Fated Deception: How I Accidentally Married a Nine-Tailed Fox

Chapter 42: A Wedding to Remember

Lu Yuan contemplated his future responsibilities. With neither mother-in-law having a son, they would eventually rely on him for support in their old age. Bringing them to the city seemed inevitable, though he understood they might resist leaving the village they’d called home for so long. Those decisions could wait—better to address them when the time came.

The day passed in leisurely fashion. Evening found Lu Yuan at the village brigade’s courtyard, playing cards under the lights while swatting away persistent mosquitoes. He lost two yuan and thirty cents playing “tractor” before Su Liyan finally pulled him away after nine o’clock.

Back at the house, they retired to their shared room, both exercising unusual restraint. The village homes had thin walls with little soundproofing. While his mother-in-law might understand any sounds of passion—mothers always knew such things—they couldn’t risk little Su Lina overhearing.

The second day brought a flurry of activity. Early morning, Lu Yuan’s mother-in-law summoned the village butcher to slaughter the pig and sheep. Several old men from the village arrived to help hold the animals steady.

Lu Yuan stood at a distance with Su Lina in his arms, fascinated by the process. He’d only seen such scenes online in his previous life; now he witnessed it firsthand—the knife entering the pig’s neck, his wife holding a basin to collect the blood, the animal’s final bodily releases.

Su Lina behaved admirably, pinching her own nose while simultaneously covering Lu Yuan’s with her tiny hand.

After slaughtering came butchering. Jin Meijing, his stepmother-in-law, claimed the large pieces of fat to render into cooking oil. The ribs and legs were carefully separated according to his mother-in-law’s detailed plan for the feast. Some parts went directly into a pot to make bone soup that would develop rich flavor by tomorrow. Other cuts were stored in a cool cellar where they’d keep for several days. The remaining offal was sold cheaply to interested villagers.

The sheep received similar treatment.

The spectacle drew practically the entire village. For Lu Yuan it was a novelty; for the villagers, it was an uncommonly grand display. Onlookers gathered, some openly salivating at the sight of such abundance—a whole pig, two sheep, and numerous chickens. Word had spread about the high-quality boxed wine Lu Yuan had purchased. Tomorrow’s feast promised to be spectacular.

Many villagers, especially those who’d received invitations, volunteered to help. By midday, all the slaughtering and initial processing was complete.

The afternoon was devoted to finer preparation—chopping meat for fillings or cutting it into smaller pieces. By evening, Lu Yuan’s mother-in-law had stewed some offal and prepared an enormous pot of rich broth that perfumed the entire village with its tantalizing aroma.

The day’s workers now gathered in the backyard, each balancing a bowl of steaming broth atop a towel in one hand, a cornmeal pancake in the other. The normally tough cornmeal, softened by the flavorful liquid, suddenly became delicious. They ate with obvious pleasure, sweat beading on their foreheads, smiles stretching from ear to ear.

After the meal, the men patted their backsides, handed their empty bowls to their wives, rolled cigarettes, and headed to the village brigade yard for cards. Some invited Lu Yuan to join them, but he declined—tomorrow would start early.

The women collected the soiled dishes and carried them to the well for washing. Though the men appeared carefree, Lu Yuan understood the balance of village life. These same men who left their dishes behind worked half-naked under the scorching sun during planting and harvest seasons, wielding hoes until their backs ached and sweat poured from their bodies. They sometimes fought—literally, with hoes as weapons—for irrigation rights, risking serious injury.

That night, Lu Yuan’s mother-in-law adorned the house with red wedding decorations, replacing the bedsheets and quilt covers with bright crimson ones and lighting red candles. Looking around, Lu Yuan felt a surge of emotion—this truly felt like a proper wedding now. A ceremony without a feast would have seemed incomplete.

The next morning dawned with further preparations. Lu Yuan and Su Liyan rose early and changed into the fine new clothes he’d purchased from the department store. Su Liyan wore a large red flower in her hair, her natural beauty enhanced by bright red lipstick and eye shadow. Before Lu Yuan could compliment her, his mothers-in-law whisked her away to another room, following tradition that the groom shouldn’t see his bride before the ceremony.

The entire village mobilized with the day’s first light. Tables, stools, bowls, and chopsticks were transported from homes to the brigade yard, along with the ingredients and large cooking pots prepared the previous day.

By nine o’clock, the setup was nearly complete. After a brief rest, a string of red firecrackers exploded, their thunderous reports echoing across the village.

Lu Yuan, resplendent in his new attire, returned home from the village outskirts, accompanied by Su Lina and a group of children. Su Liyan awaited him in the yard, her face hidden behind a traditional red veil, her demeanor shy yet expectant.

Lu Yuan stepped forward and took Su Liyan’s delicate hand. Together they entered the main house under the appreciative gazes of smiling villagers.

First, they bowed to heaven and earth. Next, they paid respects to Lu Yuan’s two mothers-in-law, who stood beautifully dressed in their finest clothes, tears of joy already streaming down their faces.

Finally, Lu Yuan and Su Liyan turned to face each other.

Husband and wife bowed to each other.

With that simple gesture, the ceremony was complete.