Chapter 4

Editor: DarkSapphire, Uncia

Xiao Lian looked up at the person’s outstretched hand. Whether it be his appearance or movement, both were completely contradicting to a blind person’s. If only his eyes contained some vigor, what a sight it would be. 

He stretched his own hand to hold Yan Xixia’s hand as they descended from the horse. The two joined hands and entered the door. The guests were standing in the courtyard, opening a path for the two. Xiao Lian looked at everyone and panic surged in his heart. Why weren’t these people sitting at the table? He quickly lowered his head. With so many people here, someone was bound to know him.

Then, his biggest fear came true. Xiao Lian spotted Li Chengze, who he knew. Li Chengze was also a student who passed the imperial civil service examination and someone who was also named as a successful candidate in the provincial imperial examination. Li Chengze had been to his embroidery workshop before, and Xiao Lian did not know how he caught Li Chengze’s eyes.

After Li Chengze passed the exam, he went to the Xiao Mansion and asked for Xiao Lian’s hand in marriage. At that time, Xiao Nuofu had already decided to have Xiao Lian take Xiao Xin’s place. If there was no such settlement, Xiao Nuofu certainly would have accepted the proposal.

Li Chengze, who came back after failing the imperial civil service examination, didn’t expect to see Xiao Lian at the wedding. In a slight panic, he blurted out, “Xiao Lian?” 

Next to him was someone dressed in purple. “Do you know this Young Master Xiao?”

Xiao Lian knew this person in purple. He was the student from the Zhuxi Pavilion and standing beside the purple scholar was the other student, dressed in blue.

Li Chengze disliked Yan Xixia’s cold temperament, so he would do anything to disturb the person he disliked the most. He said in a louder voice, “He is the Xiao Family’s bastard.”

The purple one was somewhat surprised, “How would he be a bastard?”

“Who knows, maybe because Yan Xixia is blind, so the Xiao Family paid less regard to him.”

The purple student’s eyebrows raised slightly. “Bother Li, please guard your mouth.”

The blue student cut in, “Li Chengze, if you are not here to celebrate the joyful event, please leave.”

We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.

Xiao Lian was stiff. He did not expect Li Chengze to say such a thing. If he heard it, his blind partner must have heard it as well, as his ears were more sensitive. His head was still lowered, and he didn’t look at Yan Xixia’s face. The smaller hand was breaking out with sweat. 

The first thought that came into Yan Xixia’s mind when he heard the conversation between the two was: The one that watches but does not enter: it was him.

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The two entered the main hall. When the time arrived, the attendant at the wedding started to recite: “A bow to heaven and earth, a marriage predestined by fate and acknowledged by the stone of three eternal lives—first bow!” 

Xiao Lian held a red silk ribbon in his hand. When bowing, he thought: Why didn’t Yan Xixia respond?

Having lost both of his parents, Yan Xixia was raised by the housekeeper couple. He respected them very much. Currently, the couple was the one sitting on the main parental seat.

The attendant: “A bow to the parents, as gratitude for familial love and care. Let their longevity be as old as the Mountain Nanshan, second bow!”

What was he thinking? 

“A bow to each other, for the eternity of marriage, may both have the happiest time, third bow!”

Although he couldn’t see, on the inside, he was thinking of me, right?

The final phrase: “This concludes the ceremony, would both please head to the bridal room!”

Xiao Lian followed Yan Xixia all the way to the room. They could rest for a while before heading to the banquet tables. After entering, the wall isolated them from the outside noise. Xiao Lian restlessly stood by the door while Yan Xixia walked to the table. He poured a cup of tea, faced the door, but did not look Xiao Lian in the eyes. He smiled and called out: “Xiao Lian?” 

Xiao Lian didn’t know what to say, to apologize or give an explanation? But explain what? It was true that he misled Yan Xixia about his identity.

Because Yan Xixia did not hear Xiao Lian’s voice, he chuckled and said, “I do not blame you, but could you please reply? You know I am blind and can’t see.”

Xiao Lian walked beside Yan Xixia, kneeled, and pleaded, “My apologies, Young Master Yan, you helped me, yet I lied to you.”

Yan Xixia couldn’t see but heard the voice from below him. He looked in the voice’s direction and fumbled toward it. He touched Xiao Lian’s face and, according to the location, judged that Xiao Lian was most likely kneeling. He reached out and tried to support Xiao Lian up on his feet. “Please get up. I said I do not blame you. I know you must have difficulties too.” 

Xiao Lian would not get up. He said in guilt, “There were no difficulties; I was in the wrong.” He lied to him and even used the opportunity to pave the way for his mother.

“If you insist on admitting you were in the wrong then I forgive you.” Yan Xixia’s hands moved from Xiao Lian’s neck to his shoulder, which he caressed in comfort. “Anyway, we have completed the wedding ceremony. Do you still have to put on such an attitude towards me?”

Xiao Lian finally got up. Yan Xixia seemed to not care that he was deceived in his marriage, similar to his indifference about losing his vision. He looked Yan Xixia in the eyes and saw Yan Xixia grinning. “Don’t look at me, it’s time for us to greet our guests.”

Xiao Lian murmured in doubt: “How do you know that I’m looking at you?” 

Yan Xixia laughed brightly: “I guessed.”

Xiao Lian’s face turned red from Yan Xixia’s teasing.

After the two went out in the open, they visited each table for a toast. At one table sat Yan Xixia’s classmates. Xiao Lian saw Li Chengze was among them, sitting with the two who were at the Zhuxi Pavilion the other day.

The scholar in purple was called Wen Yihong while the one in blue was called Xu Shan. The two gave their blessings, and Yan Xixia smiled at each of them and accepted their blessings, but Li Chengze’s eyes moved away from Xiao Lian’s face. He held up his glass and said: “I thought that Brother Yan was marrying the first wife’s son. I never expected it would be the Xiao Family’s bastard instead.” 

The atmosphere around the table turned dead quiet. Xu Shan looked angrily at Li Chengze, as he growled through gritted teeth: “Li Chengze.”

Yan Xixia, who stood beside Xu Shan, reached out and pressed down on Xu Shan’s shoulders. He said smiling: “I am happy with my wife. Why does it matter to me if he is a bastard child?”

“That’s right! The bride’s appearance is better than the Xiao Family’s other son. Just now, he looked even more radiant wearing the wedding suit,” Li Chengze said, watching Xiao Lian as he laughed quietly. “Oh I forgot that Brother Yan could not see, I will drink as punishment. ”

After Li Chengze was finished, he raised his glass of wine and drank it all down. 

Xiao Lian hated Li Chengze’s stare: “Why should you care if I am beautiful or ugly?”

“I am afraid it’s not proper for Brother Li to assess how my wife looks?” Yan Xixia grinned and stretched a hand around Xiao Lian’s shoulder. “Although I can’t see, I can rely on the impression that my wife left in my heart before I lost my sight. If I can’t imagine it, I can still rely on my hands to feel. Brother Li can rest assured.”

Instead of showing his anger, Li Chengze laughed: “Yes, one can always rely on their hands.”

Yan Xixia also laughed: “Brother Li, today is my big day. If the wine here does not bring you joy, then go elsewhere to find a drink that fits your appetite.” 

Li Chengze asked: “Is this how Brother Yan treats his guests? Ask them to leave in the middle of his big day?”

Yan Xixia countered with his own question: “Is this how Brother Li acts as a guest on someone’s big day? Speak nothing but rudely?”

The two men used words to fight, but then Wen Yihong came forward to smooth things over: “Brother Li, you were the one in the wrong. Why don’t you apologize to Brother Yan and Madam Yan?”

Li Chengze fiddled with his cup: “Apologize? I have nothing to lose for not finishing this wedding feast.” He slammed the cup down on the table, creating a loud sound as he turned and left. 

With Li Chengze gone, Xu Shan was much happier. He raised a glass with others, cheering as they raised their cups, “Come, everyone. Let’s toast Brother Yan and Madam Yan to wish them a hundred years of happiness.”

Everyone added their blessing and toasted with their own wine. The atmosphere once again livened up.

Xiao Lian thought he was the reason the atmosphere turned gloomy earlier. He reached out to pull at the corner of Yan Xixia’s jacket and whispered into his ear: “I’m sorry, it was all because of me.”

Yan Xixia also lowered his head toward Xiao Lian’s ear and said softly: “I don’t blame you, he could never see eye to eye with me.”