10 The Wedding

Feng Xuan could hear her heartbeat on her ears. She did not know why she was feeling so nervous. Sure, she was getting married. But he was just another human. Why was her heart hammering this way?

She forced herself to take a few deep calming breaths. This was just not like her. She was the type of person who remained calm even when the situation would be stressful. Feng Xuan was most grateful when a soup was finally placed in front of her. Finally, she had something to do with her hand and her mouth would be too occupied to talk.

The other man, she learned, was Qing Zihao. He owned the hotel before handing it down earlier this year to his son Qing Chen. It would mean that she had been living in her husband's property since last week.

Damn, how did I not think of that possibility? she thought. She wanted to kick herself on the butt for not having seen it coming. After all the novels she read, predicting every outcome, here she was living under her would-be husband's hotel all along.

Upon observing, she figured that Qing Chen did not talk too much while their fathers were busy conversing about stories before their children had been born. It would seem Qing Zihao and Feng Lizhao had known each other for a long time, but Feng Xuan was wondering why this was the first time she was meeting the always smiling old man.

She did not get so much of a glance at Qing Chen's face earlier. But now, she could see him under the light and... he was really handsome.

His hair was straight and his eyebrows were thick. He had a nose and cheekbones to die for. And those lips... they looked more luscious than hers. But it was his eyes... she was sure they were brown—nothing out of the ordinary when she first saw them, because if they were different she would've noticed. But now, taking a closer look, they looked blue. Or was it green?

Feng Xuan was busy trying to look into the colors of the eyes in different angles that when those same eyes turned to her, she unintentionally sipped too hard on her soup. The next thing she knew, she was coughing and pounding on her chest as the liquid found its way down her throat.

She was pretty sure she was just about to die a second earlier because everything turned into slow motion.

She saw Qing Chen's eyes widening, and she thought, yeah, they are blue, and she saw how he was going to get out of his seat to come to her but she raised a hand and he stopped. After a not so gentle pat on the back by her father, she was able to breathe again with a last cough. "I'm sorry," she choked out, her voice coarse.

"I think we had enough with dinner," said Qing Zihao. "Are you sure you're alright, little dove?"

Feng Xuan nodded, feeling her face heat up yet again as she slowly took a sip of water.

"Call the lawyers," she heard her father said.

Another two chairs were added to the table, one on each side and two men in smart-looking suits showed up, briefcases on their hands. A copy of the marriage contract was pushed in the hands of Feng Xuan. It had numerous pages and her eyebrows raised when she saw it was actually a pre-nuptial contract.

She flipped, not actually wanting to read the provisions. Her lawyer was giving her a brief summary, but the words seemed to go in and then out of her ears without her comprehending it.

"Basically, his current properties are his, and your current properties are yours. Inherited properties should also fall in your names. Properties that the two of you will acquire during the span of your marriage are the only assets subject to be divided should a time come for a divorce. If a divorce happens, your alimony, whether or not you are able to support yourself if the time comes, would be 40% of Qing Chen's net income. You are required to give a male heir. Failure to do so can be grounds for termination of your marriage contract. In regards to your future child or children should a need arise, family law shall be applied."

Feng Xuan felt her heart stopped beating for a second upon the last sentence. Child... children...

"You may now sign the contracts," the other lawyer said.

Feng Xuan took a quick peek at Qing Chen who had already started signing the papers. She took a pen and, with a slightly shaking hand, signed. She wanted to curse inside her head out of nervousness. Here she was, binding her life to the man she just met.

They exchanged papers and Feng Xuan noticed that Qing Chen had a thick handwriting. Her signatures and thin strokes looked so small compared to his heavy and big ones.

"And now the marriage contract."

The lawyers gave them another set of papers and gave them a short summary. It looked pretty ordinary to her. That one, she signed easily.

"I am actually ordained," said Feng Xuan's lawyer, slipping the papers inside his briefcase. "I guess, I now pronounce you man and wife."

Qing Chen breathed out when he heard those words. He had signed those papers without a second thought. Now, he pulled a small red box from his pocket. Inside there were two rings made of platinum; one, just a plain band, and the other, encrusted with diamonds all around.

He watched as Feng Xuan's slim and long fingers reached for her ring. Her eyes were glued to the sparkling diamonds. Her father was right; she loved shiny things. It was like she was in a trance and the smile on her face was as bright as the stones.

"Do you like it, child?" Qing Chen heard his father ask.

Feng Xuan nodded at his father and she slipped the ring on her finger. "That's really beautiful." She directed her eyes at Qing Chen. "Thank you."

Qing Chen smiled back at his now wife. Wow, that sounded so... unusual, he thought. To be honest, he felt a little giddy on the inside having called someone his wife. And he thought he liked that kind of giddy. He fished his own ring and pushed it on his ring finger.

They took turns taking pictures with their parents. And finally, it was just him and her.

"You should hold her hand, show us the pretty ring," his father beamed at him looking proud.

Qing Chen turned to Feng Xuan. "May I?"

"Oh!" she said in surprise before putting her hands on his waiting ones.

Her hands felt cold on his warm ones. Was she nervous? he thought. He smiled at the camera, angling both of their hands so the rings could be seen.

"Alright, let's wrap this up. You two go on ahead to your new home. We will stay a little more for a few drinks," Qing Chen's father said.

Feng Xuan walked to her father and gave him a hug, feeling a little thankful for her new husband. This Qing Chen seemed to be decent. "I'll be taking my leave."

"Of course, Xuanxuan. You shall. I hope you'll like my present."

Feng Xuan released her father. "I am sure I will love it."

Feng Xuan turned to her new father-in-law who more than willingly engulfed her in a quick hug. He smelled like her father, but more on smoke of burnt leaves. "You need not to worry about a single thing, little dove. Qing Chen will handle everything for you. If he does something stupid, let me know. I will give him a good whack."

"I'm sure he'll behave well."

"I hope not for tonight," the old man joked. And Feng Xuan chuckled nervously. What comes after the wedding? "Off you go now, the both of you. Make us a healthy heir. To your honeymoon! Go, go, go!"