By: Kia Lam

* HZGG 2, when the brides were sent to the wrong rooms, which caused riots and shocked grooms.

Dawn had come, giving light to dark, and giving new hopes for the day. The bright rays of the sun shone through the windows and into the Fu bridal chamber, giving light and warmth to the sleepers inside.
Zi Wei lay awake in Er Kang’s arms, smiling as she reminisced about last night, a night of *confusion, embarrassment, relief, and most of all, love. She had finally, finally married Er Kang, no easy task. They had been through so much, but it was worth it all along, she thought.
By the time the brides were finally sent to the right rooms, it was nearly dawn, and everybody was so exhausted that the "night" was spent in quiet and peaceful slumber. They slept in their wedding dresses, having been too tired to change out of them. But now the dresses started to be a nuisance, being big and bulky, as well as strangling the unfortunate wearers. This caused the wearers to awaken with a sour looks and sideways smiles.
Er Kang sat up from the bed and smiled and shook his head. "These dresses are very uncomfortable." He said, tugging impatiently at his collar. Zi Wei smiled and proceeded to take off her elegant dress and into something more homely and comfortable. When she was done, Er Kang was still fumbling with the dress buttons with a look of mock annoyance.
"Here, let me." She said, as her nimble fingers freed the buttons from their clasps. Er Kang stared at her and smiled. When both had changed into their home dresses, Er Kang took her hands and said, "Come, we must go and present ourselves to Ah Ma and Eu Niang."
Fu Lun and Fu Jin sat in their living room, both looking happy, contented, and extremely grateful. To have their son married to such a grace and beauty as Zi Wei was their prideful aspect, and old couple loved her as much as if she was their own daughter.
Their faces brightened when the Zi Wei came up to them, her face strewn with smiles. She kneeled, and offered them the ceremonial cup of tea to them. They gladly accepted the tea with happy smiles.
"Zi Wei, I’m so relieved and happy that you and Er Kang are finally married. After all you two have been through, it’s finally ‘calm and peaceful downstream’ from now on. There is no need to feel shy or timid in this household, for you’re our daughter, and we love you as much as if you were our own." Fu Jin said warmly as Er Kang assisted Zi Wei up.
Fu Jin got up, and walked towards Zi Wei, taking her hands and clasping them over hers. "Zi Wei, I don’t know how to thank you, thank you for your kindness towards our family, and your devotion to Er Kang. You are such a grace and beauty, our household is blessed to have you as a daughter-in-law." She said.
Zi Wei blushed and smiled. "Fu Jin, I am nothing but a girl, devoted to her husband and her family. Those complimenting words are very flattering, and I don’t deserve half of them. I feel that the gods have given me a great boon, being able to meet a person like Er Kang and to marry into his family. I feel truly blessed." She said.
Fu Lun and Fu Jin looked at each other and smiled.
"Always a modest and humble girl." Remark Fu Lun with a grin. He then looked at Er Kang in the eye and said sternly, "Er Kang, Zi Wei is a genuinely nice person by nature, I don’t expect you to take advantage of her or to boss her around. She governs herself, and you as husband, should give her suggestions, but never force."
"Zi Wei, you and I both know Er Kang’s temper. If he is to ever boss you or make you feel uncomfortable, you can tell us, and we will set him right. You can come to us about anything, just like you used to do with your Huang A Ma." He said to Zi Wei.
"Ah Ma, you know I would never do anything to upset or hurt Zi Wei. As for my temper, around her, I feel nothing but happiness." Said Er Kang a little annoyed at his parents’ unfair remarks.
"Ah Ma, Eu Niang, please don’t worry. I know Er Kang loves me too much to ever do those things." Replied Zi Wei reassuringly.
"Good, good." Remarked Fu Lun, nodding his head. "As for me, I am to report to the Palace this morning. Zi Wei is always allowed to live here or at Shu Fang Tzai in the palace for as long as she wants. I know she misses her family and friends there, and I do not want her to feel oppressed or trapped here. Therefore she can live wherever she wishes. I must leave now." With that, he departed.
"Well, I must get some errands done today, I’ll leave you two alone. After the feast, are you two to spend the night here or at the palace?" asked Fu Jin.
"Of course here, where we live." Replied Zi Wei consolingly.
Fu Jin smiled warmly at them, amazed at how Zi Wei was able to read her mind, and taken aback by her grace that she had never really experienced until now. She still had Zi Wei’s hands in her own, and gave them a little squeeze before she left.
Er Kang then took them and led Zi Wei outside, grinning like a little boy.
"How would you like to visit our old friend, Yo Yo Gu? We haven’t been there in a while and I promised you that when you got better [torturing, leading to her hands almost being crippled] we would go there." He asked with a grin.
At his query, Zi Wei’s eyes lit up and she asked eagerly, "Oh could we? Yes, we haven’t been there in so long a time and I wish it see it again so much!"
He had led to the stables and in front of them stood a horse, completely saddled and ready to go.
"I’ve been planning this for a long time but never had time to put it in action." He told her as he was helping her mount the horse. When she had mounted, he mounted behind her and took the reins. Leading the horse out of the house, he set it at a quick trot towards the distant mountains. They rode in contented silence along the path, both admiring the landscape and taking in the sunshine.
When they had come to the clearing, Zi Wei sat up straight and her eyes widened in pleasure. "Wow, it seems to have grown more beautiful since we’ve been gone!" she exclaimed.
"It missed you, therefore it has dressed itself up to please you when you were to come. Now it’s rejoicing with pleasure." He replied quietly as he lowered himself off the horse. He then extended his hands, smiling; Zi Wei took them and was then assisted gently off the horse and drawn close to her husband.
They walked over to a clearing with water streaming past on all sides of the "island" and sat down. They didn’t speak, but just sat in the comfort of enjoying the quiet company of each other.
Come dusk, Zi Wei and Er Kang presently got up and mounted the horse.
"Ya!" cried Er Kang to get the horse going. He steered it back to the city, towards the inviting restaurant, Huei Bing Liu. It was a beholder of many important and drastic events, and it was about to behold perhaps one of the most important and memorable events that evening.

***

End of Book2