Chapter 553 - 568: Picking Up the Bride

An Ning never thought she would see Miao Xiaohua again—one of the people responsible for her journey through time and space to this very place.

Several years ago, during the rush to find work in the south, Miao Xiaohua and Chen Mingliang went down to become migrant workers. They hadn’t come back in all these years, and the Chen family had practically disowned their son.

It had to be said that after the couple’s long absence left the entire Chen family disheartened, their relationship with the rest of the village had actually improved.

With the rise of the An family, and in a village largely composed of the An clan, it was predictable that the Chen family’s past actions would make them quite unpopular.

She just never expected such a turn of events.

"Do you need something?"

An Ning rested one hand on the round tabletop. Jiang Xia, standing not far away, didn’t approach, but he didn’t leave either.

Miao Xiaohua glanced in Jiang Xia’s direction before her eyes returned to An Ning. "You’re very lucky," she said.

"Lucky? Is that what you wanted to tell me? Miao Xiaohua, you’ll probably never understand the kind of effort someone has to put in to deserve a bit of ’luck’."

"You can’t just sum up another person’s happiness with the word ’lucky’."

"If that’s all, I’m leaving. We’re very busy at home."

As she said this, An Ning hoisted the table and turned to leave.

"Wait! I... I remember now."

Those words made An Ning put the table down.

Miao Xiaohua had expected to see surprise or shock on An Ning’s face, but An Ning remained perfectly calm, her expression even a bit questioning.

"What is it you remember?"

"You don’t know?"

"Know what? You’re not making any sense. What was the point of stopping me?"

An Ning refused to play along with Miao Xiaohua. She was long past being the An Ning who had first arrived here.

Miao Xiaohua could find nothing unusual in An Ning’s expression. ’Was I wrong? Was An Ning not the one who caused my amnesia?’

Miao Xiaohua wasn’t sure, but it didn’t seem all that important anymore.

"It’s nothing. I was just rambling."

"I came to tell you... Chen Mingliang and I are getting a divorce."

This time, An Ning was a bit surprised, though it was understandable.

Miao Xiaohua’s current condition was hardly that of a happily married woman. The daily grind of marriage had likely worn away her fantasies of love.

"I don’t even know why I came to tell you this. I just... came."

"Back then, I stopped at nothing to steal Chen Mingliang away. I thought we would live well, that we’d make you all envious and live a life above everyone else. But in the end, it was all just a joke."

Miao Xiaohua looked at the vibrant, energetic, youthful, and beautiful An Ning, and then she looked at herself—at her wrinkled hands. They were the same age, yet their lives were worlds apart.

But this time, she no longer blamed anyone else.

It was all her own choice.

"I didn’t know who else I could say this to. I just needed to talk to someone."

"We went south, but Chen Mingliang still refused to do anything. He failed at everything he tried and ended up blaming it all on me. In the end, I was the one constantly working to support him."

"Thinking about it now, I must have been out of my mind to fall for such a good-for-nothing."

With her memories back, Miao Xiaohua thought of Chen Mingliang’s success in her past life. It now seemed that it had likely all been thanks to the An family.

An Guoming was healthy and had started a business—he’d always been a smart one.

An Guoping didn’t commit that impulsive crime; instead, he got into college and was, she’d heard, on his way to becoming a doctor.

And An Ning... she was no longer mute.

Then there was Jiang Xia, who was always watching An Ning—he hadn’t gone to prison for murder either.

All of it... Miao Xiaohua could no longer tell if these changes were the result of the butterfly effect she had caused, or if they were brought about by An Ning.

"An Ning, I came here today just to say one thing: I’m sorry. For everything, I am so sorry."

Miao Xiaohua’s words were sincere. Seven years of hardship can truly temper a person and make them see many things clearly.

An Ning watched Miao Xiaohua bow low in apology and did not stop her.

’Miao Xiaohua owed this to the original owner of this body.’

After bowing in apology, Miao Xiaohua released her final burden and set off toward a new life.

An Ning watched Miao Xiaohua’s retreating figure. ’If she really has regained her memories, then as long as she puts in a little effort, she can still have a good life ahead of her.’

"Are you okay?"

"What could be wrong with me? I just feel like people are so fickle."

An Ning hoisted the table onto her shoulder. Jiang Xia, trailing sullenly behind her, mumbled, "I haven’t changed."

"Haha, you’re right, you’re right. You’re still the same proud Young Master Jiang!"

"No, wait. You’re a bit older now. Maybe it should be Mr. Jiang Sr.?"

Laughing and joking, the two of them carried the table back to the An family’s home.

At noon, the chefs in the kitchen officially began cooking. The tables were all neatly arranged, and the firecrackers were lit.

Once the firecrackers went off, the entire village could hear them.

Hearing them was the signal that a feast was about to begin, that a family was celebrating a wedding. Those who wished to give a gift could come, and those who didn’t weren’t pressured to.

For the evening banquet, the An family served a fourteen-course meal. Tables were set up all over, filling the courtyard and the area outside it.

Nearly everyone in the village—men, women, young, and old—was there. An uninformed observer might have thought it was some kind of village-wide event.

After the meal, the helpers cleaned up and began bustling with preparations for the official wedding ceremony the following day.

「The next morning, at the crack of dawn.」

An Guoming, dressed in a suit, paced back and forth nervously. "Big Brother, are you ready yet?" he called out impatiently.

"Almost! What’s the rush? You’re acting like some impatient young brat."

"But I am a young brat!"

An Guoming muttered under his breath. An Guoqing, who overheard him, suddenly latched onto the implication and yelled, "Ah— so you’re still a vir—"

An Guoming clamped a hand over his mouth, cutting off the last word.

"Big Brother!"

"Alright, alright." An Guoqing broke free and whispered, "I’ll shut up, I’ll shut up. Today, Big Brother will take the drinking challenges for you so you can have a proper wedding night."

Hearing this, An Guoming looked at An Guoqing with a deeply moved expression. "Then I’m counting on you, Big Brother."

"No problem! Leave it to me!"

The two brothers finally stepped out into the decorated courtyard. An Ning and An Guoping, who were trailing behind, whispered to each other. "Do you think Big Brother realizes Second Brother is setting a trap for him again?"

"Doubtful."

The brother and sister nodded at each other, then quickly separated when a shout from An Guoming startled them and hurried to join the wedding procession.

The An family courtyard was now filled with blooming flowers; it was an absolutely beautiful sight.

The flowers had been arranged overnight—a romantic gesture from An Guoming.

A band, its members wearing red sashes around their waists, struck up a rhythm on their drums and instruments. An Guoming walked at the head of the procession, holding a bouquet, followed by a neat line of young men.

The young men walked in pairs, carrying mahogany chests that held An Guoming’s betrothal gifts.

On either side of the gift-bearers were watching villagers and elders, every one of them beaming, adding to the festive atmosphere.

Hei Dan’er and a gaggle of other children ran on ahead, shouting, "The groom is here to pick up his bride!"

The lively procession arrived outside Yin Xuemei’s courtyard. An Guoming stepped forward, knocked on the gate, and shouted, "Xuemei, I’ve come to marry you!"

"And what makes you think you can marry her?"

Outside the gate, An Guoming glanced back, then turned around again with a look of resignation.

"Little Sis, you traitor!"