Chapter 160: Tea Ceremony
Xie Jing walked over and sat beside him, lifting his eyes to look at the red curtains and the decorations in the room, curious.
Lord Bai Jiu asked, “What are you looking at?”
Xie Jing turned to him. “I heard that on the wedding night, people come to tease the bride and groom. I’m not sure how they do it.”
Lord Bai Jiu chuckled. Someone had mentioned it before, but no one dared actually come. Those around his age or Xie Jing’s were either too junior in rank or hadn’t been in Sichuan long enough to be familiar, so they didn’t dare cause trouble. Someone had once pushed and suggested letting Bai Mingyu come liven things up. Bai Mingyu immediately kowtowed, said a string of auspicious words, and ran off.
Xie Jing listened to the sounds outside. Green bamboo grew around the courtyard, rustling in the wind, and faint music could be heard from the distance of the banquet hall. It was lively, but distant. Xie Jing said, “I heard they say in Sichuan the drinking goes on until midnight.”
Lord Bai Jiu: “Not just midnight… maybe until tomorrow morning.”
Xie Jing, curious: “After we leave, only family will remain there. Will anyone still be persuading them to drink?”
Lord Bai Jiu thought for a moment and smiled: “Yes, but they’ll only be trying to get your uncle to drink less. He can’t bear to see you upset and is drowning his sorrows in wine.”
Xie Jing’s eyes curved, and he smiled.
Lord Bai Jiu took his hand, speaking softly: “Don’t think it’s just your uncle. If I had such a clever and sensible young one in my house, even if you moved next door, I’d still worry and want to check on you.”
Xie Jing looked up at him: “Do you treat me like a junior?”
Lord Bai Jiu pinched his nose and smiled: “How dare I? In this life, I can only marry once, and that’s it.”
On the table was a pot of wine and two golden cups decorated with dragons and phoenixes.
Lord Bai Jiu poured two cups, giving one to Xie Jing, and they drank the “cross-cupped” wine together.
Xie Jing tilted his head to drink, but instead of swallowing immediately, he reached for Lord Bai Jiu’s collar and drew some of his wine from his mouth, drinking more than his share. Xie Jing wasn’t good with alcohol; he choked slightly, a faint blush appearing on his face. But when he looked at Lord Bai Jiu, his eyes sparkled like stars. He whispered, “Master, according to Sichuan custom, after the two cups are combined and then divided again, when drinking together, whoever drinks more takes on the family responsibilities, earning money and supporting the family.”
Lord Bai Jiu lightly caressed his cheek. After just one cup, Xie Jing’s face was already warm. Leaning down, he kissed him softly: “Alright, we’ll follow your custom.”
Xie Jing said again: “I feel a little dizzy.”
Lord Bai Jiu coaxed him: “Don’t worry, I’m right here with you. Even if you get drunk, it doesn’t matter.”
Xie Jing’s long lashes fluttered as he turned to look out the window.
That night, it was only the two of them in the room. Occasionally, the red candles sparked, adding to the quiet intimacy.
Lord Bai Jiu asked, “Is it a little too quiet? Should I call someone to liven things up?”
Xie Jing suddenly laughed and shook his head.
Lord Bai Jiu: “Why?”
Xie Jing: “I was thinking… if you let them make trouble, they wouldn’t dare. Only Bai Er would dare to push me a little, but he’d have to copy books as punishment the next day. Now he has protection around him, so he’s not that foolish anymore.” Xie Jing was slightly tipsy and spoke slowly, word by word: “Miss Hongqi is guarding him now.”
Lord Bai Jiu nodded along: “Then we won’t make trouble. Quietly, just the two of us, is fine.”
The pot of wine on the table was the best strong liquor, filled to the brim for good fortune. Lord Bai Jiu and Xie Jing each had a cup and drank every last drop.
Xie Jing, even drunk, didn’t cause trouble. He sat obediently, and if he didn’t hear something clearly, he would just look at the person opposite him and smile, his eyes curved like crescents.
When he was finally carried to the bed, lying there with his fingers picking at the wedding quilt and his head turned slightly, he looked his most striking. His features were fully formed, delicate and beautiful, no trace of his youthful awkwardness. His brows and eyes were captivating.
As someone approached, Xie Jing glanced up, his long lashes blinking, then quickly looked away, his Adam’s apple moving slightly—nervous, shy.
Lord Bai Jiu stared at him for a long moment, unable to look away. Slowly, his fingers rose, delicately tracing Xie Jing’s face to his lips. His voice was husky: “There’s a brocade box on the bed with ointment. I might lose control later and hurt you, so we’ll use some now.”
Xie Jing’s ears flushed red, staying silent.
Lord Bai Jiu retrieved the box and applied the ointment, but unlike before, his hands weren’t hidden under clothes. He openly loosened Xie Jing’s robe, undressing him to examine every inch.
Xie Jing’s ears burned so red it was as if they could bleed. He wanted to hide, but Lord Bai Jiu stopped him.
Biting his lip, Xie Jing whispered, “I’m cold.”
Lord Bai Jiu chuckled: “No whining. You won’t be cold soon.”
…It was different from usual.
Xie Jing lay in Lord Bai Jiu’s arms to rest, his breathing uneven, heart pounding like a drum.
Lord Bai Jiu kissed his temple, asking, “Alright?”
Xie Jing hummed in response, pressed against him with nowhere else to go.
Lord Bai Jiu laughed: “Why shy all of a sudden? Weren’t you just telling me to go further…” His lips were covered by a hand, and the person in his arms flushed bright red. Lord Bai Jiu chuckled quietly: “Alright, no more talking.”
Xie Jing muttered, “That ointment… isn’t right.”
Lord Bai Jiu didn’t hear clearly and leaned in. Only then did he catch all Xie Jing’s words:
“…I can’t take it. Don’t use it on me again.”
Lord Bai Jiu lifted his chin, tracing it softly, his husky voice: “Earlier I said you could rest for a quarter hour—was it enough?”
Xie Jing closed his eyes. Coaxing was useless; Lord Bai Jiu knew this body better than he did, gradually raising the heat higher than before.
The red candles burned halfway down.
A spring night is short.
The next morning, Xie Jing woke slightly later than planned. He intended to serve tea to the elders, but someone from the courtyard notified him that Xie Siquan had drunk too much the night before and was still hungover. They should wait until the afternoon.
Xie Jing had nothing pressing to do. After getting dressed, he had Lord Bai Jiu sit in front of the mirror to comb his hair.
In the mirror, the two of them reflected back. Unlike the time he was infected by the fungus, he could see clearly now, and there was warmth at hand.
Nearby were silver scissors and red paper. Following the instructions from the wedding housekeeper, Xie Jing and Lord Bai Jiu each cut a lock of hair and tied them together. Xie Jing’s hair was a bit long, entwined with Lord Bai Jiu’s into a knot, wrapped in red paper, and stored carefully.
This was something he had wanted to do for a long time, so he did it very seriously.
Lord Bai Jiu said: “I’ve thought about this many times before.”
Xie Jing paused: “What?”
Lord Bai Jiu smiled: “I’ve imagined what it would be like after we married. I just didn’t expect it to be this good.”
Xie Jing looked at him, and when his hand rested on Lord Bai Jiu’s cheek, he gently brushed it against his palm, the smile never leaving his lips.
The elders’ tea ceremony was postponed until the afternoon, and Xie Siquan finally got up.
He had drunk far too much the night before, still suffering from a hangover. At noon, he at least tried to assume the composure expected of an elder and called Xie Jing and the others to serve tea. After all, the rules of the Xie family were set by the head. He did as he pleased.
In the main hall, Elder Bai was present, along with several senior elders from the Northern territory, both men and women, all high-ranking and influential. Xie Siquan brought Xu Jun and several other wealthy Sichuan men, all dressed in luxurious clothes. Each of them wore seven or eight rings on their fingers, made of gold or jade. They smiled broadly and carefully observed Xie Siquan’s expressions before speaking, fully understanding etiquette and obedient.
Xie Siquan had no intention of asserting dominance over the Northern guests. He had prepared a courtyard for Xie Jing and Bai Jiu to stay temporarily and provided brand-new, spacious accommodations for the Bai family elders. The guests he invited were among the wealthiest and most compliant of the Xie family. After all, his nephew was getting married; it wouldn’t do to let them go empty-handed.
