22 This is Shanshou Village (Debugging)
On the day of the Beginning of Autumn, the maple leaves throughout Shanxiu Village had all turned red, their vibrant colors resembling a magnificent embroidered scroll that filled people's hearts with joy.
Early in the morning, villagers came to offer their congratulations at the Ye family home. Liu Xiufeng and Ye Dad stood at the doorway, barely able to greet everyone properly.
“Uncle Ye, congratulations!”
“Congratulations! Please come inside, have some tea and fruit!”
“Oh no, no, you must be busy, please don’t trouble yourself.”
Joyful celebrations lifted everyone's spirits. Ye Dad and Liu Xiufeng were radiant with happiness that could not be concealed. Most villagers offered ten copper coins or a pack of white sugar as gifts.
Closer relatives brought a chicken from their own farms, as the villagers valued the sentiment over the value of gifts.
After presenting their respects, each family would bring their entire household to the banquet. This was one of the rare occasions when families could enjoy a hearty meal with meat, so hosting such a feast was often a financial loss. The dishes served depended entirely on the host family's generosity: wealthy families would offer two or more meat dishes, while more frugal ones might have just one or two.
The courtyard outside was already crowded with guests, the noise lively and festive. As the groom for the day, Ye Xi was not allowed to leave the house to greet visitors.
He sat inside a room adorned with red celebratory cloth and "Double Happiness" symbols. Beside him, the village chief’s wife carefully attended to his face. This delicate task, known as “face grooming,” was entrusted only to those believed to be fortunate — having children of both genders, a loving marriage, and comfortable living — qualities that made them worthy to prepare a bride for her new life.
In the mirror, Ye Xi’s face was fair and delicate, his eyes bright and handsome, nose petite and well-defined. His lips were full and rosy, exquisitely shaped, and even without rouge, his youthful charm was evident.
Li Ge’er had also arrived, standing nearby and gazing at Ye Xi with admiration. “Brother Xi, you’re the most handsome groom I’ve ever seen!”
Ye Xi allowed the village chief’s wife to work on his face, only daring to glance sideways at Li Ge’er with a smile. “If you ever marry, you’ll look just as handsome.”
The village chief’s wife was skilled not only with her hands but also with her words. She praised Ye Xi, “I’ve prepared many brides and grooms in this village, but you, Brother Xi, stand out as truly remarkable. There were rumors you’d been disfigured by burns, but seeing you today, you look perfectly fine.”
Since applying the ointment, the peeling and redness on Ye Xi’s left cheek had subsided. After finishing the treatment, only a faint pink mark remained, slightly contrasting with the surrounding fair skin. Once makeup and rouge were applied, his cheeks appeared even more charmingly flushed.
“Thankfully, the scar has healed well after treatment.”
The village chief’s wife nodded, “That’s wonderful. Now the Cao family from the neighboring village must regret breaking the engagement because of your injury. You’ve recovered fully and found a good husband — truly a double blessing.”
The chatter outside paused briefly before the crack of firecrackers echoed through the valley.
Li Ge’er opened the door a crack, peeking out before returning excitedly. “Brother Xi, the groom has come to fetch you!”
Ye Xi lowered his gaze and pressed his lips together, growing suddenly nervous. His fingers gripped his wedding garment tightly, embroidered elegantly with mandarin ducks.
The village chief’s wife quickly pinned a silk flower on his right side, symbolizing harmony and happiness, and then brought over a bridal veil to cover Ye Xi’s face.
With his vision obscured, Ye Xi’s hearing sharpened, and he listened to the lively sounds outside.
Apparently, some village men were blocking the door, challenging Lin Jiangshan to drink.
“Come on, drink this big bowl dry, that’s the mark of a true man!” A villager named Ah Hu held up a rustic earthenware bowl, standing firmly before Ye Xi’s door.
Lin Jiangshan, dressed in the fine new clothes made by Ye Xi, stood tall and strong, exuding vigor. Anyone who saw him would praise the handsome groom.
Today was his joyous day, and a faint smile lingered on his lips. Meeting Ah Hu blocking the door, he was unperturbed, reaching out to take the bowl and downing it in one go.
His generosity earned cheers and applause from everyone.
“Well done! So straightforward!”
“A real man, worthy of marrying a girl from our village!”
But the festivities were far from over. After drinking, Lin Jiangshan was put on the spot by Ye Shan, the elder brother-in-law, who urged him to say some sweet words to the groom inside, to cheer him up.
Lin Jiangshan was not one for such words, but the villagers egged him on, filling the courtyard with joyous noise. From afar, the laughter and cheers from the Ye household could be heard.
One bold man shouted, “Hey, you two are going to share a bed eventually. What’s wrong with saying some sweet things now? It’s not like you’re reciting lewd poems. Everyone here has heard those words in bed — come on, Lin brother, say something!”
“Yeah, don’t keep us waiting and hold things up. If you don’t consummate tonight, don’t be mad when we come after you!”
“You’re going to say it tonight anyway. Say it now for us to hear. If it’s not good, we’ll teach you how.”
The men’s teasing made the married women and girls blush deeply, covering their faces and trying to hide under the eaves, though they wanted to listen more. Life in the village was usually quiet, and such lively teasing was a rare delight. The children and unmarried youths were shielded by their elders, watching curiously as their elders’ faces flushed redder and redder.
“Mother, why is your face so red?”
“Quiet! You just wait until the feast starts, then you can eat all you want.”
Inside, Ye Xi also heard the banter. His cheeks beneath the veil flushed even deeper as he strained to listen.
Li Ge’er, still unmarried but bold and thick-skinned, sat beside Ye Xi, covering his mouth as he laughed.
Ye Xi nudged him with his elbow, “Keep it down, don’t laugh so loudly. If others hear, they’ll say you’re shameless.”
Li Ge’er stuck out his tongue defiantly. “I’m not afraid. Everyone goes through this when they marry. I might as well listen now; I’m not a child anymore.”
The teasing left Lin Jiangshan speechless. Even though he was tall and composed, a faint blush spread across his dark face. He opened his mouth several times but could not speak.
“Come on, groom! If you stall any longer, the bride will get impatient and come looking for you!”
Lin Jiangshan clenched his fists and, with a deep voice, called out, “My husband, I’m here. Open the door so I can see you and take you home. Don’t let the night’s auspicious time slip away.”
The courtyard erupted in laughter, and the women blushed again.
Ye Xi’s face burned with embarrassment, while Li Ge’er laughed uncontrollably, nearly bent over and gasping, “Brother Xi, your husband sure has a sweet tongue! Haha, he’ll be saying plenty of honeyed words to melt your heart!”
Ye Shan didn’t want to embarrass his brother-in-law further, so he cleared his throat and sternly warned, “You must treat Brother Xi well. If you let him suffer and come crying back, I’ll come to your door with a firewood knife!”
Lin Jiangshan obediently replied, “Brother-in-law, rest assured. I’m marrying my husband not to mistreat him, but to live happily together.”
Ye Shan nodded in approval, trusting Lin Jiangshan’s character. His brother-in-law would not let Ye Xi suffer.
“Good, I trust you.” With that, Ye Shan stepped aside and opened the door.
Inside, Ye Xi sat quietly on the bed with his veil still on, while Liu Xiufeng stood nearby, eyes moist with tears. Lin Jiangshan stepped forward and bowed respectfully, “Mother-in-law.”
Liu Xiufeng wiped away her tears and nodded, “Son-in-law, please rise.”
As a mother, she felt reluctant to see her little boy marry, and her emotions spilled over.
Ye Dad scolded gently, “Brother Xi is marrying today, a joyous occasion. Why are you crying like this, woman? Wipe your tears quickly, don’t spoil the luck.”
Liu Xiufeng forced herself to stop crying. “Yes, yes, today is a happy day.”
After some final words of advice from Ye Dad and Liu Xiufeng, Lin Jiangshan stepped forward and placed a pair of red wedding shoes beside Ye Xi on the bed.
When his rough, warm fingers touched Ye Xi’s ankle, Ye Xi shivered slightly, his foot trembling.
Lin Jiangshan smiled, bent down to help him put on the shoes, then knelt to lift Ye Xi in his arms and carry him to the main hall.
The moment their bodies touched, Lin Jiangshan stiffened briefly before steadying himself and striding out the door.
Before leaving, the groom must pay respects to his parents and ancestors. Lin Jiangshan and Ye Xi stood in the main hall, surrounded by guests. Ye Dad and Liu Xiufeng sat at the head of the room, with a pair of dragon and phoenix candles burning on the table before the ancestral tablets of the Ye family.
“One bow to Heaven and Earth!” the matchmaker called out loudly, waving her handkerchief.
Lin Jiangshan and Ye Xi bowed deeply toward the door, applause ringing out from the onlookers.
“Two bows to the elders!”
“Couple bows to each other!”
When it came time for the couple to bow to one another, just as Lin Jiangshan was about to bow, a mischievous villager pushed him forward.
Lin Jiangshan stumbled ahead, his head bumping against Ye Xi’s. Ye Xi nearly fell over.
The crowd burst into laughter, and Lin Jiangshan quickly steadied his husband.
“Hey, the groom’s too eager, couldn’t wait until dark and just lunged forward!”
“Hey now, no need to rush! First, finish the feast and drink the wedding wine before going to the bridal chamber!”
Everyone teased Lin Jiangshan good-naturedly. He helped Ye Xi steady himself and smiled: “I’ll drink all the wine today and make sure everyone’s happy. We’ll go home drunk.”
Ye Xi was carried back to the room as the banquet outside began.