14 On Her Wedding Day

Ahn Yong's face only displayed happiness as Hou Wei Yan took hold of the pen and signed the marriage registration. He saw her hesitation and doubt earlier, but it can no longer be seen as she was smiling as she signed everything.

From here on out, everything will change...in both the families and the other Regal families.

He took hold of the signed papers and carefully gave them to his assistant. The other copy will belong to Ji Li Zhao to prevent Hou Wei Yan from finding out his identity.

[ He is surely meticulous. ] he thought to himself.

"Congratulations, Xiao Yan," he said as all of them began leaving the room. Hou Wei Yan returned this with a sweet smile full of gratitude as well.

"Thank you for everything, Uncle Ahn. Sorry for troubling you so much," she said as her shoes made contact with the tiled floor creating a loud clicking sound.

Facilitating a secret wedding, no, even just allowing it sounds like nothing but trouble. Her 'Husband' must be a big fish to make the Government do as he says.

Hou Guanyu looked at his daughter with a smile. From here on out, she's no longer just his daughter. But the daughter of the Jis as well.

He made a lot of mistakes in his lifetime. Mistakes that did not only affect him but his children as well. Mistakes he regrets but cannot undo. One of them is for not being a better father to Hou Wei Yan which harmed her physically and mentally. How he wishes he was a stronger person. That way he could have saved her from danger and made her stay in China.

But with Fe Rou Chao just close to his grasp, he cannot stand still and do nothing. She was his first love and what separated them was his sudden marriage to the Xing followed by his wife's pregnancy with Hou Wei Yan. He was shackled by their arranged marriage that didn't consider his feelings. He doesn't regret having Hou Wei Yan but he regrets not being able to marry with love.

As such, he wants her to marry someone she will 100% percent learn to love.

Ahn Yong felt a smile escape his lips.

"I wish you the best on this marriage," he said and took a turn in the corridor.

The Hous was left walking in the silent hallway with Ji Li Zhao's men trailing behind them.

With the silence of the hall, Hou Wei Yan's mind began to ponder something. Now that she's married, what happens next? After marriage, there's supposed to be a honeymoon or a grand celebration, but with her current quandary, it seems impossible to do either of the two.

If so, can she do something more productive? After all, it is her wedding day. It's a happy thing, an essential part of a woman's life, she can't just do nothing on such an important day.

"Dad,"

"Do you need something, Xiao Wei?" it was her grandfather who replied instead of Hou Guanyu. He gave a sharp warning look toward his son making him just listen to their conversation.

Hou Wei Yan gave an awkward smile. [ Ah, having these two together without other people around is a disaster. ]

"What's going to happen now?"

Hou Tian Lang halted making everyone else stop as well. He glanced back and gave the head of the bodyguard a nod. He nodded back and swiftly stood in front of Hou Wei Yan.

"Xiao Wei, this is Fang Tao. From here on out, he is your assistant/bodyguard. He serves directly from your husband so if you need anything or wish to say something to your husband, you can tell him everything." Hou Tian Lang said with a smile.

He is quite protective of his grandchildren and he never accepts 'just someone' as their guard. They need to be very skilled at protecting and this man in front of him is simply top-notch.

As far as he knows, Fang Tao stands as Ji Li Zhao's second in command. He knew very well Ji Li Zhao had an organization named Palisades composed of a private army specially trained domestically and abroad. For him to send in his second in command shows how much he values Hou Wei Yan's safety over his own.

Hou Wei Yan fixed her gaze on Fang Tao who held a stoic and unbreakable cold demeanor around him. He was a slightly dark-toned man and his face was undoubtedly foreign, especially with his dark blondish curly crew-cut hairdo. His body wasn't as bulky as the other guards, in fact, he looked outwardly weak with very few muscles out in the open. Despite such a weak-looking figure, his height is quite impressive. He was 6'1 in height making her look up to him for a bit.

She immediately knew he wasn't ordinary. For him to be the main guard among such big competitors already speaks volumes.

Fang Tao bowed down politely, but his face remained as stoic as ever. It was like his smile was reserved for special occasions, and in his eyes, this one cannot be considered special yet. He's been with Ji Li Zhao for a very long time, he knew he'd end up as the Lady Boss' guard. He's been looking forward to it, but he can't believe he held back and married her in such a way.

Though he knows some of the reasons, he just can't bring himself to smile at his decisions.

"Madame, the Boss already made arrangements for you. You will be living in his house from now on," he said as he was instructed.

Making such announcements is not his kind of thing. He was always a man of action and though he was the second in command, all the commands he gives are too short it couldn't count as a sentence. He only speaks a handful of words when he bickers with his fellow senior members.

Hou Wei Yan fell silent. [ I'm not allowed to see his face but we are going to live in one house? ]

"He wants me to live with him?"

Fang Tao nodded his head. Hou Wei Yan sighed. [ What is he really up to? Is he that confident I'd never find his identity despite living under the same roof? ]

[ Ha! Bring it on! ]

Whatever his reasons, she at least needs to see a glimpse of him. With a smile, a plan was already brewing in her mind.

Having such intent, Hou Wei Yan hid it well with her air of innocence and masked it totally with her smile. "What about my things? My clothes?"

"Everything is already arranged by the boss," he said as he was told that everything else is to be kept secret and surprise her.

Hou Wei Yan smiled even more. [ Ah, giving off a mysterious aura to intrigue me. It's quite a cliche but I'll buy it. ]

"When do I move?"

Grandfather Hou who was listening intently smiled and immediately replied "Now," without hesitation.

He was so eager to let her go because he knew there was a better life waiting for her in Ji Li Zhao's hands—his grandson-in-law's arms.

Hou Wei Yan sighed helplessly. She knows why he's acting like this. With Fe Rou Chao in the house, Fe Chungsa's cocky attitude inside the company, and his son's tolerance of their acts, he would surely flip mountains to get her out of such hell!

"Grandfather," she called out softly in hopes of calming him down, drowning his anger away from her father.

Her grandfather understood her intentions. Thus, with a soft voice as though coaxing a baby, he told her. "Xiao Wei, it is only natural for you to live with your husband."

Hou Wei Yan nodded in agreement. She knows. She knows it too well. However, they are not in a normal marriage. She can't see him because of some circumstances, they are secret. [ Secret! ]

"I know, but I can't see him in this marriage. I want to do something else to commemorate this occasion since I cannot spend it with him," she said with a glint of hope in her eyes.

Hou Tian Lang warmly smiled at her reasons. She's a responsible woman, he knows she'll live with him because she's now a wife, not a teenager. "Hmmm, you decide what you do. After all, you've already made Grandfather happy."

His assistant, Godwin Choi came into view making him nod his head in his direction. After giving his signal, he looked back toward Hou Wei Yan and softly planted a kiss on her forehead. "I must go first, I still have a meeting to attend. Take care, Xiao Wei."

"Thank you, Grandfather," she said with a bow after kissing him on the cheeks.

His Grandfather handles Hou International as he doubts his own son's intention. He rarely comes back to China to avoid any encounter with the cockroach in their home. He greatly thinks that if Hou Guanyu handles international affairs, he might get ahead of himself and give a few of their companies in honor of his new wife.

Until he is alive, he will never allow Hou Guanyu to get hold of it, and even if he dies he will give it to his grandkids rather than hand it down to him.

A few steps away from them, he suddenly looked back and gave a lethal smile. He forgot Fang Tao's main job.

"Fang Tao will handle the little slut at home for you. Don't stress yourself too much and if you want to bully her, just do as you please. Don't hold back for anyone's sake," he said and instantly left rendering Hou Guanyu speechless.

Hou Wei Yan slightly chuckled and waved her hands with glee. Even if he doesn't announce it, even if she's alone, she is still planning on giving her a taste of her venom. "Take care, Grandfather!"

"I will!" he shouted as Godwin shut the car door. He gave a curt nod to their group and proceeded to drive away.

[ It would take us a long time to meet again. ] This thought made her slightly sad.

They continued walking but Hou Guanyu wasn't done yet. "Xiao Yan listen---"

Hou Wei Yan didn't stop nor look back. Regarding such matters, they are bound to have a small disagreement over it. "I want to spend this day with my siblings."

Hou Guanyu sighed. "You can bond with them some other time."

As they were nearing the car, Hou Wei Yan decided to stop and look at him seriously. "Dad, it took me a long time to visit our home, and it took me a lot of courage to ask this favor. I wanted to delay my meeting with them because I was afraid of their disappointment. Just imagining their gazes fixed upon me in dejection makes my whole body tremble."

"I always thought it was fine to delay because I have time, but now I don't," she said sadly. Reality hit her hard this time.

Circumstances change so she has to cope with it.

Sadness and seriousness spiraled and diverged in her eyes as she looked at her father. "In my line of work, there's no assurance that my day off will incline with their schedule. Also, this marriage means I belong to my husband and my time will be devoted to him as a priority. As you told me, I must live with him. I will go home to him, not to our house thus decreasing the possibility of bonding with them."

Hou Guanyu already knew she would act like this, but he was not up for her meeting her siblings at such a time. "Xiao Yan, today is your marriage day."

This is her special day, she needs to take it as an opportunity to strengthen her tie with her husband. It's for her future. The best future his beloved daughter deserves.

Hou Wei Yan never liked this side of him, but she wanted to reason with him regarding such matters. She obeys him when it comes to her marriage because she was brought up for it. But when it comes to her siblings, she will never become the submissive daughter anymore.

"I know, all the more reason to spend it with them. Marriage calls for a celebration. Even if they do not know the reason, I still want to celebrate it with them."

"Tomorrow. Let's just do it tomorrow, okay?" Hou Guanyu said as he got closer to her with hope.

Hou Wei Yan strengthened her resolve. "Dad, Xiao Shen has an important examination tomorrow until the next day and I only have one week day off. If I don't do it today, I may not have another shot to spend time with Xiao Shen."

"Xiao Yan," he called out softly.

Hou Wei Yan looked at him strongly. "I know why you're like this. They are my siblings and I love them with all my heart and my soul no matter the reasons why I shouldn't!"

To be honest, her family is a big mess. Some matters would have been simple, but his parents always blow them out of proportion.

Her parents got divorced right after the twins were born. They don't get along and her siblings' birth is not a simple matter. Her father treasures them because they have his blood, but somehow he prioritizes her and wishes for her not to get too close to them. He wanted her to pursue the best path without considering them.

It's quite heartless but she knows his reasons.

She knows but she can't follow as he wishes.

With a strong font, she looked at Fang Tao and said. "You told me I can talk to him. Mr. Fang, please ask my husband for permission. After this day, I will follow his arrangements without complaint or resistance. Just this one day."

Fang was already informed of such matters. He nodded his head and replied.

"Understood," he walked away and called his boss. But before that, he looked at his men and gave them a number 4 signal.

His men instantly obeyed and went to encircle Hou Wei Yan and Hou Guanyu as they talked. They didn't take out their guns as they were instructed not to show them unless it was utterly necessary so they wouldn't scare Hou Wei Yan away.

Hou Wei Yan was calm as they surrounded both of them. She slightly understood that Fang Tao was their leader and perhaps their strongest force. His disappearance requires them to strengthen their defenses.

"Dad, I have no reason to hate you, but if you keep this up I might just find one," she said with all honesty. She loves him but if he keeps on damaging her relationship with her siblings she might just stop tolerating him.

Hou Guanyu fell silent. His mistakes, he wishes would stay away from his greatest blessing.

"Xiao Yan,"

Noticing her unfaltering resolve, he found himself sighing in defeat. "I'm sorry."

Silence fell on the place. Slowly she nodded her head in forgiveness. She can't hate him because he is her father. Without him, there would be no Hou Wei Yan in this world.

As long as he stays on the line.

As the tension subsided, the guards slowly cleared a path for Fang Tao. "Madame, the Boss has already approved your request. I shall accompany you in your endeavors and bring you home tomorrow."

Hou Wei Yan smiled at the thought of her having an understanding husband. She gave her assistant an endearing smile as they boarded the car. "Thank you, Fang."

.....

As soon as they walked inside the house, Ran Ai was the first to greet them. Hou Wei Yan ran to her with a smile on her face. "Auntie Ran!"

Ran instantly engulfed her in a warm hug as she reached where she stood.

"Darling, congratulations on your wedding day," she whispered in her ears with a voice filled with nothing but glee.

"Thank you," Hou Wei Yan replied as they parted from each other. Their moment was soon interrupted by a series of laughter and giggles. It was so familiar that even from afar Hou Wei Yan's tears were already threatening to fall. She turned her head towards Ran and her eyes bore questions.

"Uhmm,"

Ran knew what was inside the ripple in her eyes. She raised this child like her own and knew what her tears meant. "The twins are inside. They just got here."

A warm smile was seen in her eyes as she urged Hou Wei Yan inside. "Xiao Shen is on his way."

Hou Wei Yan's face displayed unease so Ran held her hand and looked directly into her eyes. "Listen, they are like you. Compassionate and understanding. Caring and loving. Amazing and smart. They know why you did what you did so don't feel as though they would hate you."

She pinched Hou Wei Yan's face with gentleness. "Believe me, even if the whole world turns against you, they most certainly won't."

Hou Wei Yan scanned Ran's face and soon a small smile took over her frown. "Thank you, Auntie."

Despite what Ran Ai said, Hou Wei Yan's heart was still full of worry. It wasn't as terrifying as before, however, it cannot be denied that she was still scared. Scared that her departure caused a huge rip in their relationship.

The giggling never subsided inside and she liked it that way. They were full of joy she didn't want to go inside. But a big part of her heart doesn't want things to remain in such a way—with her far apart from them. Though her nerves froze in terror, Hou Wei Yan managed to slowly open the door and walk inside to face her reality.

As soon as the door opened, the twins fell silent in fear of another scolding from their vicious stepmother. But instead of a monster, what they saw was a figure comparable to that of an angel dressed in casual wear. A big smile was soon itched on their faces as the lady's image became clearer in their view.

"Big Sister!" both of them shouted in surprise and full bliss as they threw away their toy to run towards her.

As soon as they got in front of her, the female little fella squealed in utter delight.

"It's really Big Sister!" she said as she hugged her thigh in happiness.

Hou Wei Yan's heart melted at the sight of her grown babies. When she left they were still cute little 2-year-old pandas in her eyes and the last time she checked on them was 4 years ago when her mother bought them over for her birthday.

Now, in front of her were no longer her little cute pandas but rather a pair of 12-year-old kiddos now reaching her waistline. Both of them have chocolate brown hair, a trait common to the Hous, beautifully paired with deep blue oceanic eyes. A smile broke out on her face as she crouched down to their size and softly called out their names.

"Jei Li. Wuxi."

After hearing her soothing voice, Hou Jei Li and Hou Wuxi broke into tears and called for her in sadness. "Big Sister!"

Hou Jei Li cried harder as her hug tightened. Not a second later Hou Wuxi found the strength to hug her tightly as well. "We missed you!"

Listening to their cries and hiccups tightened her heart even more. She cried as she hugged them back with gentleness clustered with thorough sadness and affection. "I missed you too. I'm so sorry for not contacting you for a very very long time."

"It doesn't matter, you're here. You're finally here!" Hou Jei Li said in between her hiccups. She slowly let loose of the hug to get a closer view of her face.

Her eyes shone in delight when she saw that her big sister hadn't changed much. Her facial features matured a little, her cute pinkish cheeks were still there, her face was still as white as snow, and her lips were as red as an apple. The color of her eyes was still her favorite shiny emerald or what she much prefers to call a healthy green apple. Though her hair changed from brown to blonde, her hair was still long with curls on its tip.

Overall it was still the sister she remembered from 4 years ago.

Hou Wei Yan indulged in their warm hug and slowly nodded her head.

"Hmmmm," that's right she's here.

She planted a kiss on their forehead and smiled. "I really missed you,"

Hou Jei Li's smile widened as she saw her big sister smile. "We missed your kisses too!"

They were still too young when she left, but nonetheless, she can still remember the warmness of her hugs and kisses. It was more blissful than what a meteor shower can give!

Hou Wuxi looked away after what Hou Jei Li said. "I didn't."

[ What is she talking about? A big man never admits such things! ]

Hou Jei Li laughed at her twin brother's silliness. She got hold of Hou Wei Yan's dress and loudly whispered in her ears. "Don't believe him, big sister, he always blurts out how much he misses your kisses."

Hearing Hou Jei Li whisper her twin's secret made Hou Wei Yan laugh as she ruffled his hair. She knows he doesn't hate her kissing him. When she was still around she usually showered them with kisses daily and not once did he complain.

"Trying to be a tough guy huh?"

"Big Sister," Hou Wuxi called softly as he surrendered to his sister's loving embrace.

Pride or whatever it is a man should uphold, he doesn't care at this moment any of it. He was just happy and euphoric that after such a long time his sister was still willing to kiss them. She was still willing to become the kissing monster they loved.

As they were indulging in each other's company, a tall lean figure entered the house wearing his high school uniform. He had a promising height of 5'11 despite only being a teenager and a killer looks akin to a Manhwa character. His face was flawless and his hair was a beautiful shade of black wonderfully paired with emerald green eyes akin to his mother's and sister's eyes. Upon entering the room, he immediately spotted the scene he'd been dying to witness for a long time.

He wasn't too surprised at her return because from the beginning he already knew she'd come back. He stood there, rooted to the ground with an obvious smile adorning his handsome face. After a few giggles from Hou Jei Li, Hou Wuxi smiling freely like a little fella, and his sister showering them once more with her kisses, he finally spoke up and made his presence known.

"You're having fun without me,"

"Big Brother!" Hou Jei Li shouted and immediately ran towards him. He scooped her into his arms and walked to where Hou Wuxi was.

Upon arriving in front of him, the first thing he did was ruffle his hair. "You little twerp. You're sneaking behind my back again."

A defensive look suddenly dominated Hou Wuxi's face as he vigorously shook his head. "We didn't!"

He suddenly laughed at him. His little brother was like snow white's dwarf under him. It looked like he was stealing some candies but was caught red-handed and yet denying it countless times.

Hou Wei Yan watched on the side as her siblings gathered. The sight made her tear up once again.

[ Oh, my baby brother. My sweet baby brother.] The thin little rascal she's been looking after from the day he entered her life. He's now a grown man who was much taller than her and looked too dazzling in his Lipin Academy Uniform.

"Xiao Shen,"

Hou Jun Shen looked in her direction and smiled warmly. But he took his glance off her immediately and looked back at his brother.

"You took away my kiss," he said and slowly looked at her again.

A smile crept through her face as their secret word was said. An argument is common between siblings, no matter how close they are it's inevitable. It's something that cannot be avoided, but it cannot be kept all around. So a kiss was their form of asking for forgiveness or forgiveness itself.

As she looked at her grown brother, her tears could not stop flowing. Her parting caused her to miss his growth and it aches because he was still willing to forgive. Her heart aches in both happiness and anger. There was turbulence inside her and its product was her salty tears. "Come here you!"

Hou Jun Shen gently placed down Hou Jei Li and without hesitation, strode towards her for a hug. "Sis,"

Hou Wei Yan's tear dam immediately broke loose as she felt her brother's tender embrace. "Xiao Shen, I'm so sorry for leaving...I'm so sorry for disappointing you and for not keeping my promise at all...I told you I'd stay with you...and be your support."

More tears dropped from her eyes like uncontrolled tap water. "But I didn't keep my promise."

Seeing their sister break down, the little ones cried along. Hou Jun Shen sighed at the sight. They were all a complete mess!

He hugged his sister even tighter and kissed her hair. Surely she was innocent and he felt no remorse towards her departure even for a tiny bit. "You didn't need to ask forgiveness because we understand. You need to leave for treatment, and we would have kicked you out ourselves if you refused Mother's arrangements."

As she was still crying and even hiccuping, Hou Jun Shen softened his voice while rubbing her hair. He was so gentle because the one in front of him was his most beloved sister, mentor, and protector.

"We weren't disappointed either. Even when you're not around, your guidance back that time and the thought of your return were enough to push us through. Even when you're not around, you're still our support,"

"Xiao Shen," Hou Wei Yan said as she continued crying in her brother's arms.

Over the past years she never really cried to such an extent where she can pour her heart out. She had stayed overseas with her mom for a while but she never really dared show her any sign of weakness because she hated it. She had made some friends there too but no one really knew of her real-life story nor how she ended up abroad.

Only in front of his brother could she show she was a broken person. And Hou Jun Shen knows this too well.

Even before, back when they were young, people viewed his sister as an epitome of perfection. She can do anything and she was beautiful beyond human comprehension. She was an angel who always smiled. But when it was just them, she had some episodes of breakdown. His sister was strong but she told him that she has sad moments as well, she just doesn't show. She told him she needed to cry it all out sometimes or she'll end up losing herself in the process of making others happy.

"Stop crying, you're making us cry," he said as he let loose and held her shoulders. Tears continued to flow from her eyes and he continued wiping them away.

[ Oh, she's such a crybaby! ]

Hou Wei Yan smiled and slightly laughed in between her cries. "It's natural for me to cry after all that you've said. When did you become so smart at this?"

He gave her a wide smile. "I have a lot of brats to handle,"

Hou Jun Shen served as the twins' supervisor. Since they were young, they were always prone to trouble and can be easily disheartened. It was up to him as their big brother to handle their tantrums and set them back on the right path. And to be honest, even at school, he was his friends' crying shoulder.

He shushed her down once more. "Stop crying already,"

Hou Wei Yan smiled at her brother's nagging. "Alright alright. I'm not crying anymore!"

She immediately wiped her tears away.

Noticing that her crying had died down, the twins stopped as well and instantly jumped in her arms. Knowing how heavy they were, Hou Jun Shen scooped Hou Jei Li out of Hou Wei Yan's arms and shook his head as he wiped her remaining tears away. Hou Wei Yan wiped Hou Wuxi's tears as well and giggled when he tried to refuse.

"Now that we're complete. Why don't we celebrate?" she said with a smile. The twins' eyes immediately shone in delight and not too soon, Hou Jei Li was squealing once more.

Hou Jun Shen looked around and asked her in confusion. "Here?"

She shook her head at lightning speed. [ God forbid! I can't even stand Fe Rou Chao, much more now that my stepsister is home! ]

"No. Let Big Sister take you out for today. Let's go do whatever you want!"

Footsteps descending made her look up and smile bitterly. Here come the devil's nasty pets. Fe Rou Chao was descending the stairs with her daughter Fe Chungsa—Hou Chungsa as she always addresses herself—who is now taking on the role of the Hou Eldest Miss. She was shamelessly treating the stairs as her runway making Hou Wei Yan shake her head.

Hou Guanyu who was with them and knew very well Hou Wei Yan was taking them out found this as an opportunity to make Fe Chungsa closer to the group. "Why don't you bring Chungsa with you?"

Hou Wei Yan smiled sweetly at his suggestion. This is what her grandfather hated and somehow she does hate it too. In her mind, she was already imagining a statue in her hands and she was ready to throw it at Fe Chungsa's smirking face!

[ Oh, that would be most satisfying! ]However, she knew it would not benefit her well compared to angering her and letting the world see what dead flesh she had.

With a sweet voice, she told her father. "Dad, we talked about this. I want to spend my time with my siblings. I can't possibly bring a pseudo doll."

After saying this, she turned her head at her siblings. She has not the slightest intention of clearing what she said. "Just the 4 of us...SIBLINGS."

She smiled lovingly at them and turned her attention back to her father. She gave him a close-eyed smile as though seeking his understanding. "Since we can't bring Shuren with us,"

Hou Guanyu looked upstairs towards Hou Shuren's room. He's too young to be bought out by Hou Wei Yan. He knows how adventurous she is when she's with her siblings. He also cannot force her to bring Fe Chungsa no matter how much he wants. Hou Guanyu has no choice but to nod his head in agreement and smile warmly at them.

"Dad, we'll be leaving then!" she said after receiving his approval. Hou Wei Yan immediately pulled Hou Jun Shen towards him as he carried Hou Jei Li in his arms.

"We'll change your clothes at the mall. I'll buy you a new set," she whispered and instantly walked away from her father.

Hou Jun Shen looked at his sister and nodded his head. Before leaving, Hou Wei Yan remembered something. She stopped and looked straight at Fe Chungsa. "Oh, and sister, if you're confused with my words, there's a dictionary in the library. Try opening it once, you might find it...useful."

In an instant, Hou Chungsa's face changed from a smirking young lady to an angry monster.

[ How dare she say that I have no brain! She's so arrogant! What made her think she was smarter than me? Just because she's a doctor doesn't mean her brain is above mine! ]

But what made her boil even more was the fact that she really didn't know what she meant.

On this first encounter after 10 long years, Hou Wei Yan left the house victoriously with a big smile on her face. It was so satisafying it made her wedding day much more memorable.