Chapter 656 The Wedding Night I Long For

Lin Wanrong's eyes suddenly widened with delight, almost leaping up in excitement. "Sister, are you talking about—the wedding night?!"

An Biru's cheeks flushed a deep red as she stared at him intently, her smile tinged with irony. "Really? Is that what you desire the most, the wedding night?"

"Oh, no, no," Lin Wanrong hurriedly corrected himself, boasting unabashedly, "Actually, what I truly wish for is to spend a lonely night in a quiet room, holding Sister's hand. Lying side by side, shoulder to shoulder, exchanging a few heartfelt words. What a romantic scene that would be! Of course, if time permits, we might as well—"

Seeing him harbor such noble aspirations, Sister An's heart yearned, and she gazed at him softly. "Might as well what?"

"Might as well have our wedding night!" he chuckled slyly, winking secretly.

The Holy Maiden's face bloomed with vivid color, and she laughed heartily, pinching his waist fiercely, her eyes brimming with seductive charm. "Very well, if you're capable, why not spend every night as our wedding night?!"

"Really?!" Lin Wanrong was overjoyed but then quickly reconsidered, shaking his head, "No, that's not feasible. Every night... I'm afraid it might be too much for you, Sister. Let's be considerate and make it once every two days."

"Who might tire, that remains to be seen!" An Biru chuckled flirtatiously, her cheeks aflame, outshining even the splendid evening sky.

‘My goodness, she's challenging me!’ Seeing her seductive yet shy demeanor, Lin Wanrong felt a tantalizing itch in his heart. He couldn't help but stroke her palm, teasingly proposing, "Holy Maiden, shall we give it a try?"

"Try?" The Holy Maiden blinked, and suddenly, as if by magic, she produced a bamboo tube. She doused him head to toe with a splash of cold water, giggling, "Then you should try this first!"

An Biru's movements were lightning-fast. Before Lin Wanrong could react, he was drenched like a drowned rat, water droplets trickling down his hair, utterly embarrassed.

"Holy Maiden, Holy Maiden—"

"Ah Lin Ge, Ah Lin Ge—"

As the water was splashed, cheers and whistles erupted around them. The Miao people were ecstatic, shouting their names louder than during any festival. An Biru laughed merrily and leaped away, casting him a reddened, sidelong glance before swiftly disappearing.

Achoo! Lin Wanrong shivered all over, utterly puzzled. He was not a sapling. In the morning, Yilian splashed him with water, and just then the Holy Maiden irrigated him in the evening. What did all this mean?

"Uncle, what is this Miao custom of splashing water?" Seeing Buyi nearby, Lin Wanrong quickly grasped the opportunity to inquire humbly.

Buyi, despite his disdain for him, had to admit admiration for the young man's daring feats. He snorted, "Don't you understand? On the day of the Flower Mountain Festival, if a Miao girl takes a liking to a man, she will publicly splash a bucket of water on him. It means, 'Wake up, you foolish fellow, and see the girl's heart!'"

It finally dawned on Lin Wanrong why Yilian had acted so oddly today. She had already confessed her feelings, and it was only his half-baked understanding of Miao village customs that kept him in the dark. ‘Now that Sister An has drenched me,’ he realized, ‘it symbolizes that I belong to her. Who in all of Miao Village would dare compete with the Holy Maiden for a husband?’

Drenched to the bone, he felt a surge of joy thinking of his Sister An. Yet, his heart grew heavy when he thought of the simple and foolish Yilian.

"Don't get too ahead of yourself," Uncle Buyi said, seeing him grin, clearly upset on behalf of his daughter. "Marrying the Holy Maiden is not that easy!"

As if to prove his point, the chief elder Hannong's clear voice echoed from the high platform, "Fellow villagers, who do you think is the most outstanding mi duo at today's Flower Mountain Festival?"

"Ah Lin Ge, Ah Lin Ge!" The air filled with the sound of synchronized, melodious applause, as everyone's gaze turned to him, and the excited cheers of countless mi duo and mi cai filled the air.

Hannong bowed slightly to Nie Yuanqing beside him, handing him a red-sealed envelope. With a smile, he said, "Now, let's invite the Prefect of Xuzhou, Lord Nie, to reveal the answer!"

Nie Yuanqing, beaming, stood up and respectfully greeted the Holy Maiden and the elders. Slowly opening the envelope, his face trembled slightly as he announced loudly, "By unanimous decision of all the elders of Miao Village, the most outstanding mi duo of this Flower Mountain Festival is—from Yingyue Hamlet—Ah Lin Ge!"

The crowd erupted in cheers, surging towards Lin Wanrong as he slowly approached the platform. "Excuse me, excuse me," he smiled, stepping onto the stage to a tidal wave of applause and cheers. Zhaguo, who had been chased off the stage, glared at him with his remaining eye, clutching his hatchet tightly, wishing to tear him to pieces.

Hannong nodded gently, "Come and greet the Holy Maiden and Lord Nie!"

"Ah Lin Ge greets the Holy Maiden!" Lin Wanrong playfully winked at An Biru. Seeing him soaked through, the Holy Maiden covered her mouth and giggled.

‘What's so funny? Someday, you'll see how formidable this little brother is.’ He snorted, turned to Nie Yuanqing, and greeted him blandly, "Hello, Lord Nie!"

Nie Yuanqing nodded, scrutinizing him closely. "Ah Lin Ge, you look familiar. Have I seen you somewhere before?"

"Perhaps," Ah Lin Ge replied with a half-smile, "It means I have a friendly face. Thank you for the compliment, Lord Nie!"

Hearing him speak Hua language so fluently, with a hint of accent from the capital, Nie Yuanqing's eyes sparkled with curiosity. "Are you of the Miao people? Why haven't I heard you speak Miao language?"

"Of course!" Lin Wanrong boasted unabashedly. "Having married Sister An and become a son-in-law of the Miao village, am I not practically one of the Miao? But in front of Lord Nie, I naturally speak Hua language, as a sign of respect to the Prefect."

"I see. Ah Lin Ge, you indeed have a way with words!" Nie Yuanqing laughed heartily, eyeing him with a profound and inscrutable gaze.

After the introduction, chief elder Hannong stood before the entire Miao community scattered across the hills. With a grand wave of his hands, he proclaimed loudly, "At today's Flower Mountain Festival, Ah Lin Ge from Yingyue Hamlet has outshone all. He rode fearlessly through rings of fire, danced atop blades, and conquered the treacherous thirty-six steps of the mountain of blades. Our elders unanimously declare him the most outstanding mi duo of this festival. Does anyone disagree?"

The acts of horseback riding and climbing the mountain of blades, though thrilling spectacles, were perilous. Ah Lin Ge's display of strength, courage, and wisdom earned nothing but respect from the Miao people. No voice of dissent rose; instead, joyous cheers filled the air. Everyone rhythmically chanted his name, "Ah Lin Ge, Ah Lin Ge—"

Elder Hannong nodded and declared, "Since there are no objections, let's have the bravest mi duo of our village raise the colorful Flower Mountain flag!"

The crowd erupted into thunderous applause and cheers. Raising the flag was a pivotal event of the Flower Mountain Festival, not only because it was the duty of the most outstanding mi duo of Miao Village, but also because of the immense difficulty involved. This act was a further test for the distinguished mi duo. Once the flag was raised, it signaled the official start of the matchmaking activities, allowing all mi duo and mi cai to pursue those they fancied openly.

Lin Wanrong looked up at the towering flagpole, about eighteen or twenty meters tall, and frowned. The fresh flowers that had been wrapped around it were removed, leaving its surface smooth and without ropes or ladders. How was he to raise the flag in such a condition?

As he pondered, he heard the chief elder, somewhat smugly, announce, "Given Ah Lin Ge's extraordinary performance today, which exceeded everyone's expectations, the elders have decided that he is not allowed to climb the pole to hang the flag. He must find another way!"

This announcement caused an uproar among the crowd. Traditionally, the bravest mi duo would climb to the top of the pole to hang the flag. This sudden change, clearly targeting Ah Lin Ge, seemed unfair. The pole was slick and devoid of any aids for climbing. How was he to raise the flag? It seemed like an intentional challenge.

"Objection!" Lin Wanrong immediately stood up, protesting loudly, "Uncle, why is it that everyone else can climb the pole, but not me?"

"Objections are futile," Hannong chuckled, "This is a unanimous decision by all the elders. Either find a way to hang the flag, or forfeit. And you know what forfeiting means—"

His gaze briefly flickered towards An Biru, his triumph obvious: You think you, a man of the Hua people, can easily marry the phoenix of our Miao village? Not so fast! If you forfeit, forget about marrying anyone!

Lin Wanrong, feeling desperate and at a loss, looked at the smooth pole and wondered how he was supposed to hang the flag. Was this a demand for his life? He turned to Buyi, grasping at straws, "Uncle, you're well-traveled and knowledgeable. Have you ever seen anyone hang it differently?"

Buyi shook his head proudly, "In all my years, having witnessed countless Flower Mountain Festivals, I've only ever seen mi duo climb up themselves. I've never seen any other method used. Now, Hua lad, it's all up to you!"

"Please bestow the flag, Holy Maiden!" Before Lin Wanrong could ponder further, Elder Hannong eagerly called out. The Holy Maiden, An Biru, quietly stood and took the brand-new, multicolored flag from the second elder. Her gaze flowed over Lin Wanrong, subtly appraising him. At this, the entire Miao crowd grew anxious for Ah Lin Ge, their eyes fixed intently on him.

"How will he do it? What can he do?" Yilian, standing on a large rock and peering into the distance, stomped her foot in worry.

"What do you mean, 'what can he do'?" Zitong, with wide eyes and a mischievous smile, said, "It'd be great if he can't hang it! Then the Holy Maiden won't favor him, and our little sister Yilian can seize her chance to capture this heartless Hua man! Let him be your servant for life!"

Yilian's face turned red, and she sadly shook her head, "If that were true, he would never be happy. And if he's not happy, what's the point of me being alive? I'd rather just secretly watch him forever than see him suffer even the slightest. I pray to the ancestors of Miao Village to bless Ah Lin Ge with the fulfillment of his wishes. I'm willing to serve them for all eternity!"

With her hands clasped together, she murmured to herself, her beautiful face glowing with a touching radiance.

"Oh, you foolish little sister!" Zitong sighed, resigned. "Your true heart has met an outhouse. He doesn't care about you at all!"

The girl silently shook her head, looking steadfastly at him.

Seeing her dispirited demeanor, Zitong couldn't bear it anymore. Her eyes swiftly shifted, and she huffed, "Don't worry, Yilian, I'll make sure justice is served for you!"

Lin Wanrong remained silent for a long while. Elder Hannong chuckled, "What's the matter, Ah Lin Ge? Are you going to forfeit?"

Pressed into a corner by the elder, Lin Wanrong had no choice but to step forward. He took the flag from An Biru, grumbling, "Master Sister, these old men are bullying me. Why don't you say something fair on my behalf?"

The Holy Maiden giggled, "If they're bullying you, you can bully me in return. Doesn't that even things out?"

Lin Wanrong recoiled at her words. Bully her? That would be like courting death! Annoyed, he snorted, "But this is your territory, and they're ganging up on me. What if I make a mistake—"

"You dare?" An Biru's eyes danced with light laughter as she stepped on his foot. Her seductive gaze was like silk, "Either make a mistake or lose yourself. Which will you choose?"

Lin Wanrong's heart melted, "Can I choose both? I'm not good at making mistakes, but I excel at losing myself!"

"What do you think?" The Holy Maiden chuckled, patting his cheek and whispering in his ear, "Little brother, let me tell you a secret—your Master Sister has yet to consummate her marriage. Could you teach me?"

Blush spread from An Biru's cheeks to her elegant neck, her giggles fragrant like orchids, tickling his face.

Lin Wanrong's head buzzed, his eyes seeing stars. ‘This temptress! Even without consummation, she's like this. What more if...?’ His body stiffened, smoke seemed to rise from his nose. In a heated moment, he gritted his teeth, "Fine. For education's sake, and to dispel the ignorance of the Holy Maiden's mind and body, I'll make the sacrifice! I'll take on this task!"

In the blink of an eye, he transformed, his eyebrows dancing with delight, his demeanor majestic and confident. The difficulty he had shown moments ago was now nowhere to be seen. Sister An, stunned for a long moment, suddenly had an epiphany: ‘Ah, I've been tricked! Little brother must have had a plan all along, luring me into conversation on purpose! How infuriating!’

Her cheeks flushed with a rosy hue, she giggled and stealthily clasped his hand. The affection in her eyes flowed like a pouring stream.

"Uncle, is it true that as long as I don't ask for a ladder, you'll give me anything I want?" Lin Wanrong, brimming with confidence, asked Hannong with a playful laugh.

He had come up with a solution so quickly? The Elder was taken aback but nodded subtly, "As long as it's reasonable, we will certainly provide! But if you want a siege ladder, forget it!"

"Do I look like such a shameless person?" Lin Wanrong burst into hearty laughter, declaring loudly, "Listen well, Uncle, I need thin bamboo strips, rice paper, fine iron wire, kerosene, cotton thread..."

His voice was loud and clear, listing dozens of items in one breath, each seemingly insignificant. Not even a hint of a ladder, let alone a bamboo pole.

With just these items, how could he possibly hang the flag? The audience, both on and off stage, exchanged puzzled glances, clueless about his intentions, even his Master Sister was filled with doubt.

"Is that all?" The Elder finally dared to blink after he finished listing.

Lin Wanrong spread his hands, smiling calmly, "Yes! What, Uncle, won't you even give me these little things?"

"Of course, we will give them!" Hannong nodded hastily, looking at him incredulously, "Ah Lin Ge, think carefully. If you fail, there won't be another chance for you and the Holy Maiden—"

An Biru's heart tightened upon hearing this. As the Miao Village's Holy Maiden, she understood all too well the Elders' intentions in challenging her little brother. They hoped Ah Lin Ge would impress everyone with his skills, giving them a reason to marry the Miao's proudest Phoenix to someone from the Hua people. But this was her lifelong matter; if her little brother failed, they would have to hide their relationship for the rest of their lives.

The Holy Maiden's heart raced, her experience in worldly affairs vast and complex, yet she had never felt as nervous as she did today.

Lin Wanrong looked at the smooth flower pole, silent for a long moment, then suddenly turned to his Master Sister with a slight smile. His smile was not particularly handsome, but it carried an indescribable wisdom, strength, and confidence. To An Biru, it felt as warm as the blossoming of spring flowers.

Her heart warmed, the Holy Maiden could no longer care for anything else. She tightly held his hand, her charming smile revealing a hint of seductiveness as she whispered, "Little brother, I want to consummate our marriage right now."

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