The voice was as faint as a mosquito's buzz, filled with helplessness and despair.
If Yue Xiaofei's hearing had not been far sharper than most people's, he might never have noticed it.
He stopped in his tracks, his brow furrowing at once.
"Is something wrong, honored guest?"
The attendant leading the way saw him stop and hurriedly asked with deference.
A practiced smile sat on his face, but a flicker of wariness crossed his eyes.
"Nothing."
Yue Xiaofei shook his head without betraying anything. Pointing to the wooden house, he asked casually, "What's in there?"
"Oh, that's the bride's room. She's getting ready for tonight."
The attendant smiled as he explained, "By our customs, the bride can't see outsiders before the appointed hour. Please don't go near it."
The bride's room?
Yue Xiaofei's interest stirred.
Had that plea for help come from the bride?
Questions rose in his mind, but his expression gave nothing away.
"Understood."
Yue Xiaofei nodded and went into the nearby restroom.
While the attendant waited outside, Yue Xiaofei slipped through the restroom's rear window without a sound, like a ghost.
With a few agile movements, he reached the back of the so-called bride's room unnoticed.
He pressed his ear lightly against the wooden wall.
This time, he heard her more clearly.
A woman inside was indeed sobbing softly.
"Please... I don't want to get married... Someone save me..."
"I don't want to marry that monster..."
A monster?
Yue Xiaofei's frown deepened.
So there really was something wrong with this wedding!
He hesitated no longer. He pried open the rear window without a sound and slipped inside.
The room was dimly lit.
A faint scent of cosmetics lingered in the air.
A woman in a bright red wedding dress and an ornate bridal headdress sat at the