Xiao Jin Yu said unhurriedly, "If you promise not to hide on the beams in my room anymore, I'll tell you..."
Jing Yi practically raised all four limbs in agreement. "I promise."
"Actually, it's nothing much..." Xiao Jin Yu said lightly, "I pretended to be crazy and made him kiss Dong Yan's corpse, or else I'd bite my tongue and kill myself... so he kissed..."
"...!"
Xiao Jin Yu looked satisfied at Jing Yi's expression and said casually, "As for how to write it into the case file, you can figure it out..."
"Can we not write it..."
"No."
Ever since Xiao Jin Yu was rescued, Chu Chu hadn't slept a single peaceful night. But this night, nestled in Xiao Jin Yu's arms, she slept very soundly, having all sorts of wonderful dreams. When she climbed out of bed in the morning, she found Xiao Jin Yu was no longer by her side.
Chu Chu rubbed her eyes hard and pinched her own arm before confirming she wasn't dreaming.
Xiao Jin Yu was truly not in bed - not only was he gone, but his clothes, shoes, and wheelchair had disappeared too.
Chu Chu scrambled out of bed in a panic, forgetting even to put on her shoes or outer clothing. She jumped off the bed and rushed out. Grandma Chu was in the outer room watching Chu He paste big red double happiness characters when she saw Chu Chu running out in such a state. Startled, she quickly pulled her back into the room. "Chu girl, what's wrong?"
Chu Chu looked at the empty bed. "He... he's disappeared again!"
Seeing Chu Chu's eyes redden with anxiety, Grandma Chu hurriedly said, "Don't panic, don't panic... he went out, left early this morning..."
Chu Chu grew even more anxious. "He's not fully recovered yet! How could he go out alone!"
"He wasn't alone - those two tall men who came with him accompanied him..." Grandma Chu patted Chu Chu's messy hair. "Don't worry, I saw he looked much more energetic, even pushing his wheelchair himself... He said he needed to give you time to get dressed up, that if he stayed home you'd just be fussing over him... He'll come back to perform the wedding ceremony with you when the auspicious time arrives."
"When is the auspicious time?"
"Whenever he arrives will be the auspicious time... Quickly wash up and change your clothes - you're about to be a married woman now..."
"Alright!"
Chu Chu took a thorough bath. Grandma Chu had sprinkled some fragrant powder in the bathwater, leaving her smelling sweet all over afterward. Grandma Chu brought her a set of bright red wedding clothes and carefully helped her put them on, looking her over from front to back and side to side several times. "I've been sewing this for you for many days, finally getting to see how it looks on you... Beautiful, more beautiful than any other girl!"
Grandma Chu then styled her hair into an elegant bun, applied makeup to her eyebrows and eyes, and finally had her sit on the bed, bringing over a red veil embroidered with twin lotus flowers. "Chu girl, now that you're marrying him, you'll be his person... Although he's an official, he seems like a decent man. Live well with him from now on..."
Chu Chu nodded seriously. "I'll remember."
Once the red veil was placed over her head, Chu Chu could only sit waiting on the bed. She waited for what felt like ages as the sounds of people outside grew increasingly numerous and loud, but even straining her ears she couldn't hear the voice she most wanted to hear.
Chu Chu had been sitting there until she was nearly dozing off when Grandma Chu finally entered the room and patted her hand. "Chu girl, the auspicious time has arrived..."
Chu Chu felt like she was dreaming. "Time for the wedding ceremony?""Yes, haven't you been looking forward to this for many days... He's waiting outside right now, and many neighbors have come too. Even Magistrate Zheng is here! They're all waiting for you!"
"How... how did everyone come!"
Grandma Chu held Chu Chu's small hand, gently patting it. "Don't panic, don't panic... It's good that many people have come. It's lively, and with so many auspicious words spoken, your future together will be even more prosperous."
"Really?"
"When has Grandma ever lied to you..."
Supported by Grandma Chu, Chu Chu walked out of the room. An aunt from somewhere came over to help, and Grandma Chu handed Chu Chu to her before taking a seat next to Grandpa Chu.
Chu Chu held one end of the large red silk ribbon, unable to see the person holding the other end. But beneath her veil, she could see that he wasn't sitting in his wheelchair—instead, he stood beside her leaning on a crutch.
Chu Chu had seen him stand with crutches before, and it clearly required great effort, especially since he hadn't fully recovered from his illness...
Before Chu Chu could worry further, a familiar, always cheerful voice called out, "First bow to heaven and earth!"Having such a legitimate reason to watch Xiao Jin Yu bow at the wedding ceremony up close, Jing Yi didn't mind raising his voice in front of the elders and fellow villagers of Chu Shui Town."
Xiao Jin Yu knelt down slowly, and Chu Chu accompanied him, kneeling gradually as well. They bowed solemnly before slowly rising together.
"Second bow to the parents!"
"Husband and wife bow to each other!"
"The ceremony is complete!"
Amidst a chorus of congratulations, Chu Chu was escorted to the prepared Nuptial Chamber. Xiao Jin Yu didn't follow her in, so she sat by the bed waiting—sometimes adjusting her wedding dress, sometimes touching the bright red bedsheets—feeling as if it were all a dream.
Just a few days ago, they had nearly held the ceremony by his sickbed. Now, he had stood up to bow with her and was even able to entertain guests. It felt like soaring straight up from the bottom of a cliff—so joyous she hardly knew how to contain her happiness.
By the time Xiao Jin Yu entered, the noise outside had quieted down. He pushed his wheelchair over, then used his crutch to sit beside Chu Chu. As he drew near, Chu Chu caught a whiff of alcohol. "You drank?"
"Mhmm..."
Chu Chu grew anxious. "You're still sick! How could you drink?"
"I couldn't embarrass the Chu family in front of the neighbors..."
Frantic, Chu Chu moved to lift her veil. "Then how much did you drink? Does your stomach hurt?"
Xiao Jin Yu pressed her hand down. "Don't move... This is mine."
"Then take it off quickly! I want to see you!"
"Haven't you seen enough of me on ordinary days..." Xiao Jin Yu traced the shape of Chu Chu's brows and eyes through the veil. "I think you look beautiful like this. Very beautiful..."
He had waited a long time for this day too... He had almost missed it, but in the end, he had waited it out.
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