https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-106-The-Night-of-the-New-Marriage/12849221/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-108-The-Mother-In-Law-s-Astonishment/12849223/
Chapter 107: Bliss
Chapter 107: Bliss
After the wedding night revelry had died down, Deng Yuntao and Zhang Xiuping found themselves looking at each other simultaneously.
The room was dimly lit, and though they couldn’t see each other’s expressions clearly, the atmosphere grew increasingly intimate.
Deng Yuntao slowly moved closer, until he could finally see her face clearly. He swallowed hard and said, "Xiuping, it’s late. Let’s get some rest!"
Zhang Xiuping’s face flushed as red as if she had been painted with rouge. Her body trembled slightly, and she couldn’t bring herself to meet his passionate gaze. Instead, she focused on the small flame of the kerosene lamp, which flickered occasionally. She responded with a soft, almost inaudible "Mm-hmm."
If Deng Yuntao hadn’t been so close, he might not have heard her at all.
With her response, Deng Yuntao couldn’t hold back any longer. He scooped her up in a bridal carry, and despite her small gasp of surprise, he quickly carried her to the beautifully carved bed with the auspicious "double happiness" character.
The night that followed was something only the newlyweds would know, and it was not for outsiders to discuss.
...
The next morning.
Despite being kept up late and feeling a bit uncomfortable in her new role as a wife, Zhang Xiuping, as a new bride, naturally couldn’t afford to sleep in. So, as soon as dawn broke, she struggled to get out of bed.
In the modern world, beds are open on three sides except for the headboard, making it easy to get out of bed. However, in this era, beds were only open on one side, with the other three sides enclosed by frames.
Additionally, according to the customs of the time, the man slept on the outer side, while the woman slept on the inner side.
So, for Zhang Xiuping to get out of bed, she had to climb over Deng Yuntao, which inadvertently woke him up.
Being a vigorous young man of twenty, his energy was boundless. Even after the exertions of the previous night, a good night’s sleep had fully restored his vigor. Seeing his beautiful wife climbing over him in the early morning light, he couldn’t resist and immediately reached out to embrace her.
Zhang Xiuping let out a small "Ah!" and quickly covered her mouth, her face turning bright red as she said, "Brother Tai, stop it. Get up, it’s already morning!"
Deng Yuntao, having satisfied his urge, let her go and said, "It’s still early. Why not sleep a bit more?"
Zhang Xiuping replied, "It’s not early anymore. I need to get up quickly, or people will talk!"
Deng Yuntao stretched lazily and said, "Alright, I’ll get up too!"
...
A few minutes later.
The newlyweds stepped out of their room together.
Deng Yunzhu had been up early, keeping a close eye on her older brother and sister-in-law’s door. Seeing them emerge, she quickly brought over a basin of water for washing, smiling and saying, "Sister-in-law, wash your face!"
Zhang Xiuping thanked her and began to wash up, then dropped two coins into the basin when she was done.
This was a tradition. For the first three days after the bride’s arrival, the younger sister-in-law (or another female relative if there was no younger sister-in-law) would bring water for the bride to wash her face in the morning and take a bath at night. After washing, the bride would drop two coins into the basin or bucket.
These coins belonged to the person who brought the water.
The amount of the coins was discretionary, usually two two-cent or two five-cent coins. More frugal brides might drop two one-cent coins, while more generous ones might drop two ten-cent or even fifty-cent coins.
Zhang Xiuping tossed two fifty-cent coins, as shown in the picture.
Deng Yunzhu gleefully held the two coins, feeling quite fond of this generous sister-in-law.
"Father, good morning!" After finishing her morning routine, Zhang Xiuping greeted her father-in-law, who was smoking.
Deng Shirong grunted in acknowledgment, placing his pipe aside and smiling, "Aizhen is already warming up the food. We can eat soon."
Zhang Xiuping quickly responded, "Then I'll go help her."
Deng Shirong didn’t object. Having lived through many years, he understood the desire of a new bride to show her worth.
Once Zhang Xiuping entered the kitchen to help, Deng Shirong turned to his eldest son, "Yunta, you don’t need to go to the pottery factory for a few days. Stay home and spend time with your wife. You can use the bicycle. After we eat, take her to Hu Tou Reservoir to enjoy the scenery."
Deng Yunta's face lit up with joy. "Sure, thank you, Father!"
...
Hu Tou Reservoir is the only large reservoir in Bobai County, located at the boundary of Naxin Brigade and Bangjie Brigade. It takes about half an hour to ride there from Naye Village.
So, around nine in the morning, Deng Yunta brought his wife to Hu Tou Reservoir.
At this time, Hu Tou Reservoir didn’t offer much in terms of scenery. The area around the reservoir was barren, with no greenery, primarily due to the large-scale deforestation during the "Great Steel Campaign" in the 1950s and before the land was contracted.
In November 2007, Hu Tou Reservoir was classified as a Class III dam by the Dam Safety Management Center of the Ministry of Water Resources.
To eliminate potential hazards and ensure the safe operation of the reservoir, as well as to benefit the people, the reinforcement project for Hu Tou Reservoir was initiated in 2009 as part of the national program to expand domestic demand, with a total investment of 114.4 million yuan.
It was from then on that Hu Tou Reservoir began to transform into a beautiful tourist attraction.
However, even though the reservoir was barren and lacked any greenery, Zhang Xiuping was still in high spirits.
The couple sat on the grass, leaning against each other, sharing intimate whispers and occasional caresses.
Looking at the calm, ripple-free water, Zhang Xiuping truly felt the depth of her happiness.
...
Over the next two days, Deng Shirong arranged for a thorny plant to be planted at the foot of his lychee mountain. This plant, covered in thorns, is incredibly resilient and grows rapidly without much care.
The two days also allowed them to finish the leftover food from the wedding.
In Shuangwang, on the third, fifth, or seventh day after the wedding, the bride’s family would come to visit her. This visit is called "la chao," typically on the third day, but it can vary depending on the date. If the third day is inauspicious, it might be the fifth or seventh day.
When the bride’s family comes for "la chao," the bride usually goes back with them to visit her parents, known as "returning to the door."
Additionally, in Shuangwang, there is a peculiar custom: whatever dishes were served at the wedding banquet must be served again when the bride’s family comes for "la chao," without missing a single dish.
(End of Chapter)
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