Man and Wife
After breakfast, Qiao Yanli drove the two of them to the Office of Civil Affairs.
There were many others, like them, stepping through the doors, exuding happiness as they entered the office.
Xia Yanxi and Qiao Yanli finished filling up the forms and waited with many others for their turn for a photograph.
Qian Yanli was standing in front of Xia Yanxi. There were so many eyes glued to him. His clean-cut attire, a hairstyle that was neither too long nor short, stylish yet not overbearing. A balance between obsolete and modern fashion style.
His left hand was tucked in his pocket and his other was hanging by the side. His boney fingers, firm and long, had fingernails that had been clipped neatly. That was but one aspect, and she had seen enough to know that the man was meticulous in his behavior.
Just like when she first met him, he was ever elegant, dashing and dominating.
At this point, Xia Yanxi was curious about his employer. If his assistant was so domineering, what of the employer himself?
"A-A-Are you a star?" a timid voice rang from behind.
Xia Yanxi turned around and was greeted by an admiring gaze of a young girl probably of the same age as her. With absolute care, she opened her mouth and said, "No… I'm not. Not yet, anyway…"
She did want to be an actress but was still not in that circle.
"Sorry, but… You look like a superstar…" the girl continued on. Although she tried to hide it, her gaze landed on the man standing in front of her.
"Is that your husband?"
Xia Yanxi could not bring herself to say the words and chose only to nod. Even though it was but only a formality. Technically speaking, he was still her husband!
A larger man came from behind and was not looking very happy about the situation.
"Are you here to register for our marriage, or to be star struck?" he said, slightly begrudgingly.
The timid girl pouted.
"But look! They are both so beautiful!"
'Beautiful?'
Xia Yanxi turned to her husband-to-be. As the girl stated, his looks and appearance could be described as beautiful!
Even though the two of them, or rather, she, had no feelings for the man, she could not help but to feel fortunate to be wedded to a man such as him; a beautiful man…
***
The two came out from the office, holding a red ledger each.
Excited, she flipped the book open and read the names on the certificate.
Xia Yanxi, Qiao Yanli.
The names, attached together, bound legally. As her eyes ran over the words again and again, she could not help but feel grateful and thankful. It felt like a dream! The man, whom she shared an illicit night with, had became her husband!
She picked up a paper attached to the book and examined the half-portrait photo with a deep red background.
His face was distinctive. There was hardly a smile on his face but she could tell that he was clearly happy.
It was odd. The two did not behave like any other couple in the office; sweet and overly attached to each other. Most of them would smile brightly and lean against each each other, the kind of behavior that would never be socially sanctioned before marriage. Qiao Yanli and Xia Yanxi's photos were a drab; as serious as the military. Even the man behind the camera had a second glance at them.
'It is done… Ahh…'
For a very long time, she had always dreamed of seeing that piece of paper, with her name attached with Bai Wenxuan's. Alas…
The world was such; ever-changing.
What love did the two have, claiming that they would live together until death did them apart, share a life in matrimony, in sickness and in health. All of that was hanging on the line on that one thing that seemed to determine her purity.
"How brave you are, thinking about another man right after we have been bethrothed," the deep husky voice rang in her ears. His hot, steamy breath felt like a jolt of electricity, like a tentacle, wrapping her heart. Her face was now flushing bright red. What was it that attracted her so? Was it his deep, husky, attractive voice, or was it his entire being that was burning like a flame, hot and passionate. As for her, she was the moth.