I probably have a thousand words I want to say to her right now, but I can't say them. After hesitating for a moment, I decided to find out what happened first.
I pulled her down to sit, then took out a wet wipe, pulled her close, and gently wiped the dust off her face. The bride, Yan Di, quickly brought her a glass of water. Qiao Qiao glanced at me, but smiled sweetly, letting me play with her face. Then she gulped down a large glass of water in one go, let out a long sigh, and laughed loudly, "Hahahaha, I'm finally free again!!"
Aze, wiping his sweat, muttered under his breath, "The terrifying demon king has returned to the world..."
Seeing Qiaoqiao's murderous glare sweep over him, he quickly changed his tune: "Um, how did you manage to get out of here? Didn't you come to see us off at Nanjing Airport? How did you end up here in the blink of an eye?"
Qiao Qiao made a victory sign and laughed heartily: "I've been painstakingly planning this for a long time, and I finally seized this opportunity! Hmph, I usually can't even leave the city. This time, thanks to seeing you guys off at the airport, I finally found a chance! Although my old man sent a few people with me, I was just seeing people off at the airport, and I didn't bring any luggage. I behaved myself the whole way and didn't do anything funny, so they definitely didn't expect me to suddenly run away at the airport. Besides, I had planned it all out beforehand. I secretly bought an e-ticket using online banking! Hmph... And when I left this time, I only carried my ID card, which I kept close to my body inside my underwear. I didn't even bring a handbag, so those bodyguards had no idea!"
"At the airport, after you two went through security, I pretended to be depressed and said I needed to use the restroom. The guy the old man sent to watch over me had to wait outside. Actually, I was killing time. I knew that right after Aze and Mutou's plane took off, there was another plane flying to Beijing, less than twenty minutes apart! I whiled away twenty minutes in the restroom, and the guy outside just stayed there as long as I didn't run away. Then, when it was almost time, I came out and pretended to follow them... When I got to the middle of the hall, I immediately tore open the shirt on my shoulder and shouted 'Indecent assault!' towards the crowd next to me!"
At this point, Qiao Qiao sighed, then laughed, "If I shouted 'Stop thief!' or 'Robbery!' I doubt many people would dare to get involved. But shouting 'Indecent Assault' is different! A beautiful woman like me standing here, with countless lecherous men drooling and peeping at me, if I shouted, several guys would rush out wanting to be heroes, and then more and more people would gather around. The three men my father sent to watch over me were instantly beaten to a pulp. I took advantage of the chaos and ran away, then went straight through security with my ID and into the departure lounge! Hahahaha… My father's men not only got a beating, but they were also taken to the airport security department. By the time they finished dealing with the problem and came out, I was already on a plane and had escaped!"
"I was in a rush to leave. Although I booked an e-ticket and flew all the way to Beijing, then transferred to another plane in Beijing and then to Vancouver, I was only a step behind Mu Tou A Ze and the others. But I didn't bring anything with me. I only had my ID card and not a single penny. When I got to Vancouver, I didn't even have enough money for a taxi after leaving the airport... Hmph, a taxi driver actually dared to harass me. I told him I was a friend of Fifth Master in Vancouver, and the guy was so scared that he didn't even dare to ask for the fare. He slunk away when we arrived at our destination."
I sighed, looking at Qiaoqiao with a mixture of heartache and emotion. Seeing her disheveled appearance, she must have lost a shoe in her haste to run. I couldn't help but whisper, "Qiaoqiao, you ran out like this... sigh, your father is going to be furious again."
Qiao Qiao looked at me, then at Yan Di, and said in a deep voice, "Well, how could I not come to your wedding?"
Although Qiaoqiao had repeatedly stated that she would never be my wife, at this moment, a hint of bitterness inevitably appeared in her eyes. Although this strange look was fleeting, I still caught it. Qiaoqiao then took a few deep breaths, her face breaking into a smile again. She jumped up from the sofa, hands on her hips, and laughed loudly, "Alright, here I am! No need to say anything, I'm going to be a bridesmaid, and nobody can take me from that!"
Then she hugged Yan Di tightly and said softly, "Alright, Yan Di, it's your wedding day, why are you crying like this? Come here, sweetheart, baby, let me wipe your tears." Yan Di wiped away his tears, looked at Qiao Qiao with a smile through his tears, and whispered, "You...you really don't hate me?"
"Why would I hate you?" Qiao Qiao pouted, then laughed, "Come on, beautiful bride, let's kick these stinky men out, I want to change into my bridesmaid dress!"
Then she turned and glared at the three of us men: "Hey, are you all deaf? I'm changing clothes, aren't you leaving? Trying to stay and peep?"
Aze and Mu Tou ran faster than anything else, dashing out the door. I walked last, turning back to look at Qiao Qiao. Qiao Qiao looked at me too, our eyes met, and then she suddenly winked at me. At that moment, Yan Di had already turned and run to the large wardrobe next to us, taking out a new bridesmaid dress, her back to us. Qiao Qiao walked over, then stood on tiptoe and kissed me on the lips, softly saying, "Xiao Wu, congratulations on your marriage."
I stood there, stunned, a faint scent of her perfume still lingering on my lips, feeling utterly bewildered. But Qiaoqiao immediately pushed me away, yelling, "What are you staring at? Did you really want to peek at me changing? Get out, get out, get out..."
I was pushed out the door by Qiaoqiao, and as the door closed, I was still somewhat dazed, feeling as if it were all a dream. Qiaoqiao suddenly appeared before me like a bolt from the blue? Although she was the one I longed for day and night, did she really not care at all about my marriage?
Afterwards, I returned to the groom's dressing room, where Aze and Mutou had already changed into their groomsmen's suits with the help of the stylist. A little while later, Lei Xiaohu and Xiluo also arrived. Except for Mutou, who didn't recognize Lei Xiaohu, everyone else knew each other. I introduced them briefly, but didn't feel like saying much else. Although I still felt a little awkward, the room was filled with my closest relatives and friends, and after chatting for a while, I gradually cheered up.
Around three o'clock, the guys in charge of overall coordination came in. Xiluo went out to make some arrangements before turning around and coming back in, looking at me: "Xiao Wu, are you ready? Let's begin."
I took a few deep breaths. Aze and Mutou walked up to me. Aze straightened my bow tie and patted me on the shoulder, laughing, "Brother, don't be nervous. Every man has to go through this once in his life... Whether you stick your neck out or not, you'll get through it. Just grit your teeth and get through it."
I chuckled and said with a laugh, "I'm getting married, not going to the execution ground."
Aze made a face and laughed, "Let me tell you, marriage is like a tomb. If you regret it now, it's not too late. I know there's a car behind the house. If you want to run away from the marriage, a few of us can escort you all the way... Hahahaha."
He was still laughing when Mu Tou kicked him from behind, sending him flying. Then Mu Tou stood in front of me, looking at me with a serious expression. Then Mu Tou smiled, his voice sincere: "Xiao Wu, everyone says marriage is the tomb of love, but I think, without this tomb, wouldn't we be left with nowhere to be buried? So, don't listen to A Ze's nonsense... Well, I wish you well."
"Thank you!" I said seriously, looking into the wooden eyes.
At this moment, Xiluo suddenly laughed loudly, "By the way, Xiao Wu has four groomsmen today! Aze, Mutou, me, and Xiaohu! But the bride only has two bridesmaids. Xu Xin and Miss Qiao!! Aha, four to two, we can get them drunk later! If the women aren't drunk, the men have no chance!!"
I glared at that kid; I knew exactly what he was up to. Humph!
Aze walked up to Xiluo, looked at Xiluo, and suddenly bowed. Xiluo asked in surprise, "What are you doing?"
Aze looked at Xiluo with pity and whispered, "Hey, Xiluo, you probably haven't had a drink with Qiaoqiao before... to come up with such a suicidal method..."
Mu Tou immediately patted Xi Luo on the shoulder and comforted him, "Don't be afraid! Don't be afraid!! I'll definitely call an ambulance for you in a bit."
Someone's coming to urge us; the time's up!
I coughed once and then walked out of the dressing room first, followed by my four bridesmaids, all of them holding their heads high.
All the guests in the courtyard had arrived by the time they arrived. Fortunately, Bucktooth Zhou had arranged for the guests from the official and underworld circles to be separated into two sections, with a red carpet laid out between them to keep these monsters and demons apart and prevent any trouble from happening.
Part Three: The Pinnacle, Chapter Six: Chaos
The band was playing music as I slowly walked down the red carpeted aisle. Nearly a hundred guests were watching me, and some were clapping softly. I tried my best to appear calm, but I still felt a little nervous.
As we walked to the platform in front, the music stopped for a moment, and then it started again. This time it was the Wedding March. In the sacred music, we saw the little girl run out from the flower archway in the distance, carrying a flower basket and scattering petals as she ran.
Then, Yan Di came out from behind. She was wearing a white wedding dress and looked beautiful and charming, like a pure lily. Her cheeks were flushed with shyness and her eyes were filled with joy. She looked at me affectionately from afar.
Beside Yan Di was my senior brother, who had changed into a very distinctive Tang suit. Yan Di linked arms with him as they walked...
This is a Western custom where the bride's elders escort her to the altar and hand her over to the groom. However, Yan Di is an orphan with no relatives. So am I. Under these circumstances, I asked my senior brother to act as our elder.
Following Western custom, the eldest brother led Yan Di down the red carpet to my side, placed Yan Di's hand in mine, and smiled at me, saying, "Kid, treat your wife well."
I nodded.
At this time, following Eastern custom, my men started setting off fireworks and firecrackers around the house. The sounds were deafening, yet filled with a festive atmosphere.
My wedding was a complete mix of East and West, which inevitably made it a bit of a mishmash. But I don't care, and neither does Yan Di. We just want to have a good time and make ourselves happy. We don't care about anything else!
We're not religious and we're Chinese, so naturally we didn't follow Western customs and have a priest come over to take the vows. Instead, we had Zhou with the buck teeth act as the master of ceremonies. He held the microphone and loudly announced the start of our wedding. Then, Zhou with the buck teeth asked Yan Di and me a question each with a mischievous grin.
It's nothing more than something like, "You take her to be your wife, to love her, care for her, and cherish her for the rest of your life, in sickness and in health..."
I answered questions like these with a smile, while looking at Yan Di. But when Yan Di answered, I saw an unprecedented seriousness in her eyes!
She gently pursed her lips, then looked at me and said, "I do!"
From the determination in her eyes, I saw the deep affection Yan Di had for me! I'm certain that this girl will stay by my side wholeheartedly for the rest of my life, regardless of whether I'm poor or rich, healthy or sick!
What she said was not just three simple words, but more like a vow from the bottom of her heart!
Looking at Yan Di's beautiful face with such a determined expression, I suddenly said to myself: This woman, she is your wife!
It was really strange. In that instant, I felt as if everyone around me had disappeared, and the whole world was just the two of us. I looked at her, and she looked at me. In that moment, I even forgot about Qiaoqiao, who was right next to me. In my eyes and in my heart, there was only Yan Di!
I took the ring from Xiluodi. Yandi took the ring from Qiaoqiao, and we put it on each other's fingers amidst applause from the guests. The wedding ceremony was complete!
Afterwards, we received blessings from the guests. I was in a great mood, and Yan Di next to me was also very excited. She leaned close to me, and her beautiful face was radiant.
The party began, and my staff had already moved all the chairs out of the courtyard. After a ten-minute break, the courtyard was transformed into a party venue, with elaborately prepared food carts brought out, along with champagne and red wine. Yan Di and I weaved through the crowd, frequently raising our glasses. I was fine with it. However, Yan Di had a low alcohol tolerance to begin with, and after two glasses, her cheeks flushed red, her eyes seemed to be brimming with tears, and she leaned limply against me, as if she was already too drunk to handle it.
The party crowd in the courtyard was bustling and noisy. I noticed that Yan Di was a little drunk and felt sorry for her. So, whenever someone offered me a toast, I drank it all. I drank more than a dozen glasses in one go and I also became a little tipsy.
Fortunately, Aze and Mutou were with us, and Qiaoqiao was with us too. As for Xiluo and Xu Xin, they had long since disappeared.
"Hey, Chen Yang." Just as I was lost in thought, a seductive voice called out to me. Looking up, I saw Her Highness standing before me, alone. Allen wasn't with her. She had been dressed quite formally today, in a dark business suit, giving her a powerful, businesswoman-like air. But now she had taken off her jacket, revealing a shirt underneath, and deliberately unbuttoned two buttons, exposing her fair neck and a glimpse of her chest. Her hair was also tied up, adding a touch of languid sexiness. She came up to me, her eyes undisguisedly provocative: "Darling, you know what? You look incredibly handsome today."
She raised her glass and clinked it against mine, then downed it in one gulp. I said casually, "Hmm, where's Allen? He wasn't with you?"
The princess chuckled, then suddenly leaned closer, walking up to me as if no one else was around. She whispered in my ear, "You know what? I thought he could make me forget you... but I was wrong. The moment I saw you today, I suddenly felt that he had absolutely no attraction for me."
As she spoke, the scent of her perfume and alcohol wafted into my nostrils. I frowned, took a step back, and calmly looked at her: "Your Highness is drunk... Why don't you go inside and rest?"
A hint of resentment and complexity flashed in the princess's eyes. She gave me a deep look and then walked away.
Aze watched the princess leave and whistled, "Hey, that woman is pretty good, her figure and face are both top-notch."
I rolled my eyes at Aze: "She likes both men and women, are you interested?"
"No, I don't want it!!" Aze shook his head repeatedly upon hearing this.
A few minutes later, the cake was brought out.
Yan Di and I went back to the stage. I held a wine glass in one hand and a small spoon in the other. I gently tapped the wine glass with the spoon in front of the microphone, attracting everyone's attention.
"Everyone..." I coughed, then looked at the crowd below through the microphone. Everyone stopped talking and looked at me. I smiled, then deliberately said, "Well, what was I going to say... but I've forgotten now. Sorry, it's my first time getting married, so I'm a little nervous."
This good-natured joke brought smiles to many faces. Then I said seriously, "Without a doubt, today is the most important day of my life, and I'm not good at saying polite things. I just want to say thank you all for coming today, and thank you even more for your heartfelt blessings. I will remember them well. Thank you!"
I noticed that Yan Di looked tired, so I deliberately kept my speech short, and then waved my hand to have the cake brought over.
This is no ordinary cake. The pastry chef, Ciro, somehow managed to "bring back" him from England; he's said to have previously worked for the British royal family! He was even involved in making the cake for Prince Charles and Princess Diana's wedding!
While I have some doubts about that, it's true that this guy was once a royal pastry chef. It's just that Ciro most likely used threats to force him to come...
It was a nine-tiered cake, as tall as me. Apparently, the pastry chef spent two days creating it. It certainly looked very well-made.
Such a huge cake was placed on the food cart and pushed in from a distance, and the people around quickly made way. I gently put my arm around Yan Di and smiled, "Alright, you can rest after cutting the cake."
Yan Di gave me a sweet smile.
Just then, a strange feeling suddenly flashed through my mind!
It's an unsettling feeling! It seems that ever since I've faced one life-or-death ordeal after another, my sixth sense has become increasingly acute! Before each encounter with danger, this strange sense of alertness arises within me!
Last time it was at the Torch Tower in Hollywood... and today, I feel that same chill again!
Something's not right! Something's strange!
Suddenly, the hairs on my body stood on end! I was still a little tipsy, but I sobered up instantly!
As I watched the cake cart being slowly pushed towards me, I suddenly felt as if a great danger was lurking inside!
I suddenly shouted, "Stop!! Stop!!"
I suddenly shouted, but no one around me reacted. The person pushing the cake cart seemed not to hear me and instead quickened their pace, heading towards the platform!
I've finally figured out what's wrong!
The original plan was for the royal pastry chef to personally push the cake out! But now, the person pushing the cake cart is clearly a stranger!!
At first, because of the distance and the huge cake blocking my view, I couldn't see the person pushing the cart clearly. But as I got closer, I suddenly realized that this guy wasn't the pastry chef! He was an Asian man!!
Could they be my subordinates? I immediately dismissed the thought. Because everyone present today was a core member of the Big Circle! I knew almost all of them! The outsiders, however, weren't assigned to participate in the wedding!
I immediately shouted, "Stop him!!"
Part Three: The Pinnacle, Chapter Seven: Assassination
"Stop him! Stop him now!!!"
Finally, someone reacted! My two closest henchmen rushed over! But the guy pushing the cake cart also quickened his pace and charged towards me. I snorted, grabbed Yan Di with one hand and Qiao Qiao with the other, pulling both women behind me.
Just then, the eldest disciple's shout rang out from the crowd: "You audacious scoundrel!!"
Then, the eldest disciple suddenly darted out from the crowd. He leaped into the air, moving like an eagle swooping down on a rabbit! It was as if he made only a light flick of his leg…
Bang! A figure flew sideways and crashed heavily onto a nearby dining table, shattering it and scattering all the food on it.
After the senior brother kicked the person pushing the cart away, he struggled on the ground for a couple of moments, then suddenly pulled a small tube from his pocket! From a distance, he pressed it against me!
My immediate instinct was that something was wrong! That tube-shaped thing was clearly a miniature pistol!
I only had time to pull Yan Di aside when I heard a loud bang! My heart skipped a beat, but then I heard a crisp sound behind me. It turned out that a tall champagne tower behind me had been hit by a bullet. The bullet shattered the glass, and the champagne tower, which was taller than a person, collapsed instantly!
Fortunately, this guy's aim was off after he fell to the ground!