A Wedding’s Uninvited Guest

Music and dance filled the air, with songs echoing from every direction. Neon lights, predominantly yellow, shimmered and intertwined, casting a festive glow. Bai Chen, his arm linked stiffly with Huayu’s, greeted the arriving guests, a forced smile plastered on his face. Accustomed to wearing masks, Bai Chen now donned one of ‘happiness,’ its facade blending perfectly with Huayu’s unrestrained, overflowing joy.

In the distance, a jarring splash of color, a familiar silhouette—Bai Chen’s heart seemed to clench violently.

As she drew closer, Bai Qiao’s delicate features finally became clear to everyone. Yet, all eyes were drawn to her attire. On such an occasion, everyone dressed in their most splendid finery, but Bai Qiao stood out in a stark black gown. Black, on a day like this, to wear black…

Whispers inevitably erupted among the onlookers. Seeing Bai Qiao maligned by the crowd, Bai Chen instinctively wanted to step forward and defend her, but Huayu’s hand clamped onto his arm. He turned to see Huayu frowning at him, and only then did the realization strike him: this was a wedding venue. Even though the ceremony hadn’t officially begun, many guests had already arrived. To cause a scene for another woman at his own wedding… ‘Ha, the repercussions, if word got out, would be unimaginable.’

Bai Chen halted his steps, watching Bai Qiao approach. His heart hammered rapidly. The black dress, far from loose, hugged her figure, accentuating Bai Qiao’s graceful curves. Bai Chen felt a distinct flush spread across his face.

“Ah?”

Gazing at the red paper packet Bai Qiao offered, Bai Chen froze in bewilderment. ‘What is this? Red… a token of love? How could this be? Bai Qiao isn’t like this…’ He took the red packet, half-believing, half-doubting. The onlookers were utterly baffled. They had witnessed forced marriages, brawls in the ceremony hall, but never anything like this—a token of love presented so calmly?

Huayu, whose face was usually as gentle as water, finally showed a flash of anger. She stepped forward and demanded loudly:

“You… what exactly do you want?”

“Huh? It’s just a blessing.”

Bai Qiao didn’t even glance at Huayu. Bai Chen, a dark expression on his face, stared at the few banknotes in his hand. ‘What in the world is this?’ he wondered, utterly perplexed.

Seeing that the crowd seemed not to understand her, Bai Qiao merely shrugged and walked away, heedless of the murmurs. Bai Chen felt his heart nearly explode, yet he forced himself to hold back, not daring to turn and look.

Only out of the corner of his eye did he catch Qing chasing after her, filling him with an even deeper sense of grief and indignation.

****

“What the hell!” Bai Qiao angrily kicked a nearby stone, sending it flying and leaving a distinct dent in the ground.

The ceremonial music had already begun behind her. Bai Qiao clenched her fist, her long fingernails digging into her palm as she heard the cheers of the crowd. Soon, beads of blood began to well up and drip.

Her chilling hand was suddenly enveloped by another, warm one. It wasn’t Bai Chen’s familiar touch, but someone else’s. Though the skin was equally soft, this hand was large enough to completely cover hers, and the warmth it radiated was just right.

Startled, Bai Qiao realized it was Qing. She instinctively pulled her hand away, retreating several steps. A flicker of sorrow crossed Qing’s eyes as he sensed her resistance. Seeing his expression and hearing the festive music from the opulent palace, Bai Qiao felt a slight softening. When Qing embraced her again, she surprisingly offered no resistance.

Perhaps her compliance pleased Qing, for he leaned in a little further, whispering into Bai Qiao’s ear:

“Why not… come back with me?”

The warm breath against her ear startled Bai Qiao. She abruptly pushed Qing aside and turned, running back.

She slammed the room door shut. The loud wedding music from afar, along with indistinct murmurs, resonated profoundly in the empty room and her equally empty heart. Leaning against the door, an inexpressible feeling washed over her.

“What the hell!” She raised her hand and smashed a nearby porcelain ornament to the floor.

Only when she sank helplessly to the floor did Bai Qiao finally relax a little, then realize: ‘What am I doing? When did the old Bai Qiao become like this? No matter what, even if that’s another version of myself, no matter what, he’s still a man…’ No, Bai Qiao was startled by the thought that had just sprung to mind. ‘A man… how could that be?!’ She let out a self-deprecating laugh.

Night soon fell, and the moonlight streamed down. Bai Qiao, still in her loose-fitting clothes, adjusted her collar. ‘Today was truly disgraceful,’ she mused. ‘Fortunately, I came to my senses.’

“Bang, bang, bang!”

The late-night knocking echoed particularly loudly in the silence. Donning a coat, Bai Qiao opened the door, her brow furrowing at the sight of the person standing there. It was one of Bai Chen’s attendants, holding what appeared to be a bowl of medicinal soup.

“Miss, His Majesty ordered this to be brought…”

“What is this?”

“His Majesty didn’t say, but he instructed me to ensure you drink it.”

‘Drink it?’ Having read too many novels, Bai Qiao’s mind immediately went to… ‘Poison? Aphrodisiac? It’s definitely some kind of drug… What a joke…’

She reached out to close the door, but the attendant recalled Bai Chen’s strict orders: Bai Qiao must drink it, no matter the means. The first method that came to mind was… force-feeding!

“Splat!”

“Splash!”

The attendant hadn’t anticipated Bai Qiao’s formidable internal energy. The medicinal soup splattered onto the ground, quickly soaking into the earth and gleaming faintly under the moonlight.

“Slam!”

Bai Qiao slammed the door shut with a resounding bang, her heart utterly unsettled by what had just transpired. ‘Medicine… Bai Chen, even if you married another woman, even if you… it shouldn’t come to this, should it?’

After being forced into intimacy with Huayu, Bai Chen walked out onto the balcony alone, gazing at a solitary star in the sky. ‘Qiao… don’t rush. Your poison has been neutralized, and your life is safe. Your heart, I will claim it eventually… just wait for me…’