The bride and groom"s squads both proceeded to the function hall on the fifth floor for the ceremony.
The squad entered one by one into the function hall. The double doors closed again, with only the Chen couple left to enter the venue.
Walking hand-in-hand, and taking one step at a time, Chen Linyun asked his lovely bride, "Ready, Misis Chen?"
Xue Jinxu fluttered her eyelashes, and with such luscious lips curled into the most radiant smile, she nodded her head while staring into the abyss of gentleness of his eyes.
"Ready."
The host from the inside of the venue announced their names, their presence.
Just a few breaths away, the double doors opened for them.
All the guests turned their heads into their directions. Gasped were heard, and cameras clicked.
Step by step, they reached where they ought to be.
The solemn ceremony commenced.
At first, the tea ceremony was observed privately, and only the direct family members of the Chens and the Xue"s were present. The Chen couple, Chen Linyun and Xue Jinxu, served tea to the groom"s parents, and then bowed towards each other. Then, they all drank the Chinese tea, Tsao Chün. After drinking tea, their families gifted them lai see, a lucky red envelope. It was all part of the tradition.
After the tea ceremony, the banquet started with such a happy note. All the family members, the bride and the groom joined the other guests in the festivities.
The party began.
Symbolic dishes such as roast pork, peking duck, lobster, quail and red bean soup with sticky rice b.a.l.l.s. Of course, alcohol was abundant as well.
Loud contemporary music was being played by the DJ. The young guests danced at the dance floor. Everybody was having fun. The loud music was made to replace the gongs, and drums that were supposedly used to fend of evil spirits. At the farther end of the venue, though, a measly Chinese lion danced as well.
Chen Linyun and Xue Jinxu changed their suits into another set. They changed into western clothings – a white chiffon wedding dress for the bride and a midnight blue tuxedo for the groom.
They, too, danced at the dance floor.
They began their dance with waltz and occupied the center of the ballrrom. Soon after other couples joined them.
They were absorbed into each other.
"Is it true that Grampa pushed for the wedding?" Xue Jinxu asked meekly, her eyelashes flickered with such femininity. Her frail arms wrapped around her husband"s neck while his own arms were wrapped around her waist. They circled the dance floor sweetly.
"Yes."
Xue Jinxu looked at the husband"s eyes solemnly as if reading what the husband thought of it. "Were you pushed to do it? Is this a shot gun wedding?" There was evident hurt in her tone.
"No. It"s all voluntary, Jinxu. Don"t think sad tainted thoughts.
Chen Linyun went back towards the day when Grampa Xue and himself chatted for a while in the hospital. Xue Jinxu was in a coma."I would like to request one more from you, lad." Grampa was neither overbearing nor demanding. He was even mellow, and if one looked closely, he"s even emotional.
"Once Jinxu wakes up…" He continued.
They were interrupted by the surge of doctors who checked Xue Jinxu"s condition.
At a latter time, Grampa Xue continued the conversation with Chen Linyun. "Son, when Jinxu wakes up, you ought to give her a decent wedding ceremony."
"That"s the last thing I"ll ask of you before I fully give my blessing."
"She deserves to experience that. Don"t deprive it of that, if you can give it to her."
Chen Linyun retold the story.
Xue Jinxu bit her lower lip, trying hard to control the lingering tears inside her eyes. Then, she leaned her head onto the husband"s head and hugged her tighter.
"Grampa"s such a tsundere."
The groom could not help but laugh slightly at the lovely little wife"s thoughtless, candid comment. He caressed her cheek with one hand and then poked the tip of his index finger onto the tip of her nose. It wrinkled from the action.
Chen Linyun then tightened their already tight embrace even more and whispered lovingly, dotingly on the wife"s ear. "You"re like that too." He kissed her head just on top of her ear.
They continued to sway, not minding their surroundings. After all, it"s their party, their day. No one mattered except for the two of them. They were sure, though, that the guests were enjoying themselves. They sure know how to throw an extravagant overflowing party.
Xue Jinxu giggled slightly. "Yeah, I took a lot of my characteristics after Grampa."
They swayed and swayed in the middle of the dance floor, regardless of music which already changed from slow to upbeat to mellow and so on.
The night was young, and the music, high, and so the epic wedding continued until all the booze had gone dry, and all the love in the air was absorbed by all the supportive guests.
Sometimes, a guest or two interrupted their sweet dancing to give words of wisdom, well wishes, and congratulatory speeches.
Sometimes, they interrupted the dancing to gain small talk or took pictures with the bride and groom, which they gladly obliged to do. They were more than happy to be of service to their guests who took time and effort to be with them and bear witness to their wonderful love story and wedding.
Towards the deepening of the night, the lights dimmed as a slideshow of the bride and the groom"s baby pictures flashed on the screen. It was prepared by both sides of the family, and complied artistically by the former Marketing Director, Xue Guangxi, with the help of Kang Sola.
However, Xue Jinxu"s forehead knotted as she noticed something unusual. "Honey, how come you don"t have baby pictures?" She inquired quite frantically.
"Mhmm?"
"In the slideshow… The first and earliest pictures of you were when you were around four or five years of age already. How come?" She probed while staring at his mild visage.
"Hmmm… I"ve asked Mother that question before… Let me see…" He scratched his chin thoughtfully. "I don"t remember my childhood that much, but I think Mother said at that time that we left it here when we moved to Canada. I haven"t really gotten any chance nor enough interest to delve into that area lately. Do you want us to check on my baby pictures at the Chen residence one of these days?"
"Want to see who will our future baby take after?" Chen Linyun added teasingly.
Xue Jinxu instantly blushed. "Of course, honey. Do you know in my free time I"ve played this app in my cellphone where in I entered our pictures and then it will simulate the face of our future baby?" She giggled. "It was quite fascinating. I think I have saved a few remarkable pictures with resulting such striking semblance to us."
Chen Linyun smiled sheepishly while grabbing her by the waist. The lady gasped in surprise. "Huh!"
"Seems to me that you really can"t wait any longer to start the next chapter of our lives. Are you ready for later, Misis Chen?"
"I"ve been holding on for so long…" He inched forward, not really closing the gap between their expectant lips. His smile grew bigger.
The bride felt her cheek heat up even more. She placed one hand on her cheek in such a state of embarra.s.sment. Her heart drummed ever so loudly as if she"s still an innocent maiden. With such bluntness yet with full femininity, she admitted, "I"m ready, honey. I can"t wait any longer."
Finally, the wedding which the couple prepared for for over three months had come to an end.
Finally, it was the time of their most awaited wedding night, also commonly and generally known as the honeymoon or for a better term, the sacred consummation – that simple act that would complete their union.