I used to think that Hannah would never be able to love someone else after being so deeply in love with John, but I was wrong. Even though she had left John for good, he had a special place in her heart. But it didn’t stop her from giving her heart wholly to Chandler.
Her past relationship with John was nothing more than just a memory. She had moved on and fell in love with Chandler, and that was all that mattered.
Their wedding was an unforgettable one.
One fine day she would look back at their wedding day with no regrets.
The palanquin stopped in front of Chandler’s house, which was situated in the suburbs. It was a detached house with a red main door, and there was classic wedding decor on the exterior. Chandler’s parents were already waiting by the gate to welcome the bride.
They came forward and greeted everyone with twinkles in their eyes and a joyous smile on their faces.
The guests and the master of ceremonies spread out and stood on both sides of the gate. With a loud voice, the emcee announced the official start of the wedding ceremony.
It was followed by the loud sound of gongs before the master of ceremonies went on to extend wedding wishes to the couple.
Next, the matchmaker guided the groom to help the bride to get off the palanquin. As the bride and groom held hands, they both crossed over a fire plate. As I took in the novelty of the wedding ceremony, I turned to Anthony and said, “I didn’t know that there are so many etiquettes at a wedding.”
He chuckled and leaned closer to me to explain, “Crossing over the fire plate signifies getting rid of the unhappiness of the past, and it’s supposed to bring good luck to the bride.”
I smiled and teased him, “How do you know that?”
Instead of answering my question, he asked, “Then what kind of wedding would you like?”
I answered with a smile, “When it’s Summer’s turn to get married, I’ll have to think hard about the perfect kind of wedding to arrange for her.”
As parents, it was what we hoped for.
He lifted his hand to my forehead and asked, “I was asking about you. What kind of wedding would you prefer?”
Seeing that he was serious, I answered with an embarrassed smile, “A grand wedding then, if I were to remarry.”
I recalled that on our wedding day, Grandpa had actually ensured the wedding decorations were perfect. My emotions were running high that day, and I was completely focused on being a happy bride.
When I saw him brooding, I couldn’t help but ask, “What are you thinking?”
He raised his eyebrows and motioned me to look at Hannah.
Hannah had crossed over the fire plate and was about to hold some oranges in her hands, which symbolized good luck. I turned to look at him and asked, “Is there any difference between the wedding customs in J City and K City?”
“Yes.” He nodded in reply.
I had wanted to question further, but it was my turn as the bridesmaid to hold the bridal umbrella for the bride. It was customary for the bridesmaid to open the umbrella for the bride as it symbolized the bride bringing many descendants to the groom’s family.
After a series of rituals and customs, I helped Hannah through the front door. There was a courtyard in Chandler’s house and was surrounded by beautifully decorated white walls. The wedding ceremony was to take place in the living hall.
To welcome the bride, a red carpet was rolled out in the hall. When we entered the living hall, I handed Hannah’s hand to Chandler.
Hannah leaned closer to me and whispered in my ear, “Sienna, I think I left my phone in the bridal car. Can you help me to get it now before the bridal car leaves?”
I nodded and went out to retrieve the phone from the bridal car. Just when I was about to head back into the house with the phone, I caught sight of a familiar black Bentley.
It’s John!
I was not surprised to see him, but I was not expecting to see him either.
His luxurious car was especially conspicuous. I walked to the car, raised my hand, and tapped on the window. Not long after, the window lowered.
He seemed to have lost some weight since we last met, and there were dark circles under his tired eyes.
“Don’t you want to go in?” I asked as I studied his pale face.
He shook his head and pressed his lips together. Then he asked, “Does he love her very much?”
I shrugged and said, “They’re perfect for each other. By the way, Uncle Louis is here too. I saw him go in together with Kiki. Why don’t you go in? You’re practically part of her family now.”
He looked uncomfortable as he stared at the door. “I’d better not go in. She looks beautiful. Please convey my message to her, and I wish her well. I blew my chance with her, and if we were to meet again…”
“I don’t think she ever wants to see you again. You blew it, and there’s no point crying over spilled milk now. You’re my brother, and I do wish that you will live a happy life. If you really want to settle down and have a family, you’ll have to find the right partner. Yvonne is not the right one for you. It has nothing to do with her family background. If you think that you can’t heed my advice, then I’ll suggest you consult Uncle Louis about her. The answer is deep in your heart.”
Having said that, I walked off with the phone in my hand. I wasn’t going to stick around and chat with him. I had to get back inside to resume my role as the bridesmaid and join in with the toast.
Back in the living hall, I handed the phone to Hannah and went to stand next to Anthony. He looked at me and asked, “Saw someone you know?”
I was taken aback and nodded. “John’s outside.”
Just then, the master of ceremonies announced the commencement of the tea ceremony for the bride and groom to pay their respects and show their gratitude towards their parents.
Chandler’s parents went to sit on the chairs at the center of the living hall, and the bridesmaids and groomsmen stood on both sides of the chairs. It was a lively atmosphere as the house was full of guests.
The master of ceremonies started off the tea ceremony with good wishes to the married couple.
I had attended other weddings before, but none like that. So naturally, I was filled with curiosity about their customs and watched in awe as Hannah and Chandler paid their respects to their parents.
Hannah was blessed to have met someone who truly loved her.
I saw the twinkle in Hannah’s eyes as she smiled up at Chandler and said to myself, “John really blew his chance.”
As they exchanged rings, I felt a little sorry for John. On the other hand, I was very happy for Hannah to have met the right one.
After the tea ceremony ended, I accompanied Hannah to the newlywed’s room on the second floor. The room was huge and the interior was beautifully decorated, giving off a unique and intimate atmosphere. The couple’s bed was set with fresh sheets. There were a few children who were curious about the bride.
They gathered outside the door and were asking for sweets. Fortunately, Hannah came prepared and took out a bag of sweets. After she had distributed the sweets to those children, they went away merrily. Catching her breath, she took out a cocktail gown from the wardrobe and said with a grin, “I didn’t know it could be this tiring. Thank goodness I will only marry once. Otherwise…”
I quickly interrupted her and said, “Shush! It’s your big day—only good vibes.”
She looked at me and burst out laughing. “I did not expect that from you at all, Sienna. By the way, where’s Mr. Featherstone? He must not like it to be in such a lively environment.”
I chuckled. “He’s out there with Uncle Louis. Don’t let his cool appearance fool you. I think he’s probably enjoying the celebration.”
Otherwise, why would he be so focused on observing Chandler and Hannah’s tea ceremony?
Suddenly, there was a sound of knocking on the door. I got up to open the door. It was Chandler’s mother, and she was holding a platter of assorted food. She looked at me with a smile and said, “Hi, you must be Ms. Stanhope. I’m Chandler’s mom. Chandler is busy attending to the guests, and he’s afraid that you girls might be hungry. So I’ve brought you some food. Please have something to eat before the toasting session. It’s not good to drink on an empty stomach.”
I quickly stepped aside and said with a smile, “Come on in, Mrs. Coleman.”
Chandler’s mother was nearing fifty years old. I heard from Hannah that Mrs. Coleman was well-known for her profession of embroidery. She had a pleasing, submissive, gentle air about her.
She placed the food on the table and reminded us to fill our tummies before she left the room.
Hannah, who was starving, wolfed down a few bites of the food after changing into her cocktail gown. Before she could finish her food, a red-faced Chandler came to the room and tugged her away for the toasting session.
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.
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