The wedding day prohibits eating. The second day begins with morning tea, the wife's family rules, and the three-day return visit.
If the wife did not show mercy to her new husband on their wedding night, the husband's early rising, rule-setting, and the three-day return visit would be even more arduous. If the wife's home was far away, he would have to rise even earlier, making it quite taxing.
"No rush, no rush," Zheng Yu saw Gu Yi's anxious expression and quickly soothed him. "Father knows you were exhausted yesterday, so he specifically moved the tea ceremony to the hour of the snake. You have ample time to prepare, don't worry."
Postponed by two hours?
Gu Yi felt a little embarrassed, but with those words, he finally felt relieved. However, he quickly noticed Zheng Yu's mention of 'exhausted,' and thinking of something, his face turned unnaturally red. He nudged Zheng Yu's shoulder, "You, you go out first, I need to change."
"As your wife, I'm also not dressed. How can I go out?" Zheng Yu knew he was shy and insisted on teasing him, his eyes full of laughter.
"Then you get dressed first," Gu Yi buried his head in the quilt, his voice muffled.
"Doesn't the husband serve his wife in dressing?"
Zheng Yu pushed his luck, but Gu Yi took it seriously. He really should serve his wife in dressing, but, but he wasn't dressed either.
This sentence made him very troubled. After agonizing for a long time, he mumbled, "Then I, I'll get dressed first."
Gu Yi got up and wrapped himself tightly in the quilt. But they shared a quilt, and when he took the quilt, Zheng Yu was left lying naked on the bed.
And to get out of bed to get his clothes, he had to step over Zheng Yu, who was lying naked on the bed.
It was difficult no matter how he looked at it.
Seeing Gu Yi's embarrassed expression, Zheng Yu smiled and pulled Gu Yi back, "You don't need to serve me, I'll serve you."
With that, she got out of bed and dressed herself first. Gu Yi looked away unnaturally, his ear tips burning red.
Gu Yi finally had time to observe his own body carefully. While Zheng Yu wasn't paying attention, he secretly lifted the corner of the quilt and glanced down, instantly pulling his gaze away as if he had been burned.
His body was covered in red marks, one after another. The area below was probably medicated, with a thin film.
Zheng Yu turned around and saw him like this. Smiling, she picked up his clothes and walked to the bedside. Disregarding Gu Yi's objections, she helped him dress.
By the time both of them were fully dressed, Gu Yi felt like he was about to cook himself, yet he was still thinking about the early tea ceremony and quietly urged Zheng Yu to hurry.
"This, the Yuan Pa—" Gu Yi remembered the precautions written in the book, lowered his eyes, and pointed to the Yuan Pa spread on the bed. The originally white Yuan Pa had some red bloodstains, making it particularly conspicuous.
"We can put it away ourselves, Father won't mind." Zheng Yu followed Gu Yi's fingertip, her gaze falling on it. She walked to the bedside and took the initiative to put the Yuan Pa away, placing it in the cabinet.
The two walked to the main hall. Zheng Chen was already seated above, having waited for an unknown amount of time. Seeing them approach, he excitedly accepted the tea offered by Gu Yi, took Gu Yi's hand, and smiled so broadly his mouth couldn't close.
"Sit, sit quickly."
Gu Yi was warmly pulled to sit beside Zheng Chen. Zheng Yu could only be squeezed pitifully to the side, listening to their conversation.
Although it was called a conversation, it was actually Zheng Chen's one-sided concern and inquiries. Gu Yi sat obediently on the side, responding, while Zheng Yu sat alone on a chair below, silently drinking tea, unable to join in.
When Zheng Chen had finished talking to Gu Yi, it was finally Zheng Yu's turn below.
"Now that you are married and have taken Yi'er as your wife, I must set some rules for you." Zheng Chen had no intention of stopping, grabbing Zheng Yu, and began to educate her, "Firstly, you can no longer be like before. You must care more for Yi'er, and most importantly, you are not allowed to bully him."
"From now on, if you two have any disagreements, you must discuss them. You cannot use your status as wife to demand that Yi'er obey you."
"From now on, I will also teach Yi'er how to manage the household. Your money will be managed by Yi'er from now on, and I will gradually hand over household affairs to him. You must be considerate of him..."
"And..."
Be considerate of him, be considerate of him...
The three words kept circling in Zheng Yu's mind. On the first day of their marriage, this was setting rules for her, wasn't it?
Zheng Chen wished he could come up with a hundred rules for Zheng Yu, emphasizing each one.
"Alright, the tea ceremony is over for today. I see Yi'er is also tired, you two should go back." After speaking, Zheng Chen turned to Gu Yi, "You must be tired, go back to the room with her to rest. I, your father-in-law, won't make things difficult for you."
Gu Yi instantly understood the hidden meaning in Zheng Chen's words. His face slightly reddened as he called out "Daddy" and said no more.
Not making things difficult?
Zheng Yu listened to her father's words, swallowed, and nodded in agreement, but she was constantly complaining internally.
You aren't making things difficult for him, you're making it all difficult for me.
However, Father and Yi'er were getting along so harmoniously.
Yi'er sat beside Father, slightly lowering his head and nodding. Father looked at Yi'er, smiling so broadly his mouth couldn't close, nodding continuously.
Zheng Yu looked at the scene before her, her eyes warming, her heart feeling warm. Father hadn't been this happy in many years, and Yi'er could once again experience Father's warmth. They had finally become a family.
Zheng Yu accompanied Gu Yi as they left the main hall and strolled through the courtyards of the Zheng residence.
The spring breeze in May was most intoxicating. The spring breeze caressed their faces, and the sunlight was bright. Gu Yi's fair skin was more radiant than usual.
The wisteria flowers in the garden were in full bloom. Zheng Yu held Gu Yi's hand and walked into the Zheng residence's back garden. Strings of wisteria flowers displayed a bright purple in the garden.
Against the backdrop of the wisteria sea, Gu Yi's skin appeared even fairer.
"So beautiful," Gu Yi sniffed the fragrance of the wisteria flowers, closing his eyes slightly.
"It's very fragrant, I like it very much too," Zheng Yu tightened her grip on Gu Yi's hand and said softly, "Do you know what the meaning of wisteria flowers is?"
"What?" Gu Yi's attention was drawn by this sentence, and he turned to look at Zheng Yu, his eyes sparkling.
"Wisteria flowers symbolize love, intoxicating affection, and lingering longing," Zheng Yu paused. "Legend has it that wisteria transformed from a pair of lovers who couldn't be together and died by falling off a cliff. It bears witness to love."
Gu Yi's eyelashes drooped, and he pursed his lips, seemingly regretting it for the lovers.
"We are very fortunate to have received the blessings of all our elders and friends," after a long while, Gu Yi raised his hand and proactively looped his arm through Zheng Yu's. The corners of his eyes curved downwards, and he smiled.
In the sea of wisteria flowers, the breeze blew gently, and the years were peaceful.
——————
Spring quietly slipped away, and the scorching summer was always too difficult to bear, especially for two pregnant wives.
"Your belly must be at least eight months pregnant?"
Five men gathered at the Lu residence, eating shaved ice to escape the heat. Husband Li reached out to touch A Fu's bulging belly, his face full of smiles.