Spoiled Eldest Miss x Two-faced Madman

CHAPTER 121: “We Won’t Have Any Regrets.”

　　Perhaps she was talking to the system. An Jiu seemed a little absent-minded.

　　She didn’t even remember when she sat on the wedding bed. It was like her memory had glitched. The festive noise around her felt like a rushing river, and she was just drifting along, pulled onto a small boat by someone. Only then did things start to feel real, like she had finally set foot on solid ground.

　　At this point, the bride’s part was done. Next, the groom had to go out and greet the guests, and she’d be left behind to wait alone.

　　An Jiu was already familiar with the whole routine and quietly sat with her knees together, waiting.

　　But Pei Ji always had a way of surprising people.

　　She had just sat down when he told someone to bring over a steaming hot meal and set it on the table beside her, saying she should eat a little if she was hungry.

　　Usually, brides don’t get to eat on their wedding day, and they’re not even allowed to.

　　No one even knew where that rule came from.

　　Pei Ji didn’t stick around for long after sending the food. There were still a bunch of guests waiting outside for him to toast with them, so he left with his attendants, leaving just the bride and her companion, Lin Qingyan, in the room.

　　The sound of the door closing was followed by Lin Qingyan’s voice. “How’d he know you hadn’t eaten? That’s so thoughtful.”

　　An Jiu thought, of course he’d know. Back when she married Ming Wang, her stomach was growling the whole time, and all she was given was a bunch of dry nuts.

　　She never forgot how miserable that was. Before this wedding, she had casually complained about it once, and who would've thought he actually remembered.

　　Lin Qingyan brought the bowl over. Inside were round, plump, snow-white tangyuan floating in hot soup. She handed An Jiu a spoon so she could eat. On such a cold day, one sweet bowl of tangyuan warmed not just her stomach but even her cold hands and feet.

　　Noises echoed from outside. Even though the bridal chamber was a bit far from the banquet hall, the sound of the crowd was still loud and clear. Laughter and voices urging each other to drink mixed into the almost boiling chatter. Everyone was in high spirits.

　　Yet, in the middle of all this liveliness, An Jiu felt strangely calm inside.

　　She could even hear her own steady voice saying, “Qingyan, can you take the bowl out for me? And find something to eat for yourself too. Didn’t you skip dinner?”

　　“But you’re all alone…” Lin Qingyan hesitated a little.

　　An Jiu replied, “It’s fine. I’ll only be alone for a bit. I’m not a kid who needs someone by my side all the time.”

　　An Jiu had no family from her maiden home and naturally no maidservants as dowry. She wasn’t used to being waited on by the maids of Medicine King Valley either. This time, only Lin Qingyan came with her when she married. Jin Yanwan had wanted to come too, but her stepmother had fallen seriously ill, so she just sent generous gifts instead.

　　After hearing that, Lin Qingyan touched her empty belly and nodded without fuss. Soon, she headed out the door.

　　The bridal chamber An Jiu was in now was actually Pei Ji’s room.

　　Once Lin Qingyan left, An Jiu lifted the wedding veil by herself and opened the secret compartment.

　　The bottle inside was exactly as it had been. Its owner clearly hadn’t noticed that the secret had already been discovered.

　　An Jiu picked up the jade bottle, walked over to the table, gently pulled out the stopper, and poured two transparent little insects into the two wine cups on the table.

　　The insects were completely see-through. Once they fell into the wine, they disappeared from sight, as if they had merged into the liquid. From what she knew, these Gu insects would only awaken when they came into contact with human flesh and blood.

　　Throughout the entire process, An Jiu stayed completely composed. Her hands didn’t even tremble once.

　　After that, she returned the jade bottle to its place, closed the secret compartment, sat back down on the wedding bed, and pulled the veil back over her head.

　　When Lin Qingyan came back, she didn’t notice anything unusual.

　　It was like nothing had happened. Everything looked perfectly normal.

　　The moment Lin Qingyan returned, she excitedly said, “Brother He was drinking like crazy at the banquet. Someone challenged him to a sword duel and said the loser had to drink. It turned into a huge scene!”

　　“What about Pei Ji?” An Jiu asked.

　　Lin Qingyan replied, “He drank a lot too. I mean, it’s his big day. I’ve never seen him this happy before!”

　　An Jiu had been wearing her wedding veil the whole day and still hadn’t seen Pei Ji’s face. She didn’t know what kind of smile he wore when he was truly happy. Normally, he already smiled often and looked cheerful, so maybe he really couldn’t hide his joy today.

　　A strange tightness pressed on her chest. She let out a soft breath and smiled. “Just wait. Brother He will be as happy as Pei Ji is today, soon enough.”

　　Lin Qingyan laughed. “Oh, you…”

　　In less than two months, Lin Qingyan would be marrying He Ziqing.

　　“Oh right. Once your bridal night’s over, you have to tell me everything... I need to prepare myself.”

　　An Jiu couldn’t help but laugh and asked, “Prepare for what?”

　　Though it was just the two of them in the room, Lin Qingyan still lowered her voice, her cheeks flushing. “I heard it’s really painful. I’m kind of scared…”

　　An Jiu softened her voice too. “Alright. If I get the chance, I’ll tell you.”

　　Outside the room was a lively crowd of voices. Inside, two young girls whispered shyly, sharing secrets they couldn't tell anyone else.

　　An Jiu had thought the time would crawl by. Waiting always felt like torture.

　　But maybe because of Lin Qingyan’s company—or something else—it felt like time passed quickly. Soon, a series of footsteps echoed outside, mixed with laughter and teasing.

　　Moments later, the wedding room door swung open, and the rowdy guests fell into sudden silence.

　　Through the narrow slit under her veil, An Jiu saw a pair of red shoes step in front of her. The hems of fiery red robes swayed gently above them.

　　The person stood by the bedside, facing her own embroidered wedding shoes, barely half a meter away.

　　Though many had entered the room, it felt strangely quiet. Only the voice of the wedding matron echoed in everyone’s ears.

　　She stood beside the newlyweds, reciting poetic blessings—things like flying together as a pair of birds, growing old hand in hand. Her chanting tone was slow and rhythmic, filled with a kind of solemn joy, as if the words really carried a blessing.

　　An Jiu sat quietly, eyes lowered, listening.

　　She drifted in her thoughts, amazed that he was actually this patient. Not the slightest bit restless.

　　It felt like both a long time and just a moment had passed. She was only half aware of things when the wedding matron’s voice came from nearby, “Groom, lift the veil.”

　　Another wave of laughter and teasing instantly erupted in the room. All the guests were familiar faces from the Medicine King Valley.

　　“Lift it, lift it. Let everyone see the bride!”

　　This part was called the ‘wedding room teasing.’ No one really knew where the tradition came from, but the idea was that if unmarried guests came to playfully stir things up, the couple would have a happier marriage. The young guests could also catch some of the good luck for themselves.

　　All of a sudden, a jade scale appeared in An Jiu’s line of sight and slowly reached down right in front of her, lifting the bright red veil from her face.

　　Light instantly flooded her vision. She instinctively shut her eyes, then slowly opened them again and looked up.

　　Pei Ji was dressed in red from head to toe. The fiery color brought some warmth to his normally pale complexion, giving it a soft, healthy glow. His long black hair was tied high with a golden crown, and his eyes and brows were full of a smile he could barely contain.

　　His long, narrow eyes curved just slightly, like crescent moons hanging in the sky.

　　He seemed a little drunk, eyes hazy. But even so, the moment he lifted the veil, An Jiu clearly saw the light in his eyes. It was as if a star had landed in the depths of his dark gaze, making them shine all of a sudden.

　　Anyone who looked at him could tell, right away, just how happy he was.

　　He didn’t hide it. He didn’t even want to.

　　An Jiu’s fingertips subconsciously dug into her palm. The faint sting brought her back to her senses, and she quickly lowered her eyes. Her long lashes trembled like fluttering wings.

　　“Oooh, the bride’s shy!” someone teased, and everyone burst into laughter.

　　“She’s so beautiful!”

　　And she really was. A golden phoenix crown adorned her head, and a blood-red gem hung between her brows. It made her small, palm-sized face look even paler and more flawless. Her delicate nose, rosy lips, and striking features combined with her lowered gaze and flushed cheeks made her look like she had stepped straight out of a painting.

　　Pei Ji laughed too, then cupped his hands and turned to the crowd. “My wife’s a bit shy. Thank you all for understanding.”

　　Even his voice was laced with barely concealed joy.

　　Everyone gave him face and quieted down. The teasing stopped, and though they still watched with smiles, the room settled into a more respectful silence.

　　An Jiu noticed it all, but she kept her head down, still pretending to be bashful.

　　After lifting the veil came the ritual of drinking the wedding wine.

　　With the matchmaker chanting cheerfully in the background, the two of them reached out and picked up the two cups from the table. Then, under everyone’s watchful eyes, they crossed arms and drained the wine in one go.

　　The cold liquid hit her tongue with a sweet peach blossom fragrance and a sharp, spicy burn.

　　As the wine slipped down her throat, An Jiu shifted her gaze and saw the man across from her set down his cup. Not a drop of wine was left.

　　She focused inward for a moment. There was a faint twinge in her stomach, like a tiny cramp—but it disappeared so fast she thought she might have imagined it.

　　She glanced back at Pei Ji. He didn’t seem to notice anything. His eyes were as bright as ever, practically glowing as they stared at her. She could see her reflection in them, as if he saw no one else but her.

　　From the moment they entered the room, he hadn’t looked away once.

　　His gaze was so intense, it could be felt without words.

　　After the wine, no one stirred up trouble anymore. Not long after, the guests began to quietly take their leave.

　　It was already past midnight. The night was deep and still.

　　Once the crowd dispersed, the cold winter night fell completely silent. Outside, the laughter faded away, and nothing was left but stillness.

　　In the still silence of the night, only the red candle occasionally let out a soft crackling pop.

　　Pei Ji closed the door behind him, then turned and walked toward the bed. The girl in the red wedding dress was still sitting by the bedside, unmoving, quietly lifting her eyes to look at him.

　　Something felt off. The way she looked at him seemed to carry a different kind of emotion.

　　But he had drunk too much. He hadn’t refused anyone offering him a toast, downing drink after drink until his stomach was full of alcohol and his head began to spin. He couldn’t quite tell if he was imagining things.

　　The candlelight flickered. The feeling swelling in his chest was like a wooden bucket filled to the brim with water, sloshing back and forth, sending ripples across his heart that refused to settle down.

　　“Jiu'er, you're finally married to me.”

　　Pei Ji gently took the girl’s hand resting on her lap.

　　That little hand was ice-cold, completely without warmth.

　　He paused for a moment, then cupped the soft hand in his palm, trying to warm it with his own body heat. “Why is your hand so cold?”

　　An Jiu replied, “The weather's a bit chilly.”

　　Pei Ji had just sat down on the bed. Hearing that, he immediately got up to call someone to bring in a heater.

　　Just as he stood, a slight tug came from his hand.

　　The girl's slender fingers lightly hooked around his fingertips. She didn’t use much strength, but it was enough to freeze him in place like he’d been rooted to the floor.

　　“No need. We’re going to bed soon anyway.”

　　His new bride, the woman he loved, said this softly from behind him, in a tone gentler than he had ever heard before.

　　It was like a fire ignited inside him. His body, already burning from all the alcohol, grew even hotter.

　　Pei Ji swallowed hard, taking a while to find his voice again. “Yeah... rest. Once we’re in bed, it won’t feel cold.”

　　He was rambling. His gaze on her grew more intense, and those jet-black eyes seemed to blaze with a fierce fire, so bright it was startling.

　　An Jiu lowered her head shyly, avoiding his gaze.

　　“You reek of alcohol,” she murmured, sounding like she was complaining. But her face barely showed any expression.

　　Pei Ji could definitely tell that his new bride didn’t seem very cheerful, but he didn’t think much of it. He just assumed she was cold or didn’t care about all the ceremonial fuss. After all, she had been through three weddings already.

　　More importantly, his mind was completely occupied with what was about to happen. The alcohol dulled his usual sharpness, making him miss things he might’ve otherwise noticed.

　　His heart was filled with nothing but joy, satisfaction, and the kind of happiness that nearly drowned him.

　　He was thinking about the future. Once the poison was cured, they would grow old together. Maybe have a few children. He would give them all his love, teach his sons martial arts and his daughters medicine. If they wanted to learn both, that was fine too.

　　He hadn’t told anyone, but even before the wedding was set, he had already spent his free time thinking up good names for their future kids.

　　It would be a future nothing like the one his parents had. One full of light and hope.

　　Pei Ji looked forward to that day so much. And today was the beginning of that bright path. The start of a perfect life. The first step toward everything good.

　　The whole day, he felt like he was floating on clouds. Everything around him felt like a dream. It was hard to believe he could actually have something this beautiful.

　　He used to think he wasn’t someone the heavens would ever favor. That he was doomed to live like a ghost, dragging through life worse than death, unable to see a shred of hope or even a sliver of light.

　　But now, he truly felt grateful. Grateful that the heavens gave him another chance at life.

　　For someone like him, someone with so much sin, to get a do-over and even taste the sweetness of the world — wasn’t that a miracle?

　　The heavens were finally kind to him, weren’t they?

　　Pei Ji couldn’t even remember how he got undressed and into bed. All he recalled was that when he came back to his senses, the girl had already taken off her elaborate head ornaments. Her pale face still wore bright bridal makeup as she leaned close. Her soft fingers brushed gently against the corner of his eye.

　　“Did you drink a lot?” she asked. There was a faint trace of worry in her eyes, or maybe it was just the fogginess in them that made it hard for him to read her expression.

　　Pei Ji reached out and grabbed her hand. It was still cold. He held it tightly and pressed it against his burning chest, trying to warm her with his body heat. His voice was low when he answered, “Not that much.”

　　Days like this, moments of joy like this — no matter how many, they’d never feel like too much.

　　The girl squirmed slightly and lowered her gaze, whispering, “Let go. I’ll go pull the bed curtains.”

　　Pei Ji stared at her, eyes unblinking.

　　Was it because their wedding night was about to begin? She wasn’t acting as headstrong as usual. Instead, she seemed soft and delicate, like a bashful young girl.

　　Pei Ji was a little surprised, but her change in demeanor made his heart burn hotter.

　　The bright red bed curtains fell, blocking out the candlelight from outside. It was as if the two of them were now in their own little world, surrounded by a faint glow filtering through the fabric. The shifting light and shadows made the scene feel almost dreamlike, blurred between real and unreal.

　　Pei Ji’s vision wasn’t affected. He could see the trembling tips of her eyelashes and the small hand reaching for his collar.

　　He reached out and held her hand, a teasing smile in his voice. “So eager?”

　　For some reason, her soft little hand was ice-cold, even faintly trembling. Pei Ji’s brows furrowed slightly. “Are you not feeling well? Let me check your pulse.”

　　Just as he reached out, she swiftly dodged his touch.

　　Following his voice, An Jiu leaned in and wrapped her arms around his neck. Her voice was trembling, like she was scared of something. “I’m not unwell. I’m just... a little scared.”

　　Pei Ji pulled her into his arms. He had held her before, even done more than that, but nothing stirred his emotions like this simple embrace did tonight.

　　“What are you scared of?” His voice was low and hoarse, rough like sandpaper.

　　Right now, the woman in his arms was his wife.

　　His one and only wife. The woman he loved. From this moment on, everyone would call her Madam Pei. She would bear his name, belong to him, be united with him, inseparable.

　　Just thinking about that made his blood surge uncontrollably.

　　“I’m afraid it’ll hurt...” Her soft, trembling voice brushed against his ear. The rest of her words were barely audible, carried by a warm breath that seemed to scratch gently at his heart.

　　Pei Ji’s voice grew even lower. He swallowed and murmured, “Don’t be afraid.”

　　How could he ever bear to let her feel pain?

　　He brushed aside the hair on her forehead and lowered his head to kiss her.

　　An Jiu no longer felt the cold of winter. In this small space, the air was heating up, and even breathing felt suffocating.

　　Her fingers trembled uncontrollably as they slipped into his dark hair, touching the damp warmth against his scalp.

　　“E-enough, get up…”

　　He leaned in again, trying to kiss her. Instinctively, An Jiu turned her head away, avoiding it.

　　He paused for a moment, then let out a low chuckle and said in a husky voice, “Alright, I won’t kiss you. I’ll go rinse my mouth.”

　　As he started to get up, An Jiu grabbed his arm. Her voice was still shaking as she said, “Don’t go.”

　　Pei Ji froze, then realized what she meant.

　　The way she held him back, hesitant to speak, made her intentions obvious. When he looked at her, she turned her face slightly away, the corners of her lips pressed together, revealing just a hint of nervousness.

　　She still seemed tense. Pei Ji didn’t want to scare her by rushing things. Since dawn was only about an hour away, he decided to let her rest and wait until tomorrow.

　　He never wanted to force her. Even though time was running out to detoxify the poison, he was still willing to delay it for her.

　　An Jiu didn’t say anything else, but she could sense what he was planning. They couldn’t wait until morning. Once the sun rose, he would definitely notice the Twin-soul Gu had been missing.

　　So this was the last and best chance.

　　Who would have thought, while he was full of hope for their future, she was planning her departure.

　　After a brief silence, his voice came again, laced with quiet laughter like he couldn’t help it. “Alright… I won’t go.”

　　Her face burned uncontrollably.

　　An Jiu took a deep breath, but in the next moment, she noticed he had stopped moving.

　　Then came his hesitant voice. “Should we… wait a bit longer?”

　　An Jiu shook her head. She reached out, wrapped her arms around his neck, and kissed him first.

　　His lips were hot, and even his kiss felt soft and gentle like a spring breeze. As their tongues tangled, there was an almost ridiculous tenderness in the way he moved.

　　As the kiss deepened, An Jiu let out a muffled sound. She couldn’t control herself and ended up biting his lip hard enough to draw blood.

　　In that moment, a sharp, unbearable pain shot through her. Even though she had prepared for it, it was still too sudden and intense to endure.

　　Tears immediately welled up and spilled from her eyes.

　　So this was the kind of pain he experienced every time the poison acted up?

　　The man let go of her, his voice uncertain. “Does it hurt that much?”

　　By right, it shouldn’t. He had read tons of books, asked for advice from others, did a lot of homework, all just to make her feel good.

　　But in the dim light, the tears slipping down the corners of the girl’s eyes, the clear pain in her expression, and the sudden paleness of her face made Pei Ji freeze on instinct.

　　Maybe he hadn’t done well enough, which was why she felt so uncomfortable.

　　Feeling guilty, he was about to pull away.

　　But in the next moment, the girl wrapped her arms tightly around him, pressing her hands firmly against his back, pulling him in instead.

　　“I, I just have a low pain tolerance. It’s okay,” she said, her voice trembling, barely hiding her sobs.

　　Pei Ji really wanted to check if he had hurt her, but the girl clung to him tightly. Her face was buried in his chest, so he couldn’t see her expression. He could only feel her tension, and it made him feel terrible too.

　　That feeling was something he could never understand when he handled things on his own.

　　“Pei Ji, I want a proper wedding,” the girl said again, muffled because of how she had her face buried, and it sounded like she was crying. “Please don’t let me have regrets, okay?”

　　Pei Ji’s forehead was covered in sweat. It dripped from his jaw. If it weren’t for her, he wouldn’t have stopped at all.

　　Holding himself back like this already took all the willpower he had.

　　But when he heard her words, something in his mind snapped. Whatever rational thought he had left disappeared with it.

　　“How could there be regrets? We won’t have any regrets.”

　　His voice was hoarse beyond recognition. As he said it, his figure moved over her under the faint light.

　　The girl whimpered, her fingers digging into his skin, but to him, that pain was nothing.

　　She was crying. He heard it.

　　She must be in real pain. She was so tense it made it hard for him to move, and he knew he should stop. But those words kept ringing in his ears.

　　How could he let there be any regrets?

　　Pei Ji was determined to show her, with his own actions, that they wouldn’t have any regrets.

　　Maybe he was inexperienced this time, but once tonight passed, he’d learn properly. From then on, he’d never let her feel this kind of discomfort again.

　　Even though that’s what he thought, Pei Ji still couldn’t bring himself to go on for too long. Hearing her crying beside his ear, his heart ached for her even as he felt satisfied. He didn’t hold himself back completely, but he tried to shorten the time, and quickly pulled away as soon as it was over.

　　But the moment he moved back a little, soft arms wrapped around his neck again. The girl lifted her face, and her small cheeks were covered in sparkling tears.

　　“Don’t… don’t go yet. Just stay a little longer,” she said, her lips trembling, voice broken and shaky.

　　All the drunken heat in Pei Ji's body evaporated along with the sweat on his skin. His feverish mind gradually cooled, but his chest still burned as he wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes. With a mix of amusement and worry, he asked, “What are you waiting for? Still haven’t had enough?”

　　Why was she so clingy tonight?

　　The girl's long lashes lifted slightly. Her dark eyes were filled with sparkling tears as she stared at him without blinking. For some reason, there was a strange sadness in her gaze.

　　Choking back her sobs, she spoke slowly, word by word. “Pei Ji, I’m sorry.”

　　“I’m sorry, I...”

　　Before she could finish, she suddenly started coughing violently. Bright red blood gushed from her mouth in large amounts.

　　It was the same red as her wedding dress. The very color that had made him feel overjoyed all day.

　　But in this moment, Pei Ji felt a bone-deep chill all over his body.

　　He could almost hear the sound of blood rushing backward through his veins.

________________

Author's note:

Just to clarify: The male lead was poisoned, and the female lead is trying to cure him. The detox process causes intense pain, which is why the female lead said she was afraid it would hurt. This is necessary for the plot and cannot be changed.

….

T/N: Seriously, author, are you trying to make me feel bad for Pei Ji now? I know he’s the worst, but why make his scene hit me in the feels? 😤

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