Chapter 49: Hostility

"It's this Tong Chuxue again!" Anger distorted Tong Yu'er's features.

Zou Hongping, who had just stepped into the room to check on Tong Yu'er, was startled by her daughter's terrifying expression. She hurriedly picked up the fallen bronze mirror, wiped it clean, and placed it on the dressing table. "Yu'er, what is wrong with you?"

Seeing this, Tong Shuangling quietly slipped away, leaving only Zou Hongping and Tong Yu'er in the room.

With red-rimmed eyes, Tong Yu'er gnashed her teeth and said, "That bitch Tong Chuxue!"

At the very mention of Tong Chuxue's name, Zou Hongping felt a jolt of anxiety. Remembering her previous behavior, a bad premonition suddenly arose in her heart. "What is that dead girl up to now? Today is your joyous wedding day. If she dares to cause trouble, I'll skin her alive!"

"Mother," Tong Yu'er grasped Zou Hongping's hand tightly. "Tong Chuxue still hasn't forgotten Yao Tianyuan. She actually went up to talk to him along the road!"

Although this marriage was already a settled matter and far beyond what Tong Chuxue could easily overturn, Tong Chuxue's drastic change in personality and ruthless methods of handling matters over this period left Tong Yu'er extremely uneasy.

She regretted it now. She shouldn't have invited Tong Chuxue to her wedding just to provoke her. How could she not have realized that she was simply no match for Tong Chuxue right now?

Facing her daughter's panic, Zou Hongping was far more composed. "Yu'er, don't be afraid. If an unmarried maiden goes around making trouble at someone else's wedding banquet, does she even want to get married in the future?"

She continued, "My son-in-law is the most promising young man in a radius of ten miles. He is destined to be an official magistrate in the future. How could Tong Chuxue possibly be reconciled with having this marriage stolen from her? Even if she spoke to Yao Tianyuan, with so many people watching on the main road, it is Tong Chuxue's reputation that gets ruined, not yours."

She refused to believe that Tong Chuxue would dare to utter any unseemly words in public.

These words only managed to put Tong Yu'er at ease for a brief moment. "But what if she keeps dwelling on Yao Tianyuan and still wants to ruin my wedding?"

"She wouldn't dare!" Zou Hongping widened her eyes, her voice involuntarily rising in volume. "Yu'er, listen to Mother. As long as you keep a firm grip on Yao Tianyuan's heart, Tong Chuxue won't be able to stir up any waves, no matter how capable she thinks she is. Besides, with your stunning looks, that Tong Chuxue couldn't catch up to you even if she were reincarnated ten times."

Tong Yu'er had always been confident in her beauty. Among girls of her age in Green Mountain Village, she dared say not a single one was more striking than she was, especially now with her bridal makeup, which made her look even more radiant and moving.

Zou Hongping meticulously combed Tong Yu'er's hair. "No matter how talented Yao Tianyuan is, he is still just a man. And any man will be captivated by a woman. Once you are married over there, make haste and give birth to a son, you hear me!"

At the mention of having children, the anger faded from Tong Yu'er's face, replaced by a rosy blush that flew to her cheeks. "Mother, what are you saying?"

"You child, we are at a time like this, and you're still acting shy," Zou Hongping teased.

"Mother!" Tong Yu'er playfully tapped Zou Hongping.

Before a daughter from a prominent household was married off, her mother would always hand her a book of illustrations detailing the intimate arts between men and women for her to study. In the countryside, however, few families could afford such books, and these matters were usually passed down orally to daughters by the senior female relatives of the household.

When Zou Hongping was instructing Tong Yu'er yesterday, the girl had blushed so fiercely she felt as though steam would rise from her head.

"Remember what Mother taught you. Having a son to rely on means you have nothing else to fear. Even if Tong Chuxue stirs up trouble in the future, you won't need to worry," Zou Hongping said. These were the exact lessons her own mother had imparted to her before her wedding day.

"I remember," Tong Yu'er replied shyly.

As the two of them were talking inside, someone knocked on the door from outside. "The bridegroom's procession is here!"

Zou Hongping hurriedly straightened Tong Yu'er's garments and admonished her repeatedly, "You must keep in mind what Mother told you yesterday. Nothing is more important than giving birth to a son."

Tong Yu'er nodded and pulled down her bridal veil.

Tong Chuxue arrived around the same time as the wedding procession. She had not an ounce of interest in wedding rituals; she had only come today to make a formal appearance and then head back.

At the entrance, Old Man Tong was in charge of collecting the gift money. Following the village custom, Tong Chuxue took out twenty copper cash and handed them over to him.

Just as she turned around, she ran into Zou Hongping. Naturally, Zou Hongping had no pleasant expression for Tong Chuxue at this moment. Glancing at the twenty copper cash, she said coldly, "Your own younger sister is getting married, and you, as her elder sister, only give twenty cash? You really are generous."

Tong Chuxue's face turned cold. "I think I'm quite generous myself. By rights, I shouldn't have contributed a single cash. After all, this marriage was originally mine, wasn't it?"

Realizing she had spoken out of turn, Zou Hongping clamped her mouth shut. She knew very well in her heart that Tong Yu'er's marriage had not been acquired honorably, and there were already whispers circulating privately in Green Mountain Village. Furthermore, with so many villagers present today, getting into an argument with Tong Chuxue would reflect poorly on Tong Yu'er.

"I'll spare you today. We'll settle accounts after the festivities are over."

Too lazy to pay Zou Hongping any mind, Tong Chuxue walked straight toward the main gate, ready to leave.

Unfortunately, her timing proved to be thoroughly unfortunate. Having walked hurriedly all the way without paying attention to her surroundings, the very moment she stepped across the threshold of the main gate, she heard a voice call out behind her.

"Miss Tong, would you mind stepping aside?"

Turning her head, Tong Chuxue saw a young man carrying the bride on his back toward the entrance. According to custom, the bride's feet were not allowed to touch the ground upon leaving her maiden home, so she needed to be carried by a brother. However, the Tong family had thin branches and leaves, and their only grandson was still too young to carry anyone, forcing them to draft a cousin from the clan instead.

Reluctant to stir up trouble, Tong Chuxue promptly stepped aside. But upon hearing Tong Chuxue's voice from her position on the carrier's back, Tong Yu'er clenched her hands into tight fists.

It was Tong Chuxue again! Why wouldn't she just let go of Yao Tianyuan, and why wouldn't she let go of her?

Yao Tianyuan, waiting to receive his bride, also caught sight of Tong Chuxue at the door. He said coldly, "Miss Tong, for the sake of my wedding day today, I ask that you refrain from causing any disruption."

Tong Chuxue felt profoundly aggrieved. She must not have checked the almanac before stepping out today to be this unlucky.

"Since Brother Yao also knows today is a joyous occasion, why speak with such a sharp tongue? Miss Tong merely happened to be walking past this spot. By Brother Yao's standards, would the children on the road who scramble for wedding candies and occasionally block the path also be considered intentionally sabotaging your auspicious event?"

Luo Hui'an stepped out from behind Tong Chuxue at some point, offering a sharp retort.

Today, Luo Hui'an was dressed in a pale blue long gown. Although the fabric was inexpensive, the tailoring was fine, accentuating his tall and upright figure and making his complexion appear much healthier.

Yao Tianyuan's expression shifted unpleasantly at these words, but with villagers all around and the bride waiting to be received, he had no time to argue with Luo Hui'an. He merely glared fiercely at him, then pulled the ox cart closer so the bride could be settled onto it.

Ordinarily, these wedding proceedings included numerous customs designed to deliberately give the groom a hard time, letting him realize how difficult it was to take a wife so he would not dare easily mistreat their daughter.

However, Yao Tianyuan was no ordinary man; virtually no one had the heart to deliberately antagonize this new son-in-law, allowing him to collect his bride without a hitch.

Watching the procession depart into the distance, the villagers who loved watching the excitement had long since followed along, but Tong Chuxue remained standing in place without moving.

"Not going to follow and take a look?" Luo Hui'an asked.

"What is there to look at? I was just about to head back," Tong Chuxue replied indifferently.

"Are you still unable to let it go in your heart?" Luo Hui'an asked very earnestly, his tone dipping slightly as if the answer to this question truly mattered deeply to him.