My Little Bride
After seeing Lin Wei off, Mu Wan and Liu Qianxiu practiced the wedding procedure one more time.
After dinner, they went for a walk through the rear garden.
They had only been holding hands and walking for a short while when Liu Qianxiu's phone rang.
It was Old Madam Mei.
He listened quietly, gently squeezing Mu Wan's fingers while responding from time to time.
When the call ended, Liu Qianxiu looked at Mu Wan.
"Grandma wants me to take you over now."
On the wedding day, Mu Wan would be married from the Mei residence.
Their walk was only halfway finished.
The sky was not even completely dark yet.
Mu Wan looked up at Liu Qianxiu and pursed her lips.
"All right."
By the time Liu Qianxiu drove her to the Mei residence, it was already eight in the evening.
The car stopped on the grass beside the parking area.
Neither of them seemed inclined to get out.
October nights already carried a damp chill.
A faint night breeze drifted in through the window.
Mu Wan narrowed her eyes slightly.
The Mei residence had already been decorated for the wedding.
Since it would be a traditional Chinese ceremony, almost every decoration was bright red, giving the entire estate a festive yet dignified appearance.
Everything had been prepared for the two of them.
Warm lights glowed throughout the villa.
Everyone inside was happy.
But the two people at the center of it all remained sitting quietly in the car.
Soft light filled the interior.
Neither spoke.
Only their breathing could be heard.
Mu Wan leaned against the seat.
For some reason, immersed in this atmosphere, she felt as though her heart were slowly being washed clean.
It became lighter and more transparent until it almost seemed to float.
She turned her head, intending to look at Liu Qianxiu.
He was already looking at her.
Their gazes met.
Neither spoke.
Shadows covered Liu Qianxiu's face, making the contours of his features appear deeper and sharper, like a sculpture carved with a blade.
His eyes were dark and quiet.
His lips were slightly pressed together.
The parking area was silent.
Only the occasional chirping of insects came from the grass.
Mu Wan finally broke the silence.
Tilting her head, she asked,
"How many days of wedding leave do you have?"
She wore a jacket, and her long hair rested over her shoulders.
Her head was tilted slightly as she looked at him with bright eyes.
Something shifted in Liu Qianxiu's heart.
The darkness in his gaze gradually softened.
"Half a month."
Then he asked,
"Where do you want to go?"
Hearing his question, Mu Wan suddenly smiled.
The corners of her small mouth lifted, and her eyes curved.
Curled obediently against the passenger seat, she looked like a little lamb.
"How did you know I wanted to go somewhere?"
After asking, she lowered her eyes and laughed to herself.
Happy.
Content.
"That's true."
"You always know what I want."
A bright smile spread across her face.
She straightened, preparing to leave.
Her slender fingers reached for the door handle.
"I'll think about it. I'll tell you once I decide."
Mu Wan opened the door.
But before she could leave the seat, Liu Qianxiu caught her hand.
His grip was not strong.
It was merely enough to make her sit back down.
Mu Wan turned.
Liu Qianxiu was looking at her.
There was something in his eyes that she could not quite understand.
He studied her face.
Then he called her name.
"Wanwan."
His voice was very low, with the slightest roughness.
"The next time I see you, you'll be my bride."
His words drifted to her on the night breeze.
Mu Wan looked at him.
Something inside her heart felt like a barren grassland touched by the first wind of spring.
Life spread across it all at once.
Her eyes shimmered.
Then she smiled.
Light gathered at their corners.
She turned her hand in his and held him back.
Leaning closer, she kissed the corner of his mouth.
Her breath mingled with his.
Her beautiful eyes looked directly into his, her voice small and soft, filled with attachment.
"Then come early and take your little bride home~"
The moment she finished speaking, Liu Qianxiu pulled her into his arms.
She heard his heartbeat.
And she heard the final word he whispered.
"All right."
The Mei residence had already prepared the room from which Mu Wan would be married.
Everything inside belonged to her, making it look as though she had lived there since childhood.
Along with her personal belongings were her wedding clothes, bridal gown, and all sorts of bright red wedding decorations.
Even the wallpaper had been replaced.
After bringing her inside, Liu Qianxiu stayed with her for a while before finally leaving.
Now the room was empty.
Only Mu Wan remained.
She sat quietly and looked around at everything.
The heart that had remained calm throughout all the wedding preparations was finally affected by the solemn reality of marriage.
For the first time, nervousness began to rise.
Agarwood incense had thoughtfully been lit in the room.
Mu Wan breathed deeply, trying to relax.
It did not work.
Eventually, she took a shower and decided to force herself to sleep.
She had only just closed her eyes when someone knocked on the door.
Mu Wan lifted her head.
Then she heard Old Madam Mei's voice.
"Wanwan, are you asleep?"
The elderly woman's voice was quiet, as though she were afraid of waking her.
Mu Wan glanced at the time.
It was already ten at night.
Old Madam Mei still had not gone to bed.
Mu Wan hurriedly climbed out of bed and opened the door.
Old Madam Mei stood outside, looking at her affectionately.
Mu Wan rubbed her hair.
"Grandma."
"Can't sleep?"
Old Madam Mei smiled and stroked her cheek.
Mu Wan laughed.
She wrapped her arms around the old woman's arm and helped her into the room.
"Grandma knows everything."
"Of course I do."
Old Madam Mei followed her inside.
"I've been married too."
Mu Wan went toward the bed.
Old Madam Mei sat in the upholstered armchair beside it.
She sat alone beneath the warm light, her silver hair softly illuminated.
She looked almost like a kindly grandmother from a fairy tale.
The moment Old Madam Mei entered, it was as though a paperweight had pressed down the corner of Mu Wan's heart that had begun to curl upward.
Her nervousness settled.
Mu Wan smiled.
"Lie down."
Old Madam Mei lifted the edge of the blanket and patted the bed.
"Grandma will stay with you. I'll leave after you fall asleep."
"It's too late."
Mu Wan was deeply touched, but she was worried the elderly woman would become tired.
She was about to refuse when Old Madam Mei looked at her and said,
"Before Qianxiu's mother got married, I stayed with her until she fell asleep too."
The words Mu Wan had intended to say lodged in her throat.
She looked at the old woman's white hair.
Something shifted in her heart.
Mu Wan removed her shoes and climbed into bed.
After lying down, she reached out and took Old Madam Mei's hand.
An elderly person's hand was warm and soft.
Mu Wan placed her cheek against the woman's palm and gently rubbed against it, almost as though she were the one offering comfort.
Old Madam Mei was visibly moved.
She looked at Mu Wan.
"Are you looking forward to tomorrow?"
"I am," Mu Wan answered truthfully.
"I'm also a little excited and nervous."
"Qianxiu's mother was the same before her wedding."
Liu Qianxiu's mother had been Old Madam Mei's only daughter.
She had sent her daughter into marriage with splendor and dignity.
Who could have known that it would end the way it had?
The old woman's expression did not change much.
But there were too many complicated emotions hidden in her eyes.
She lowered her gaze toward Mu Wan and brushed a strand of hair away from her face.
"Wanwan."
"Grandma hopes you'll be happy."
Mu Wan thought of her own mother.
If her mother had lived longer than she had, perhaps tonight would have looked something like this.
"Grandma," Mu Wan called softly.
"Mm?"
Old Madam Mei's voice rose gently at the end.
"We will love each other. We will be faithful to each other. And we will spend this entire life together happily."
Mu Wan's voice was solemn.
"I promise."
Old Madam Mei looked at her.
A smile slowly blossomed across her face.
She stroked Mu Wan's cheek.
"I believe you."
"Sleep."
Still holding Old Madam Mei's hand, Mu Wan gradually fell asleep.
Mu Wan slept remarkably well.
She did not even wake up on her own the next morning.
Mrs. Mei had to come wake her.
Seeing Mu Wan sitting dazedly on the bed, Mrs. Mei laughed.
"Wanwan, do you remember you're getting married today?"
Mu Wan finally came to her senses.
She glanced around.
"Auntie."
Mrs. Mei smiled in response.
Then the makeup team and wedding staff flooded into the room.
Mu Wan climbed out of bed and was immediately surrounded.
One group did her makeup.
Another helped her dress.
By the time everything was finished, Mu Wan looked at herself in the mirror.
Then a red bridal veil was lowered over her head.
Once she was completely prepared, her friends and relatives arrived as well.
Lin Wei looked at her and immediately reddened around the eyes, repeatedly telling her how beautiful she looked.
Voices filled the room.
Everything around Mu Wan was noisy and lively.
But all she could see was the expanse of bright red beneath the bridal veil.
She sat straight.
Her heartbeat was calm and steady.
Her consciousness seemed to float slightly.
For a moment, she genuinely could not tell whether any of this was a dream or reality.
Then a pair of hands took hers.
Mu Wan's heart seemed to be caught along with them.
She immediately tightened her fingers around that hand.
The man's palm was cool and dry.
His fingers were long.
Just as they always did, they gathered her hand into his, enclosing it as though he were holding her entire existence in his palm.
The surrounding voices fell silent.
Holding both her hands, he guided her to her feet.
From beneath the veil, Mu Wan could see his black-and-red wedding robe.
Then she caught the faint fragrance of sandalwood.
His hand slipped beneath her veil.
His fingers touched her cheek.
Mu Wan's heart suddenly leapt.
Then she heard his voice.
"I've come to take you home."
"My little bride."
Mu Wan's heart landed heavily back in her chest.
Her dream was over.
She was awake.
— End of Chapter 59 —
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