Chapter 898: A Big Red Envelope

"Go, go, go! You're such a big man, what are you doing standing in the doorway? If you're really that idle, climb up on the roof and sweep the snow for me!"

"?"

Before he could react, Liang Qu felt a broom shoved into his hands by Nan Di.

He came to his senses.

The cold wind was biting.

He was already standing on the roof.

"Sigh..."

With a long sigh, he brushed away the white snow dust with the bamboo branches, revealing the blue-gray iron tiles.

Liang Qu held the broom, working in utter boredom.

He had brought Long Long Eying to pay respects to her parents-in-law and receive a bride's red envelope; how had he inexplicably become an "eyesore, a thorn in the side"?

After chasing Liang Qu away, Xu Shi pulled Long Long Eying into the guest room. The two sat on the edge of the bed and chatted about many private matters.

From customs to housekeeping, they moved on to their life together.

"How is the bedroom life?"

"Ah?" So direct—Long Long Eying suspected she had misheard.

"Silly girl, what are you 'ah-ing' about?" Xu Shi patted Long Eying's hand lightly, holding it tight. "We are both women, what is there to be embarrassed about? You've already done the deed, you're not some completely ignorant little girl. Rest assured, this won't reach a third person's ears."

"Your godmother is telling you: if the bedroom life isn't good, it might be fine for the first few months of marriage, but the price of continuing is the erosion of patience and affection. As time goes on, no matter how deep the love between a couple, they will eventually drift apart and become strangers under the same roof! By then, you might not even say a word to each other in a whole day! It will be too late to regret it!"

Long Long Eying's heart tightened, and she hurriedly asked, "Godmother, then... what is good? What is bad?"

Xu Shi pondered.

"When you do it, are you happy?"

"Um..." Long Long Eying was so shy she wanted to bury her head in the quilt. She gritted her teeth. "Happy! It's like floating on white clouds, soaking in hot water, lazy and relaxed; I don't want to move a single toe."

"The first time, did it not hurt at all?"

"It's fine at first, but it gets much better later on."

"He looks impatient, but he's actually quite considerate..." Xu Shi was surprised. "And him?"

"I think... he is too?" Long Long Eying hesitated. "Later on, I was numb and couldn't feel a thing, but he insisted on continuing."

In the last two days of the ten, Liang Qu couldn't even stand steadily, yet he still insisted on pouncing on her.

Xu Shi couldn't help but laugh, pressing her palm down. "Silly girl, if you're both happy, then that is the very best!"

Long Long Eying let out a sigh of relief, her heart settling.

At the same time, infinite curiosity arose in her heart.

Xu Shi had asked her like this.

"Godmother, you..."

"Don't ask. Why would I tell you about my private affairs?"

Long Long Eying felt a bit annoyed at being teased. "Then how could Godmother ask me?"

"I am your elder," Xu Shi said as a matter of course.

"Godmother—"

"You've slept for a night, why has a big girl like you become so clingy? Go home and act clingy to your husband." As Xu Shi spoke, she pulled a large red envelope from her sleeve. "Here, take this."

"Godmother, what is this for?"

Long Long Eying reached out and squeezed it; the envelope was soft and thick, with a fabric texture. It was clearly silver banknotes, several of them. Judging by the size, the face value was at least ten thousand taels.

"Don't feel embarrassed. The rules here are like this: when a new bride visits, there's no such thing as not giving a red envelope. If you don't want to accept it, I'd still be reluctant not to give it. It's not much, five or six... Alright, that's all there is to it. It's cold, close the door when you go out, and call Xiao Jiu in."

The sunlight was just right.

Under the tree, Blackie let out a huge yawn.

Long Long Eying clutched the red envelope and walked out with a light step, a little snow dust falling from in front of her.

"Long Eying!"

Long Long Eying looked up to see Liang Qu squatting on the eaves, a bamboo broom resting across his knees.

"What were you chatting about?"

"Chatting about whether my husband is capable in bed."

Liang Qu didn't believe it was that explicit, but he followed the lead and asked, "What did the Lady say?"

"She praised you for being formidable." "Ha!"

Liang Qu was smug, lifting his chin slightly, showing a bit of pride.

Long Long Eying found it funny and beckoned him up. "Alright, give me the broom and come down quickly. Godmother wants you to go in."

"Heh, is there something good for me?"

Liang Qu jumped down lightly and handed over the broom.

The door opened a crack, light spilling out, and a head squeezed right in.

"Mother, I heard from Long Eying that you were looking for me?"

"Close the door and sit."

Xu Shi pointed to a round stool.

"What's up? Do new husbands get red envelopes too?" Liang Qu closed the door and sat at the table.

"In your dreams." Xu Shi put down her teacup. "Not a cent of a red envelope, just one thing I want to tell you."

"Sure, a thousand wild words are like dung, but one good word is worth a thousand gold." Liang Qu took the teacup and picked up the teapot to pour water. "Go ahead, your son is listening."

"A dragon girl is a water tribe member after all. Long Eying has come ashore with you and put down roots; it's more than just 'leaving her hometown.' It hasn't been easy for her alone."

"So today I'm saying the ugly words first so you have a count in your head: if there's trouble in the family in the future, I will definitely side with her and be biased. Even if you truly feel aggrieved, don't feel unbalanced."

"Just this?"

"What did you want to hear?"

"Mother, rest assured, I understand." Liang Qu grinned and offered the hot tea. "In a family, there aren't that many principles to argue about. If you don't want us to separate, you helping her is helping me."

Xu Shi took the teacup and smiled, poking his forehead with her index finger.

"You clever monkey! Go, go eat!"

Xu Shi had chatted with Long Eying for a quarter of an hour, but with Liang Qu, she only had one sentence.

The two stayed at the Yang Prefecture for lunch and dinner, bringing some dates, millet, and dried meat, and taking many fruits into the carriage.

The wheels rolled.

The carriage moved again.

Long Long Eying lay on Liang Qu's lap, and Liang Qu told her about his plans for the next two months.

"I'll trouble you to build another Crystal Palace. After the New Year, I'll take a trip to the Eastern Water Domain; it shouldn't take more than two days. You stay home and tidy up. When I finish my business, we'll head west together."

"First, accompany the Master's wife to Huangzhou, then turn north to Datong Prefecture to visit the Hanging Temple. I haven't seen the Great Master in a long time. Remember to prepare some appropriate Buddhist gifts; don't be stingy... Long Eying?"

Long Long Eying turned over, facing upward. "Build another Crystal Palace, pack luggage and head west, prepare gifts for the Buddhists, can't be stingy."

"Right!" Liang Qu stroked her long hair. "I thought you weren't listening."

"I've been listening to everything you said."

Long Long Eying lay for a while, then turned on her side and buried her head, murmuring, "I want to go to Mount Taicang..."

Even with the hearing of a Perfected Form Jiang Zongshi, Long Long Eying's voice was barely perceptible, but Liang Qu was no ordinary Jiang Zongshi, and he caught it keenly. "Now?"

Mount Taicang was located in Jiangling County; it wasn't exactly close.

Long Long Eying twisted her body, her ears turning pink. "No, I was just talking nonsense..."

Liang Qu held back his laughter and rubbed her earlobe. "How are you becoming more and more like Long Yao and Long Li?"

Before Long Long Eying could answer, the carriage shuddered violently and then tilted backward. Long Long Eying felt her whole body sink down.

Exclamations came from both inside and outside the carriage.

"Hiss!"

The long-waiting Red Mountain let out a snort, stomped its hooves, and unleashed its divine speed. As the pedestrians on the street retreated, it transformed into a red long wind and soared upward.

Whoosh!

The red great dragon spread its wings, tearing through the airflow, carrying the carriage as it soared into the sky!

The curtains fluttered.

The green silk at her forehead flew along with the curtains and the wind.

Long Long Eying climbed to the carriage window unconsciously, looking down at the starlike lights and the shimmering waves.

Liang Qu wrapped his arms around Long Long Eying's waist.

The two people and their two heads squeezed out of the carriage window together to blow in the cold wind.

The night wind flowed long, their fine black hair intertwined, tangled like snakes.

(End of Chapter) ===== CHAPTER 899 =====