The Whole Family is Reborn, But I Transmigrated into a Book - Chapter 31

With the eighth day of the ninth month fast approaching, Li Qingge’s bridal gown was finally finished, and a festive atmosphere began to permeate the household. For a village family, a wedding was a monumental event that allowed for no oversight.

“Qingge, come quickly! Come see the dowry your mother has prepared for you,” Mother Li called out, her face beaming with joy.

“Even though Jian Fan has no living kin and you two will be staying here in our village after the wedding, you are still getting married. I won’t let you leave this house without a single thing a bride deserves.”

Although Li Qingge wouldn’t have to serve in-laws or leave the village, Jian Fan had provided a significant amount of silver for the wedding. Her parents knew they couldn’t simply pocket the money without providing a proper dowry; if the villagers found out, they would be drowned in the spit of local gossip. However, Mother Li kept such practical worries to herself.

“Mother, I don’t need to look,” Li Qingge said, walking over with a slight blush. Even with the wedding so close, she remained shy. “I’ll love whatever you’ve put together.”

“You should still look. This is the biggest event of your life,” Mother Li said, heartened by her daughter’s happiness.

She knew her daughter better than anyone. Li Qingge was beautiful and a bit more prideful than the other local girls; she had always dreamed of marrying a “husband of her heart.” But where were such men to be found in the countryside? Seeing her daughter marry the man she loved made Mother Li truly happy, regardless of Jian Fan’s mysterious origins.

“Once you marry, you’ll be an adult,” Mother Li advised. “Even if you live with us for now, you will eventually have your own household. After the wedding, you must keep a clear head. You need to know exactly what your family gave you and what Jian Fan has provided. Your father and I were originally against this match—he is a wealthy young master who somehow ended up here, and who knows if his family will ever come looking for him? But you love him, and we won’t stop you. We only wish for your happiness and that he treats you well.”

Her words were sincere; after all, she had carried Li Qingge for ten months.

“I know, Mother. Thank you, and thank Father,” Li Qingge replied. She was well aware of their reservations and the risks they had analyzed for her, but she had been the one to insist on marrying Jian Fan.

“Don’t worry, Mother. Brother Jian treats me very well. He told me he has no family left, and I believe he wouldn’t lie to me. Even if he did have living relatives, it wouldn’t matter. Once we are married, we are husband and wife; his family will be mine.” She spoke with a radiant, confident smile.

She had no way of knowing that Jian Fan was no mere “wealthy son,” but a Prince of the realm.

“Oh, you… I knew it. Once you’ve made up your mind, no one can sway you,” Mother Li shook her head helplessly. If Li Qingge hadn’t been so headstrong, her parents never would have agreed to the match. “Now that you’ve got your wish, your father and I have nothing left to say. Your life is your own to live now.”

As Li Qingge stepped out of the room, she bumped into Jian Fan returning from outside.

“Brother Jian, are you tired?” she asked immediately. It pained her to see a refined young master like him performing backbreaking labor—plowing fields and hunting in the mountains. To her, it seemed a terrible grievance, yet in the village, there was no other way to make a living but from the land.

“I’m not tired,” he said, shaking his head. “One look at you and the tiredness vanishes.”

Lately, Jian Fan had forced himself to stay busy. He wanted to drown out thoughts of the imperial court and his past life. He wanted to believe he was just an ordinary man who had found refuge in Li Family Village. The world and the throne had nothing to do with him.

“Let me hold you, Qingge. Just a moment,” he whispered, his voice thick with exhaustion.

“Brother Jian, Mother is right there! Can we… can we go into your room first?” Li Qingge bit her lip. She didn’t want to push him away, but it felt improper to embrace in front of her elders before the wedding.

Jian Fan had thought only Qingge was home. Realizing his mother-in-law was present, his gaze deepened. “Alright. We’ll go to the room.”

His voice was slightly hoarse. He thought to himself: Soon. Soon I will marry her, and we will have our own home. Then, I can hold her whenever I want.

Li Qingge followed him into his room with a red face. The moment she closed the door, Jian Fan pulled her into a back-hug.

“Qingge, I’ve missed you so much. I’m finally bringing you into my family. From now on, you are mine.”

Since Gu Qingjia had arrived in the village, Jian Fan had become much more expressive. He no longer bottled up his feelings. Although Gu Qingjia had been quiet for the past few days, Jian Fan lived in constant dread of what “surprise” his brother might drop next. He had never been able to read Old Five; he couldn’t predict what a man everyone dismissed as a “waste” might actually do.

“Brother Jian, I’m looking forward to it too,” Li Qingge whispered back, not hiding her affection.

“Soon. Soon we will truly be one family. We’ll be husband and wife, and no one will ever separate us again.”

Their quiet moment was abruptly shattered.

“Qingge! Come out quickly! Your father is hurt!” Mother Li’s voice was frantic. She hadn’t expected an accident at such a critical moment.

“Oh, how could he be so careless? Just as we’re about to host the wedding!” Mother Li’s worry was palpable as she fussed over her husband.

“That’s enough, don’t nag,” Father Li waved her off. He had taken a fall, and though the injury wasn’t severe, it was enough to hinder the wedding preparations. “We need to thank Master Gu. If it weren’t for him, I don’t know how I would have made it back.”

“Yes, yes! Thank you, Master Gu!” Mother Li turned to the guest. “If it weren’t for you, I don’t know what we would have done. Our home is humble, but please, if you don’t mind, stay for a meal.”

Gu Qingjia waved his hand dismissively. “No need for thanks. I was just passing by. I heard your daughter is getting married soon; if you don’t mind, may I come to observe the ceremony on the big day?”

He was dying to see exactly how his “calculating” Eldest Brother intended to play the part of a village groom.

In the village, there was no such thing as “observing” a ceremony; anyone could stand at the door and watch the excitement. But since Gu Qingjia had asked formally, they couldn’t refuse.

“Of course! If Master Gu doesn’t find us too lowly, you must come for the feast,” Father Li agreed readily. He could tell Gu Qingjia was a man of means who had helped him out of the goodness of his heart.

“I wouldn’t dream of it. I shall certainly bring my wife to watch the ceremony,” Gu Qingjia said with a smile.

Just as he finished speaking, Jian Fan and Li Qingge emerged from the room.

“Father! Are you alright? How bad is it?” Li Qingge rushed to her father’s side.

“It’s nothing major,” Father Li said. “But Master Gu went through a lot of trouble to bring me home. You must thank him properly.”

Li Qingge turned and gave Gu Qingjia a formal bow. “Thank you, Master Gu, for your kindness to my father. I have no way to repay you, but please, come inside for some tea.”

As she looked at him, she felt a flicker of recognition. This Master Gu looked… a little like her Brother Jian.

But she quickly dismissed the thought. Brother Jian had no living family. If he did, they would have greeted each other as kin, not stood there like strangers.

Gu Qingjia looked at Li Qingge, thinking: She’s pleasant enough, but Eldest Brother has seen the most beautiful women in the capital. She doesn’t stand out among them. What on earth happened to make him so willing to settle down here?

“There is no need for more thanks,” Gu Qingjia said, his eyes shifting to his brother. “Your parents have already thanked me, and your father has even invited me to the wedding feast.”

Jian Fan’s face darkened instantly. He knew exactly what Gu Qingjia was doing—the little brat was doing it on purpose.