Mismatched Hearts: The Substitute Groom's Tale

Jiang City, Early Summer Imperial Dynasty Seven-Star Hotel, Peony Hall Thousands of guests had just witnessed a scene of awkward turmoil. The grand wedding between the Hua and Xie families was supposed to be a joyous citywide event, but the groom, Xie Dongyang, had fled and failed to attend the banquet. To make matters worse, just as the bride made her appearance, a segment suddenly played on the large screen showing Xie Dongyang spending the previous night at a third-tier actress's apartment, entwined in intimacy at dawn. The entire hall was shocked; the Xie family lost all face and was in utter disarray... Unsure of how to conclude the event. And the bride, dressed in a pristine wedding gown and veiled in white, became the laughingstock of the entire city. In the VIP section, Mrs. Hua was visibly distressed, “Husband, what should we do now?” Chairman Hua, her husband, remained silent with a grim expression. Honestly, he had never encountered such a situation; marriage was no trivial matter. The four great families of the East, West, North, and South of Jiang City were highly esteemed. This kind of prank could not be easily resolved, and he wondered why the Xie family's second son had suddenly run away? Regretting their decision, the Hua family had gone to great lengths to bring back their youngest daughter from Zhui Mountain, where she had lived a secluded life for over a decade. Yet, who could have expected such an embarrassing debacle? At this moment, the head of the Xie family approached and patted Chairman Hua's shoulder. “Old Hua, this is our fault. How about we postpone the wedding... until I bring the runaway groom back and give you a satisfactory explanation?” Just as Chairman Hua was about to respond, the bride on the stage spoke up... And suddenly, the thousands of guests fell utterly silent. Everyone was eager to see how the most awkwardly positioned bride would handle the situation. Hua Sheng, holding the microphone and covered by a white veil, calmly surveyed the audience. Then she fixed her gaze on the first row of the VIP section, on the man who had been looking down at his phone the whole time. Yes, him, that would do... She began to speak softly into the microphone, "To the gentleman in the first row, fourth table, wearing a black suit and looking at his phone, excuse me for a moment." Jiang Liu instinctively felt a chill, as he was the one engrossed in his phone. As he looked up, surprised, his eyes met those of the bride on stage. He knew of the Hua family's five daughters; he had seen the first four but had never met the youngest, who was said to be homely and inarticulate. Yet her voice now did not seem to match those rumors. Seeing him raise his head, Hua Sheng continued, "Due to unforeseen circumstances today... I don't want to ruin the mood for our guests, so I have an unusual request. Sir, would you have the courage to come up here and act as my temporary groom, to complete this wedding ceremony with me?" A murmur spread through the crowd. Was this an impromptu search for a stand-in groom? Stand-ins were heard of in performances and sports, but a substitute groom? The families of Xie and Hua were stunned; who would have thought she would act so recklessly? Jiang Liu was momentarily taken aback. A substitute groom, him? Challenging his daring? It seemed absurd, yet his feet involuntarily moved towards the stage. He was curious about what this woman would do next; such audacity was rare, especially in high-profile families. As his son behaved unusually, Mrs. Jiang, on the sidelines, stomped her foot in agitation, "Jiang Liu, come back here." But it was too late; curiosity, alongside an unspoken challenge, propelled him forward. His long-dormant heart was intrigued once more... Now, let's generate an image to capture this moment. The scene is set in a luxurious hotel banquet hall, filled with elegantly dressed guests all turning their attention towards the stage. On the stage stands a beautiful bride in a white wedding gown and veil, holding a microphone. She looks directly at a man in the first row, dressed in a sharp black suit, who is rising from his seat, looking back at her with a mix of surprise and curiosity. The atmosphere is filled with anticipation and a sense of unexpected drama. Mrs. Jiang's words clearly could not stop her son's advancing steps. He was genuinely intrigued by Hua's fifth daughter. Legend had it that Miss Hua, the youngest of the Hua family, had lived in Zhongcui Mountain with the elderly Madam Hua since childhood. Ugly appearance, speech impediments, a stutter? But her speech just now was fluent, could the rumors be wrong? With curiosity and keen interest, Jiang Liu walked onto the stage at a measured pace. The entire assembly of guests did not anticipate this turn of events, thus they were all agape with astonishment. However, the fifth Miss spoke again, "Priest, the wedding may proceed." Hearing her up close, he realized her voice was very clear and pleasant; surely, she could not be the ugly, stuttering woman rumored. “This…” The priest, having been invited by the Xie family, was at a loss for what to do when the bride spoke up. “Let's follow her lead, please continue,” Jiang Liu smiled at the officiant. “What is your esteemed surname, sir?” Clearly, the priest was unaware of the identity of this temporary substitute groom. “Surname Jiang, with the given name Liu,” the man replied with easy grace. This statement caused a stir among the attendees... Jiang Liu? There was hardly a person in the city who did not recognize that name. As the head of the four great families, the Jiang family had been wealthy and influential for over a hundred years, with each generation being the sole male heir. The current chairman of the Alliance Chamber of Commerce was none other than Jiang Liu's father, Jiang Zuwen. Thus, when everyone heard that this impromptu stand-in was Jiang Liu, they were incredulous. Yet the bride seemed unfazed… The priest, eager to avoid awkwardness, simply proceeded with the ceremony as instructed. “Mr. Jiang Liu, do you take this stunningly beautiful woman before you as your wife? Through sickness and health, poverty and wealth, for as long as you both shall live?” Jiang Liu hesitated for a mere two seconds before responding indifferently, “I do.” “This child... what folly...” Mrs. Jiang, seeing her son walk onto the stage and suddenly get married, felt her blood pressure soar with anxiety. Although the Xie family found the situation absurd, they could hardly object due to their own fault. After all, it was their own second son who had fled the wedding first, and the scandalous video on the big screen had turned a well-planned union between two families into a farce. The priest glanced again at the bride beneath the white veil and asked, “Miss Hua Sheng, do you take this man before you as your husband? Whether in wealth or poverty, will you follow him and stay by his side for all of your life?” The bride responded almost instantly, “I do.” “Well, then I now pronounce you husband and wife from this day onward, to fly side by side and face the world together. Let us all give a round of applause to bless them.” Three seconds later, the hall erupted into lukewarm applause. Simply put, the crowd was still adjusting to the unexpected turn of events. “Dear, this… this…” Mrs. Hua was also taken aback by how events had unfolded, at a loss for words. But Mr. Hua, having experienced many grand events, remained calm and quietly comforted his wife, “We are not at a loss. Marrying Jiang Liu is far better than marrying that wasteful Xie. Xie is nothing but a prodigal son; the Jiang family is different. Jiang Liu is the sole heir to their vast estate. In this transaction, our Hua family has profited.” As a father, on the day of his daughter’s grand wedding, his concern was not for her future happiness, but for the profit and loss of the transaction. Such a father might indeed be considered too mercenary, but this is the reality of noble families. Then, the priest’s voice echoed again, “Now, let us welcome the bride and groom with a warm round of applause to seal their love with a kiss.” Though he was mentally prepared, Jiang Liu still felt a slight nervousness... This was his first intimate kiss with a woman in over twenty years, indeed, Boss Jiang's first kiss.