After Old Master Wei threatened, Old Lady Wei had no choice but to ask her eldest son to bring her second son back home in private.
In fact, Chen Xuan thought that even if Old Master Wei had not said such harsh words, Wei Nian would still come back. The Chinese New Year was approaching, and if he did not go home for the Chinese New Year, considering Old Master Wei's temper, Wei Nian really would not have to go home.
Wei Nian came home in the evening. Chen Xuan brought a bowl of freshly steamed cabbage stuffed buns from the kitchen. The buns were steaming up in large clouds, which made Chen Xuan squint her eyes. However, even through the large clouds of steam, Chen Xuan could still clearly see Wei Nian's hostile eyes. Wei Nian's eyes showed disgust. He hadn't seen such a look for many years, but when he saw it again, he didn't have the sadness of the past. Chen Xuan also glanced at Wei Nian. Wei Nian had a typical appearance of the Wei family, quite similar to Wei Shi, with the same tall and handsome figure, the same thick eyebrows, deep eyes, and high nose bridge. His skin was naturally white, and he wore the most popular gray Zhongshan suit. Even if there was no disgust in Wei Nian's eyes, Chen Xuan said that she and Wei Nian were worlds apart, even if they didn't talk about family background and only appearance.
Chen Xuan knew that Wei Nian was unhappy, so she would not rush to seek bad luck. She put down the buns and went back to the kitchen to get some porridge. When she brought the porridge back to the restaurant, Wei Nian was gone.
However, when Old Master Wei came out to eat, Wei Nian was beside him, but he didn't look very good.
When Wei Nian returned home, he sat down below his eldest brother Wei Shi, and Wei Shi's three children sat next to their second uncle. Chen Xuan was still at the bottom.
Old Mrs. Wei said to her second son, "Ah Xuan will be back home tomorrow. I have already bought some snacks and fruits at Daoxiang Village. Bring them with you tomorrow. Let Xuan's uncle and aunt have a taste."
Wei Nian didn't even make a sound. Old Master Wei frowned and asked him, "Are you deaf?"
Wei Nian held his breath and said, "I know."
Chen Xuan calmly took a bun and took a bite. It was a real cabbage and meat stuffing. In the past, in the countryside, it could only be eaten once during the New Year and other festivals. But in the Wei family, it was a common meal. Her husband's family was rich and the man was handsome. Who could say that Chen Xuan must have accumulated eight lifetimes of blessings to get such a good marriage
It was indeed a good marriage, but she couldn't handle the blessing so much.
Chen Xuan lowered her eyes and ate the buns and drank porridge without looking at Wei Nian again.
The same was true in the Wei Dynasty.
After the meal, Chen Xuan wanted to clean up the dishes with her sister-in-law, but Li, who was always kind-hearted, stopped Chen Xuan and whispered to her, "Second brother is back, you should go back to the room and talk to him. I'll be there for you."
Chen Xuan scooped cold water into the ceramic basin, added hot water, put the dishes to be washed in it, and said with a smile, "We can talk at any time. There is no need to rush." After washing the dishes with her sister-in-law, she went to the old lady's room. Seeing that the old lady had no instructions, Old Master Wei also said, "Go to bed early." Chen Xuan went back to her room.
When Chen Xuan returned to the room, Wei Nian was not there at all. However, the door of the closet was slightly closed. Chen Xuan opened the door and saw that Wei Nian's clothes were gone. Chen Xuan shook her head and said nothing more. She blew out the lights and went to bed early.
The next day, after breakfast, Old Master Wei asked Wei Nian to accompany Chen Xuan back home and send Old Master Wei off. Chen Xuan then took some snacks and followed Wei Nian out the door. As soon as Wei Nian saw Chen Xuan, he felt uncomfortable and walked quickly.
Chen Xuan followed behind slowly and for a while, she was far behind Wei Nian.
After walking through two more alleys, Chen Xuan could no longer find Wei Nian. She knew that she would never be able to catch up with Wei Nian.
Wei Nian is so handsome, talented and unattainable.
Well, if it’s unattainable, it’s better not to try.
Although she couldn't find Wei Nian, she knew where her uncle and aunt lived, so Chen Xuan walked slowly at her own pace. But she hadn't walked far when she saw Wei Nian rushing over and asked, "Where have you been!"
Chen Xuan looked at him like an angry lion and said slowly, "You were walking too fast, I couldn't keep up, so I fell behind."
Wei Nian didn't even think about how hurriedly he had left. Instead, he directed his anger at Chen Xuan. "You couldn't catch up with me, so why didn't you call me? Are you dumb?"
Chen Xuan knew that Wei Nian was not usually like this. He really didn't like her and was tired of her relying on him, so he acted like this. Back then, when Wei Nian knew that she was going back to the countryside, he was polite and friendly to her. Therefore, the conflict between her and Wei Nian only came from the completely inappropriate marriage between them. Chen Xuan didn't want to listen to Wei Nian's blushing and yelling, nor did she want to always look at Wei Nian's cold face. She said softly, "Wei Nian, I know you look down on me. In fact, I also know that I am not worthy of you. I thought, when there is a suitable time, the old lady and the old man will see that we really can't live together, so we might as well tell the two old people that I will return to the countryside to live my life. What do you think?"
If Wei Nian was an angry bull before, after hearing what Chen Xuan said, Wei Nian immediately seemed to be under a spell. He was no longer fuming and panting. He looked at Chen Xuan suspiciously and asked her, "Are you serious?"
Chen Xuan nodded, "I knew I was not worthy of you. But my parents are both dead. If I don't get married, my uncle and aunt will think I am mentally ill. When the elders know that we really can't live together, they won't force it."
Although Wei Nian looked down on Chen Xuan, after hearing what she said, Wei Nian finally said, "This is not a matter of whether we are a good match or not. We have never lived together since we were young, and neither of us knows each other. You don't know what I like, and I don't know what you like. Getting married like this is an old custom, a feudal disease. Young people don't do this anymore. In our family, we still have child marriages, which is tacky! It's great that you can figure it out."
Wei Nian carefully took the few small snacks from Chen Xuan's hand and said, "You women can't walk fast, so just walk slowly. You don't know that when I turned around and didn't see you, I was so scared that I broke into a cold sweat, thinking you were lost somewhere."
Chen Xuan smiled, "How could this be lost?"
Because Chen Xuan said that she would leave the Wei family in the future, Wei Nian felt that this was like a bright moon after the dark clouds had been cleared away. He also thought that although Chen Xuan was rustic, she was sensible. So, he treated Chen Xuan very kindly. Wei Nian said, "You just came to Beijing, I'm afraid you don't know the way." He carefully told Chen Xuan where Manager Li's house was.
When they arrived at Li's house, Wei Nian was even more friendly and treated Uncle Chen and Aunt Chen very well. He even gave Li's wife a dollar to order a banquet outside, and they had a drink together at noon. Aunt Chen saw that her son-in-law was friendly, so she took Chen Xuan to talk privately and asked her if he treated Chen Xuan well.
Chen Xuan said, "All good."
Aunt Chen patted Chen Xuan's hand and smiled, "I knew that you, Chen Xuan, are a blessed person. In the future, don't forget to help your brothers and sisters." This was referring to the cousins from her uncle's family.
Chen Xuan was originally a quiet person, and she just listened to whatever her aunt said.
Wei Nian had a lot of things to do, so he just sat for a while after dinner and then told Chen Xuan to go back. Uncle Chen and Aunt Chen saw her off to the door, and Uncle Chen said, "We will go back to our hometown tomorrow. Ah Xuan, you should live a good life with Ah Nian and serve Ah Nian well. It will be a blessing for you for the rest of your life."
Aunt Chen agreed, "Yes, the young couple should live a good life."
Chen Xuan didn't say anything, but Wei Nian was very polite and smiled. "We all remember it, uncle and aunt, you can go back now."
Uncle Chen and Aunt Chen watched them walk away before returning to the yard.
When they were going home, Wei Nian didn't walk. He hailed a rickshaw and took Chen Xuan home. On the way, he asked Chen Xuan, "You've never ridden a rickshaw before, right?"
Chen Xuan had never sat on one in her life, let alone before. When she first got on, she clenched her hands nervously, and her fingers twisted like a knot. Wei Nian leaned over to comfort her, "It's okay, it's very stable, don't be too nervous." As a result, Chen Xuan became even more nervous.
When they got home, Chen Xuan was so stiff that she couldn't move. Wei Nian had to help her get off the car. Wei Nian laughed, "You are really scared of this. There are trams and cars in the city. You will ride them more often in the future. Are you afraid?"
Chen Xuan thought to herself, I will be working at your house from now on, there is no way I will go out to take the tram or car.
Wei Nian paid the fare and helped Chen Xuan into the house. He ran into Wei Jin, who was leaning against the pillar under the porch, sewing shoe soles. When he saw the two of them coming back, he curled his lips and said with a smile, "Why did you help me back? Did you tire your second brother and his wife out by going back to their parents' house?"
Wei Nian said, "It was her first time riding in a rickshaw, and she was timid."
Wei Jin said, "It's just a few steps away, but you still have to take a rickshaw. It's really ridiculous."
"It's none of your business whether I burn or not. Are you planning to spend the New Year at your parents' home? Why don't you go back to your husband's home?" Wei Nian said a few words to his eldest sister Wei Jin. Wei Jin refused to listen and complained to the old lady Wei, "Listen, mom, this kid is the head of the family now, and he wants to chase me away!"
"I'm not chasing you away. A daughter-in-law can't stay here after the 23rd. It's already the 10th day of the twelfth lunar month. Even if you wait until the 23rd to come back, it has nothing to do with me! I'm just afraid that your in-laws will be unhappy by then!" Wei Nian sent Chen Xuan back and stayed in the yard for a while before saying to Old Lady Wei, "Mom, I have to go to the shop. I'm leaving now."
"Go ahead. Your sister will be going back to her husband's house tomorrow. Go and see her off."
"I'm busy!" Wei Nian was in high spirits after settling his marriage, and went to the shop happily to do business.
Old Madam Wei was talking to her eldest daughter Wei Jin in private, "Hey, it's strange. Your brother was so upset this morning that your father scolded him several times. How come he is so happy after having a return dinner?"
Wei Jin's narrow eyes showed a gleam of brilliance, and she whispered to her mother, "Mom, don't think my second brother's wife looks rustic. I think she is very smart. Mom, didn't you see that she asked my second brother to help her into the house? She is so arrogant."
"It's your first time riding a rickshaw, so you're scared."
"Oh, Mom, you're the only one who believes this. She usually works in the countryside, and doesn't see any snakes, insects, rats or ants. How can she be scared when she sits in a rickshaw? She's just trying to coax that silly boy Anian."
After her daughter's instigation, Mrs. Wei felt that her second daughter-in-law was being a little too cunning. However, Mrs. Wei said, "Originally, A Nian was somewhat unhappy about this marriage. No matter how he changes his mind today. Anyway, it's good that he can change his mind." She finally hoped that her son and daughter-in-law would get along well.
Wei Jin snorted and said no more.