Chapter 131: Wedding Night — Part 1
Everyone was teasing Gu Tingxiao, emboldened by the occasion to say things they would normally never dare to say to his face. They were determined to take advantage of the day to crack jokes and poke fun at the stoic officer; after all, who knew if they would ever get another chance?
“Happy wedding, Brother,” Gu Tingye and Gu Tinghao said in unison, raising their glasses. Gu Tingxiao didn’t hesitate, draining his wine in a single, ready gulp.
Even as he drank, his heart remained with the girl in the bridal chamber. He worried whether his sister-in-law had remembered to bring her dinner. Wanyan had quite the appetite, and he couldn’t stand the thought of her sitting there hungry. He kept glancing toward the house until he saw Liang Nazhen emerge and take her seat. She gave him a subtle, reassuring nod, and only then did he feel the tension leave his shoulders.
The Gu family had pulled out all the stops for the banquet, serving nine dishes and a soup—all substantial, high-quality courses. The guests were deeply impressed by the grand occasion, and their satisfaction with the new daughter-in-law grew; clearly, if the Gu family weren’t thrilled with her, they wouldn’t have hosted such an extravagant spread.
Wang Chunmei, however, looked at the table full of delicacies with a sour taste in her mouth. She remembered that when she married into the family, there had only been six dishes, only four of which contained meat. The disparity gnawed at her. Why was mine so meager compared to this? she wondered, convinced the family was playing favorites with the third branch.
Gu Tinghao noticed her staring blankly and nudged her. Wang Chunmei snapped out of it, forcing a smile and picking up her chopsticks. Throughout the meal, she barely spared a glance for her four-year-old daughter, focused entirely on her own plate. It was Gu Tinghao who quietly picked out choice pieces of meat for the little girl and filled her bowl with white rice.
The Gu family tree was extensive. Old Master Gu had three children: two sons and a daughter. The eldest was Gu Tingxiao’s father. The second was also a son, and the third was Gu Tong, who had moved to Chengdu.
In the next generation, Gu Tingxiao’s branch consisted of four siblings: Gu Tingye, Gu Tingting, Gu Tingxiao, and Gu Tinghao, all of whom were now married. His uncle’s branch also had three children: Gu Tingyan, Gu Tinglin, and Gu Tingying.
Currently, there were four great-grandchildren carrying the Gu name. The eldest was Gu Tingye’s seven-year-old son, Gu Jinfang. Next was the eldest son of the second uncle’s branch, six-year-old Gu Jinshou. Third was Gu Tinghao’s four-year-old daughter, Gu Jingong. Finally, there was the two-year-old son of the second uncle’s youngest son, Gu Jingong. Additionally, Gu Tingting had two children of her own: five-year-old Lin Longyi and three-year-old Lin Xiayu. Her husband, Lin Junhu, was a battalion commander in the Capital Military Region and a direct subordinate of Father Gu.
Logically, Gu Tinghao’s daughter, Jingjing, should have been the darling of the family, being the only girl among the Gu great-grandchildren. But while others might have a grandmother who favored boys, Jingjing had a mother who did. Wang Chunmei had put on a facade of care when the girl was born, but as she grew, her impatience became impossible to hide. She frequently scolded the four-year-old, complaining about her not being a boy and calling her a “money-loser.” Though the rest of the family disliked Wang Chunmei’s behavior, they found it difficult to interfere; it was a delicate matter to meddle in how someone disciplined their own child.
Outside, the guests were focused on a single mission: getting Gu Tingxiao drunk. Sheng Wanze was leading the charge, seemingly intent on drinking his new brother-in-law under the table.
Hours later, Wanyan heard footsteps approaching from the hallway. They sounded heavy and slightly uncoordinated. She quickly tucked her book away and sat at the edge of the bed, assuming a dignified posture. Her heartbeat accelerated with every thud of a boot against the floor.
When the door finally opened, she felt her breath hitch. Gu Tingxiao’s face was flushed, and he reeked of high-proof alcohol. Before stepping inside, he had deliberately removed his military jacket and shaken it out to let the smell dissipate.
Their bridal chamber was on the second floor, which housed four rooms and a bathroom. Gu’s parents stayed in the back, while the remaining three rooms belonged to the three brothers for when they visited during holidays. Gu Tinghao’s room was across from the bathroom, while Wanyan and Tingxiao were situated next door, opposite the eldest brother’s room. Tonight, the rest of the floor was silent, as no one wanted to disturb the newlyweds.
Gu Tingxiao closed the door, hung his coat, and walked toward his wife. Wanyan sat frozen. He squatted down, gently removing her shoes and sliding her feet into a pair of soft slippers. The relief was instantaneous.
“Wanyan…” he murmured.
She scrambled to her feet, grabbing her pajamas. “I… I’m going to take a shower,” she blurted out, desperate to escape the sudden, heavy intimacy of the room.
Gu Tingxiao watched her try to bolt and instinctively reached out, pulling her back into his arms. He wasn’t about to let his “duck” fly away. He had been dreaming of this night since the moment he met her, counting down the days until she was finally his.
“I really need a shower,” she squeaked.
He held her tightly, and Wanyan realized she couldn’t budge an inch against his strength. She ended up clutching the fabric of his shirt, her heart drumming against her ribs. She was incredibly nervous; she might not have much experience, but she wasn’t completely naive.
Gu Tingxiao buried his face in the crook of her neck. His breath was hot and smelled of wine, sending a shiver down her spine as the stubble on his jaw tickled her skin. She subconsciously shrank back, trying to push his face away.
“Wife…” he whispered, his voice low and laced with a rare, melting tenderness. Wanyan felt her resolve softening; she would be lying if she said she wasn’t moved. “Wife… I finally brought you home.”
She paused. Hearing the raw longing in his voice made her realize just how much this moment meant to him. She stopped struggling and let him hold her. Despite the alcohol, he wasn’t acting rowdy or reckless like the men outside. Instead, he led her to the bed and sat down, pulling her onto his lap.
Wanyan sat there, her legs swinging nervously. Gu Tingxiao watched her for a moment, a glint of a smile in his eyes, before his hand reached out to catch her moving ankles. She stared at him, her eyes wide. His hands were rough and heavily calloused, and the sensation of his touch against her skin felt like a low-voltage electric shock. She immediately tried to tuck her legs behind her.
Gu Tingxiao was genuinely surprised. He hadn’t realized how soft and delicate she truly was. Fearful of accidentally hurting her with his strength, he loosened his grip. Seizing the opening, Wanyan pushed off his lap and sprinted toward the bathroom with her pajamas.
His “hooligan” behavior had successfully sent her running. Gu Tingxiao watched her flee with a dazed grin, then stood up to grab his own things. His “pajamas” consisted of nothing more than a pair of simple cotton shorts.
