Fang Yao was chatting with the women neighbors in Old Madam Fang’s room when she heard the increasingly shrill squeals of the pig in the yard. Sensing something was wrong, she hurried out to check.
She saw the fat pig that had been brought back lying in a pool of blood. Unable to get a quick end, it struggled desperately, broke free from the people holding it, and bolted wildly toward the outside, the knife still stuck in its neck!
“Oh no, it’s getting away! Why didn’t you all hold it down?”
“Quick, don’t let it run too far! Go after it!”
Fang Zhen led a few strong young men in pursuit. They managed to pin the pig down, but unfortunately, lacking proper knife skills, they couldn’t penetrate its thick flesh, only causing the pig to let out agonized screams.
What should have been a routine slaughter turned into a bloody, torturous ordeal. The onlookers couldn’t bear to watch, exchanging uneasy glances, with no one willing to step forward and finish the job.
The standoff lasted for a while until, unnoticed by the crowd, a tall, striking figure in green appeared. A slender hand gripped the knife handle, and with one swift motion, the pig was completely still.
Silence fell over the scene.
Fang Jianguo snapped out of it and immediately ordered someone to fetch a basin for the pig’s blood.
The tall, lean figure in green didn’t leave but blended into the busy crowd, becoming the backbone of the operation.
“Who does that young man in the military uniform belong to? I’ve never seen him before,” a woman behind Fang Yao asked.
Sun Yanqin chuckled and replied, “Who else could it be? Our new son-in-law! He’s a company commander in the army, and he’s quite capable!”
Her words naturally drew praise from the neighbors, who couldn’t stop singing Xu Qingzhou’s praises, partly to show respect to the Fang family.
However, amid the chorus of compliments, Fang Yao caught a discordant remark.
An older relative whispered to another, “For the groom to spill blood on his wedding day—that’s bad luck!”
Fang Yao’s eyes remained fixed on the slaughter area, watching Xu Qingzhou’s busy figure from behind. A heavy sense of unease welled up inside her.
Those words echoed in her mind like a curse, reminding her that the proud, spirited man before her would soon suffer severe injuries and become disabled!
Heaven had given her a chance to make a different choice. She couldn’t let him repeat the same tragedy!
Fang Yao didn’t join the elders’ conversation anymore. She stood at the edge of the crowd and waited until the pig was fully butchered before walking over to Xu Qingzhou.
“Weren’t you sleeping inside? Why did you come out?” Fang Yao asked, her eyes unable to hide her concern as she noticed the bloodstains on the hem of his clothes.
Xu Qingzhou had slept for about two hours indoors, and the effects of the alcohol had mostly worn off. He wiped the sweat from his forehead with the back of his hand. “Everything was in chaos out here. I was afraid they wouldn’t be able to handle it if I didn’t come out.”
“Do you know it’s bad luck for the groom to spill blood?” Fang Yao couldn’t help but scold him, her face tense with worry.
Xu Qingzhou knew she was concerned about him. The corners of his lips lifted, radiating genuine happiness. “What’s there to fear? As a soldier of the nation, I don’t believe in such superstitions. Besides, tomorrow is our wedding banquet. How could I stand by and watch things go wrong?”
As he spoke, Xu Qingzhou caught a whiff of the bloody scent on his clothes. Worried it might bother her, he walked to the yard to wash his hands and took off his jacket, draping it over his arm.
Fang Yao followed him step by step, trailing behind him like a shadow.
Xu Qingzhou couldn’t help but laugh at her persistence. He sat on a stone stool in the yard and leaned close to her ear, whispering, “Still following me? Your relatives are saying you’re clingy.”
"Annoying, you and your sharp ears!" Fang Yao pinched his arm in frustration, the tips of her ears tinged with a faint red.
But no matter what others thought, she was determined to keep an eye on him to prevent him from causing trouble again.
As the sun set, the fiery glow of the stove lit up the courtyard. Relatives who had come to help began preparing dishes, the aroma of oil and seasonings wafting far and wide, attracting stray cats and dogs from the village.
Under Fang Yao's watchful eye, Xu Qingzhou was not allowed to help with the work. With nothing to do, he went inside to make his presence known in front of the elders.
By the time the work was nearly finished, it was already past ten at night. Since Fang Yao had married Xu Qingzhou through an arranged exchange, Liu Bailan still held onto a layer of conservatism. Coincidentally, Fang Jianguo was on night watch, so she kept her daughter in her own room.
Bathed in the glow of the courtyard's ever-burning coal lamp, the lively atmosphere from the gathering lingered, occasionally punctuated by the distant barking of dogs.
Lying in bed, Fang Yao listened to Liu Bailan's steady breathing but tossed and turned, unable to fall asleep.
She endured this until the early hours of the morning, just before dawn, when she got up, put on her clothes, and brought a quilt to Fang Jianguo.
"Dad, wrap yourself up a bit, don't catch a cold again."
Faced with his little darling's concern, Fang Jianguo's weathered face broke into a gratified smile.
"Haha, I'm fine, Dad. You should go back to your room and find something decent to wear. After that, wash up and dress up nicely. Today is my daughter's big day—we can't let anyone say we're not worthy of our son-in-law."
Fang Yao could tell that her father was very satisfied with Xu Qingzhou, which was why he even thought of such details.
Nodding in agreement, she returned to her room.
Hearing the door open, Xu Qingzhou immediately got up and lit the oil lamp, a sly smile curling at the corners of his lips. "Up so early? Couldn't sleep from excitement, just like me?"
Caught off guard, Fang Yao denied it unconvincingly, "I wasn't! Don't flatter yourself!" She walked to the wardrobe.
On her wedding day, most of her new clothes had been packed and taken to the Xu Family. Only one set remained in the wardrobe. Though a bit tight, it still fit—just snugly, with no extra room to spare.
With her back to Xu Qingzhou, Fang Yao quickly buttoned up her clothes. When she turned around, she indeed met his cunning eyes, openly staring at her.
"What are you looking at? As if you've never seen a woman before!" She shot him a glare and poured hot water into the basin to wash her face.
Xu Qingzhou leaned casually against the corner of the bed, propping his head up with his right hand, a deep smile playing on his lips. "I've never seen my wife look this beautiful."
"Smooth talker!" Fang Yao couldn't be bothered with him. After washing her face, she stood in front of the mirror, using the small stub of an eyebrow pencil to shape her brows. Without lipstick, she casually tore off a piece of red paper and rubbed it against her lips.
Finally, she let down her hair and combed it into a neat, thick braid, tying it with a red ribbon at the nape of her neck. From head to toe, she looked spirited and tidy.
"You should get up too. I'll heat some more water for you to wash your face."
Carrying the thermos, Fang Yao went outside. Villagers who had come early to help gradually filled the courtyard, and the rest of the family had also risen, handing out cigarettes and candies while assisting the chef.
As soon as Fang Yao appeared in the courtyard, she immediately drew everyone's attention.
Aside from praising her for looking beautiful, many also inquired about Xu Qingzhou, especially the few young people who had just arrived today and hadn't met him yesterday. One by one, they began to tease him.
"The bride is already up, how come the groom hasn't shown his face yet? Could it be he got too tired last night?"
"Oh, come on! We're all experienced here—no matter how tired, he shouldn't be unable to get out of bed. Hurry and call him out, let us close relatives have a good look!"
Fang Yao's cheeks flushed crimson at their words, but she had to hold back today. Otherwise, with her temper, they'd surely get a taste of her "beating stick."
Fortunately, Xu Qingzhou inside the room heard the commotion and came out just in time, handing out cigarettes and lighting them, drawing all the attention to himself.
After greeting everyone one by one, Xu Qingzhou didn't forget to save face for her.
"Thank you all for coming early to help. My wife is a bit shy, so feel free to joke about me all you want, but please don't bring her into it—just give this groom a little face! I'm counting on you, everyone."