TLNote: Happy New Year, I wish that this year will be great, fun, full of achievements and good fortune!!!
Chapter 211 Dressing and grooming oneself
After Ji Danqing and Meijing went out, Shu Huan was at loss about what to do and circled twice in the place.
Too sudden!
Although, she knew that this would happen sooner or later, but she had always thought that it would happen after Gu Xiran passed the three years of mourning. Hence, she wasn’t prepared mentally at all. She was tightly entangled by emotions such as nervousness and joy.
When Meijing returned with Liangchen and the others to congratulate her, she was still circling with a frown.
Shang Xin laughed, “Miss, it’s such a great event. No wonder the lanterns exploded last night. It turned out to be because of this.”
“What great event?!” Shu Huan wanted to cover her face. “He didn’t even ask me first and just suddenly decided on it. Now, I don’t know what to do.”
Liangchen lowered her head and smiled, “Second young master had always been considerate. Since he had proposed marriage, he must’ve prepared everything else. Miss doesn’t need to think about anything. How about I go boil some water for miss to take a bath, dress and groom yourself?”
Shu Huan didn’t agree with this, “How can he has any preparation? In my opinion, he just heard little fourth mention about the marriage within hundred days of one’s passing that he devised a plan.”
“Then, he is even more considerate,” Liangchen laughed. “Did miss heard about that there are outs when repudiating a wife? After you married this time, you have to mourn for three years for master. In the future, you can’t be divorced…”
The three outs were made so that the husband can’t divorce the wife:
She had no family to return to because they had passed away
She had mourned three years for her parent-in-law
Her husband was poor before they married and got rich after the marriage
Having said that, she quickly covered her mouth and said, “Look at me. Today is a joyful day. How could I mention the mourning period? I should slap myself in the mouth. Miss, don’t take offense.”
Shu Huan was stunned. She knew that there were seven grounds on which a husband could divorce the wife, but she really didn’t know about the three outs. Since it was like this, why did no one mention the matter of marrying within hundred days of one’s passing to them? She and Gu Xiran thought that they must mourn for three years before they could marry.
The seven grounds were:
Not obedient to the in-laws
Childless
Adultery
Jealousy
Disease
Talking too much
Theft
Since she wondered about this, she asked the question.
Meijing laughed, “We thought that miss and second young master already knew. Since you didn’t mention it, how could we, the maids, mention it?”
Wondering for so long, the reason turned out to be so simple.
Shu Huan also felt that it was funny. She talked some more with the maids. The original uneasy mood gradually became relaxed. Until when Liangchen and Meijing went to boil water and look for clothes, the wife of the prefectural magistrate came with two maids who held some things.
“Madam,” Shu Huan had become familiar with her these past few days. She didn’t care about etiquette so much anymore. It was just that when she saw outsiders at this moment, she couldn’t help but blush.
“I have to complain about your little Gu. Usually, he looked like a stable and capable person; how can he be so muddle-headed when it comes to the most major event in his life? He didn’t even give a reminder first. There are so many things to prepare. When things came to the head did he say to make the wedding dress. Isn’t this too much grievances for you? Even I felt angry looking at a side!”
As she said that, she let the maids put down the things they carried over. She pulled Shu Huan over and said, “It would be too late now to let someone come over and make a wedding dress personally for you. Fortunately, the two of you are going to married within the hundred days of someone’s passing. It isn’t right to be too flamboyant. I opened my clothing chest and brought two suitable clothes over. They are newly made and had never been worn yet. Don’t dislike them.”
Shu Huan smiled embarrassingly, “Like how madam mentioned. It’s a wedding within hundred days of one’s passing and didn’t have to be too flamboyant. I originally thought to just wear any dress. I didn’t think that madam still got worried about this.”
“Don’t be so courteous with me,” The wife of the prefectural magistrate patted her (SH) hand and laughed. “Which girl doesn’t want to look pretty when she gets married? Even if it’s not right to be flamboyant, it can’t be done too negligent.”
As she said that, she sighed again, “It’s also such a coincidence that it was after a great catastrophe. Everything is lacking. Originally, you shouldn’t get married at this time, but Gu household’s master had passed away. If you don’t rush to marry now, you have to wait for three whole years. Youthfulness is passing, a beautiful woman will get old. How can woman have so many three years to wait? That can’t happen. Even if it’s a bit negligent, it’s better to marry first!”
The wife of the prefectural magistrate always talked a lot. Shu Huan didn’t get to answer yet when she laughed quietly again, “I heard that my foolish master wanted to gift two maids to little Gu a few days ago. Fortunately, little Gu is loyal and stable at mind and rejected him immediately! Such a man, I’m afraid that even if you lit up a lantern, you wouldn’t have a place to find another. Moreover, he has capabilities. My master relies on him for help. If you marry such a person, you will have nothing more to worry about anymore in this lifetime.”
As he talked, she sighed. She looked at Shu Huan and said, “You, ah. If you feel that this time the wedding was too negligent and feel unhappy, just think about how you will have many smiles in the future!”
This speech made Shu Huan want to laugh. The reason wasn’t because that she had someone to depend on in this life. It was because the wife of the prefectural magistrate came here for only one reason. She was afraid that she (SH) would feel that the wedding was too simple and would have a knot in her heart. That was why she came to advise her.
This was because she was a kind person. However, Shu Huan had already thought about this point thoroughly. She only wanted to marry someone she wanted to marry and live a simple and happy life. It was fine as long as those formalities could get by. There was no need to toss and turn too much. What use did it have if you have face? Such a thing as face couldn’t be eaten and couldn’t be worn. Instead, it would make her very tired!
As they talked, Liangchen came in to report that the water for the bath had been boiled. Shu Huan apologized and asked the wife of the prefectural magistrate to have a seat. She would go take a bath first.
After she was refreshed from the bath, had put on a red dress lined with cloud patterns and stood in front of the wife of the wife of the prefectural magistrate with a slight blush, she had been praised very much.
“I knew that we are about the same size. You are a bit thinner than me. This dress must fit you,” As the wife of the prefectural magistrate talked, she let the maid bring over the jewelry box. She took out a golden hairpin in the form of a phoenix with a pearl in its mouth. She put it against Shu Huan’s hair on the temples and said, “This is very good. After you comb your hair, put it on.”
As she talked, she hurled that jewelry box into Shu Huan’s hands and said, “This jewelry box is my kind feelings. Take it as a congratulatory gift. Don’t refuse it because the gift is too light.”
It was not good to refuse a congratulatory gift and moreover, she already spoke like that. Shu Huan also didn’t be courteous with her. She thanked her and accepted it. She thought about how she should find an opportunity to give a gift in return. However, it was funny when she thought about it. Was the prefectural magistrate afraid that Gu Xian would ran away after he married? He wanted to beguile him so much. He wanted to gift him maids but had been rejected. Hence, he sent his wife over to gift jewelries.
After the jewelries were gifted, the wife of the prefectural magistrate said that she still needed to make preparations for them and would come visit her (SH) another time. She left with her maids. Shu Huan sat there and let Liangchen dress her up. She looked out through the curtain from the mirror. Gu Xihe looked inside as he probed his head. When he met her gaze, he laughed, “Second sister-in-law, congratulation! It turned out that the thing that second big brother had to do was this. Hateful! He even kept it from me!”
“He even kept it from me let alone you!” As Shu Huan talked, she turned around and saw that his eyes were still a bit red. She couldn’t help but also laugh, “Why did you come over this time? I haven’t married yet and you already call me second sister-in-law?”
“Didn’t I always call you that? I’ve already become accustomed to calling you that! Gu Xihe laughed mischievously. “I, I had been sent over by second big brother.”
Shu Huan was surprised for a moment. She still didn’t figure out what kind of tricks Gu Xiran was playing when she saw Gu Xihe swiftly moved his hand that was behind his back to the front. A large bouquet of blooming Chinese roses was handed to her.
This…
Shu Huan’s face reddened a bit. She unconsciously took them over. Who would’ve thought that there were thorns on the branches of the Chinese roses? Unfortunately, she had been pricked and couldn’t help but made a sound of pain.
Oops!
Gu Xihe bit his lips. Second big brother had clearly instructed him to remove all the thorns. As a result, he was impatient and just cleaned it a bit before bringing it over. Seeing that he was in trouble because a thorn pricked Shu Huan, how would he remember the things he memorized to say? He turned and ran away very fast.