Chapter 792 - 394: The Day of the Grand Wedding (2)

Chapter 792: Chapter 394: The Day of the Grand Wedding (2)

Everyone laughed again, saying the child was timid and afraid of strangers.

Cheng Zongyang chuckled. "Cousin-in-law, Xingzu and I just aren’t familiar with each other yet. Let me hold him more over the next few days, and we’ll get acquainted."

His cousin-in-law, Cheng Shou’Er, visibly relaxed and said happily, "Yes, yes. The boy is so timid, he’s even afraid of his own uncle."

Next, Cheng Zongyang took out two more gifts for Zhou Zhendong and his fiancée, who was standing beside him.

"Second Cousin, these are your wedding gifts. See if you like them."

"Look at you. It’s a gift from family, so the thought is what counts," Zhou Zhendong said with a smile. "This is my fiancée, Yang Zhaojun. She’s from the manor."

"A pleasure to meet you, Cousin-in-law." Cheng Zongyang handed the gift over. ’That’s a rather lovely name.’

"A pleasure to meet you... C-Cousin," Yang Zhaojun said, a little shy. But Zhou Zhendong saved her from her awkwardness, taking the gift himself.

Only then did Cheng Zongyang turn to his little brother, who was watching him with eager eyes.

"Here, this is for you." Cheng Zongyang handed him the last gift.

"Haha, I knew it!" Cheng Zongliang’s eyes lit up as he immediately took it.

Cheng Zongyang said, "There are instructions inside each gift. Just take a look, and you’ll know how to use them."

"Okay," Cheng Zongliang nodded.

With everyone overjoyed, the manor’s residents dispersed, leaving just the two families to sit in the reception courtyard.

The womenfolk all went to prepare lunch.

Cheng Zongyang didn’t talk about matters of the outside world, instead just catching up on the family tidbits he’d missed over the years.

「The 26th Day of the Twelfth Month.」

On the day of the wedding, the sun shone brightly in a sky as blue as a sapphire, as if the heavens themselves were smiling upon the grand, joyous occasion.

Warm sunlight cascaded over every inch of the Cheng Family Manor, draping the entire village in a glittering, golden veil.

The Cheng Family Manor was bustling with excitement. The banquet tables for the running feast stretched all the way from the Henei Region to the Extragalactic Region. At a glance, the rows of tables and chairs resembled a long, winding dragon.

The tables were laden with delicacies, each dish releasing an enticing aroma.

The steaming hot food, festive red candles, and exquisite tableware all highlighted the grandeur of the wedding.

All preparations were complete. The adults bustled between the tables, greeting the arriving villagers, while children laughed and played amidst the crowd, their hands full of wedding candy, their excited little faces like rosy red apples.

The wedding ceremony venue, the main hall, had been meticulously decorated by Cheng Guangshan and Zhou Hansong.

The main hall was decorated to be as dreamlike and fantastical as possible. Red silks and colorful beaded curtains hung from all four walls. When a gentle breeze blew past, the beads chimed against one another, their crisp, pleasant sound like a joyous melody.

A thick red carpet covered the floor, and the hall’s pillars were entwined with fresh flowers and colorful ribbons. The intoxicating fragrance of blossoms filled the air, mesmerizing all who entered.

Most of these decorations had been procured from the Commerce Association by Cheng Zongwen.

Cheng Zongliang and Zhou Zhendong stood in the hall, their postures as straight and tall as pines. They wore magnificent wedding robes, their collars and cuffs embroidered with intricate patterns in gold thread. Every stitch seemed to brim with anticipation for the wedding.

Their eyes held a mixture of longing for the happy moments to come and a hint of nervousness. This was, after all, the most important moment of their lives.

They waited quietly for their brides. The surrounding din seemed to have nothing to do with them. In their world, only their soon-to-appear beloveds existed.

As the brides slowly approached, surrounded by a crowd of people, the sounds of firecrackers and fireworks rose and fell in waves.

The sound of the firecrackers was deafening, a continuous CRACKLE and POP. Red paper scraps filled the sky, like a festive shower of flower petals.

Fireworks bloomed in the sky, one splendid, colorful flower after another, painting the azure canvas with a riot of color.

The brides, dressed in magnificent phoenix coronets and robes of rank, were as beautiful as celestial fairies.

Their phoenix coronets were inlaid with dazzling gems and lustrous pearls, which refracted the sunlight and fireworks into brilliant beams of light, like twinkling stars.

Their robes were embroidered with golden thread in the pattern of a dragon and phoenix bringing prosperity. The mythical creatures were so lifelike they seemed to be dancing, symbolizing a blissful and auspicious marriage for the newlyweds.

Cheng Zongliang’s gaze was locked tightly on Zhaodi and Laidi. His heart pounded like a drum, his eyes filled with awe and love.

He felt that the women before him were the most beautiful people in the world. They were like fairies who had stepped out of a painting, so beautiful it took his breath away.

Zhaodi and Laidi, too, had eyes only for Cheng Zongliang. Their cheeks were faintly flushed, and with shy, sweet smiles, they walked step by step toward the man they loved.

Zhou Zhendong and his bride shared a similarly deep and affectionate gaze. Their eyes reflected each other’s figures, as if they were the only two people left in the world.

Amidst the cheers and blessings of the crowd, the newlyweds arrived at the center of the hall.

Cheng Zongliang and Zhou Zhendong each took their bride’s hand. In that instant, they both felt the warmth and slight tremor from each other’s palms.

They looked at each other and smiled, the love in their eyes growing more intense. The officiant was Zhou Zhendong’s grand-uncle, Zhou Hansong.

He was not the one who was supposed to do it, but he had volunteered for the role.

At Cheng Zongyang’s initial request, the customs of the Cheng Family Manor were made different from the secular rules of the outside world. They were not so rigid.

At that moment, Zhou Hansong stood at the front and began to read the marriage certificate.

His resonant voice echoed through the hall, each word solemn and sacred.

Following the ceremony, the newlyweds performed their kowtows, expressing their respect and gratitude to heaven and earth, to their ancestors, and to their parents.

Finally, Zhou Hansong unexpectedly added a tea ceremony to honor Cheng Zongyang, also as a show of gratitude.

Without Cheng Zongyang, the fate of everyone present would never have become so wonderful and stable.

After the ceremony came the lively wedding banquet.

Friends and relatives raised their cups one after another to congratulate the newlyweds. Laughter, chatter, and the clinking of glasses wove together into a joyous symphony.

Cheng Zongliang and Zhou Zhendong, along with their brides, moved between the tables, toasting each guest to express their thanks. Their faces overflowed with blissful smiles that infected everyone present.

Night fell, and a bright moon hung high in the sky.

The newlyweds returned to their bridal chamber, where red candles flickered, casting dancing shadows on the walls.

This wedding at the Cheng Family Manor would become a much-told tale among the villagers.

The wedding banquet did not end that day; it continued for two more.

The three-day running feast allowed the villagers to eat their fill for three straight days. After that, it was time for each family’s New Year celebrations.

During those three days, Cheng Zongyang often carried the little fellow, Zhou Xingzu, around with him. And indeed, once they became familiar, the little one was no longer afraid.

"Big Brother, let me hold Xingzu!!"

On the morning of the 29th, sunlight filtered through dappled leaves, sprinkling down into a quiet courtyard in the Cheng Family Manor.

Cheng Zongyun ran over like a cheerful little bird, shouting to her older brother as she went. Her voice, crisp and clear, echoed in the air, full of anticipation.

Watching his little sister appear before him, impatiently reaching out to hold the baby, Cheng Zongyang’s lips curved into an indulgent smile. "What, thinking of slacking off again?" he chuckled.

He knew perfectly well that his little sister wasn’t slacking off. She was just so fond of little Xingzu that she couldn’t tear herself away whenever she saw the baby.

He didn’t refuse, carefully handing the child to her. Xingzu was wrapped in soft swaddling clothes, his little face rosy like a ripe apple. His big, dark eyes shone brightly as he looked around curiously.

"Hee hee, of course not! Xingzu is so cute and chubby."

As she spoke, Cheng Zongyun planted a kiss on the baby’s cheek, the gesture gentle and full of love.

After being kissed, Xingzu’s little face looked even cuter. His little mouth opened slightly, revealing pink, toothless gums.

The little fellow was familiar with Cheng Zongyun, so he didn’t cry. Instead, he seemed amused by her affectionate gesture and let out a "GIGGLE GIGGLE GIGGLE" of laughter.

His laughter was incredibly infectious. The crisp sound echoed in the small courtyard, as if it could dispel all the gloom in the world.

Looking at the little girl, now thirteen, Cheng Zongyang couldn’t help but pat her head. He gently stroked his sister’s hair and asked dotingly, "Has your training been very difficult all these years?"

His eyes were full of concern. Ever since the little girl was weaned, he had been the one to dote on her and raise her.

But starting when she was four, he had become busy. Afterward, just like with the rest of his family, their time together was brief and their separations long.

He had been out adventuring all these years and couldn’t always be by his sister’s side, but he had always kept her cultivation progress in mind.

However, the little girl had the aptitude of the Five Spirit Bones but no Spirit Root. This meant her cultivation could only begin with Martial Arts. Because of this, he had also instructed Cheng Zongliang to watch over her.