HNYWEF -Chapter 15 The Day of Great Joy

The twelfth year of Daye, Wagang Stronghold.

Zhou Xiong felt like he was dreaming.

From the moment Cheng Yaojin dragged him out of bed that morning, to being pinned down by a crowd and stuffed into new clothes, to getting shoved and pushed toward the courtyard, his head had been spinning the entire time.

“Hurry up, hurry up! The auspicious hour’s almost here!”

“His shoes! His shoes still aren’t on properly!”

“Who crooked his hat? Fix it!”

Zhou Xiong was pushed so hard he staggered from side to side. He kept shouting, “I can walk by myself, I can walk by myself!” but nobody paid him any attention.

Just like that, he was swept along by the crowd and pushed into the courtyard.

The courtyard was packed with people.

All the brothers from Wagang who could make it had come. Qin Qiong stood at the very front with a smile on his face. Shan Xiongxin stood beside him, wiggling his eyebrows mischievously at Zhou Xiong. Xu Shiji, Wang Bodang, Xie Yingdeng—one familiar face after another was looking at him and smiling.

Suddenly, Zhou Xiong felt nervous.

He had been in the Great Tang for four years.

In those four years, he had fought in battles, killed men, saved countless lives. What kind of scene had he not seen before?

But at this moment, he was nervous.

Because at the other end of the courtyard stood a person.

A woman.

She wore red wedding robes and a red bridal veil, standing there quietly.

Zhou Xiong couldn’t see her face.

But he knew she was smiling.

He had seen that smile before.

A few months earlier, he had met her for the first time at the foot of the mountain. She had been washing clothes by the stream. She turned back to look at him and smiled just once like that.

Zhou Xiong had frozen on the spot.

Later, he learned her surname, her name, where her family lived.

Later, he learned that she liked him too.

Later, he went to propose marriage, and her parents agreed.

And then came today.

Zhou Xiong stood there, staring at the figure in red, suddenly forgetting which leg he was supposed to move first.

Cheng Yaojin shoved him from behind.

“Move already! What’re you standing there for?”

Zhou Xiong stumbled forward a few steps.

A burst of laughter erupted in the courtyard.

Steadying himself, Zhou Xiong turned around and glared at Cheng Yaojin.

Cheng Yaojin grinned like a fool.

Zhou Xiong ignored him.

He took a deep breath and walked step by step toward the woman in red.

When he reached her, he stopped.

She was a head shorter than him. The red veil hung down, covering her face.

All of a sudden, Zhou Xiong didn’t know what to say.

He opened his mouth, and after holding it in for a long moment, finally managed:

“I’m here.”

A soft laugh came from beneath the veil.

Very soft.

But Zhou Xiong heard it.

He smiled too.

A stupidly happy smile.

Beside them, the master of ceremonies began reciting phrases Zhou Xiong couldn’t understand at all—things like “the union of two families,” “a bond sealed in one hall,” “a marriage blessed forever.” Zhou Xiong didn’t hear a single word of it.

He just stood there, looking at her.

Looking at her lowered hands.

Those hands were pale and delicate, her fingers slender, fingertips curled slightly inward.

Suddenly, Zhou Xiong wanted to reach out and hold them.

But he didn’t move.

He was afraid of startling her.

The ceremony ended.

The master of ceremonies shouted something, and the courtyard burst into cheers.

Before Zhou Xiong could even react, she had already been surrounded by a group of women and escorted inside.

He stood where he was, watching the figure in red disappear through the doorway.

Then Cheng Yaojin’s palm slapped down onto his shoulder.

“What’re you standing there like an idiot for? Come drink!”

Zhou Xiong was dragged toward the banquet tables.

After taking two steps, he turned back to glance at the door.

It was closed.

He turned back around and followed Cheng Yaojin away.

Dozens of banquet tables had been set up.

The brothers of Wagang drank without restraint—playing drinking games, cursing loudly, laughing like thunder.

Zhou Xiong was pinned at the main table and forced to drink bowl after bowl.

Cheng Yaojin poured wine for him.

Shan Xiongxin poured wine for him.

Qin Qiong didn’t force him to drink, but when others did, Qin Qiong didn’t stop them either.

Zhou Xiong drank until his face was bright red and his tongue felt thick.

But he kept smiling.

Smiling carefree and foolishly, like a complete idiot.

Halfway through the feast, Wang Bodang stood up.

Holding a bowl of wine, he cleared his throat.

“Everyone!”

The courtyard quieted down.

Wang Bodang looked at Zhou Xiong, then at the tightly shut door, and said with a grin:

“Today is Black Bear’s big wedding day. Our Wagang stronghold has gained another loving couple!”

The crowd burst into cheers.

Wang Bodang continued:

“This brat Zhou Xiong has been with Wagang for quite a while now.

Over the years, think about how many lives he’s saved. He saved mine too.”

He raised his bowl of wine toward Zhou Xiong.

“I won’t waste words. I’ll just wish you two a long and happy marriage—and may you soon have children!”

“Soon have children!” everyone shouted together.

Zhou Xiong was forced to drink his thirtieth bowl of wine.

He had already lost count of how much he’d drunk.

All he knew was that, eventually, people half-carried him toward the bridal chamber.

The door opened, then closed again.

The room glowed red, lit by wedding candles and decorated with crimson paper cuttings.

She sat on the edge of the kang bed, her bridal veil still covering her face.

Zhou Xiong stood there, looking at her.

The room was very quiet.

Quiet enough to hear the soft crackling of the candle wicks.

Zhou Xiong walked over and sat beside her.

He reached out and gently lifted the red veil.

She raised her head and looked at him.

The candlelight illuminated her face—her brows, her nose, and the faint smile at the corner of her lips.

Zhou Xiong stared at her and suddenly fell silent.

She simply let him look, without avoiding his gaze.

After a while, she lightly pushed him.

“Have you looked enough yet?”

Zhou Xiong finally snapped out of it.

He scratched his head and grinned.

“Nope. Not enough.”

Her face immediately turned red.

Watching her blush, Zhou Xiong suddenly reached out and held her hand.

Her hand was cool and soft.

She didn’t pull away.

The two of them just sat there, holding hands, neither saying a word.

After a long while, Zhou Xiong suddenly spoke.

“There’s something I want to tell you.”

She looked at him.

Meeting her eyes, Zhou Xiong said seriously:

“In the future—when the world is finally at peace, let’s go to Chang’an.”

She froze for a moment.

Zhou Xiong continued:

“I’ll buy a house in Chang’an, just for the two of us. And when we have children, whether it’s a boy or a girl, I’ll hire the best teachers for them. I’ll let them study, learn to read, and do whatever they want in life.”

He tightened his grip on her hand.

“I want them to have the happiest childhood.”

She looked at him, and suddenly her eyes turned red.

Zhou Xiong panicked.

“What’s wrong? Did I say something wrong?”

She shook her head.

Tears fell onto the hands they held together.

Zhou Xiong became even more flustered.

“Don’t cry, I—”

But she suddenly smiled.

Smiled through her tears.

“I’m not crying.”

Zhou Xiong clearly didn’t believe her.

“Then what’s this?”

She looked at him and said:

“I just feel like… I married the right person.”

Zhou Xiong froze.

Then he laughed too.

A foolish, happy laugh.

She leaned against his shoulder.

The red candles still burned brightly, wax dripping down little by little.

Outside, Cheng Yaojin could be heard shouting at someone, cursing loudly for who-knew-what.

Listening to that familiar noise, Zhou Xiong suddenly felt that his whole life had been worth it.

He lowered his head and looked at her.

She had already closed her eyes, leaning against him, breathing softly and evenly.

Zhou Xiong didn’t move.

He simply sat there, letting her rest against him.

Watching the pair of red candles.

Thinking about the future.

Thinking about Chang’an.

Thinking about the son who didn’t even exist yet.

Thinking about that child running all over the streets of Chang’an someday.

He smiled.

A very gentle smile.

Careful not to wake her.