Love at First Game

Episode 5 Grand Wedding

The computer science department’s victory in the basketball semifinals brought excitement, but Daniel Thorne’s absence dampened the girls’ enthusiasm. As soon as the match ended, Vivian rushed back to her dorm room, logged into Dreaming of Jianghu, and noticed Nathan’s avatar lit up on her friend list.

"Sorry, I’m late," she messaged.

Nathan replied promptly: "No problem. Come to the Marriage Fairy temple."

The Crowd at the Temple

Vivian arrives at the temple on horseback, only to find herself stunned by the crowd gathered outside. Hundreds of players had assembled, chatting, trading, and buzzing with excitement. She quickly entered the temple, where the crowd was thinner, and found Nathan waiting for her.

“Why are there so many people?” she asked.

Nathan’s response was cryptic: “You should ask them.”

One of the players nearby, Ray, chimed in: “Congratulations! I invited everyone from our gang to join the parade. We’ll follow the bridal sedan on horseback—it’ll be spectacular!”

Another added, “Our gang members are here too!”

Ray chuckled, “Everyone’s waiting for Nathan’s red envelope.”

Vivian’s panic set in. Hundreds of people outside meant hundreds of red envelopes. Would Nathan bankrupt himself over this wedding?

Before she could voice her concerns, a trade request popped up. Nathan had sent her several pieces of celestial-level equipment. The radiant glow of the items made their quality obvious.

“What is this?” Vivian asked, wide-eyed.

“Bridal gift,” Nathan replied, as nonchalant as ever.

Vivian stared at the items in shock. So this is what it feels like to marry a rich man.

But her practical side kicked in. Declining the trade, she messaged, "I can’t take this for free."

Nathan insisted, "Accept it. We’ll need these for future PvP."

Reluctantly, Vivian accepted but quickly handed over her prized speed-enhancing ring. “Dowry,” she said sheepishly.

Nathan was momentarily puzzled but then smiled. "Okay. Actually, it’s enough that you’re here."

Vivian blushed furiously.

The Ceremony and Parade

After exchanging gifts, the two stood before the Marriage Fairy statue to recite their vows. The system announcement boomed across the server:

“Willow Vivian and Nathan are a perfect match, committed to each other in the Marriage Fairy temple, in this life and beyond, never to part, forever united in soul.”

The world channels exploded.

As Vivian sat in the bridal sedan, parading through the streets, she watched the world channel light up with commentary:

[World] [Underwear]: "Groom, Nathan vs. Mason—Nathan wins! Bride, Willow Vivian vs. Ruby—Ruby wins!"

[World] [George]: "Who said Ruby won? Our sister-in-law is way stronger. Let’s settle this with a competition!"

[World] [Max]: "Let’s have a competition! Let’s have a competition! Let’s have a competition!"

Vivian laughed out loud at the enthusiasm. As the parade dragged on, she absentmindedly rolled up a level six practice exam paper and glanced occasionally at the screen.

Rumors and Questions

Mid-parade, the world channel turned darker:

[World] [Snowflake Drifts]: "I’ve seen Nathan and Ruby together before."

[World] [Troublemaker123]: "Same. They were fighting monsters together just last week."

[World] [alexz]: "So Nathan and Ruby broke up, Mason and Vivian divorced, and now the leftovers are marrying each other?"

Vivian’s pen snapped in her hand. Nathan knows Ruby?

Not one to dwell in silence, Vivian immediately asked, "Do you know Ruby?"

Nathan replied: "I don’t know her."

Still unsatisfied, Vivian pressed further: "Someone said they saw you two playing together."

Nathan sighed. "George invited her to our team once. Her skills were awful, so I kicked her out."

Vivian couldn’t suppress a grin. Even if it was petty, that felt satisfying.

The Wedding Reception

The reception began with waves of guests coming and going. Nathan had reserved the most luxurious menu, granting each guest a 20% increase in their magic and health limits for the day.

Watching the endless stream of freeloaders, Vivian felt a pang of frustration. “Why do so many people get to enjoy this for free?” she muttered.

Finally, after hours of entertaining guests, the event wound down. Their friends sent them off to Nathan’s in-game home for the final stage of the wedding—the bridal chamber.

The Bridal Chamber

The bridal chamber was a new feature in Dreaming of Jianghu. Newlywed players spent 15 minutes together in the groom’s house, earning intimacy points. But the only activities allowed were standing or sitting—hence the nickname “no covers, just chatting.”

Vivian’s wedding night, however, was cut short when Nathan excused himself to take a phone call. Left alone in his sprawling, luxurious in-game house, Vivian wandered through the rooms before settling down to finish her practice exam.

When Nathan returned, dressed impeccably in his white robes, he mounted his horse and gestured for Vivian to join him.

“Mount up,” he said.

Vivian complied, joining his party as they traveled to scenic locations—Snow Pond, West Lake Bottom, Snow Sea Ice Field, Fairy Island.

At first, she thought it was part of a mission, but after a while, the realization dawned on her.

“Wait a second… is this a honeymoon?” she asked hesitantly.

Nathan didn’t deny it, and Vivian felt her cheeks flush.

The final destination was the peak of a mist-shrouded mountain. The ethereal view was breathtaking, and the two sat silently, admiring the scenery.

After a long pause, Vivian broke the silence. “Daniel Thorne, you’re so… dedicated.”

Nathan smiled faintly. "You deserve no less."

Vivian didn’t know how to respond. All she knew was that for a marriage based on PK competition, this was turning into something far more memorable than she ever expected.