When Uncle Li and the others entered the village they were greeted by the whole villagers. Everyone in the villages has taken the day off to come and celebrate the happy occasion. The richest family in the village has finally found a bride for their son. No one wants to say it, but the Li family have been trying their best finding a bride for their mentally challenged son ever since he came down with such a disease. Li Haoran, the only son of the Li's, was a kind and lovely man. From a young age, Li Haoran was loved by all the villagers and many young ladies all wished to marry him one day.
In the villager's eyes, the young man is bound for a great life but who knows that when Li Haoran turned eighteen he suddenly came down with a cold. The cold lasted for ten days before leaving his body. And when it did, disaster struck. One day Li Haoran went to cut some firewood. But with his weak body, he slipped on a rock as he walked down the steep hill while carrying the heavy load of firewood.
When Li Haoran was found, he did not remember anyone. His parents cry throughout the night praying for their son to get better. But it was not long before they found that there was something wrong with their son. He does not only remember them, but he was also acting like a five year old. Li Haoran's parents were distressed by their son's change. They wept and continued to pray, but after ten long years they finally accepted the situation their son was in.
When it was time to find a wife for their son, with the condition he has, it was not easy at all. The young ladies in the village used to fancy their son were no longer interested in him. And when they search for girls from outside their village, the moment they hear that the man they are marrying is a mentally challenged person they refuse right away. But there were some who would shamelessly hover over and want to marry him. But the two old couple knew that these girls did not want to marry him out of the goodness of their heart. There was no love. They want their son to have a wife that will take care of him with love even if he has the mind of a five year old. When they were almost out of choice, their daughter Li Yaoyao brought up the story of their son's childhood sweetheart.
The old couple has never heard that their son has a childhood sweetheart, and even if they ask him now he wouldn't know. But the couple did not lose hope, as they know that their daughter is not a liar. So, soon the Li couple rushed from village to village to find her, and when they did they were beyond satisfied. The young girl is beautiful, kind, and speaks with no pretense. They agree right there and then for her hand. Even though the bride price is a bit expensive, they did not mind as long as she loved their son.
The wedding date was set after the harvest season. And now that winter is coming, the bride has finally arrived in the village. The Li's couple has invited everyone to come and join. Loud clacking sound of joy and happiness was in the air. The children dance around while the old watch the bride sits on the cart with a veil covering her face. They shout with glee welcoming her into the village.
"Son, when your bride is here, hold her hand and listen to whatever Uncle Mo says okay." Li Jing gently patted her son's head and softly instructed him to not cause a ruckus. Her son is still her son no matter if he is thirty or five year old. As a mother she knows what should be said to make him listen and calm him down.
"Mother, my bride, is she pretty?"
"She is very pretty!"
"Can she cook delicious pork belly like you?"
"Even better!"
"Can she throw a rock farther than me?"
"She can throw one across the ocean!"
Li Haoran giggled with happiness. His crystal clear eyes innocently turn to look at the door with anticipation. "Mother, when is she coming?" His legs tapped the ground expressing how much he wanted to run out and find his bride.
"Be patient, she is coming." Li jing smiled at him. The look in her eyes overshadows the smile on her face. She is happy that such a day can come, but she was also worried about her son. Childhood sweetheart or not, she just wishes that her child can live a life with no worry when she and her husband are no longer here.
The sound of gongs, and the sound of firecrackers hitting the air with loud laughter finally descended upon the Li's house. It was finally time to meet the bride.
Unlike traditional time, where the groom would be the one picking up the bride from her home, time has changed these traditions and made the procession simpler. All they needed to do was offer tea and pay respect to their parents, then move to the exchange of vows, and finally the wedding banquet. As for testing the groom, Mother Li Jing refused for Li Haoran to participate. She does not want others to think of her son as more of a fool than he already was.
Meili with a sheer red veil covering her face, she slowly got down from the cart with some of the villagers girls. They lead her to a stop and whisper for her to stretch out her hand. Meili stretched her hand out and was suddenly pulled by someone. The person that pulled her hand neither did it harshly nor gently, but it did cause her to almost stumble a bit.
"Sorry, did I hurt you?" A sofa apologetic voice sounded next to her. Meili bit down her lips when she felt the person's voice. She wanted to laugh. The sound of the voice was so close that even with the veil she felt like the person was speaking right into her ear making her feel ticklish.
"No, I'm fine." A loud gong rang enveloping whatever Meili said.
"The auspicious time has come. The exchange of vows will commence." Uncle Mo, a man with a big bushy white mustache shouts.
Li Haoran held Meili's hand as both of them walked into the room where his parents, Uncle Li, and his family altar were. Without any delay, Uncle Mo officiated the wedding, telling both Li Haoran and Meili to bow to the family altar, to the parents, and finally to themselves.
When it was time for the tea offering, both sides of the family did not have large family members so the offering was rather quick. But oddly enough, during the tea offering Li Haoran forgot the words, and stuttered a bit. In the end Meilin had to step in. but she also did not know what to say. Ji Ling saw the predicament they're and chuckled a bit as she told them to repeat what she said, "Please, drink tea."
Meili gratefully nods her head as she looks through the sheer veil. She did not know what was going on, but the people around her were smiling from ear to ear. She did not want to interrupt the happy occasion with her questions. In case they are like her grandma, if she were to ask them she was scared they would chase her off or hit her.
The offering tea ceremony could have been pushed till tomorrow, but Uncle Li, the supposed father of the bride, was in a rush to head back home. He and his men's plan to head back early the next morning and will not be able to wait till the tea ceremony takes place.
In the end everything seemed to be a bit rushed, but all in all the start of the banquet filled with lavishing foods has made everyone happy and filled to the brim. The villagers were all laughing and sitting among themselves as they told stories to the youngsters. Li Haoran was pulled to the men as they recounted their marriage life to him, even giving him some pointers.
"Listen to your wife, but also know that you are the man of the house!"
"No, we both are the man of the house!" Li Haoran said with a stern voice.
"Hahaha, Li Haoran, are you planning to live under your wife?!" A mocking shout resounded from the group of men.
"No...Mother said that I should be good to my wife! If I'm the man of the house, then she is too!" Li Haoran patted his chest with a smile disregarding whatever they said.
Not far from where they were, Li Jing and her husband Li Chen listened to them. The look on their face darkens when they listen to their conversation.
"Husband, these ungrateful men dare to eat our food and mock our son!"
Li Chen narrows his eyes at the group of men coaxing their son. "These bastards!"
Li Haoran shuffled back and forth impatiently. When one of the men was about to open his mouth to make another comment Li Haoran stood up and with a grin on his face he bolted toward his room. "I'm going to find my bride!"
All the men stare blankly at Li Haoran's fast action, and within minutes all of them started laughing.
"Hahaha, men will always be men!"
"It's his wedding night!"
"Hahaha"
"Husband, are you going to stand there and do nothing or should I go?" Ji Ling said angrily at her husband. Her husband is someone that kind, very kind, so when it comes to teaching anyone a lesson he would become a sluggish snail that wouldn't dare raise his voice to anyone.
Ji Chen cleared his throat, and wrapped his arm around Ji Ling, "Wife, don't be hasty."
Ji Ling gritted her teeth angrily at all of them, her husband and the group of men. She wanted to run over and smack each and everyone of their mouths shut, but since her son is already gone she was able to cool off a bit.
"Tomorrow, none of them will get a nice warm breakfast, lunch, and dinner! Cold soup is what they'll get!" Ji Ling said with a cold tone as she turned toward the kitchen.
Ji Chen watches his wife go and sighs. No matter what, at least she fed them. Most of the men who were talking to their son were hired workers. Their job is to work in the field, but since the harvesting season has ended, it was about time for them to leave home until the next season. As for housing and food, these are all provided by the couple. His wife is a good person and did not want these workers to go hungry, so she would always make large amounts of warm food. But this time they have hit her sore spot and will reap what they sow.
"Cold soup, en."
Li Haoran pushed his door open, and saw Meili sitting on the bed. He covers his mouth to not make any sound as he tiptoes to her side. Meili saw him through the sheer veil and watched him come sit next to her. She found that the man that gently held her hand during the ceremony was rather funny. He did not want her to know that he was in the room, but when he opened the door it was loud enough to wake anyone up.
"Wife, are you hungry?"
Meili blinked once then again. She touches her stomach and stares at Li Haoran. She cooked breakfast for her grandma and her, but didn't have time to eat it before being forced to come and play in a weird ceremony. Meili nodded her head. She is hungry.
Li Haoran saw her nodding her head, and he quickly take out a largely wrapped lotus leaves bundle. Meili opened her eyes wide with surprise. She could smell the oil coming through the lotus leaves.
"Here! Come eat!" Li Haoran unwrapped the lotus leaves which contained a whole chicken that had been cooked in soy sauce and stuffed with medical medicine. "Mother alway makes this for me. She says it is very good for my health! Wife, come and eat with me!"
Meili shook her head. She can't eat someone else's food without her grandma's permission. But the smell was really good. Meili couldn't help, but savlivated as she took another swiff of the chicken. With a red face, she realized what she just did. Meili embarrassingly covered her face, and was glad that the veil was still covering her face.
Li Haoran tilted his head to the side with confusion. His mother did not clarify with him what he should do after the ceremony. Li Haoran quietly stared at the veil for a long while. With a look of annoyance he lifted the veil off revealing Meili's face.
"Wife! You're so beautiful!"