Once again Fang Yao found herself silenced by Xu Qingzhou’s sharp retort. She glared at him hard.
“What? Am I not even allowed to watch a little excitement? You speak with thorns in every word just keep chopping your firewood!”
With that she turned and went back inside. Yet Wang Cuilian’s shouting did not cease; it raged on for more than two hours before finally dying away.
That afternoon, Fang Yao helped Xu Qingzhou deliver firewood to Old Madam Xu. As they walked, she casually asked what all the commotion had been about.
Old Madam Xu lived alone and had few visitors to talk with. She took Fang Yao’s hand and poured out her heartache.
It seemed the whole village had been gossiping about the bride exchange. Neighbours had joked about it in front of their children, who then chanted rhymes mocking the marriage outside Wang Cuilian’s door at dawn.
Wang Cuilian, naturally, could not endure such humiliation. After berating the children, she stormed from house to house demanding answers and hurling insults. What had begun as harmless gossip turned into open conflict when she started airing everyone’s dirty laundry. Outnumbered five to one, she threw a public tantrum in the middle of the lane making herself the laughingstock of the entire village.
Old Madam Xu, who had guarded her family’s reputation for a lifetime, saw it all ruined in a single morning. Her lips blistered and swollen with fever, she wept as she showed Fang Yao the sores.
Fang Yao hurried to the kitchen, fetched sesame oil, carefully pricked the blisters with a sterilized needle, and dabbed the oil over them to soothe and heal.
She took the old woman’s hand gently in hers. “Grandmother, people’s words are their own let them say whatever they please. We need only live our own lives well. Time shall prove everything in the end.”
Old Madam Xu was deeply touched. She squeezed Fang Yao’s hand affectionately. “Let me speak plainly, as your grandmother. Qingzhou is worth ten of Xu Manjiang. Those folk outside jeer at the wrong couple not a single word have they spoken against you two. You and Qingzhou are both wise and good. Truly happy days lie ahead for you!”
There was more she chose not to say: Wang Cuilian’s rage stemmed largely from the fact that no one mocked Xu Qingzhou and Fang Yao only her own family. She burned with envy.
Fang Yao understood the unspoken thought clearly enough. She murmured a few comforting words in agreement. When Xu Qingzhou noticed how long she had been inside, he came to the door to fetch her.
“Time to go. Tomorrow I shall accompany you back to your family home. We’ll stop at the shops and buy gifts to take along.”
Fang Yao’s home lay in Beishan Village, several kilometres away. She had been so busy these past days that his reminder struck her she had not yet told her own family about the marriage exchange!
Old Madam Xu’s expression turned grave. “Do not hold back on spending,” she instructed Xu Qingzhou. “Buy plenty of fine gifts. And bring Wang Hua along too let her meet the bride’s family and pay her respects!”
Xu Qingzhou nodded and turned to Fang Yao. “Let’s be on our way.”
Fang Yao bade the old lady farewell. As they walked out, she noticed his unusually stiff stride and fought to suppress a smile.
“Nervous about meeting my family?”
Xu Qingzhou looked away with a frown, his lips pressed into a taut, downward line.
“Who is nervous? Even the finest groom must meet his in-laws eventually. It is hardly a momentous event!”
Fang Yao saw through him but chose not to tease him further. Back home she fetched money; Xu Qingzhou informed Wang Hua of their plan, then wheeled out his bicycle from the storage shed.
The bicycle had scarcely been ridden and never carried a passenger. Glancing at the bare metal rear rack, he went back inside, returned with a cushion, and tied it securely in place with rope.
Fang Yao wrapped her head tightly in a scarf against the biting wind, leaving only her large dark eyes visible. Her long eyelashes quickly gathered tiny beads of frost.
Glancing up, she noticed Xu Qingzhou wore nothing to protect himself. She hurried back inside, fetched a cotton cap and a pair of mittens from the wardrobe, and held them out to him.
“Put these on. Tie the cap securely if it blows away, I shall make you run back for it!”
Amusement danced in Xu Qingzhou’s eyes. He took the mittens and slipped them on, gazing down at her expressive eyes. She looked so young yet carried herself with such grave composure he could not resist teasing her.
“Mittens make tying knots awkward,” he said, leaning down. “You do it for me.”
Fang Yao reached up instinctively. She tied the chin strings snugly to cover his ears, finishing with a neat bow beneath his chin.
“There. All set.”
Xu Qingzhou’s mouth curved into a faint smile. He swung one leg over the frame, planted his left foot firmly on the ground to steady the bike, and waited until she was settled safely on the cushioned rack behind him. Then he pushed off and glided smoothly down the lane as light and carefree as his mood.
Wang Hua stood at the window pruning chrysanthemums and watched the scene unfold. The sight of them together was as warm and perfect as a painting.
Ever since news of his betrothal to Li Xuemiao, Xu Qingzhou had worn a perpetual scowl. Now, seeing him so full of life and joy if he had grown a tail, Wang Hua thought with a smile, it would surely have been wagging straight up toward the heavens!
Her son had found happiness at last. And Wang Hua felt more certain than ever: her son had gained a treasure in this daughter-in-law, all thanks to that fateful swap!
Wrapped head to toe against the cold, the couple sped toward town. Within minutes they reached the city centre and made straight for the department store.
On the way Xu Qingzhou had quietly asked about her family what her parents and brothers liked best. With a clear list in mind, he began buying: a crate of fine liquor, a crate of fruit soda one in each hand plus fruits, candies, cooking oil, and biscuits, which he handed to Fang Yao to carry.
“This is already more than enough,” Fang Yao said, hurrying to keep pace beside him. “If we buy any more, we shall never fit it all on the bike!”
Xu Qingzhou set the liquor and soda down and pulled a handful of cloth coupons from his pocket, pressing them into her hand.
“Choose some fine fabric for your mother a new dress. It is the least we can bring.”
He strode purposefully ahead until they reached the fabric shop. Coupons were scarce, so he chose only the finest quality bright, durable polyester, the very latest style. He laid down seven feet of coupons without a flicker of regret or hesitation.
Fang Yao looked at the towering pile of gifts and could already picture the scene awaiting them at home. Her mother alone would be overjoyed beyond measure.
Let them hear how the marriage came about once they met this generous, devoted son-in-law, they would surely cherish him as one of their own.
Xu Qingzhou appeared perfectly satisfied. The liquor and soda were secured to the bicycle rack; Fang Yao refused to sit on the uncomfortable crossbar, so the two walked side by side, wheeling the bike the rest of the way home.
Just before reaching the village entrance, they passed several neighbours gathered in conversation. These were the very same people who had clashed with Wang Cuilian that morning still simmering with anger. They called the couple over and poured out their grievances.
“Qingzhou, your Second Aunt has a heart no bigger than the eye of a needle! Carrying on like a child half her age bursting into our homes and daring us to strike her! Frightening the children until they screamed! Tell us has the woman lost her senses entirely?”
“And we heard on returning home, she was shouting in the courtyard, blaming the new bride for sending Manjiang out half-naked in the cold to gather firewood! As if a husband doing aught for his bride were some great shame! She finds fault with everything! It is barely the second day of the marriage, and already she looks at them with eyes full of poison. Mark our words peace shall never dwell under that roof!”
“Indeed! And Fang Yao you are truly blessed in marrying Qingzhou! Not only is he an officer in the regular army think of having a mother-in-law like Wang Hua! Kind, capable, and sensible! Worth a thousand times more than that shrew Wang Cuilian!”