I bring bad luck to my husband, you bring bad luck to your wife.

After February, Yang Tongchuan would no longer be able to come and see Xiangxi.

This is a local custom. The couple should not see each other in the days leading up to the wedding.

However, rules are rigid, but people are flexible. Yang Tongchuan himself cannot come, but he can arrange for someone else to come.

These days, swallows are practically being renamed pigeons.

Every day, all she had to do was pass notes between Yang Erlang and his fiancé.

Xiangxi doesn't know many characters, and recently Yang Tongchuan's painting skills have improved by leaps and bounds.

He would draw pictures for Xiangxi and send her gifts every day.

Sometimes it might just be a small box of mung bean cakes, or two drawings by Yang Tongchuan himself depicting the solving of a case.

They were all very happy to receive it, especially the drawings by Yang Tongchuan related to solving the case.

Xiangxi treated them like comic books.

After watching it, I will carefully save it.

One of Yang Tongchuan's paintings shows that he was injured by a thief while chasing him.

Although Xiangxi felt there weren't many people in the county who could injure Yang Tongchuan, it didn't stop him from worrying.

That was the first time Xiangxi replied to Yang Tongchuan's letter.

He wrote a few large characters in crooked charcoal: "Are you safe and sound?"

Yang Tongchuan immediately replied with a painting after receiving it.

The drawing depicts his own half-naked body. There are no scars on it, and next to it are the words: All is well.

Xiangxi carefully put the painting away.

These past few days, my sister-in-law has stopped letting Xiangxi go out to set up her stall, and she's staying home to focus on getting married.

The night before the wedding

The sister-in-law came into Xiangxi's room.

During the day, the wedding officiant hired by the Yang family had already come to the house to help Xiangxi clarify the procedures for tomorrow.

Everything is clearly arranged, including what to do at what time.

By evening, all that was left for him to learn from his sister-in-law was how to do things in bed.

"When a man gets excited, he's no different from an animal. If he wants it, just give it to him. It will hurt a little, but you can grit your teeth and get through it." The sister-in-law handed Xiangxi a picture book about boys.

I told him he absolutely had to read this book and not to be shy.

Being ashamed now will only lead to suffering tomorrow.

"You must remember, only when Yang Tongchuan's body and soul are with you can you live a comfortable life in the Yang family."

The elder sister-in-law talked to Xiangxi about many things that happened in bed, which made Xiangxi almost cry.

Is the wedding night really that scary?

"It's getting late, go to sleep early. Tomorrow, Granny Quanfu will come to comb your hair."

Before leaving, the elder sister-in-law gave Xiangxi a small bottle of house oil.

"After you finish reading this book, you'll know how to use this thing. It will make you suffer less tomorrow." The older sister-in-law originally didn't want to spend the money, after all, this thing was quite expensive.

But looking at Yang Tongchuan's imposing manner, the sister-in-law was really afraid that he would tear Xiangxi apart tomorrow night.

After Xiangxi's sister-in-law left, he opened the book.

The illustrations inside are very simple and straightforward.

Xiangxi stared at the dark, indistinct thing for a long time before she finally understood what her sister-in-law meant by those few words she hadn't understood earlier.

Xiangxi was so nervous she felt nauseous and didn't sleep well all night.

As soon as it was light, Xiangxi was dragged out of bed. He was terrified, but he didn't know who to talk to.

This was the first time so many people had squeezed into the small west room.

Xiangxi was like a puppet, completely manipulated by the wedding officiant to complete the entire process.

The noise in the alley grew louder as everyone announced that the groom had arrived.

As Xiang Qiang entered the west room, seeing his younger brother dressed in his new clothes, Xiang Qiang felt a pang of sadness.

This was the best future he could find for Xiangxi.

Xiang Qiang planned to carry Xiang happy out, but the alley was too narrow for the carriage to pass through, so Xiang Qiang had to carry Xiang happy onto the carriage.

"Where is my sister-in-law?"

"She's in the east room; she said she wouldn't come out." This was something the couple had agreed upon beforehand.

My sister-in-law has lost her husband, and she doesn't want to come out and upset Xiangxi on this joyous occasion.

Xiangxi didn't think so. He believed that without his sister-in-law, he and his brother wouldn't be living such a good life.

Xiangxi went to the east room, intending to invite her sister-in-law out, but was forcefully stopped by the wedding nanny hired by the Yang family.

"Young master, don't miss the auspicious time, hurry up and go out."

With no other choice, Xiangxi bid farewell to her sister-in-law, facing the tightly closed door of the east room.

"Sister-in-law, Xiangxi thanks you for taking me in."

After saying that, Xiang Qiang also started crying.

Then he carried Xiangxi out the door.

A young man can wear a wedding veil when he gets married.

Xiangxi, covered with a bridal veil, leaned on her brother's back and whispered, "Brother, don't worry, I'll be fine."

Xiangxi couldn't see Xiangqiang's expression, but she could feel the emotions emanating from her brother's trembling shoulders.

A veil covered the outside world.

Xiangxi was helped onto the carriage, along with a large box of dowry.

Although the dowry was nothing in the eyes of the Yang family, it was quite substantial for Xiangxi's family, which had just managed to make ends meet.

The carriage swayed and rattled as it carried Xiangxi from the west of the city to the east.

The nanny opened the carriage door, pulled Xiangxi over the saddle at the entrance of the Yang family's house, and led her into the main hall.

Xiangxi could only see the red shoes on her feet; she couldn't see anything else. She had to tilt her head slightly to see Yang Tongchuan standing next to her.

Yang Tongchuan was clearly more familiar with the process.

After paying respects to the elders and to Heaven and Earth.

During the prayer, their heads gently touched, and Yang Tongchuan whispered to him: "Do you miss me?"

Xiangxi didn't dare to speak, and could only give a soft "hmm".

Xiangxi was led to the west wing room that had been prepared in advance. Yang's eldest sister-in-law brought in Yanzi and brought him a bowl of chicken noodle soup.

"Xi-ge'er, have something to eat first. They're still drinking outside, and my second brother won't be back until later."

Only when everyone had left the new house, leaving Xiangxi alone to rest inside, did the real feeling of getting married become apparent.

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Today is a joyous day for the Yang family, and even though Yang Tongchuan has experienced it once before, he is still nervous.

The banquet table outside has already been set out.

Yang's mother specially invited the best chef in the county to cook the dishes.

The eldest brother was greeting guests at the door, while the sister-in-law was arranging the banquet for the women.

Everyone was busy, but Yang Tongchuan was thinking about Xiangxi on the other side, wondering how he was doing these past few days.

The government lent him a carriage and horses to arrange the marriage.

A tall horse accompanied the handsome groom.

The carriage was cleaned and adorned with floral wreaths and red ribbons.

The wedding party headed west and arrived smoothly at the alleyway where Xiangxi lived.

Before long, Xiang Qiang carried the person out.

Yang Tongchuan recognized the wedding dress he was wearing; it was a red cloth that Yang Tongchuan had personally chosen.

After Xiang Qiang saw Xiang happy off onto the carriage, he wanted to say a few more words to Yang Tongchuan, but unfortunately, he was too uneducated to say anything.

"Don't worry, brother. I will definitely treat Xiangxi well from now on and not let him suffer."

"Thank you, brother-in-law."

The person was successfully brought back, and the Yang family set off firecrackers. Colleagues in the crowd also helped maintain order.

When serving tea to his parents, Yang Tongchuan made a point of looking at Xiangxi's exposed fingers.

Thankfully, it seems I haven't touched cold water these past few days.

After Granny Xi led Xiangxi back to the west wing, Yang Tongchuan was left in the main hall to entertain guests.