Gasp! She's a Time Traveler Using Modern Tech to Improve Ancient Life-Chapter 718 - 713: The Eve of the Wedding

The banquet began amidst the music of silk bamboo instruments and discussions of poetry and song, and ended amidst jewelry, hats, and the swirling skirts filling the hall.

Lin Wanwan and the four cousins from Xiao Mansion were still squeezed into two carriages, rolling under the starlight all the way home.

The County Government and the Xiao Family were in the same neighborhood, belonging to the wealthy area of Qiantang. Even on nights with a curfew, it was largely disregarded within the neighborhood.

Especially as this neighborhood was home to the rich and noble, so there would not be any foolish patrols passing through.

As soon as the cousins returned to the Xiao Family, they were welcomed warmly.

Lin Wanwan’s aunt, Madam Yuan, heard the noise at the gate and led Little Qingyu and her grandson out to welcome them. She was delighted to see her three daughters return home with glowing faces.

Her daughter of direct lineage—Xiao Xianghua, who rarely smiled since getting engaged, was full of joy today. She couldn’t help but think: It seems Xianghua really needs to go out more.

In everyday social gatherings of Great Tang women, married women and young maidens waiting for marriage were generally the most popular. Those who were engaged and awaiting marriage rarely ventured out for socializing.

However, since getting engaged in the past half year, Xiao Xianghua had been somewhat melancholy, causing her mother quite some worry.

Despite several conversations with her daughter, she didn’t gather any heartfelt words, and inquiries with her maid led nowhere, so she could only assume it was "pre-marital jitters."

Madam Yuan was very concerned that Xiao Xianghua might marry into the Wang Family in Mao County with a dejected demeanor, which could garner displeasure from her mother-in-law. She even decided to add more of her private dowry assets to Xiao Xianghua’s dowry list.

Using her private dowry assets to augment her daughter’s dowry was beyond reproach. Her daughter-in-law might have some private criticisms, but they had no grounds for public objection.

Tonight, Xiao Xianghua was genuinely happy, not just because she went out for a while and danced a few times, but because she saw with her own eyes the originally aloof Madam Lu Xiao, who had a slight disdain for them, accept Lin Wanwan.

Although Madam Xiao still maintained a facade of being a mentor-like elder, Xiao Xianghua could see that this was her demonstration of friendliness.

Given the huge gap between the Wanghai Lin Family and the Lanling Xiao Family, Lin Wanwan being recognized by the direct lineage female members of the Lanling Xiao Family was already quite incredible.

A mismatched marriage has always been the start of hardships, but she saw Lin Wanwan handling the Xiao Family’s relatives quite adeptly.

She was genuinely happy for Lin Wanwan, being able to be engaged to someone she liked and obtaining societal recognition was no easy feat. Seeing Lin Wanwan achieve what she dared not do herself, she felt happy in empathy.

"Wanwan Cuz, I never thought you could get an imperial marriage bestowal. Xiao Mingfu is really good to you."

That night, Xiao Xianghua warmly invited Lin Wanwan to stay in her courtyard, and even late into the night, she was unwilling to sleep, sitting knee to knee with Lin Wanwan, chatting over tea.

Regarding Lin Wanwan and Xiao Chong being betrothed, when Xiao Xianghua heard the news, she knew it must have been carefully orchestrated by Xiao Chong. Otherwise, the emperor, busy with state affairs, wouldn’t get involved in such private matters.

"Sigh!" Lin Wanwan let out a long sigh, "We won’t be getting married."

Xiao Xianghua was shocked and puzzled, "???"

An imperial bestowal of marriage, yet there could be a change?!

"It’s a long story, but now I’m the Heart Lamp Saintess of Daxingshan Temple." Lin Wanwan smiled gently, unwilling to delve further into the matter, "So, tell me about you. You’re about to get married, how are you feeling?"

Xiao Xianghua’s smile slightly receded, and she sighed, "It’s just my parents’ orders and the words of the matchmaker. What can I feel! Being a competent wife is something I can manage."

Lin Wanwan wanted to lighten the mood, jokingly said, "Xianghua, you sound more like you’re about to take office than an engaged bride-to-be."

Xiao Xianghua giggled, finding joy in hardship, "Isn’t it just taking office? It’s about respecting the parents on behalf of the husband, managing family servants, handling relations within and outside the family. Being a ten out of ten managerial wife, but with little pay."

Lin Wanwan’s head ached hearing this, "It really is!"

"Hahahaha!"

The two exchanged a glance and burst into unrestrained laughter.

The cousins who hadn’t seen each other for long didn’t dwell solely on marriage matters and soon shifted to other topics.

Xiao Xianghua shared her embroidery and poetry insights with Lin Wanwan, while Lin Wanwan shared her experiences inside and outside Chang’an City, adding some gossip they had heard as seasoning, chatting quite happily.

By the time they retired to rest, Lin Wanwan was exhausted.

However, she didn’t immediately rest in Great Tang. Having finally reached the mainland, she needed to make a trip back to the modern era.

Previously, during the funeral for a family servant, Lin Wanwan also returned to the modern era. Besides buying medicine, she handled some work emails and chatted briefly in the company group chat to show her presence.

But at the time, with so much going on, she completely forgot to contact Lu Shouyue.

Earlier she had told Lu Shouyue she would return to Yongcheng, and later remembered she’d have to stay in Qiantang for some time. Now she had to go back and tell him.

Having not visited Yu City for a long time, she now crossed between times, hoping the Space-Time Gate would refresh randomly. Lin Wanwan prayed to various deities before beginning her travel.

She was in luck, as this crossing was like the first time she traveled to Qiantang, appearing in the same park shrubbery not caught by cameras.

Moreover, it was just past sunset in the modern era, the sky perfectly in twilight.

Lin Wanwan pulled out her phone, silently praying for it to still be functional.

This phone was bought during her time-travel for medicine with a new SIM card from the mobile company added.

Even if cut off from electronics, Lin Wanwan had taken out several thousand in cash for herself on her travels.

She wasn’t afraid of anyone stealing when it was tucked into her canvas bag.

People in Great Tang wouldn’t recognize RMB, and she felt a thief in modern times wouldn’t be able to overpower her.

After this long, even if the phone wasn’t broken, it surely had drained its battery, so the priority was finding a store to buy a portable charger.

Nowadays, portable chargers are everywhere, with money, things became relatively easier.

Quickly, Lin Wanwan charged her phone at a helpful convenience store’s charger station, pleasantly surprised that her Huawei phone had survived two crossings without breaking.

Lin Wanwan scanned a charger from a store’s charging station, bought it outright, then casually purchased some more items to thank the storekeeper.

As soon as the phone turned on, countless red dots lit up on her WeChat.

Lin Wanwan first opened the chat with the most messages from Lu Shouyue and found no urgent matters, mostly daily greetings and expressions of longing, then replied with, "I’ve arrived in Yu City!"