The Runaway Bride in a Substitute Marriage 21

Her features and temperament were utterly unremarkable—the kind of face that would vanish into a crowd the moment you turned away.

Chen Yao's face immediately fell. She didn't need to guess to know that this woman must be the shadow guard Xie Qingyan had stationed to keep an eye on her.

Especially hearing that address—"Young Madam"—roll off the woman's tongue made her skin crawl.

Chen Yao gritted her teeth. "Don't call me that. I'm no one's Young Madam."

But Ying Qi acted as if she hadn't heard, merely repeating, "Young Madam, please return."

Are you a robot or something? Can you only repeat that one line?

Chen Yao was practically fuming. Her pretty face tightened. "What if I refuse?"

Ying Qi remained stiff and formal, her voice calm as she said, "Young Madam, then I'll have to resort to force."

Chen Yao could hear her deliberately antagonizing her by continuing to chant "Young Madam" over and over, even clearly positioning herself to drag Chen Yao back by force. It made her blood boil.

System 04 silently wiped away a tear of bitter sympathy for its host.

Naturally, the runaway girl was ultimately escorted back to the marquis's estate, sulking all the way.

*

In Lanyue Courtyard.

Chen Yao's handsome brows were tinged with anger as she sat sulking on the daybed in her room.

Damn it! She truly hadn't expected Xie Qingyan to be so unscrupulous as to post shadow guards outside the estate to keep watch.

"At this rate, how am I supposed to sneak out?" Chen Yao fumed.

System 04 heaved a sigh as well. So its earlier vague foreboding had indeed come to pass.

"No, I'm not giving up that easily." Chen Yao gritted her teeth.

Her gaze wandered around the room, inadvertently sweeping past the large dowry chest in the corner, and her eyes paused slightly.

Chen Yao felt as if a flash of light had just streaked through her mind.

But before she could think further, she suddenly heard faint footsteps approaching from outside the door.

The door was tapped lightly, and Chuntao's lowered voice followed. "Miss, it's almost the fourth ke at the hour of Yin. By custom, you should be getting up now."

Seeming to hear the rustling inside, she continued, "May this servant come in to help you wash and dress?"

Chen Yao's heart gave a sudden lurch. "Wait."

Noticing she was still in the incongruous maid's outfit, she hurriedly rose from the daybed and fumbled to strip off the outermost layers.

She bunched them into a ball, glanced around, then dashed to the wardrobe and shoved the clothes haphazardly into the very bottom.

Chen Yao sat back down on the daybed, steadied herself, and then said slowly, "Come in."

*

"One comb to the end, two combs..."

The wedding matron held a phoenix-headed comb, gently running it through the bride's hair that hung behind her, while reciting auspicious blessings with a smile.

Chen Yao's gaze fixed on the bronze mirror before her, watching her own reflection.

The young woman's makeup was exquisite—dark hair, red lips, with fine gold powder at the corners of her lovely eyes. Set against the fiery red wedding gown, it made her skin look even fairer.

Chen Yao blinked, about to share her bridal makeup thoughts with System 04, when it quickly cut her off. "Stop!"

"I hadn't even said anything yet," Chen Yao protested.

System 04 rolled its eyes. "But I already guessed what you were going to say."

Knowing its host as it did, it figured she was about to launch into another round of her narcissistic little habit.

Chen Yao let out an annoyed huff and instinctively opened her mouth to retort.

"I already took a photo for you," System 04 quickly blocked her again. "It's very pretty. Take a look yourself."

Chen Yao... "Fine, then."

But there was no shortage of cheerleaders in the room; in fact, she didn't even need to boast to System 04 herself.

"Miss looks so beautiful today," Xia He said, staring at her mistress, feeling utterly spellbound.

"Our miss is naturally born with beauty," Chuntao added with a smile as she carefully adjusted the pearl flowers in her mistress's hair.

The two maids chattered on, and combined with the wedding matron's auspicious words, a faint blush crept across Chen Yao's cheeks, though the corners of her lips couldn't help curling up.

"After all, sister is the number one beauty of our capital." Jiang Lingxuan's voice suddenly drifted from the doorway.

Chen Yao blinked.

Huh? Since when had she been given that title? Officially elected or popularly acclaimed?

Jiang Lingxuan's face held a gentle smile. She was holding a wooden box in her hands as she stepped slowly into the room.

"This is an embroidered handkerchief I sewed myself. I hope it brings a bit of joy to sister."

The closed wooden box opened to reveal a red handkerchief, embroidered with layered peonies in gold thread, and a delicate double happiness character embellishing the pistils. It was clear she'd put considerable effort into it.

Chen Yao took the handkerchief in her hand, glanced at her, then averted her eyes with a hint of guilt. "Thank you."

From far off, the sound of firecrackers crackling suddenly rang out from the direction of the mansion's main gate.

Jiang Lingxuan's attempt to speak was interrupted. She smiled softly. "By the time, the wedding procession must be nearly here."

Chen Yao...

She felt her little heart go cold as ice.

In the end, a large red bridal veil was draped over her head, leaving her entire field of vision awash in dazzling red. Then she was helped to slowly sit on the edge of the bed.

"Everyone, leave. Lingxuan can stay here with me," Chen Yao said on her own.

She tilted her ear slightly, listening carefully to the retreating footsteps and the sound of the door closing, confirming that no one else remained in the room.

Then, with a natural motion, she reached up and yanked the bridal veil off her head in one go.

"Sister, you..." Jiang Lingxuan hesitated.

Chen Yao frowned, saying matter-of-factly, "It's too stuffy."

The young woman's beauty was radiant, and even her frowning expression was almost unfairly pretty.

Jiang Lingxuan shook her head inwardly, but her tone remained gentle. "Then let's put it back on when it's time to board the bridal sedan."

Chen Yao nodded immediately.

Then she couldn't help sighing in her mind, "Oh my god, this female lead is way too nice. I can't bear to go through with the plan against her anymore."

System 04 narrowed its eyes, its tone skeptical. "Really? You're not going to follow the runaway bride plot?"

Chen Yao, "That's not an option."

System 04... "I knew it."

"So, System," Chen Yao dragged out her words, "hurry up and tell me—how do I use a hand chop to knock someone out?"

"Use the outer edge of your palm, strike the carotid sinus on the side of her neck near the collarbone..." System 04 explained, even helpfully attaching a diagram.

TL Note:

the fourth ke at the hour of Yin (寅时四刻) = 4:00 AM, as the hour of Yin is 3–5 AM and each ke is 15 minutes.