Xuan Yanyu raised the corner of his eye. “Why would I carry a groomsman in a princess hold and say I swear I’ll love Ningning for the rest of my life? Swap the groomsman for Ningning.”

“That won’t do — we don’t accept your suggestions.”

Xuan Yanyu tilted his head slightly. Mu Heng immediately understood and went around distributing red envelopes to each person, his mouth full of sweet words: “Lovely ladies, please be accommodating.”

The bridesmaid team agreed without hesitation. “Allowed, allowed — but is Ningning’s wedding dress suitable for that?”

“Perfectly suitable — no need for any of you beautiful ladies to worry.” Mu Heng felt his face going stiff from smiling so much.

Xuan Yanyu moved around to the side of the bed, knelt one knee on it, and as he gathered Yan Yunning into his arms, leaned close to her ear and said in a low, husky voice: “Wife, I’ve finally married you. We’ve waited a long time for this day.”

Yan Yunning smiled and squeezed his hand.

The rose-petal-covered train of the wedding gown scattered and floated down onto the balloon-covered floor as Xuan Yanyu lifted her. He held the young woman’s waist steadily as he bent his knees and lowered.

“I have married Ningning today — I swear I will love Ningning for the rest of my life.”

Yan Yunning’s bright eyes curved with warmth. “I will love you for the rest of my life too.”

“My, my, my — this isn’t putting the groom through his paces at all. For him, this is practically a privilege.”

Yan Yunning paid no mind to whatever they said. Every line Xuan Yanyu spoke, she answered in kind.

The photographer crouched on the floor, clicking the shutter — snap, snap, snap.

He Qingxia cleared her throat. “Alright, alright — on to the next game.”

“Ohhh~” As Xuan Yanyu set Yan Yunning down and snuck a soft kiss to her red lips, gasps and whistles broke out from the crowd.

Pei Shuluo snapped his fingers. “One more — then we go to the hotel.”

“Keep dreaming.” He Qingxia let out a huff.

“That is a pretty good dream, though.” Another bridesmaid huffed as well, then pulled out her phone and played a popular dance video. “Xiao Xuan, learn it in one minute and dance it for Ningning. If Ningning is satisfied, that counts as passing.”

The man let out a barely-there laugh and cast a meaningful look at Mu Heng and the others. “Pay up, and a groomsman dances.”

Mu Heng: “……”

Suddenly had very little desire to hand out the red envelopes.

Xie Yan — who wasn’t a groomsman — snatched the red envelopes from Mu Heng’s hands and distributed them one by one to the bridesmaid team. “Take the red envelopes, and that’s as good as agreeing to do it Brother Yu’s way.”

“Deal, no problem.” The bridesmaids shook the envelopes in their hands, smiling from ear to ear.

After an eye-straining dance performance concluded, Yan Jingrang reminded them not to drag things out too long — it was still a journey from Yuanjin City to Chaxi City.

“Understood, understood.” He Qingxia waved at Yan Jingrang.

“Come on, come on, come on — bring out the lemon juice!” One of the bridesmaids beckoned to the household staff nearby.

Xuan Yanyu’s eyebrow lifted slightly.

He Qingxia drew out her words in a teasing lilt. “Xiao Xuan, you like little lemons, don’t you.”

The man curved his lips. “I do.”

“Oh, you do~” He Qingxia giggled. “Then you and your groomsmen all drink this lemon juice without changing your expression. You go first — finish your glass, then say one romantic line to Ningning. Everyone else just says one line of blessing. Manage your expressions carefully~”

“Otherwise, we start over~”

Pei Shuluo’s eyes went wide. “Hold on — when Brother Yu said he likes lemons, he meant our sister-in-law, not the actual fruit.”

“Oh, come on, don’t split hairs — they’re both called lemon.”

Pei Shuluo: “……”

“Alright.” Xuan Yanyu picked up a glass of lemon juice, tipped his head back, and it was gone — his throat moving once — without so much as a crease in his brow. When his gaze turned to Yan Yunning, the smile at the corners of his mouth and eyes rose. “Ningning — you are the only one I love.”

A collective “Wooooah……” rose from the crowd.

He Qingxia looked at Yan Yunning with undisguised envy. “Not ‘I love you,’ but ‘you are the only one I love’~”

“Your turn.” The bridesmaid team looked toward Mu Heng and the others.

Not wanting to waste time, all six of them picked up their glasses at once, downed them in one go, did their best to keep their expressions neutral, and said in unison: “Wishing Brother Yu and our sister-in-law love that lasts to white-haired old age.”

“Alright, you’ve passed — time to find the bridal shoes.”

Xuan Yanyu raised an eyelid. Mu Heng nodded, pulled out the red envelopes, and began distributing them again. “Lovely ladies, any hints?”

While the others spread out to search for the shoes, Mu Heng kept up a steady stream of red envelopes, each one delivered with honeyed words.

Yan Yunning watched in a daze.

“Behind the lucky character on the curtain tie. Inside the zip of the sofa cover.”

He Qingxia, whose hands were growing numb from collecting envelopes, recited them one by one.

With the exact locations in hand, Yan Zhiyi quickly passed Yan Yunning’s bridal shoes to Xuan Yanyu.

The man knelt on one knee, cradled the young woman’s fair ankle in his hand, and slipped the bridal shoes on. Then he wrapped an arm around her waist and lifted her up, pressing a kiss to her forehead. “Darling, come home with me — to our home, just the two of us.”

Yan Yunning smiled brightly and nodded.

They walked out of the villa and stepped into the bridal car. Dozens of sports cars set off toward the wedding venue, and firecrackers burst into sound.

“Get a little rest — I’ll wake you when we arrive.” In the bridal car, Xuan Yanyu held Yan Yunning in his arms, his voice gentle and coaxing. “Don’t worry. I’ll wake you up when we get to the hotel.”

Yan Yunning tugged at his boutonniere and smiled deeply. “Really? You really won’t just carry me straight to the hotel room and let me keep sleeping?”

If she drowsily murmured, ‘No hurry — let me sleep a bit more, we can start the ceremony later,’ Xuan Yanyu would absolutely push the schedule back without hesitation.

The man’s lips curved. “Trust me.”

“I’m still setting an alarm.”

Xuan Yanyu: “……”

——

The wedding venue was at the same hotel where he had proposed.

At the entrance were welcome wedding photos of Xuan Yanyu and Yan Yunning. Roses in red and pink bloomed in pairs, a deep crimson carpet lined the floor, and on the main stage’s large screen, their wedding photos played on a continuous loop.

A champagne tower in the shape of a heart. On every seat sat a custom gift box printed with the character for happiness.

The photographer adjusted the camera. Guests arrived in a steady stream — in addition to close friends and family from both sides, a good number of distinguished figures from the business world had come as well.

A wedding between the Xuan and Yan families naturally drew no shortage of prominent guests from the business community.

When the time came, the emcee finished the opening remarks, and Yan Yunning walked slowly down the aisle on her father’s arm.

On both sides of the long flower-lined runway, the bouquet poppers held by the groomsmen and bridesmaids burst open. On the second, third, and fourth floors, and at the stairwell, those stationed there released a sky full of red rose petals all at once.

Father Yan, his eyes glistening with tears, placed Yan Yunning’s hand into Xuan Yanyu’s palm. “Little Ningning is in your care from now on. Look after her well.”

“Dad, I will.”

Xuan Yanyu raised his gaze to meet Yan Yunning’s smiling eyes, and his lips curved into a quiet smile.

Once the two of them were standing in place, the emcee guided them through the ceremony — vows, the exchange of rings, the kiss. Both sets of parents came on stage, the new forms of address were spoken, red envelopes were given, family portraits were taken, and more.

As the ceremony drew toward its close, the emcee raised a champagne flute and led the entire hall of guests in a toast of blessings.

After the ceremony concluded, Yan Yunning wasted no time heading backstage to change into her toast dress and have her makeup touched up.