Chapter 176 - Chinese tea and hair combing ceremony.

Chen Lihua rolled the gr.a.p.e that she would have sent into her mouth gently between her fingers as she stared at her mother speechlessly.

"Mom am not pregnant. I am eating the gr.a.p.es this way because I like how they are slightly chilled. Besides if I was pregnant, don't you think your taunting and the number of times you've mentioned my pregnancy that the baby would have long disappeared by now?"

"You....." That was the last words Lady Chen was able to say before her mouth was stuffed with the gr.a.p.e.

Chen Lihua rubbed her now free fingers and stood up with a smile.

"Mom see you later. I am off to my room".

Lady Chen watched on as Chen Lihua disappeared from her view. Then she felt the gr.a.p.e in her mouth and started chewing it.

"The gr.a.p.e is really nice when slightly chilled. But shouldn't she have given it to me in a more caring manner than stuffing into my mouth like that?" she huffed.

Two days to Chen Lihua and Liu Longwei's Chinese traditional wedding, the whole Chen family came over to stay for the celebration.

At night, Chen Villa was still bustling lively. As the House was full, and the next day was the eve to the Chinese wedding, many activities and preparations were going on.

Chen Lihua didn't have the strength to engage in conversation with anybody, so she stayed back in her room and watched an action movie from the television in her room while drinking a glass of strawberry flavoured sweetened yogurt.

Lady Chen came into her room without knocking as usual. 

Chen Lihua didn't even bother looking because she knew the culprit. Even if it wasn't her mother, she wouldn't have said anything because servants have been tripping in with different packages, and out of room empty-handed.

Lady Chen glanced at her daughter who was drinking a glass of yogurt and watching a movie at the same time, so she walked to her quickly and began to berate her.

"Lihua what do you think you're doing so late at night? Do you know how many calories this yogurt contains? And the Chinese tea ceremony and hair combing ceremony is tomorrow, and you are still awake at this time".

Chen Lihua sighed before pausing the movie.

"I always enjoy this every day since I've been at home with nothing to do. But I always work it out the next morning. The movie will end in five minutes, so I will go to sleep after it, so tell the servants not enter my room anymore".

"You had better not add any weight because if you do and your dresses require another fitting, I will scr.a.p.e the excess skin off". Lady Chen warned seriously because Chen Lihua had her last dress fittings a day ago.

"Yes Ma". Chen Lihua answered before playing the movie.

Lady Chen looked on for a while before helplessly saying, "Are you not nervous that your big day is around the corner?"

"I am, and that's why I am watching a movie". Chen Lihua answered truthfully as she glanced at her mother.

Lady Chen smiled hearing her daughter admit it straightforwardly. Then she became so moved that she gave her a motherly hug. A hug that carried the love and affection a mother had for her daughter.

Chen Lihua felt so warm and safe in her mother's embrace, and so hugged her back before shutting her eyes.

Lady Chen released her after a few minutes and gave her a good night kiss on her forehead before leaving her room.

By the time all these were done, the movie that was showing on the television earlier has already come to an end.

Chen Lihua sighed as she switched off the television and lights before lying on her bed to sleep.

The next day, the tea ceremony was held in the morning and afternoon, and so Chen Lihua was awoken very early in the morning to prepare for it.

Even Liu Longwei went back to the Liu residence a day before, because of the tea ceremony. So the Liu residence was bustling with activities as well.

The remaining relatives of the Liu family were all around as well, making the Villa a full house.

Chen Lihua and Liu Longwei met during the tea ceremony but did not have the opportunity to speak much.

Tsaochua tea was the tea used for the Chinese tea ceremony. 

On the evening of the same day, the hair combing ceremony was held at the Chen residence. But nobody knew that amidst the happiness that they were all experiencing, somebody out there was sad and regretful for missing out on this happy occasion.

In order not to become sadder, the person asked the driver to drive away, and so the driver drove the car away from where it was parked close to Chen's gate.

The hair combing ceremony is usually conducted on the eve of the wedding or in the early morning of the Chinese wedding.. 

After showering with water infused pomelo or pomegranate leaves, the bride and groom change into a set of clothing and shoes. Then attending female family members bless them as they sit in front of an open window with the visible moon or in front of the mirror.

But that was not the case for Chen Lihua and Liu Longwei as they did things differently.

So they did really follow the steps. It was as if the hair combing ceremony was just included.

So Chen Lihua wore a set of red night robes after bathing with a liquid fragrant soap bath. She then sat on a chair beside the window as the ceremony began.

The four blessings associated with the hair combing ceremony are:

First combing - Be blessed to be together till the end.

Second combing - Be blessed with a hundred years of harmony in marriage.

Third combing - Be blessed with a houseful of children and grandchildren.

Fourth combing - Be blessed with abundant wealth and longevity in marriage.

After the hair combing ceremony was over, a sweet dessert soup containing pink glutinous rice spherical dumplings called 'tang yuan' was served to wish the couple a complete and sweet marriage.

As for Liu Longwei, do you think with his personality and level, he would agree to do the hair combing ceremony?