Chapter 507: Interaction Between Mother-in-Law and Daughter-in-Law

“Husband… wife… what exactly do these two words mean?” How could Zhu Ping’an possibly not understand their significance?

All around the courtyard—the enclosing walls, the wooden doors, even the trees—bright red double happiness characters were pasted everywhere, blazing like small flames. They shouted the same undeniable truth at him from every direction. In fact, as early as the second day after he had been rescued from the island and boarded the ship home, his elder brother had already told him everything.

He was married.

Yes… that’s right. He was already married…

On the morning of the twentieth day of the fourth month, while he himself was nowhere to be seen, his family had used a big rooster to represent him, and formally “married” him to Li Shu—who, on her side, had been symbolized by a hen.

Heaven knew just how shocked Zhu Ping’an had been when he first heard the news. According to his elder brother Zhu Pingchuan, the moment “that foolish younger brother” learned he had married the young lady of the Li family, his grin had stretched so wide that it didn’t close for an entire day. His brother had even teased him mercilessly: 

“Alright, that’s enough, kid. It’s not like you just found out today—we sent word to you in the capital ages ago through the Li family. Why are you still so overjoyed? Haven’t you had your fill of happiness yet?”

What nonsense! I never received any letter at all, alright?!

I didn’t know the wedding date, I didn’t attend the ceremony, and yet somehow a single rooster stood in for me and completed the entire marriage?!

Still, Zhu Ping’an understood well enough how marriages worked in ancient times. Unlike modern marriages, which required official registration, marriages in the past were established through ritual. The so-called “Six Rites”—proposal, name inquiry, divination of fortune, betrothal gifts, choosing an auspicious date, and the formal wedding procession—were all that mattered. Once these six steps were completed, the marriage was considered valid. No registration office, no paperwork—nothing like the modern system.

Back then, it was all about “parental command and matchmaker’s words.” There was even the custom of “marriage for warding off misfortune.” Whether it was the bride and groom themselves bowing in ceremony, or a rooster bowing in their place, as long as the parents agreed and the matchmaker arranged it, and the Six Rites were completed, the marriage stood.

As the saying went: “When the Six Rites are complete, it is a proper marriage; when they are not, it is elopement.” Simply put, if the rituals were followed, it was a legitimate union; if not, it was no different from running away together—much like a relationship today without official registration.

And since the Six Rites had indeed been completed, Li Shu was now his lawful, properly wedded wife. This was an unchangeable fact—no one could alter it. No one.

That said… among the two roosters pecking about in the vegetable patch by the courtyard wall, which one had represented him during the ceremony? The black-speckled one, or the red-speckled one?

For some reason, he suddenly felt like eating chicken. He wondered how it would taste—would it be better stewed clear, or braised in soy sauce?

“Why are you standing there like a fool? Can’t you see Shu’er is working hard picking vegetables? Hurry up and bring her a stool!”

His mother, Madam Chen, noticed him staring blankly at the rooster and promptly stepped forward to smack him on the back of the head, ordering him to fetch a stool for Li Shu.

“Ow… that hurts…” Zhu Ping’an rubbed the back of his head, wincing. Then, in a low mutter, he grumbled, “Mother… why does it feel like Li Shu is your real daughter, and I’m the one you picked up off the street?”

“What was that?” Madam Chen shot him a sharp glare.

Zhu Ping’an instantly shrank back, all bravado gone, and obediently went inside to fetch the stool. The feeling that he was somehow the “outsider” only grew stronger.

Li Shu watched his retreating figure, her eyes curving into crescent moons as she smiled.

“Mother, please sit. I’ll just squat—it’s fine,” she said sweetly.

As soon as Zhu Ping’an brought the stool over, Li Shu immediately took it from him and placed it behind Madam Chen. She even thoughtfully wiped it clean with her sleeve before gently helping her sit down.

What a bootlicker…

Zhu Ping’an twitched his lips silently at the sight.

“Look at how sensible Shu’er is,” Madam Chen said, though she made a token attempt to decline. In truth, she was clearly delighted by Li Shu’s attentiveness and, after a bit of insistence, sat down happily, her satisfaction plain to see.

This daughter-in-law came from a good family, was beautiful, capable of managing a household, diligent, sensible, and—most importantly—filial. Madam Chen could not have been more pleased. The more she thought about it, the prouder she felt of her original decision to arrange this marriage.

In her satisfaction, she couldn’t help but lecture Zhu Ping’an again, turning Li Shu into the model “neighbor’s child” that parents always praised.

Sensible? Zhu Ping’an could only give a dry laugh. If his mother ever discovered Li Shu’s true nature—her pride, her willfulness—would she still say the same?

“Mother, what are these vegetables for? I heard from my husband that your cooking is the best,” Li Shu said as she worked beside Madam Chen, her sweet voice never ceasing its stream of praise. “I remember tasting your cooking when I was little. Just thinking about it now makes my mouth water.”

“Oh, it’s nothing special…” Madam Chen waved her hand modestly, though the smile on her face refused to fade.

“It’s true, Mother! I remember it clearly. When I was little, I came to your old house to play with my husband. You treated me so well—you even packed a basket of food for me to take home.” Li Shu nodded earnestly, her bright, watery eyes brimming with sincerity.

“You still remember that?” Madam Chen was slightly surprised. She remembered because she had been an adult at the time; she hadn’t expected Li Shu, who had been so young then, to recall it so vividly. “It wasn’t anything special, just some homemade snacks.”

“I remember, I really do. When I took the basket, I could already smell how delicious it was—it made me want to drool right then and there,” Li Shu said, closing her eyes as if reliving the moment, her expression full of happiness, as though the basket were right before her again.

Nonsense! Liar!

Zhu Ping’an nearly choked. Back then, she had ordered her little maid to throw that basket straight into the ditch because she thought it was dirty! He had been so angry that he’d given her a proper scolding!

Watching Li Shu lie so smoothly… well, to be fair, her eyes were closed right now…

Madam Chen’s smile only grew brighter as she listened.

“But… on the way home, I accidentally dropped the basket into a ditch…” Li Shu continued, her face filling with distress.

Accidentally? You clearly threw it in on purpose! Zhu Ping’an felt his understanding of her scheming nature deepen yet again.

“It’s alright, it’s alright. I’ll make more for you another day,” Madam Chen said, waving it off without concern.

“But your cooking was just too delicious…” Li Shu lowered her head shyly, her voice soft. “I couldn’t help myself—I climbed down into the ditch, picked up the basket and the food, washed them clean when I got home, and ate everything.”

Hearing this, Zhu Ping’an felt as though his worldview had collapsed. This girl not winning an award for acting was truly a waste of talent! She picked it up and ate it? Why not just ride the wind and soar ninety thousand li into the sky while you’re at it?!

“You silly child. If you wanted to eat, you could have come again. Eating something after it fell into a ditch isn’t good,” Madam Chen said, her heart aching for her, as though Li Shu had been deprived of good food all her life.

“It’s because Mother’s cooking is just too good,” Li Shu replied, lowering her head in bashful modesty.

“Oh, you…”

In that moment, Madam Chen seemed to grow ten years younger. As the two of them picked vegetables together, laughter and cheerful chatter flowed endlessly between them. The harmony between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law was astonishingly warm—almost unbelievably so.