"First bow to heaven and earth!"
Feifeng Mountain, Bai Family Estate.
The wedding, which was supposed to be for Tong Jingcheng, had now changed hosts.
In a small corner, people had erected a temporary platform, atop which sat two Grand Tutor chairs.
Yan Chou and Lin Ruofu sat in the Grand Tutor chairs, Lin Ruofu feeling thoroughly uncomfortable.
Just over an hour ago, he had been taken hostage by the Bai family, his life hanging by a thread.
But now, the villains of the Bai family seemed to have all been subdued, and even the minor henchmen had packed up and fled the Bai estate.
The vast Bai estate was left with not a single Bai family member.
Only a dozen tables of banquets remained, along with the wine and food that were about to be served.
"In-law, relax a little."
Seeing Lin Ruofu's unease, Yan Chou offered words of comfort:
"This is my first time attending a child's wedding too, and I'm a bit nervous. But when I think about it, after this wedding, the two children will become one family. Isn't this a good thing for us parents? Children will eventually grow up, and we will all grow old."
"The reason Shouyi and Zhitong decided to marry wasn't an impulse, but a solemn decision made after experiencing life and death. As a father, I can assure you, Yan Shouyi will cherish Lin Zhitong his entire life. If he dares to mess around, I'll be the first to break his legs!"
"Furthermore, since we are now in-laws, from now on, I will ensure your Licheng Lin family's smooth sailing and prosperity, as well as your personal safety. Absolutely no one with eyes that don't see will dare to trouble you again."
Hearing Yan Chou's lengthy explanation, Lin Ruofu felt the sincerity from the Yan family.
Looking at his daughter, who had her red veil back on, Lin Ruofu smiled with relief:
"I've watched Shouyi grow up, and I know his character. I am very relieved to entrust Zhitong to him."
"Then that's settled!" Yan Chou chuckled. "In this vast world, finding someone you truly love is very difficult."
"Yes, it is difficult..."
The two withdrew their gazes, seemingly moved.
In fact, both Yan Chou and Lin Ruofu had lost their wives long ago.
Seeing their children married now, the emotions in their hearts involuntarily surged.
If only your mother could have been here to attend this wedding...
"Second bow to the honored elders!"
Yan Shouyi and Lin Zhitong, dressed in wedding attire, turned towards Yan Chou and Lin Ruofu and bowed respectfully.
The two elders smiled happily.
At the banquet tables below, Agong, who was covered in plaster, was still a bit dazed.
"Xiao Long, what exactly happened today? Weren't we supposed to be coming to defeat the Bai family? How did it suddenly turn into a wedding?"
Agong and Luo Ning had been recuperating in Old Jin's cabin.
They had still been worried about Yan Shouyi and the others' safety!
Then suddenly, a group of people arrived, saying they were inviting them to a wedding, and then brought everyone to Feifeng Mountain.
Initially, Agong thought Yan Shouyi and the others had failed, and the Bai family wanted to lure everyone to Feifeng Mountain to eliminate them completely.
But it turned out to be Yan Shouyi and Lin Zhitong's wedding!
Luo Ning said enviously, "The two of them progressed too fast! They decided to get married just like that..."
Long Feicheng held his wine and said with a laugh,
"A lot of things happened today, too much to explain in a short time. In short, the villains have all been eliminated, and all we have to do is celebrate and offer our blessings!"
However, if anyone was the most bewildered, it would have to be Xia Zhi and Lu Caiwei among those present.
Neither of them had any idea that Yan Shouyi and the others were going to the Bai family for a decisive battle.
One worked at the police station, and the other was playing King of Glory in her dorm. Suddenly, a group of people arrived and asked them to change and prepare to be bridesmaids.
They arrived at the scene completely bewildered, and sure enough, they ended up being bridesmaids!
Xia Zhi was particularly deeply touched.
She recalled that just two months ago, she had arrested Yan Shouyi as a scoundrel, a bad guy.
And now, she was attending this young man's wedding!
"Husband and wife bow to each other!!"
Under the officiation of the dog Taoist priest, Yan Shouyi and Lin Zhitong faced each other and bowed slowly.
At the same time, Zou Xiazi began to play the guqin. It was quite surprising that the dilapidated guqin could actually produce beautiful and moving wedding music.
"Escort them to the bridal chamber!" the dog Taoist priest shouted happily.
According to traditional wedding customs, the bride should wait in the bridal chamber, and after the groom has finished toasting the guests, he could return to the chamber to lift the veil.
But all those formalities were long gone. Yan Shouyi pulled Lin Zhitong over and gently lifted her red veil.
Beneath the red veil, Lin Zhitong was like a beautiful flower, delicate and alluring.
Yan Shouyi didn't lift the veil completely, but instead leaned his head in, whispering to Lin Zhitong:
"You stinky girl, you still have a chance to regret it now. If we go into the bridal chamber tonight... you might not be able to back out."
Lin Zhitong pouted upon hearing this, "I've been waiting for this day for over ten years. You should be the one afraid of entering the bridal chamber, not me."
Yan Shouyi was stunned.
Good heavens, the stinky girl was quite proactive!
Now it was his turn to feel embarrassed.
He quickly retracted his head and honestly asked the bridesmaids Xia Zhi and Lu Caiwei to escort Lin Zhitong away.
Turning back, Yan Shouyi picked up his wine glass and said to the guests below, "Thank you all for attending my and Zhitong's wedding. I offer this toast to everyone!"
The guests enthusiastically urged Yan Shouyi to come down and toast them.
Although Yan Shouyi wished he could go find Lin Zhitong sooner, many people present had helped him a great deal, so he had to show them the proper respect.
Thus, Yan Shouyi, holding his wine glass, went down with Yan Chou and Lin Ruofu to toast the guests.
The wine they drank was brought by a brother of Yan Chou's "Thirteen Taibao of Xuan Mountain," who was known as the Wine Immortal. A taste was as sweet as spring water, and only upon the aftertaste did one feel the intense alcoholic effect. It was no exaggeration to call it nectar.
As a result, with all the toasting back and forth, the guests drank from daytime into the night.
By the time Yan Shouyi came to his senses, he had already been pushed into the bridal chamber by everyone.
The bridal chamber was set up in a guest courtyard of the Bai family. With everyone's decorations, it looked very cozy.
Yan Chou closed the door from the outside with a bang.
The sound startled Yan Shouyi awake, sobering him up a bit.
He steadied himself and looked towards the bed. By the bed, there was a square table covered with a red cloth, on which sat a fruit platter.
In front of the fruit platter was a pot of fine wine and two wine cups.
And sitting there, looking somewhat at a loss, was Lin Zhitong.
"I'm sorry, everyone was too enthusiastic, and I came a little late," Yan Shouyi said awkwardly.
Lin Zhitong's heart was also racing, and she said uncomfortably, "Why don't you go take a bath first?"
The two, about to become husband and wife, had not yet fully accepted the change in their relationship, so the atmosphere during this special night was somewhat delicate.
Yan Shouyi felt it was better to wash up. He took a couple of steps, then turned back and asked,
"Do you want to drink the cross-cupped wine first?"
"...That would be good."
So Yan Shouyi walked over, poured wine for Lin Zhitong, and the two of them, holding their wine cups, linked arms.
After drinking the cup of wine, some emotions within them seemed to be stirred.
Feeling each other's close proximity, they could seemingly hear each other's heartbeats.
Yan Shouyi put down his wine cup and gently embraced Lin Zhitong's slender waist.
Lin Zhitong also reached out her hands and hooked them around Yan Shouyi's neck.
"From now on, you are my Yan Shouyi's bride. Should I change how I address you, stop calling you stinky girl... and call you wife?"
"Wife sounds too old. I still prefer the old way of addressing me," Lin Zhitong said with a smile.
Yan Shouyi said aggrievedly, "But I don't want to be a big idiot."
"But you are inherently foolish!"
The air suddenly froze. Yan Shouyi stopped replying, instead mustering his courage and slowly lifting Lin Zhitong's red veil.
Lin Zhitong seemed to know what was about to happen, her breathing quickening, and two red blushes appearing on her face.
After lifting the veil, Yan Shouyi gazed at the beauty before him, lost in thought.
Lin Zhitong shyly lowered her head.
"You are so beautiful."
"Then why are you still standing there like an idiot?" Lin Zhitong asked, her head bowed.
"Then I should..."
Yan Shouyi reached into his pocket, fumbled around, and found the bubble gum given to him by the dog Taoist priest.
Unexpectedly, Lin Zhitong directly snatched the bubble gum and threw it into the trash can.
Yan Shouyi completely understood Lin Zhitong's intentions.
So, fueled by the wine, he directly scooped up Lin Zhitong and walked towards the warm bed.
Destiny's stone is etched with a virtuous union,
Loving couple bound by colored threads.
Boundless spring, rich with blossoms,
Lover and beloved, entwined with affection.
...