A delicate beauty takes a place in a marriage, while a cold, rough man seduces her every night.

One day in June.

A red carpet stretched from the east end of Nanping Village to the west end of the main road.

The place was bustling with acrobatics, lion dances, and the deafening sound of gongs and drums.

Several large pots were steaming, and the aroma of food filled the air.

Every household came out of their doors, and every corner of the village was filled with joy and lively noise.

People passing by the village entrance asked, "Wow, what's the occasion? Such a big celebration!"

Someone answered, "It's Mr. Xiao, the owner of the lumber mill. He's having a wedding and inviting the whole village to a feast."

Inside the Xiao family compound, everything has been renovated and is brand new.

The courtyard wall was rebuilt with bricks, the house was repainted, all the windows and doors were replaced, and the furniture inside was also replaced with a completely new set. The simple three-bedroom house is brand new, clean, warm and comfortable.

Inside, a professional makeup artist specially hired from the city was applying makeup to Qingyan, while Chunya helped hand her things from time to time.

Xiao Jingye changed clothes in another room. His neat white shirt and black suit vest accentuated his outstanding temperament, adding a touch of refinement to his sharp features that he didn't usually possess. His trousers hugged his long legs, making him appear both composed and handsome.

A large crowd had gathered in the courtyard, all waiting to see the bride and groom.

Xiao Jingye held a black tie, frantically groping in front of the mirror for a long time without knowing how to wear it, so he could only take the tie to his wife for help.

As I pushed open the door, Qingyan had just finished her makeup.

Chun Ya smiled and said, "Brother Jingye, isn't your little wife beautiful?"

Qingyan stood up from the stool and slowly turned around.

Xiao Jingye stopped in his tracks, his gaze fixed on her.

She wore a bright red, modernized cheongsam with delicate gold thread and floral and bird embroidery covering the diagonal placket. The pattern was exquisite and gorgeous, the stand-up collar was dignified and elegant, and the three-quarter sleeves were adorned with pearls and embroidered lace at the cuffs. The side slits accentuated her slender figure.

Her hair was styled in an updo, adorned with light gold hair accessories, and she wore tassel gold earrings, creating an overall look that was both classic and exquisite.

Looking at that face again, her skin was fair, her eyebrows and eyes were round and soft, her eyes were clear and bright, and she was radiant and dazzling, gentle yet shy and lively.

Xiao Jingye stared at Qingyan for a long time without blinking.

Qingyan chuckled, her eyes sparkling with a sweet smile, like melting milk candy.

"Why are you just standing there like an idiot?" Qingyan asked.

He snapped out of his daze, a flush rising to his face. He walked up to her and handed her his tie: "You don't know how to tie it."

Chun Ya led the makeup artist out for tea, leaving only the two of them inside.

Qingyan took the tie: "Come here."

He took a step closer and immediately smelled the soft, faint fragrance emanating from her.

"Look down," Qingyan said, "you're too tall."

Xiao Jingye lowered his head, his gaze fixed on her face.

The tie was wrapped around the back of his neck, and Qingyan carefully crossed and circled it, her movements gentle and delicate.

She learned how to tie a tie from her aunt and uncle; otherwise, she wouldn't have been able to do it.

Under his intense gaze, a blush crept onto her cheeks. She gently raised her eyes and playfully scolded him, "Why are you staring at me like that?"

Xiao Jingye's gaze swept over her rosy lips, and his Adam's apple bobbed: "Wife, I want to kiss you."

"No kissing allowed."

Why?

"I've put on lipstick."

The girl's sweet breath gently swept across his throat, and Xiao Jingye's body stiffened slightly.

There were still more than eight hours until dark, which was really hard to wait for, he thought.

Qingyan carefully adjusted her tie, aligning the bow tie with the shirt collar: "All done."

As soon as he finished speaking, the man suddenly leaned down and placed a gentle kiss on her fair neck.

"Oh dear, you..." Qingyan patted his chest, "How annoying, someone could come in at any moment."

He squeezed her buttocks hard and pulled her towards him, their bodies colliding instantly.

Qingyan sensed something and said, embarrassed and annoyed, "You...how can you be so horny all the time?"

"I'm only aroused by you."

Even in a suit, she couldn't maintain a refined demeanor for more than two seconds, Qingyan thought.

As the two walked out of the house hand in hand, the crowd exclaimed in admiration.

"Oh my, look at these two, they're a match made in heaven, their looks and figures are perfectly matched!"

"Exactly, they look so good together; you'd be hard-pressed to find such a well-matched couple anywhere in the surrounding area!"

Duoduo looked up at Qingyan with her little face in a daze and said, "Sister-in-law, you are so beautiful."

Qingyan smiled and reached out to pinch her cheek: "You're pretty too."

At noon, when the banquet began, Xiao Jingye and she went along the red carpet to toast their relatives, friends, and colleagues at the large tables set up on both sides.

There are too many people in the village to take care of everyone, so Fang Zhijie and a few of his brothers take care of the other neighbors who are not so close to him.

No monetary gifts were accepted at the wedding banquet; the entire village was treated to a free meal.

However, some relatives and friends who had previously exchanged gifts still secretly slipped money to them as usual.

The entire process was devoid of complicated formalities, yet it was nonetheless grand and solemn.

While eating, everyone discussed:

"Qingyan is so lucky. She's already married, and Jinye still gave her a wedding ceremony. He's such a good man."

"Jingye is truly blessed. Qingyan is a genuine cultured woman. When she first married into the Xiao family, they had nothing. Back then, Jingye was still hunting in the mountains. Qingyan has a face that brings good fortune to her husband; she's definitely bringing prosperity to the Xiao family."

"If you ask me, it's precisely because the couple loves each other and understands each other that they can live such a prosperous life."

The wedding banquet was lively all day long, and even in the evening, everyone was still immersed in the joy and talking about it with great relish.

Chen Xiuying's younger brother, Chen Liang, and his wife returned, laughing and talking about the scene and grandeur of the day.

Chen Xiuying, confined at home, was forced to listen to the sounds of gongs and drums all day. She felt a surge of resentment and pouted.

"What's so strange about getting married? The Xiao family is just putting on a show, and you're all taking it so seriously?"

Chen Liang's wife said, "They treated the whole village to a free meal. Xiao Jingye didn't hold grudges; even neighbors with whom he had past conflicts came. The banquet had a dozen or so dishes, comparable to a high-end restaurant. Isn't that amazing?"

"This is hundreds of times bigger than Xiaomeng's wedding!"

Chen Xiuying, who was used to bickering with her sister-in-law, retorted sarcastically, "You've been bought off with just one meal, as if you've never eaten before."

Chen Liang's wife retorted, "If you're so capable, why don't you have your daughter find a big boss and have a wedding like that too!"

"You—" Chen Xiuying wanted to retort, but considering that she was now living under someone else's roof, she shut her mouth and didn't argue with her anymore.

The noise subsided at night.

The firecracker debris in the yard and at the entrance was swept clean, and Duoduo was pulled back to her room to sleep early by Zeng Yumei.

Qingyan leaned against the table and stretched her neck.

He didn't drink much, just pretended to take a few sips, but his face still turned red from the alcohol.

No one told her that organizing a wedding was so tiring, and that she should have just not done it.

Xiao Jingye stepped into the house and casually closed the door.

"Have Mom and Duoduo gone to bed?" Qingyan looked at him.

"Hmm." He loosened his tie with one hand, strode over to her side, and gently lifted her onto the table, his eyes revealing a clear sense of aggression.

Qingyan wrapped her arms around his neck, her eyes gentle, and pleaded, "I'm so tired today, could we not...?"

Before she could finish speaking, the man silenced her with a kiss.

A powerful masculine aura, mixed with the taste of alcohol in his mouth, aggressively plundered her lips.

They plundered her fragrance, plundered her breath, plundered everything about her.

The night was deep outside, with only the occasional chirping of cicadas.

The reflections of people in the window, rising and falling, overlapping and separating, are like seawater crashing against cliff rocks, wild and fierce.

Qingyan was still wearing her cheongsam, and her lipstick was a messy red, smudged beyond the lip line.

Several buttons on the collar and front of the garment were undone, and the skirt was bunched up at the waist, looking messy and disheveled.

As she cried until her eyes were red and swollen, the man leaned down on her, pressing her wrists tightly, his moans deep and sensual.

The breath that landed on her ear almost scalded her.

"Wife, it's all yours."

There should be no barriers between us; I don't like any barriers between us.

I'll give you everything, without reservation.

Pure white, burning love, abundant emotions—all for you.