Becoming the Caged Canary of a Forced Love - Chapter 39

Perhaps because he had committed too many sins, the gods did not bless him; instead, they seemed to delight in his predicament.

Gu Nian stood outside the Seronial Cathedral as Pei Jichuan took his hand and led him inside. Today, Gu Nian had purposefully worn a mask to prevent anyone from recognizing him. However, since the mask would eventually have to be removed during the ceremony, he could only take things one step at a time.

Gu Nian followed behind Pei Jichuan, accompanied only by bodyguards and a driver. The priest was a man of the world; a strange wedding like this, devoid of friends or family, was not something he hadn’t seen before. In fact, many years ago, there had been a similar arrangement where one party seemed quite reluctant, accompanied by over twenty bodyguards one of whom was surnamed Xiao.

Pei Jichuan and Gu Nian went to a private room to change into their pre-arranged white formal wear. Pei Jichuan reached out and removed Gu Nian’s mask; though he looked slightly confused, he didn’t ask any questions. As the mask came off, Gu Nian felt a chill on his face and grew tense. On second thought, however, he realized that the others should be the ones feeling nervous.

A knock sounded at the door. The priest had come to explain the proceedings to ensure no mistakes were made. Pei Jichuan opened the door and offered a polite greeting. Today’s ceremony was simple, with the usual rituals pruned down to the bare essentials, so there weren’t many details to remember.

“That is essentially the flow of the ceremony. Do Mr. Pei or Mr. Lin have anything to add?” the priest asked politely after finishing his explanation with his ledger in hand.

Gu Nian kept his head lowered and did not reply. Pei Jichuan listened carefully before discussing a few minor adjustments with the priest.

Ah, what a coincidence, Gu Nian thought. Was this cathedral so short-staffed that they had to use this specific priest? This is the same poor soul I pointed a gun at years ago!

Once the details were finalized, the priest asked a final, symbolic question: “Does Mr. Lin have anything to add—”

The priest’s gentle smile froze on his face. His eyes widened uncontrollably.

What was he seeing? Was this a messenger from hell?

Gu Nian knew he could no longer hide. He lifted his head boldly and stared straight at the priest. The memory of that official’s severed head seemed to flash before the priest’s eyes again the image of a man covered in blood, eyes crimson, smiling with a frantic madness…

“Gu” the priest’s lips trembled. He extended a finger toward Gu Nian, but before he could utter a single word, Gu Nian stepped forward and gripped his hand firmly.

“This is my first time getting married. I’m counting on you, Father. I hope nothing… unpleasant happens.”

Gu Nian’s voice was soft and full of “hope,” but the priest could only hear a heavy, meaningful threat. He is threatening me. Yes, he definitely is. The priest forced himself to swallow the rest of his sentence and gave a stiff, mechanical nod. “Naturally. I will ensure both of you have a perfect ceremony.”

The priest’s bizarre behavior piqued Pei Jichuan’s curiosity. He turned to the man. “Are you alright? You look somewhat unwell.”

The priest turned his head dazed. “I’m fine, I’m fine. It’s just a minor cold from the changing seasons.”

Pei Jichuan grew even more confused, as that was the exact same excuse Gu Nian had used before putting on his mask this morning. I’ll have to make sure he wears more layers, he thought.

The ceremony began smoothly as the two entered, dressed in exquisitely tailored white suits. A habitual smile returned to the priest’s stiff face. The pews were empty, as the bodyguards were all stationed outside the doors.

Standing solemnly at the center of the altar, the priest began: “We are gathered here in this sacred hall to witness the union of these two individuals. I shall bestow the Lord’s blessing upon you.”

“The Scripture says: ‘Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.’ May you, in the days to come, use such love to embrace and support one another. In prosperity, share your joy; in adversity, share the burden; in confusion, guide each other; in weariness, provide comfort.”

“Now, I ask you: whether in poverty or wealth, in sickness or in health, in joy or in sorrow, are you willing to remain faithful to one another, to cherish each other until the end of life?”

They locked eyes, standing hand-in-hand in the cathedral. Pei Jichuan’s eyes were overflowing with love and commitment. At this moment, time seemed to stand still, leaving only their heartbeats and the warmth of their touch.

“I am,” Pei Jichuan said without hesitation.

Gu Nian was briefly stunned. He hesitated for a fraction of a second before replying, “I am.”

His heart began to throb violently, as if something were about to break through the soil of his soul.

The priest stood beside them, holding the rings with a solemn expression. “These two rings have no beginning and no end, just like your love—eternal and boundless.”

Pei Jichuan took the ring and made a solemn vow: “I solemnly swear to accept you as my wife. From this day forward, whether in poverty or wealth, in sickness or in health, in joy or in sorrow, I will love you and cherish you.”

“I shall subvert the laws of reason and discard the instinct for restraint to be by your side forever, until the end of time.”

The ring was slid firmly onto the fourth finger. The old ring was removed, symbolizing the end of one journey, while the new ring was donned, symbolizing their union as a legal couple, faithful unto death.

Sunlight pierced through the cathedral glass, casting patches of light onto Pei Jichuan. Inside his chest, his heart felt like an out-of-control drumstick, striking again and again, causing his eardrums to ring. He couldn’t distinguish these complex emotions, but he knew one thing: he suddenly, desperately wanted to kiss him.

He thought it, and he did it.

Gu Nian’s eyes widened as the warm lips pressed against his own. He then hugged Pei Jichuan back, returning an even more passionate kiss.

The priest quietly retreated several steps. He was still debating whether he had simply mistaken Gu Nian for someone else. However, the shadow behind the screen partition confirmed it: it really was that god of death.

A look of pity landed on Pei Jichuan.

Behind the screen stood a man in casual clothes, his baseball cap obscuring most of his face, though a few strands of golden hair peeked out. Even in ordinary clothes, he looked like he was wearing high fashion—a natural clothes horse. His palm was wrapped in gauze, and fresh red blood had begun to soak through again. His eyes were fixed intently on the kissing couple through a gap in the partition.

Fury burned fiercely in his heart. His legs shifted slightly, making a faint sound. He seemed to be on the verge of losing control and charging forward.

As they embraced quietly, Gu Nian suddenly snapped his eyes open. His gaze swept over Pei Jichuan’s shoulder toward the partition. There, in the gap of the screen, he saw a person who should not have been there.

Zhou Yi had returned to Country F early, but he shouldn’t have been here.

Gu Nian sent a sharp, warning glance. Zhou Yi froze in his tracks. That gaze—as cold as a frozen pond awed Zhou Yi into submission, but it also terrified the priest. The priest swallowed hard, feeling as though his legs were made of lead. A formless pressure radiated from the altar; he felt as though at any second, Gu Nian would pull out a gun and press it to his head.

It wasn’t until the embrace ended and Pei Jichuan looked back at him that Gu Nian withdrew his gaze, his eyes returning to the harmless, innocent look of a young animal. The priest’s mouth twitched as he offered a distorted, trembling smile.