Scarring Jasmine-Chapter Twenty Three Decisions

08/16/2024 Friday 64-90F Sunny

Zhao came into Jasmine’s room at dusk. “Jasmine, wake up!” He spoke in her ear tenderly and pulled her shoulder over under the comforter. The illness and fever made Jasmine feel groggy. She opened her eyes, saw him, and closed them again. “Don’t sleep Jasmine, you need to get up and join the dinner. Today we will have lamb hot pot and steamed perch.” 

“I don’t want to eat anything,” Jasmine answered, keeping her eyes closed, “please dine with the others.” 

“Jasmine, you must go. It is our wedding dinner.” 

Jasmine raised her eyelids and looked around, “We are not in father’s house. This is the same place on the mountain.” 

“Jasmine, we will have a simple wedding ceremony here.” Zhao held Jasmine up from the bed, “Listen, Leopard was killed by someone in Tianjin. I must go there tomorrow with Tiger and Wolf. I can’t take you with me this time, you are ill, and Tianjin is too far for you to go. We must get married tonight so I can send you back home early tomorrow morning. I am sorry it is in haste, but I have no choice. Once I come back from Tianjin, I will go to see you right away, and compensate you with a big wedding party. Trust me, let me help you put on your coat.” 

“I, I can’t marry you without getting my parents’ permission.” 

“You have their permission: We are engaged and are expected to get married this Spring. Now it’s almost end of February; it is Spring. I kept my promise. I know you want to go home, so be a good girl and no more argument.” Zhao wrapped her in the coat, carried her to the living room. “Tiger,” He shouted, “move the fire pan to the living room, hurry!”

He seated Jasmine in a chair facing the south and sat alongside her. The room was lit by two large red candles on the table; several men were busy in and out, bringing in food and liquor. Tiger and Wolf sat at the two sides of the table opposite each other. While the seat at the end of the table facing north was empty, but still set with dinnerware. 

Tiger made his toast first: “Today is Big Brother and Big Sister’s wedding day, here I represent all our men, including Leopard,” he slightly raised his cup toward that empty seat, “to drink up the liquor in my hand: May the new couple have a long life together!” He finished the cup in one drink. 

Then Wolf stood up: “I raise my cup for our Big Brother and Big Sister, a long life together isn’t enough, you should also bring us more little kids so I can be their uncle.” 

Zhao looked happy, yet a touch of something clouded his eyes. He poured a little liquor in Jasmine’s empty cup, and refilled his, “Jasmine, we should drink to my three dear brothers!” He finished his first, then sent Jasmine’s to her lips, encouraged: “Just one drop, after this I will take you back to the bed.” Partially feeling sorry for Leopard, partially being eager to go to bed and home, Jasmine finished her liquor from his hand. 

That night seemed long and uneasy. Jasmine woke up several times, by dim candlelight, found Zhao sleeping in her bed and cuddling her close. His body was so hot that she could feel its heat passing through his pajamas. “So, we are married.” She thought of the dinner last night.

At dawn, someone tapped on the wall, calling softly: “Big Brother!” Zhao withdrew his arm from under Jasmine’s head carefully, got up and tiptoed to the living room. From there Tiger’s voice disturbed the quietness of the surroundings: “Big Brother, why not let her stay? We still have some men here!” 

“Keep your voice down! It’s too inconvenient. She is ill and needs good care. Nobody here can do it.”

“But I am worrying about Pox-Faced A San--He may find her and cause trouble for us.”

“A San is done. Yesterday noon I sent one man to the county to fish for information and was told that A San’s issue had been solved. At present he is in Guangzhou. As long as we avoid a head-on clash with him, he shouldn’t come to bother us.”

“That’s weird. A San isn’t the sort of man to give up easily, especially when a big loss is involved. What happened later?”

“Tiger, let’s not discuss this now. Is the driver prepared?”

“Yes, Big Brother. He is waiting at the outside door.” 

“Ok, I will wake her up.” 

Jasmine was half awake; her mind was clouded but she still overheard the whole conversation. Then Zhao came in. Instead of going to the bed, he searched for something in a trunk.

“Jasmine,” he finally said, “the cart is ready. Before you go home, I have something for you.” He sat Jasmine up, emptied a little pouch on the bed—There were twenty gold coins. 

He spoke to her: “My grandparents left them to me to marry a wife and raise my children. They are all I have. You take them, find a doctor. Don’t worry about me, I promise you that I will be back within no more than five months. Remember, you are my wife now. No matter what the situation is, you must forgive me and wait for me!” 

Jasmine had a feverish headache; she couldn’t respond to him. Tiger called from the outside of the house: “Big Brother, hurry! It is getting late!” Zhao tucked the little pouch with the gold coins in her coat, wrapped her in a heavy comforter then carried her into the mule cart. “Jasmine, take care of yourself, don’t think too much. Do wait for me to come back!” Zhao kissed Jasmine’s cheek.

The cart drove off on that frosty chilly morning.