All eyes naturally focused on the two couples, sizing them up and comparing them.
Su Lan instinctively looked up, and the fire in her chest flared again when she saw the ox-cart beside Xiao Zheng. Turning her gaze to Su He sitting on the cart, she froze entirely.
This was Su He? Impossible! How could she look this good?!
In her memory, Su He had always kept a bare face. Combined with her quiet, reserved nature, she had always seemed dull and plain. But today, she was completely transformed.
Gone was her usual dullness. Her face carried a soft, rosy glow, blooming like fresh peach blossoms in spring—soft, radiant, and full of life. It was impossible to look away. Though her crimson wedding dress was simple, it looked dignified and festive, making her appear all the more striking and delicate.
Su Lan looked down at herself. The old peach-pink dress she wore looked faded and muddy. Compared to Su He’s red wedding dress, it looked exceptionally cheap. The contrast made it feel as though Su He was the properly wedded principal wife, while she was just a concubine brought in through the back door.
At this moment, resentment and jealousy surged through Su Lan like a tidal wave. Digging her nails hard into her palms, she felt so miserable she couldn’t even manage a bitter remark.
Meanwhile, the onlookers began whispering among themselves.
“My goodness, the Xiao family’s bride is beautiful! Who said the Shen family’s bride was the prettiest one?”
“Exactly. The Shen family’s bride looks so old and dull. She’s nowhere near as bright and beautiful as the Xiao family’s bride.”
“No kidding. Just look at her complexion and features—she looks much better than Su Lan!”
“Look at Su Lan, still wearing old clothes, and she caked her makeup on like a monkey’s bottom.”
“See how much Xiao Zheng dotes on his wife? He even prepped an ox-cart. The Shens don’t even have a cart. The treatment of these two brides is night and day!”
“New couples on the same path, let’s catch some of the wedding bliss!”
Just then, someone shouted, and the whispering crowd instantly grew lively again!
A few people called out to Su He and Xiao Zheng, “Hundred-year harmony to you, Commander Xiao and Lady Su!”
Of course, some offered congratulations to Su Lan and Shen Feng as well, but their voices carried noticeably less enthusiasm.
After cheering for a while, the villagers faced a dilemma as the two wedding processions set off again.
“Which house are you going to?”
“I think I’ll go check out the Shens’ place.”
“I just came from over there!” a woman chimed in, lowering her voice and curling her lip. “There’s nothing exciting to see at the Shens’.”
“Exactly,” another agreed. “I took a look too. They haven’t even started cooking the food yet.”
“How can the two families compare? The Xiaos have meat dishes!” someone laughed.
“No kidding! I smelled the air over at the Xiaos’ just now, and that aroma—wow!”
With just a few sentences, the tide completely turned. Most of the crowd swarmed over to follow Xiao Zheng and Su He, walking alongside the ox-cart. Laughing and chatting, they planned to join the fun at the Xiao house; even just catching a glimpse of the meat dishes on the banquet tables would satisfy a craving.
Only a small group, out of sheer obligation, stayed behind to walk with Shen Feng and Su Lan toward the Shen house, making their procession look quite bleak.
Times were tough, and the villagers only wanted to catch some of the wedding bliss, enjoy the bustle, and wish for good luck. No one would actually be thick-skinned enough to stay for the feast without an invitation. After all, grain was precious to every household; just turning up to add some life to the occasion was a gesture of goodwill.
As the ox-cart rolled along, Su He sat on the cart and tilted her head slightly. Hearing the laughter and chatter of the neighbors around her filled her with deep peace and contentment. Glancing back, she saw Su Lan’s lonely, resentful figure not far away. She let out a soft sigh, then turned her eyes to Xiao Zheng, who was holding onto the side of the cart. The warmth in her eyes deepened.