Chapter 8 – The Wedding Night
Xia Qingyue did not ask again. Since even this white-robed woman with such high pedigree and exalted status was sure that it was “not possible”, then there should not be even the smallest chance of it being possible.
“Qingyue, I know you are eager in repaying your debt of gratitude since your life was saved at a young age, to even go as far as delaying your return to Frozen Cloud Asgard, but you marrying him should already be enough to repay that obligation. When you return to Frozen Cloud Asgard, your identity will be revealed. Although he may suffer more ridicule after your departure, his status of being the husband of a Frozen Cloud Asgard disciple would still be intact. At least in this little Floating Cloud City, with that kind of prestigious status, no one would dare to cause him physical harm.” The lady in white said with a comforting tone of voice.
Xia Qingyue softly nodded: “I hope so.”
“His Profound Vein is disabled and he also has no other strengths. He will never be able to achieve any accomplishments perhaps in his entire life. But you are beautiful and smart. Talents of your nature are born once every hundreds of years. Otherwise, our Mistress would not have let you break the rules like that and get married. Marrying you was his greatest fortune and luck in his entire life. You taking this step is justice enough. If his father was still alive and smart enough, he would have cancelled this wedding… I have to go. I will pick you up a month later. During this period, I will not go anywhere far. If you encounter any unresolvable problems, write me a letter to keep me informed.”
“I bid teacher farewell.”
The white robed woman’s chin turned around. Suddenly, a beautiful face with a hint of coldness on it was seen. She wore no make up for her skin was as smooth as a snow white piece of jade. People cannot help but think of the terms “a beauty with flesh of ice and bones of jade” and “a face of snow with lips of pearls” to describe her as they laid their eyes upon her. Her facial features were as exquisite as they were perfect. She was charming in a way that made people unable to even dare look at her. One would think that she was as holy as she was lofty when gazing into her eyes. She was like a fairy who had ascended above Nirvana, untainted by anyone of the human realm.
She opened the window and her body slightly trembled. As if accompanied by an invisible cold ice spirit, she looked as if she had dissolved right at the place she once stood.
Xiao Clan Main Hall, a full Guest House.
“Seventh Uncle Liu, please have a drink.” Xiao Che respectfully presented a cup in front of a gentle looking middle-aged man.
The person who was called Seventh Uncle Liu stood up as he started to laugh. He raised his cup and drained it of its contents. He spoke with laughter: “My nephew, I was best friends with your father, now that I see you have formed your own family and have married to such a good wife, my heart is happy for you.”
“Thank you Seventh Uncle Liu.”
“First Elder, please have a drink.”
Xiao Clan’s First Elder Xiao Li took the cup and gulped the entire mouthful. He then heavily slammed the cup of wine onto the table. During this entire process, aside from saying “hmph” through his nose, he did not say a single word nor look Xiao Che in the eye. Even with that attitude, drinking Xiao Che’s cup of wine had already expressed the large amount of face he gave Xiao Che.
Xiao Che did not speak as well and moved to the next table. Just as he walked two steps, Xiao Li spit on the floor and opened his mouth as he spoke in a cold harsh tone of voice within Xiao Che’s hearing range: “Such a delicate flower has now been inserted into poop. Bah!”
Xiao Che’s expression remain unchanged. His consistent footsteps had not paused and it was as if he had not heard him. That was only if one did not look closely, for his eyes hardened and a deep cold condensation hid behind them.
He came over to the Second Elder, Xiao Bo’s side. Xiao Che bowed slightly: “Second Elder, Xiao Che offers you a cup.”
Xiao Bo did not bother to look Xiao Che in the eye but he opened his mouth to lightly say: “Yang dear, help me drink it.”
“Yes, Grandpa.” Xiao Yang said without hesitation. He took Xiao Che’s offer of wine and drank it all, only making a “guru” sound.
A cup of wine presented to an elder but drank by his children did not show only contempt anymore. It was a sort of public humiliation. After drinking the wine, Xiao Yang put the cup down and sat back on his seat, his eyes filled with undisguised scorn and ridicule.
Xiao Che did not say anything again. He only nodded slightly and moved on to the next table. Just like before, as soon as he took two steps, a cold grunt was heard: “Hmph, trash is trash. Even if trash climbed into Xia Clan, it is still trash. Xiao Lie that old bastard is actually going to depend on his granddaughter-in-law? Bah!”
The voice contained deep disdain, sarcasm, and of course jealousy. Even if one did not mention the wealth of the Xia Clan, if one can still brag about Xia Qingyue’s amazing talent. If she had not been married to Xiao Che but instead to his grandson Xiao Yang, his laughter that came from his dreams may actually become audible.
Xiao Che pretended to not have heard and walked away smiling.
Xiao Che finished his toast and sent out the guests. The long night of banquet was over. During this entire process, the people who displayed genuine heartfelt congratulations and best wishes were so few that Xiao Che could count them on his ten little fingers. Countless people were very polite towards him, after all today was his wedding day, but he clearly saw contempt in almost all of their eyes. Some people sighed, some people were jealous with anger. The rest had unconcealed scorn and other negative thoughts like “trash” and “worthless” written all over their faces.
His Profound Vein was disabled so it was a fact that he would not achieve any greatness during his entire lifetime because of that. So they don’t have to be friends or be polite with Xiao Che. They did not care if they offend him because even if he got offended, he could not do anything against them with his disabled Profound Vein. Before this wastrel they could be unscrupulous and not care, readily dripping in the show of their superiority. They felt strong as they look down on this person who would never become anything but one who was weaker than them.
That is the ugly reality of human nature.
“Take an early rest.” Xiao Lie patted Xiao Che on the shoulder with a gentle smile on his face.
Xiao Che did not know what was hidden under his grandpa’s smile at this time.
As Xiao Lie became older and older, his temper had become more and more gentle. But when he was young, he was like a candle that could easily be ignited. If someone made him upset, he would make that person ten times angrier and no one dared to provoke him. Xiao Che knew all too well that his grandfather’s temper did not become soft due to old age, but was instead because of him….
In order to protect his useless grandson, he had to become kind and soft. Even if they were looked down upon, as long as the bottom line had not been crossed, he would endure it as best as he could. This way, there wouldn’t be any enemies that would come back to get revenge on his grandson after he had passed away.
As the most powerful person in the Floating Cloud City, the Fifth Elder that everyone used to be afraid of, was now not respected nor feared by the other Elders anymore. This was true in the case of the younger generation as well.
Watching Xiao Lie’s back, images of disrespectful and laughing faces appeared in Xiao Che’s mind. Xiao Che clenched his fists slowly as they gradually became pale. His eyes sharpened and radiated an image of an ice-cold blade. Subsequently, the corner of his mouth slowly opened and revealed a smile that would make one’s hair stand on its end.
Xiao Che was definitely a vengeful person. As someone who held long grudges, in the last six years in Azure Cloud Continent, his heart that was filled with hatred remembered everything. He remembered everyone who had been nice to him but also all the people who had not been nice as well. He kept it in deep in his heart… until it was time to seek revenge for even the smallest of grievances.
“You guys will.… be sorry….”
A deep guttural noise slowly overflowed from Xiao Che’s mouth like a vicious curse.
Since God gave me this chance to be another person, how could I let my Grandfather and I suffer through this bullying!
Back in his little courtyard, the moon was still hanging high against the sky. Xiao Che walked to the corner of his yard and stretched out his left hand. Suddenly, water arrows shot out from his palm.
During today’s wedding, he could not avoid drinking a lot of wine. In the end, he drank so much that it looked as if he could barely stand on his own. In reality, he was actually clearly awake. This was not him having a high capacity to hold his liquor but was instead because of the Sky Poison Pearl. All the wine he had drunk transferred into the Sky Poison Pearl. Since the pearl had become one with his body, he manipulated it as if it was like his own body.
The sound of *hua lala* was heard for a long time until all the wine had been removed from the Sky Poison Pearl. Xiao Che lifted his wine-covered left hand and smirked. He rubbed the wine directly onto his face and held his breath until his face turned red. Stumbling, he pushed his bedroom door wide open as he wobbled to his left and right, as if he was drunk.
The door was pushed open and the smell of wine followed Xiao Che as he staggered into the room as if he were about to trip any second. He awkwardly lifted his head and looked at Xia Qingyue. Xia Qingyue sat on the bed with her beautiful eyes closed. It was extremely quiet. The dim candlelight flickered across her beautiful soft face, adding a bewitching mystical feel that one could not possibly resist.
Xiao Che’s eyes brightened and his feet shook as he walked towards Xia Qingyue: “Hehehehe, my wife… I have let you wait for a long time… let’s go… we can now… use the bridal chamber…”
Xia Qingyue suddenly opened her eyes and casually waved her right hand.
An irresistible cold force suddenly swept up Xiao Che and pushed him out of the door. Xiao Che fell on his bottom and had almost knocked over the stone table in the courtyard.
Xiao Che was in pain and rubbed his butt. It took him a lot of effort to get up and then he angrily roared: “Damn! I was only joking, you don’t have to be so ruthless! I am so feeble yet you hit me as hard as you could… anyone would think that you are planning to murder your husband.”
The door slammed.
Xiao Che pushed forward but discovered that the bedroom door was firmly shut.
Xiao Che suddenly became depressed… This woman, don’t even even speak of flirting, even jokes are taken so seriously! Can I really live happily this way?
“I was really only joking… Besides, I am only at the lowest 1st level of the Elementary Profound Realm. Even if I wanted to do something to you, that would be impossible.”
Xia Qingyue did not respond.
Xiao Che stood at the door for a long time but the door showed not the slightest sign of opening. Xiao Che’s small courtyard only had one housing. There was no point in mentioning if he had other rooms for he did not even own a work house nor a stable. If it was a normal day, he could sneakily slip into his little aunt’s place to sleep. But tonight was his wedding night, so it was not appropriate for him to sleep anywhere else.
As a cold night wind passed by, Xiao Che shivered and it looked as if he had become smaller. He knocked the door again and weak spoke: “Hey, you’re not really letting me sleep outside, are you? You should know that there are many people in the Xiao Clan who would want to lay their hands on you. They are very upset that tonight is our wedding night. They have realized that someone as talented as you are, would not let me touch you even if we are married, so they must be waiting for something to happen for an excuse to laugh at me. If they come over and see that I was locked outside, I would forever become a laughing stock.”
“No matter what, I am still your husband. Do you really have the heart to helplessly watch me get laughed at?”
The room was still completely silent. Right when Xiao Che had the notion of kicking the door, the closed door finally slowly opened.
Xiao Che rushed in as quick as lightning and shut the door with a *bang*.
Xia Qingyue remained in bed with the previous attitude from before. Although she was just sitting on the bed, she emitted a hazy noble elegance. Her beautiful eyes slightly turned, looked at the flustered Xiao Che and spoke in a faint voice: “You are not allowed to be within five steps from me.”
“….. Then where would you let me sleep?” Xiao Che rubbed his chin. The room was small; it only had a bed, a reading table, an eating table, and two cabinets. If one walked from east to west across the room, at most there would only be the size of seven of eight paces of distance in between.
“You sleep on the bed.” Xia Qingyue stood up from the bed.
“No need!” Xiao Che flatly refused and sat in the corner furthest away from Xia Qingyue and closed his eyes. Although Xia Qingyue was perhaps a hundred times stronger than him, his dignity as a man refused to let a girl sleep on anywhere but a bed if he had a choice.