The Xu family's courtyard was decorated in a festive atmosphere, with red everywhere. Eighteen tables were set up inside and outside the courtyard, and they were full of people.
Mr. and Mrs. Xu have lived here for twenty years, always running their business honestly and kindly. They often do good deeds and help others for their son. Over the years, they have built up a wide network of good relationships and connections.
In addition, the cloth shop had been offering a buy-three-foot-get-half-foot-free deal for the past month, which benefited many familiar customers. They were happy and willing to come and congratulate the Xu family. Naturally, the number of guests increased.
Xu Zifan dismounted at the door of his house, and the moment he appeared, all the young men paled in comparison. The bride, who also stepped out of the sedan chair, was slender and stunning in her wedding dress. Standing next to Xu Zifan, they looked like a perfect couple.
Xu Zifan and Lin Ruonan each held one end of a red ribbon and stepped over the brazier together, symbolizing peace, harmony, and prosperity. Then they walked step by step into the courtyard and approached Xu's father and mother, who were seated on high seats.
"First bow to Heaven and Earth—"
"Second bow to the parents—"
Mr. and Mrs. Xu's eyes were moist, their faces beaming with loving smiles as they held each other's hands, watching the newlyweds with overwhelming emotion. How much hardship they had endured raising their son, how much heart and soul they had poured into it! Now, their suffering had finally come to an end, seeing their son marry the woman of his destiny. This was not just a wedding banquet; it was a turning point carrying their boundless hopes!
"Husband and wife bow to each other—"
Lin Ruonan nervously turned to face Xu Zifan, bowed, and exchanged a deep bow with him. Then she heard someone announce, "The ceremony is complete—send them to the bridal chamber—"
Her hands were tightly clasped together, her mind a jumble of thoughts. Was this a real marriage or a fake one? Xu Zifan hadn't told her yet whether they were going to be a real couple or a fake one. Would all this nervousness and shyness turn out to be pointless in the end?
With mixed feelings, Lin Ruonan was helped into the bridal chamber by the matchmaker and sat upright on the edge of the bed. A group of young men and women crowded at the door, urging the groom to lift the veil quickly.
Xu Zifan walked into the new house with a smile, and stood in front of Lin Ruonan with the wedding scale in his hand.
A boy from next door shouted, "Brother Fan, hurry up, let everyone see if the bride is pretty!"
Xu Zifan chuckled and said, "Don't make a fuss, you'll scare your sister-in-law."
"Oh, oh, oh, Brother Fan is so doting on his wife!"
As Xu Zifan lifted the veil, he laughed and said, "Of course I have to cherish my wife after I marry her. Life is only a few decades long, so I have to take good care of her."
Lin Ruonan blushed upon hearing this, her heart pounding. She held her breath, waiting for the veil to be lifted. As soon as she looked up, she met Xu Zifan's gentle gaze, and her cheeks instantly burned!
The matchmaker quickly picked up a dumpling for her and asked loudly, "Will you have the baby or not?"
"…raw." Lin Ruonan's face turned even redder as she ate the half-cooked dumpling.
Xu Zifan laughed and said, "Alright, the banquet has started outside. Everyone, hurry up and find your seats. My mother has hired the best chef in town to cook for our wedding banquet today. If you're late, there won't be any left to eat."
"Let's go, let's go. Brother Fan wants to have a private talk with his wife."
"Brother Fan is kicking people out, hahaha."
The group laughed and joked, clearly eager for the delicious food, and rushed out in a swarm.
Only Xu Zifan and Lin Ruonan remained in the new house. Lin Ruonan stood up to help him, "How are you? Are you exhausted? Do you want to sit down and rest?"
Xu Zifan took her hand and helped her sit down. "I'm not tired. I've been feeling much better lately. The master said you're my lucky star."
Lin Ruonan quickly said, "I'm not some lucky star..."
"Shh—" Xu Zifan held up a finger, "It doesn't matter whether it's true or not, as long as Mom and Dad are happy. As long as our family is doing well in the future, you will be Mom and Dad's lucky star."
The word "us" warmed Lin Ruonan's heart. She had wanted a warm home for a long, long time. Was she finally going to have one now?
Xu Zifan opened the cabinet next to him and took out a small bowl of rice and a bowl of vegetables, placing them on the table. "This was put here by Mom not long ago, it's still warm. Eat it while it's hot, don't go hungry. I'm going out to greet the guests."
Lin Ruonan was still worried about his health. "Can you drink alcohol? Why don't you eat this meal to avoid a stomachache?"
Xu Zifan smiled at her, "Don't worry, my parents have already spoken to everyone. They all know I'm not feeling well and can't drink alcohol, so I'll offer you tea instead. I've asked a few of my close friends to help me drink with you. You can sit here and relax, I'm going out now."
"Okay, sure." Lin Ruonan watched him leave, and only after her worry subsided did she regain the shyness of a new bride.
The new room was the one Xu Zifan used to live in. She had been there once before, but this time the feeling was completely different. The thought that this would also be her room in the future gave her an indescribable feeling—a little nervous, a little shy, and a little apprehensive about the future—but in the end, it all turned into a firm belief.
She's already taken the first step; she's already left that home. Everything she has now is something she earned through her own efforts, and she will definitely walk the path ahead well and live a good life in the future!
Xu Zifan indeed didn't drink. He learned of Lin Ruoshan's suspicions from Shao Hua, and decided to take this opportunity to dispel them. He wouldn't give her a chance to pat herself on the back, otherwise she would easily become self-important and develop an overwhelming sense of superiority.
Lin Ruoshan didn't come; instead, she sent a close friend. The young girl noticed that Xu Zifan was using tea instead of wine, only taking a small sip of tea each time he offered a toast, then drinking it from beside him.
While drinking with his neighbor's brother, he couldn't help but wonder what kind of wine Lin Ruoshan had asked him to watch Xu Zifan drink.
She had her brother ask, "Isn't Brother Xu going to drink a single drop of wine on his big day?"
Xu Zifan glanced at them and said with a smile, "I was weak when I was young, and the doctor told me that I must not touch a drop of alcohol, so I haven't touched a drop of alcohol until now. But health is important, and I still want to be a good son to my parents and take good care of my wife and children, so it's better not to touch alcohol."
The young girl got her answer and stopped worrying about it, enjoying a delicious meal. When she got home, she told Lin Ruoshan that Xu Zifan never touched alcohol, and even his parents rarely drank; they only had two drinks at the wedding banquet. Furthermore, the Xu family didn't use Lin's wine for the banquet; they used the best wine from a long-established shop in town.
Before Lin Ruoshan started brewing wine, that family's best wine was definitely number one in town, only recently surpassed by Lin Ruoshan's. But in the eyes of the general public, Lin's wine was still new and couldn't compare to the decades-old reputation of the other family's wine. Using this wine at the wedding banquet would naturally bring honor to the Xu family.
Lin Ruoshan's plan to deliberately refuse to sell wine to the Xu family in order to lower the wedding banquet's standards failed once again. What upset her most was that Xu Zifan's improved health wasn't due to her wine. So what was it? Could it really be because he and Lin Ruonan were mutually benefiting from each other's good fortune?
She's Xu Zifan's fiancée! What's with Lin Ruonan and Xu Zifan's destined marriage? Is she superfluous?!
Lin Ruoshan wanted to see Lin Ruonan and the Xu family unhappy; she wanted to see how smug they were during the arranged marriage, and how frustrated and angry they were now.
She won't let them get away with this. They owed her something in their past lives, and she's determined to get it back!
Lin Ruoshan hid in her room, sulking. Lin Fu and Wang Shi also felt ashamed. Even Lin Yaozu didn't go out to play, afraid that people would ask him why his second brother-in-law had become his eldest brother-in-law.
In stark contrast to the gloomy atmosphere in the Lin family, the Xu family was filled with harmony and joy.
After the guests finished their meal and left, several women helped Xu's mother wash the dishes, sweep the floor, and return the tables and chairs. Finally, Xu's mother and father tidied up the remaining dishes.
Seeing that the guests had left, Lin Ruonan changed into casual clothes and came out to help. Xu's mother quickly said, "It's your wedding day, you don't need to do anything. Ruonan, you and Zifan go back to your room, I'll take care of these things."
Lin Ruonan laughed and said, "Mom, there's no need for so much formality. You've had a long day, so let me help you. It's not right for you to do all the work while I sit here."
Lin Ruonan was efficient and quick. She took the rag from Xu's mother and wiped the table and stove. She also neatly arranged the scattered spice jars. She asked if there was anything else she could do and genuinely helped with the work.
Xu's mother was delighted and insisted on taking her back to her room. "Alright, alright, there's nothing else to do. You talk to Zifan and get some rest. You don't need to get up early tomorrow. I'll cook for you and let you taste my cooking."
After changing his clothes, Xu Zifan heard them talking and stepped forward, saying, "Mother, you and Father should rest early too. The shop won't be open tomorrow, so don't get up early. We'll have breakfast later."
"Okay, sure." Since her son was so sensible, Xu's mother never refused his requests and happily ushered the two of them into the new house.
As soon as the door closed, Lin Ruonan tensed up again. Xu Zifan smiled and led her to the bed, pointing to it and saying, "You sleep inside, I'll sleep outside. I remember everything you said to me that day. We've only just met, and we're not familiar with each other yet. Today is just a good start; we don't know what the future holds. I really like your personality, but you've finally left that home, and you must be feeling uneasy coming to such an unfamiliar place. It's better to be cautious. Let's pretend to be a couple for now. Once you're familiar with this place and with me, you can still express any other thoughts you may have."
Lin Ruonan exclaimed in surprise, "You made this decision for me? I... I'm taking advantage of you, aren't I? I..."
Xu Zifan shook his head. "What advantage am I taking? You're already married to me. I think... I'm so good to you. Once you get to know me, you'll have no reason to leave. Then you'll be my rightful wife. I also want to take some time to recover my health so I don't pass on my weakness to our children. What do you think?"
Lin Ruonan understood the meaning behind his words, and her face slowly turned red.
Xu Zifan went to get the blankets from the closet, but Lin Ruonan wouldn't let him touch them. She spread out two blankets herself and climbed into the inner one to lie down. After Xu Zifan lay down on the outer one, she was still a little dazed, with a very unreal feeling.
Xu Zifan gently held her hand, closed his eyes and said, "Sleep. We'll be fine from now on, and our whole family will be fine too. Don't worry about anything."
"Mmm." Lin Ruonan closed her eyes and responded softly. She felt that Xu Zifan's voice had a magical power, and she really felt at ease. She thought she would have insomnia, but she fell asleep in no time. Xu Zifan was still holding her hand, warm and comforting, and the warmth went straight to her heart.
Xu Zifan glanced at her sideways, then waved to draw the bed curtains. His little wife was only sixteen; he should wait at least two more years, and treat the time they had for that as a period of dating.
Today is indeed a good start, and the future has already been planned in his mind. His family will only get better and better, without any surprises.