The patriarch of the Chen family said nothing further, and everyone smoothly arrived outside the main gate of the Chen estate.
The wide, heavy doors were open, and one could clearly see the entire estate adorned with lanterns. The festive and lively decorations surpassed those of the Welcome Pavilion.
Red silk ribbons were hung on the Chen estate's nameplate and on the stone lions on both sides, each tied with a large red silk flower. This was quite uncommon.
Normally, regardless of family background, a family would not decorate too festively when marrying off a daughter.
This was because a daughter who had married out was like spilled water, unlike one who had married in. Marrying in was a joyous occasion that added to the family, so the groom's side would generally make a grand affair of it, for face and celebration.
The opposite was true for marrying off a daughter. After raising a daughter for over a decade, once she married into another family, she belonged to that family. Therefore, even on her daughter's joyous wedding day, a hint of sadness was unavoidable, and typically the bride's family would not appear overly joyous.
Of course, these unwritten rules were not so important for the Chen family, which had only one daughter. With their only precious daughter getting married, the occasion naturally had to be as glorious as possible, with as grand a display as could be managed.
As the group alighted from the carriages, the Chen family members who had been waiting for a long time stood at the entrance. Illuminated by the bright lights, everyone had radiant smiles on their faces.
The happiest person should have been Madam Chen. As the matriarch of a prominent family, she had to preside over the Chen family on such an important day and thus had not personally attended the matchmaking event.
Knowing that the embroidered ball toss was her daughter's destiny, Madam Chen still couldn't help but worry. What if her luck was too poor and she attracted some unsightly individuals, bringing harm to her daughter and the Chen family?
After waiting anxiously at the entrance for a long time, when the Old Master Chen publicly announced the finding of a good son-in-law, a servant had quickly run back to report to the estate. However, the servant had remained on the street and had not clearly seen the appearance of the new son-in-law.
Now, as she personally observed the individuals alighting from the carriages – some handsome, some heroic, some stern-looking – Madam Chen’s lingering anxiety finally completely subsided.
Besides their own Old Master and daughter, three other people had descended from the carriage. It was presumed that the future son-in-law was among these three men.
Madam Chen approached with a face full of smiles, her gaze sweeping over the three of them. A few seemingly casual glances quickly allowed her to inwardly determine who her daughter's husband was.
One of them had silver hair that shone brilliantly under the lamplight. However, when he looked at others, his gaze was always calm, devoid of ripples. Only when he looked at the petite and handsome young gentleman standing beside him did a hint of unyielding tenderness appear in his eyes.
The young gentleman who was always being looked at had rosy lips and white teeth. He wasn't very tall and was slender, always giving the impression of a delicate beauty, lacking masculine vigor.
After her gaze lingered on the two of them, Madam Chen quickly shifted her attention.
Although both of them were quite good-looking, the way they looked at each other was clearly filled with deep affection. It seemed neither of them was her future son-in-law.
To think that such fine young men would prefer men, it felt like such a pity. Thankfully, it wasn't them, or how difficult would her daughter's future life be?
Soon, Madam Chen’s shifted gaze fell upon Leng Ren. This man also appeared tall. While his appearance was not as handsome as the silver-haired man, he could still be considered distinguished with his sharp eyebrows and bright eyes, possessing an extraordinary and heroic demeanor.
Most importantly, he exuded an indescribable sense of security. Compared to the young talents in Fenshui Town, he was definitely an outstanding figure. If her daughter married him, she would surely be well protected in the future.
"Old Master, Sui Sui, you're back..." Madam Chen's gaze upon Old Master Chen was filled with endless tenderness, and when she looked at Chen Wenyi, it was with overwhelming affection.
As Madam Chen assessed them, Su Muqing was also subtly observing her.
However, upon seeing Madam Chen for the first time, Su Muqing was quite surprised. She appeared too young, seeming not much older than Leng Ren?
Chen Wenyi's current body was only sixteen years old, so Madam Chen would be at most thirty-five or thirty-six. Moreover, people in ancient times usually had children very early. If she had given birth to Chen Wenyi at sixteen, then it was highly likely she was around the same age as Leng Ren.
Su Muqing looked at Madam Chen, whose face was like a silver plate, her skin fair and delicate, always wearing a smile. Dimpled smiles could be faintly seen on her cheekbones, and Chen Wenyi's appearance leaned more towards Madam Chen.
The adorable feeling she exuded, along with the obvious dimples on her face, were inherited from Madam Chen.
Her fuller figure, combined with excellent skincare, made her look not old at all. It was clear she had always been pampered and had never experienced hardships.
Fortunately, Madam Chen's physique was not frail; she had a dignified, plump beauty. Coupled with her management of household affairs over the years, she possessed a mature aura, so even though she looked young, her presence was still like that of an elder.
However, seeing how young Madam Chen was, Leng Ren felt a little nervous. His age was much greater than Chen Wenyi's, and he felt that his future mother-in-law was not much older than him. The possibility of her being younger than him was something he didn't even dare to consider.
Old Master Chen stepped forward to support Madam Chen’s shoulder. Given that outsiders were present, he quickly withdrew his hand, but the affection in his eyes was impossible to conceal. They were truly a harmonious and loving family.
"Yes! I have kept Madame waiting. Sui Sui, quickly go and tidy yourself up with your mother. Soon we will go to the central courtyard to report to our ancestors and inform them of your marriage."
"Good son-in-law, first let the housekeeper invite your friends to the main hall to rest for a moment. I will take you to get dressed so that you can report to the ancestors together with Sui Sui."
As Old Master Chen spoke, the smile in his eyes was very evident, clearly showing his immense happiness at his daughter finding her fated person through the 'heavenly marriage'.
Leng Ren glanced at Huo Qiyuan, who nodded slightly, a smile also appearing on his face. "Yes, thank you, Father-in-law. Mother-in-law, this son-in-law bids you farewell for now."
When Leng Ren addressed her as Mother-in-law, he still felt a little embarrassed. After all, women married young, and having a mother-in-law a few years older than himself felt quite awkward.
Fortunately, he was about to leave with Old Master Chen. Before departing, he glanced at Chen Wenyi with a smile in his eyes. She did not show the shyness he expected; instead, she gave him a bright smile. It was evident that Chen Wenyi was genuinely happy, which made Leng Ren feel much better. However, his nervousness had not diminished much. His steps as he followed Old Master Chen were very constrained, and at several points, his arms and legs seemed to move out of sync.
Leng Ren displaying such behavior was truly a first for him, like a young bride stepping into a sedan chair. Leng Si and the others raised their hands to cover their mouths and chuckled, unable to imagine seeing their elder brother in such a state.