got engaged
In the hotel lounge, Qingcheng, with her exquisite makeup and wearing an apricot-colored lace cheongsam, sat in front of the dressing table checking the guest sign-in book.
Qingcheng flipped through the red folded document. She hadn't seen many of the names before; they were probably relatives and friends invited by her father-in-law. In addition, Chief of Staff Tang, Ah Xiao's rival, had also sent his adjutant to deliver gifts.
Haha, Ah Xiao is too wicked. Even if Chief of Staff Tang is unhappy, he has to maintain appearances and endure the disgust to give gifts. It's really one who dares to give and the other who dares to accept, pretending that nothing happened. Qingcheng has once again seen the hypocrisy of men.
The dense black characters on the red background indicate that there are quite a few guests today. In addition to colleagues from the Songhu Command, fellow students from the Baoding clique serving in Jiangnan, acquaintances such as Commander Du of Xuzhou City Defense, there are also several key officers from the Northwest Army.
They had thought Gao Junxiao was just politely inviting their family's acquaintances in Beiping, but they never expected that they would actually come all the way to Shanghai.
Next, I wonder if Ah Xiao will consider switching jobs to work for the Northwest Army?
This idea was quickly rejected by Qingcheng. Even if he acted impulsively, Chen Yao and his brothers would dissuade him. It wasn't worth abandoning the well-established Central Army to run off to a miscellaneous army to pursue his ambitions of governing the country. The Northwest Army was more likely to try and recruit A Xiao.
As she continued unfolding the celebratory brochure, she smiled knowingly when she saw the names of Li Sheng and his wife. She was finally seeing her comrades again, but then she thought of Old Wang, whose whereabouts were unknown, and her heart sank.
The fact that there's no news right now is good news. Where on earth has Wang Renyong gone? It's worrying.
Fortunately, after the previous setback, Zhang Chong did not harass Brother Li again while he was recuperating. However, this does not mean that Zhang Chong will not cause trouble in the future, so we must take precautions.
Power and capital are hard to separate, so why not introduce him to a few more reputable businessmen as backers, especially in the rice, salt, and medicine sectors, and expand the organization's business scope as well? I think I just saw the name of Uncle Gu, the Medicine King.
Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of light footsteps. She turned her head and Gao Junxiao's bright smile suddenly appeared in front of her. His purple velvet suit made him look extremely elegant, and a champagne-colored rose in his black lapel added a touch of gentleness to the man.
Proud of her accurate judgment, Qingcheng winked mischievously: "Sir, it's probably not appropriate for you to look at me like that. My fiancé doesn't like rude people, so be careful."
"Heh, your fiancé sounds like he's not easy to deal with." Gao Junxiao strolled over, picked a red paper ribbon from her hair, and leaned down to tease her, "Good luck on your side. So should I be afraid?"
"I don't know if you're afraid or not, but I've always been afraid of him." Qingcheng deliberately breathed close to his ear, then suddenly pulled back just before her lips touched his skin, giggling, "I wouldn't dare to do anything reckless."
Gao Junxiao didn't take her little teasing to heart. His bright eyes scanned her features as if inspecting soldiers: "What would happen if you did something reckless?"
"I don't know. If you're brave enough, go ask yourself. I'm a coward." To match her words, Kiyosumi lowered her head and clutched the lace on her knee, looking trembling.
The man raised his hand and lifted her chin, his rough fingertips gently tracing the corner of her lips. Just as Qingcheng felt she was about to burst out laughing, Gao Junxiao whispered in her ear, "There are so many men in the world, if you're afraid of him, why did you marry him?"
"If I don't marry him, will I marry you?" Qingcheng's rebuttal had barely left her lips when Gao Junxiao brazenly pulled her into his arms, robbing her of her breath.
A light kiss left the sweet aftertaste of champagne, and warm breaths mingled in their mouths. Gao Junxiao seemed bewitched, his eyes never leaving her for a moment, and said in a serious tone, "Of course you have to marry me. There is no other option."
With a chuckle, Qingcheng cupped Gao Junxiao's cheeks and asked, "Why isn't he greeting the guests? What is he doing in the room?"
Seeing Qingcheng smile, Gao Junxiao smiled along, opening his fingers to clasp Qingcheng's hand, feeling the warmth spread through his chest. He wanted to know if his wife, Gao, had missed him.
When Qingcheng was called Mrs. Gao for the first time, her face flushed red. She didn't know how to respond. He was already thinking about changing the way he addressed her just because they were engaged. This was nothing.
Seemingly sensing Qingcheng's awkwardness, Gao Junxiao sat down on the sofa next to her, trying to change the subject: "You seem to be in a good mood. Have you been winning at cards lately?"
"Yeah, Xiao Hu, we didn't lose money." Qingcheng nodded proudly in reply.
"I knew you could handle it. The lace cheongsam suits you too. You should have a tailor make a few more cheongsams to wear in rotation." Gao Junxiao praised her enthusiastically, then changed the subject, "You're already very beautiful. If you make a few more changes, you'll be even more beautiful, like being a little sweeter with your words."
Men's praise is usually driven by ulterior motives; it seems he won't give up until he gets what he wants. Qingcheng saw through his thoughts: "What do you want to hear my name?"
A hint of joy appeared on his pale red face. Gao Junxiao coughed lightly and his eyes darted around: "Ahem, let's not imitate foreigners, nor do we need to be too old-fashioned. We can be more fashionable. Just call me... um... husband."
"Yes," Kiyosumi immediately answered, her sweet smile revealing her "innocence."
Gao Junxiao, annoyed, distanced himself from the two, propped himself up on his elbows, and snorted coldly: "Hmph! What are you talking about? You're taking advantage of me."
"There's nothing I can do. It's just the two of us in the house, and I'm afraid you'll feel awkward if no one answers you. Shouldn't you think I'm being considerate? Hehehe." Qingcheng shook her head, speaking with an air of seriousness, completely ignoring the changes in the man's expression beside her.
When she came to her senses, Gao Junxiao had already pressed down on her with a wicked grin, and was about to tickle her at the slightest provocation. Qingcheng dodged left and right but could not escape his arms and was caught again.
"Mrs. Gao, the engagement certificate is signed, and I've announced to the public that you're my wife. Shouldn't we change how we address each other? Otherwise, I won't let you off the hook." Gao Junxiao hooked his arm around his fiancée's shoulder from behind and pulled her straight into his arms. He was never one to suffer a loss; if soft tactics didn't work, he'd resort to force.
"You shameless rascal!" Qingcheng wasn't about to let him get away with it. She glared at him and said angrily, "Pah! Just because I don't respond to you, you think you can treat me like a dough ball and knead me however you want? You still have the nerve to talk back?"
As soon as she finished speaking, she was lifted into the air. Gao Junxiao naturally picked her up and put her on the sofa. He tried to push her away, but her unruly hands kept reaching for her again. He couldn't shake them off no matter what he did.
You can't fight city hall; you can't have your cake and eat it too. Qingcheng felt the rough fingertips playing through the thin fabric, burning like charcoal. Her face flushed even redder, and she cried out in alarm, "Shameless! You dare to do this in broad daylight!"
"Hey~ Didn't you say you didn't know how to knead dough? I'm teaching you. Why are you messing around like this? Aren't you afraid of your fiancé?" Gao Junxiao asked seriously.
Is this an excuse for his vulgarity? Kiyosumi was both angry and amused. She really wanted to bite his thick skin. She huffed and puffed, "Stop it! If you bully me again, I won't talk to you anymore."
Gao Junxiao paused, reluctantly loosening his grip slightly; her warning had finally taken effect. However, his hand still clung to her waist without loosening its hold.
Because of the backlighting, Gao Junxiao's face was shrouded in shadow. He grumbled and buried his face in her neck, complaining that he was teasing her to teach her a lesson. How long had it been since she'd spoken to him? The man even threatened to complain about Boss Shi, causing the newspaper office to go bankrupt and forcing him to give his wife back!
Haha, so he got upset because I ignored him for a few days. There are plenty of people who want the newspaper office to go bankrupt, one more won't make a difference. Go ahead and complain if you want.
For a fleeting moment, Kiyosumi saw small white horns growing on his head, which she then plucked without hesitation…
"Hiss~" Gao Junxiao gasped, his whole body instantly deflated: "Hey, little miss, your temper has gotten worse in just a few days. Why did you pull my hair?"
Who would pull his hair? With hair oil all over his hands, Qingcheng suppressed her disgust and secretly rubbed the oil all over his suit. She pursed her lips and said in a voice more aggrieved than a man's, "I saw you had gray hairs, so I plucked them for you. Unlike you, who started bullying me as soon as you signed the papers."
Seemingly unable to believe his ears, Gao Junxiao frowned and stared at Qingcheng for a long while. Suddenly, a dark shadow loomed over his head, and warm breath rolled between his lips and teeth. Qingcheng's weak struggles were like stones sinking into the sea. A wave swept over and shattered her reason, and she fell into the deep sea with him.
The punishment was so severe that Qingcheng felt like she was suffocating before Gao Junxiao finally released her, pressing his forehead against hers and muttering, "I must have owed you a lot of money in my past life. You heartless bastard, all my gray hair is because I've been worrying about our wedding, from the hotel guests to the wedding favors and return gifts. Have you ever worried about any of those troublesome things?"
Modern women should be involved in their own marriages, and there's nothing wrong with him arguing like this. Qingcheng gave a smirk: "Xiao, you also think that having a wedding is troublesome, right?"
"What are you up to now?" Gao Junxiao's warning gaze swept over. "Don't do anything reckless. I only ask that you attend my wedding properly, and I'll take care of everything else."
It's indeed difficult to get a man to change his plans on the spot, but Qingcheng wouldn't give up. She simply hooked her arm around Gao Junxiao's neck and suggested that since he found the wedding troublesome, and she found it troublesome too, why not sign the marriage certificate together while the guests were still there and her parents, brother, and sister-in-law were all around, and then do everything he wanted to do when they got back that night?
With a raised eyebrow, Gao Junxiao turned around like a rusty gear: "You haven't even picked up your chopsticks, yet you want to eat a Manchu Han Imperial Feast? Dream on! Aren't you afraid people will say you have no manners?"
"We've already had the drinks, and when you're slightly tipsy, who cares about rules? It's not like we don't have the money to pay the bill," Qingcheng said casually.
He pinched Qingcheng's little face, his eyes full of confusion: "I'm so confused. I asked you to change your form of address, but you won't budge an inch by sending me an invitation. Are you bold or cowardly? Or are you playing me?"
"I'm telling the truth, I was dragged out of bed in the middle of the night by my godmother and the others to get ready. I was so sleepy and tired. Look at my dark circles. I don't want to go through that again." Qingcheng was exhausted, leaning against his chest and closing her eyes.
Smoothing her hair, Gao Junxiao comforted her, "You've worked hard, Huahua. Next time, tell them not to wake you up so early. Make sure you're fully awake, but don't forget to show proper etiquette. Outsiders don't care if you have money to pay the bill; they'll just gossip about you not having chopsticks. I can't bear to see you suffer."
Qingcheng pouted nonchalantly, and Gao Junxiao continued to persuade her: "You may not care about outsiders, but what about your family? My brother-in-law is recuperating in Mount Tai, and my eldest sister has to stay with him and can't come to the engagement banquet. Also, your fifth sister is in confinement after childbirth and can't come either. They are all looking forward to attending our formal wedding."
"We're family, no need for so much fuss. We can have a belated dinner later!" Qingcheng fiddled with the flower on the man's collar and affectionately nuzzled his chest.
“No.” Gao Junxiao’s Adam’s apple bobbed a few times, but he still refused. “You didn’t see them when you went to Beiping last time, which made them keep thinking about you. Also, how long has it been since you saw your fifth sister? She was pregnant and embroidered a picture of a hundred children for you, hoping you would be happy. You have to speak with a clear conscience.”
Speechless after being confronted, Qingcheng understood that marriage was for show, but how could she explain that she only wanted the groom and not the wedding?
He kissed Qingcheng's hair and whispered in her ear, "There's a third point, my problem. I haven't finished drawing our marriage certificate yet. You have to give me some time."
A drawing... of a marriage certificate! Qingcheng propped her head up and looked for her engagement certificate on the dressing table, but Gao Junxiao had already taken it first and said in a huff, "You actually put your engagement certificate on the table, that's too casual. I'll keep it for you from now on."
Qingcheng was even more itchy when she came up empty-handed. She had been thinking about something and hadn't looked carefully when she signed the engagement certificate. It seemed to be hand-drawn, and she had assumed that someone else had drawn it for her. She never expected that her fiancé had drawn it himself.
Knowing full well that Gao Junxiao responded better to gentle persuasion than force, Qingcheng blinked, trying to make her tone more natural. She knew she was wrong and would cherish the certificate—this one and only engagement certificate in the world—from now on. However, she couldn't understand the meaning behind the painting and hoped that A-Xiao could help her understand it.
With a smug expression that seemed to say, "Since you've begged me, I'll mercifully tell you," Gao Junxiao gently unfolded her certificate. Yellow background and black text occupied 80% of the paper, while the remaining 20% featured six different meticulous flower paintings: peony, lotus, crape myrtle, peach blossom, pomegranate, and hibiscus.
Ancient people questioned the shallowness of human relationships, as the saying goes, "No one is good for a thousand days, and no flower is red for a hundred days." However, Gao Junxiao believed that flowers have a blooming season and people have a lifespan, which are all natural laws. His painting featured plum blossoms, dogwood, osmanthus, chrysanthemums, daffodils, and peonies.
The two certificates together represent twelve different flowers. Only by following the pattern can the flowers bloom year after year, and may we share the beauty of the moon together every year!
Qingcheng pondered the auspicious meaning, while Gao Junxiao's interpretation reached his ears. He hoped that their future would be like this, following their individual temperaments and finding a unique way for them to get along, so that Huahua could always be by his side. Gao Junxiao's words made sense, and Qingcheng always liked to hear them.
Besides the flowers, there was a pair of birds about the size of a tiger's mouth on the paper, with blue backs and long tails, each tail feather clearly defined, looking as if they were about to fly off the paper; he had drawn them quite vividly. Qingcheng pointed at them and asked Gao Junxiao what kind of birds they were.
"The Bluebird, the legendary divine bird, is dedicated to bringing good news of happiness." Gao Junxiao said modestly after rolling up the certificate, "It's just that I haven't been able to draw for a while, so my paintings aren't as lifelike as before. Therefore, I need to put a lot of thought into the marriage certificate, and I'm sure it will impress you."
Covering her face, which was burning hot, Qingcheng didn't know how to praise him anymore. She stared straight at Gao Junxiao, finding him more and more pleasing to the eye. Her heart was in turmoil, and she couldn't help but leave a kiss on his face.
"That's it!" Gao Junxiao teased her, his face close to her lips, "What about the other side? Hurry up, I like symmetry, otherwise it's uncomfortable."
"Symmetrical my foot! That's all he's good for," Qingcheng bit her lip and pushed the man's face away. She sat back down at the vanity, wiped off her lipstick, and prepared to touch up her makeup. Gao Junxiao also shamelessly came closer, sniffing Qingcheng's neck and exclaiming how fragrant she was, more clingy than a dog skin plaster.
Taking advantage of his unpreparedness, Qingcheng pressed the perfume cartridge and sprayed the distracted man head-on. Ugh! Gao Junxiao rubbed his red eyes and spat several times, disregarding his image, his face scrunched up like a bitter gourd.
"Didn't you like fragrance? Now you smell nice too." Qingcheng turned the words back on Gao Junxiao, looking at the tearful man in the mirror, her heart filled with the little joy of a prank.
Before she could even gloat for three seconds, Gao Junxiao suddenly turned her shoulder around, pinching her cheek in his large hand and playing with it. Gao Junxiao said in a lecturing tone, "You little rascal, look what you've done. It's bitter and astringent. You can't waste it right after you've used it."
As the man swayed, the scent of sweet oranges filled the air, which Qingcheng found very refreshing. She slapped the man's hand away without a trace of regret: "Take a little hardship to sober you up, so you won't keep thinking about indecent things."
"Isn't it because you're too cute? You're always on my mind, making me want to do something to you." Gao Junxiao smiled again, then suddenly hugged Qingcheng and acted like a brat. "I don't care, my eyes are all red. What will I do when we take pictures? Quickly, wet them and wash them, wash them~ wash them~"
He looked so pitiful. Okay, let's wash him. Qingcheng took out the eye drops she always carried with her from her handbag and handed them to him, but Gao Junxiao didn't take them. Instead, he straightened his posture and looked at her expectantly.
Qingcheng looked around and made sure that there were only the two of them in the room, clearly indicating that he wanted her to order for him.
After hesitating for a few seconds, Qingcheng cupped the man's face in her hands, gently pried open his eyelids, applied moist eye drops, and even blew on them before doing so. His eyelashes trembled slightly. Qingcheng told him to close his eyes for a while and open them when the stinging subsided, and Gao Junxiao obediently did as she said.
Actually, he was quite handsome when he closed his eyes and didn't speak. He stroked Gao Junxiao's chest, and Qingcheng felt an impulse rising from somewhere. His full lips brushed against Gao Junxiao's nose, and Gao Junxiao didn't dodge. He laughed and said it tickled.
Caught off guard by the man's restrained, foolish expression, Qingcheng suddenly kissed the lips she had painted countless times. Startled, Gao Junxiao abruptly opened his eyes, but the next second, his astonishment was completely covered by her delicate hand. His body, seemingly made of bronze and iron, bent under her weight, and the hand that had been firmly holding her waist loosened.
The two were so close, their chests pressed together, burning with intense heat that seemed to melt their hearts, merging them into one, each containing a part of the other.
Everything in the world stopped, silent and still. Only the lingering warmth on his skin indicated that he was not dreaming. Gao Junxiao quickly came back to his senses and gently pinched Qingcheng's chin, asking, "Who did you learn all this from? I didn't teach you... any of that."
A faint sound came from the doorway.
who?
Best man Xu Xi and emcee Chen Yao awkwardly peeked out and waved at them. Instantly, Qingcheng buried her face in the man's chest to hide her shyness. Gao Junxiao glared at Chen Yao unhappily: "Get lost, or I'll beat you up."
However, Chen Yao, thick-skinned as ever, loudly declared that he hadn't heard or seen anything, and that he was there to call them out to take photos, so as not to keep the two witnesses, Mr. Tan and Ms. Xia, waiting too long.
As soon as he finished speaking, he quickly retreated, leaving Xu Xi alone to face Gao Junxiao's cold face. Xu Xi was not intimidated and reminded Gao Junxiao with a grin to wipe his face before going out, but before he could finish speaking, Chen Yao forcibly dragged him away.
To avoid ruining the atmosphere, Gao Junxiao shook the withdrawn Hua Hua in his arms, reminding her that everyone was gone. "We're doing this openly and honestly, what are we afraid of?"
With the steps back, Qingcheng stood up and tossed her hair to ease the awkwardness. Her face was still flushed. Gao Junxiao couldn't help but poke her and laugh, "Little flower, you think you can skip steps like this? You have no self-awareness at all."
Qingcheng pouted at him, then suddenly raised her hand. Gao Junxiao reflexively dodged backward, but Qingcheng simply twiped the lip print off him with a handkerchief, muttering, "I won't hit you, it would hurt my hand if I did."
Instead of his wife coming to confront him, Gao Junxiao felt a sense of defeat and helplessness. Why was she being so polite to him? Was she really angry?
The room was eerily quiet. Gao Junxiao gently squeezed Qingcheng's slender hand, but received no response. He then snatched the handkerchief in an attempt to get her attention. Qingcheng coughed twice to indicate that she wasn't angry and that there was no need to be so cautious.
"Something's not right with you!" Gao Junxiao said noncommittally.
"What do you mean by 'right'?" Qingcheng glared at him, hands on her hips. "I'm your wife, not your mother. Marriage is, in essence, a partnership. As long as you don't cross my principles and grow with me, I won't take your tantrums to heart. After all, life isn't easy, and as husband and wife, we have to learn to share both joy and sorrow, understand?"
Nodding, Gao Junxiao felt embarrassed. Not only had his wife seen through his subtle inner turmoil, but the little girl had also taken the opportunity to scold him. He felt as if a bone was stuck in his throat, and said in a wronged tone, "I will definitely treat you well and won't let you suffer. Just trust me this once."
Qingcheng looked him over for a moment, then suddenly laughed and jumped into his arms, firmly replying, "Of course I believe you!"
His eyes stung a little, and Gao Junxiao hugged his precious treasure tightly. Her sweet scent filled his nostrils, and at this moment, he only wanted to immerse himself in the happiness she had created for him.
After Qingcheng finished touching up her makeup, Gao Junxiao helped her put on a coat and a veil, wrapping her up tightly before embracing the beauty and walking away hand in hand.
The grass outside was a tender green, and when everyone saw the newlyweds arrive, they all stood up and applauded from afar. Elders would occasionally praise the couple for being a perfect match, which Gao Junxiao found very pleasing.
On the stage, Chen Yao clapped his hands and introduced, "Now coming towards us are our newlyweds, Mr. Gao Junxiao and Ms. He Qingcheng. Congratulations to the two of you on your engagement. From today onwards, the Gao and He families are in-laws. On the eighth day of the tenth lunar month this year, Mr. Gao will marry Ms. He at an auspicious time. We congratulate the two of you on your marriage."
Enthusiastic applause came from all directions, and young guests on both sides of the aisle scattered handfuls of red petals from their baskets. The petals danced in the wind, as if a red rain had fallen.
The waiter brought out the multi-tiered cake as per protocol. Gao Junxiao, holding Qingcheng's hand, was about to cut the cake when he suddenly froze, his heart pounding as if struck by lightning. He cautiously glanced at the guests, but could only see a black hem of clothing. The person was like a ghost, hiding among the guests, making him uneasy.
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