Chapter 61

Chapter 61

Jiang Caixia was the daughter of Cao Kun’s maternal uncle. Years ago, his mother had hoped to arrange a marriage between them, but at the time, the Cao family was poor, and her uncle was unwilling to marry his daughter into such hardship. The matter was quietly dropped.

Later, when Cao Kun became second-in-command of the Porter Guild, bought a new house, and opened a shop, Jiang’s uncle reconsidered and expressed interest in having his daughter marry Cao Kun.

Naturally, Cao Kun refused. His mother had even remarked that the uncle only cared about wealth—such a family wasn’t suitable for marriage. So why bring it up again now?

“Mother, why are you speaking ill of Lin Qiu? Has someone been gossiping to you?”

Jiang Shi replied, “Did I need to be told? Why didn’t you mention during the engagement that his father is Scholar Lin?”

“You… you know about it?”

This issue began a few days earlier.

Jiang Shi was overjoyed that her son was getting married and had been shopping daily on the streets lately.

She made sure not to forget guest snacks like sunflower seeds and candy, and even bought several boxes of tea, all to properly entertain the in-laws when they arrived.

One day, as she stepped out as usual, a disheveled man suddenly grabbed her.

Startled, Jiang Shi quickly pulled away and demanded, “Who are you?!”

Lin Zhangbin gave an apologetic smile and said, “Madam, you may not recognize me. I am Lin Qiu’s father. We’ll soon be family!”

Jiang Shi froze. During the engagement, she had accompanied her son and only heard that Lin Qiu had a mother and younger brother. There was no mention of a father.

“Are you sure you’ve got the right person?”

Scholar Lin waved his hand. “No mistake. Your son, Cao Kun, is the second-in-command of the Porter Guild.”

“That’s right! Then you are…?”

Lin Zhangbin sighed. “It’s a long story. If you don’t mind, Madam, let’s sit down at a teahouse.”

The two went to a teahouse, where Lin Zhangbin began fabricating a tale, omitting his own misdeeds and shifting all blame onto Chen Rong.

“Our family lives in West Lane. You might not know it, but we once had quite a reputation. After all, I hold the xiucai degree. Later, I married Lin Qiu’s mother, but she was terrible at managing household affairs, and our situation worsened over time.”

“Last year, I arranged a marriage for Qiu’er, but his mother looked down on the groom being a widower taking a second wife and refused to agree. Over this, she insisted on divorcing me.

Do you think a father would harm his own child? Yet Lin Qiu took after his mother and refused to acknowledge me. Now he’s getting married, and I didn’t hear about it until someone else told me—he’s marrying your son, Cao Kun.

Kun’er seems to have some misunderstandings about me too. He doesn’t accept me as his father, which is why I’ve come to you, Madam.”

Jiang Shi held her teacup, her mind spinning. Longquan County wasn’t large, and news traveled fast.

She had heard some shameful rumors about Lin Zhangbin before, but they were just gossip. She never imagined it would become her problem—her future son-in-law was actually his child. The thought made her deeply uneasy.

“May I ask why you’ve come to me?”

“Ah, I’m growing older and can’t earn much anymore. Qiu’er is living comfortably with his mother—she took all the family’s money when she left. Now I’m alone, supporting a young son, and life has become very hard. So I thought…”

Before he could finish, Jiang Shi abruptly stood up. “I have matters to attend to at home. I must leave.” With that, she paid for the tea and walked out.

Lin Zhangbin called after her for a while but failed to stop her. Furious, he spat in disgust. He had hoped to get some money from the old woman, but she turned out to be a stingy miser!

After returning home, Mother Cao became increasingly anxious.

At first, her son had only mentioned that Lin Qiu’s parents had separated and that he had returned to town with his mother. He never said his father was Scholar Lin.

Had she known earlier that Lin Qiu’s father was this man, she would never have agreed to the marriage. But now, the betrothal gifts had been exchanged, and the wedding was imminent. It was too late to back out. Her dissatisfaction grew, which is why she had been cold toward the in-laws earlier that day.

After hearing the full story, Cao Kun pulled over a stool and sat down. “Mother, you can’t judge A-Qiu and his mother based solely on Lin Zhangbin’s faults.”

“I know… but I’m afraid a child raised in such a household might take after his father…”

“Lin Qiu is nothing like his father! Do you remember the first time I mentioned him to you?”

Jiang Shi nodded. Her son had said he saw a young man at the clinic who stayed silent while getting stitches on his neck, which he found admirable.

“That injury was caused by his father. Lin Zhangbin tried to force him to marry Fang Erlang as a second husband, but he’d rather die than comply and stabbed himself in the neck with scissors.”

“Heavens…”

“Such a strong-willed young man is nothing like that coward Lin Zhangbin.”

Jiang Shi fell silent. In truth, she was simply worried. Her son was grown but still unmarried. Men his age already had children running around.

Now that he was finally getting married, she feared he might not have chosen well. With no one to confide in, she had spiraled into anxiety.

“This is my fault. Should I go apologize to the in-laws?”

Cao Kun took her hand. “My mother-in-law didn’t say anything, but you must treat them well at the wedding the day after tomorrow. I was the one who pursued Qiu’er. If he decides not to marry me, I’ll remain single for life.”

Jiang Shi swatted his arm. “Trying to scare me, are you?”

“Heh heh, I wouldn’t dare.”

“You rascal, abandoning your mother now that you have a husband.”

“That’s not true. I could forget anyone else, but never my mother!”

Jiang Shi reached out to adjust his collar. “Once you’re married, your focus should be on your own family, with your husband as your priority. I’ll be fine. As long as you two live happily, nothing could make me more joyful.”

“I understand, Mother.”

“After the wedding, I’ll continue living in the old house. It’s not that I have any issue with Lin Qiu—it’s just that I’m used to the place. I know all the neighbors, and it’s nice to have people to talk to when I go out.”

“Alright, then I’ll hire a servant to take care of you. And you’re not allowed to refuse this time.”

Jiang Shi tapped his forehead. “You’ve barely earned any money, and you’re already showing off. Fine, do as you wish. I won’t interfere.”

With the misunderstanding cleared, Cao Kun felt relieved. But Lin Zhangbin’s actions were truly despicable—slandering Lin Qiu to his mother. It seemed his previous warning hadn’t been enough.

In the afternoon, he went to the Porter Guild and sent two reliable men to keep watch on the Lin family, ensuring Lin Zhangbin wouldn’t cause trouble during the wedding. He would deal with him after the ceremony!

In the evening, everyone gathered at the restaurant. The county’s restaurant was far nicer than the town’s, with two floors.

The first floor was a main hall with four or five tables, while the second floor had private dining rooms, similar to modern restaurants.

Cao Kun arranged for his Porter Guild brothers to sit on the first floor. These young men liked to drink heavily, and when drunk, they might say anything—he didn’t want them offending his in-laws.

Lin Qiu and his family were seated in a private room on the second floor. During the meal, Jiang Shi also came up to join them. Her attitude was much warmer than in the morning, and she took the initiative to speak with Chen Rong.

Seeing the two getting along well, Wang Ying no longer worried. He hoped his cousin’s wedding would proceed smoothly.

*

Before they knew it, the wedding day arrived. The sky was still dark, but the Cao family’s old house was already brightly lit.

Lin Qiu barely slept all night, feeling more nervous and reluctant than excited. After the wedding, he would become the husband of the Cao family, and people would no longer refer to him as the Lin family's little brother.

Chen Rong comforted her son, saying, "Everyone goes through this day. Once Sui’er also starts a family, I’ll be at ease."

"I don’t want to leave you, Mother. Why don’t you stay and live with us after the wedding?"

"That won’t do. Even if your mother-in-law doesn’t mind, the neighbors will talk. Over time, even the best temper would become strained, and it would only make things difficult for you both."

Lin Qiu buried his face in her embrace and said in a muffled voice, "Then I won’t marry. I can’t bear to part with you, Mother…"

"Silly child, how can you say that? The wedding is all prepared—how can you not go through with it? Cao Kun is a good man, and his feelings for you are rare. Don't disappoint him."

Chen Rong said, "Wash your face and change into your wedding clothes first. Later, let your second sister-in-law help you with the bridal threading."

After changing into the wedding attire, Wang Ying arrived with several children, and the room instantly became lively.

Lin Sui and Qing Yun circled around Lin Qiu, exclaiming, "So handsome! These clothes make our big brother look truly dashing."

Qing Song whispered, "Handsome as he is, he’ll belong to someone else soon. In a little while, our big brother will be taken away."

This remark hit a nerve, and before the smile had even faded from Lin Sui’s face, he burst out crying. The two brothers had grown up together and had never been apart. The thought that they wouldn’t see each other often after Lin Qiu married made him cry uncontrollably.

Lin Qiu also couldn’t bear to part with his younger brother, and the two hugged each other and wept, bringing tears to everyone’s eyes.

Wang Ying tapped Qing Song on the head and said, "Stop talking nonsense."

Chen Qingsong stuck out his tongue and made a gesture of sealing his lips.

The second sister-in-law, who was standing nearby, pulled them apart and said, "No more crying now. It’s getting late, and we need to hurry with the preparations. The groom's procession will arrive soon—we mustn't miss the auspicious hour."

After much coaxing, everyone finally managed to calm the two brothers down. The second sister-in-law began the facial threading ceremony, which involved using a thin cotton thread to remove fine facial hair and tidy the eyebrows.

This task could only be performed by someone considered blessed with good fortune. The second sister-in-law, who had both sons and daughters and whose parents were still alive, was seen as a person of complete good fortune, and many families in town sought her help.

After the threading, rouge was applied, and a touch of red cinnabar powder was dabbed on the beauty mark on his cheek, instantly brightening his appearance.

Finally, his hair was styled. The male bride’s hair accessories were simple—just a silver hairpin inserted at the crown of his head. Once everything was ready, festive noises came from outside.

The crackling of firecrackers erupted—Cao Kun had arrived on a decked horse, adorned with red silk!

Chen Qingyan led a group of children to block the doorway. Since there were few people from the bride’s side, Jiang Shi had specifically invited some friendly old neighbors to help block the door and ask for lucky money together.

Cao Kun hadn’t received much education, so the door-blocking didn’t involve reciting poetry or couplets. Instead, several bamboo rods were set up for him to jump over one by one.

The first pole was only a meter high, but the later ones were nearly as tall as a person. Cracking his knuckles, Cao Kun effortlessly leaped over each one, earning cheers from the crowd.

Cao Kun smiled, cupped his hands respectfully, and scattered the pre-prepared lucky money. People cheered as they picked it up, and the atmosphere grew even more festive.

At the main entrance, Wang Ying led Qing Yun and Lin Sui in blocking the door, demanding that Cao Kun move three millstones placed there before he could enter.

The millstones had been arranged earlier, with the lightest weighing over one dan (approximately 60kg) and the heaviest nearly three dan. Cao Kun rolled up his sleeves, mustered his strength, and moved them one by one.

Wang Ying gave a thumbs-up and said, "Brother-in-law, impressive skill!"

Cao Kun grinned widely and rushed into the room. After receiving instructions from his mother-in-law and Li Shi, he finally saw his husband.

Seeing the person sitting on the bed under a red veil, he swept him up into his arms.

Lin Qiu gasped, "Brother Cao?"

"Don’t call me Brother Cao anymore—it’s time to call me husband."

Lin Qiu’s heart raced with excitement. He wrapped his arms around Cao Kun’s shoulders, rested his head against his chest, and was carried all the way to the wedding sedan.