624: Chapter 613: She, Unwilling!
624: Chapter 613: She, Unwilling!
Shangguan Yunyang had arrived in Zhonghai to meet Ning Fan, and it had already been three days.
Today, Jiangcheng was exceptionally bustling.
On the ancient street of Jiangcheng, a long banquet was set up, where both locals and passersby could sit down as long as they offered blessings to Shangguan Yunyang and Huo Qiuran, who were getting married today.
The Shangguan Family had profound roots in Jiangcheng; their family history spanned at least a century, shining brilliantly from the late Qing Dynasty to the present, with their industry chain covering the entire Jiangcheng, making them one of the giants in the city!
Now, the Shangguan Family was entering into a marriage alliance with the Huo Family, a union of these two great families, which was sensational for the whole of Jiangcheng.
In Jiangcheng, the industries under the Shangguan and Huo families had all organized events for today’s wedding, and the ancient street of Jiangcheng was especially set up for a grand banquet, truly a scene of drums and jubilation.
Jiangcheng Cathedral, built in the 1980s, was funded by the Shangguan Family, and today it was the venue for the wedding.
Because of this marriage, the significant figures of Jiangcheng had all gathered here.
“My son, you must treat Miss Huo well in the future,” said Shangguan Tenglong, Family Head of the Shangguan Family, standing in front of Shangguan Yunyang and patting his son’s shoulder with satisfaction.
Meanwhile, Zheng Youqin, the mother of Shangguan Yunyang, was overwhelmed with joy and tears seeing her son about to start a family.
Dressed in an exquisite white suit, Shangguan Yunyang looked strikingly handsome on his big day, with his commanding presence and distinguished features truly making him the prime son of the Shangguan Family.
“Father, Mother, after today, Huo Qiuran will be your daughter-in-law, and you will have to start calling her that,” he said.
“Hahaha, of course!”
Shangguan Tenglong burst into laughter, turning his head towards the back of the church, where Huo Qiuran was also preparing.
“Sister, today is your big day, such a happy occasion, you should smile more!” said Huo Zhanyuan, standing in front of Huo Qiuran and trying every means to make her happy and have her smile more today.
Of course, this wasn’t because he was such an affectionate brother, but rather he was trying to curry favor with the Shangguan Family.
Huo Zhanyuan’s face was still bruised, having been beaten by Ning Fan a few days earlier.
His wounds had not completely healed, and after arriving in Jiangcheng, his family had asked about the injuries on his face.
Embarrassed, he hadn’t admitted to being beaten by Ning Fan, merely muttering an excuse that he had fallen accidentally, but deep inside, he still held a grudge against Ning Fan, planning to rely on his new brother-in-law to get revenge once his sister married Shangguan Yunyang.
Dressed in a white wedding gown, Huo Qiuran looked like a celestial being descended from heaven, her pure white dress enhancing her ethereal charm.
Now, anyone standing beside her would seem duller in comparison.
Yet at what should have been the happiest moment for a woman, Huo Qiuran’s face was clouded with sorrow, causing her Huo family relatives much anxiety.
“Qiuran, you’re about to get married.
Smile a bit, and don’t let the guests see us as a joke!” Huo Yuanshan couldn’t help but remind her, standing in front of her.
Next to him, Zhou Haiyan, mother of Huo Qiuran, also wouldn’t stop chattering about how great Shangguan Yunyang was and how Huo Qiuran was not at a loss marrying into the Shangguan Family, and that she would become the lady of the grand Shangguan Family eventually!
“If Shangguan Yunyang is so great, why don’t you marry him instead of forcing me to do it?” retorted Huo Qiuran, her frustration boiling over into ridicule.
Huo Yuanshan glared at her, saying indignantly, “Qiuran, what kind of tone are you using?
We are doing this for your good!”
“Huh, for my good, in your eyes, it’s just the so-called family interests, right?
But you won, I really didn’t expect, a father driving his own daughter to despair, forcing her to nod in agreement to such a transaction!”
“You!”
Huo Yuanshan raised his hand, instinctively wanting to slap her, shaking with anger because of Huo Qiuran.
Zhou Haiyan immediately grabbed her husband’s hand, advising, “Qiuran is just not used to it yet, everything will get better later.
Yunyang is so outstanding, Qiuran will definitely come to like Yunyang!”
Huo Yuanshan glared at Huo Qiuran and slowly lowered his hand, while Huo Qiuran sadly shook her head.
She laughed self-deprecatingly.
In the past, she had fantasized about this moment in a wedding dress, but today she wasn’t wearing this wedding dress for the man in her heart, and her heart was even more broken.
“The wedding is about to start, let’s go out.”
Huo Yuanshan snorted coldly, then extended his arm.
Huo Qiuran struggled for a moment but finally, helplessly, took her father’s arm and walked into the church.
Inside the church, music started playing, and on both sides, members of the Huo Family and the Shangguan Family along with the invited guests had all taken their seats.
Veiled, Huo Qiuran listened to the surrounding sounds of blessings, feeling nauseated.
She didn’t want these people’s blessings; to her, their blessings felt more like curses.
The priest was already reading the vows, and Huo Qiuran looked towards the church entrance, seemingly expecting something, but as the priest recited “in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish,” and asked if the couple was willing, the person Huo Qiuran was expecting still hadn’t appeared, and she began to feel utterly disheartened.
“In sickness and health, to love and to cherish, do you agree, Miss Huo Qiuran?”
After Shangguan Yunyang had already said “I do,” the priest turned and asked Huo Qiuran.
But Huo Qiuran did not respond, as if she hadn’t heard at all.
Inside the church, Huo Yuanshan and others’ faces suddenly darkened, and the expressions of the Shangguan Family members were also not good, especially the groom, Shangguan Yunyang, whose previously triumphant smile gradually froze due to Huo Qiuran’s silence.
“Do you agree?”
The priest asked again, but Huo Qiuran still did not answer.
Huo Qiuran looked down, her beautiful eyes shimmering with a struggling light.
Shangguan Tenglong stood up, giving Huo Yuanshan a displeased look, and just as Huo Yuanshan’s expression became extremely ugly, Shangguan Yunyang gave both of them a reassuring look.
His demeanor pleased both Shangguan Tenglong and Huo Yuanshan, but Huo Qiuran’s performance couldn’t be completely ignored.
Yet, who could guess the anger in Shangguan Yunyang’s heart at that moment?
He signaled to the priest to keep asking.
“In life and death, to love and to cherish, do you agree, Miss Huo?”
The priest frowned, maintaining his solemn tone as he continued asking.
“She, does not agree!”
A voice came from the entrance of the church, silencing the entire church in an instant, and everyone turned towards the direction of the sound.
“Ning Fan!”
Huo Qiuran finally smiled, tears streaming down her face.