An Accidental Military Marriage

As she gazed at the heavily guarded Military District Courtyard, with sentries at the gate respectfully saluting Lu Deyao, it slowly dawned on Jiang Moli that Lu Cheng’s family background was even more illustrious than she had imagined.

’Born into a prestigious family and outstanding in his own right... for him to fall for a piece of work like me, he was really lowering himself.’

’When I brought up divorce, he was probably furious, but he didn’t get angry to my face. I have to say, his self-control is truly excellent.’

The car stopped in front of a detached courtyard house with green bricks and red tiles.

Jiang Moli’s gaze immediately fell upon the round table and rattan chairs in the courtyard, shaded by a mushroom-shaped awning constructed from thatch and wooden posts.

Back when they were buying the table and chairs, Jiang Moli had only mentioned it casually to him, never expecting that he would not only take it to heart but also earnestly build it.

’I’m really a terrible person.’

"Xiao Jiang, we’re here. Let’s get out," Lu Deyao said politely to Jiang Moli.

After getting out of the car and seeing the crowd of onlookers that had gathered, Jiang Moli instantly perked up.

"The bride is so beautiful."

"Lu, your son Lu the Third is so lucky to have found such a beautiful wife!"

"Sister Hui, your son Lu the Third is really a man of action, getting married just like that! With this kind of drive, I bet you and Lu will be holding a grandson by next year."

The Lu Family was quite popular in the courtyard, so everyone was choosing their words to be pleasant and auspicious.

Lu Deyao was grinning from ear to ear. He turned and told Aunt Ma to distribute the celebratory cigarettes and candies to the crowd.

"Wait a minute!"

The lively, festive scene fell silent at Jiang Moli’s shout.

An Hui’s eyelid twitched as she watched Jiang Moli. ’Is this girl about to cause a scene?’

Amid the many confused gazes, Jiang Moli grinned. "I’ve never been praised so much in my whole life. Since you’re so good at it, please say some more. I love to hear it."

The crowd was dead silent.

Everyone looked at each other in bewilderment.

What kind of person shamelessly begs for compliments like that?

She was so thick-skinned.

『Disdain Value +5.』

’So many people, and I only got five points of Disdain Value.’

"Why has everyone gone quiet? You aren’t secretly cursing me in your heads, are you? Surely there are no two-faced hypocrites like that here, right?"

Although Jiang Moli hadn’t called anyone out by name, all the onlookers felt offended.

So if we don’t praise you, that makes us two-faced hypocrites?

『Disdain Value +1+2+3...』

Listening to the constantly rising Disdain Value, Jiang Moli felt satisfied.

Damn, the girl is gorgeous, but why does she have to run her mouth like that?

Lu Deyao’s head was throbbing. He quickly had An Hui lead Jiang Moli into the house while he busied himself with smoothing things over with the crowd:

"It’s Xiao Jiang’s first time in a situation like this; she got nervous and misspoke. Please forgive her. Come, come, everyone have some wedding candy, share in the happy occasion..."

Not far away, Mrs. Meng said to Meng Wei beside her, "See? Didn’t I tell you? A man should marry a virtuous wife. Lu the Third found such a moron. Sooner or later, he’ll live to regret it!"

Meng Wei looked despondent. "Why would he choose someone like that over me?"

"It’s because he has no taste! A fortunate woman doesn’t marry into a luckless family. Snap out of it."

Meng Wei gazed at the Lu Family’s home, festively decorated with lanterns and streamers, but she just couldn’t stomach the fact that she had lost to an idiot like Jiang Moli.

...

Upon entering the Lu Family’s home, she was met with a sea of red. From the courtyard gate to the living room, and even up to the ceiling inside, everything was draped in layer upon layer of festive paper decorations.

The Lu Family’s relatives were lined up on both sides of the courtyard, watching the new bride.

Confetti continuously rained down from above.

Jiang Moli looked up and saw two young men on the second-floor balcony, energetically tossing handfuls of confetti downward.

"Bride, step over the brazier."

Jiang Moli lifted her skirt and stepped over the brazier. Behind her, the high-pitched chant of the female master of ceremonies rang out:

"Step over the brazier to ward off evil and avoid disaster! May the husband and wife be loving and their marriage smooth! May their days be prosperous and full of joy..."

For a moment, Jiang Moli was truly in a daze, feeling as if she were actually getting married.

After stepping over the brazier, she entered the Lu Family’s living room.

Much like at the Jiang family’s home, Jiang Moli served tea to Lu Deyao and An Hui and received red envelopes for formally addressing them as her parents. Immediately after, they rushed off to the restaurant to prepare to greet the guests.

...

In the car, Lu Deyao gave Jiang Moli these instructions in a good-natured tone.

"Xiao Jiang, during the banquet later, you just stick with your mother. Only greet people when she tells you to, and don’t say anything otherwise. That way you won’t get too tired, all right?"

He was genuinely afraid that the moment Jiang Moli opened her mouth, she would offend all the guests.

’That brat, Lu the Third, has been a handful since he was a kid, and now the wife he picked is just as much trouble.’

’What have I done to deserve this?’

"Dad, I’m not tired."

Jiang Moli’s voice was crisp and hard, and the words caught in Lu Deyao’s throat, making his heart ache.

He decided to just be blunt. "Xiao Jiang, many of my old superiors will be at the banquet today. You’re young and inexperienced, so it’s easy to say the wrong thing and offend someone. That’s why I’m telling you to speak less. Do you understand?"

"Oh, I get it."

’In truth, even if Lu Deyao hadn’t said anything, I hadn’t been planning to cause a scene at the wedding banquet.’

’Both Lu Cheng and the Lu Family had put their whole hearts into this wedding.’

’I can complete my mission and just leave, but Lu Cheng has to live in this world for the rest of his life.’

’Besides, I still have to consider Jiang Dahai and his son, Jiang Peng.’

’If I ruin the wedding and embarrass the Lu Family, then get a divorce and walk away without a care in the world, the Lu Family might take it out on Jiang Dahai.’

’I might as well go through with the wedding properly. It’ll leave me with a nice memory, too.’

...

The wedding banquet venue had already been set up, with celebratory candies, cigarettes, and tea all arranged neatly on the reception table.

Jiang Moli stood quietly beside An Hui. She would smile when a guest arrived, greet them if An Hui told her to, and otherwise remained as quiet as a mouse. She actually looked quite demure and pleasant.

Not far away, Lu Tingting and a few of her friends were cracking melon seeds and gossiping about Jiang Moli.

"Tingting, is Jiang Moli really going to be your Third Aunt now? Won’t you be a generation below her from now on?"

Lu Tingting said, frustrated, "Who the hell knows what kind of witchcraft she used to completely bewitch my Third Uncle!"

"Your Third Uncle didn’t even show his face at the wedding today. Maybe he hates Jiang Moli just like we do. He was probably forced into marrying her. The way I see it, Jiang Moli must have shamelessly pestered him until he gave in."

Although Lu Tingting knew perfectly well that Lu Cheng was absent because he was on a mission, her friend’s speculation was exactly what she wanted to believe.

’Otherwise, how could her Third Uncle—a man with such high standards and picky taste—fall for someone like Jiang Moli?’

’It’s not like all the other women in the world dropped dead.’

’Jiang Moli must have thrown herself at him, and her Third Uncle had a moment of weakness and couldn’t hold back.’

’Could Jiang Moli already be carrying her Third Uncle’s baby in her belly!?’

Lu Cheng: Thanks for that.

...

"Tofu pudding, cold jelly noodles, cold noodles..."

Hearing the street vendor’s cries outside the restaurant, Jiang Moli subconsciously swallowed. She suddenly remembered—she had forgotten to eat breakfast!

’No wonder I feel so weak all over. I thought it was from exhaustion, but it turns out I’m just hungry!’

"Dad, Mom, you two carry on greeting guests. I need to take care of a personal matter."

Lu Deyao assumed Jiang Moli was being modest and was too embarrassed to say she needed to use the restroom, so he pleasantly waved her off.

The moment Jiang Moli left, Lu Tingting led her gaggle of friends and followed right after her.