Chef Hua
Chapter 265: Episode 157: Marriage (2)

Chapter 265: Episode 157: Marriage (2)

Crying at the wedding, lifting the bridal sedan chair.

It was fortunate that the Meng Family lived on the south side of Fire Knife Village; even if one walked there on foot, it would take no longer than the time for a cup of tea. Hua Xiaomai only felt like she had just settled into her seat, her bottom not yet warmed, when she was confusingly dragged out of the chair again.

What followed was the unavoidable series of tedious proceedings.

The layers of red clothes she wore—three layers inside and out—were so fussy that if she made too large a step, it seemed she would step on the hem of her dress. A moment of carelessness could lead her to topple over, turning this joyous wedding scene into a big joke. Hua Xiaomai repeatedly reminded herself to steady her pace, walking on thin ice. The more she panicked, the more mistakes were prone to happen. When she actually stepped on her dress, her body swayed to the side, and she was about to fall. At that moment, a large hand reached out, deftly yet firmly giving her support.

Thank goodness, thank goodness... If she weren’t worried about the many onlookers around, Hua Xiaomai would have liked to pat her frantically thumping heart. Before she could react, she was pulled and dragged, involuntarily kneeling down and forcibly bowing three times, her forehead aching from the knocks.

Thereafter, there was another round of uproar. She was nearly pushed into the bridal chamber by people from behind. She didn’t know which kind-hearted neighbor’s daughter-in-law helped her, escorting her to sit by the bed covered with red bedding.

It felt like many people crammed into the room, all laughing heartily. It wasn’t their wedding, yet they seemed so delighted. Hua Xiaomai sighed inwardly, cast her eyes down, and then saw a pair of feet walk in front of her. The red hem of the garment fluttered slightly with the movement, and then her view suddenly brightened as the red veil on her head was lifted.

The atmosphere reached its peak at that moment, with a continuous burst of clapping and laughter. Hua Xiaomai vaguely heard Great Saint’s voice drifting in from outside, laced with a teasing laugh, "Yo, Yuhuai brother, your bride is quite pretty!"

Are you blind? With her face smeared beyond recognition, it’s already quite a feat that you can still identify her, and you think she’s pretty?

Hua Xiaomai muttered a fierce retort in her heart. As she raised her head, she finally saw that face she hadn’t seen for a month or two.

Meng Yuhuai was wearing red wedding clothes. His face, cleanly shaved, appeared even more sharply defined, and his dark, deep eyes twinkled with a bright light.

In Hua Xiaomai’s memory, this man normally dressed in blue or gray. Seeing him all of a sudden in red, so neatly dressed up, she couldn’t help but feel it was a bit funny. Her lips had just begun to curl into a smile when he shot her a "behave yourself" glance, as if fearing she would utter some outrageous comments.

She hastily gathered her composure, eyes on her nose, and nose on her heart, sitting straight and proper.

The room was crowded, and Meng Yuhuai had no time to talk to Hua Xiaomai before he was surrounded by people urging him to go out to the courtyard to drink. The door closed, and all the noise was shut out; the room suddenly became peaceful.

Hua Xiaomai, like a quail, cautiously looked around.

This must have been Meng Yuhuai’s usual room. Although the bed and the cabinet were new, wherever her gaze fell—on the windows, on the walls—red luck characters were plastered all over, yet she could still easily find traces of the many years he had lived here.

Alright, this place was his alone before, but from now on, it was to be their shared home—uh, plus that Mother Meng, who had been completely demonized by all sorts of adjectives by Hua’s stepmother.

Thinking of this, Hua Xiaomai felt a mix of sorrow and joy. She stood up and walked around the room. Glancing at her face in the mirror on the windowsill, she was so frightened that she immediately started looking for water and a basin to wash off the thick layer of "wall plaster" from her face.

The room was quite spacious, and the various pieces of furniture and utensils were also in good supply. Moreover, for the wedding, it had probably been well tidied up beforehand, appearing quite comfortable and warm. Hua Xiaomai looked around and found a big pot covered with a lid in a corner near the inside. There was a wooden basin beside it. She lifted the cover to see, and indeed, there was a pot full of hot water still emitting steam, warm but not scalding—perfect for washing her face.