Chapter 8.1

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Fan Changyu was likely the first bride ever to spend her wedding day waking up early to slaughter pigs and prepare braised dishes.

Using the leftover parts from the pig she’d previously sold—the offal and head meat—she made another batch of braised delicacies. With the meat from two pigs combined, she’d finally cut enough to fill two large bowls. The aunts who came to help couldn’t stop commenting on how fragrant everything smelled.

It wasn’t until nearly noon that Aunt Zhao finally pushed her back to her room to change into her wedding dress and start getting ready.

Fan Changyu had to ask Aunt Zhao to explain the customs for a “live-in son-in-law” marriage. It turns out there were two types: one where the groom is carried in a flowered sedan chair to the bride’s house—commonly known as “lifting the groom’s head”—and another where the groom stays at the bride’s home the night before, while the bride departs from her maternal grandparents’ home, then returns home in a flowered sedan with celebratory fanfare. The latter style was considered to uphold the groom’s honor.

Fan Changyu didn’t need either. First, she couldn’t afford a sedan rental, and second, her groom was just next door. He only needed to come downstairs to perform the marriage ceremony, saving them all this fuss.

The fortune-blessing woman they’d hired went to the bridal chamber to make the bed and then returned to help comb Changyu’s hair.

“One stroke, to comb from end to end.
Two strokes, to reach gray hairs together.
Three strokes, for children filling the hall…”

Fan Changyu sat at her dressing table, listening to the fortune-blessing woman recite the “Ten Combs Poem,” blending with the noisy chatter outside. For a moment, she almost felt as though this was truly her wedding day.

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Ten Combs Poem: A traditional Chinese wedding ritual where the bride’s hair is combed in stages, with each stroke accompanied by a poetic blessing for happiness, longevity, harmony, and fertility. This ritual is intended to bring auspicious wishes to the bride as she enters marriage, symbolizing good fortune, a long life with her partner, and prosperity through future generations.
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Outside, the guests were mostly gossiping about the groom, but Aunt Zhao was tight-lipped. No matter how much the other women prodded, she wouldn’t reveal a single detail.

A few women gathered together, snacking on sunflower seeds, whispering among themselves, “Do you think the Zhao couple is hiding the groom so carefully because he’s hideous, maybe even too ugly to be seen?”

“I heard he’s injured, can’t even walk properly!”

Someone gasped, “Does that mean he’s lame?”

Another woman elbowed the one who’d just spoken, signaling her to lower her voice before murmuring, “After all, the Fan family is bringing in a live-in son-in-law. If he were fully fit, would he really agree to marry in like this?”

The group let out sighs and murmurs of sympathy, and then someone brought up Song Yan. “It seems the Fan and Song families really have turned against each other. The whole alley’s here today, but not a single person from the Song family.”

“Hah, if you ask me, it’s better that the Song family didn’t come to the wedding. Song Yan is famously handsome around here, and if he were here, he’d make the groom look like nothing in comparison. It wouldn’t do any favors for the Fan family’s reputation!”

As the crowd chatted away, they eventually clustered around the Zhao family’s front door, eager to get a glimpse of the groom when the auspicious hour arrived. Meanwhile, Fan Changyu, the bride, emerged under a red bridal veil, but no one paid her much attention.

The weather, unfortunately, wasn’t cooperative. Snow had begun to fall in the afternoon, covering the courtyard walls with a light layer. The ground, however, was still bare in places where people had walked, leaving only damp patches.

Firecrackers strung across the Zhao family’s doorway crackled to life. Those craning their necks to peer inside caught sight of a pair of crutches emerging from the open door, confirming their suspicions.

So, Fan Changyu’s live-in husband was indeed a cripple.

As the crutches moved forward, the groom took a step outside, revealing the lower half of a crimson robe. Snowflakes drifted down like cotton and melted instantly upon touching the fabric, leaving faint, barely noticeable damp marks.

The lively crowd outside inexplicably fell silent, collectively holding their breath.

As the groom’s other foot stepped out of the doorway, his entire figure finally emerged from the shadows inside. Snowflakes settled lightly into his ink-black hair, which was tied back with a red ribbon. Between the contrast of his dark hair and crimson robe, his face came into view—handsome, refined, and pale, even paler than the falling snow. He swept a faint, indifferent gaze over the crowd, a look that was cold and distant.

Everyone who caught sight of his face drew in a sharp breath.

In all their years, they’d never seen a young man as striking as this. Not even Song Yan or the most dashing actor from the local opera troupe could compare to this groom’s looks. With his sharp brows and bright, star-like eyes, his face seemed sculpted from jade—truly a person made to stand out.

After a brief silence, the crowd erupted with even more excitement than before.

“This groom is truly handsome!”

“I knew it! For someone like Changyu, beautiful as she is, her husband couldn’t be anything less!”

“Who was it that said the groom was an ugly cripple? How does he even compare to Song Yan?”

Xie Zheng moved through the chattering crowd on his crutches, his expression remaining impassive. His brow creased almost imperceptibly, as if he found the clamor of these gossiping women just a bit too noisy.

As Xie Zheng turned and entered the Fan family’s gate, the people in the courtyard who had been casually chatting and munching on sunflower seeds couldn’t help but stand up to watch the spectacle. The main topic of their chatter was, of course, praise for his looks. Even a few women helping prepare dishes in the back heard that the groom was exceptionally handsome and couldn’t resist coming out to take a peek.

Suppressing the impatience in his expression, Xie Zheng made his way toward the main hall for the ceremony, enduring the crowd’s constant stares. As he walked, he glanced ahead at the overhang of the roof and spotted a figure in a matching red wedding robe. Hidden at the back of the crowd, Fan Changyu was discreetly lifting a corner of her red veil to sneak a look outside, thinking no one would notice. His gaze swept past her initially but then paused, unexpectedly intrigued.

He knew she was attractive, but it was his first time seeing her with makeup.

Beneath the edge of her red veil, her almond-shaped eyes peeked out, filled with a hint of laughter. Her cheeks were brushed with a light touch of rouge—perhaps applied a bit awkwardly, but it didn’t hide her natural beauty. Her lips, painted with a soft tint, lacked their usual plainness, and her face appeared as fresh as snow, vibrant and dazzlingly radiant. One glance, and she seemed more captivating than words could describe.

When her eyes met his, Fan Changyu froze for a moment. Realizing that this was, indeed, her own wedding, she quickly dropped her veil back down, looking almost guilty, and stood properly in place. Though clearly a beauty, her actions always seemed to have an unexpected charm of their own.

Seeing this, Xie Zheng felt some of the irritation he’d harbored from the crowd’s noisy chatter fade. Perhaps this wedding wasn’t as tedious and dull as he’d initially thought.

He made his way into the main hall with his crutches, where the fortune-blessing woman handed one end of a red silk ribbon tied with a flower ball to him and the other end to Fan Changyu.

The elder conducting the ceremony called out, “The auspicious hour has arrived! Let the couple pay their respects!”

“First bow to the heavens and earth—”

With her veil covering her vision, Fan Changyu couldn’t see anything. Aunt Zhao helped her into position, and she followed Xie Zheng’s lead, bowing together toward the heavens and earth.

“Second bow to the ancestral tablets—”

Since both were orphans, only ancestral tablets were placed on the high seats. Together, they bowed respectfully to their parents’ memorials.

“Third, bow to each other—”

As they turned to face each other, a sudden breeze swept into the hall, nearly blowing the bridal veil off Fan Changyu’s head. Instinctively, she reached up to grab it, but a large hand beat her to it, pressing the veil gently back into place.

She could imagine, even with her toes, that the scene probably looked rather awkward.

Laughter rippled through the guests. “Look at that groom! Can’t bear to let us see his bride!”

With the bridal veil blocking her view, Fan Changyu couldn’t see Xie Zheng’s expression at that moment, but the playful teasing around them left her feeling a bit embarrassed. She only hoped he didn’t mind.

“The ceremony is complete—escort them to the bridal chamber!”

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