Chapter 181: Chapter 179: This Rose Is Now Mine

After a few rounds of drinks, the atmosphere grew even livelier.

When it was time for the bride to toss the bouquet, all the unmarried young women giggled and pushed their way to the front.

Wang Xinxin turned her back to them, took a deep breath, and forcefully tossed the bouquet of vibrant roses behind her.

It had taken quite a bit of effort to get these roses.

The young women from the commune had scraped them together from various places.

While there weren’t ninety-nine of them, the roses were all homegrown by the women themselves and looked absolutely beautiful.

The bouquet traced an arc through the air and, without veering off course, flew straight toward Su Tang, who was holding her child.

Su Tang instinctively reached out and caught it, still holding the soft, cuddly Little Cheng’an in her arms.

The crowd immediately erupted in good-natured laughter and applause.

She clutched the flowers, looking down at her son’s innocent little face before glancing up toward the center of the boisterous crowd.

Sunlight streamed down through the cafeteria’s high windows.

In the shifting light and shadows, she thought she could really see a tall figure in a crisp military uniform standing quietly at the very back of the crowd.

His gaze, tinged with a gentle smile, traveled across the sea of people and landed softly on her and their child.

It was Lu Xiao.

Su Tang’s heart skipped a beat. But when she focused her eyes again, there was only a throng of people in that corner. Where was the figure in the military uniform?

The wave of noise crashed over her, drowning out that fleeting moment of daze and the scalding longing in her heart.

She lowered her head, her fingers unconsciously tightening their grip. The velvety petals pressed against her palm.

Cheng’an gurgled in her arms, his little hands curiously reaching for the bright flowers.

She took a deep breath, feeling a bit helpless. ’I can’t believe I’m starting to hallucinate.’

’It’ll still be a long time before Lu Xiao comes back.’

「Deep into the night」

The boisterous wedding night hazing had finally subsided.

In the newly decorated bridal chamber, all that remained was a dazzling sea of red.

Two thick red candles on the table burned quietly, occasionally sputtering and casting their long shadows onto the wall.

Wang Xinxin sat on the edge of the bed, which was covered with red quilts. She was still wearing her scarlet qipao.

The candlelight flickered on her face, and the blush on her cheeks lingered.

The boisterous noise from earlier seemed to still be buzzing in her ears, making the current tranquility feel like an unreal dream.

She looked up at Chen Zhengnian, who was standing before her.

He had just seen off the last group of his buddies who were hazing them. He had taken off his military jacket and was wearing only a white shirt.

The top two buttons of his collar were undone, revealing a sliver of his firm, tanned chest.

He seemed a little awkward too. The calm composure he usually had while commanding thousands of men had been replaced by a flustered uncertainty.

Wang Xinxin’s gaze drifted involuntarily to his chest.

The military medal pinned above his white shirt pocket refracted the candlelight, its gold and red facets sharp and distinct.

She reached out, intending to undo his buttons, but Chen Zhengnian caught her hand.

Wang Xinxin coughed lightly and turned her head away.

"This feels just like a dream..."

she murmured, her voice as soft as a sigh, almost drowned out by the crackling of the candle flames.

Chen Zhengnian didn’t move, merely gazing at her.

He slowly raised his hand, gently brushing it across her cheek before his fingertips came to rest on her small, round earlobe, feeling its delicate warmth.

"A dream?"

His deep voice, tinged with a slight hoarseness, was like a desert night’s wind brushing past her ear.

"This is just the beginning."

He leaned down, his warm breath grazing her bangs as he lowered his voice even further.

"Xinxin."

Chen Zhengnian’s voice was thick with an unyielding tenderness, the pad of his thumb stroking the rosy blush on her earlobe.

"From now on, I’ll be here for you."

Wang Xinxin’s eyelashes fluttered like the wings of a startled butterfly.

The candlelight danced in his pupils, making his eyes seem full of tenderness.

She could smell the faint scent of soap on him. It was his unique scent, and it gave her an inexplicable sense of peace.

"Who—who needs you to take care of them?"

She said stubbornly, but her fingertips curled and quietly gripped the hem of his white shirt.

Beneath the fabric, the lines of his muscles were firm and powerful.

Chen Zhengnian let out a low chuckle. He suddenly swept her up into his arms, causing Wang Xinxin to yelp in surprise and hastily wrap her arms around his neck.

The red quilts sank into a shallow depression. The sudden movement made the candle flames flicker violently, and the shadows on the wall seemed to intertwine.

"Brother Chen!"

Her cheeks were hot enough to fry an egg, but she couldn’t bring herself to look away. 𝐟𝐫𝕖𝗲𝘄𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝕧𝐞𝚕.𝕔𝕠𝐦

His Adam’s apple bobbed. "Shh," he said, his voice husky.

He placed her on the inner side of the bed and knelt beside it, bringing his eyes level with hers.

His rough palm rested gently on her knee. Through the thin fabric of her qipao, he could feel her skin tremble.

"Remember? The first time we met, you talked back to me. I thought then that you were a rose with thorns."

’I hadn’t done anything to offend her, but she still picked a fight with me.’

’She came at me so hard I didn’t even know how to argue back.’

He took her hand and pressed it against his warm cheek.

"And now, this rose is mine."

The sudden chirping of insects from outside made the room feel even quieter.

Wang Xinxin looked at him without speaking. Chen Zhengnian took her hand and pressed it over his heart.

A heart was beating there, faster and faster, all because of her.

The red candles had burned halfway down, and the wicks sputtered again.

Wang Xinxin suddenly leaned in and gave him a quick peck on the lips, as swift as a butterfly skimming water.

Chen Zhengnian froze. A moment later, a storm surged in his eyes. He swiftly cupped the back of her neck and deepened the kiss.

Two of the qipao’s frog buttons came undone, revealing the delicate skin of her neck.

Wang Xinxin’s breathing grew ragged. She ran her fingers through his thick, dark hair, feeling the scent of sunshine among the strands.

’So this was his kiss. It wasn’t forceful like she’d imagined, but tender and careful, as if he were holding a fragile star.’

"Zhengnian."

She called his name between breaths, her voice as soft as cotton candy.

"You’re not allowed to get hurt anymore."

Chen Zhengnian buried his face in the crook of her neck and let out a muffled laugh. "As you command, Mrs. Chen."

The halo of the red candlelight spread over the new quilts, over their clasped hands, and over the sleeping world outside.

A few dogs barked in the distance, but the sound was quickly swallowed by the night.

The candles in the bridal chamber continued to burn quietly, stretching the shadows of the two cuddling figures long, as if they might extend to the very end of time.

「Early the next morning」

When Wang Xinxin woke up, her whole body ached with exhaustion.

What was even more embarrassing was that as soon as she left her room, she saw Mr. and Mrs. Chen eating breakfast.

Wang Xinxin quietly greeted them, "Dad, Mom," just as Chen Zhengnian walked out of the kitchen with a bowl of white porridge.

Mrs. Chen was placing some pickled vegetables on a small plate. Seeing her, she quickly waved her over. "Xinxin, you’re awake? Come, sit down. The rice porridge is freshly made, and it’s delicious with the dried pickled radish your father made. So refreshing."

Wang Xinxin’s face instantly turned crimson. She twisted the corner of her clothes, her steps feeling a little unsteady.

Scenes from last night flooded her mind like a rising tide: his scalding breath, the tingling sensation on her neck...

She barely dared to meet Mr. and Mrs. Chen’s eyes. She just mumbled an affirmative and sat down in the empty seat next to Mrs. Chen.

Chen Zhengnian placed the white porridge in front of her. He then casually peeled a tea egg for her, removing the shell so cleanly that there wasn’t a single crack on the egg white.

"Xinxin, dear, you weren’t too tired last night, were you? If this rascal dared to bully you, you just tell me, and I’ll beat him up for you."

"Mom!"

Chen Zhengnian cried out in exasperation, the tips of his ears turning pink.

Wang Xinxin nearly spat out her porridge. She frantically waved her hands. "No, no! Brother Chen, he’s very good to me."

Halfway through her sentence, she realized she should have addressed him differently, and her face turned an even deeper shade of red.

"Zhengnian... he takes good care of me."

’He certainly did "take care" of her. When she said no, he would even coax her gently.’

’But "no" was never really an option.’