Strange Tales of the Ghosts

The incense stick was half-burnt when Qian Lu returned to the Qian Residence with Xue Fu. The first thing he did was introduce Xue Fu to his father, Qian Dagui. 

"Father, I'm back." 

"It's good to see you back," Qian Dagui sat at the front of the hall and studied the girl he had brought back. The girl was indeed pretty, even Qian Dagui hadn't seen a beautiful girl like this before. However, something about her made him feel uncomfortable, "And who is this?" 

"Father, this is my wife, Xue Fu." 

Qian Dagui was furious and slapped the table, "Nonsense! You haven't had your wedding, how is she your wife?" 

"It's true, Father. Xue Fu and I have feelings for each other, and we have sworn to be husband and wife to the moon." 

Qian Dagui blurted out, "Nonsense! It's an illicit sexual relationship without the work of a matchmaker!" 

"Father!" Qian Lu didn't expect Qian Dagui to say something so humiliating, but it was too late to stop him. When he saw the tears in Xue Fu's eyes, he made up his mind and said, "I don't care whether you admit us or not, Xue Fu will always be my life. You can't change that unless I die!" Qian Lu added the last sentence knowing that Qian Dagui would lock him up. He could compromise on anything else but his marriage. 

Qian Dagui couldn't toughen up at how stubborn his son was. He asked, "If so, I have to go and give her family a marriage proposal, an official wedding should be arranged as well. Before that, could you tell me where Lady Xue Fu's family is? What do her parents do for a living?" 

"Father, there is no one left in Xue Fu's family." Qian Lu replied. 

Qian Dagui asked again, "If she has no family, where does she live?" 

"..." Qian Lu didn't know how to reply because he had never asked Xue Fu about it. If he responded honestly that he didn't know, his father would be unhappy, so he lied, "Baiyun Mountain." 

"Did you really think you could fool me?" Qian Dagui was rigorous and saw right through his son's trick. He continued, "Baiyun Mountain is at least twenty miles away from here, and you have never left Pingshan Town since you were born. How did you two meet?" 

"Father, don't you believe me?" Qian Lu forced himself to act without showing signs of panic. 

Qian Dagui took a sip of tea and shook his head, "It's not because I don't believe you, Lu'er. Marriage speaks about well-matched social status, you don't even..." Before he could finish, the butler rushed in and reported loudly, "Old Master, the Zhou Family heard about our Young Master brought back a new lady, and they're here!" 

"Where?" 

"Just outside the door, I stopped them." 

"Mhm," Qian Dagui brushed his beard and ordered, "Lu'er, take the lady inside and rest for a while. Your Father, I, need to have a discussion with my future daughter-in-law's family." 

"Father!" Qian Lu knew that Qian Dagui wasn't planning to cancel the arranged marriage with the Zhou Family and panicked. 

Qian Dagui comforted him, "Go, Lu'er." 

"Argh!" Qian Lu felt regretful. If he knew things would turn out like this, he should've decided to live in the mountains with Xue Fu instead; he didn't have a choice but to take her inside for now. Qian Lu held Xue Fu's hands and took her inside. He didn't stop by the inner hall as his room was only a corridor away. 

They sat down by the wooden table, and after a while, Qian Lu grabbed her hands and said, "Xue Fu, I'll take you away, we can leave together right now." 

"But..." Xue Fu stopped. 

"Don't worry, I won't let you feel wronged. You are my wife, whether my father admits it or not, I won't let you down." Qian Lu tightened the grip on her hands. He wasn't sure how his father would treat him, he was scared of mishaps and he was scared of the Zhou Family's nagging.