Newlywed Bliss

Tan Yang was eager to learn, hurrying off to school, while Bi Qingtang was left simmering with anger, with nowhere to vent it. The servants at the Bi residence noticed that their master, who had just married the day before, was in a foul mood; none dared to slack off, each one tiptoed around in silence. In the afternoon, Tan Yang finally returned from school. She saw the servants walking on tiptoe and asked what was the matter. Uncle Chen replied that the young master was upstairs sleeping. Tan Yang thought for a moment, then took her schoolbag and went to the small sitting room on the first floor to do her homework.

As dusk fell, the door opened. Bi Qingtang leaned against the doorframe, a cigarette between his fingers. "You're back, but you didn't come upstairs to see me." Tan Yang closed her book. "They said you were sleeping." Bi Qingtang smiled meaningfully. "Oh? Do you know why I was sleeping in broad daylight?" Tan Yang walked towards him, asking, "You've been busy preparing the wedding these days, so you're tired, right?" Bi Qingtang tugged her arm, pulling her into his embrace. "Sleeping? I was waiting for you. Come, dinner is ready."

An autumn night, when every home was lit and the moon hung slantwise against the window. Tan Yang, her long hair still damp, sat on the bed reading. From the adjoining washroom, the sound of running water brought life to the tranquil warmth of the evening. Bi Qingtang, bathing inside, would occasionally call out to her. Though Tan Yang's heart raced, she forced herself to answer calmly. Bi Qingtang laughed inside, for reasons unknown. The washroom door opened; Tan Yang quickly turned another page of her book. When he sat down, the mattress sank, causing her body to lean forward slightly. Seizing the moment, Bi Qingtang placed a pillow behind her back so she could sit more comfortably.

"What book are you reading?" Bi Qingtang asked gently. Tan Yang glanced up at him, dressed in deep beige pajamas with his chest exposed, her voice trembling, "Oh, it's 'A Night in Florence'." Bi Qingtang smiled at her. "Silly girl, what are you afraid of?" He patted her cheek and pulled back the covers, lying down beside her.

Bi Qingtang lay properly at her side, and the taut string in Tan Yang's heart gradually loosened. A breeze brushed the treetops, softly tapping the window, soothing restless hearts. The quartz clock ticked crisply, whispering secret words only the night could understand. Tan Yang read absentmindedly, unable to absorb the words, but the faint scent of ink from the pages brought her comfort. She breathed it in greedily, hiding in this fragile sense of peace.

Bi Qingtang took a cigarette from the bedside table, holding a lighter in his hand. He hesitated, then put it back beside the pillow. "Little sister, do you like me smoking?" Tan Yang gripped the spine of her book, thinking before she replied, "I don't like others smoking, but when you do, I don't mind." Bi Qingtang, resting on his arm, smiled contentedly. "Little sister, you're quite good at saying sweet words." Tan Yang didn't know how to respond, bowing her head and turning another page.

Bi Qingtang stared at the ceiling, pondering. He didn't want this beautiful night to be filled with hurried, chaotic memories, so he convinced himself to wait a little longer.

After another half hour, Bi Qingtang leaned close to Tan Yang, asking sincerely, "Who wrote this book? It's so good." Without waiting for her answer, he closed the book with a flourish and pointed to the author's name on the cover, his displeasure evident. "Xu Zhimo? I've just cursed his ancestors in my mind, not knowing the name. Now that I do, should I keep cursing, name and all?" He looked up, seeking Tan Yang's opinion. Tan Yang sniffed, "Why curse him for no reason?" Bi Qingtang frowned, pressing closer, and snorted, "Naughty girl, do you really not know, or are you pretending?" Tan Yang instinctively shrank back, and Bi Qingtang hurried to pull her close. "Careful, don't bump your head." His urgent admonition was full of tenderness.

Tan Yang's heart melted, and she became keenly aware of her status as a wife. After a long hesitation, she timidly leaned her head against Bi Qingtang's shoulder. It was a tentative touch, not fully resting, merely a shy gesture. For a man desperate to relieve his longing, this offered no encouragement, yet for a young woman, it was a sign of courage and commitment.

From their first meeting, this young girl had always managed to effortlessly touch Bi Qingtang's heart—a heart he once thought invulnerable. On their wedding night, her awkward gestures conquered him once more, and he was a willing prisoner to his own downfall. Suppressing his desire, Bi Qingtang held Tan Yang gently, his voice hoarse and affectionate in her ear. "Little sister, I truly care for you." Tan Yang nodded slightly, whispering, "I know." Bi Qingtang closed his eyes, deeply moved, "Then remember that."

When love runs deep, the rules of society and natural shyness slip away. Tan Yang clung to Bi Qingtang's sleeve, unable to articulate what she wanted, only wishing to be closer to him. Bi Qingtang's throat bobbed as he set her book on the bedside table; since it was out of reach, it fell with a thud onto the thick carpet. With that sound, Bi Qingtang pulled Tan Yang down onto the bed.

He pressed Tan Yang beneath him, but did not rush. Instead, he started to kiss her gently behind her ear, his tenderness hiding a wealth of affection.

Unconsciously, Bi Qingtang shed his pajamas. He placed Tan Yang's hand on his bare back, then began to unbutton her clothes. Tan Yang buried her head deep in his chest, whispering, "Brother." "What is it?" Bi Qingtang asked patiently. "Shouldn't we turn off the lights? Wouldn't it be better?" Hearing her brave request, Bi Qingtang laughed, lifted her chin, and looked into her eyes with unwavering certainty. "No, not tonight. You must remember this, remember it for a lifetime." As soon as he finished speaking, Tan Yang's clothes were undone, and their bodies pressed together under the covers without barrier. Tan Yang's body stiffened, then trembled in fear. Bi Qingtang held her tight, soothing her gently, "Don't be afraid, little sister. Don't be afraid. It's me, not someone else. It's me!"

With his careful tenderness and skill, Bi Qingtang gave Tan Yang an unusually passionate night. There was none of the legendary pain; Tan Yang lost herself, her breathing and moans uncontrollable. At the most crucial moment, his entry brought pain that pushed her to the peak of ecstasy...

Tears fell uncontrollably—shy, pained, yet sweet. Bi Qingtang quickly wrapped her in the covers, holding her close, comforting her with pats and gentle rocking, explaining that he'd done his best, begging her not to cry. Tan Yang clung tightly to him, wiping away her tears, hurriedly insisting, "I want this, I want it, brother, I want it!"

That night of intimacy had only just begun...

When Tan Yang finally lay on Bi Qingtang's arm, preparing to sleep, dawn was already breaking. She drifted in and out of sleep; when she opened her eyes again, morning had fully arrived, and the clock on the wall read six-thirty. Bi Qingtang was still sleeping deeply, his heavy breathing and the smile at the corner of his mouth making Tan Yang feel blissfully loved. Her body was sore and aching, but her heart was full of sweetness. She rose quietly, tidied herself, and slipped out of the bedroom. Before closing the door, she glanced at her sleeping husband, reluctant to leave, feeling a sense of loss.

Sitting in the classroom that morning, Tan Yang couldn't help but recall the events of the previous night, her cheeks unconsciously flushing. There were two classes that morning, one arithmetic, one literature, each lasting ninety minutes. As the second class began, Tan Yang, sitting by the window on the second floor, glanced outside and saw Bi Qingtang's black car parked at the school gate, shaded by green trees. Her heart leapt; she gazed longingly, as if she could see those eyes inside the car, equally eager for her. That lesson, the modern literature teacher was explaining Lin Juemin's "Letter to My Wife," reading aloud, "Just three or four months after our wedding, around the winter solstice, sparse plum blossoms outside the window filter the moonlight, faintly shimmering; you and I, side by side, hand in hand, whispering softly, is there anything we don't speak of? Is there any feeling we don't express?"

The teacher spoke of the tragic heroism of the Revolution, but Tan Yang heard only the tender longing—the imagery of "side by side, hand in hand." The teacher interpreted both national ideals and personal passions with vivid clarity: love for the world, opposition to the Manchus, sorrow and anger. The immortal prose acted as a potent tonic, stirring the ambitions and emotions of the young men and women in the class. Another pair of eyes lingered unconsciously on Tan Yang, bright and full of intelligence and resolve.

At last, the class ended. Tan Yang, eager beyond measure, dashed out of the classroom. She opened the car door and plunged into Bi Qingtang's embrace. He held her tightly, his face radiating satisfied joy. Her open reliance and wholehearted trust allowed him to savor the realization that, in this world, there truly is such a thing as contentment.

"Brother, have you been here long?" "No, I just arrived." "You're lying, there are lots of leaves on the car!" Bi Qingtang frowned in embarrassment, nervously glancing at the roadside, then twisted Tan Yang's nose gently, scolding, "You're the one lying! It's not autumn yet, the trees are still green. Where would the leaves come from?" Tan Yang hid in his embrace, giggling foolishly. Bi Qingtang, helpless, lowered his voice in her ear, "When I woke up this morning and didn't see you, I felt uneasy, so I waited here." Tan Yang gripped his hand tightly, murmuring with emotion, their fingers intertwined, saying nothing more.

At noon, they ate at a Shandong restaurant. The food was excellent, but there were no private rooms, so their affection, unable to be openly expressed, grew all the more intense. When it was nearly time for afternoon classes, Bi Qingtang took Tan Yang back to school. She got out of the car reluctantly, and for no apparent reason, Bi Qingtang rolled down the window and called out, "Little sister, I truly care for you. Remember that!"

Tan Yang turned, seeing his face full of urgency and sincerity. Her nose tingled, and she felt she might cry. They were newly married, so why did his declaration sound like a warrior going bravely to his death, imbued with a tragic resolve to press forward, heedless of life and death?

The Jade Sandalwood Chronicle 2624_ Jade Sandalwood Chronicle Free Full Text Reading_26 (24) Newlyweds update complete!