The Country Maiden: Fields and Leisure
Chapter 647 - 645 I’m Still Your Son-in-law

Chapter 647: Chapter 645 I’m Still Your Son-in-law

Wang Yongzhu, because the old woman was sitting beside her, felt too embarrassed to move recklessly. After sitting for such a long time, her legs felt numb.

Finally, when Song Chongjin came to lift the bridal veil, she immediately jumped down from the edge of the bed, pounding her waist with her hands while grumbling, "Getting married is really exhausting. How much did you pay that old lady? She’s too devoted to her job! Every time I move, she lectures me, saying it’s improper and unladylike, and goes as far as to claim it brings bad luck to the family peace and will lead to no good fortune for future generations. She blames everything on me!"

Wang Yongzhu was genuinely scared; apart from Old Granny Zhang, this woman had the most formidable nagging she had ever encountered.

Although she didn’t really believe in all that, she couldn’t stand the old woman’s lectures, which gave her a headache. So she just had to endure it.

But just sitting there was also boring; she couldn’t move her body, but surely there was no harm in moving her mouth a bit, right?

Chatting with the old woman, she actually did hear a lot of useful gossip. After a while, the old woman even started to think well of the bride, praising how she could hold her composure and was obedient and well-behaved, not moving when told not to.

Song Chongjin paused for a moment, a glimmer of darkness flashing in his eyes as he walked over to Wang Yongzhu without a sound, "Yongzhu, you’ve worked hard! Lay down, and I’ll press on you a bit to help circulate your meridians."

His tone was utterly serious, yet the tips of his ears couldn’t help but turn red.

Wang Yongzhu didn’t think much of it and just waved her hand, "Get something to eat first; I’m starving! If I had known, I would have listened to my mother and packed some snacks in my purse to tide me over."

She regretted it immensely; ever since she entered the bridal chamber with that old woman around, she couldn’t even move, much less sneak a bite.

While speaking, she started looking for food in the room. She began with the peanuts, longans, and red dates she had spotted while under her bridal veil on the bed, now covered with a festive red wedding quilt, and grabbed them into her hand.

While munching on peanuts, she did not forget to clean up all the peanuts, red dates, longans, and chestnuts on the bed until she had gathered a small pack of them.

Wang Yongzhu, not being picky, embraced the bag of dried fruit and started nibbling away.

For Song Chongjin, who was filled with fanciful thoughts, seeing Wang Yongzhu so famished made all those thoughts vanish.

Feeling distressed, he said, "Eat slowly, I’ll go and cook a bowl of noodles for you—with chicken soup and to add an egg."

Wang Yongzhu nodded gratefully, "Make it a generous serving, with chicken soup, and drop an egg in it."

Song Chongjin ruffled Wang Yongzhu’s hair and went to the kitchen to cook without further mention.

Only after Song Chongjin left the room did Wang Yongzhu pat her chest and take a deep breath of relief.

Even though she hadn’t eaten since the afternoon, she wasn’t that starving; it was just that after her veil was lifted and she saw Song Chongjin’s dark gaze that seemed to want to devour her whole, her heart started pounding uncontrollably, and she felt both afraid and ashamed.

Wang Yongzhu, though she had agreed to marry Song Chongjin, really didn’t feel she was mentally prepared when the day actually arrived.

So in a rush, she came up with this tactic.

It seemed that Song Chongjin understood her intent as well.

In the kitchen, as he prepared the chicken soup noodles, Song Chongjin’s eyes curled with a smile, and the corners of his mouth twitched slightly. He shook his head.

He naturally figured out Wang Yongzhu’s little ruse; the maid was afraid he wouldn’t keep the promise they made for when she turned eighteen.

It was also because he had been slightly drunk from the alcohol he had imbibed, combined with the fulfillment of his longing, that he had been a bit reckless and frightened Yongzhu.

With that in mind, Song Chongjin’s expression softened even more. Seeing the chicken soup noodles were done, he earnestly dropped two eggs into the soup, gathered the chicken soup pot and noodles, as well as two sets of bowls and chopsticks, and carried it all back to the bridal chamber.

Wang Yongzhu had taken the opportunity while Song Chongjin was cooking noodles to change out of her wedding dress, donning everyday clothes instead. She had also washed off the makeup from her face, sitting fresh and clean on the kang bed waiting.

As Song Chongjin pushed the door open, a cold wind carrying the rich aroma of chicken soup assailed the nostrils.

Smelling the scent of the chicken soup, Wang Yongzhu’s stomach, which had only had a few dates and chestnuts, suddenly started grumbling.

Hearing this, Song Chongjin felt a pang of heartache. He quickly ladled out half a bowl of noodles for her, topped it with half a bowl of soup, and cracked an egg over the top, pushing it towards Wang Yongzhu, "You must be starving, eat up!"

After he spoke, he served himself a bowl as well. Since yesterday, he hadn’t had a proper meal, and last night he had been plied with alcohol, so at that moment, his stomach ached as if it was on fire.

A bowl of chicken noodle soup was barely enough to calm the hunger.

After finishing a bowl, Wang Yongzhu was full and watched as Song Chongjin cleaned out the rest of the half-jar of chicken soup and noodles. Only then did he feel content and put down his chopsticks and bowl.

She stood up to clean up, but Song Chongjin stopped her, "Leave it there, I’ll take care of it early tomorrow morning. In this freezing December, you shouldn’t chill your hands."

As he spoke, he took Wang Yongzuh’s hand in his and deftly pulled her into his embrace.

"Let go, what if someone sees us? What would they think?" Wang Yongzhu’s face turned beet red.

"We’re husband and wife now, what’s the harm in holding my own wife?" Song Chongjin was nonchalant.

Wang Yongzhu rolled her eyes but said no more.

Song Chongjin gently embraced Wang Yongzhu, resting his chin on her shoulder, his breath warm as it danced through the opening of her collar and tingled on her skin, causing involuntary goose bumps.

"Yongzhu, don’t worry, I remember everything you’ve said! I haven’t forgotten. Eighteen, I can wait for that! Today, I’m just happy, and from now on, I’ll be a man cherished by his wife," Song Chongjin whispered tenderly.

Breathing a sigh of relief, Wang Yongzhu relaxed her body and snuggled closer into Song Chongjin’s arms, teasingly saying, "Now you’ve got your wish, didn’t you hear my father? They won’t let you be the son-in-law living with his wife’s family any longer. From now on, I shall be known as Songmen Lady Wang!"

Even though Wang Laozhu had their best interests in mind, changing Song Chongjin from being the son-in-law living with his wife’s family to Wang Yongzhu becoming the daughter-in-law of the Song family, Wang Yongzhu still felt somber inside.

In this era, marrying into a family versus taking in a son-in-law were matters with drastically different social standings.

For example, Old Granny Zhang was originally able to live with Wang Yongzhu because she had planned to take a son-in-law to live with her own family.

Now that Wang Yongzhu had married out, if Old Granny Zhang continued to follow her daughter instead of her son, it would be inappropriate.

But how could she bear to see Old Granny Zhang suffer and be the subject of idle gossip?

In her heart, she was still contemplating how to continue having Old Granny Zhang live with them, allowing her to also enjoy a comfortable life.

Therefore, upon hearing what Song Chongjin said, she couldn’t help but murmur a small objection.

Song Chongjin was momentarily taken aback, sensing that the maid in his arms, Yongzhu, was huffing with indignation. He was both amused and annoyed as he pinched Wang Yongzhu’s cheek, "Yongzhu, don’t worry. The original contract is still valid. I am still your son-in-law and always will be! From now on, you are not the Songmen Lady Wang but rather, how about I become Wangmen, Lady Song, instead?"

For Song Chongjin to say such a thing left Wang Yongzhu stunned. At this time, which man with even a slight ability would willingly become a son-in-law? With Song Chongjin’s standing and assets, the fact that he continued to honor the contract and promises made him truly a man worthy of entrusting her life to.