Lingjun was asleep, Lu Gu could manage to fill the vat himself with a few extra trips.  

    The clay stove in front of the kitchen was already lit, with a pottery jar heating water. Peering inside, Lu Gu saw two clean white eggs boiling. With the weather warming up, steamed buns could be eaten cold, so there was no need to fire up the big pot in the morning.  

    The kitchen was fully stocked with pots, bowls, and basins. The rice and flour jars had red paper pressed inside - a custom Wei Lanxiang had insisted on when they moved in, saying they shouldn’t remove it until the contents were finished. The jars of oil, salt, soy sauce, and vinegar were neatly arranged. The firewood, hauled from the village in two full cartloads, would last them a good while without needing to buy more.  

    After washing up, Lu Gu peeked into the room. Lingjun was still asleep with no signs of waking up, so he quietly closed the door and left, joining Shen Xuanqing at the stone table in the courtyard to peel eggs and eat steamed buns.  

    "We’ve got about a dozen rabbits left. Once they’re sold, I’ll head home and bring back two baskets of eggs, some for us to eat, the rest to sell at the shop."  

    Just as Shen Xuanqing was speaking, Guaizi, freshly awake, came out of the main hall and shook his fur vigorously in the courtyard, as if finally waking up properly. Seeing them eating, he whined and trotted over.  

    Their dogs no longer slept in kennels but stayed under the eaves like people. The burlap sacks used for bedding were periodically freshened up by Lu Gu, he washed the sacks and stuffed them with new straw or wheat stalks. Every so often, he even washed the burlap by the river and dried it before reuse—after all, the sacks sometimes stayed in the main hall during the day and couldn’t smell too bad.  

    Lu Gu had just broken off half a bun for Guaizi when he heard Lingjun crying inside. He quickly set down his food.  

    With Lu Gu tending to the child, Shen Xuanqing didn’t have to worry. After finishing breakfast, he loaded ten rabbits and a few chickens and ducks onto a cart in the backyard and left through the rear alley.  

    Since they didn't stay overnight at the butcher shop, and leaving it unattended would be unsafe, they kept all their livestock at home instead. The shop was conveniently close by, so this arrangement worked well. Each morning, Shen Xuanqing would transport the animals to the shop, and at day's end, he would bring back any that hadn't sold. This way, the shop wasn't left vulnerable at night, yet they didn't have to go far to manage their stock.

    They had considered leaving Guaizi at the shop, but before Lu Gu moved in, when Shen Xuanqing lived alone in town, a dog from a family in Liuzhi Alley had been stolen. The dog was never found, but later rumors circulated that it had been butchered by idle troublemakers for a dog meat stew.  

    In these times, thieves were everywhere. It was better to be cautious. During the day was fine, Guaizi was smart and quickly learned to stay close to Lu Gu’s legs without wandering when visiting the shop. But after dark, Shen Xuanqing didn’t let the dog out, keeping him inside to guard the house and stay alert.  

    "I’m off. Remember to lock up," Shen Xuanqing called from the front after securing the cart.  

    "Got it, go ahead," Lu Gu replied, holding Lingjun as he relieved himself in the courtyard. Afterward, he went to the backyard to bolt the rear gate shut.  

    Once the child was awake, many tasks became impossible. Lu Gu played with Lingjun for a while, fed him milk fruit, then remembered he hadn’t swept yet. He moved the wooden cradle to the main hall, settling the child inside with a small rattle-drum and clay figurines of a pig and dog to play with, keeping him within sight in case he tried to chew on them, so Lu Gu could fish them out.  

    With the door wide open, Lu Gu quickly swept the room, then moved to the main hall, taking care to keep the dust down so as not to irritate the child.  

    As for the front and back courtyards, before he could finish the main hall, Lingjun tossed aside his rattle-drum and reached out to be held, threatening to cry if ignored. Lu Gu had no choice but to set aside his works.

My Fulang is a Delicate Flower Chapter 39 Part 2

Ji Yangzong had seven siblings, and today, both paternal and maternal cousins had come. With four of them crowding into the room at once, the atmosphere turned bustling.  

"Tao ger, your wedding robes are stunning! The stitching is so fine, the patterns so unique. I’ve never even seen fabric like this before!"  

Li ger, from the eldest branch of the family, reached out to touch the bright red robes hanging on the rack, his voice full of awe and envy. "Were these custom-made or bought from a cloth shop?"  

"From Shili Cloth Shop. The fabric was newly stocked, only a few feet of this red material came in this time. I happened to get there just in time and bought all of it."  

Ji Taoyu raised his brows proudly. Of course the patterns and fabric were exceptional, they’d been specially given to him by Third Sister Wu. No amount of money could buy them otherwise.  

"If only I could have robes like these for my wedding," Li ger sighed wistfully.  

"Unfortunately, my stepmother already took my measurements two days ago, saying she’d make me a set herself. At the earliest, I won’t be marrying for another two years, but at least the size should still fit by then."  

Yuanhong, a cousin from Ji Taoyu’s fourth aunt’s family, chimed in: "I heard Tao ger’s groom gave a bride price of a full hundred and twenty taels! When my father heard about such an amount, his eyes nearly popped out. He already sets high demands for dowries, but now that Tao ger’s set the standard, he’ll have even more to say."  

She sighed. "At the rate my father’s going, who knows when I’ll ever get married."  

Ji Chun, from the second branch of the family, combed Ji Taoyu’s hair as she said, "I don’t need fancy wedding robes, and I’m not hung up on a big bride price. I just wish I could marry someone who’d let me stay at home like Tao ger. On a wedding day, it’s the men who celebrate, they get to bring someone into the family. But for the bride’s side, it’s a sorrowful affair, losing a daughter or ger, leaving parents with one less child."  

At this, the whole group nodded in shared understanding.  

"How did Sixth Uncle have such sharp eyes to find such a good son-in-law?"  

"Our Tao ger has been blessed since childhood. Whenever I visited, there was never a shortage of snacks, this good fortune is bound to last a lifetime!"  

Seeing his cousins’ envy, Ji Taoyu teased, "Not a word about how I was constantly drinking medicine as a child or forbidden from going out, huh?"  

"Want to trade places with this frail body of mine?"  

"Come on, let’s trade! Whoever backs out is a coward!"  

The room erupted in laughter until Ji Yangzong, rushing past outside, barked through the window: "Enough fooling around! It’s a wedding day! Grown-ups acting like this, outrageous!"  

Only then did the group stifle their giggles.  

Because it was a marriage where the groom moved into the bride’s family, but not entirely so—

the customary rites were somewhat difficult to follow, as they couldn’t proceed in the usual manner.  

Thus, when the time came, Huo Shu still arrived with gongs and drums, and the wedding ceremony was held at the Ji residence.  

By afternoon, relatives and friends from both families gradually arrived, and the spacious courtyard grew livelier.  

Heaven was merciful, it didn’t rain. Though the ground was muddy, the absence of rain made it feel a little warmer.  

When firecrackers burst and the gongs sounded, all the guests stood up from their seats to catch a glimpse of the groom.  

"This young man, even on his wedding day, still wears that stern face, huh."  

"Strict as he looks, there’s no denying his imposing presence, tall on his horse, a fine figure indeed."  

The villagers chattered while enjoying the spectacle and wedding candies.  

Amid the crackling bursts of firecrackers, the couple prepared to enter the main hall where they would soon perform their ceremonial bows - first to Yuan Huiru, then to Ji Yangzong and his wife as part of the wedding rites.

Ji Taoyu, covered by a red veil, was led out from the room. He could only see his own feet and nothing else around him.  

Though it was his own home, his cousin had told him that a brazier had been prepared outside, and he still had to step over it.  

Guided carefully into the courtyard, he walked cautiously, afraid of accidentally stepping into the brazier and becoming the laughingstock of the guests.  

When the clan elder serving as ceremony master announced the crossing of the brazier, he lifted the hem of his robe slightly, ready to step over—but suddenly, his feet left the ground, and the surroundings erupted in cheers.  

Ji Taoyu nestled in Huo Shu’s arms, his face beneath the red veil burning crimson.  

Just moments ago, he had complained that the veil blocked his view, preventing him from seeing Huo Shu on this special day. Now, he was grateful for it—otherwise, he might have died of embarrassment.  

Huo Shu paid no mind to the crowd’s teasing. His eyes were fixed on the ger wrapped tightly in wedding robes. Only after confirming under the veil that it was indeed the right person did he stride confidently into the hall.  

Better not have someone swapped in his place, one must always be cautious.  

Once inside, Huo Shu set the ger down. Worried his partner might stumble blindly, he wanted to hold his hand, but the ceremony master handed them a red silk ribbon instead, each had to hold one end.  

Bound by etiquette, he had no choice but to comply, though he shortened the distance between them.  

Perhaps due to sleeping late, rising early, and washing his hair at dawn, Ji Taoyu felt somewhat dizzy. He followed the ceremony master's commands—bowing to heaven and earth, then to the parents.  

By the time they bowed to each other as husband and wife, he had regained some clarity, glancing down to see Huo Shu’s large feet.  

After the ordeal, Ji Taoyu was sent back to the room.  

Earlier, his cousins had kept him company while he dressed up, but now that the ceremony was over, they had all gone out to chat and feast, leaving the room silent and empty except for him.  

Ji Taoyu sat obediently by the bed for a while, listening to the dishes being announced outside. His stomach growled, and he swallowed hard before lifting the veil himself.  

My Fulang is a Delicate Flower Chapter 39 Part 1

Chapter 39  

Before dawn, Ji Taoyu was pulled out of bed.  

Huang Manjing brought in a large basin of scented water and soaked Ji Taoyu’s sleep-numbed hands in it

"What’s the occasion, still lazing around? Wake up quickly!"  

Ji Taoyu propped his hands in the warm water, mumbling sleepily, "Wedding, wedding—it’s not till dusk anyway. Waking up early just means waiting longer."  

"Such nonsense. Don’t you need to get ready and change into your wedding robe?"  

Huang Manjing urged, "I’ve fetched hot water for the bathing room. Go take a bath."  

With his mother nagging like this, Ji Taoyu couldn’t stay drowsy even if he wanted to.  

It was all because he’d been too excited last night, even hiding under the covers to review that little illustrated booklet, keeping himself awake until midnight. He only managed to fall asleep after lighting some sleep-inducing incense.  

The consequence was that he found it even harder to wake up in the morning.  

"We shouldn’t have gotten married in winter, taking a bath this early is freezing!"  

Huang Manjing took out the wedding robe sent from the city, shook them out to inspect them, and chuckled at the complaints coming from the bathing room.  

"Then go tell your father and Huo Shu to postpone the wedding till next summer."  

Ji Taoyu huddled in the bathtub, thinking about how everyone outside was already busy preparing the feast. At this point, backing out was no longer an option.  

"Don’t soak too long, you’ll catch a cold."  

Huang Manjing brought in a charcoal brazier. "I’ve got another brazier for you. The room’s plenty warm now. Just come out in your undergarments and put on the wedding robe."  

"Coming, coming!"  

Ji Taoyu slipped on a thin underrobe, hugged his arms, and dashed back into the room, shivering as he warmed his hands and feet by the brazier.  

Huang Manjing took out a dry cloth to dry his hair. Seeing Ji Taoyu’s undergarments were a festive red, she smiled.  

"This red fabric really suits you, makes you look so much livelier."  

Hearing this, Ji Taoyu glanced at himself in the bronze mirror. With rosy lips and white teeth, he did seem much more spirited.  

He couldn’t help but preen a little: Such a delicate little ger, and he's going to be wasted on a rough man like Huo Shu.  

"You look just like your little grandfather. He was famously beautiful in his time."  

[Little grandfather (小阿祖, xiǎo ā zǔ):  Grandfather (ger)]

Ji Taoyu snapped out of his thoughts and pursed his lips. "Mother, you never met little grandfather, did you?"  

Huang Manjing’s voice suddenly carried a hint of melancholy. "I’ve seen his portrait, in your grandfather’s room."  

Ji Taoyu rarely heard his mother speak of his little grandfather. It was said that his little grandfather had passed away due to complications during her birth.  

Grandfather and little grandfather had been deeply devoted, and little grandfather’s death had hit Grandfather hard, leaving him depressed for a long time.  

When little grandfather passed, Grandfather was only around twenty, yet he never remarried, remaining single to this day.  

That his mother would bring up little grandfather today must mean she was truly happy.  

He said, "Grandfather said little grandfather was a nobleman’s son back then, while Grandfather was just a wandering physician. How did they even meet? Every time I ask, he won’t tell me."  

Huang Manjing said, "Your grandfather’s family had fallen from grace, so he traveled around practicing medicine. But in earlier generations, our ancestors were even imperial physicians. So, in a way, there’s still some scholarly heritage."  

"When your grandfather traveled to Yuchang Prefecture, the area was mountainous and treacherous, but rich in medicinal herbs. Young and passionate about medicine, he stayed there for quite some time. Your little grandfather was from Yuchang Prefecture, he'd been frail since childhood, constantly reliant on medicine, so he’d seen all kinds of physicians."  

At the time, Huang Yinsheng gathered rare herbs while also treating the sick.  

On one hand, it let him encounter difficult cases to hone his skills; on the other, he needed income to sustain his travels.  

By chance, he was invited to the Xiao family’s estate to treat the young master.  

Back then, the Xiao family’s young master was in the prime of youth - frail and sickly, but well-read and deeply cultured. Huang Yinsheng, coming from a family of physicians, was no slouch in learning either.  

Beyond being doctor and patient, the two found they got along well.  

Over time, their feelings deepened into something more.  

"The Xiao family was surprisingly understanding. Seeing how well-matched the two were, and how skilled your grandfather was in medicine, ensuring he could care for your little grandfather, they consented to the marriage, even though your grandfather had nothing to his name at the time."  

"After marriage, their life was harmonious, and your little grandfather’s health improved greatly. But then… I came along…"  

Noticing the slight tremor in his mother’s voice, Ji Taoyu gently squeezed her hand in comfort.

"Your little grandfather was too frail to travel far. He always spoke of wanting to visit Jiangnan, but never got the chance. A few years after his passing, your grandfather brought me to Tongzhou. Later, when I married your father, your grandfather never mentioned returning to Yuchang again."  

Huang Manjing said, "These are things you should have known long ago. There just wasn’t a good time to tell you before. Now you’ve grown up and are getting married, it’s only right you learn about our family’s past."  

With that, she pinched Ji Taoyu’s cheek. "Alright, your hair’s about done."  

Just as Ji Taoyu was about to speak, a burst of noise came from outside - cousins from the Ji family had arrived.  

A group of similar-aged gers and girls squeezed into the room, calling out in unison: "Sixth Aunt! Tao ger!"  

It had been a long time since Ji Taoyu had seen so many cousins gathered together, and his face lit up with a smile as he greeted each of them.  

Huang Manjing said, "You’re all here at just the right time, help Xiao Taozi get ready."  

"Of course! Sixth Aunt, you go ahead, the Four Master Services and Six Specialty Teams are here!"  

The moment Huang Manjing stepped out, the group of cousins immediately relaxed and grew livelier.