“No!” Jin Feng refused without hesitation. “Injuring someone would be disastrous.”
“You stingy thing, fine if you won’t let me try!”
Xiao Yu pouted and returned the crossbow to Jin Feng.
“Jin Feng, let Xiao Yu have a go. Earlier, when you weren’t back, Xiao Yu was worried you’d been taken by wolves, nearly in tears, and she even had Cui Hua call her husband to search for you in the mountains.”
A young wife teased the pair.
“Xiao Yu, if you had feelings, why didn’t you have your brother propose to Jin Feng’s family sooner? Now, marrying him would make you a concubine!”
Someone else joined in the banter.
“What are you saying? I’ll tear your mouths apart!”
Xiao Yu, embarrassed and angry, chased after the two young wives to hit them.
Such jokes were common in the village, so Jin Feng paid no mind and picked up the rabbit from the ground before leaving.
In the small courtyard, Guan Xiaorou saw the sky was nearly dark and Jin Feng still hadn’t returned, pacing anxiously.
Hearing noise at the door, she dashed out like a little deer. “Husband, you’re back!”
Then she saw the rabbit in Jin Feng’s hand and nearly jumped with excitement.
Her husband hadn’t lied to her, he really could hunt.
Guan Xiaorou squatted beside the wild rabbit, examining it for a while, then suddenly slapped her forehead and ran into the kitchen to fetch a bowl of water. “Husband, you’ve worked hard. Drink some water first, I’ll heat up the food.”
“In the future, if I sleep in or come back late, you don’t need to wait for me. Just make the meal and eat first yourself.”
Jin Feng followed her into the kitchen.
“How could that be? What wife eats before her husband has picked up his chopsticks?”
Guan Xiaorou tossed a handful of dry leaves into the fire pit, poked around with a wooden stick, and blew a few times, igniting the embers buried in the pit with the leaves.
But as she blew, ashes flew out and stuck to her face.
“Ash.”
Jin Feng pointed to his own nose.
Guan Xiaorou quickly reached up to wipe it.
But she forgot her hands had ash too, so the more she wiped, the more it spread, covering both sides of her nose.
“Cat with a painted nose,” Jin Feng chuckled, reaching out to wipe it for her. “We don’t have so many rules. Just eat when the meal is ready. Hmm? Why won’t it come off?”
Guan Xiaorou stared with wide eyes, not daring to move, her heart pounding like a little deer had jumped inside, thump, thump…
She didn’t hear a word Jin Feng said.
“What are you daydreaming about?”
Jin Feng scraped her nose tip with his finger and got up to fetch a towel.
“Whimper…”
How could girls of this era withstand such teasing?
Guan Xiaorou covered her face, feeling her heart about to melt from the deer’s chaotic jumping.
When Jin Feng returned with the towel, Guan Xiaorou’s mind was still foggy. Embarrassed and annoyed, she snatched the towel and pushed him out of the kitchen.
Even during dinner, the blush on Guan Xiaorou’s face didn’t fade, and she dared not lift her head to look at Jin Feng.
After supper, Jin Feng didn’t go to the shop again.
He could tell Guan Xiaorou was ready. The oil lamp was even wrapped in the household’s only small piece of red cloth, making it festive and red.
After attending to Jin Feng’s washing up, Guan Xiaorou quietly sat on the bed’s edge.
Perhaps after two days together, she understood Jin Feng better, or maybe the two wild rabbits hanging in the courtyard gave her hope for life. Now, her face showed no worry or fear for the future, only shyness.
Jin Feng walked over and took her small hand.
Guan Xiaorou trembled slightly but didn’t object, letting Jin Feng hold it.
Just as Jin Feng prepared for the next step, a thud came from outside the window.
“Er Gouzi, why are you pushing?”
“We agreed, when they hold hands, it’s my turn to watch!”
Children’s arguing voices came from outside.
“These little brats!”
Jin Feng, exasperated, grabbed a stool and rushed out.
“Oh no, run! Jin Gang is angry!”
Five or six children scattered in a panic.
“Will this ever end?”
Jin Feng carried the stool, feeling terrible and puzzled.
Usually, the brats only came to eavesdrop on the wedding night. Why today again?
Suddenly, Jin Feng slapped his forehead.
A wedding was a joyous occasion, so one should prepare small treats like peanuts to send the children off.
In these times, children rarely got snacks year-round. Since Jin Feng hadn’t prepared any, it was no wonder they wouldn’t give up.
Even after being chased, they didn’t go home but kept peeking from afar, determined to continue the mischief.
Tonight was probably off again…
Jin Feng returned to the room with the stool. “Xiaorou, you sleep first. The crossbow has a small issue, I’ll adjust it.”
Guan Xiaorou nodded, her face red.
That night, Jin Feng added a simple winch to the crossbow and made an arrow quiver, making stringing faster and eliminating the need to reload an arrow after each shot.
By the time he finished, it was midnight. As he prepared to remove the door panel for sleeping, he found Guan Xiaorou sitting on the wooden stump by the door.
Though it was late spring, nights were still chilly. Guan Xiaorou hugged her knees against the cold, occasionally rubbing her hands.
“Xiaorou, why aren’t you sleeping? What are you doing here?”
“Husband, you go sleep in the room.”
Guan Xiaorou whispered. “If others see you sleeping in the shop, they’ll say Xiaorou doesn’t uphold wifely virtues. If husband dislikes Xiaorou, Xiaorou can sleep in the shop…”
“What are you talking about? When have I ever disliked you?”
Jin Feng held Guan Xiaorou’s icy hands, warming them in his palms.
“If husband doesn’t dislike Xiaorou, why… why won’t you share the room with Xiaorou?”
Guan Xiaorou lowered her head, tears flowing as she spoke.
“Xiaorou, it’s like this.”
Jin Feng thought for a moment and said. “We met and married on our first meeting. I wanted you to get familiar with the home and with me first, then talk about sharing the room. Otherwise, what if you thought I was a bad person?”
“I know husband isn’t a bad person. Marrying husband is the greatest blessing of Xiaorou’s life.”
“Silly girl, you’re adorably foolish.”
Jin Feng laughed helplessly, pulling Guan Xiaorou into his embrace. “Marrying such a beautiful and gentle wife is my blessing too.”
Such a simple sentence made Guan Xiaorou blush deeply.
The affection in her eyes was thick and unbreakable.
Jin Feng couldn’t resist leaning down for a kiss.
Guan Xiaorou’s eyes widened in surprise, burying her head in Jin Feng’s chest from shyness.
When the flower blooms, one must pluck it. The girl had waited half the night eagerly, any more delay would be too affected.
Jin Feng scooped Guan Xiaorou up by the waist and carried her into the inner room.
Soon, rustling sounds of undressing came from the inner room.
Always spinning thread at home, Guan Xiaorou hadn’t endured wind or rain. Her skin was delicate, fair, and smooth as if it could break with a puff, her figure perfect, rivaling any teacher Jin Feng had hidden in his hard drive.
“What a treasure of a girl.”
Jin Feng wandered between the snowy peaks, lingering endlessly.
After a long while, the creaking of the bed mingled with the spring night’s insect chirps, harmonious and natural.
