Transmigrated as an Unwanted Ugly Girl

Juhua let out a breath. "How could I not be tired? I was just waiting for everyone to clear out so you could bring in some hot food for the two of us. Are they all gone? You know, there’s one good thing about rushing into a marriage like this—we didn’t have to deal with so much trouble. It was much simpler. The whole thing was over in two days, not as many people came, and we were saved a lot of hassle."

Seeing her look of immense relief, Huai Zi couldn’t help but smile. He temporarily set aside the gloom in his heart and went out to bring in three dishes, a bowl of soup, and two bowls of rice. He placed them on the small square table. Already on it were two small plates of dates and peanuts, along with a plate of undercooked dumplings, which Juhua pushed aside in disdain.

Juhua’s eyes lit up when she saw the vibrant, red-braised carp, the bright green stir-fried amaranth, the pink steamed cured pork, and the clear ham and Little Cabbage soup. ’They’re all my favorites! My mother-in-law, He, really dotes on me.’

The two of them devoured the meal until they were full. Juhua savored a final piece of cured pork, then asked Zhang Huai, "You were running around outside for so long. Didn’t you get to eat your fill either?"

Zhang Huai looked at her and smiled. "I was too busy to even think about eating. Besides, these dishes are so much better than the food at the feast. Watching you enjoy your meal so much made me hungry all over again."

Juhua found this hilarious. After a moment, she cleared the bowls and chopsticks away and they washed up. Outside, the noisy chatter of people cleaning up the last of the festivities could still be heard. The croaking of frogs drifted in, and through the window, they could see a full moon hanging in the dark, clear sky.

Juhua was stuffed and felt like taking a walk in the courtyard with Huai Zi. ’But who goes for a stroll on their wedding night?’ she thought. ’Huai Zi probably wouldn’t agree anyway.’ So she decided not to bother him about it.

Huai Zi saw her gazing out the window and remembered how much she loved to wander through the courtyard and by the Little Qing River on moonlit nights. He walked over, took her hand, and said with a smile, "Want to go out? I’ll take you for a walk tomorrow night. You shouldn’t wander about tonight, there are still people outside—my aunt and the others haven’t gone to bed yet. Let’s just rest for a bit. We can talk, then sleep later."

So, the two of them leaned back against the bed, whispering softly in the flickering lamplight. Huai Zi pulled Juhua a little tighter into his embrace, asking when the rough patch of skin on her face had disappeared. He leaned in to examine it closely, as if he still couldn’t believe it was gone.

Juhua explained while Huai Zi kept asking questions. When he heard about the time he’d eaten the cucumber slices she was using for a face mask, he chuckled for a long time.

He wrapped his arm around Juhua’s shoulders, his large hand stroking the nape of her neck. Her skin felt so smooth. He instinctively lowered his head and gently kissed her forehead. A tickle of desire stirred within him, and he found he couldn’t stop. His lips traveled down to her cheek, but it still wasn’t enough. He felt like a thirsty man who takes a single sip of water only to find himself even more parched. He gave her red lips a light peck, then paused, watching her with a questioning gaze, as if to gauge her reaction. He saw her staring back at him, a dazed look in her eyes, her dark irises glistening under the lamplight. A restlessness surged within him, and he couldn’t stop himself from capturing her lips, nibbling at them repeatedly with his teeth.

Juhua leaned against Huai Zi’s broad chest, whispering with him about the past, feeling wonderfully content. When Huai Zi started kissing her, she found it amusing. ’Watching his cautious touches makes my heart feel all soft and sweet.’ She let him do as he pleased. But when he took hold of her lips and started... nibbling... she couldn’t help but feel utterly exasperated!

’Is this a kiss? It’s more like he’s chewing on a bone!’

’Even if you’re going to bite, couldn’t you be a little gentler?!’

He nibbled for what felt like an eternity before finally lifting his head to catch his breath. He gazed at Juhua with a smile, looking just like a little kid who’d gotten his hands on a tasty treat.

Juhua’s heart suddenly softened. She gave him a sweet smile, grabbing the front of his shirt with one hand while her other arm snaked around his neck. She leaned in and kissed his earnest lips, sucking gently...

After a long moment, Juhua pulled back. Imitating him, she smiled as she gazed into his eyes.

At first, Huai Zi looked dumbstruck. Then, as if he’d been given a surge of encouragement, his eyes lit up. He wrapped his arms around her waist and lowered his head to capture her lips once more.

As Juhua parted her lips, he tasted an incomparable sweetness, like crystalline morning dew. He breathed in her soft, delicate scent, which reminded him of the fresh fragrance of flowers from the fields.

In a daze, he gradually lost himself. It was as if his body were wrapped in a spring breeze, enveloped by its warmth. It was as if he were bathing in the moonlight of early summer, lost in a world of tenderness. His heart pounded, his arms filled with her softness. He felt as if he had dived into the Little Qing River in the height of summer, the cool, gentle current carrying him away to places unknown!

Outside the window, the moonlight flowed like water and the croaking of frogs boomed like thunder, a chorus to the passionate, brilliant Chapter unfolding within the room!

In the early morning, Huai Zi awoke to the crisp birdsong from the mountain behind the house. Outside, the half-grown chicks were chirping, "CHIRP, CHIRP," without pause. His family’s dog, Dahuang, was barking furiously at the courtyard gate, though at whom, he couldn’t tell.

His arm, which Juhua had been using as a pillow, was sore and numb. He shifted slightly, but the woman in his arms only pressed closer, one hand clutching his shirt. Her head burrowed into his chest as if trying to tunnel right through him, which he found endlessly amusing.

He stilled, quietly waiting for her to wake up as he carefully studied her face in sleep.

Juhua despised getting up in the morning. She always had to linger in bed for a while, burying her head in her pillows and struggling for ages before finally rising. But today was strange. She tried to bury her face deeper into her pillow. ’Huh? Why is this pillow so hard? And this other one isn’t soft either.’ She opened her bleary eyes, only to see Huai Zi gazing at her, a smile playing on his lips and his eyes shining brightly.

She was lucid enough to remember she was married now, so she didn’t scream or ask a stupid question like, "Why are you sleeping here?" Instead, she simply released her grip on his shirt and mumbled, "You get up first. I want to sleep a little longer." With that, she closed her eyes again.