Settling the Wedding!

Today, Li Guilan had prepared an immense feast, filling the table to overflowing until dishes had to be stacked on top of one another. It was clear that she was truly overjoyed today. Li Guanqi and Meng Wanshu exchanged wide-eyed glances, while Meng Jiangchu held his chopsticks, at a complete loss as to where to begin. "This... Why did you make so much food? Can we even finish all this?" Li Guilan took off her apron and rolled her eyes. "None of your business. I'll make as much as I please. If you don't want to eat, get the hell out." Meng Jiangchu's expression froze, and all the nagging complaints in his throat were forced right back down. Li Guilan turned toward Meng Wanshu and Li Guanqi, letting out a hearty laugh. "Eat, pick up your chopsticks." At her urging, everyone dug in. After taking a few bites, Li Guanqi could not help but praise her. "Mother-in-law's culinary skills are so good, it's truly a pity you haven't opened a restaurant." Meng Jiangchu kept his head lowered, shoveling food into his mouth as he muttered, "'Mother-in-law,' indeed. You might as well just call her Aunt Li." Li Guilan rapped Meng Jiangchu's wrist with her chopsticks, snapping with mock annoyance, "We're eating, what are you babbling about that for?" With that, she turned around, caught Li Guanqi by the arm, and said in a low voice, "Eat, don't mind him. You young people have your own ideas. Don't listen to your Uncle Meng's nagging. Have some food." Meng Wanshu stifled a laugh, reaching out to pick a piece of chicken for the woman. "Mother, you eat too." After serving her mother, she placed a chicken leg into Li Guanqi's bowl, her beautiful eyes sparkling as she visibly held back her laughter. Seeing Meng Wanshu give Li Guanqi a chicken leg, Meng Jiangchu held out his bowl. "I want one too." Li Guilan picked up the last chicken leg and placed it straight into Meng Wanshu's bowl, rolling her eyes at the man. "Eat my foot! How about a chicken butt?" Listening to their noisy, bickering banter, warmth flowed through Li Guanqi's heart. A home like this was the home he had always envisioned... Setting down his chopsticks, Li Guanqi spoke with a solemn expression. "Father-in-law, Mother-in-law, Wanshu... I gathered everyone together today because there is something I wish to discuss with you." The moment those words were spoken, Meng Wanshu froze with her head down, the meat slipping from her chopsticks back into the bowl. Meng Jiangchu set his bowl and chopsticks straight down, leaning forward slightly with both hands pressed against the table. "You brat, have you finally made up your mind? Speak, speak, out with it!" Li Guilan set down her chopsticks and took Meng Wanshu's hand in hers, clearly guessing what Li Guanqi was about to say. Li Guanqi turned to Meng Wanshu beside him, his gaze tender and his voice gentle as he spoke. "I want to marry Wanshu!" His voice was firm, without the slightest hesitation. Meng Wanshu's eyes instantly rimmed with red. Li Guilan merely pursed her lips as tears welled in her eyes. Holding Meng Wanshu's hand, she lowered her head and remained silent. Even Meng Jiangchu, who had looked forward to this day more than anyone, found his eyes turning red. He reached up and wiped the corners of his eyes. Li Guanqi continued, "In seven days, I will take members of the Great Xia Sword Sect to the Shenbao Domain to present the formal marriage proposal. "The wedding is set for ten days from now. My grandfather will serve as the master of ceremonies; he was also the one who helped calculate the auspicious date for Wanshu and me." Having said that, Li Guanqi suddenly realized he had forgotten a very important detail. Dropping to one knee, he looked up slightly at the tear-streaked woman before him and reached out to brush away her tears. "Wanshu, will you marry me?" Meng Wanshu nodded vigorously, her heart surging with turbulent emotion. Watching this unfold, Li Guilan could not help turning her head away, dabbing at her eyes with her sleeve. Once she collected herself, Li Guilan called out, "Old Meng! Go get a jar of wine. Our family should have a drink together today." Meng Jiangchu produced a jar of wine with a flick of his sleeve and poured a cup for each of them. Li Guilan stood up with her wine cup in hand. "I'll say a few words today. "Your Uncle Meng and I fully approve of your marriage to Wanshu, and we think very highly of you. "From the bottom of our hearts, us two old folks give you both our blessings." Li Guanqi and Meng Wanshu also rose to their feet, raising their wine cups. Yet Li Guilan's tone suddenly shifted, and a rare sharpness appeared in her eyes as she fixed her gaze on Li Guanqi. "Guanqi, we watched you grow up. Now, your strength is unmatched across the ages. "In my heart as her mother, Wanshu is just as outstanding. More than once, she has told me how guilty she feels that her strength isn't enough to help you." Li Guanqi listened quietly. He had never known about any of this. All he had known was how relentlessly and bitterly Meng Wanshu cultivated. At the thought, Li Guanqi looked at the woman beside him, his heart aching with tenderness. Li Guilan sniffled and spoke again. "You youngsters have soaring ambitions, and ascending to the Immortal Realm is inevitable. "Still, since you are going to be wed, as a mother, I must give you a couple of reminders. "I'm afraid that on the day of the wedding itself, I won't be able to bring myself to say these words. So I must say them today. "Guanqi." Li Guanqi responded at once, "Yes, Mother-in-law, please speak. I'm listening." Li Guilan nodded and said softly, "Between husband and wife, trust is paramount. Do not listen to idle gossip and let it sow doubt between you. "As long as you trust each other, no rumor under heaven can harm you." Li Guanqi nodded heavily; he believed the very same. Li Guilan glanced at Meng Jiangchu. "Though I am just a peasant woman, your Uncle Meng is a lofty Domain Lord. "A man out in the world will inevitably face many temptations. But I expect you to hold firm, to know your limits, and to keep proper boundaries. Do you understand?" Li Guanqi nodded firmly and replied in a deep voice, "I definitely will! "In this regard, I shall learn from Father-in-law." Li Guilan remarked casually, "In this matter, you truly ought to learn from your father-in-law." Hearing that, Meng Jiangchu looked so smug his tail might as well have curled straight into the heavens. "Good! That is all I have to say. No matter what, you must never bully Wanshu! "Wanshu still has her maiden family. If she ever wants to come back, she can come back at any time. There's no reason for her to swallow grievances!" Li Guilan's words left everyone inwardly astonished. Even Meng Jiangchu looked at his wife in a whole new light. Though Li Guilan was an ordinary woman who had started as a mere mortal to reach this day, she saw through the emotional bonds between husband and wife with absolute clarity. When it was Meng Jiangchu's turn, he coughed repeatedly before finally squeezing out a sentence. "Uh... cough, cough..." "What your mother-in-law said is exactly what I wanted to say! If you brat ever dare treat Wanshu poorly, just you see what happens." Listening to her parents' nagging and admonishments from the side, Meng Wanshu had long since dissolved into quiet sobs. Raising his cup with both hands, Li Guanqi responded in a solemn voice, "Father-in-law, Mother-in-law, rest assured. I will treat Wanshu with all my heart!" Tossing his head back, he drained the cup in one gulp. Li Guilan grimaced slightly as she swallowed the liquor, then called out, "All right, it's a joyous occasion, a wonderful day! Stop all the weeping. Eat, before the food gets cold." The meal was not particularly boisterous, but it was deeply heartwarming. After finishing, Li Guanqi uncharacteristically did not go to wash the dishes. Instead, he sat on a chair in the courtyard playing chess with Meng Jiangchu. "Since the wedding date is so close, you must have quite a lot to take care of, don't you?" Li Guanqi placed a stone down gently. "Yes. I plan to take Wanshu back to the Great Xia Domain first thing tomorrow morning." Meng Jiangchu raised an eyebrow, placed a stone, and began capturing pieces. "Heh, you terrible chess player! You can actually play there? Hahaha!" Li Guanqi smiled and said nothing. "Take Wanshu, my foot! According to custom, starting tomorrow, you aren't allowed to lay eyes on Wanshu again until the day of the wedding!"