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Psst! We're moving!
On the morning of Children’s Day, June 1st, at six o’clock sharp.
Jiang Beibei pushed Chu Yao’s arm away, sat up with a yawn, and planted a loud, affectionate kiss on his forehead.
Chu Yao opened his eyes. “Leaving already?”
“Mm-hmm, my makeup artist is coming at seven,” Jiang Beibei said casually as she threw on a jacket and got out of bed. “Remember to pick me up at noon.”
Chu Yao grabbed her and pulled her back into his arms. “Have breakfast before you go.”
“No time to make it, right?”
“Glutinous rice balls.” Chu Yao replied. “Eat something—it’s not good for your health to skip breakfast.”
The bride and groom temporarily parted ways—but only by about ten meters, from one door to the other.
Grandma had already risen when Jiang Beibei returned home. As soon as she entered, Grandma handed her a large, bright red apple.
“Can I eat this?”
“It’s meant for you to eat,” Grandma said firmly.
“…Wait, isn’t the apple supposed to be held in hand for good luck?”
“You’re not sticking to old traditions while wearing that wedding dress,” Grandma chided. “Go ahead and eat. Having fruit in the morning is good for you.”
Jiang Beibei chuckled. “You and Yao Ge sound exactly the same.”
“Has Yao Er eaten? If not, tell him to come over and eat before going back.”
“He’s already eaten,” Jiang Beibei replied. “The groom is currently getting ready at home.”
Grandma rolled her eyes over her glasses. “It’s him who’s supposed to come and fetch you, not the other way around.”
“…Well, fetching him wouldn’t be fun,” Jiang Beibei said. “We originally planned for me to pick him up, but Big Brother and Fourth Brother said they wouldn’t stop me if I did, and Yao Ge would probably open the door eagerly to let me ‘marry’ him. That’s boring.”
“You youngsters these days,” Grandma muttered, shaking her head in disbelief.
With her wedding dress on, Jiang Beibei sat on the edge of the bed while the makeup artist worked on her.
After finishing her hairstyle, she heard the commotion building up next door. Soon after, her brothers-in-law arrived.
Tang Xizhou had taken half a day off work and entered in his police uniform, startling the makeup artist.
Jiang Beibei, eyes closed, heard the door creak but didn’t know who it was.
Tang Xizhou circled around her once, then suddenly seemed choked up, unable to utter a word.
The makeup artist asked softly, “Is there anything I can help you with?”
Jiang Beibei: “Who is it?”
Tang Xizhou: “Your brother.”
Jiang Beibei: “Oh, Second Brother! Do I look pretty?”
“How could the word ‘pretty’ describe you? Let me say—you’re a celestial being descended from heaven.” Tang Xizhou sighed deeply. “Only today does it hit me, so strongly and vividly, how much I’ll miss you.”
“Second Brother, you’re our main force today!” After finishing her eye makeup, Jiang Beibei opened her eyes. She initially intended to joke, but seeing Tang Xizhou’s strained smile, she paused and grabbed his hand. “Second Brother, don’t make me cry so early in the morning!”
It felt just like… an older brother sending off his younger sister on her wedding day.
Looking at her in her wedding gown brought back memories of her growing up—from childhood to now.
Time truly flies in the blink of an eye.
Tang Xizhou gestured with his hands, as if recalling Baby Beibei shortly after birth.
That was the first time he saw her—a tiny bundle cradled in Uncle Jiang Hai’s arms, mewing like a kitten. Back then, a group of boys had scrambled upstairs under various excuses just to catch a glimpse of their new little sister. They kept asking anxiously, “She’s really a sister, not a brother, right? You’re not fooling us, are you?” Their voices were soft, afraid even the slightest noise might startle her.
In the blink of an eye, she had grown up.
Tang Xizhou murmured softly, “Don’t blame me for making you cry—I’m just sentimental.”
It was a strange feeling. Perhaps due to the age gap, Tang Xizhou felt not only the reluctance of a brother parting from his sister but also the sorrow of a father watching his daughter leave home.
Squatting down, Tang Xizhou smiled at her, his eyes crescent-shaped like the moon. “Beibei, I won’t let Yao Er take you away so easily!”
Jiang Beibei patted her chest. “Second Brother, I’m counting on you!”
Qin Yuan, another elder brother, woke up early to style his hair at a nearby salon. He arrived fashionably late, first discussing tactics with Tang Xizhou.
When the makeup artist announced that the bride was ready, Qin Yuan exclaimed, “Already done? Let me see!”
Tang Xizhou smirked. “Yao Er hasn’t seen her yet, but here we are, getting the first look.”
Qin Yuan: “I feel slightly better now… Beibei, you look stunning!”
Jiang Beibei: “Even a renowned lawyer’s compliments can’t compare to Second Brother’s.”
Qin Yuan: “How much do you want me to praise you? Just name your price!”
“Go national treasure level!”
Qin Yuan chuckled. “That’s beyond praise.”
Suddenly, he leaned down and gave Jiang Beibei a tight hug.
Before she could react, Qin Yuan was already fighting back tears.
“Beibei…” He didn’t hold her for long, pulling back after a few moments to look at her. Trying to smile, he abruptly turned his face away, removed his glasses, waved briefly, and left the bedroom.
Tang Xizhou patted Qin Yuan’s shoulder. “Crying already? Your tear ducts must be shallower than Beibei’s.”
Qin Yuan took a deep breath and asked, “Grandma, where are the tissues?”
Jiang Beibei’s emotions swirled within her. Composing herself, she declared, “I’m done with makeup. From now on, anyone who tries to make me cry will be blacklisted!”
At two minutes to nine, Qin Yuan sealed the front door with tape.
Accompanied by Grandma, Jiang Beibei moved to another room.
Tang Xizhou grinned. “Everything’s ready—just waiting for them to arrive.”
At exactly nine o’clock, Chu Yao stood outside the door holding a bouquet of flowers. He hushed the crowd quietly, pointing toward Jiang Beibei’s apartment. “Listen—they’re sealing the door.”
Song Lang: “Is it Second Brother or Third Brother? Let me tell you, no matter how many layers you seal, it’s useless!”
After Qin Yuan finished sealing the door, he pulled out a piece of paper, cleared his throat, and asked through the door, “The bride has three questions for you. Let me ask them on her behalf.”
Chu Yao: “Ask away.”
The pre-wedding gate-blocking questions were usually about who would cook, wash dishes, feed the baby, or support the family.
But when Qin Yuan asked the first question, Chu Yao realized it wasn’t going to be that simple.
His bride-to-be might be timid, but her imagination knew no bounds.
“First question: If I’m kidnapped by a dragon, which weapon would you use to rescue me? A, lightsaber; B, machine gun. Please answer.”
Song Lang: “Lightsaber! Guns need bullets, and I knew Beibei’s trap was lurking somewhere!”
Song Lang’s mother smacked him. “What are you answering for?!”
Chu Yao: “This question of Beibei’s digs quite the hole.”
Big Brother: “Yes, answer carefully.”
Chu Yao: “I choose not to rescue you.”
The guests gasped audibly. Groom, seriously? With cameras rolling, couldn’t you show a little more survival instinct?
Chu Yao: “If you’re kidnapped by a dragon, Beibei is still at home. I wouldn’t go save you—give up hope, Third Brother.”
After five seconds of silence, Qin Yuan: “You saw through it. Alright, second question: Guess the third question and answer this one correctly.”
Song Lang: “Beibei! What kind of questions are these?! Do you even want Yao Er anymore?”
Chu Yao thought for a moment, then guessed boldly and answered cautiously: “Jiang Beibei, I love you without end, condition, or reason. I love you.”
There was no response from the other side.
Song Lang: “Third Brother, did we guess right? Hurry up! We’re all waiting to get inside!”
Yan Qingming said, “Something’s off. Qin Yuan walked away.”
“Went?” Song Lang asked. “Should I break the door down?”
Finished speaking, Song Lang started prying. The door wasn’t locked but was sealed shut with three rolls of duct tape.
Three men worked together, finally managing to push the door open a crack. Chu Yao, with the bouquet’s ribbon clenched in his teeth, retrieved scissors from home and cut through the tape.
The living room was quiet. As the guests poured in, Chu Yao lingered, spotting a photo of Jiang Beibei’s parents on the table. He hesitated, then turned aside and placed the flowers in front of the picture.
The neighbors’ smiles froze momentarily as they silently paid respects to their former colleagues.
“Dad, Mom, I’ve come to take Beibei home,” Chu Yao bowed, poured a drink, downed it, and then knocked on the bedroom door.
He tapped twice lightly. Inside, Huang Yuandao responded in a high-pitched voice, “Say you love me, or I won’t open the door.”
Recognizing her voice, Chu Yao stepped aside and playfully pushed Song Lang forward.
Song Lang: “Love, love, love! Hurry up and don’t mess around!”
Huang Yuandao: “Too perfunctory—I’m not opening.”
Song Lang: “I love you!! So cute! From the bottom of my heart!”
Huang Yuandao: “Still missing one. We need to hear that best man say it too, or I won’t open.”
“Yuandao! It’s my sister’s wedding! My sister! Get your priorities straight!” Song Lang exclaimed. “Do we really need declarations of love from different people to open the door?”
“The bride says no. We need to hear the best man say it.”
Chu Yao seemed to understand something. Exchanging glances with Yan Qingming, Yan awkwardly cleared his throat and whispered, “For my sister, I’ll risk it all.”
He said loudly, “Open the door! My love is here—love, unconditional love.”
“And the groom’s?”
Chu Yao grinned. “Loved.”
The door opened.
Huang Yuandao said, “Find the shoes. Only then can you take her away.”
Only one shoe was visible—a white stiletto—while the bride in her wedding dress sat on the bed, veiled and holding a bouquet.
The crowd urged Chu Yao to find the other shoe quickly, lift the veil, and bring the bride home.
Chu Yao stood at the doorway for a long while, then burst into laughter. “So finding the shoe is all it takes?”
Huang Yuandao nodded. “Yes, find the shoe, and you can take her.”
Jiang Beibei had tidied her room the day before—it was spotless, leaving almost nowhere to hide anything.
Which meant, if the shoe was hidden, it was likely under the wedding dress.
Chu Yao thought this, and he acted accordingly. Circling the bed halfway, his smile grew peculiar.
Huang Yuandao struggled to suppress her own grin. “Don’t laugh! Did you find it? Time limit—one minute. Fail, and you won’t take this bride home today.”
Chu Yao pushed Yan Qingming forward. “Big Brother, lift her veil.”
The ‘bride’ in the wedding dress began trembling, clearly trying hard not to laugh.
Chinese spoken language doesn’t distinguish gender pronouns by sound. Yan Qingming was momentarily stunned. Amid the guests’ excited exclamations, he lifted the veil—and everyone burst into laughter upon seeing the ‘bride’ on the bed.
Tang Xizhou looked up and blew him a flying kiss. “Finally, I can laugh. I’ve been holding it in for so long, thinking you’d figure it out as soon as you walked in…”
Yan Qingming’s expression was indescribable. “What are you doing?”
Tang Xizhou: “This is called sleight of hand.”
Yan Qingming: “Where’s the real bride?”
“Guess. Or rather… Yao Er, you guess!”
Chu Yao picked up a stiletto from the floor and asked Tang Xizhou, “Is the other one with you?”
“Come find it,” Tang Xizhou teased, refusing to give him an easy answer.
Song Lang groaned and hoisted Tang Xizhou, shaking the wedding dress. “Hurry up! Is it here? Second Brother, you’re completely siding with Beibei to block us! You’re such a real brother!”
Tang Xizhou, old enough to nearly fall apart, wore a poorly-fitted rented dress. Two shakes, and it came off. “Fourth Brother, I suggest you behave. You’re not married yet! If you keep this up, I’ll help Yuandao when you get married!”
No shoe appeared.
Chu Yao, holding one stiletto, headed straight for Grandma’s bedroom across the hall.
His bride must be waiting there.
Song Lang set Tang Xizhou down and followed closely, apprehensive. “Please don’t tell me the person waiting on the bed in this room is Third Brother. I can’t handle another man under the veil.”
But when the bedroom door opened, Jiang Beibei sat on the bed, gazing over her light, ethereal veil with a clear, sweet smile.
“Here?”
“Here.” Chu Yao knelt halfway, slipped one shoe onto her foot, and asked, “Where’s the other?”
Jiang Beibei pointed to the balcony.
Qin Yuan stood on the balcony, his hand extended outward, as if about to throw something. “Chu Yao, say something nice, or this shoe stays here.”
Song Lang: “Are you all this into it?”
Qin Yuan: “Of course! Marrying my sister isn’t that easy!”
Song Lang: “Seriously? It’s just ten steps.”
Chu Yao wanted to negotiate with him but noticed Grandma standing by the bed, smiling as they joked around. Something felt off.
He sighed, looking at Jiang Beibei. “You’re mischievous.”
Jiang Beibei feigned innocence, blinking without responding.
Chu Yao walked over and bowed deeply to Grandma. “Grandma, I’ve come to take Beibei home.”
Grandma smiled and nodded. “Good.”
“So…” Chu Yao said, “Could you let me check what’s in the bedside drawer?”
Grandma: “Chu Yao.”
“Yes, Grandma.”
“Can you reassure Grandma?”
“I will,” Chu Yao vowed. “I love Beibei—past, present, and future. Forever.”
Grandma smiled, pulled open the drawer, and handed him the shoe. “Life is yours to walk. Take steady steps.”
“Thank you, Grandma.”
With both shoes on, Chu Yao led her back across the hall.
Song Lang asked Qin Yuan, “What’s the point of this whole ‘fetching the bride’ thing?”
Qin Yuan: “Even if it’s just moving from one room to another, it still needs to happen. That’s what makes it meaningful.”
Tang Xizhou said, “You haven’t forgotten the moves, have you?”
“That’s something you should ask Big Brother,” Song Lang laughed. “I’m young—I haven’t forgotten.”
Yan Qingming: “I remembered at first, but Xizhou scared me and I forgot…”
Huang Yuandao: “What moves are you talking about?”
Qin Yuan: “The crazy, once-in-a-lifetime move we’re performing for our sister’s wedding.”
Though Qin Yuan repeatedly claimed this move was utterly ridiculous, when it came time to perform, he was the most serious of them all.
This was the performance the five brothers prepared for Jiang Beibei—black suits, white shirts, dancing rhythmically on stage in the wedding hall. Their movements were suave, incredibly handsome.
Jiang Beibei clapped nonstop from below, laughing until her cheeks hurt.
She had worried that the wedding would turn overly sentimental, making her cry. But as it turned out, Chu Yao understood her perfectly. Today was all about making her happy.
But some things were inevitable.
When the brothers finished dancing and Jiang Beibei went onstage to thank them with hugs, she found them all teary-eyed, their expressions solemn.
“Thank you, Big Brother…”
Yan Qingming nodded quickly, turning away to wipe his tears.
“Thank you, Second Brother…”
After hugging her, Tang Xizhou managed a smile, though the tears in his eyes sparkled noticeably under the lights.
“Thank you, Third Brother.”
Qin Yuan grasped her hand tightly, breaking into sobs.
A man so concerned about appearances couldn’t hold back his public tears.
Jiang Beibei: “Third Brother, don’t cry…”
Qin Yuan nodded vigorously, struggling to steady his voice. In a low whisper, he said, “Beibei, I wish you happiness.”
Jiang Beibei sniffled, hugging Song Lang. “Thank you, Fourth Brother.”
Song Lang returned the embrace fiercely. “Beizi, you’ll always be my sister.”
“You’ll always be my brothers…” Despite her smile, Jiang Beibei’s tears flowed freely.
Finally, Jiang Beibei stood before Chu Yao, looking at her groom for the day.
“Yao Ge,” she said. “One last time—thank you, Yao Ge.”
She hugged him, joyful and touched. “Thank you for being my brother for twenty-four years, and thank you…”
Chu Yao kissed her gently, whispering, “Happy wedding, Beibei.”
“You too, Yao Ge.”
Jiang Beibei of Apartment Unit 2, Public Security Residential Building, was a wealthy woman.
Her wealth was unmatched, a treasure no one could take away—her brothers.
From the moment she was born, this fortune and blessing were destined to accompany her throughout her life. No matter what challenges lay ahead, she would fear nothing.
They dispelled her fears. From now on, her life would be filled with warm sunshine and endless blue skies.
This year, winter passed, and spring arrived. She confessed, fell in love, got married, and finally fulfilled her wish—transforming Chu Yao from her brother into her lover, companion, and husband.
This year, Chu Yao held her hand and, in the gentlest tone of his life, made a vow: “I will stay by your side, care for you, as a father, as a brother, as a friend, and as a lover. I will share every moment of joy in your life, unafraid of storms or hardships. This love, from birth to death, will remain with you forever.”
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