On the first day of marriage, surrendering control of all finances.

"You really are something—one meal and you’ve eaten up my entire monthly allowance!"

The three youngest members of the Feng family—an aunt and her two nieces—walked out of Quanjude Roast Duck Restaurant, all burping contentedly, but Feng Jiaoyou was nearly heartbroken. One meal, and twenty-one yuan was gone!

"Well, at least we packed up a whole duck to take home for Dad, Mom, Brother, and Sister-in-law to taste. That’s something," said Cheng Xueming, who had not expected the two little ones’ craving for roast duck would be so expensive.

Ten yuan for one duck—that was half a month’s allowance for Feng Jiaoyou, or a third of an average worker’s monthly wage.

The four of them ordered half a duck, a serving of duck frame soup, and a plate of spicy diced chicken. Just before paying the bill, Cheng Xueming had them pack up an entire roast duck to take away.

It all added up to twenty-one yuan—gone in an instant! But then again, this was Quanjude, the renowned old brand of old Beijing, authentic to the core. Calculating it that way, perhaps it wasn’t so bad.

"It’s all right, it’s all right. But you’re just being extravagant! When we get home, I’ll have to deal with you. You can’t spend money like this!" Feng Jiaoyou grew more distressed the more she thought about it. Over twenty yuan—a whole month’s salary and allowance! Just last night they’d agreed to save money, find a place, and move out as soon as possible. Now, in the blink of an eye, a month’s wages were gone!

This couldn’t go on! Once they got home, she’d have to teach him a lesson—he couldn’t be so free-handed with money.

"How is it extravagant? Today’s our first day after registering our marriage. Even if we don’t spend the night at a guesthouse to celebrate, we should at least have a nice meal, right? Besides, it all went into our own bellies, didn’t it? Lijun, Liwen, was the roast duck delicious?"

Looking at the two little ones with their round, full bellies, Cheng Xueming smiled and asked.

"It was delicious! Thank you, Uncle! Can we come again tomorrow?" Little Feng Liwen clapped her hands and shouted.

"Yes, yes, Uncle! Can we really come again tomorrow?" her older sister Feng Lijun echoed, clapping with delight.

Cheng Xueming’s face darkened at that. Roast duck was fine once in a while, but every day?

"See? You’ve spoiled them. Soon, if there's no grand feast, they won’t pick up their chopsticks. Just wait until you have to explain this to your mother-in-law!" Feng Jiaoyou was thoroughly amused by their greediness and teased Cheng Xueming, her schadenfreude obvious.

"All right, all right! We’ll come again tomorrow!" Cheng Xueming scooped up the older Feng Lijun, placed her on the crossbar of his bicycle, and said, "Hold on tight, Lijun. We’re heading home!"

"You just keep indulging them! If they ever ask for the stars in the sky, you’ll have to fetch them, too!" Feng Jiaoyou rolled her eyes and climbed onto the back seat, grumbling as she told Liwen, "Get on, and be careful!"

"Heh, once our daughter is born, if she asks for the stars, I’ll go and pluck them for her!" Cheng Xueming steadied the bicycle, helped Feng Jiaoyou lift the little Feng Liwen up, and laughed.

Carrying three people on a bicycle—front and back—was no easy feat, but Cheng Xueming had ridden a mountain bike in his past life and often went out for rides on weekends. His cycling skills hadn’t gone rusty. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have dared carry three people at once, especially with Feng Jiaoyou heavily pregnant.

"Can you exaggerate any more?" Mentioning their future child brought a sweet smile to Feng Jiaoyou’s lips, though she pretended to complain. "Why not a son? I want a son!"

"Then a son it is. If you want a son, we’ll have a son!" Cheng Xueming humored her, then reminded everyone, "Sit tight, I’m starting off now!"

On the way back, Cheng Xueming bought two cans of malted milk and two cans of canned yellow peaches, spending another eight yuan, which nearly drove Feng Jiaoyou mad with frustration.

But Cheng Xueming’s reasoning was that yesterday, as a new son-in-law, coming empty-handed was excusable. But today, he had to bring something back for his mother-in-law and the eldest brother’s wife. Otherwise, what would they think?

Well, the logic was sound enough. He certainly knew how to make an impression as a son-in-law and brother-in-law.

But once they got home, Feng Jiaoyou went all out and confiscated all the money Cheng Xueming had on him.

"Is this all? Any more?" she demanded.

They sat in the main room of the Feng house, not daring to go into the second sister-in-law’s room, even though it had been vacated for them. But without the mother-in-law’s approval, it wouldn’t do for the new son-in-law to be too forward and take over.

They still sat on the bamboo bed in the main room. Faced with Feng Jiaoyou’s persistent coaxing and her arms wrapped around his, stroking and teasing him, Cheng Xueming surrendered to her charms and handed over every last cent he had.

She was counting the money with a sly smile, and her gaze finally settled on his waistband as she pressed him further.

"That’s it, that’s all there is! I swear!" he said.

"Really nothing left? You’re not hiding money in your pants, are you? Want me to check right now?" she threatened playfully.

"Fine, if you can’t wait until tonight, I’ll—"

Cheng Xueming made as if to actually strip down and let her check for hidden funds.

"No, no, no! I believe you, I believe you! Cheng Xueming, don’t you dare take advantage and act indecent. I don’t want to look!"

Seeing him so shameless, Feng Jiaoyou quickly waved her hands. She gave up the inspection.

"How did you end up with so much money?" After counting, she found three hundred and fifteen yuan, and couldn’t help asking in surprise.

"Three hundred was from my mother, for buying you nutritional supplements. The rest is my savings," Cheng Xueming replied, a touch exasperated.

The money hadn’t even warmed his pocket before it was confiscated by his wife. Had he known, he wouldn’t have played the big spender today. On the very first day of marriage, he’d already handed over the family finances—he was left with nothing but the clothes on his back.

"Your mother gave this for my supplements?" Feng Jiaoyou’s eyes gleamed with cunning. "Well, since it’s from your mother, I’ll keep it safe for you. You don’t mind, do you?"

"Not at all! We’re legally married—husband earns, wife spends. That’s only right," Cheng Xueming said, knowing the money was gone for good, so he decided to play along.

"Exactly! Xueming, you’re absolutely right. You earn, I spend. With your attitude, I love you to bits!"

She couldn’t help herself—she gave him a sweet kiss, catching him off guard.

"So, from now on, I’ll be in charge of all the money at home. No secret stashes, agreed?" After giving him the sweet reward, Feng Jiaoyou laid down the rules.

"Of course! In every family, the wife handles the money, right?" Cheng Xueming, still savoring the kiss, agreed enthusiastically. "Wifey, am I enlightened enough? So does that mean…"

Looking at this extraordinary woman, Cheng Xueming could barely contain himself.

"Very enlightened! In that case, I’ll let you keep these," Feng Jiaoyou said, pocketing the three hundred yuan and returning the remaining fifteen to him. "This is for our monthly expenses—be frugal!"

"For the whole month?" Cheng Xueming’s face fell. His first thought was that it was nowhere near enough. His second was that they were truly poor.

"What else?" She rolled her eyes at him, stood up to go to her room, and called back, "Xueming, come help me with something!"

"What is it?"

Hearing some urgency in her voice, he hurried over.

"I can’t reach—help me get the bankbook from up there," Feng Jiaoyou said, pointing to the top of the wardrobe.

"You’ve hidden a bankbook in your sister-in-law’s room?" Cheng Xueming was surprised—she actually had a bankbook!

"If not here, then where? Take a guess—how much do I have in it?"