Gu’er was carried into the Sun Family ho on Sun Jiaming’s back. Once her feet were back on the ground, she saw that Sun Jiaming’s forehead was covered in sweat. She wanted to take out a handkerchief to wipe it for him, but she didn’t have one. Besides, with a crowd of people gathered around them, she was too shy.
In those days, weddings weren’t as boisterous as they would later beco, nor did they have as many ceremonies, but the kneeling and tea ceremony was still required.
On the living room sofa, Grandma Sun, Sun Zhuzi, and Cao Qiu were already seated.
Sun Jiaming led Gu’er to kneel before them, kowtowing and serving them tea.
Gu’er followed Sun Jiaming’s lead and changed how she addressed them, calling Grandma Sun "Grandma," and Sun Zhuzi and Cao Qiu "Mom" and "Dad."
Whatever faults Cao Qiu might have, her love for her son was genuine. She had always hoped he would marry a good wife. Seeing her son and daughter-in-law kneeling before her today, she drank the tea from her new daughter-in-law, and tears imdiately stread down her face.
"Alright, alright. Jiaming, Gu’er, please get up."
As Cao Qiu spoke, she pressed a red envelope into Gu’er’s hand.
Sun Zhuzi also nodded repeatedly, his eyes red-rimd as well.
Sun Jiaming helped Gu’er to her feet.
"Alright, alright! Ti to see them to the bridal chamber! Who’s ready for the wedding hazing?" a young man shouted.
Gu’er glanced out of the corner of her eye. The person who shouted was a young man she didn’t recognize.
At his shout, many young people responded, crowding around Sun Jiaming and Gu’er and ushering them to their bridal room.
"They won’t take the hazing too far, will they? They won’t make Gu’er angry, will they? No, I have to go check. If anyone dares to harass Gu’er, I’ll personally throw them out."
Cao Qiu said worriedly, afraid that so of the young people lacked restraint.
There was a reason for Cao Qiu’s anxiety. In her maternal family’s village, a family had a wedding last year. Many young people from the village went to haze the newlyweds. The bride was very shy; no matter what anyone said, she just kept her head down and didn’t speak. One particularly nasty man decided to tornt the bride. He went ho, fished an eel out of the water tank, and ca back. He called over a few other guys, and they pinned the bride down on the bed. No matter how much she struggled or begged, they didn’t listen. They shoved the eel up inside her pants.
At first, the groom didn’t pay much attention, thinking it was just so rough fun that would pass, so he didn’t intervene. But after a short while, the bride’s face turned pale, and she cried out that her stomach hurt.
The hazers thought she was faking it and wanted to continue, but two won felt sothing was wrong. They helped the bride up and searched for a long ti but couldn’t find the eel. They knew sothing terrible had happened. Eels will burrow into any opening they find; sothing must have gone terribly wrong.
When the hazers saw sothing was wrong with the bride, they got scared and ran off. The family took the bride to a clinic in the middle of the night, but the clinic couldn’t treat her. They ended up rushing her to the city hospital. An X-ray showed that the eel had burrowed from her private area into her abdon. In the end, it seems they had to perform surgery to get it out.
After it was removed, the bride’s family was furious. They led people from their village and went straight to the groom’s village to fight. The two villages feuded for a long ti. The groom’s family, the man who brought the eel, and the families of the n who held the bride down all had to pay compensation.
The bride never went back. She said she wanted a husband who would protect her for her whole life, but when she was being bullied, her husband didn’t step forward. She would rather stay single forever than be with a man like that.
The groom’s family had spent a fortune on a bride, only to lose money in compensation and end up with nothing. How could they not be furious? The groom’s mother was so angry that she went to the house of the man who brought the eel every day to stand at his door and curse him out.
The families involved in the village also had a falling out.
It was precisely because of this incident that Cao Qiu was so worried. There were just too many people here today, with many coming from the village as well. Although it was dayti, so the hazing probably wouldn’t get as wild as it might at night, she was still terrified. ’What if a few reckless people do sothing crazy?’
"Don’t worry. They’re just stirring up so noise. Jiaming has it under control. Besides, Li Zhi and Dingzi will stop them. No one will get out of hand."
Grandma Sun wasn’t worried. She trusted her grandson and his friends. She also trusted Gu’er; Gu’er wouldn’t let herself be put in that kind of situation.
Gu’er had absolutely no experience with wedding hazing. She heard many young people shouting for them to kiss. Gu’er sat there, blushing, not even daring to look up.
But things didn’t get too out of hand. Whenever a young man tried to approach her, Li Zhi, Dingzi, and Liu Yuan would block him, ensuring no one else could touch Gu’er.
As for any inappropriate shouts or things that would make Gu’er uncomfortable, Sun Jiaming acted as if he hadn’t heard them.
"Hey, brothers! It’s almost ti to eat! We’re the groom’s side, and we still have a lot of the bride’s family to entertain! Jiaming’s supplied everyone with good cigarettes and good candy, so we’ve all got to pull our weight! Today, we have to drink the bride’s family under the table! Anyone who chickens out today and doesn’t drink, we won’t consider him one of us! Let’s go, let’s go! Ti to go entertain the bride’s family so they don’t have any reason to complain!" Li Zhi shouted.
"Who’s a chicken? When it cos to drinking, I’ve never been afraid of anyone! Don’t worry, if I don’t drink at least three or five of them under the table today, you can call a loser!" a young man, his face red and neck bulging, imdiately roared back.
"That’s right! Who are we afraid of when it cos to drinking? Let’s go, let’s go! Watch us drink the bride’s family under the table!" another person chid in.
Once they said this, all the young people in the room joined in.
Li Zhi shot a look at Dingzi and Liu Yuan. They started to herd the crowd, pushing them toward the exit.
A few who were reluctant to give up on the hazing were also swept out by the flow of people.
’This must have been planned by Sun Jiaming and his friends to spare from the hazing.’ Gu’er knew.
Gu’er glanced at Sun Jiaming, who was also looking at her. The deep affection in his eyes burned like a fire, lting her heart.
"Gu’er, I have to go out and entertain them too, otherwise so of them will run back in. In a little while, so of the aunts and sisters-in-law will co in to keep you company. Don’t be afraid. I won’t let anyone hurt you," Sun Jiaming said, holding Gu’er’s hand.
Gu’er nodded at him.
Sun Jiaming was reluctant to leave, but he had to. He gave Gu’er’s hand another tight squeeze, then stood up.
As soon as he left, several won ca in. There was Sun Jiaming’s sister-in-law and a few aunts, most of whom Gu’er had t before.
After exchanging a few words with them, the won helped Gu’er out the door.
There weren’t many people left in the house, just a few who were cleaning up. Aunt Zhao and Grandma Sun were also there.
Grandma Sun couldn’t go to the restaurant because of her health; she couldn’t handle that kind of commotion. Aunt Zhao was keeping her company. Li Hua had wanted to stay behind too, but she was pulled away. Many people from the Li Family had also co for the wedding feast today.
Grandma Sun gave Gu’er a few words of advice, then had her go to the restaurant with the other won.
————
Thank you to Karl King for the He Shi Bi, thank you to Yuzizai Fei for the peace charm, thank you to Lan Niao Fei for the monthly pass, and thank you everyone for your support. Three Chapters today.
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