Chapter 81 Wedding 2
"Bowing to Heaven and Earth—"
The master of ceremonies' voice pierced through the joyful music. As Jiang Yining bent down, she heard the soft tinkling of pearl tassels and the clinking of the jade pendant at Xie Shiyan's waist. Their robes overlapped on the red carpet, like two intertwined maple leaves.
The toasting ceremony was performed in a celadon cup, with a pair of mandarin ducks with intertwined necks floating in the liquid—they were made using the "exquisite porcelain" technique, and the patterns on their wings could be seen when held up to the light.
When Xie Shiyan finished his drink, he deliberately bit the rim of the cup, causing Jiang Yining's ears to turn bright red. Amidst the laughter of the guests, he suddenly took out a scroll of marriage certificate from his sleeve.
"Two families unite in marriage, a covenant is made in one hall." He recited the words from a marriage certificate from the Republic of China era, but then rewrote them with a brush on gold-flecked Xuan paper: "With this vow of lifelong commitment, I write this on fine paper..."
When Jiang Yining received the marriage certificate, she discovered that the edges of the paper were decorated with important scenes from their acquaintance using a "gold-painting" technique. In the last blank space, Xie Shiyan had already drawn the outline: two white-haired old people sitting in rattan chairs.
In an instant, gasps rose and fell from the guests' seats.
"Isn't that... Jiang Yining?"
"Didn't she... eight years ago..."
"Oh my god! It really is her!"
Jiang Yining heard her old classmates whispering among themselves, but she paid them no heed. During the kiss, Jiang Yining noticed Xie Shiyan's hands trembling slightly. This decisive man in the business world was now as nervous as a young boy.
Suddenly, she wasn't afraid anymore. She tiptoed and planted a kiss on his lips. The guests burst into laughter. Xie Shiyan's ears turned bright red, but he instinctively cupped the back of her head and deepened the kiss. The applause was thunderous and prolonged.
Halfway through the informal Chinese wedding banquet, Jiang Yining changed into a cheongsam and came out to toast the guests. As she passed her classmates' table, the class monitor finally couldn't help but pull her back: "Yining, what exactly is going on here..."
Jiang Yining shook the orange juice in her hand—Xie Shiyan had strictly forbidden her from touching a drop of alcohol today—and said casually, "I was in a car accident, slept for eight years, and just woke up recently."
Silence fell over the table. The classmates who had witnessed Xie Shiyan's breakdown back then looked at each other, unsure of what to say.
"So..." the class monitor asked cautiously, "What about President Xie's past eight years..."
"You've been waiting for me all this time." Jiang Yining looked at Xie Shiyan, who was blocking drinks from him not far away, her eyes softening. "You've never given up."
When they reached the last table for toasts, Xie Shiyan suddenly pulled Jiang Yining aside: "Aren't you tired?"
Actually, her feet were in excruciating pain, but she still shook her head. Xie Shiyan, however, squatted down without saying a word and, in full view of everyone, helped her take off her high heels and put on the flat shoes that had been prepared beforehand.
"Xie Shiyan," Jiang Yining said shyly, reaching out to pull him away, "There are so many people watching."
"Let them see." Xie Shiyan looked up, a smile playing on his lips. "It's only natural for me to spoil my wife."
The banquet ended under a sky full of stars. The newlyweds stood at the hotel entrance to see their guests off. Xiao Xiao and Shen Nian'an left first, carrying their sleeping child, while Zhou Yanze and Lu Jingshen took care of escorting both sets of parents back to their residence.
In the end, only the two of them remained. Xie Shiyan suddenly picked Jiang Yining up and strode towards the wedding car decorated with flowers.
"What are you doing?" Jiang Yining exclaimed, instinctively wrapping her arms around his neck.
"Carry the bride into the bridal chamber," Xie Shiyan whispered in her ear, his warm breath sending a shiver down her spine. "Tradition cannot be abandoned."
The car drove towards the villa on the outskirts of H City—a wedding gift Xie Shiyan had prepared a few months prior. The moment she pushed open the door, Jiang Yining was stunned: the yard was full of camellias, the very variety that Aunt Li had loved before the old house was demolished.
"I've been searching for eight years," Xie Shiyan hugged her from behind, "and finally I've collected all the colors."
Jiang Yining turned and buried herself in his arms, inhaling the familiar scent of cedar on him. At that moment, she suddenly understood what fulfillment meant.
It's not about a grand wedding or an exorbitant dowry, but about having someone willing to rebuild a garden from your memories.
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