Dandy Escapes From Marriage - Chapter 60

Several people entered the mansion together, and the servants quickly went to announce their arrival. Soon after, Madam Shen hurried out, smiling, “You’ve been through a lot on the way, Xiao Wu, let me see if you’ve lost weight?”

 

“Not at all, in fact, I’ve gained a few pounds. Winter is good for putting on some extra weight,” Liu Shu replied with a charming smile.

 

“That’s good.” Madam Shen chatted with him for a while before introducing someone, “This is Shen Huai’s wife, Wu Xu, also known as Ake’s sister-in-law.”

 

Liu Shu nodded respectfully, “Hello, sister-in-law.”

 

“This is Ning’er, Ake’s niece.”

 

“Hello, niece… oh, I mean, Ning’er, hello.”

 

Ning’er responded cheerfully, “Hello, Xiao Wu gege!”

 

“Hey, you should call him…” Madam Shen paused and turned to ask Shen Ke, “What should she call him?”

 

“Uncle, call him Uncle Xaio Wu,” Shen Ke suggested.

 

Madam Shen coaxed Ning’er to use the new title, then turned to Liu Shu with a smile, “You can give me the rouge now.”

 

“Oh, right!” Liu Shu quickly took out the gift and handed it to them.

 

“And clothes?” Wu Xu exclaimed with delight, “Thank you, I really like it.”

 

Madam Shen smiled kindly, accepted the gifts, and ordered the servants to prepare lunch, saying, “Yan Qing is still at the Hanlin Academy and won’t be back until the afternoon. Let’s have lunch first without waiting for him.”

 

Shen Ke led Liu Shu to sit down, originally worried that he might feel uncomfortable, but found that he was chatting with Ning’er beside him and occasionally exchanging a few words with his sister-in-law. They looked like a family.

 

After lunch, Shen Ke took him to rest in the backyard and also showed him around the Shen family residence.

 

Compared to the magnificent layout of the Liu family, the Shen family residence was more simple and heavy, with calligraphy on the walls and paintings on the pillars under the corridor.

 

“Who wrote all these?” Liu Shu asked curiously.

 

“I did,” Shen Ke pointed.

 

“You?!” Liu Shu pointed at the paintings on the pillars, “And these?”

 

Shen Ke nodded.

 

Liu Shu stopped in his tracks, pondering carefully. As he walked closer to the walls, almost touching them, he wondered aloud, “You wrote and painted on the walls, and your parents didn’t stop you?”

 

Back in the day, he was once confined for several days just for doodling a few tortoises on the wall, by Lu Yueju.

 

“Yeah, I was mischievous when I was young. I copied a poem on the wall once, and Father said I could write once a year and have craftsmen carve them out. What you see now was written when I was sixteen,” Shen Ke explained.

 

As they walked further, the handwriting became more childish, and Liu Shu gently touched the uneven walls, feeling as if he had touched Shen Ke’s growth trajectory.

 

“Your father is really kind.”

 

“Yeah.”

 

At the end of their tour, they turned a corner and entered a small garden. Shen Ke pointed to a house behind the artificial hill and said, “That’s Big Brother’s room, and mine is opposite.”

 

“Yeah.” Liu Shu looked around and walked near the artificial hill, curiously examining it for a while, “Have you climbed this?”

 

“No.”

 

Flowers were planted under the artificial hill, and he carefully stepped on the open ground. Then his gaze froze, and he squatted down to ask, “What’s this?”

 

“What?” Shen Ke curiously came over and found a painting at the bottom of the artificial hill.

 

This painting was not carved by craftsmen but crudely engraved on stone. It was simple, depicting two little boys bowing to each other, as if apologizing.

 

The two stared at each other slowly, and Liu Shu asked, “Did you draw this too?”

 

“I think so,” Shen Ke said embarrassedly, as he was the only one in the mansion who liked writing and drawing everywhere.

 

“Hmm.”

 

“Are you sure this is me? I thought you couldn’t remember,”

 

“In the years I’ve forgotten, your figure remains the clearest,” Shen Ke said. “Since I started remembering things, I haven’t engraved anyone else on stone again, so this little boy must be you.”

 

Liu Shu’s face brimmed with a smile. He kissed Shen Ke’s cheek and chuckled, “Looks like you really resented me back then.”

 

“How do you know it wasn’t longing?” Shen Ke teased.

 

“Uncle, I want to eat walnut cakes!” Ning’er shouted from nearby.

 

Turning back, Shen Ke still had a smile on his lips as he asked, “Why are you alone? Where’s your mother?”

 

“She just left,” Ning’er pointed.

 

They exchanged a knowing smile.

 

“Come, let’s go eat walnut cakes,” Shen Ke said, approaching and taking Ning’er’s hand, then lowering his voice to whisper something to her.

 

Ning’er nodded and reached out her hand to Liu Shu, “Uncle Xiao Wu, hold hands.”

 

In Shen Ke’s room, Ning’er naturally sat down on a low stool, swinging her legs and waiting for snacks.

 

Meanwhile, Liu Shu looked around the room, amazed at the numerous books. “I thought those few boxes of books at home were all your belongings, but it turns out they’re just a drop in the ocean!”

 

“I have a study too,” Shen Ke chuckled.

 

“Wow. Was your childhood happy?”

 

“Quite happy.”

 

Shen Ke took out the walnut cakes, giving Ning’er two pieces and Liu Shu five.

 

“Uncle, why do I have so few?” Ning’er asked as she ate.

 

“Eating too much will rot your teeth.”

 

“Then why does Uncle Xiao Wu have so many?”

 

“He’s grown up.”

 

“I want to grow up too. When I grow up, my teeth won’t rot, and I can get married.”

 

“You want to get married?”

 

“Yeah, Mom said you and Uncle Xiao Wu are getting married, so I want to marry Uncle Xiao Wu too.”

 

Shen Ke was at a loss for words. “Uncle Xiao Wu can only marry me. When you grow up, you can find someone you like. Is that okay?”

 

Ning’er pouted and looked at Liu Shu, who grinned and promptly stuffed all five pieces of walnut cake into his mouth.

 

Ning’er: 😐

 

Ning’er: “Okay, Uncle Xiao Wu eats too much. I won’t marry him.”

 

Apart from his love for walnut cakes, which Ning’er didn’t like very much, Uncle Xiao Wu was likable in every other way.

 

Over the next few days, Ning’er stuck to Liu Shu like glue. She dressed her up in beautiful clothes like a princess, took her to eat delicious food, and even taught her how to ride a horse, which was quite impressive.

 

When Shen Huai returned home, he noticed a change in the family dynamics.

 

Mother, Sister-in-law, and even his daughter were all charmed by this young Liu Shu. They sat together gossiping and couldn’t seem to stop. Shen Huai wondered why he had never seen his mother and sister-in-law chat so much before.

 

“Dad! You’re back!” Ning’er happily exclaimed, then turned to Liu Shu, “Uncle Xiao Wu, my dad’s back. Can you carry me to see him?”

 

Shen Huai: 😳

 

As the New Year approached, the mansion bustled with preparations for the young master’s wedding, a familiar affair for the Shen family. Everyone was meticulously arranging details.

 

The Liu family members finally arrived in the capital. Several elders immediately engaged in animated discussions about the specifics, while Liu Shu’s brothers, upon entering the Shen household, became as timid as quails, barely daring to make a sound.

 

In the blink of an eye, it was the 28th of the twelfth month.

 

Before dawn, Liu Shu rose from bed and allowed the maidservants to attend to his grooming and dressing.

 

Lu Yueju circled around him incessantly, sometimes feeling the wedding attire wasn’t fancy enough, other times deeming the accessories too plain, wishing everything was adorned with gold to showcase his wealth and status.

 

“We’re about to greet the hall; it’s too late to make changes now,” Liu Shu chuckled.

 

“I know, I’m just a bit nervous,” Lu Yueju said, holding his hand to her chest.

 

“Nervous about what?”

 

Lu Yueju gripped his hand, eyes reddening. “How time flies; in the blink of an eye, you’re getting married. Over these years, I’ve been busy with business and haven’t been able to take good care of you. Sometimes, I wish I could just stay quietly in the backyard and accompany you. But I’m also unwilling, fearing you might be mistreated outside. Only when others respect me can you avoid being looked down upon.”

 

Liu Shu hugged her, smiling. “Mother Lu, you’re the best mother in the world. The happiest thing in my life is being your son.”

 

Moved to tears, Lu Yueju smiled through them. “Isn’t getting married the happiest thing for you?”

 

“This is my greatest joy.”

 

“You rascal,” Lu Yueju playfully tapped him and personally placed the hairpin on him. “You must be happy.”

 

“I will be.”

 

Suddenly, shouts came from downstairs at the inn. “Xiao Wu, Xiao Wu! We’re here! Where are you?!”

 

The Liu family had booked the entire inn for relatives and friends who came to rest and stay for the wedding feast. Hearing the voices, Liu Shu smiled. “My friends have arrived.”

 

Lu Yueju instructed someone to bring them up. When Zhang Moyang entered, he froze upon seeing Liu Shu dressed in bright red wedding attire. “Why do you look so handsome today?!”

 

“I look handsome every day,” Liu Shu boasted.

 

Zhang Mosheng chuckled, handing over a red packet. “This is a gift of money, wishing you a hundred years of happiness.”

 

Hui Shang followed suit, presenting a handwritten Buddhist scripture. “May Buddha bless your union.”

 

Liu Shu: 😐

 

After chatting for a while, they heard bustling noises outside. Lu Yueju walked over. “Let’s go, he’s here to fetch you.”

 

“Okay.” Liu Shu calmly stood up, adjusted his attire, and descended the stairs briskly, leaving Mother Lu behind.

 

Everyone: 😳

 

Pedestrians on the street had already gathered to watch the spectacle. They heard that the second young master of the prominent Shen family, unmatched in talent and appearance, was marrying the young master of the Liu family from Jinling.

 

No one knew how these two families, so distant from each other, had come to this marriage agreement. All they knew was that their matchmaker was the former Regent Zhao, making this marriage highly significant. Everyone was curious about who exactly this young master from the Liu family was.

 

“He’s coming out, he’s coming out!” someone in the crowd shouted. Everyone turned to the main gate, where amidst the entourage, they immediately recognized the young Master Liu in his wedding attire—fair-skinned, bright-eyed, with a pair of eyes sparkling like pearls, standing gracefully at the door, a sight to behold.

 

The wedding procession slowly approached, and Young Master Shen, mounted on a horse, was a rare sight, exuding an elegant and distant aura that made him seem only suitable for distant admiration. Despite rarely venturing out, many young ladies who caught glimpses of his demeanor had secretly admired him, though he had never shown interest in anyone. Upon his return to the capital, the announcement of his marriage left countless young ladies heartbroken.

 

Liu Shu gazed at the man standing before him. Despite the change in location and attire, he recognized the joy in Shen Ke’s smile with just one glance.

 

Some noticed there was no bridal sedan in the procession, and the young master from the Liu family was not veiled. Just as they wondered about this, they saw Shen Ke reach out and pull Liu Shu onto his horse. The two of them rode together on one horse, heading towards the Shen mansion in style.

 

Along the way, Liu Shu warmly waved to the common folk. Whenever someone shouted blessings at them, Liu Shu tossed a bag of sweets in return, filling the streets with well-wishes.

 

“Here, take it! Everyone gets a reward!” Lu Yueju sent people to distribute sweets to the crowd, boasting, “The Liu family may not have much else, but we certainly have plenty of silver!”

 

Arriving at the Shen mansion amidst much fanfare, the Shen family members greeted the guests at the entrance and ushered them inside to await the auspicious hour.

 

“Nervous?” Shen Ke asked.

 

“A little bit,” Liu Shu replied after nibbling on a pastry. “It’s my first time seeing so many high-ranking officials! Just outside, I heard so many ‘bigwigs’. It’s quite terrifying.”

 

“Aren’t you afraid of Lord Zhao and General Yan? Why be afraid of these people?” Shen Ke teased.

 

“It’s different. I didn’t know them beforehand,” Liu Shu chuckled, seemingly thinking of something. “It’s been a while since I gambled. How about we make a bet?”

 

“What kind of bet?”

 

“Let’s bet on whether Zhang Moyang will be so scared that he falls off his chair later.”

 

Shen Ke saw the eager look in his eyes and smiled. “Alright, what are the stakes?”

 

At the banquet, Zhang Moyang took Zhang Mosheng’s handkerchief and kept wiping his sweat nervously. “Why are there so many important figures here? I want to go back. What should I do?”

 

Zhang Mosheng brought over some walnuts and said, “Crack some walnuts to calm your nerves. You said you wouldn’t be scared.”

 

“Yeah, I need to stay calm.” Zhang Moyang did some mental preparation, but faced with this group of dignitaries, he barely managed to stabilize himself when a servant suddenly called out, “Lord Zhao and General Yan have arrived!”

 

Everyone stood up to greet them. Zhang Moyang, genuinely nervous, muttered, “We actually get to see the Regent and General?!”

 

“If you shake any more, the table might flip,” Hui Shang reminded him.

 

Zhang Moyang gripped his thighs, looked up, and saw the two men walking in like stars among the crowd. He was so shocked that he almost fell off his chair, staring dumbfoundedly, “Are they really them? I’ve always heard people praise their looks, but I didn’t expect them to be this impressive!”

 

“Brother, calm down,” Zhang Mosheng advised.

 

Zhang Moyang nodded frantically, trembling as he cracked open a walnut.

 

After everyone took their seats, another announcement came from outside, “Grand Tutor Gao has arrived—”

 

“Hope we’re not too late!” An elderly grand tutor walked in, smiling amiably. “The Emperor heard that Young Master Shen of the Shen family is celebrating, so he sent me with a congratulatory gift to wish the newlyweds a hundred years of happiness.”

 

With a thud, Zhang Moyang couldn’t hold on any longer and fell off his chair.

 

“Hehe.” Liu Shu peeked from behind a pillar, then turned to Shen Ke with a shrug, “I concede defeat. From now on, you have to listen to me forever.”

 

“Deal.” Shen Ke and Liu Shu high-fived.

 

“Young masters, please return to your rooms quickly. It’s not yet the auspicious hour,” the wedding matron anxiously whispered. She had been a wedding matron for many years, but this was the first time she had encountered a groom sneaking out on his wedding day, leaving her sweating with worry.

 

The two turned and quietly slipped back to their rooms.

 

Outside was lively, but they could only wait patiently inside. Liu Shu looked up at the shelves filled with books and drifted off in thought for a moment.

 

“What are you thinking about?” Shen Ke whispered, embracing him from behind.

 

“I was thinking, if we do anything here, would it be disrespectful to these sage books?” Liu Shu turned around and asked.

 

Shen Ke chuckled softly and took a step forward, forcing him to lean against the bookshelf.

 

“Sage books taught me how to think, but they didn’t teach me how to hug and kiss you.”

 

A smile spread across Liu Shu’s lips as he grabbed Shen Ke’s collar. “Then let me teach you.”

 

The room fell silent, the outside laughter and chatter seeming to dim. They could only hear each other’s breathing, restraining stronger urges due to the need to keep their wedding attire neat.

 

Suddenly, Shen Ke’s hand accidentally pressed heavily on a shelf, causing a book to fall down, followed by several others cascading down.

 

Neither Shen Ke nor Liu Shu immediately moved to pick them up.

 

It wasn’t until a knock on the door reminded them that the auspicious time had arrived that they reluctantly licked each other’s lips and followed the wedding matron to the main hall.

 

In the center sat their respective parents, smiling warmly at them.

 

Lord Zhao stood in the middle, reciting the wedding vows for them.

 

The hall was filled with guests, both familiar and unfamiliar, all congratulating them.

 

They each held one end of the wedding ribbon and quietly tugged on it.

 

As they heard Lord Zhao announce the bowing ceremony, they smiled at each other, as they had countless times before, full of joy in each other’s gaze.

 

“Bow to Heaven and Earth.”

 

“Bow to the parents.”

 

“Bow to each other.”

 

“—With the completion of the Six Rites, gathering of the Seven Sages, completion of the Eight Tunes, singing the Nine Harmonies, their union is perfect, like the mythical birds.”

 

End of text

 

TL – 🥹🥹🥹🥹🥹