Tiny white flowers hung from the ceiling of the wedding hall. Bei Yao's white-gloved hand was placed into Pei Chuan's by Bei Licai.
Pei Chuan instinctively tightened his grip.
Fate could be quite marvelous. When Bei Yao was reborn, she never imagined ending up with Pei Chuan. Back then, she only remembered his kindness and lived following her heart. But now, thinking back, it felt like a lifetime ago.
The "auspicious day" chosen by Zhao Zhilan turned out to be quite favorable. The weather was clear during the wedding vows, but just as Bei Yao and Pei Chuan exchanged rings, rain began to fall outside.
The wedding was unusually low-key, with only about forty guests from both the Bei and Pei families, almost resembling a "secret marriage."
The ceremony was extremely simple—just the vows and the exchange of rings.
Jin Ziyang, seated among the guests, sighed with emotion. "So many years have passed in the blink of an eye, and now Brother Chuan is married." And to the girl he had cherished since his youth.
It would be a lie to say he wasn’t envious. After all, finding someone you love and marrying her required a great deal of fate.
Zheng Hang nodded, his gaze briefly skimming over the delicate bride before he looked away.
Jin Ziyang laughed, "Haha, who do you think will be the last among us to get married?"
Their eyes silently fell on Ji Wei.
Ji Wei: "..."
Ji Wei was still in his sixth year of high school—his sixth senior year.
People often laughed at him or whispered behind his back, but in truth, he had been improving year by year. Occasionally, someone would kindly ask why he hadn’t gone to college when he could already get into a decent university. Ji Wei would shyly reply, "Because it’s still not enough for Cambridge."
Jin Ziyang chuckled quietly to himself. The wedding ceremony was brief and concluded quickly. While Zheng Hang and the others might not understand the reason, Jin Ziyang knew all too well—Brother Chuan was far from short on money. This rushed wedding surely left him with regrets.
Yet, even this wedding, which left Pei Chuan with regrets, would come at a great cost for him after marriage.
By evening, the rain had started. Pei Chuan arranged for the wedding cars to take the relatives home.
The lead car was a black Bentley, followed by other luxury vehicles. Though the wedding was low-key, everything else was meticulously arranged. Bai Yutong got into the car, seething with regret. Compared to Pei Chuan’s wealth, what was Uncle Pei’s worth? Yet, she and her mother had never managed to build a good relationship with Pei Chuan.
In the end, Uncle Pei’s money was donated to the state, and after all these years, she and her mother had gained nothing.
And as for Bei Yao, whom she had thought was blind...
Bai Yutong rolled down the car window and leaned out to look.
Outside the church, a long outdoor rose carpet was now soaked by the rain. Bei Yao’s wedding dress was exceptionally long, posing a challenge for her to cross the red carpet and get into the car.
Under the spring rain, Zhao Zhilan grew anxious. She blamed herself for choosing this day—the weather had been fine during the day, so why did it have to rain in the evening? If Bei Yao walked over in her wedding dress, it would likely be ruined.
Zhao Zhilan patted Bei Licai’s arm. "Carry our daughter on your back."
Bei Licai nodded and was about to step forward when Pei Chuan bent down to adjust the hem of Bei Yao’s dress and then lifted her into his arms.
Everyone was stunned.
Jin Ziyang stammered, "Bro-Brother Chuan..."
Bei Yao was also startled. Instinctively, she wrapped her arms around his neck, her eyes filled with concern.
In the light drizzle, Pei Chuan said, "I’ll take care of it."
Today, she was his bride.He stepped into the rain, the spring drizzle swaying in the wind. Zhao Zhilan stood frozen for a long moment before rushing over to hold an umbrella for her daughter and Pei Chuan.
The delicate white tips of Bei Yao's shoes peeked out from beneath her skirt as she couldn't resist looking up at Pei Chuan.
Sensing her gaze, his dark eyes brimmed with laughter. Before Zhao Zhilan reached them, he lowered his head and pressed a kiss to her lips.
It was light and swift, as if carrying a man's inexpressible joy. Her fingers absently touched her lips. Though it was raining and the red carpet wasn't particularly long, in that moment, she felt she had touched the distance of eternity.
This ten-meter walk, he had completed it.
When Pei Chuan helped Bei Yao into the Bentley, raindrops covered his head.
Her arms were pale and slender, her eyes gentle as she softly wiped the rain from the man's forehead.
After the "simple" wedding, upon learning that Pei Chuan would be taking Bei Yao back to City B that very night, Zhao Zhilan frowned: "You just got married, stay until tomorrow." They had a house here in City C too, and the wedding was already extremely simple. Leaving now just didn't seem right according to tradition.
Pei Chuan said, "Tomorrow is May."
Zhao Zhilan thought for a moment and broke out in a cold sweat. The farther Yao Yao stayed from Huo Xu, the better. She immediately nodded: "Go back, go back quickly."
After all, for them, the original purpose of this wedding was to protect Bei Yao. Bei Yao's safety was more important than anything else in Zhao Zhilan's heart.
Before they left in the evening, Zhao Zhilan quietly pulled Bei Yao aside and handed her a card: "This is your dowry."
Bei Yao couldn't help but laugh: "What dowry do I have?"
Zhao Zhilan said, "The bride price Pei Chuan gave—I didn't touch a single cent, it's all here. Yao Yao, you've grown up. From now on, you'll be someone else's wife. Whether they cherish you or not, I won't see it, I won't know. Keep this money safe. If you need anything, you won't have to beg others. Though I like money, you are the most precious."
Bei Yao's nose tingled with emotion, finally understanding why married daughters felt like crying.
She wanted to say she didn't need it either, but seeing Zhao Zhilan's earnest worry and reluctance, Bei Yao could only accept it. Only when she took it did Zhao Zhilan breathe a sigh of relief.
City B was also raining that night, a heavy downpour washing over the city, though the neon lights still flickered persistently.
Bei Yao arrived at the new home again, this time as a bride.
It was only ten o'clock in the evening. Outside, wind and rain raged, but inside their home, it was warm and cozy.
She changed into her bunny slippers, her hair slightly damp but her clothes dry.
Pei Chuan had held the umbrella the entire way, always shielding her, while he himself was almost completely drenched.
Pei Chuan closed the umbrella and touched her hair: "Go wash up, don't catch a cold."
She wore bright red spring attire with traditional Chinese frog fastenings, her small face fair and tender, her eyes like spring water.
Bei Yao said, "You wash first, you're soaked through."
The man was stubborn; she hadn't been able to budge his umbrella-holding hand at all, which was why Pei Chuan had been drenched the whole way.
Pei Chuan paused and said, "There are two bathrooms at home. You use the one in the bedroom, I'll use the one outside."
She nodded, not finding anything unusual about it.
Pei Chuan lowered his gaze.
Two bathrooms...
In the end, he didn't say anything, just picked up his clothes and headed to the bathroom. Bei Yao hadn't removed her makeup yet and needed to do that before washing up.
She stepped into the bridal chamber, her face slightly flushed at the sight of the vibrant, festive red decorations. Some thoughts inevitably arose when faced with such scenes.While she was still removing her makeup, Pei Chuan had already started showering.
Outside, thunder rumbled incessantly. After undressing, the bathroom mirror revealed the man's strong, broad chest. Years of prison life had actually made him fairer than before, yet the well-defined pectoral and abdominal muscles were remnants of his boxing training from long ago.
Pei Chuan paused briefly, lowering his gaze as he unbuckled his belt.
After taking off his pants, he quietly stared at the unsightly severed limb. Carrying Bei Yao for ten meters had made everyone think he was fine—after all, Pei Chuan hadn't even swayed—but the severed limb had swollen from the strain and then been drenched in the rain, making it even more unsightly than usual.
He closed his eyes briefly, turned on the shower, and began washing.
His mind was truly unsettled.
The injury had been inflicted when he was four years old, but the bone in the severed limb continued to grow during childhood. Every time a new inch of bone grew, it had to be filed down again.
He had endured countless pains, yet tonight, his heart was unusually troubled.
After finishing his shower, he changed into his pajamas. According to his usual routine, he shouldn't have worn the prosthetic leg at this point, but... tonight, there was a delicate wife at home. He quietly put it back on, then walked out and stood outside the bedroom, gazing at the slightly ajar door.
On the small sofa in the room lay some of the young girl's belongings. He glanced at them without a word, his heartbeat quickening noticeably as he stepped inside.
Men's routines were much quicker than women's. By the time Pei Chuan had finished showering, Bei Yao had only just finished removing her makeup and started washing.
The sound of running water echoed in the room. The master bedroom was spacious, and the en-suite bathroom wasn't far away. Sitting on the bed, he listened to the water, his body growing somewhat stiff.
After Bei Yao finished showering, she spoke up: "Pei Chuan, we didn't bring any sleepwear when we came back."
Pei Chuan was momentarily stunned.
Bei Yao wanted to cover her face: "I don't have any pajamas. Could you find me something to wear for now?" Before going in to shower, she had considered asking Pei Chuan, but he was already showering, and she felt too embarrassed. She also worried about rummaging through his things without permission, as everyone had their privacy.
Her voice was soft and gentle. Pei Chuan said, "Wait a moment."
He opened the wardrobe, picked out a white shirt and a pair of loose summer pants, and brought them over.
As he approached the bathroom, he said softly, "I've brought the clothes."
Bei Yao stepped out of the bathtub, wrapping herself in a towel. Through the slightly opened door, she extended a slender arm—tender and pale like a lotus root, tinged with a faint pink from the steam.
Pei Chuan lowered his gaze, averted his eyes, and handed the clothes to her.
When Bei Yao saw the summer pants included, she stifled a laugh, her heart softening with a bittersweet feeling. Pei Chuan's proper demeanor left her at a loss for words.
The marriage had been too sudden, and both were experiencing living with someone for the first time. She, too, had her own habits—for instance, not wearing a bra after showering.
From the time girls began developing, their mothers would teach them not to wear a bra to bed at night, as it was unhealthy.
The long white shirt she wore already covered her thighs. Her damp, long hair cascaded loosely, and she hadn't put on the pants.
Bei Yao raised and lowered her hand several times, ultimately deciding not to wear a bra.
She looked at her reflection in the mirror.
Without makeup, she had a fresh, lotus-like beauty. Her long hair flowed down like that of a siren from the sea, with bright eyes and red lips.
Yet, there were awkward aspects.
For instance, Pei Chuan might not have realized that white clothing was sheer, and a white shirt was no exception. Not only was it revealing, but it was also thin, so certain areas... She lowered her head, her cheeks burning.Even when living with roommates in the dormitory, she wouldn't dress like this. After all, people need some time to grow up.
Bei Yao had just gotten together with Pei Chuan when he was sent to prison. Her relationship missed a transitional stage, and there had never been any overly intimate moments between her and Pei Chuan. Suddenly getting married made it difficult for her to adapt.
Yet thinking of those two little red marriage certificates, she gritted her teeth and walked out.
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