Today is the day that the Young Master of the Gu Family and the Young Lady of the Quan Family are joyfully tying the knot.
At the Gu Family residence, everyone up and down is bathed in a festive jubilation, with large red "happiness" characters and big red lanterns hanging high. The main pathways of the Gu Family are covered with red carpets, and even the two stone lions at the entrance are decked out in large red flowers.
Guests come by from time to time, offering their congratulations to the family.
Compared to the bustle at the Gu Family’s, the Quan Family’s home seems somewhat subdued.
There’s a slight difference between marrying off a daughter and taking in a daughter-in-law.
Welcoming a bride is an occasion where they wish everyone knew they were gaining a new member of the family. Marrying off a daughter, however, is much more low-key, without the overt displays of red, just a simple joyfulness.
In many places, marrying off a daughter doesn’t involve hanging couplets or throwing a banquet; they simply wait for the groom to arrive at the appointed time and take the bride away.
For many parents who are marrying off their daughter, it’s actually a bittersweet occasion. Their daughter, whom they’ve raised with much difficulty, suddenly becomes a member of another family, which is not an easy feeling to endure.
Xiaofeng sits in front of the mirror while the makeup artist applies her makeup. Standing by her side are He Ximei, Chu Qing, Xiaonian, and Shuiling.
"Sister, you’ll definitely be the most beautiful bride," Xiaonian says with a cheerful smile, truly believing her sister to be the most beautiful.
"Sister will certainly be the most beautiful," Yu Shuiling agrees with a smile—the bride should be the most beautiful.
"When you two get married, you’ll certainly be the most beautiful ones as well," Xiaofeng says, her lips curved into a smile.
"When I get married, I want to wear a wedding gown," Xiaonian admits. Though she finds the traditional red wedding attire beautiful, she still feels a wedding dress is more attractive, better highlighting the beauty of modern women.
"Yes, I want to wear a wedding dress too," Shuiling agrees with the sentiment, "Sister, why didn’t you choose a wedding dress? They’re so beautiful."
Traditional wedding clothes are beautiful as well, but they feel a bit bulky, and having to wear so many hair ornaments seems tiring.
"It’s a matter of personal preference," Xiaofeng can’t say which is better, "Maybe I have a deeper love for red, so I find the red wedding attire more attractive."
"You two are still so young, yet already thinking about getting married," Chu Qing listens to Xiaonian and Shuiling with a mix of laughter and tears, "I think the red is more beautiful, festive and dignified."
"Yes, beautiful, really beautiful," He Ximei recalls her own wedding, "You’re so blessed. Think about when your father and I got married, my mom just found an old red dress for me to wear to keep with tradition."
Young people these days are indeed happier than one generation to the next.
In her day, getting married just meant wearing a red dress, at best adorned with a red flower pinned to the chest, which was considered incredibly beautiful then.
"Exactly, our younger generation is happier than the one before, like kids raised in a jar of honey," Chu Qing looks at Xiaofeng in the mirror, her face filled with reluctance, "Xiaofeng, your mother wasn’t there to watch you grow up, and now in a blink of an eye, you’re someone’s wife, someone’s mother."
Fortunately, fate allowed them to reunite, and as Xiaofeng became the Gu Family’s daughter-in-law, Chu Qing knew they would have plenty of chances to meet in the future.
However, time has passed too quickly. If she could turn back time, even if she fell ill again, she would surely guard Xiaofeng closely and not give anyone the chance to take her away.
"Sister, Shui Xian has come, she says she’s here to bring you a gift," Xiaonian goes out for a bit and returns with someone—it’s none other than Lan Shuixian.
"Xiaofeng, congratulations," Lan Shuixian enters, looking at Xiaofeng with admiration, "Today, you are so beautiful, Xiaofeng. I have never seen such a beautiful bride before—you look stunning."
Adorned with jeweled hairpins, she resembles the empresses of old, truly beautiful.
Xiaofeng offers her a smile in response.
She is certain that this Lan Shuixian before her is the original; some things can be feigned, but the look in someone’s eyes cannot deceive.
As the auspicious hour arrives, Gu Yecheng’s grand motorcade approaches.
The whole street is filled with wedding cars, which with their red decorations and big "happiness" characters, form a long dragon that stops in front of the Quan Family’s doorway—perhaps the most grandiose wedding procession the Imperial Capital has ever seen.
Today, Gu Yecheng wears a traditional red wedding outfit with a large red flower over his chest, exuding an extraordinary presence and radiating festivity all around him.
Gu Dabao and Gu Xiaobao follow closely behind their father towards the Quan Family home.
The attire of the two little ones is clearly not on the same level as that of their parents.
Gu Dabao is clad in a little tailcoat with a bowtie and white shirt.
Gu Xiaobao, in her small white dress, looks like a tiny, noble, and elegant white swan.
Following behind Gu Yecheng, they particularly draw the eye; seeing such a pair of adorable children, everyone almost forgets there’s even a groom present.