The bridal sedan came to a stop.
The matchmaker lifted the curtain again and said to us, "We're almost there. The groom can't keep lounging in the bridal sedan. He needs to get back on the horse, or what would people think if they saw him?"
As she spoke, she raised her chin slightly, and the two men from earlier hauled me back onto the horse.
The matchmaker even straightened my clothes. Only then did I realize that, at some point, I had changed into a red groom's robe, with a large red flower pinned to my chest.
I looked exactly like a groom from some historical TV drama.
After walking a little farther, the procession truly stopped before a residence. Above its gate were two large words: Jiang Residence.
The moment I saw what the residence looked like, I froze.
Wasn't this my home at the Little Ancestral Hall Entrance?
It might not have been some grand mansion, but it was still an old residence with an antiquated look.
The front gate stood open. The entire residence was decorated with lanterns and colorful banners, and among the people gathered at the entrance, I actually saw my parents!
My expression grew dazed. They looked like real people, but their expressions carried a hint of dullness.
Though they were smiling, those smiles seemed incredibly mechanical.
"The bride is here!"
"Look, the groom is so handsome today!"
I heard the crowd whispering among themselves.
"Get off the horse!" One of the men yanked me straight down, and then the matchmaker shouted, "The bride is getting out of the sedan! She's home!"
The girl helped the bride down from the bridal sedan. The next steps were highly ceremonial: the bride stepped over a brazier, then headed into the courtyard.
By then, my parents