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墨書 Inktalez
With Melan and Lin Jiu nearby, Nie Qiuyuan couldn't afford to act too out of line. After all, he was a skilled actor; he suppressed his emotions, adjusted his breathing, and seriously took my hand, leading me toward the ancestral hall.
I had been feeling quite normal, but his sudden antics made me a bit flustered. I realized that after everything I had been through, how could I possibly be nervous about a ceremony that hardly counted as one? My anxiety was surely about something else!
An intimate relationship, a brand-new way of interacting, a completely new life. For him, at least he had experienced it all before and was prepared. But what about me? Oh my gosh, I couldn’t remember anything from the last time!
So for me, everything was an unknown future.
“Zhenzhen, how about we elope halfway?” I was stunned to hear my idol suggest such an absurd idea in a faint voice. If someone had told me in the past that Nie Qiuyuan would say something like this, I would never have believed it.
“You're crazy!” I replied through clenched teeth, trying to keep my voice low. If the two main characters slipped away during the banquet to engage in some sneaky business, we would be drowned in all sorts of sarcastic remarks.
“You don’t know how wild people get when drinking on the mountain. If we ran away, even if we died, no one would notice.”
“Ugh! What day is it today? What are you talking about!”
“Zhenzhen…” I felt his warm hand gently squeeze mine. “A woman like you, who has made me crave more yet has endured for so long… why don’t you feel sorry for me?”
I felt my face burning up and couldn’t just pull my hand away from his. In a panic, I blurted out, “Ugh! Who told you to ask for it!”
As soon as the words left my mouth, I regretted them. What was I doing? Was I blaming him for not pouncing on me like some beast? Oh my gosh, that wasn’t what I meant!
But he just smiled lightly and said, “I know you value this day; I want you to remember today for the rest of your life.”
What a bad man! Yet somehow, there was a hint of warmth in his words. Silly boy, even if you didn’t try so hard, I would definitely remember today for a lifetime—no, for two lifetimes!
Qiu looked at me gently, smiling, no longer teasing me with words. The perfect silence gradually stirred my emotions, making them swell within me.
The ancestral hall was built at the top of Wanzi Mountain, a place with breathtaking scenery. Inside the hall were the tablets of the Ye Family ancestors, including those of Ye Liuhui's father, Ye Qing, and her deceased mother. We had come here today to bow and offer incense, to inform our ancestors that Ye Liuhui was getting married, to the family's adopted son, Nie Qiuyuan. With the ancestors aware of this, our union would be considered approved.
Second Sister Qianrihong, dressed in splendid attire, was already waiting in the hall. Upon seeing us enter hand in hand in our red garments, her eyes glistened with emotion.
Waiting in the hall with us were not only Second Mother but also Fourth Sister and Seven Mile Fragrance. I wasn't familiar with Fourth Sister but noted that despite her youth and beauty, it must have been quite difficult for her to remain single for so long. Also present was Master Luo from the Fourth Hall; of course, Luo Dachun from Shentong Hall was represented by Deputy Master Luo.
Luo Dachun was not here; he was probably already at the foot of the mountain.
Nie Qiuyuan led me to the ancestral tablets. We both knelt before them and performed three bows and nine prostrations as a sign of respect, then joined our hands in silent prayer.
I stole a glance at Qiu and saw his expression focused and sincere. I couldn't tell what he was thinking at that moment, but I believed his feelings mirrored mine—filled with countless emotions.
Both of our parents were no longer in this world. He felt it more acutely; his parents had passed away, and he could hardly remember their faces. Yet I believed they were watching over him from above with love, rejoicing in his new life.
And what about Grandmaster Dahei, who had raised him? I wondered if Dark One would be pleased with me as his daughter-in-law. Surely he would be satisfied since we shared the same profession!
At that moment, my thoughts turned to my own parents. They would never have imagined that their daughter had quietly slipped into another world and become someone else's new wife. In their eyes, I was still just a girl.
If Dad found out, he might very well give this son-in-law a good beating! But that seemed irrelevant in this life; so Mom and Dad, even if you are completely unaware, just be happy for me. Because I am fortunate to have married such an amazing husband!
Then I thought of many things—Teacher Zhang's matters, Ye Liuhui's affairs—and silently spoke many words to them. It wasn't until Second Mother reminded us that the ceremony was complete that I suddenly realized my wandering thoughts might have disrespected the Ye Family ancestors. So I quickly offered a few prayers to them. The spirits above are not to be trifled with; they would surely understand and bless us.
“Qiu Yuan, there are not so many rules on our mountain, so all formalities are waived. From today onward, you and Liuying are officially husband and wife. You must treat her well; otherwise, the brothers on the mountain will not stand for it,” Second Mother announced in very straightforward language, declaring us officially married.
Her words were clearly biased towards me. Although there was no distinction between in-laws for Qiu and me, as we were essentially one family in name, this still introduced a sense of closeness and distance.
Nie Qiuyuan didn’t care about any of that. He humbly bowed and said, “I will heed Second Mother’s teachings and wholeheartedly treat Liuying well, staying by her side until we grow old together.”
I felt touched, nearly moved to tears. Fortunately, Second Mother timely changed the subject with a smile, saying, “Alright then, let’s head to Brotherhood Hall. The brothers have already prepared the banquet; they must be anxiously waiting by now.”
Brotherhood Hall was originally the large hall used for meetings among the brothers of the mountain and was the largest venue on Wanzi Mountain. Today, however, the layout of this hall had completely changed. The tiger skin, chairs, and large flags—those things that exuded a bandit vibe—had all been removed and replaced with dozens of banquet tables. The entire hall was festooned with decorations, inappropriately adorned with bright red couplets, and the windows were clumsily decorated with paper cuttings.
It was simply impossible for these rough men on the mountain to create a beautifully romantic celebration. Honestly, as soon as I stepped into this hall, a warm wave surged in my heart, as if I could see those men who were used to wielding knives and guns clumsily trying to stick paper cuttings on the windows.
This was the best they could come up with. They were making an effort to do something they weren’t skilled at for our wedding, wanting to give us their best. Oh my goodness, life is truly wonderful; being alive means you can always encounter unexpected warmth and touching moments. What do they call it nowadays? Ah yes—subtle yet certain happiness.
As soon as we stepped into Brotherhood Hall, the room suddenly fell silent for a moment before erupting into a chorus of gasps.
Someone exclaimed in astonishment, “Sister, today you’re even more beautiful than a celestial being!”
“Young Master! Young Master! You’re so lucky; how did you manage to marry Sister?”
“It’s not luck; it must be some clever scheme!”
“Everyone, can our Wanzi Mountain’s eldest sister really be so easily taken away by Young Master?”
The air was thick with various crude remarks, and the Brotherhood Hall was filled with a lively atmosphere. I could feel the sweat trickling down my back. I had no idea what tricks this energetic bunch would come up with next, nor how my idol would handle such a scene.
Nie Qiuyuan furrowed his brow and said loudly, "Brothers, I've been on the mountain for five or six years now, working hard alongside all of you. Why is it that today, no one speaks up for me, and all you see is the eldest sister?"
Master Luo from Hui Tong Hall chuckled, "Brother Qiuyuan, everyone remembers what you've done for us since coming to the mountain. But the eldest sister, she is the apple of Chief's eye—beautiful as a fairy and wise beyond her years. Marrying her is quite a fortune for you, so naturally, the brothers stand by her side."
Another brother from Hui Tong Hall chimed in, "The eldest sister used to be… fierce and had quite the chivalrous spirit; we dared not approach her. But in the past year, she has become more beautiful and approachable. Many of the business ideas on the mountain have come from her. The brothers admire her, so of course, they stand with her!"
A brother from Yuantong Hall brought over some wine and said, "Young Master, let's be frank—there are countless brothers on the mountain who admire the eldest sister. With her getting married tonight, there will surely be many heartbroken souls. So Young Master, you’d better down three bowls first; otherwise, we won't be able to continue!"
The hall erupted into chaos as bowls of wine were brought forth, spilling everywhere.
Not a single person in that large room was on his side. Yet, to Nie Qiuyuan's ears, their words seemed to bring him joy as he wore a proud smile. He took the wine bowl and readily downed three bowls in quick succession.
Cheers erupted from the crowd as more brothers from Shentong Hall approached with wine.
"Young Master, eldest sister, even though Master Luo of Shentong Hall isn't here, we still want to raise a bowl in your honor. This wine was brewed by Shentong Hall following Master Luo's recipe. The eldest sister put in considerable effort into this recipe; that's why our wine tastes so good! The eldest sister is Wanzi Mountain's lucky star; without her, there would be no thriving businesses on Wanzi Mountain or any hope for us brothers to live peacefully. Let us sing a song for Young Master; we learned it while brewing wine with the eldest sister! If Young Master enjoys it, you must drink three big bowls!"
I was taken aback—when did they learn a song from me?
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