I got up from the ground and turned to look at the familiar cave opposite. I wondered how Gu Yuan had been these past few days.
I took the red umbrella from the Earth God and walked alone on the pebble - paved path, holding the umbrella.
"Miss, you've signed a blood contract with the Heavenly Emperor. Your soul will fly back to the Heavenly Court by itself when the sun rises tomorrow, so don't be so reluctant," the Earth God stood behind me, constantly reminding me.
I paused for a moment, then nodded slightly at him out of the corner of my eye, and then bent down to enter the cave.
Once inside, I put away the red umbrella and placed it at the entrance of the cave. I tidied my hair and clothes, forced a most innocent smile, and hummed a tune as I walked deeper into the cave.
"Gu Yuan, I'm back."
I pulled aside the curtain inside the cave. As I stepped into our little abode, what greeted my eyes was a sea of bright red.
The red silk embroidered with colorful dragons and phoenixes was hanging on the wall. On either side were red lanterns with the Chinese character "xi" (happiness) written on them, making the dragon - phoenix pattern look vivid.
On the table, there were two red candles, two golden goblets, fruits, wedding candies and other things on either side.
I stared blankly at these things with the red "xi" characters on them for a moment.
I took a few more steps forward. Suddenly, a red cloth fell from the ceiling and covered my face exactly.
I was startled. I thought I had fallen into some magic formation. I raised my hand to tear off the red cloth, but a pair of big hands gently held mine and intertwined our fingers tightly.
"Don't move around. I'll lift it for you," I heard Gu Yuan's gentle voice through the red cloth. Instantly, I felt completely at ease.
Gu Yuan held my hand and walked a few steps forward. By this point, if I still couldn't figure out his intention, I would really be a fool.
"Gu Yuan, I..." I was about to stop him. After all, I couldn't give him the life he wanted now.
But before I could finish my sentence, Gu Yuan interrupted me.
"Would you be willing to have a blind man by your side forever?"
His words belittled himself too much. It sounded like he thought he was unworthy of me.
Suddenly, my heart ached. Was he feeling inferior? The once - unruly young man had vanished after he went blind. All he wanted was a peaceful life.
But as long as I was around, trouble would come knocking on the door. I would never be able to give him a peaceful life.
Moreover, he was not an ordinary person. The people of the Netherworld needed his care, and the trapped fish were waiting for him to rescue them.
Thinking of this, my eyes fell on the golden goblets on the table. A selfish thought popped into my head. Just for one night. I would accompany him for just one night. When he woke up tomorrow, he would forget all about this. Let me and him fulfill our wishes tonight.
"Gu Yuan... I'm willing." Gu Yuan tightened his grip on my hand slightly. Even through the red cloth, I could sense the joy in his heart.
His voice was much more cheerful when he spoke.
"Today, we won't worship heaven or earth. We only seek to bow to each other as husband and wife, to unite our two families. From now on, we'll take care of each other and never leave or forsake each other."
"Okay..."
How wonderful it would be if this vow of never leaving or forsaking each other could come true. Behind the red veil, I was already in floods of tears.
We stood facing each other and bowed to each other as husband and wife. Gu Yuan stepped forward and lifted the red veil in front of me.
Today, Gu Yuan was dressed in a red wedding robe. His black hair was half - tied on top of his head with a red ribbon, and the rest fell beside his ears, making him look even more elegant and handsome.
His cold and aloof eyes had no focus because he couldn't see, but the depths of his eyes were filled with tranquility.
I just looked up at him like this, completely enchanted.
Seeing that I didn't move for a long time, Gu Yuan placed his hands on my face and gently felt from my forehead to my chin bit by bit.
I hooked the corners of my mouth and forced a smile. I pretended to tease him and asked, "Are you fortune - telling by feeling my bones?"
Gu Yuan smiled slightly and said, "I want to remember what you look like, so that you can never escape from me again."
"You've seen what I look like before. Besides, where could I possibly escape to?"
Hearing my words, Gu Yuan's hands slid down from my face. He lowered his eyes slightly and said, "You left without saying goodbye these past few days. It really scared me. I thought I would never see you again."
It wasn't just Gu Yuan. When I decided to go to the Heavenly Court to find the Heavenly Emperor, I also thought I would never see him again.
After Gu Yuan finished speaking, he wrapped his arms around me from behind and whispered, "So on the day you left, I set up this wedding hall. As long as you came back, I would marry you and tie you to me forever."
Gu Yuan's overbearing words made my nose sting. Two lines of hot tears welled up in my eyes and dripped onto the back of his hand.
"I'm sorry for making you worry."
Gu Yuan raised his hand and felt the tears on his hand. He asked with concern, "Are you crying?"
"Yes, they're just tears of happiness. I've finally married you," I turned around and threw myself into his arms, hugging him tightly.
"Silly girl..." Gu Yuan wrapped me in his arms. One side of my face was pressed tightly against his chest. I glanced at the golden goblets beside the red candles.
"Gu Yuan, isn't there still one thing we haven't done?"
"Drink the nuptial wine. I've already prepared it," Gu Yuan let go of me and turned to get the wine, but I stopped him.
"You sit here. I'll go get it." After saying that, I quickly ran to the table. I picked up the wine on the ground and filled the two goblets.
I glanced back at Gu Yuan to make sure he wasn't following me. Only then did I dare to take out the Mengpo's Soup hidden in my waist pouch.
To be honest, at this moment, I felt like a thief. My heart was in a turmoil.
When I poured the Mengpo's Soup into the golden goblet, my hands were shaking so badly that a lot of it spilled out.
I quickly wiped the table with a handkerchief. I picked up the goblets and walked in front of Gu Yuan. I handed the goblet with the Mengpo's Soup to him.
At first, there was a gentle smile on Gu Yuan's face. But when I handed the goblet to him, his eyebrows twitched slightly, but it disappeared in an instant.
"Come, hubby, drink this nuptial wine. From now on, we'll never be separated."
Gu Yuan didn't hesitate. The two lovers locked arms and drank. I watched as Gu Yuan drank the nuptial wine with my own eyes.
My heart ached as if it was being stabbed. The pain was so intense that I could hardly stand.
I quickly put down the goblet and supported myself with both hands, fearing that Gu Yuan would notice something was wrong.
Gu Yuan put down the goblet. The corners of his mouth drooped slightly. The gentle smile on his face gradually faded, and his expression became thoughtful.
The more he was like this, the more heart - broken I felt. It was as if my heart was bleeding.
My strange behavior didn't escape Gu Yuan's notice after all. He stood up and in a hurry, he reached out and grabbed me.
"Are you okay?"
Following his pull, I endured the sharp pain in my chest. I held his face and kissed him.
Our lips pressed tightly together. Our tongues intertwined. My two hands eagerly tugged at his clothes. Seeing me being so proactive, Gu Yuan was shocked.
He tightened his grip on my hands and wanted to ask me what was going on.
But at this moment, I didn't want to say anything. I just wanted to do what a newly - wedded couple should do on their wedding night.
Blushing, I said the most shameless words in my life: "I want you... Will you give yourself to me?"