Lu Qiao endured the agonizing Friday with great difficulty, and finally, the wedding day arrived!
A day of universal celebration!
The wedding was held at a mountain villa owned by Mo Hanzhou himself. As one of the top-tier wealthy families in Pingcheng, the wedding was an extravagant affair.
The villa spanned an area equivalent to two football fields, with the parking lot alone covering two to three thousand square meters. For this day, the entire villa had been bustling with preparations for nearly a month. Today, the villa was under strict security, and even the roads leading up the mountain were blocked. Only guests with invitations were allowed entry.
Because of this, media outlets later joked that only the true elite of Pingcheng could ascend the mountain that day those without a net worth of at least ten billion couldn’t even set foot there.
By noon, the villa’s lawn was filled with luxury cars, each worth tens of millions. There were even two helicopters parked on standby for emergencies. It was said that the wedding decorations alone cost millions, not to mention the lighting, flowers, alcohol, beverages. In short, it was a grand display of the family’s wealth and status.
The guests lived up to their elite reputations, consisting of prominent figures from both political and business circles, as well as titans from the cultural and artistic worlds all exceptional individuals.
Lu Guoan mingled among the crowd, shaking hands and exchanging pleasantries with influential figures he could rarely meet under normal circumstances. Occasionally, when someone flattered him, he grinned from ear to ear, looking every bit the caring father genuinely happy for his son. However, most of the guests present were astute individuals, and it was unclear how many were truly fooled by his act.
At the center of attention, Lu Qiao stood beside Mo Hanzhou, assisting him in welcoming the guests.
The Mo family was vast and influential. Mo Hanzhou alone had so many siblings and cousins that they couldn’t be counted on both hands and feet. Lu Qiao followed him as he greeted over a dozen uncles, aunts, grandparents, and dozens of cousins, nephews, and nieces…
These were mostly relatives who held some prominence in their own right, with only a few being those Mo Hanzhou had specifically mentioned beforehand.
Mo Hanzhou’s paternal grandparents had already passed away. His father’s generation consisted of four children three sons and one daughter. His father was the second eldest. The eldest uncle had no interest in business and was a dedicated scholar.
The third uncle worked within the Mo family’s enterprises but had spent the last decade managing overseas subsidiaries and did not return for the wedding.
The youngest aunt had married into the Dong family, another wealthy household, and later had two children. The eldest was already working, though not within the Mo or Dong family businesses, claiming he wanted to gain experience elsewhere.
However, the Mo and Dong families had deep roots in Pingcheng for many years, with interests spanning numerous industries. Generally speaking, most legitimate companies in Pingcheng had some connection to these two families, but that’s a topic for another time.
These few were Mo Hanzhou’s closest family members, and his demeanor toward them was noticeably different.
Mo Hanzhou’s eldest uncle inherited the Mo family’s handsome features. Wearing a pair of glasses, he appeared refined and scholarly. He looked at Lu Qiao and Mo Hanzhou with a gaze full of emotion and satisfaction, smiling as he said:
“This is a painting of koi fish playing in water, created by a good friend of mine surnamed Zhang. I hope the two of you will have a smooth and prosperous future, with everything going your way.”
Mo Hanzhou instructed someone to take the painting and replied with a smile, “The friend surnamed Zhang you mentioned wouldn’t happen to be Professor Zhang Dongping, the master of traditional Chinese painting, would it?”
“Oh, what a coincidence it is indeed him.”
Everyone laughed.
“By the way, this is a gift from your third uncle, entrusted to me to deliver.”
He handed Mo Hanzhou an exquisite box. Mo Hanzhou accepted it and said, “Third Uncle is very thoughtful. I’ve already received many gifts from him before.”
“It’s only right, it’s only right. When a nephew gets married, no amount of gifts is too much.”
Mo Hanzhou’s aunt, well-maintained with long black hair that gave her an elegant and serene appearance, had arrived with his uncle. Seeing Mo Hanzhou, she leaned in to give him a gentle hug before straightening up and embracing Lu Qiao:
“Congratulations to both of you. Hanzhou, from now on, you’re a married man. Whatever you do in the future, remember to keep your family in mind and think carefully before acting.”
“I understand, Aunt.”
Lu Qiao quickly added, “I’ll keep an eye on Hanzhou too.”
“Good child.”
Their children regarded Mo Hanzhou with a mix of closeness and reverence, clearly showing the deep respect he commanded in their hearts. Even now, they didn’t dare to tease him, each presenting the gifts they had prepared.
With too many guests, Mo Hanzhou exchanged only a few words with them. After all, they were family there would always be time to talk later.
After seeing off the family members, business partners arrived one after another, all polite and wearing kind, amiable expressions that made it hard to imagine how they ruthlessly devoured their competitors in the business world.
Mo Hanzhou’s friends also came, and Lu Qiao even spotted Chen Deng. As soon as Chen Deng saw him, he remembered the previous incident and, suppressing his anger, handed over his gift.
“Brother, sister-in-law, I wish you a hundred years of happiness and eternal unity.” He deliberately emphasized the word “sister-in-law.”
Lu Qiao didn’t even blink, smiling brightly as he said, “Thank you, little brother Chen Deng.”
“…” Chen Deng, looking both unwilling and helpless, took his seat.
Mo Hanzhou watched them enter before turning back and asking, “Are you and Chen Deng still at odds?”
“Not at all, little brother is just fine.”
“You.”
As they spoke, another distinguished guest arrived.
“President Mo, congratulations!” The newcomer was a man in his thirties, dressed in a silver suit and exuding elegance, standing out like a crane among chickens among the crowd of men in their forties and fifties.
Lu Qiao recognized him too he was a frequent figure in financial news, hailed alongside Mo Hanzhou as one of the most promising young entrepreneurs. Their companies were involved in multiple industries, with significant overlap, leading to constant rivalry. Sensationalist reporters had dubbed them the “Century Rivals,” and their open and covert battles filled plenty of headlines.
Yue Yilin wore a warm, spring-like smile that easily won people over. His gaze swept over Lu Qiao before he leaned in and said to Mo Hanzhou with a smile:
“I never thought President Mo would also find a virtuous wife. It truly brings me great comfort.”
Though the words sounded complimentary, they carried an uncomfortable undertone.
Mo Hanzhou’s smile remained unchanged as he held Lu Qiao’s hand and replied, “You flatter me, President Yue. A’Qiao is still young and a bit mischievous hardly deserving of the title ‘virtuous wife.'”
“Haha, no rush, no rush. Youth brings a certain innocence, and married life will surely be more interesting.”
“By the way, I’ve brought a gift for both of you. I hope it suits Madam’s taste.”
A young man stepped forward from behind him, holding a wooden box. Staring directly into Mo Hanzhou’s eyes, he said with a smile:
“President Mo, greetings. This is a congratulatory gift specially prepared for both of you by President Yue.”
Upon seeing the young man, Mo Hanzhou’s gaze suddenly sharpened, and a shadow of gloom crossed his expression. His demeanor cooled slightly as he motioned for a nearby attendant to take the gift without opening it, saying indifferently:
“Since it’s a gesture from President Yue, no matter what the gift is, both A-Qiao and I will cherish it in our hearts.”
“Haha, then I won’t disturb President Mo and his lovely wife any longer.” Yue Yilin laughed heartily and walked inside.
Lu Qiao stole a glance at Mo Hanzhou, whose expression remained calm, a faint smile lingering at the corner of his lips, almost imperceptible. However, as the next guest arrived, he quickly regained his composure.
At 2:15 in the afternoon, the wedding commenced as scheduled.
The wedding venue, adorned with countless flowers and pristine white silk, was filled with the solemn and grand wedding march soaring high in the blissful air. Led by Lu Guoan, Lu Qiao slowly walked toward Mo Hanzhou at the end of the floral path.
For this once-in-a-lifetime wedding, Lu Qiao wore a white suit, adorned with a camellia-shaped gemstone brooch on his chest. The suit was specially tailored by a renowned Italian designer commissioned by Mo Hanzhou, one of only two such suits in the world the other being Mo Hanzhou’s black suit. The gemstone brooch was similarly unique; the central purple diamond came from the same rough stone, unearthed in South Africa two years ago. Its market auction price had reached 200 million yuan even before cutting and processing, making it difficult to imagine the value of these two brooches.
Yet, there truly are moments when the significance of money fades away.
At this very moment, Lu Qiao’s mind was completely free of such superficial concerns as “money.” All past experiences lost their meaning in this instant. Like a newborn baby, he listened intently to the pastor’s vows, afraid of missing any crucial moment. When the pastor asked:
“Mr. Lu Qiao, do you take Mr. Mo Hanzhou to be your partner?” he answered swiftly:
“I do!”
The corners of Mo Hanzhou’s lips lifted slightly.
“Mr. Mo Hanzhou, do you take Mr. Lu Qiao to be your partner, from this day forward.”
“I do.”
“Please exchange rings…”
The two grooms exchanged rings, witnessed by countless family and friends, under the gaze of rings worth hundreds of millions, and blessed by all deities of East and West. Lu Qiao leaned down, and Mo Hanzhou’s kiss, as gentle as early autumn dew, landed on his cheek.
Thunderous applause erupted from the audience.
Lu Qiao wanted to record this most important experience of his life from a third-person perspective, but he realized that in this grand and hurried moment, he was merely being swept along. Shortly after the ceremony, the evening banquet began. He greeted guests, drank a little wine, perhaps even sang foolishly, and was wished “early blessings of children” by someone who misspoke.
Finally, during a brief intermission, Mo Hanzhou suggested he return to the room to rest. With his mind feeling heavy and muddled, Lu Qiao didn’t refuse.
Back in the room, a faint blush still lingered on his face, whether from the alcohol or the emotions, he couldn’t tell. He walked to the bathroom and splashed his face with cool water, the refreshing flow finally calming his mind. Taking a deep breath, he stepped out of the bathroom, only to find an unexpected guest in the room:
“Who are you?”
The man on the sofa rose slowly. A flicker of confusion passed through Lu Qiao’s eyes it was the man who had come with Yue Yilin.
A confident smile played on the man’s lips as he slowly approached Lu Qiao. Under Lu Qiao’s wary gaze, he provocatively lifted Lu Qiao’s chin.
“So beautiful.”
“Such a stunning beauty, and to think he’ll be wasted on that cripple it breaks my heart.”
“…”
I’ll give you another chance. Think carefully about what you’re saying.
Lu Qiao stared expressionlessly at the person before him. Of course, this was only his inner thought. In Mo Yunchong’s eyes, he merely took a flustered step back, his large, watery eyes filled with confusion and wariness as he looked at him, his cheeks flushed with a delicate blush that made him irresistibly beautiful.
If it weren’t for Mo Hanzhou’s family background, with his current useless state, how could he possibly marry such a beautiful wife? The thought filled Mo Yunchong’s heart with intense resentment.
“You must be suffering too. It’s just that the Mo family holds immense power, and you had no choice but to be sold by your father to Mo Hanzhou. That cripple, with his useless legs, can’t possibly make you happy, yet he cruelly robs you of your future.”
Damn, this guy actually makes some sense. If Lu Qiao weren’t so greedy for wealth and luxury himself, he might have been persuaded.
The beauty timidly spoke up, “Who are you?”
“Who am I?” Mo Yunchong said with a sense of vindictive satisfaction, as if venting his anger:
“My name is Mo Yunchong. I am Mo Beiqi’s son.”
“…”
Lu Qiao: ?
If he remembered correctly, Mo Beiqi was Mr. Mo’s father.
Ah, so he’s an illegitimate child. That explains it.
Lu Qiao exclaimed in surprise, “You’re Mo Beiqi’s son? Then you’re Mo Hanzhou’s brother?”
“Brother, yes, brother. I am Mo Hanzhou’s brother.” Mo Yunchong burst into laughter. After going through a complex inner turmoil, he turned his face back to Lu Qiao:
“Mo Hanzhou is Mo Beiqi’s son, and I am Mo Beiqi’s son too. Yet you can only marry a cripple. That’s just too unfair.”
“Since that cripple can’t satisfy you, sister-in-law, why not let me satisfy you instead?”
As he spoke, he took a step forward, his fingers reaching out toward Lu Qiao’s face.
Watching his hand approach in slow motion, Lu Qiao felt a strong, familiar sensation deep inside. This feeling.
Wait
A few words, half-Chinese, half-Japanese, flashed through Lu Qiao’s mind:
Wedding, bride, lonely room, brother-in-law and sister-in-law.AVI
Instantly, Lu Qiao’s face took on an inscrutable expression.