A Relationship Blossoms

For a long time, only quiet breaths sounded in the room.

Shen Mohua laid still in his arms, silently taking in the new wonderful feeling. She had never been held like this before. Was this what others called, falling asleep in someone's embrace?

"Right now, this is all I can give you," he whispered.

"I thought you fell asleep..."

"Silly, you think I can fall asleep?" Ou Junsan gave a small laugh. "Why haven't you fallen asleep?"

"I'm not used to sharing the bed with someone else," she confessed honestly.

"This will take some time to adjust for both you and I." He paused in deep thoughts, then continued, "Let's not take the next step until both of us are ready."

Shen Mohua was filled with a sense of relief she didn't know she was holding in. Such a simple concept it was, yet it didn't occurred to her. "Couples can do that? We can choose?"

"Of course."

"I thought the matters of husband and wife..." Or so she'd heard from others.

"Have to consummate on the wedding night?"

She nodded shyly. Other married couples either sealed the deal or slept separately altogether, she'd never heard of a husband and wife waiting to consummate. It didn't seem to be an option until now. 

"What kind of stories have you been listening to?"

"The ladies at the marketplace..." she mumbled.

"How can I say this... every couple is different. As the two people in this relationship, we can go at our own pace," he explained patiently.

"We can make our own rules."

"As long as we both agree, yes."

A clear excitement came from her joyous tone. She gushed on about what she talked with her family earlier, "Then, I'd like to visit my family anytime I want. Is that alright with you?"

"No problem, I want to add that you can go and come as you please in this manor."

"Ah? Such a good deal?" She lightly shook him. "Once you say it, you can't take it back."

"This is a marriage, not cage to keep you in or a rope to bind you down. What else did you hear again...?"

"Nothing," she brushed it off with a smile. Taking advantage of the topic, she slyly brought up another rule she'd been pondering about. "Then... do I still need to keep my distance?"

Ou Junsan thought back to the times he constantly reminded her to keep an appropriate distance between them. At the time, they were strangers connected through an engagement.

Now... the circumstances have changed. "Would I do that to my own wife?"

Shen Mohua instantly grinned. "Is that a no?"

"Proceed... as you wish."

"The world must never know of this secret," she turned face him.

"Hmm?"

She leaned into his ears, as if afraid others would hear it, "The world must never know you are a rare treasure."

Ou Junsan laughed at the silly sounding statement. "Alright, you really need to sleep now. You've stayed up too late."

"En." Shen Mohua obediently tucked herself under the blanket.

————

On the bed, two figures laid peacefully. One had already awaken while the other was still deep asleep.

Shen Mohua snuggled closer to the pillow, her hand swinging over to brush the tingling strands of hair on her forehead... except it got caught halfway.

"Shen Mohua, are you awake now?"

Bathed by the soft sunlight, the gaze that met her was full of innocence. Her round apricot eyes blinked slowly. "Ou Junsan, you're still here? Were you... waiting for me to wake up?"

Wordlessly, he got up towards the dresser. Before he disappeared into the bathing room, he casually stated, "There's no bride that wants to wake up alone after the wedding night."

Shen Mohua stared at the closed door. Was this another simple fact known to everyone...?

Ou Junsan returned into the bedchamber, now dressed neatly in a set of blue robes. Shen Mohua had also changed into a different dress, a soft yellow color that complimented her bright smile. As they walked across the courtyard, she kept glancing at the eye catching blue color.

Father Ou and Mother Ou were already waiting. The tea ceremony started and finished smoothly, the elder couple didn't make anything hard. When Ou Junsan agreed to this marriage, they couldn't believe it. Seeing their son standing next to his wife today was a sight they gave up on at one point.

After breakfast, the elder couple stood across the newly weds in front of the carriage. Na Zhen beamed happily, "As husband and wife, you two must listen and respect each other. When there's a problem, be patient and solve it together."

"Yes, mother." Shen Mohua hugged the elder woman whom she was becoming fonder of each time they met. "Have a safe trip and take care."

Ou Xing pulled his son aside and asked with a knowing look in his eyes, "Bright blue after your wedding? It's not very like you."

"I never cared what I wore before, but now..." Ou Junsan cleared his throat. "Why are you asking so much anyway?"

"Look at you, already making little changes for your wife," Ou Xing crackled in amusement.

Ou Junsan didn't deny his father's statement. He indeed asked Kong Yunru to help pick a set of bright colored robe to specifically wear on the day after the wedding. The usual black he wore would be too gloomy.

Father Ou was still roaring in laughter as he settled into the carriage. He poked his head out of the window. He met Shen Mohua's gaze and pointed towards Ou Junsan.

The main subject at hand, Ou Junsan, was oblivious. He calmly wished them health after a safe trip home. As the carriage disappeared into the distance, Shen Mohua asked, "What did you said to father that was so funny?"

He turned on his heels back towards the manor. "Nothing, he laughs randomly like that sometimes."

"It's really nothing?" She asked again.

"Really."

"Oh." She peeked a look at him, then called out, "Ou Junsan."

"Hmm?"

"I just want you to know I changed my hair this morning."

Ou Junsan stopped in his tracks. One of Ou Jie's babbling echoed in his mind, "Today, elder sister is in a light blue dress with butterflies. Her hair is put up like uh, those married ladies. And she is smiling ridiculously big, like you're the sun or something."

It suddenly dawned upon him that she must've been practicing doing her hair for their marriage. Before he thought it through, his hands reached out and felt the neatly brushed and pinned hair.

"What do you think?" She grinned proudly. "Should I do my hair like this more often in the future?"

Ou Junsan's thumb brushed her cheeks and found the curves of her lips. At this moment, she... was smiling.

The corners of his lips tugged the slightest upwards. "Do it just like this."