Tang Ning felt like it was his first time stepping into a wedding ceremony. He sensed being led by Ji Lianyan to a place where vibrant red hues adorned the room – red carpets, red tables, and a sea of red shoes filled Tang Ning's vision, making him a bit uneasy.
Especially when Ji Lianyan released his hand, Tang Ning nervously clutched the wedding gown, feeling a chill down his spine. It seemed as if something cold and piercing was fixated on him from behind.
A rhythmic, gender-blending voice recited, "Bow to the heavens and earth—"
Tang Ning's peripheral vision caught Ji Lianyan bowing beside him. Hastily following suit, Tang Ning bowed, unsure if it was the quick bow or a sudden gust of wind, but his veil lifted slightly, as if someone's breath was brushing against it.
Anxious, Tang Ning reached to pull down the veil. Just as he stood firm, the voice announced again, "Bow to the parents—"
Parents referred to the bride and groom's parents; Tang Ning's own parents were deceased. He realized the bow was meant for Ji Lianyan's parents. Suddenly, he noticed he hadn't seen Ji Lianyan's parents since he arrived in the village, only a person who seemed to be in charge – Uncle Ji.
Lost in chaotic thoughts, Tang Ning hesitated to bow immediately. The ominous feeling on his back intensified. He tightened his scalp and promptly bent over.
Were the people in front Ji Lianyan's parents? Yet, from this angle, only chair legs were visible, no sign of feet.
"Husband and wife bow to each other—" The voice soared, like a swing reaching its highest point.
Turning around, Tang Ning stood facing the owner of the red wedding shoes. Though aware this virtual wedding held no real significance, Tang Ning strangely felt a ceremonial atmosphere. He saw the beautifully intertwined hands in a gesture of salutation and quickly mimicked the gestures, bending down alongside the person in front of him.
He had heard a saying before: during the husband and wife bow, whoever bends lower will be in charge of the money later on. The person in front bent extremely low, low enough for Tang Ning to see the back of their head.
Tang Ning couldn't help but feel that this low posture wasn't about who would handle the finances in the future; it was a way for the other person to ensure he didn't lower his head.
Tang Ning couldn't shake the feeling that this low posture wasn't about future financial matters; it seemed the other person didn't want him to lower his head.
Ji Lianyan truly was a gentle soul.
"Ceremony complete—enter the bridal chamber!" The lively voice announced, followed by a chorus of joyous laughter from all directions, swirling around Tang Ning from left, right, front, back, and even beneath, making him even more dizzy.
Ji Lianyan's hand held onto Tang Ning's, and Tang Ning, bewildered, clutched onto that hand.
Seeing pairs of tiptoed feet approaching him, he heard someone say, "Is this the bridal chamber? Then, we must disturb it!"
"Yeah, haven't seen what the bride looks like!"
"Is her face as white as snow and lips as red as blood?"
"So fragrant, the bride smells amazing!"
Those voices, talking almost intimately, seemed about to come close, as if trying to get a whiff.
Tightening his grip on Ji Lianyan's hand, Tang Ning watched the feet that were gradually closing in. Terrified, he leaned against Ji Lianyan.
Ji Lianyan wrapped his arm around Tang Ning's waist, his voice cold, "What's the fuss about the bridal chamber?"
"Let's liven up your future life together! I've even prepared apples for you!"
"I've got the wedding wine ready!"
Those voices laughed and joked, sounding quite friendly with Ji Lianyan. Instead of rejecting their requests, Ji Lianyan calmly stated, "He doesn't like meeting strangers. Don't get too close."
"That's protective!" "Not very considerate." "Tsk tsk, forgets friends once he has a beautiful wife."
Despite their words, they didn't come any closer.
Trembling with fear, Tang Ning stuck close to Ji Lianyan throughout, and Ji Lianyan, to take care of him, intentionally slowed down his pace. The surroundings echoed with toasts, and spilled wine stained the red carpet, creating a vivid red like blood.
Vaguely, Tang Ning seemed to catch a whiff of a bloody scent, but it was masked by the strong aroma of alcohol, making him question whether it was just his imagination.
The groom beside him continued to drink, numerous hands offering him glasses. Tang Ning watched as Ji Lianyan unhesitatingly accepted each one, and after the groom finished the drink, cheers erupted around them. Someone jokingly asked, "Is the groom so happy today?"
Tang Ning heard his newlywed husband respond with a faint "Hmm."
Tang Ning wanted to remind him to stop drinking, but with Ji Lianyan's physique, he could keep drinking without getting tipsy. Personally, how should he deal with these supernatural beings?
With this thought, Tang Ning gathered courage, tugging at Ji Lianyan's sleeve and whispered, "Drink less."
The surrounding voices suddenly became excited. "Oh, your wife is concerned!" "No way, he already has a doting wife; he must take another penalty shot!" "He should be punished!"
Tang Ning was suddenly singled out by these entities, wishing he could turn into a turtle and hide. He leaned closer to his husband, and the groom by his side chuckled softly. Ji Lianyan's cold voice echoed in Tang Ning's ear, like leaves brushing past flowers by a flowing stream, "Intoxication encompasses the universe, and the moon is in the flask."
The empty cup was filled again, and the groom took it, finishing the drink. With a slightly tipsy voice, he softly recited to Tang Ning, "A hundred years entirely drunk, sixteen thousand toasts."
"Excellent! Drink with gusto!"
The people around seemed genuinely tipsy now, walking with a swaying motion. Trying to support his husband, Tang Ning nervously attempted to assist, but the person wasn't polite, pressing his body against Tang Ning's shoulder. Those thin lips, through the red veil, lightly touched Tang Ning's cheek. "Wife."
Panicking, Tang Ning didn't dare to turn around. Those warm lips moved from his cheek to his ear, and in a low, slightly tipsy voice, he murmured, "Wife."
The groom's voice was truly melodic, so pleasing that Tang Ning's half-body seemed to soften. The entities around, walking on tiptoes, started laughing again. Tang Ning felt a mixture of fear and grievance, his trembling voice revealing a hint of unconsciously hidden complaints, "You, you're drunk."
The scent of alcohol lingered by his ear, brushing in like a fleeting breeze and then drifting away, "Seeing my wife, I am truly intoxicated."
Why was Ji Lianyan suddenly speaking like this?
It's said that drinking can reveal a person's true nature. Ji Lianyan, who usually appeared refined, became like this when drunk.
Tang Ning bit his lower lip, unsure of what to say. He could only try to support Ji Lianyan, who embraced his waist gently. Tang Ning's waist was already sore from the tightly cinched belt, and now, with Ji Lianyan's light touch, it sent tremors of pain through him.
"My lady, we are about to cross the threshold." Tang Ning saw the people around him gracefully leaping over. Feeling more anxious, he lifted his skirt hem and nervously crossed the threshold, entering the bridal chamber.
The bridal chamber seemed to be the same old house as before, but the decorations had been rearranged. Red carpets covered the uneven floor, a narrow bed was adorned with crimson bedding, and even the white candles had turned into bright red ones.
Tang Ning sat cautiously on the edge of the bed. He saw his newlywed husband standing in front of him, holding a jade ruyi. Although Tang Ning couldn't clearly see the carvings on the jade ruyi, he could sense its considerable value, much like the betrothal gift Ji Lianyan had given him.
How could Ji Lianyan possess such precious items?
As Tang Ning pondered in confusion, he noticed the jade ruyi slowly lifting the red veil. Tang Ning didn't want the veil to be lifted so quickly, as he didn't want to see those standing on tiptoes around him.
However, he had no control over the situation. The cloud-like veil was gently lifted, revealing a face that surpassed all beauty. Tang Ning timidly looked up, first seeing Ji Lianyan's face.
At this moment, Ji Lianyan looked entirely different.
He exuded an indescribable aura of nobility from within, not resembling a poor villager but more like someone born with a silver spoon.
Those eyes, seemingly harboring the vastness of snow-covered mountains and mirrored lakes, gazed at Tang Ning. The red candles flickered, the wedding gown swirled, and the soft rosy hues of the world seemed encapsulated in those eyes.
Ji Lianyan curled his lips into a faint smile, "Wife."
The term "wife" trembled Tang Ning's heart. He avoided Ji Lianyan's focused gaze, turning his attention to the people around him. The bridal chamber was filled with those participating in the festivities. Surprisingly, these people, instead of showing the expected shock, exuded an extraordinary demeanor. None of them looked like characters one would find in this remote mountain village.
"The new bride is truly beautiful." "I envy her." "No, no, let's pour another cup for him!" "Hey, don't just pour for him alone. Shouldn't we have the ceremony of drinking from the same cup now?"
Laughter erupted among them as they brought out two delicate wine cups. "Yes, the ceremony of drinking from the same cup!"
The cup filled with liquid reached Tang Ning's hand. He held it amidst the cheering crowd, and Ji Lianyan struck a pose for the cup-sharing ceremony.
"Quick! Take a sip!" "After drinking from the same cup, you'll be together for a lifetime!"
The rim of the cup touched Tang Ning's lips. Those eyes, bathed in the flickering light of red candles, gazed tenderly at him. The rim pried open his tightly sealed teeth, reaching into the warm oral cavity—
A liquid, carrying the fragrance of snow and wine, flowed down his throat.
The wine aroma blended with the lingering traces of ice and snow, intoxicating and sufficient in its subtlety. Day and night seemed to reverse at this moment, cold and heat alternating. The moon ascended eternally, as if someone had filled the cup with the radiance of the stars and the moon.
Tang Ning, not quite accustomed, started to cough. The crystalline liquid slid down his neck, vanishing into the red bridal gown.
A person with a bold and assertive demeanor held a thread-bound apple and addressed Tang Ning and Ji Lianyan, "Having drunk from the same cup, should we now eat the apple?"
As he spoke, he placed the bright red apple between Tang Ning and Ji Lianyan. Tang Ning was now starting to feel dizzy, his eyes misting over with water vapor, sensing that something was amiss. The experiences he was going through carried an indescribable sense of eeriness, yet, strangely enough—
This oddity appeared serene and beautiful. The apple didn't suddenly transform into a skull crawling with ants, nor did it release drops of blood. The scenes before him were cloaked in a dreamlike illusion.
He leaned in gently, and together with Ji Lianyan, they both opened their mouths to bite the apple.
The apple was suddenly lifted by someone, causing Tang Ning's and Ji Lianyan's lips to touch.