Chapter 260

Chapter 260

Although it was said that they would first offer tea to the eldest uncle, in reality, they first paid respects to their ancestors.

Then, they presented a fragrant tea containing red dates and lotus seeds to Xie Junhao.

Here, there was a hint of customs from the Hong Kong and Guangdong regions.

Lu Mingzhu wore a dragon and phoenix gown, while Xie Junyao wore a long robe and mandarin jacket, looking like a perfect match in the eyes of others.

Whether it was a blend of multiple local traditions, no one really cared. They were more focused on the gifts Xie Junhao gave to the newlyweds. As expected, it was a pair of gold dragon and phoenix bracelets inlaid with white pearls and red gemstones, and a pair of muttonfat jade dragon and phoenix bracelets with intricate gold wirework.

The jade was crystal clear, and the gold was dazzling, complementing each other to create a radiant treasure.

The care put into it was clear.

Xie Junhao, along with Xie Junyao's eldest uncle and aunt, were next to drink tea. The aunt was the one who had scolded the younger sister-in-law in the bridal chamber. Although the eldest uncle was already in his seventies, his features were still well-defined, showing that he must have been extremely handsome in his youth. His expression was kind and friendly. After drinking the tea, he took out a pair of rose gold dragon and phoenix bracelets and a pair of muttonfat jade bracelets for Lu Mingzhu, saying, "Good child, live happily with Junyao from now on."

Both families were wealthy, and the dowry was so generous that they would never have to worry about food and clothing. What they hoped for was the harmony of the young couple.

Lu Mingzhu smiled sweetly, "Thank you, eldest uncle."

After the eldest uncle, it was the turn of the second and youngest uncles. After receiving the dragon and phoenix bracelets from the eldest aunt, Lu Mingzhu and Xie Junyao took turns offering tea, and then it was the turn of the Xie family elders.

With the parents absent, the uncles were the most respected.

The elders and relatives of the Xie family were well-off, some living in the mainland, some in Hong Kong, Macau, or abroad. They drank the tea one after another and gave golden gifts—all dragon and phoenix bracelets, varying in size and style but all substantial in weight.

There was no need to skimp on this.

Perhaps having been scolded, Xie Junyao's younger aunt drank the tea obediently and gave a pair of dragon and phoenix bracelets, putting on a smile and trying to appear kind and friendly.

Julie held the tray to collect the golden gifts, feeling the weight pressing down on her wrists. Fortunately, there were twelve bridesmaids, so others could take over.

After acknowledging the relatives, a hundred tables were set up for the banquet.

Originally, it was planned that both families would host their relatives and friends at noon, and then hold a grand banquet in the evening. However, since Xie Junyao and Lu Mingzhu did not have a Western-style wedding, there was no related ceremony, so the evening banquet was unnecessary, leaving only the noon banquet.

Famous chefs were invited, and the ingredients were prepared in advance, with delicacies available in abundance.

The banquet was held in the garden, bathed in warm sunlight.

The weather was perfect, neither too cold nor too hot, with no wind or rain, very pleasant.

The garden was filled with green trees, red flowers, and lush grass, the refreshing fragrance invigorating everyone.

A food connoisseur with an extremely sensitive tongue couldn't help but say, "The braised dish is ginseng pork, the steamed dish is humphead wrasse, the stewed dish is matsutake chicken soup, and the abalone, sea cucumber, shark fin, and fish maw are all top-grade. There are also knife fish, lobster, and hairy crab. It's truly a feast, far surpassing the Manchu-Han Imperial Feast."

"Just eat!" someone covered his mouth.

Others were already feasting heartily.

Lu Mingzhu returned to her room and changed into another outfit, ate some food sent by Xie Junyao, and then went out with Xie Junyao to toast the guests.

Everyone saw Xie Junyao wearing a black Zhongshan suit, looking tall and handsome, while Lu Mingzhu...

Lu Mingzhu wore a red cheongsam, her figure graceful and elegant, with a string of lush, vibrant emerald bead necklaces around her neck. Apart from a simple platinum ring, she only paired it with a pair of interlocking platinum diamond-encrusted emerald earrings.

She wore no emerald brooches, rings, or bracelets.

However, the bridesmaids did.

All twelve bridesmaids wore pink cheongsams, adorned with emerald bead necklaces, emerald bracelets, emerald stud earrings, and emerald rings that looked identical from afar and up close. The apple-green hue was crystal clear, with a dewy, lustrous sheen.

The entire set was exquisitely valuable.

Lu Mingzhu directly gifted them to the bridesmaids.

High-quality emerald material is exceedingly rare, making it nearly impossible to create identical jewelry sets. Fortunately, when she and Xie Junyao were cutting stones for fun, they stumbled upon a large piece of ice-grade apple-green emerald material, which they used to make over a hundred sets of jewelry. Originally intended for sale at Mingzhu Diamond Jewelry Store, they felt no regret in gifting them now.

The banquet guests were filled with envy.

Clearly, these were either prepared by the Xie family or the Lu family.

Someone spotted Yang Huan, Hong Kong's most sought-after actress, accompanying Lu Mingzhu, and couldn't help but be captivated.

The person sitting next to him immediately tugged at him and whispered, "Keep it down. Do you even realize the gravity of this occasion? Don't you think about which company Yang Huan belongs to? Such a stunningly beautiful actress, delicate as tofu—do you think no one covets her? She's like a forbidden fruit—admire from afar, but don't touch, protected by the new Mrs. Xie herself!"

The wealthy young man, still smitten with Yang Huan, refused to let go of his fantasies. "Can't I marry her?"

The person who reminded him glanced at him with a hint of mockery in his eyes, "Do you think your family would approve? Although Yang Huan is outstanding in every aspect and has a great reputation in Hong Kong, she's still an actress, which clashes with your family's tradition of marrying within your social class."

The wealthy young man shrugged, "Traditions are made to be broken. I don't care about old customs."

"What about your mother? Do you think she wouldn't care? If the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law don't get along, you'll be the one to suffer," the person continued to remind him. "She's a hardworking girl, putting her all into acting and advertising, and doesn't attract any scandals. Her reputation is clean. Don't drag her down with your idle playboy antics—she's a hardworking girl. If you divorce later, you can always marry into nobility, but it won't be easy for her to remarry."

"Let's give it a shot. How else will we know unless we try?" The wealthy young man refused to give up.

The fact that she was chosen as Lu Mingzhu's bridesmaid speaks volumes about their close relationship, which also adds to her appeal.

Just as Xie Junyao and Lu Mingzhu came to their table to toast, he jokingly said, "Cousin, cousin-in-law, you two are now a pair of lovebirds flying together. Can you do your younger brother a favor and introduce me to someone? There are so many beautiful bridesmaids here, like a hundred flowers blooming."

"No," Xie Junyao firmly refused. "Introducing someone to you would be a thankless job."

The young man choked, "Cousin!"

Xie Junyao said seriously, "Calling me 'cousin' won't get you anywhere."

He turned to the bridesmaid beside Lu Mingzhu and said, "Remember this face. Don't let him sweet-talk you. If he manages to charm you, I won't be responsible."

Yang Huan was the first to nod, her voice clear, "Got it."

Ming Yue, with her high status, stared at the wealthy young man for a few moments, unabashedly. Noticing his gaze on Yang Huan's face, she seemed thoughtful, with a hint of mockery in her heart.

Does he honestly believe everyone dreams of marrying into wealth?

He thinks too highly of himself and underestimates Yang Huan, whom Lu Mingzhu values.

Turning to toast again, Ming Yue saw Ming Hui and Zheng Yuee and couldn't help but raise an eyebrow, "Dad, aren't you close to Mr. Lu? Why are you dining at the Xie family's place instead of the Lu family's?"

Ming Hui said irritably, "You're so smart, you tell me."

It must be because He Yun is here!

When Lu Mingzhu gets married, he will definitely be present, sitting at the head table.

Lu Mingzhu toasted, "Mr. Ming, no matter where you're seated, just enjoy the feast."

"Don't worry, I will," Ming Hui replied, accepting the glass with both hands.

"Zheng Yue'e, you should also enjoy the meal," Lu Mingzhu said with a smile to Zheng Yue'e.

Zheng Yue'e smiled softly, "I'm eating, haven't stopped."

She had never been to such a lavish wedding feast and was so thrilled she almost swallowed her tongue, yet she kept her composure.

The wedding feast wrapped up at three, with each guest receiving a parting gift placed at their seats beforehand. The gift box contained eight items: heart-shaped red tin box chocolates, Chanel No. 5 perfume, a Montblanc fountain pen, a Hermès wallet, a silk embroidered shawl from Mingzhu Embroidery House, diamond brooches from Mingzhu Diamond Jewelry Store, a bottle of Provence rosé wine, and a product made from Hetian jade seeds from Kunlun Mountain.

Xie Junhao and Xie Junyao didn't have relatives and friends stay at their home; even their uncle stayed at the Hong Kong Grand Hotel like everyone else, with the brothers covering all travel and accommodation costs. Today, they even arranged rides to and from the venue.

Xie Junyao and Lu Mingzhu stood at the door to bid farewell to the guests.

They didn't change their outfits again.

It was only after five, after seeing off the last guest and sending the bridesmaids home with drivers, that Lu Mingzhu finally relaxed.

"I'm so tired," she said, her face stiff from smiling.

Xie Junyao was very considerate, holding her hand, "I'll go with you to change, and we'll have a nice dinner with my brother tonight."

They didn't eat much during the day.

Lu Mingzhu nodded.

With her brother here, she didn't have to worry about the dowry or anything.

Lu Mingzhu showered and washed her hair, then walked into the intricately carved bed in just a red silk nightgown, drying her hair. She saw Xie Junyao sitting on the bed, gazing at her with bright eyes, and blushed, "What are you looking at?"

"Looking at my wife!" Xie Junyao replied with a smile, "Quick, call me husband."

Lu Mingzhu's eyes twinkled, "If I call you brother, will you give me a gold and jade bracelet? What do I get for calling you husband?"

"Of course, but you'll have to wait until tonight," Xie Junyao said.

Lu Mingzhu was very curious, "What is it? Do I have to wait until tonight? Is it a night pearl?"

Xie Junyao smiled without answering.

He stepped forward to dry Lu Mingzhu's hair gently, then changed the subject, "Are you hungry? I noticed you didn't eat much today."

"Hungry," Lu Mingzhu said, touching her stomach.

Xie Junyao gestured towards the dressing table by the bed, "While you were in the shower, I peeled some peanuts, longans, and chestnuts for you to munch on."

"Let's eat together," they shared the wedding wine and the fruits by the bed.

"Let me dry your hair first," Xie Junyao opened the bedside cabinet and took out a hairdryer.

The wiring into the intricately carved bed was ingeniously hidden, with the socket not easily noticeable.

Lu Mingzhu sat at the dressing table, picking up a red date from the treasure box and feeding it to Xie Junyao, "What's this?"

"A red date," Xie Junyao said, taking it with his mouth.

Lu Mingzhu then fed him a red-skinned peanut, "And what's this?"

"Peanut." Xie Junyao didn't know what she was up to. After eating the peanut, he was then given longan and chestnuts in quick succession. As he savored the sweetness, a sudden thought flashed through his mind: "May you bear a noble son early!"

His heart was brimming with love.

Lu Mingzhu laughed, "It could also be a precious daughter."

Xie Junyao was filled with joy, his chin resting on her head as he smelled the faint fragrance, his voice soft, "Mingzhu, are you willing to have a child? Not wait a few more years? I thought you wouldn't want it so soon."

He actually wanted to wait a bit.

They hadn't even begun their life as a couple yet; it wouldn't be ideal to jump straight into a family of three, would it?

"One, recovery is faster when young. Two, while my big brother is still energetic now..." Before Lu Mingzhu could finish, Xie Junyao already understood her meaning.

"Right, you're right. My big brother is sixteen years older than me. In a few years, he'll be reaching his fifties, and his energy will gradually decline. What if he's not able to help us with the child?"

Xie Junyao quickly made a decision, "Mingzhu, would you like to see the gift I've got for you?"

Lu Mingzhu ran her fingers through her now dry hair, "What gift?"

"It's under the pillow. Come here, and I'll show you." Xie Junyao coaxed her.

Lu Mingzhu thought he was going to give her a surprise at night, but now it was just earlier, so she followed him inside without any defense, only to be pounced on the bed by him, and together they flipped the pillow.

Soon, a voice came from inside, "Xie Junyao, you cheeky devil!"