Han Mo was slightly surprised but quickly recovered his usual smile and said, "Indeed, there is something I've been keeping from you."
Bai Xi moved closer, her clear eyes examining him. "What is it?"
Han Mo smiled even brighter. "I never intended to hide it from you, but this matter is a bit complicated. Today is our wedding night, how can we let it be a disappointment? I'll tell you tomorrow, alright?"
Bai Xi felt Han Mo was deliberately being mysterious, but he had a point. After all, tonight was their… wedding night. If there was something complex and difficult to handle, it could indeed be discussed tomorrow. "Then it's settled. We'll talk tomorrow! Now… what shall we do?"
To be honest, this wedding ceremony partially followed the customs from over three hundred years ago, fulfilling their wish to have loved each other but not been able to be together back then.
However, those ancient customs from three hundred years ago were numerous, and she had no memories of her past life. Each step of the process felt overly tedious.
Han Mo smiled and said, "Let's drink the nuptial wine."
As he spoke, he casually picked up the wine pot and cups placed nearby.
The wine pot, crafted in the shape of a dragon's head and made of pure gold, was used by Han Mo to pour two cups of wine. He handed one to Bai Xi, clasped his arms, and drank his share in one go.
Bai Xi then asked, "What's next?"
Han Mo smiled and pointed to the large red candle nearby. "The groom goes out to drink with the guests, while the bride sits alone in the bridal chamber by the red candle, waiting for the groom's return."
Bai Xi glanced at the candle and frowned slightly.
What kind of ridiculous custom was this?
The groom gets to enjoy food and drinks outside, while the bride sits here facing a candle, enduring the cold wind?
But… never mind. Since she had promised Han Mo to follow the customs of three hundred years ago, she would do it all.
She raised her hand and waved to Han Mo. "Then you go. I'll sit here and wait for you."
Saying this, she stood up and started walking towards the candle.
Han Mo, however, grabbed her wrist and, with a slight exertion of force, pulled her into his embrace. "I'm not going. I can't bear to leave you here alone, facing this uninteresting candle."
Frankly, even if they were to be together forever, he wouldn't want to leave her alone in this cold room, waiting for him by a candle.
The feeling of waiting for someone was too agonizing, especially when the wait was too long… much like those hazy three hundred years.
Moreover, their time now was so precious!
Thinking of this, he couldn't help but kiss Bai Xi's lips.
Their lips met and parted, filled with endless affection.
This was all he could do for now…
Bai Xi's eyes became hazy in Han Mo's kiss. She thought everything would proceed naturally, as a wedding night should. However, a clear, refreshing sensation flooded her lips, gradually bringing her back from her daze. Han Mo, meanwhile, pulled away from her.
Bai Xi: "..."
What was going on?
Actually, for the past few nights, Han Mo had held her close as they slept, but they had only kissed and embraced, nothing more…
She could even feel the physical changes in him, his suppressed longing, yet he had never made any move to go further.
Since he hadn't said anything, she couldn't either. After all, despite being the God of War of the Dark Division, she was still a woman.
If his previous behavior was him adhering to etiquette before the wedding, what was this now, after all the ceremonies had been completed?
She pondered and pondered, unable to figure it out. She decided to ask directly, "Are you feeling unwell? Or is there something wrong?"
Han Mo wasn't foolish; he understood her meaning.
Did he not want to do anything? He wanted it so badly he felt stiff, and it hurt.
But he couldn't.
Before, he hadn't known anything. He had thought he could spend his life with her, so he had sought her out, hoping for a lifetime of happiness. But now, he had no future.
The words Bai Han had spoken a few days ago echoed in his mind: "What happened three hundred years ago might repeat itself, so you must die thoroughly in two days!"
Thinking of this, his eyes softened again. "What are you thinking about? There's just one more thing we haven't completed."
Bai Xi: "What?"
Han Mo smiled. "Hair-binding!"
Bai Xi was stunned. She carefully recalled the steps and matters of the three-hundred-year-old wedding ceremony that Han Mo had told her about before. It seemed he hadn't mentioned this: "Did you?"
Han Mo chuckled. "Yes, when I told you, you had just fallen asleep, and you were drooling…"
Bai Xi blinked, her cheeks flushing slightly, and she immediately retorted, "How could that be? I sleep very soundly. How could I drool?"
Han Mo laughed. "Is that so? Then I must have remembered it wrong. I forgot to tell you, and you didn't drool in your sleep."
Bai Xi: "..."
Even though she didn't know if this was true, she felt this was what Tongyao meant by teasing. It felt sweet… and rather nice.
"Then tell me again, and I'll do as you say."
Han Mo smiled. "Over three hundred years ago, 'hair-binding couples' meant intertwining the hair of two people, symbolizing growing old together."
As he spoke, he gently raised his hand and playfully twirled a lock of Bai Xi's hair around his finger. The lively strands wound around his finger like playful sprites, making his heart tingle.
Bai Xi watched Han Mo play with her hair, her cheeks inexplicably feeling warm. "Hair-binding means tying the hair together, right? Your hair is so short, how can you tie it?"
Although she had abandoned her memories of her past life, she had seen Han Mo's appearance in her past life in her dreams and those fragmented memories.
In his previous life, he looked almost exactly the same as he did now. The only differences were in his attire and his hair.
In his previous life, he also had long hair.
Therefore, in his previous life, they could have tied their long hair together, which would have been a good omen.
But now… if they tied it like this, neither of them would be able to move.
However, since Han Mo had proposed the hair-binding ritual, it had to be completed. Thinking this, her finger moved slightly, and a surge of energy like a sharp blade shot out, directly cutting off the strand of Bai Xi's black hair that Han Mo held in his fingers. It landed safely in Han Mo's palm.
Han Mo was slightly surprised. "Qi Gong?"
Bai Xi smiled. "Yes. Actually, I've wanted to practice Qi Gong for a while, but I could never quite grasp it. So, I focused on my strengths and honed my speed to its limit. But recently, for some reason, I suddenly felt true qi flowing within my body, and it's as if Qi Gong just clicked."
Lately, she had been sleeping very soundly. Upon waking, her senses had become sharper. And this Qi Gong, it was as if she had mastered it overnight, able to control it with ease without ever practicing.
Was this the power of innate talent?
A flicker of emotion crossed Han Mo's eyes before quickly disappearing. "My wife is truly amazing."
Bai Xi raised an eyebrow. "Naturally! Otherwise, how could I stand shoulder to shoulder with the City Lord of Qingyu City? You mentioned earlier that you helped Wang Yang achieve rapid advancement in his Qi Gong using acupuncture. After this, if I want to improve my Qi Gong, you'll have to help me too."
"My wife's needs are the most important," Han Mo smiled. "We'll talk about Qi Gong another day. For now, could you trouble yourself to cut a lock of my hair as well?"
Bai Xi didn't hesitate. With a casual movement, she cut off a lock of Han Mo's hair.
Han Mo held the two locks of hair and tied them together with a red silk ribbon.
Bai Xi watched Han Mo's actions with a smile, her eyes curved like crescent moons. "What's next?"
Han Mo smiled. "Next…"
As he spoke, he placed the tied hair into his embrace. This was perhaps the only thing he could take with him.