At this moment, someone in the crowd echoed, "Yeah, this morning I saw Li Mancang carrying a large basket. I asked them where they were going, and they said they were going to buy groceries. Later, I realized that for such a big event like their son's wedding, they should have bought everything the day before. I clearly saw that the basket was heavy; Li Mancang could barely carry it."
But in Guo Lin's ears, this statement was not ridiculous. Instead, it elicited a gentle and subtle smile from him.
Another person chimed in, "There was something fishy about that. I didn't see Yong Ge all morning, and suddenly he appeared when they were leaving!"
"Why didn't you ask more questions then? Maybe you could have saved Yong Ge."
"I didn't think there was a person in the basket!"
"These two are heartless. They married their elder son to Sha Yang and their nephew to a fool. They planned it all cunningly!"
"Huipo matchmaker was involved in both marriages. They must have known everything!"
When the matchmaker Huipo realized she was caught, she tried to escape, but Sha Yang's sisters caught her. They searched her and took her money. Her hair was disheveled, and her makeup smeared. She cried and pleaded, "I'm really innocent! It was clearly written on the contract. How could I have known that Wu Guihua would change her mind midway? I admit I took half a tael of silver from her, but I thought it was just a thank-you gift…"
"Ugh! No one gives half a tael of silver for a thank-you gift. Fifty wen at most! I think you are an accomplice!" Sha's eldest sister spat and moved to attack with Sha's second sister.
Scared, matchmaker Huipo raised her hand to stop them and confessed, "I… I misspoke. I only realized something was wrong when Sha Yang left with the person. Wu Guihua gave me half a tael of silver! I swear I only took that, and I really didn't know before. If I lie again, let heaven strike me!"
"Oh, so she paid you hush money!"
"How could matchmaker Huipo notice something wrong, but the one carrying the person didn't?"
Li Changsheng blushed and muttered, "My parents did it for Yong Ge's good…"
"Do you even believe that yourself? Is marrying a fool better than marrying into our Sha family?" Sha Yang's mother almost laughed; this Li Changsheng usually looked quite honest, but turns out he's the son of Li Mancang and Wu Guihua!
"You are the fool, not me! My mother said, 'Family treasure is not a fool!'" Hong Jiabao became anxious at the word "fool" and ran up to kick Sha Yang's mother.
Sha Yang's mother didn't notice and fell to the ground. "Ouch!"
"Jiabao!" "Mother!"
Hong Jia and Sha's families became chaotic due to this sudden situation.
Cheng Duo also acted. He went up and lifted Li Changsheng, aiming at his stomach and kicked him, "You, who are so heartless, have no right to say it's for Yong Ge's good!"
"Changsheng—" Li Mancang and Wu Guihua panicked, both rushing to Li Changsheng. They saw blood at the corner of his mouth, and Wu Guihua screamed, "I will fight you!"
"You are not a good person either!" Cheng Duo kicked her back, and she fell onto Li Mancang. The two rolled into a ball.
Cheng Duo glanced at the miserable three people and suddenly laughed. He gestured with his chin for them to look to the side, "You have done so much for that white-eyed wolf, and Wu Guihua even wants to take responsibility for him. But look, you all got beaten for him, and he didn't even think of coming to help you."
Feng Ge stiffly shook his head, "No… I, I was scared just now…"
"Then come now and take the blame for your parents and brother."
"I'm not a man, I'm a ger!"
(T/N: Ger- males who can concieve children. I believe i have used tobrotherto denote them in one of the earlier chapters. It's one and the same thing.)
"So your parents and brother deserve to be beaten?" Cheng Duo sneered, and seeing Li Mancang and Wu Guihua's faces change, he sarcastically said, "No wonder you wanted to marry that white-eyed wolf to get rid of him. He is such a stupid and poisonous thing, and your family's destruction is just a matter of time… Look, the retribution has come."
Feng Ge nervously stepped back, "What, what do you want to do?"
Cheng Duo ignored him, turned around, and said something to Li San Ye. Li San Ye looked embarrassed. Cheng Duo didn't care and returned to Yong Ge, lifting him up, "Let's go back home."
Yong Ge sat on Cheng Duo's arm like a child and fidgeted uncomfortably, "You can put me down. I can walk by myself…"
Back home, to which home? Everyone including Yu Ge and Shanzi's was watching. How could Cheng Duo carry him publicly? Well, he actually quite enjoyed being carried by Cheng Duo.
Yong Ge remembered that he still had the excuse of being drugged and, blushing,
He openly hugged Cheng Duo's neck. Then, under Yu Ge's teasing gaze, he asked hesitantly, "What did you tell uncle Li San just now?"
"Compensation, for your dowry."
"Oh…" Yong Ge thought it was about money and didn't think much about it. The dowry stuff was quite embarrassing.
After being quiet for a while, he saw Cheng Duo was already outside Sha's home and asked, "Can we just leave like this?"
"We've said everything that needed to be said; the rest is their business… Why, do you want to stay and watch the fun?"
"No!" Yong Ge quickly shook his head. He hadn't forgotten that he rode on the donkey cart to Hong Jia for marriage today, and Cheng Duo got mad and beat people from Hong Jia…
"Let's leave quickly."
"What are you afraid of? Even if more people come, I can still get you back." Cheng Duo teased.
"I… I don't have that many people who want to take me…"
"Still saying you don't? Sha Yang likes you, and the fool also likes you. If you really went with them, wouldn't I be at a loss?"
He raised a plump and beautiful daughter-in-law, and he couldn't let others benefit from it! If Yong Ge had heard this at another time, he would definitely feel anxious. But when Cheng Duo said it, he patted him lightly on the buttocks and spoke in a relaxed and playful tone. Yong Ge became scared and stammered, "S-Someone's coming."
"Where's someone? The entire village, and even the neighboring village, has gone to watch the commotion." Cheng Duo replied.
Though they left in a hurry, they were still noticed by many because Cheng Duo had been the center of attention. However, no one dared to stop them; neither the people from Sha's family nor Hong's family.
Contrary to them, the villagers were very interested and started gossiping after they left—
"When did Yong Ge get together with the hunter?"
"Aren't they always together? Ever since Yong Ge helped him plant vegetables and sold meat for him!"
"The hunter used his fiancée as an excuse to reject Feng Ge before, it seems he wasn't interested."
"Nonsense, if I were him, I'd be interested in Yong Ge too. Yong Ge looks good and works hard…" One young boy who said this was met with teasing gazes, and he blushed and stammered, "N-No, I was just giving an example."
The older women burst into laughter, "We know you were just giving an example, Little Qiang."
"Haha, Little Qiang is only fifteen, and he's already thinking about getting married?"
"It's a shame; even if Li Wang doesn't mind his age, he still can't compete with that hunter… Listen to Auntie, don't provoke the hunter. He's powerful; didn't you see that neither Sha's nor Hong's family dared to stop him?"
"Look at the injuries on the faces of those from Hong's family; they said the hunter did it."
"Wow, with so many of them, they couldn't defeat one hunter?"
"All those from Sha's family who went together confirmed it. It can't be false…"
…
Cheng Duo took Yong Ge back home and went straight into the bedroom. Without hesitation, he started taking off Yong Ge's red wedding clothes.
Yong Ge wanted to stop him, but he didn't dare and said, "Don't tear it, we have to return it."
Cheng Duo glanced at him. Return the clothes that his wife had worn? Not a chance!
Fortunately, the inner clothes were Yong Ge's, so Cheng Duo balled up the torn wedding clothes and threw them into the fire.
He returned to the bedroom and saw Yong Ge sitting on the bed, looking lost, with a thin blanket covering himself.
Cheng Duo noticed that Yong Ge's face was slightly pale, knowing he must be tired. He went over and helped him lie down, saying, "Rest for a while. Don't worry; as long as I'm here, no one can take you away."
"En…" Yong Ge believed those words and soon drifted off to sleep.
On the donkey cart, he had been tense the whole time. Now that he had slept, he felt even more exhausted. Cheng Duo waited for him to sleep and then went to the kitchen to prepare dinner for both of them. Yong Ge probably hadn't even had breakfast. It was already four or five in the afternoon, and he had only taken a few sips of water the whole day…
Cheng Duo decided to stew a pot of fish soup for Yong Ge. He had caught these small fish in the pond on the mountain, no longer than a finger. Cheng Duo lightly fried them in lard and then stewed them in water until the soup turned milky white. He added some salt and mountain pepper to season it and then called the sleeping beauty to wake up.
When Yong Ge woke up, he felt even more tired. He had been tense on the donkey cart the whole time, and now he felt drained.
Cheng Duo coaxed him, "Let's eat in bed. I'll feed you."
Yong Ge didn't want to be fussed over but didn't want to argue either, so he reluctantly agreed. He sat on the bed, and Cheng Duo fed him with a tray of food and fish soup.
Yong Ge felt touched by Cheng Duo's consideration but also embarrassed to be treated like this. He couldn't help saying, "I can eat by myself. You should eat too. Let's eat together."
Cheng Duo had planned on eating together, but when he heard that, he put a spoonful of food into Yong Ge's mouth and then ate some himself, "Sure, let's eat together."
Yong Ge blushed and couldn't find words to say. Of course, they had done more intimate things together; how could he dislike this…?
Cheng Duo smirked, "What? Do you dislike me?"
Yong Ge quickly shook his head, "No!"
Cheng Duo teased, "I'm just teasing you, silly boy. Come on, eat quickly; I already ate outside."
But this time, Yong Ge wouldn't accept it, "You're lying again; let's eat together…"
Meanwhile, the elders from Hong's family rushed over overnight. After listening to the situation, they dragged Li San Ye to mediate.
Hong's family no longer wanted Feng Ge; marrying someone so capricious and indecisive, plus he had water-like affection, was too much trouble. If they brought him into their family, they would be asking for trouble!
However, they had invited guests and lost face. They couldn't just let it go like this!
As for Sha's family, they had the same predicament. Going to Li Da Bo's house to propose was Sha Yang's idea, and now he lost face too. But they didn't want to admit Feng Ge either; after all, he was a man, and just bowing in front of the elders wouldn't make a difference since they hadn't entered the bridal chamber!
Sha Yang's mother had hesitated initially, but seeing her son's firm stance and considering that they could get the betrothal gifts back, she also supported her son's decision, "You're right. We can't have someone as troublesome as him in our family!"
Upon hearing this, Feng Ge felt devastated, "We already bowed to the heavens and the earth, it's done! I, Li Changfeng, am from the Sha family, alive or dead!"
(T/N: It seems he is quite confident…)
Sha Yang's face turned grim, "This is a fraudulent marriage; bowing to the heavens and the earth doesn't count!"
"You'll regret this!" Feng Ge said coldly, glancing at him and then rushing out.
He had sacrificed everything to marry Sha Yang, and now even his parents were doubting him. He couldn't let Sha Yang call off the marriage!
Nobody paid much attention to Feng Ge's words. Due to the late hour, Li San Ye could only promise to gather the clan elders the next day for discussion. He then arranged the Hong family members to stay with Li Mancang's family, while the rest were divided among the other families. Fortunately, it was summer, so they could manage for one night, and it would quickly pass.
However, nobody expected that on that very night, Feng Ge would hang himself at the entrance of the Sha family's house, wearing the red wedding attire. As most of the guests had not left, many people were sitting in the yard on a couple of stools, so when Feng Ge made a noise at the gate, they quickly heard it.
They managed to save Feng Ge in time, and luckily, he only suffered some minor injuries from the rope around his neck. But this scare shook the Sha family. In ancient times, they were superstitious, and if Feng Ge had succeeded in his attempt, they would be haunted by him in the future. Even the Sha family's relatives hurriedly advised Sha Yang and his parents to reluctantly accept the situation, as they didn't want to invite trouble upon themselves!
Even after being persuaded by several relatives, including her sister who was already married to someone else, Sha Yang's sister couldn't hold back and came over to advise, "Father, mother, why don't we just accept this? With such a willing young guy delivered to our doorstep, do you still think you can't handle him?"
Sha Yang's mother glared at her angrily, "Do you have a say in this? When you came back for your brother's wedding, you only brought thirty coins as a gift! You're such an ungrateful thing; don't think that just because you're married, I won't take care of you! If it happens again, and you get beaten up by your husband, don't come begging for our help!"
Sha's third sister blushed and didn't dare say anything more. She quickly covered her face and ran away.
Although Sha Yang's mother appeared strong in front of her third daughter, she was also troubled. Seeing that no one was around, she looked distressed and said, "Husband, what should we do about this?"
Feng Ge was too ruthless; he even hanged himself while wearing the wedding clothes from when he married Sha Yang. Not only were their relatives scared, but they also worried about the well-being of their only son.
Sha Yang's father sighed, "Let it be, as Third daughter said, once he's married, we can handle him."
"But what about Ah Yang…"
Sha Yang's father and mother had a brief discussion and hurriedly left. Behind a pile of objects, Feng Ge watched their retreating figures with a contemptuous expression.
He knew this move would work! Moreover, even if Sha Yang's parents tried to "handle him," he wasn't afraid. If he dared to hang himself once, he would dare to do it a second time!
(T/N: This guy clearly doesn't know about the boy who cried wolf…)
The news of Feng Ge's hanging spread throughout the village on the second day.
Li Man Cang and Wu Gui Hua were originally worried, but seeing Feng Ge trailing behind Sha's family with full vigor, their concerns diminished…
After all, the three of them had spent a night sleeping in the haystack, and even Li Chang Sheng, who was young and strong, looked tired, let alone the two older ones. On the contrary, Feng Ge looked neat and tidy, wearing the same red clothes, and his expression appeared somewhat relaxed and content.
"Father, mother, big brother!" He leaned in when no one was paying attention and whispered to them, "Don't worry; after what happened last night, Third Uncle won't dare to do anything to you!"
Li Chang Sheng's gaze was complex, "Feng Ge, did you…do all this for me and father and mother?"
Feng Ge confidently nodded, and then skillfully tried to comfort them with kind words. However, after the previous instigation, Li Man Cang and Wu Gui Hua were somewhat skeptical, except for Li Chang Sheng, who was easy to deceive.
No matter how they looked at it, they knew that Feng Ge's main purpose wasn't for them but for himself. The resentful and patient expression from Sha Yang's family indicated that Feng Ge had probably achieved his goal.
Apart from Sha's family, there was another group of people who couldn't be happy—the Li family, who hadn't yet offered the five marriage gifts! Feng Ge didn't want to be a "gift-giver" and even dared to hang himself. How could those with the surname Li show their faces?
Li Man Cang's family didn't have any unmarried girls or boys, but the others still did!
Li San Ye was also in a difficult position. Originally, he planned to let the elders in the family decide and kick Li Man Cang's family out of the village. However, Feng Ge's drastic move not only scared Sha's family but also frightened Li San Ye's family. If they didn't drive them out, the compensation they owed would be unavoidable. Thus, it was necessary to open the Li family's ancestral hall.
When Cheng Duo brought Yong Ge over and heard about Feng Ge's stunt, they exchanged glances.
Cheng Duo had left so decisively yesterday because he was confident that Li San Ye wouldn't tolerate Li Man Cang's family any longer. However, he didn't expect Li Chang Feng to be so ruthless!
But upon further thought, Cheng Duo understood. If Li Chang Feng really wanted to die, why didn't he hang himself on a tree at the village entrance? Why did he have to hang himself in the courtyard of Sha's family, where there were so many people?
After all these twists and turns, perhaps Feng Ge would actually get his wish… Cheng Duo observed the expressions of Sha's family members and had a clear understanding in his heart.
"Yong Ge," Sha Yang saw Yong Ge standing beside Cheng Duo and couldn't help calling out. He felt so wronged, the brother he wanted to marry didn't come, and the one he didn't want to marry forced himself on him to the point of death… He was just a little anxious and used the wrong method. Why couldn't Yong Ge understand his heart?
Yong Ge felt a shiver from being stared at by Sha Yang, and he quickly moved closer to Cheng Duo.
Sha Yang had always liked to talk to himself, and now he didn't know what he was thinking when he called him. If Cheng Duo were a petty person, Sha Yang's clingy behavior might annoy him to death. Yong Ge couldn't believe that someone as grown-up as Sha Yang didn't even understand basic avoidance!
"Don't mind him," Cheng Duo comforted with a sentence.
Then he squinted his eyes and warned Sha Yang, staring at him until the other person shrank back and avoided his gaze. Slowly, Cheng Duo withdrew his gaze.
Yong Ge felt a sweet warmth in his heart. He had been standing shoulder to shoulder with Cheng Duo, and when he had shifted earlier, he had almost bumped into him. Now, with Cheng Duo standing up for him, he couldn't help but discreetly grab onto Cheng Duo's sleeve, using the hem of his clothing as a cover.
Cheng Duo had initially turned his head to listen to Uncle Li's words, but he felt the slight pull on his sleeve. He lowered his head to see Yong Ge's slightly red ears and his pretended serious expression. Amused, he wanted to give him a kiss.
(T/N: This translator wanted to translate that scene…)
"What's… what's wrong?" Yong Ge innocently looked at Cheng Duo, trying to maintain composure. "Don't keep looking at me; concentrate on listening to Uncle Li."
Cheng Duo's dark eyes carried a smile. "You're touching me; how can I concentrate?"
The two of them had slept together in a bed last night. Cheng Duo had already been in a bad mood in the morning, but now, with his wife flirting with him in front of everyone, he couldn't take it!
Yong Ge blushed and quickly turned his head. "I didn't touch you! Well, I won't pull your sleeve then…"
"No, you can't stop now; people will notice," Cheng Duo quickly stopped him, then blinked at him playfully. Yong Ge blushed even more and quickly turned his head away.
Cheng Duo chuckled softly, and Yong Ge also bit his lips slightly.
In fact, their interaction was noticed by Aunt Qian, Yu Ge, Shanzi, and others behind them, but Aunt Qian kindly shielded them from the prying eyes.
Yu Ge looked on with envy; he never expected that two people could get along like this! Yesterday, Cheng Duo personally fetched water to help Yong Ge wash his hands and face. He defended him in every way possible. Yu Ge thought that was already the limit. However, seeing how they interacted privately, it seemed like they were even closer than one person…
Shanzi, on the other hand, had a contemplative expression on his face. Though he was only eleven years old, some boys in the village got married at the age of fifteen. His family wasn't well-off, but maybe he could learn something from brother Cheng.
(T/N: Ah… we all would like a side story of how Shanzi grew up learning all these tricks from Cheng Duo.)
While everyone had their own thoughts, Wu Guihua had already started wailing. Uncle Li asked her to return the betrothal gifts to the Hong family and compensate them for the expenses of the wedding banquet, which alone amounted to eight taels of silver.
Their family had already spent six taels on the Hong family's betrothal gifts, leaving them with a deficit of fourteen taels. What made it even harder to accept was that Cheng Duo had also asked for two mu of land from their family on behalf of Yong Ge!
"Why should we return it? Yong Ge couldn't even marry into the Hong family!"
"You drugged their son and sold him; you still have the nerve to argue? If you don't agree, we'll report it to the authorities. We don't want the two mu of land either. We'll watch you suffer the consequences and consider it getting revenge for Yong Ge!" Cheng Duo looked at Wu Guihua and then at Li Chang Feng, sneering, "Don't think you can threaten me with hanging yourself in front of my house. I can knock that courtyard down and rebuild it anytime… Besides, I'm not afraid of ghosts!"
Indeed, you're much scarier than any ghost!
Those who witnessed Cheng Duo's actions couldn't help but mutter from the bottom of their hearts, saying that ghosts fear evil people, and Cheng Duo was probably fearless indeed.
Before Wu Guihua could react, Li Man Cang remembered what had happened more than two months ago in the county town. Cheng Duo was too formidable; even the scholar and constable gave him face. If he was willing to spend some money, they would never be able to leave the county yamen! Li Man Cang had seen exiled and executed criminals, and just thinking about the scene made him shudder. Instead of confronting Cheng Duo, he would rather give up the remaining fields.
"Don't… don't report it to the authorities. We'll give the two mu of land!" Li Man Cang lowered his head, feeling dejected.
Wu Guihua desperately pulled on his sleeve. "Head of the family, those few mu of land are our livelihood. Without the land, how will we survive?"
Li Man Cang clenched his fists and coughed. "Even a cripple like the second son can support a family. Don't tell me that both I and Chang Sheng, two able-bodied men, can't do it?"
"But Chang Sheng hasn't married yet!"
Hong Si Ge sneered, "What's the matter? Your son wants to marry, so our youngest brother's being deceived is deserved, huh?"
These people were truly stubborn and afraid of those who acted recklessly. With their large property, they were even afraid that someone would hang themselves in front of their house at night. The Cheng family's hunter was straightforward. Either give the land or send them to the officials. They weren't afraid even if someone hanged themselves. They were willing to demolish the courtyard!
The most aggrieved was probably the Sha family. They had also given a sixteen-tael betrothal gift, but Feng Ge was not what they wanted at all!
In reality, Li Man Cang and Wu Guihua had enough silver to compensate the Hong family, but they had debts to pay.
Seeing the financial situation of the Li family, the creditors refused to wait any longer. The Li family's fellow clansmen already resented Feng Ge's hanging, bringing shame upon them. Now, they all swarmed in to demand their debts.
"Dad, we borrowed five taels too…" Li Er Niu pushed his father from behind.
Li San Ye clenched his fist and coughed. As the village head and the one who borrowed the most, he didn't want to go. If he did, wouldn't he be pushing these people into a dead end? How could he demand payment?
Li Er Niu was speechless; his father was purely concerned about saving face and suffering. Moreover, he was too generous, borrowing five taels at a time. Now, it was terrible; they didn't know if they could collect these debts back!
The Hong family was also anxious. They should at least be compensated first, right?
In the end, Cheng Duo intervened and bought the Li family's last mu of land for twelve taels. Actually, it wasn't that he wanted to be generous; the title deed for the last three mu of land was linked together, so once he bought it, he got them all.
Li Er Niu's eyes lit up: If not now, when? Brother, you're the eldest; say something!
Li Da Zhuang: …
Both of them turned to stare at their father. Li San Ye wasn't that determined either and soon, under the anticipation of his two sons, tremblingly took out the prepared promissory note…
Everyone divided the money, leaving the Li family with nothing except their dilapidated house.
"What about us? We also gave a betrothal gift…" Sha Yang looked at Feng Ge disdainfully, then nudged his father with his elbow.
"Sha Yang, what do you mean? We're already married, isn't it right for your family to give a betrothal gift?" Since Feng Ge had bitten the bullet and accepted the marriage, he had completely overlooked the fact that it was a deceitful marriage. Now he spoke boldly and confidently.
"Li Chang Feng, are you out of your mind? We got married, but you tricked us into it!"
"I don't care; anyway, I'm already married…"
Yong Ge saw Sha Yang and Feng Ge arguing, with Sha Yang wearing a face of pain and frustration, unable to logically explain himself. Suddenly, Yong Ge felt a great sense of satisfaction.
Sha Yang always seemed to have trouble understanding what others said, but now Feng Ge stubbornly believed in what he thought was right. They were a perfect match!
Cheng Duo handed the just-acquired deed to Yong Ge, who hesitated for a moment but didn't refuse. Cheng Duo had put in so much effort to seek justice for him and even called it his "dowry"… Yong Ge felt warm in his heart and thought since they were going to get married anyway, he accepted Cheng Duo's heartfelt gesture.
With the farce over, Sha Yang was the first to leave. He couldn't stand Feng Ge; the guy was simply insane. The thought of spending his life with such a lunatic made Sha Yang feel completely overwhelmed. "Sha Yang, wait for me!" As soon as Feng Ge noticed him leaving, he hurriedly chased after him, even ignoring his parents.
Sha Yang's parents felt embarrassed and glared at the crying Wu Gui Hua before following suit.
With the Sha family gone, the Hong family soon bid their farewells as well. Hong Baobei wanted to come over and see Yong Ge, but his elder brother forcefully dragged him away.
Hong Baobei: "Big handsome brother…"
Yong Ge pretended not to hear and looked at Cheng Duo. He saw Cheng Duo raise an eyebrow as if saying, "I was right, wasn't I?"
"…"
Wu Guihua, with tear streaks on her face, heard Hong Baobei's call and glared resentfully at Yong Ge. She was about to scold him for flirting with someone at first sight, even not letting a fool go, but was met with Cheng Duo's cold stare: "Who are you glaring at?"
"N-No one…" Wu Guihua shivered, instantly silenced. She felt the dangerous gaze from Cheng Duo, as if his eyes were lifeless and devoid of any warmth.
Li Man Cang was also taken aback and quickly held onto Wu Guihua. "What are you doing, provoking that star of ill fortune!" He gritted his teeth and scolded her before pulling his vacant-eyed eldest son and taking Wu Guihua away together.
With the excitement over, the crowd slowly dispersed, each returning to their respective homes. Cheng Duo approached Li San Ye with Yong Ge and said, "Uncle Li, I have something I'd like to discuss with you."
Li San Ye guessed a bit, "Is it about your marriage with Yong Ge?"
Yong Ge suddenly looked up at Li San Ye, then turned his head to gaze expectantly at Cheng Duo, his fingers unconsciously tightening.
Cheng Duo didn't disappoint him. He nodded, "Yong Ge's father isn't here, and I wasn't in a hurry before, but now with this incident, if we don't get married soon, it might affect Yong Ge's reputation…"
"As long as you know what's best," Li San Ye breathed a sigh of relief. In fact, even if Cheng Duo hadn't come to find him today, he would have gone to find Cheng Duo in a few days. The news about him and Yong Ge had been widely spread, and it was unacceptable to delay the marriage any further.
When Cheng Duo introduced himself, he mentioned that he was a refugee with deceased parents, and Yong Ge only had his father. Neither of them had any elder to rely on, so Li San Ye readily agreed.
He then asked, "When do you plan to hold the wedding?"
"Of course, the sooner, the better…"
Aunt Qian didn't leave; she had originally worried that Yong Ge might not understand things well and wanted to avoid any advice from Cheng Duo. But unexpectedly, he heard Cheng Duo say that they were going to get married. He immediately stepped forward and warmly said, "That's great! My son, Yu Ge, and Yong Ge are close friends. If you don't mind, I can also help you with the preparations."
"Why would we mind? Thank you so much…" Yong Ge felt embarrassed but still mustered the courage to introduce Cheng Duo and Aunt Qian to each other.
Cheng Duo added, "Aunt Qian, you can call me Cheng Duo. I have to thank you and Shanzi for informing me about Yong Ge's situation. Without your help, I'm afraid I wouldn't have been able to save him."
As Cheng Duo spoke, he felt a bit frightened at the thought of that dangerous situation. He reached out and grabbed Yong Ge's hand. Yong Ge was enveloped by Cheng Duo's warm and powerful grip, forgetting to struggle. When he looked back on the scene when Cheng Duo came to save him, the eyes looking at him were bright and shiny.
"What?! The child didn't tell me about this!" Aunt Qian acted as if he was blaming Yu Ge but, in fact, he was very happy and pulled Yu Ge out from behind him, patting his shoulder.
Yu Ge shrank his neck, looking down and exchanging a glance with Shanzi, seeing the smile in each other's eyes.
The news of the Hunter and Yong Ge's upcoming marriage quickly spread among the villagers. Since Huipo Matchmaker protected Feng Ge, her matchmaker career was ruined. Cheng Duo decided to have Aunt Qian act as the matchmaker and even insisted on giving him a two-liang silver matchmaking gift.
Aunt Qian initially felt the gift was too much and wanted to return it, but then he heard from Shanzi that Cheng Duo also asked him to help and gave him two liang silver as well. Aunt Qian understood Cheng Duo's true intention—he was expressing gratitude for their help in passing the message.
In fact, Yu Ge and Shanzi only made one trip, and there was no need for so much silver. But Cheng Duo was sincere, so they accepted it with a thick skin. They helped with the marriage compatibility, exchanged horoscopes, and kept themselves busy with joy.
Little did anyone know that this one incident led Aunt Qian to discover a new sideline job. With a good reputation and a pleasant personality, more and more villagers sought his services. From then on, he was known as "Qian matchmaker"… but of course, that's a story for another time.
Compared to Aunt Qian, Shanzi felt that the tasks Cheng Duo asked him to do were more thrilling. He stood at the entrance of Xie Ji Inn for a long time, peering in, but he didn't dare to go inside.
"Young man, who are you looking for?" The innkeeper had been observing him for a while, guessing that he was looking for someone when he saw him hesitating at the door, so he asked.
Shanzi looked at the well-dressed and elegant innkeeper, stammering in fear, "I… I'm here to deliver a message to Young Master Xie."
"To Young Master? Who sent you? Who are you?" The innkeeper asked casually, but when he saw Shanzi fumbling around and pulling out a red-colored note from his pocket with crooked handwriting on it, he immediately lost interest.
They received hundreds of such notes from various people every year. If anyone who had just seen their young master once came to deliver a note, their young master would be overwhelmed.
Besides, the person who wrote this note seemed so insincere. Couldn't they at least find a scholar to write it on their behalf?
"It's a hunter from our village, he… he's called Cheng Duo." Shanzi saw the innkeeper's displeased expression but still bravely mentioned Cheng Duo's name.
"What nonsense! A hunter from your village? A hunter sending a note to our young master… Wait a minute! You said his name is Cheng and he's a hunter from which village?" The innkeeper asked again.
Shanzi nervously replied, "Yang Village."
"Wait here." The innkeeper said, then hurried back into the inn to discuss with a few of his colleagues. Afterward, he came out and personally led Shanzi towards the main street. "Follow me!"
》》》
Outside the Xie Family's trading firm, a crowd of people gathered, all of them laborers eager to get work. They received the news that the Xie Family's caravan had already arrived, and by tomorrow at the latest, they would need laborers' help to transport the goods.
One of the foremen named Ding was stopped outside. When he saw Shanzi walking inside with a man dressed like an innkeeper, he quickly called out to him, "Shanzi!"
Shanzi turned around and saw the foreman who often worked with his father, along with several familiar uncles. He hurriedly ran over and asked, "Ding, why are you all here?"
"We're here to find work," Ding replied. When he saw the innkeeper also approaching, his eyes lit up, thinking there might be an opportunity. He quickly coaxed Shanzi, "Shanzi, your father is also here. Let me call him over to talk to you."
Before Shanzi could refuse, Ding turned around and loudly called for Shanzi's father, Zhao Shugen.
Zhao Shugen was squatting on the street with a group of ragged laborers, waiting for job opportunities. He was an honest and taciturn man, not good at talking, so the foremen usually didn't bring him along when competing for work.
However, when he heard the foreman calling, he didn't dare delay and hurried over.
Shanzi was delighted to see his father, "Dad!"
Zhao Shugen was a bit surprised, "Shanzi, why are you here?"
"I came to help brother Cheng deliver a message!" Shanzi wanted to tell his father that he had also received two taels of silver, but with so many people around, he didn't dare say it.
Zhao Shugen knew who "brother Cheng" was because Shanzi had been talking about him frequently lately, always praising how amazing brother Cheng was. Initially, Zhao Shugen didn't believe it, but now seeing his son standing inside the trading firm, his hands trembled a little, "What message are you delivering, and to whom?"
"To our young master," the innkeeper helped explain and glanced at Shanzi and Zhao Shugen, then he offered some goodwill, "You are from Cheng Ge's village, right? I'll inform our young master about it later."
It was a favor that the young master wouldn't refuse. The innkeeper was trying to please both sides.
Before Zhao Shugen could react, Ding already answered for him, "Yes, yes, we are from the same village as brother Cheng. Thank you, Innkeeper!"
After saying this, Ding then told Shanzi, "Listen to the innkeeper, and later Uncle Ding will buy you some candy."
From being called "Ding" to suddenly being referred to as "Uncle Ding," it had to be said that this foreman named Ding knew how to take advantage of the situation.
After Shanzi followed the innkeeper inside, the other foremen looked on with envy at Ding's group. The innkeeper's presence held weight, and since he had promised to help them speak to the young master, they were confident about securing the job. The only concern was whether they had enough manpower in case there were a lot of goods to transport.
"Old Ding, how about we team up tomorrow? You have fewer people, and I'll provide ten more. We'll split the wages evenly," said one of the foremen.
"I might not even get this job. The innkeeper just promised to put in a good word," replied Ding politely, but the satisfaction on his face was evident to all the foremen present.
They usually tried sweet-talking and giving gifts, but the supervisors wouldn't always agree to help. However, the imposing innkeeper who called "Mr. Cheng" willingly agreed, indicating that the person from their village, named Cheng, was quite influential and might even be acquainted with the young master of the Xie family.
"Didn't that kid mention he was delivering a message to Young Master Xie?" one foreman remarked.
After rejecting the other foremen's enthusiastic invitations, Ding headed towards Zhao Shugen, smiling brightly as he held his arm. "Shugen, your village has such an impressive figure! Why didn't you tell us earlier?"
Zhao Shugen was confused. He hadn't known about it; he hadn't been back to the village for a long time. The newcomer, the hunter, was more like Shanzi's acquaintance than his own.
Despite Zhao Shugen stumbling over his words and not knowing much, he received unprecedented preferential treatment from the foremen. Especially when Shanzi came out and told his father excitedly, "Dad, I saw the young master inside. He said he'll personally come to our village for the wedding feast!"
"Did Young Master Xie mention anything else?" Ding hurriedly squeezed through the crowd, beaming with a smile.
Before Shanzi could answer, another supervisor emerged from the gate, seeing Shanzi standing with Ding. He walked over and said, "Are you the foreman? The young master wants me to tell you that you should bring thirty men tomorrow to transport the goods."
"Absolutely, absolutely! Many thanks for informing me!" Ding repeatedly nodded in gratitude. When the supervisor went inside, Ding proudly pulled Shanzi closer. "Let's go, today, Uncle Ding treats you to a good meal!"
"Ah, Ding's treating us!" The laborers cheered in unison, surrounding Zhao Shugen and showering him with compliments. Zhao Shugen, usually walking at the back, was now encircled by the crowd, and even though he was reserved, his face was flushed with excitement.
While sending the wedding invitations to the nearby village of "Twenty li Slope," Cheng Duo took the opportunity to bring Yong Ge to the county town of West Capital.
With the previous experience, the process of exchanging the land deed went smoothly this time. Cheng Duo also took the chance to register his own yard and nearby vacant land, which cost a total of three teals and five wen.
After leaving the county yamen, the two of them went to find a cloth shop in the street.
In West Capital's cloth shops, some were run by husband and wife, and others were branches of larger cloth shops from twenty li Slope. Although Cheng Duo didn't find ready-made wedding attire in there, he managed to buy two pieces of red silk brocade with dark patterns at one of the branches. He also had the shopkeeper draw two patterns of long robes. This way, even if Yong Ge couldn't sew, he could at least mimic the style.
In fact, it wasn't that Cheng Duo was particular about having the wedding attire sewn himself. When people in the village got married, it was considered good enough to have some red cloth on them. But because Yong Ge was so tall, none of the readymade clothes at the cloth shop fit him. Either the shoulders were too narrow or the pants were too short. Thus, they had to buy fabric and make the clothes themselves.
Except for the most troublesome wedding attire, such as the wedding bed canopy and the red silk, Cheng Duo bought everything else ready-made. He only cared about the quality, not the price.
Cheng Duo was quite assertive, and Yong Ge couldn't stop him. Moreover, he couldn't hurt Cheng Duo's face in front of others. So, when the two of them left the cloth shop carrying numerous packages, Yong Ge looked visibly conflicted.
Cheng Duo smiled and said, "We earned some money, so we should spend it. Our wedding is a big event, and of course, we should have the best for ourselves… Oh, wait, there's a snack shop here. I'll go in and buy some roasted beans, melon seeds, and peanuts."
With a large bamboo basket full of things on his back, Cheng Duo walked into the shop.
Yong Ge: "…"
After Cheng Duo came out of the shop, the bamboo basket had several more paper bags in it. He noticed that Yong Ge's forehead was sweaty, and his face and neck were a bit sunburnt, so he quickly found a teahouse to rest.
Cheng Duo took out the pastries he had just bought and placed them before Yong Ge. He then instructed him to watch over them and went out mysteriously for a moment. When he returned, he had nothing in his hands.
Yong Ge, curious, asked, "What did you buy just now? Did you secretly put it in your space?"
Cheng Duo's expression looked awkward as he poured a cup of cold tea, "It's just some small trinkets. I'll tell you later."
It was the first time Yong Ge had seen Cheng Duo act so evasive, so he wondered, "What kind of small trinkets that you need to wait until we're back to tell me?"
Cheng Duo gave him a deep and meaningful glance, and in that instant, it seemed like Yong Ge understood something. His hand shook, and he accidentally spilled most of the tea on the table.
His ears turned red, and he nervously put down the teapot, not daring to ask further.
Cheng Duo lifted his own teacup, covering his mouth, and fell silent for a moment. Then, suddenly, he chuckled softly. In the pre-apocalyptic era, there was an internet phrase that went, "If I'm not embarrassed, then no one else will be embarrassed." As a mature man, he had never even bought contraceptives in the modern world. Going out to buy those things just now made his face feel a bit hot.
Now that Yong Ge seemed embarrassed, he suddenly felt like there was nothing to be embarrassed about…
Yong Ge listened to the low rumble emanating from the man's chest beside him. The sound seemed to resonate in his heart. As he looked at the wedding items they had just purchased on the table and the floor, some of the packages revealed a glimpse of red…
Yong Ge had never felt so keenly real as he did in this moment – they were really going to get married.
》》》
Two days before the wedding, young master Xie had sent Ding Tou to deliver a robust white horse, a basket of beef, another basket of good wine, and a few cooks from the tavern to help out. Ding Tou personally came to deliver these items. When he first saw Cheng Duo's courtyard, he thought that Zhao Shugen had led them to the wrong place. But as soon as he saw Cheng Duo himself, that thought vanished instantly.
The man exuded an aura of authority, and upon seeing the gifts and people young master Xie had sent, he didn't show much surprise. He simply walked around the horse and then instructed them to bring the items into the courtyard. He also directed a few cooks to start working.
Ding Tou wanted to please this Mister Cheng, so after delivering the gifts, he didn't leave. Instead, he approached with his subordinates and said, "Mister Cheng, if there's anything we can help with, just tell us. You can command us."
Cheng Duo looked at the horse outside the courtyard and rubbed his chin. "Then come and help me build a stable."
Ding Tou and his men were slow to respond. They originally thought that five of them would need at least two days to construct a stable. They had to chop down trees on the mountain, peel the bark, dig the foundation, and then build the structure of the stable.
However, when they went up the mountain, Ding Tou and his men were shocked by Cheng Duo's tree-cutting speed. Cheng Duo chopped down the thick and sturdy tree as if cutting through tofu with just a few swings of his axe. He then lightly pushed, and the tree, with only a bit of bark still connected, crashed to the ground. "All right, you trim the branches of this tree and carry it down the mountain."
Ding Tou and his men struggled for half an hour just to cut a tree. In contrast, Cheng Duo effortlessly carried a tree on his own down the mountain. Ding Tou and his men were dumbfounded. "Zhao Shugen, how is this Mister Cheng from your village so strong?!"
The four of them struggled to carry a tree down the mountain, and it was still unsteady on the way. What kind of strength did this Mister Cheng possess?
Zhao Shugen replied, "I… I don't know…"
Wait, he seemed to know! His son had said before that the newcomer, the hunter, had immense strength. He could even bring down a cow with his bare hands!
At that time, Zhao Shugen thought his son was exaggerating, but now he realized that his son had been telling the truth!
Cheng Duo led Ding Tou and his men to build the stable and even added a woodshed in the process. Ding Tou held Cheng Duo in the highest regard, and when they were about to leave, he shamelessly asked, "Mister Cheng, can I also come to your wedding banquet the day after tomorrow?"
Cheng Duo was puzzled and asked, "Aren't you going back?"
It took almost half a day for Ding Tou and his group to go to twenty li Slope and come back. Even if they rushed back tonight and returned the day after tomorrow for the wedding banquet, it would be quite troublesome.
Ding Tou hurriedly said, "We can stay at Zhao Shugen's house."
"That's fine. You can all come the day after tomorrow."
Ding Tou was overjoyed and kept expressing his thanks.
Actually, from the beginning, Ding Tou had planned to see if he could attend the wedding banquet. He knew that Yong Master Xie was coming personally, and no matter what, it's always good to establish some connections over drinks.
Ding Tou was eager to make a good impression, so he arrived early the next day. In addition to Zhao Shugen, even Shanzi and his elder brother, He WaZi, were there.
Cheng Duo was busy, and suddenly there were many more people. The news spread in the village:
"Have you heard? Zhao Shugen brought people from twenty li Slope to help Cheng the Hunter, and they're doing it for free!"
"Why? Does he have a good relationship with the hunter?"
"It seems the hunter met some impressive figure at twenty li Slope, even the foremen are trying to please him.
"I saw Zhao Shugen and a group of people entering the village a few days ago, and they brought many things, even a white horse!"
"I saw it too. That horse is tall and robust. Its hooves make a pleasant 'clatter-clatter' sound on the stone slabs."
"Doesn't that mean Yong Ge can ride the horse to his wedding?"
"Wow, that's a big deal in our village! I thought being able to ride a donkey cart was impressive enough, but I never expected Yong Ge to ride a horse!"
A group of unmarried boys and girls were excited, their eyes turning red. They didn't dare to go to Cheng Duo's house to see the horse, so they all rushed to Yong Ge's house, eager to be the first to tell him the good news…
》》》
In the past two days, with Yu Ge's help, Yong Ge had already finished making the wedding clothes. Originally, today, Granma San and Aunt Qian were coming to steam the steamed buns and cook the wedding eggs, and he wanted to help in the kitchen.
However, Aunt Qian told him not to work before the wedding. She only allowed Yu Ge to accompany him in the room. Yong Ge didn't really want to rest, as he felt a bit restless.
But when he wanted to do some needlework, Yu Ge stopped him. So it turned into Yu Ge sewing shoe pads while he watched, and the two chatted casually.
After a while, Aunt Qian suddenly came over from the kitchen and said, "I almost forgot. Your mother left early, and no one taught you this. Here's a book for you to read." She hesitated and took out a yellowed comic book from her pocket. "Yu Ge, you should read it too; you'll need it sooner or later."
After saying that, she stuffed the book into Yong Ge's arms and closed the door, leaving the room.
Yong Ge froze in place, his big eyes shifting to his friend, successfully seeing his friend's face turning red.
Yong Ge hesitated for a long time before carefully picking up the book like it was a hot potato. He shook it a little and asked, "Should we read it?"
"Let's read it…" Yu Ge blushed, but couldn't help being curious.
Although the villagers sometimes speak very explicitly, hearing and seeing are two different things.
When the two innocent boys opened the first page of the comic book, they were startled and quickly closed it. The book Aunt Qian gave them was very rough, with characters drawn as simple lines. However, the actions on the first page were quite bold, which stunned the two boys who had never seen such things before.
Both of them blushed, and Yu Ge suddenly asked, "D-Do you, when you're alone together, do you…?"
"No!" Yong Ge replied, feeling a little guilty. They only used their hands… Did the bridal chamber have to be like what the book depicted? That would be too embarrassing!
Yong Ge thought he couldn't do that, but if Cheng Duo liked it, he couldn't let him down. Thinking of Cheng Duo, Yong Ge hesitated but forced himself to continue reading. He didn't know where Aunt Qian had found this book, but each page showed different actions, all equally daring.
Yong Ge thought he had to do each one, so he read it very seriously, and his face even started to smoke from embarrassment.
Seeing his distress, Yu Ge tried to change the subject. "M-My mother said that Sha Yang and Feng Ge haven't consummated their marriage yet. It seems Sha Yang is unwilling…"
"They've been married for almost half a month. How does your mother know?" Yong Ge asked.
"Feng Ge mentioned it when he was arguing with his mother. Many people who love to gossip heard it…" In their village, the gossipy aunts and busybodies didn't think that Sha Yang was unwilling; they thought he couldn't perform.
Every time Yu Ge thought about how his mother animatedly described the situation, and how Sha Yang's mother's face turned black after hearing it, he wanted to laugh.
"Feng Ge has too much courage. He even brings up such matters. Isn't he afraid that Sha Yang will dislike him even more?" Yong Ge commented.
"I don't know what he's thinking…" Yong Ge shook his head. Feng Ge and Sha Yang had been arguing ever since they got married. At first, Wu Guihua tried to intervene, but after it happened too many times, she didn't have the energy to bother anymore. After all, her family had no power, and she was already overwhelmed with her own affairs.
As they were talking, they suddenly heard noise and commotion in the courtyard.
"Yong Ge, your family got a horse!"
"Yong Ge, you can ride a horse when you get married! Can I borrow your family's horse when I get married?"
"Wow, you're already thinking about getting married so soon…"
The playful voices grew louder, and Yong Ge became flustered. He was still holding the book! He quickly hid the book under the pillow, but then he thought it wasn't safe, so he swiftly put it in a box and closed the lid with a "bang." Both he and Yu Ge sighed in relief, and then burst into laughter, seeing each other's faces redder than monkey butts.
Early in the morning, Yong Ge was awakened. He bathed, changed clothes, and a dedicated maid came to comb and style his hair. The maid touched Yong Ge's narrow and well-defined profile, smiling warmly as she praised his handsome looks. She removed the fine hairs on his face, trimmed his eyebrows, and promised that his face would be as beautiful as a peeled egg.
Yong Ge felt pleased but didn't really believe it. His face had some minor marks and even a scar on his brow that wouldn't disappear no matter how beautiful he became.
As the maid worked on his face, Yong Ge initially felt a slight, tingling pain, but then it seemed like she applied some sheep fat and fragrant powder. "You have fair skin, so I won't put too much powder on. It's hot today; otherwise, by evening, you won't look good…"
She chatted casually and mentioned a young man from another family who had dark skin but insisted on putting on a thick layer of powder. On their wedding night, when the groom unveiled the bride's face, he was met with an ugly, blotchy ghostly appearance.
Hearing this, Yong Ge became anxious, "Then… maybe I won't use the powder."
"Don't worry, I only applied a thin layer; you can't even tell. If you don't believe me, ask Yu Ge."
Yu Ge quickly nodded and took out a borrowed small copper mirror from his pocket. The copper frame had turned black, but the center had been polished, making it barely usable to see one's reflection.
Yong Ge looked left and right but couldn't see much. Yu Ge assured him that he looked good, so he reluctantly believed it.
In reality, he wasn't good-looking; he was simply stunning!
The maid styled his hair into a neat bun, bound it with a red jade hairband, and left only his long eyebrows untouched. With his clear and deep eyes and his ink-like black hair against the red silk wedding robe, he looked even more delicate, as if he were a young master from a wealthy family. Yu Ge felt almost intimidated by his appearance.
The maid was also very pleased. This was the most satisfying work she had done in her career. She looked around and then asked, "Where's the veil?"
Yong Ge hesitated, "We… we don't need it. Brother Cheng said it's unnecessary…"
The maid slapped her thigh, "Oh no, how can that be? You can't go without it. He'll regret it!"
But after some consideration, she thought that she had created such a handsome man with her skill, and in the future, many people would come looking for her!
Since the groom himself wasn't concerned, then let it be!
At the auspicious hour, Cheng Duo arrived, riding a tall and magnificent horse to welcome the bride. He, too, wore a bright red wedding robe, his eyes shining, and his spirit soaring.
When he arrived at the door, Cheng Duo elegantly dismounted the horse with a single step. His imposing height and his identity as the groom attracted many young men who blushed and stared at him. Some even forgot to pick up the money thrown in celebration.
Xi Ge was one of them, and at this moment, he completely forgot his previous disdain for Cheng Duo, thinking how unfortunate it was not to marry such a tall, handsome, and capable man. Look at this grand welcoming procession; even the entourage accompanying Cheng Duo could rival the Hong family's group, and the Hong family didn't even have horses!
Wasn't he just as good as Yong Ge?
Just as Xi Ge thought this, Yong Ge was being assisted out. Wearing a red wedding robe, his extraordinary beauty stunned everyone, and the courtyard fell into silence!
Xi Ge's face turned red, and he wished he could find a hole to crawl into.
Yong Ge was already nervous, and seeing everyone staring at him without saying anything made him even more anxious. He only had eyes for Cheng Duo in the middle of the courtyard.
Cheng Duo was also momentarily stunned, but he quickly regained his composure and waved for someone to set off the firecrackers. He then stepped forward, holding Yong Ge's hand, and said, "Don't worry, I'll take you out."
Amidst the sound of crackling firecrackers, Cheng Duo lifted Yong Ge and carried him in his arms, causing the crowd to exclaim, "Wow—"
"The groom is carrying the bridegroom!"
"The bridegroom is so handsome!"
Cheng Duo walked out of the courtyard in big strides, and he gently placed Yong Ge on the horse's back. Yong Ge didn't know how to ride a horse, so he instinctively held on to Cheng Duo's hand.
Cheng Duo saw this and decided not to hold the reins, sitting behind Yong Ge, wrapping his large frame securely around him.
"Are you afraid?" Cheng Duo asked.
Yong Ge shook his head. With Cheng Duo behind him, he was no longer afraid. Riding high on the horse, his eyes brightened with excitement, "So high!"
Cheng Duo glanced at Shanzi, and Shanzi reluctantly let go of the reins. Cheng Duo then gently kicked the horse's belly, and the horse obediently moved forward.
Yong Ge turned to look at him with sparkling eyes, admiration almost overflowing, "Cheng Ge, you can ride a horse!"
Cheng Duo teased, "I just learned yesterday. Don't move too much, or I won't be able to control the horse."
"Ah?" Yong Ge dared not move, stiffly leaning against Cheng Duo, his hands wrapped around Cheng Duo's waist, feeling safer this way.
Cheng Duo, holding a beauty in his arms, could smell the faint fragrance from Yong Ge's body and chuckled softly. Lately, he had been smiling much more than usual, especially today, where even the sternness between his brows seemed to have softened, leaving only a sense of vitality.
After knocking on their own courtyard's gate and dismounting, Cheng Duo carried Yong Ge down.
Xie Yuan had already arrived, and when he saw Yong Ge, he was amazed, "Your transformation is too remarkable!"
He had a certain ability to recognize people, so even though Yong Ge looked like a different person, Xie Yuan recognized him based on some distinctive features. After all, not many people had a pair of eyes like those of a foreigner, and even fewer young men had scolded him as a cheat.
Yong Ge didn't recognize him at all, "Who are you?"
"Don't you remember me?" Xie Yuan turned to Cheng Duo, "Brother Cheng, isn't this unkind of you?"
He wanted to appear in front of Yong Ge and see him show a guilty look for mistaking him, but Cheng Duo didn't even bother to explain!
"This is the 'swindler' who invited us to dinner when we first met. His family really owns a restaurant. You can call him Young Master Xie."
"No wonder he looks familiar."
"…" How can you just think of me as looking familiar? Also, Brother Cheng, you clarified for me, and yet you still call me a swindler. Don't think I didn't hear that!
Unfortunately, Cheng Duo had already taken Yong Ge away, and it wouldn't be appropriate to catch up with them and demand an explanation on such a happy occasion. Moreover, Cheng Duo was too fierce, and if rumors spread that he had designs on the newlywed bridegroom, Cheng Duo would probably beat him to death!
Ding Tou, seeing Xie Yuan and Cheng Duo's interaction, figured out the situation. It was not in vain that he had come all the way to curry favor; Cheng Duo and Young Master Xie indeed had a good relationship!
Despite Xie Yuan appearing casual in front of Cheng Duo, he brought a considerable number of attendants and bodyguards, so ordinary people didn't have a chance to approach him.
But naturally, apart from Ding Tou, the guests invited by Cheng Duo didn't dare to approach him actively. People like Sha Er Shu and the Li brothers were simple villagers who couldn't even speak properly when faced with the wealthy and prestigious people in Xie Yuan's group. They didn't have the inclination to fawn over them.
Fortunately, Xie Yuan didn't mind. He came to attend the wedding for Cheng Duo, and Ding Tou was there to handle everything on his behalf.
At the auspicious hour, under the guidance of Li San Ye, Cheng Duo and Yong Ge performed the traditional ceremony. Since the parents of both parties were absent, the main seats were left vacant.
After the ceremony, Cheng Duo generously led Yong Ge to toast at each table. He didn't drink much himself, just one cup at each table before returning to their main table to enjoy the meal.
Considering that Xie Yuan might not be accustomed to such situations, there were only Li San Ye, Doctor Wang, Ding Tou, and a steward brought by Xie Yuan at the main table. Cheng Duo and Yong Ge made a total of seven people at that table.
Xie Yuan initially thought Cheng Duo leading Yong Ge to toast was already audacious enough, but he didn't expect Cheng Duo to be so unrestrained during the meal. Every time he wanted to say something, Cheng Duo interrupted him by picking food for his newlywed spouse –
"You're too skinny. Eat more meat."
"This braised beef is delicious. Do you like it? Let me get you some more."
Yong Ge forced himself to eat, but the pile of dishes in his bowl kept growing higher, and he had to stop, saying, "You should eat too, don't just focus on me."
He had the intention to pick food for Cheng Duo as well but was hesitant due to Xie Yuan's presence. He glanced in Xie Yuan's direction, refraining from doing so.
Cheng Duo interjected, "Ignore him."
Unable to bear it any longer, Xie Yuan pushed his bowl toward Cheng Duo and pretended to lean closer, saying, "Brother Cheng, you can't favor him so much, I want some too~"
If the steward at the other end of the table heard that soul-stirring tone, he would probably be shocked enough to spit out his drink.
Yong Ge raised his head suddenly, his eyes alert as he stared at Xie Yuan. What does he want?
Cheng Duo pushed Xie Yuan away helplessly, first reassuring Yong Ge, then quickly picked up some meatballs and placed them in front of Xie Yuan, saying, "Say what you want to say."
After speaking, he quickly shut up; he wanted to hit someone!
Xie Yuan looked at the bowl with some disdain, "I don't like meatballs…"
Seeing Cheng Duo's disapproving look, he quickly changed his tone and got to the point, "Brother Cheng, do you still have any Shao Guang wine?"
Cheng Duo hesitated for a moment, "No, it's all gone."
It was precisely this hesitation that made Xie Yuan see through him, "You're lying. I'm sure you still have some!"
"I kept the remaining stock for a reason."
"Brother Cheng, my dear Brother Cheng, why don't you sell me another bottle? The reputation of Shao Guang wine has spread, and many important figures are coming and specifically requesting this wine."
Cheng Duo was a bit surprised, "You really sold the wine separately?"
Xie Yuan grinned, showing two fingers, and his eyes screamed "shrewd businessman." "Two hundred taels per cup."
At first, he considered waiting to sell the wine at the capital, but Shao Guang wine had already gained some notoriety in twenty Li slope due to Guo Yi Zhi. It had even begun to surpass Shihua wine, Yuquan wine, and Zhu Ye Qing in reputation.
In that case, why bother going for something farther away when he could find a market nearby?
Cheng Duo was speechless, "Even if I sell you another bottle, without a stable supply, you won't be able to keep selling it in the long run."
"Brother Cheng, you are mistaken. I am not selling wine; I am selling fame. I won't sell it to anyone who can afford it. If their status isn't enough, even if they have money, I won't sell it to them." Xie Yuan proudly wagged his finger.
Cheng Duo understood; Xie Yuan was only selling a gimmick. When faced with someone who couldn't be refused, he would consider selling the wine.
It was like the ancient courtesans saying "selling skills, not body." Many people came to see the courtesan, but they couldn't even meet her face-to-face, yet they left with stories to tell after spending a night there.
Similarly, luxury brands worked the same way; the rich bought the brand's reputation, not just the item itself.
Xie Yuan's wine prices might be outrageous for ordinary people, but for those who could afford it, they might compete with each other to prove their status by either drinking it or not.
This Xie Yuan was indeed a talented businessman, seizing every opportunity…
Cheng Duo pondered for a moment, "Perhaps we can collaborate and venture into another business."
"What business?"
"Hotpot." Though fried chicken milk tea and glass soap were essential for time travelers, fried chicken was too easy to imitate, milk tea required expensive tea leaves, and as for glass and soap, Cheng Duo had already forgotten all about chemistry after the last decade of the apocalypse.
He remembered hotpot because his grandfather had run a hotpot restaurant for decades. During every summer vacation, he would help his grandfather stir-fry the hotpot base, and his grandfather would teach him hand by hand.
Xie Yuan became interested, "What's hotpot?"
Cheng Duo briefly explained, "But hotpot requires many spices. I don't know if you have them here…"
"It doesn't matter. Write a list, and I'll find them!" Xie Yuan didn't expect such a pleasant surprise and immediately held onto Cheng Duo without wanting to let go.
This time, Yong Ge couldn't bear it anymore, slamming the chopsticks on the table, "Bang." He said, "Xie Yuan, if you're not eating, brother Cheng still wants to eat. If you keep talking, the food will get cold!"
