UM CH 01

 Chapter 1

The sound of firecrackers outside was deafening.
The long red banquet tables stretched across the village square, dazzling my eyes with their brightness.

In the middle of the outdoor feast, a self-appointed “host” shouted to invite more guests. Behind him stood the newly built house of the Yu family, rebuilt after demolition.

I lowered my head and looked at myself — finally wearing the red wedding dress I hadn’t wanted to put on for so long. A sigh escaped me.

At some point, Yu Jin appeared behind me and patted my shoulder.

“Yan Shuang, why are you still standing here in a daze? It’s time to meet my parents.”

“Oh… okay.”
I was startled and instinctively took a small step back when he touched me.
He didn’t notice my stiffness — he only smiled like always, then held my hand and led me toward the stage.

Some of the drunken men nearby whistled at me, teasing Yu Jin as we walked past.
As we squeezed through the crowd, I could feel someone deliberately brushing against me — even worse, someone took advantage of the chaos to pinch my backside.

Disgust boiled inside me. I turned around, ready to shout —
But everyone just looked at me, grinning and laughing as if it were all a joke.

Maybe I was overreacting, I told myself bitterly, forcing my head down as I followed Yu Jin onto the stage.

There were no rings exchanged, no ceremony — nothing beautiful.

My parents were long gone, and there was no one left to give me away.
Only my stepmother came, pretending to be kind while pocketing every bit of the wedding gift money people had given me.

Yu Jin held my hand as we climbed the stage, step by step.
People below were smiling in strange ways that made my stomach twist, but I didn’t understand why.

Then I heard a few women whispering, pointing at me:

“Her hips are so small — she won’t be able to bear children.”
“Look at those high cheekbones, a husband-killer’s face.”
“She’s got the look of a widow already.”

Anger burned in my chest. I glared at them, and only then did they shut up reluctantly.

Once I stood under the bright spotlight, I could see Yu Jin’s parents across from me.
My mother-in-law was holding two sets of bright red opera costumes.

I frowned in confusion.

Then the host shouted loudly into the microphone:

“Next, let’s welcome our bride, Meng Yan-shuang, and the groom’s father — yes, the old master himself — to perform our traditional ‘Climbing the Ashes’!”

What? Climbing the ashes?

My mind froze.
Wasn’t that a filthy joke — an incest play between a woman and her father-in-law?

Before I could react, my mother-in-law shoved me hard. I nearly stumbled.
She said impatiently:

“Come on, put the costume on and wear the sign. You’ll be paraded through the streets after the act.”

I pushed her hands away and backed up several steps.

“I won’t!” I shouted.

The crowd immediately erupted into noisy chatter.
My mother-in-law’s face darkened. Losing all pretense, she barked:

“If there’s no wedding prank, then what kind of wedding is this? Forget it — the marriage’s off!”

Rage shot through me. I wanted to scream that I didn’t want to marry at all.
But then I caught my stepmother’s eyes — cold and threatening, pinning me in place.

The mother-in-law sneered:

“Fine, return the bride price to our family then! Once it’s paid back, go file for divorce right away!”

“Who wants your son anyway!”
I snapped, turning around to find my stepmother and demand the money back.

She had taken the betrothal money behind my back — that’s why I was forced into this marriage in the first place.
Now, I couldn’t wait to get out of this disgusting place.

But my stepmother hurried forward, smiling awkwardly to smooth things over:

“Oh, don’t be angry, in-laws. Yan-shuang’s just shy! We don’t have customs like this back where we’re from. Give her a moment to get used to it — she’ll be fine.”

As she spoke, she moved close beside me — and twisted my arm hard through the sleeve.
Even through the fabric, the pain stung like needles.