Chapter Twenty-One: The Vow of Marriage

As their kiss ended, Yuan Xiaoying’s cheeks flushed crimson. She glanced at Liu Jingye, her eyes full of emotion, then slowly lowered her head. At some point, their hands had found each other and were now tightly entwined.

Liu Jingye appeared composed, though he kept licking his lips—whether it was because of the thick layer of lipstick she wore or because the taste lingered tantalizingly, it was hard to say.

Just then, the host extended the microphone toward them. “Mr. Liu Jingye, the beautiful lady beside you has now become your wife. At this very moment, do you have anything you’d like to say to her?”

It was time for a heartfelt confession. Liu Jingye had thought he’d simply go through the motions—he hadn’t expected kissing and declarations of love, and was entirely unprepared.

“Well,” he mused, “since we’ve already kissed, I might as well say something nice.”

After a moment’s thought, he took the microphone and declared in a clear, generous voice, “Now that we’re married, I will steadfastly uphold the principle of monogamy, tightly unite myself around the leadership collective with my ‘wife’ at its core, resolutely hand over my entire salary, shoulder all household chores, and do my utmost to accelerate the growth of our family. I vow to strive for a harmonious home for the rest of my days!”

The applause was thunderous, mingled with warm laughter. Yuan Xiaoying surreptitiously pinched him, her radiant smile growing even sweeter.

Soon after, the banquet began and everyone enjoyed the feast. Yuan Xiaoying changed out of her wedding gown and into a cheongsam, her allure even more apparent. Together, they began making rounds to toast each table. At the table where his parents sat, the guests were all high-ranking officials.

Because the wedding had been arranged in haste and was otherwise low-key, many of the officials were quite curious about Liu Jingye. More than anything, they wanted to get to know him so they could later lavish him with praise, which would also serve to curry favor with Yuan Xiaoying’s father.

One of the city’s leaders asked, “Young Liu, what line of work are you in?”

Liu Jingye had nothing to hide and answered straightforwardly, “I’ve just returned from the army. At present, I’m helping to run my family’s small inn.”

The officials froze. They had assumed that the son-in-law of Deputy Director Yuan would at least be a second-generation official, or a rising star in politics, or perhaps a wealthy, accomplished scion. But to their surprise, he was merely a demobilized soldier, managing a modest inn.

For a moment, the leaders eager to flatter him found themselves at a loss for words.

Yuan Xiaoying’s father, on the other hand, eyed Liu Jingye with an even more inscrutable expression, as though his lingering doubts had been dispelled. He waved them on to toast the other tables, indicating that he would personally entertain the leaders at this one.

The rest of the tables were easier—filled with Yuan Xiaoying’s friends and colleagues. They dispensed with false politeness, teasing her relentlessly, while Liu Jingye had only one task: to drink.

After making the rounds of dozens of tables and returning near the head table, Liu Jingye noticed that the woman who had led the group earlier, along with his brothers, had vanished. Naturally, so had the dishes from their table.

Those rascals had even cleaned their plates, save for one—a single large shrimp lay on it. Cooked shrimp are usually curved, but this one was perfectly straight.

Liu Jingye smiled faintly. He understood. This was their way of telling him that the score between them was now settled.

As the wine flowed and the courses dwindled, guests began to take their leave. The officials withdrew to private rooms for deeper discussions.

At last, Liu Jingye and Yuan Xiaoying could sit and catch their breath.

“Thank you so much,” Yuan Xiaoying said, her cheeks rosy from the wine, her eyes bright and alluring. “We made it through without a hitch, after all.”

“Yes.” Liu Jingye lit a cigarette, replying, “Since I’ve helped this far, I’ll see it through—even the wedding night, I’ll give it my all.”

“Shameless!” Yuan Xiaoying sputtered, her face aflame as she spat at him. “In your dreams. From here on, we’ll go our separate ways…”

Her voice grew softer and softer, her head lowering as she stole glances at Liu Jingye from beneath her lashes.

It did feel a bit like using someone and then discarding them, burning bridges now that the river was crossed. The thought left her uneasy. In a low voice, she asked, “I should give you something in return. Apart from the wedding night, is there anything you want?”

Her head dropped even lower, her thoughts in turmoil. What if Liu Jingye insisted on the wedding night? With friends and family as witnesses, they were now husband and wife in every respect. If he truly demanded it, what would she do? Would she agree?

Her heart thudded wildly. Suddenly, Liu Jingye spoke. “I’d like that video.”

Hm? Yuan Xiaoying was momentarily stunned, then remembered—the video of them, at dawn, kissing sweetly in the morning light, which she had used to blackmail him.

Was he so eager to take back his leverage, to be rid of her? They were married now—did he not want to build on their relationship at all?

A wave of grievance crashed over Yuan Xiaoying, stronger even than when she had discovered her fiancé’s betrayal.

She suddenly looked up, eyes shimmering with unshed tears, not even realizing she was on the verge of crying.

Liu Jingye avoided her gaze, a flush rising to his cheeks. “I want to keep it as a memento.”

A memento? He wanted to keep a video of their kiss as a keepsake? Yuan Xiaoying’s face instantly turned scarlet. It was as if a pair of lovers had filmed themselves in an intimate moment, to treasure or perhaps to analyze.

The atmosphere grew charged again. Yuan Xiaoying bit her lip. “Do you have any other requests?”

Liu Jingye scratched his head, glanced at the dishes on the nearby table, and said, “May I eat a little?”

“Let’s eat together!” Yuan Xiaoying laughed, waving her hand. They found a seat, sat down, and paid no heed to anyone else, devouring the food hungrily.

After the meal, Liu Jingye prepared to take his leave. The ordeal was finally over, and he had no wish to invite more complications, though a strange reluctance lingered in his heart.

Yuan Xiaoying fell silent, her head bowed. From time to time, she glanced up at him, only to quickly look away, as if waiting for him to say something more.

But Liu Jingye simply said goodbye, and slipped out through a side door. By then, most of the remaining guests were deep in their cups, and no one noticed his departure.

Watching his retreating back, Yuan Xiaoying’s tears welled up once more, a storm of regret, guilt, and disappointment surging within her.

At that moment, her father appeared. Seeing his daughter’s state, he frowned gently. No one knew her better than he did; with a single glance, he understood her heart.

“Papa…” Yuan Xiaoying called softly.

With fatherly warmth, he placed his hands on her shoulders, lending her comfort and strength. “It’s all over now. Don’t dwell on it. In a while, I’ll arrange for you to transfer to a position in the provincial capital.”

“No, I won’t go.” Yuan Xiaoying reacted as if stung, her response fierce. “Why should I leave when everything is fine?”

Old Yuan, well acquainted with his daughter’s temperament, sighed. “You can stay, but you must promise me not to have any further dealings with Huangchao—or with that Liu Jingye.”

“Why?” Yuan Xiaoying asked, but in truth, she was only asking about Liu Jingye.

Her father replied helplessly, “He’s a very unusual person. It’s best you never get entangled with him, unless…”

He could see his daughter’s heart had already been moved. Yet there was little more he could say about Liu Jingye. Obliquely, he warned, “Unless he truly falls in love with you, it’s best to stay far away from him.”