As the voices outside settled, a calloused hand lifted the heavy, bright red curtain of the sedan chair and reached inside at just the right moment.
The hand paused at the entrance of the sedan chair in a respectful posture. It belonged to a servant waiting specifically to help her out.
Bai Ci feigned a moment of hesitation, acting as if she had no idea what to do.
Only when the person outside said, “Young Madam, please place your hand here. This servant will assist you out of the sedan,” did she finally raise her hand and place it in theirs.
The hand that met hers was steady and firm, securely supporting Bai Ci's forearm and guiding her out of the bridal sedan chair.
Even after Bai Ci stepped out, the hand did not let go immediately. Instead, it continued to guide her, unable as she was to see where she was going, as they walked forward and crossed the main threshold.
The red bridal veil on Bai Ci's head was thick and heavy, made of solid silk rather than sheer fabric. Her vision was completely blocked; she could only see the small patch of ground right beneath her feet when she looked down.
The bluestone pavement was smooth and clean, with neatly aligned gaps.
In her ears was an endless stream of congratulations and laughter, mixed with the faint, crackling after-echoes of burnt-out firecrackers.
Bai Ci immediately understood her situation.
Assessing her current body's condition—the thick calluses on her palms, her thin and frail frame—combined with the ancient setting, she was undoubtedly a peasant girl raised on simple food and hard labor.
Yet the family she was marrying into was, at the very least, a wealthy local gentry household.
The underlying implications of this setup required very little thought to figure out.
If this were a quick-transmigration novel, such an anomaly might signal some drama involving a swap between a real and a fake heiress.
But since this was an unlimited flow story, only one direction remained: either a marriage to ward off bad luck, a ghost marriage, or a sacrifice.
In any case, none of them boded well.
Bai Ci let her shoulders slump and relaxed her spine slightly, intentionally projecting a timid and helpless demeanor.
For a peasant girl, not knowing proper etiquette, being gentle and timid, and feeling utterly lost when things happened was the most logical persona.
Showing weakness like this would not only excuse any mistakes she made during the ceremony but also lower the guard of those around her, saving her from endless unnecessary trouble.
The servant supported her as they continued forward. The bluestone path stretched all the way to the middle courtyard, where a blazing brazier blocked their path, its charcoal glowing bright red and spitting out occasional sparks.
“The bride steps over the brazier to dispel misfortune and welcome peace and safety year after year!”
The master of ceremonies chanted loudly, his tone solemn yet festive.
“Young Madam, lift your foot,” the servant supporting Bai Ci whispered, reminding her of the details. “Step over this brazier. Be careful not to step on it or knock it over.”
Bai Ci had no intention of playing the runaway bride. She didn't resist, lifting her foot to step over the brazier as guided.
Once past the brazier, they entered what seemed to be the main hall.
With her random and limited knowledge, Bai Ci couldn't think of the exact historical term for a moment. Was it the central parlor?
In any case, she was steadily guided to one side to stand. An empty space was left beside her, which was exactly where the other half of the couple should stand.
The voices around them gradually died down. Bai Ci could feel the gazes of the guests slowly focusing on her.
Taking advantage of this brief window where she didn't need to act or respond, Bai Ci quietly opened the long-neglected Rain's Message panel.
Rain's Message NPC: Xu Qinghe (Courtesy Name: Huaining)
Appearance: Like jade carved from stone, like a pine standing tall. Unrivaled in brilliance, peerless in this world.
Identity: Eldest legitimate son of the Xu family, a young master from a scholarly lineage
Relationship to Player: Husband. Due to his congenital frailty, his mother took charge and chose a wife with a compatible horoscope to ward off his ill fortune.
Stat Levels: Physicality ??, Spirit ??, Agility ??
Special Skill: Literature Carries the Dao (The brush condenses deep emotions, a single page of elegance moves the world)
Life Status: ??, Curse [What is Love] active
Those few lines left Bai Ci momentarily speechless.
Among all the Rain's Message NPCs she had bound in the past, no matter how bizarre their life status was—even if they were dead—it would always be clearly labeled.
This time, it was a completely unknown question mark. What was going on?
Fortunately, since [What is Love] was active, it proved that this person was likely still alive.
But in what way, or in what form, was he alive?
That remained unclear.
The master of ceremonies' loud chants rang out again, interrupting Bai Ci's thoughts.
Someone had already stepped up to the spot beside her. Could it be her half-dead husband?
“The newlyweds are in position! First bow to Heaven and Earth—”
Bai Ci pushed down her thoughts and bowed slightly in sync with the chant.
Using the motion of bowing, she looked through the gap at the bottom of her veil and finally saw the spot where the groom was supposed to be standing.
Standing there was a boy with a noticeably youthful face.
He had a tense, wooden expression. Though he tried to restrain his face, the displeasure in his eyes was completely unconcealed. He wore an ill-fitting, bright red wedding robe.
His slender arms securely cradled a large rooster with glossy feathers and a bright red comb.
The rooster was gently bound with red silk and adorned with a large red flower. It sat quietly in the boy's arms, its head held high.
A rooster wedding.
Bai Ci instantly understood the situation.
Just as the Rain's Message panel had indicated, this was a marriage to ward off bad luck.
It seemed her half-dead husband, Xu Qinghe, was probably extremely ill—so weak that he couldn't even support himself through the wedding ceremony.
With such a severely ill body, combined with the catalyst of [What is Love], Bai Ci actually felt a bit worried for this young master.
She wondered if he would even survive the night.
You have to survive, my half-dead husband.
She hadn't come to this instance to act in some tragic melodrama, nor was she interested in domestic power struggles. So, could he please wait until she was about to leave the instance before dying?
If life could be a little easier, who would choose to make it miserable?
“Second bow to the Parents—”
Bai Ci followed the rhythm, bowing properly.
“Husband and wife, bow to each other—”
The figure in red holding the rooster didn't bend at all. He simply pressed down on the rooster's neck to force it to complete the bow.
The rooster fluttered its wings, but because of the red silk binding it, they could only open less than halfway. Close enough, it counted as a response to this absurd bow.
“The ceremony is complete! Send them to the bridal chamber!”
As the chant ended, the servants on both sides immediately stepped forward to support Bai Ci again.
Perhaps part of their job was also to monitor her, preventing her from running away on her wedding day because she didn't want to marry an invalid.
The servants guided her to turn and leave the main hall, walking through layers of corridors toward the bridal chamber in the rear courtyard.
Along the way, the courtyards were deep and quiet, the plants and trees arranged with care, and the rooms elegant and refined. Every corner exuded meticulous order.
Before long, the group stopped in front of an elegant courtyard. The courtyard doors were tightly shut, completely shutting out the noisy chatter from outside, plunging the area into instant silence.
The servants bowed and left after bringing her to the door, leaving only a slender, sharp-eyed personal maid waiting inside the room.
“Young Madam, you have had a long journey,” the maid said, stepping forward half a pace. Her tone was respectful and submissive, her voice soft.
She showed no condescension in her words or attitude just because she was serving a peasant girl.
“This servant is Jinghong. From now on, I will attend to your daily needs and grooming, Young Madam.”
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