In the bridal chamber with candles burning brightly, red silk embroidered with the character "Double Happiness" hung from the beams to the floor, and the air was filled with the sweet scent of longan, red dates, and peanuts.

Chun Nuan walked into the bridal chamber and saw Qiu Yan sitting at the edge of the kang, covered with a large red quilt with mandarin ducks, her eyebrows and eyes hidden under the red veil.

Surrounded by a group of female guests.

Truthfully, Chun Nuan, who grew up in the Capital, rarely stepped out of her home, so she didn’t recognize any of them.

The Zhao family didn’t have other relatives in the Capital, so these women must be the wives and daughters of guests from the Capital.

It can only be said that enjoying lively events is a woman’s nature; whether familiar or not, they all want to come and make a scene, joining in the wedding fun.

Suddenly, footsteps approached the door, and someone cheerfully shouted, "The Champion Scholar is here, the Champion Scholar is here."

Zhao Minglang, dressed in a bright red wedding robe, entered gracefully amidst the congratulations of all.

"Groom, it’s time to lift the veil!" 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝒆𝒘𝙚𝓫𝙣𝙤𝒗𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

The bridesmaid beside him handed over a balance rod wrapped in red cloth with a smile: "This scale rod to lift the veil symbolizes ’all wishes come true,’ so use it carefully, don’t keep the bride waiting too long!"

Zhao Minglang took the balance rod, his fingertips slightly tense, and when he approached Qiu Yan, his voice carried a hint of unnoticeable nervousness, "Yan’er, I’m going to lift the veil, don’t be nervous."

Telling Qiu Yan not to be nervous, but Zhao Minglang’s voice was trembling, and he was quite nervous himself.

"Mm."

Qiu Yan could feel his gaze on her through the veil, her cheeks burning, and her lips slightly parted.

The balance rod gently lifted a corner of the veil, and the red silk slowly slid off, revealing her lightly sketched eyebrows, a tiny bead of sweat on her nose, and a gaze full of shyness.

Looking at Qiu Yan like this, Zhao Minglang felt completely paralyzed, momentarily dazed, even as the Champion Scholar, he was at a loss for words, not knowing what to say.

"Look, look, the bride is so beautiful, the groom is stunned."

The crowd teased and laughed.

Zhao Minglang blushed deeply.

"Yan’er, you look truly beautiful today." Zhao Minglang looked at her, his lips couldn’t help but curve up, whispering softly.

Qiu Yan turned red with embarrassment, lowered her head, thinking what a fool he was!

Is this something to be said openly in front of everyone?

"Oh my, the groom’s words are so sweet! Let the bride take a look at you, don’t just keep admiring her yourself!"

The bridesmaid teased from the side.

Qiu Yan, with a flushed face, looked up at Zhao Minglang; he was wearing a bright red wedding suit, appearing more spirited than usual with a gentle look in his eyes.

"You look good today too," she couldn’t help but say softly with a smile.

Indeed, since her husband gave her face, she should also give her husband some confidence.

Just as she finished speaking, the bridesmaid handed over a pair of cups filled with wine to them.

"Next, it’s time to drink the cross-cupped wine! Once you drink it, you’ll be a couple for life, harmonious and growing old together!"

​

Zhao Minglang took one cup and handed it to Qiu Yan, then picked up the other himself.

He crossed her wrist, bringing the cup to his lips, "Drink slowly, this wine is a bit strong."

"Mm." Qiu Yan tilted her head slightly, the warm wine sliding down her throat with a faint fragrance. She watched Zhao Minglang also tilt his head to drink, her cheeks reddening even more.​

Just after they finished drinking the cross-cupped wine, a burst of jovial laughter came from outside the door, and Xiao Muyang pushed open the door and walked in, holding a cloth bag filled with peanuts and longan.

"Uncle, Aunt, it’s my turn to roll the happiness bed! They say rolling on the happiness bed brings good luck, so today I must roll a few laps and soak up your good fortune!"

Chun Nuan couldn’t help but laugh at Xiao Muyang’s rambunctious appearance.

"Muyang, be gentle while you roll, don’t mess up the bedding."

Xiao Muyang replied with a smile, "Aunt, don’t worry, I know the limits! My mother taught me."

As he spoke, he removed his shoes and carefully climbed onto the kang, first rolling one lap clockwise, then another counter-clockwise, murmuring along as he rolled.

"Roll the bed, roll the bed, one roll brings gold ingots, two rolls bring dragon and phoenix twins, three rolls bring marital harmony, four rolls bring family prosperity!"

Xiao Muyang’s loud voice and auspicious words made everyone in the room burst into laughter.​

After rolling the happiness bed, Xiao Muyang got down from the kang and brushed the peanuts off himself.

"Uncle, Aunt, I’ve rolled out the best fortune for you, if you have a chubby boy in the future, you must treat me to red eggs!"

"We’ll definitely treat you to red eggs, and even give you a big red envelope!" Zhao Minglang nodded with a smile to thank him.

Just then, the servants brought in a plate of steaming dumplings.

"Come, the bride will eat the dumplings." The bridesmaid handed a dumpling with chopsticks to Qiu Yan’s mouth.

Qiu Yan took a small bite and furrowed her brows.

"Bride, is it raw or cooked?"

"Cooked."

Qiu Yan answered, her face blazing with blush.

"Good, good, the bride says it’s cooked, meaning ’early birth of a noble son.’"

"Yes, yes, early birth of a noble son."

"Oh my, the bride is so frank! That’s a good omen, surely you’ll have a chubby boy in the future!"

As soon as the words left, everyone in the room cheered, the bridesmaid laughingly said.

Zhao Minglang looked at Qiu Yan’s shy expression and reached out to wipe her mouth.

The crowd erupted into laughter again.

"The Champion Scholar is not only good at studying, he’s also tender to his wife."

"Indeed, we should all learn from the Champion Scholar."

The crowd teased, turning the couple’s faces even redder.

"Everyone, please head to the outer room for the feast, let my wife rest a bit, she’s very tired today." He then instructed, "Nanny Zhong, bring the prepared food for Madam, she must be starving."

Zhao Minglang directly issued a guest-ordering instruction, bringing laughter again among the female guests.

Amid the laughter was a touch of bitterness: when they married, their own husbands didn’t care whether they were tired or hungry.

Comparisons are odious, indeed, the outstanding excel in everything.

Among them, several had secretly laughed at Qiu Yan, thinking she was a spinster with no prospects.

But who could have expected to be proven so wrong, marrying not only out but to such an excellent husband.

Truly, good things come to those who wait, and just like fine wine, gets better with age.

After the female guests left the bridal chamber, maids and older maids filed in, bringing a table of food and wine in.

"Nuannuan, have dinner with me."

"Second Sister-in-law, I still have to go out and help Mother entertain the guests."

Chun Nuan called her Second Sister-in-law, and Qiu Yan paused, her face reddening with embarrassment.

"Thank you for your hard work."

"Tonight you’ll have to work harder."

Chun Nuan leaned in and whispered, "Take extra notes from the book at the bottom of the box."

"Nuannuan..."

Qiu Yan stamped her foot in urgency and pretended to hit her.

Chun Nuan quickly jumped out of the bridal chamber.

That night, the light of the red candles reflected on their faces in the bridal chamber, warm and bright, the sweet fragrance in the air growing stronger, as if even time had paused at this perfect moment, just to capture this roomful of joy and happiness.​