Mismatched Hearts: The Substitute Groom's Tale

Chapter 2: A Beauty Unveiled

Jiang Liu was hesitating about how to proceed when he saw the woman in the wedding gown take a few steps towards him and then, with one hand, lift her veil and lightly kissed his lips in front of an astonished crowd. Then, as if having completed a task, she stepped back and lowered her veil again, leaving many unable to see her face clearly.

Thus, the farce ended amidst a series of unexpected events. The bride, assisted by a maid brought by the Hua family, went to the dressing room to change her clothes. The groom followed but was stopped at the door of the makeup room.

“Please wait, sir.”

“I need to speak with her,” Jiang Liu said.

“Just a moment, our miss is changing her clothes.”

Jiang Liu had to wait patiently, about five minutes later, the door to the dressing room opened. “Please come in.”

Stepping in, Jiang Liu found himself in a spacious suite. At this moment, the bride, who had been so calm and clever, had already changed out of her white wedding gown into a rather simple but elegant red dress. Seated at the vanity, he could only see her profile from his angle.

As he was about to step closer, the graceful young lady spoke, “Thank you for today.”

“Heh, just a thank you? I believe I did you a great favor,” Jiang Liu said.

Had it not been for Jiang Liu's intervention, the Hua family would undoubtedly have become the laughingstock of the city. Although the Hua family, one of the four great families, had fallen from their former glory, it did not mean they were devoid of dignity.

Indeed, Jiang Liu had helped her significantly, and that was a fact.

“I understand, and I will send a valuable gift to your home to express my gratitude. I, Hua Sheng, will remember your help today. If you ever need me in the future, I will not hesitate to assist. Is that acceptable to you, Young Master Jiang?” Hua Sheng's voice was very pleasant, especially the more she spoke, the more melodious it became.

Not pretentious or overly sentimental, one could even detect a hint of pride in her tone.

What intrigued Jiang Liu the most was that this Miss Hua spoke in an old-fashioned, elegant manner, resembling a lady from ancient times – a rarity in modern days.

“Oh? So, are we just going to pretend today's events never happened? Don’t forget, just now in front of a thousand guests, we swore to be with each other for life.”

“It was an emergency measure, a last resort. Young Master Jiang, with your intelligence, should know this was merely a formal ceremony without legal effect. Once this issue settles, our Hua family will initiate a divorce. We’ll claim that it was due to my peculiar personality, unsuitable to be a bride of the Jiang family, thus preserving your reputation. Is that acceptable?”

Every time she asked if it was acceptable, Jiang Liu felt something slowly stirring in his heart.

This feeling was mysterious, and from this distance, looking at the girl's profile, he had a hunch that she must be very beautiful. Although he was never one to judge by looks, he had this intuition.

Hearing her, Jiang Liu smirked, his hand on his chin, “You’re worried about ruining my reputation? Just like that, I, a promising young man, am subjected to marriage and divorce, turning me into a man of a second marriage. Who’s going to compensate for this loss?”

“I’ve said I would send a valuable gift to make amends, and I will not break my promise,” she replied coolly.

“Oh? So, do you think... my family is in need of money?” Jiang Liu asked with a low chuckle.

Hua Sheng was silenced by his question. Did the Jiang family lack money? Of course not, their wealth was enough for several lifetimes over. They were the envy of the other three major families in their prime. It was rumored that a single bracelet worn by Madame Jiang was worth tens of millions. Therefore, Jiang Liu had no interest in the valuable gift Hua Sheng promised. She suddenly regretted why she had made this deal with him. Was it just to avoid embarrassment? Why did she feel the need to prove herself?

Listening to him, it seemed this man was not so easily dismissed. “Why does Miss Wu not speak?” He rendered the girl speechless with a single sentence and then inquired why she remained quiet, his cunningness was truly unmatched.

However, Hua Sheng remained calm, asking, “Then, what kind of thank you gift would Young Master Jiang like?”

“You will give whatever I want?” Jiang Liu found this matter increasingly amusing.

“I am not so presumptuous, but I am willing to try as long as it is within my means,” Hua Sheng replied succinctly, not wishing to waste time in a verbal duel with him.

“I think… what I am currently lacking… is a wife.”

At those words, Hua Sheng felt a premonition of something unfavorable brewing.

Sure enough, Jiang Liu continued, “I am also twenty-seven this year and have never been involved in any romantic scandals. There have been gossip media questioning my orientation, which has slightly tarnished my reputation. Thus, I need a wife to maintain my image and dispel the rumors. And as you know, a wife of the Jiang family cannot be just any commoner. Miss Wu comes from the Hua family, and our families have been close for generations. I think it would be best to continue this marriage, turning our mistake into reality. What do you think?”

The infuriating thing was, he ended with “What do you think?” mimicking Hua Sheng’s tone.

The man was clearly doing this on purpose, but she couldn’t just snap at him; after all, he had just helped her.

Hua Sheng sighed softly, “Thank you for your high regard, Young Master Jiang, but I, Hua Sheng, am of low status and do not believe myself capable of being the Jiang family's young madam. So, let's forget it.”

“If I say you are, then you are,” he seemed to have made up his mind.

“Young Master Jiang is so outstanding, surely there are many choices for a wife. Why must you make things difficult for someone from the city's elite, when there are other families with daughters besides the Hua’s?”

Look at that, she even brought up the term ‘making things difficult,’ showing how unwilling she was.

Jiang Liu was not angry but laughed instead, “Is Miss Wu suggesting she wants to abandon the agreement after crossing the river?”

“I wouldn’t dare.”

“Miss Wu accuses me of making things difficult, but what about at the wedding banquet, when Miss Wu made things difficult for me... didn’t you consider my feelings?” Jiang Liu raised an eyebrow.

Hua Sheng: …

Alright, she admitted her mistake, she should not have acted so rashly.

With so many people sitting in the front row, why did she have to choose the Jiang family patriarch?

She knew how significant his status was.

And Hua Sheng had never harbored the ambition to latch onto someone powerful. Wasn't this just bringing trouble upon herself?

Now it seemed she might not be able to shake him off...

Taking a deep breath, Hua Sheng gently closed her eyes, “So, Jiang Liu, what exactly do you want?”

By calling him Jiang Liu, she revealed her true nature, not the frail and delicate miss she appeared to be, but more like a small wild cat hiding its claws.