Dongmei, glaring at the two people walking away, said to An xin in a frustrated tone.

“An xin, look at them! Clearly, they’re trying to make things difficult for your man. Aren’t you going to check on him?”

Dongmei, as An xin’s good friend, naturally stood on her side. She thought it was hard enough for An xin to find a husband with a stable job. If anything went wrong on her wedding day, her life in her husband’s family might not go smoothly.

But An xin merely patted Dongmei’s hand gently, her voice calm and soothing.

“Don’t get so worked up. It’s normal for village weddings to be noisy like this. Let them be.”

If that Bai Yichen couldn’t handle these “troublemakers,” how could he handle her in the future? An xin didn’t worry at all. She seemed completely at ease, while Dongmei stared at her friend, exasperated, mumbling under her breath.

“You’re like the emperor who doesn’t worry, but the eunuch does!”

But no matter how much Dongmei fussed, An xin wasn’t bothered. If the bride herself wasn’t anxious, what could she do?

Bai Yichen stood outside the room, his deep gaze glancing briefly toward the bridal chamber. A dark glimmer flickered in his eyes. From his pocket, he pulled out a red envelope and handed it to the people guarding the door. After taking a sip from a glass of liquor handed to him, he passed the rest to the groomsmen.

The village loved making things difficult for the groom, but it was all part of the fun. To navigate these obstacles, grooms usually brought a team of groomsmen to help with drinking challenges. Otherwise, the groom could easily get drunk before even reaching the bride.

Bai Yichen’s groomsmen were his coworkers from the geological exploration team—young and full of energy. They quickly downed the liquor and handled the situation with ease.

Seeing that the red envelopes were given and the drinks were finished, the villagers guarding the bridal chamber tactfully stepped aside, ready to let Bai Yichen through to retrieve the bride.

Not far from the bridal chamber, Chen Hongyan stood in a brand-new outfit, tears streaming down her face as she looked at her refined and handsome son-in-law. A bittersweet emotion washed over her.

“The cabbage I worked so hard to raise is finally being taken away by someone else.”

As a mother, Chen Hongyan couldn’t help but feel a sense of loss. It was natural. Any mother would feel a little empty as her daughter left to become someone else’s wife.

Nearby, An yang and the twins, An wen and An wu, were all dressed in new clothes. Excitedly, they stood at the bridal chamber door.

Today was their sister’s wedding day. She had bought new clothes for the entire family and even promised to buy them new clothes for every holiday going forward. If they wanted, she said she would send them to the provincial capital to study.

The siblings were delighted but felt sorry for An xin. They knew she worked so hard to take care of them.

As the school holidays ended, they’d have to return to their studies. But for now, they were overjoyed that their sister had found a good husband—a man with a stable job. Her future seemed secure, and that was what mattered most to them.

Just as Bai Yichen opened the door to the bridal chamber and stepped inside to fetch his bride, a man and a woman suddenly appeared.

Bai Yichen’s icy gaze darkened as he saw the man. Before he could speak, the woman’s voice broke the silence.

“So, this is Brother-in-law? I’m Anxin’s cousin, An Ling’er. I brought my boyfriend today to congratulate you both on your wedding. Wishing you happiness and many children!”

An Ling’er’s eyes gleamed with mockery, and Bai Yichen noticed it clearly. He glanced indifferently at the smug Zhang Fan beside her, his steps halting. His gaze shifted to An xin, sitting elegantly in her bridal attire, before he spoke politely.

“Thank you, little cousin and cousin-in-law, for your kind wishes. My wife and I will surely live happily and have many children.”

This Zhang Fan, wasn’t he the one who had sworn undying love for An xin not too long ago? How quickly he had attached himself to her cousin. Yet here he was, parading his smugness at someone else’s wedding.

Bai Yichen’s lips curled slightly. So this is the kind of man my wife used to have her eye on. Not much of a judge of character, is she?

Shaking off the thoughts, Bai Yichen ignored the pair and strode confidently toward his bride.

An xin, sitting calmly in the bridal chamber, watched as Bai Yichen approached. His aura was cold and imposing, but his face betrayed none of the joy expected of a groom.

Their eyes met briefly. An xin’s gaze was serene, like still water. Bai Yichen’s was sharp and detached. Yet, both wore faint, practiced smiles.

As Bai Yichen walked past An Ling’er and Zhang Fan, An Ling’er gave Zhang Fan a quick look. Understanding her signal, Zhang Fan reached out to block Bai Yichen’s path.

Bai Yichen stopped and looked at Zhang Fan with a detached gaze before speaking, his tone slow and deliberate.

“Cousin-in-law, is something the matter?”

The words “cousin-in-law” were emphasized heavily, clearly meant to provoke a reaction. Bai Yichen was curious to see how Zhang Fan would handle being caught between his past and present relationships.

Zhang Fan’s eyes flicked between Bai Yichen and An xin, dressed beautifully in her bridal attire. His expression twisted as he sneered.

“Today is such a special occasion for my dear cousin and her husband. Naturally, we wanted to add some excitement to the celebration.”

Bai Yichen didn’t even look at Zhang Fan, his eyes remaining fixed on An xin. She sat with a rare blend of cold elegance and fiery beauty, exuding an intoxicating charm. Bai Yichen’s thoughts drifted briefly to the fiery passion she’d shown the other night.

His lips curved into an amused smile. “Oh? And how do you and my little cousin plan to celebrate?” he asked, his voice laced with an undertone of challenge.