On the Wedding Night, Ms. Cui Realized

Bad Ending

The sky was heavy with clouds, and soon after, rain began to pour as the Pei family's wedding procession made its way towards Mudan Street.

Inside the Xining mansion, Cui Ti sat in a daze before the dressing table, only to be startled as someone turned her around. A woman with a flattering voice chuckled, making her uncomfortable and she felt uneasy as she complimented her, "Look, just look at you today! The bride is more beautiful than a fairy descending to earth."

The words reverberated all around.

Through the window, the rain intensified, and Cui Ti caught sight of the familiar but unfamiliar scene before her. In a bewildered tone, she asked, "Bride?."

"Yes, the bride of Scholar Pei!."

The voices erupted into chatter, filled with envy towards Cui Ti's good fortune in winning the heart of the most sought-after young man in Xijing.

Cui Ti, still in a state of confusion, could make sense of it all, the wedding party arrived at the doorstep, and she was pushed into the sedan chair.

Everything felt discordant.

Why... did she marry Pei Xuan once again?.

Wasn't she already Madam Cui?.

It seemed like a dream, yet it wasn't one.

As thoughts of Pei Xuan crossed her mind, her mood inexplicably lifted. This was the third time she had married the same person.

A smile graced the corners of her lips, and beneath the veil, her pretty face blushed.

"An obeisance to heaven and earth—"

Cui Ti moved about like a restless deer, her heart racing with anticipation, eager to enter the wedding night and lay eyes on her gentle and elegant 'husband' as soon as possible.

"Second obeisance to the high hall—"

She bowed down, her movements filled with a mix of nervousness and excitement.

In the grand wedding hall, the atmosphere reached its pinnacle, and Xi Po's voice boomed loudly, "Husband and wife worship—"

As she lightly touched the red ribbon in her hand, joy gleamed in Cui Ti's eyes, not wanting to wake up from this dream-like state even for a moment.

It seemed that time in her dream had stretched a little longer.

Now, she was seated on the wedding bed, the veil still covering her face, and by her side was Bai Tang who offered advice.

"Please go down."

"Yes, mistress."

The footsteps gradually faded away, and Cui Ti remembered that the first thing Pei Xuan had ordered upon entering the room was to prepare a bathtub for her to take a bath later.

Soon, the time for a bath had arrived, so she picked up a mirror and lifted the red veil.

A sudden silence enveloped the world, and the absence of any words hung heavy in the air.

Cui Ti had yet to awaken her spiritual sight, but to her surprise, Pei Xuan, who was supposed to speak, remained silent.

As she waited and time stretched on, confusion clouded her mind.

This wasn't how it was supposed to be.

Pei Xuan would burst into laughter, asking her, "Are you tired of waiting?" And she would playfully reply, "No," setting in motion the customary sequence of events.

Then they would share wine, their arms intertwined, with careful attention paid to every sip. If one wanted to drink only half, the other would match the gesture, symbolizing their inseparability in this lifetime.