Inside, I stared in terror at the ‘ancient cockroach’ greeting me from above, screaming. Then, with a final push, the last child came out – this was Xiao Ying, while the one born earlier was Xiao Xuan.
Xiao Ying and Xiao Xuan’s names were chosen by Shang and Qi Ye.
“Wow, Mom, how embarrassing to be born under a cockroach’s gaze!” Xiao Ying said, pale as paper. Due to seeing a cockroach at birth, it had always been her most hated creature.
“Hehe, I don’t think so. I find cockroaches cute,” Xiao Xuan smiled, pulling out a cage with a quite large ‘Little Strong’ inside. “Aaaaah!” Xiao Ying and I screamed, choking each other.
Well, you guessed it – Xiao Ying and I share a similar fear of ‘Strong’ creatures! Oh heavens, why is that ‘Big Little Strong’ grinning at me!
Black lines spread everywhere. Qi Ye helplessly sighed, dragging Xiao Xuan by the collar while lecturing, “Xuan, I’ve told you many times not to bring insects home, especially cockroaches.”
“Aiya, I just don’t understand Mom! Cockroaches are so cute! I even named it A-mu!” Xiao Xuan’s enthusiastic voice rang out, making me sweat. Even cockroaches get names?
Xiao Ying and I sighed in relief. I thought to myself, truly demon twins, masters of pranking and scaring people. They have even better prank skills than I do. Since learning to walk and talk, they’ve been all about playing tricks, giving me plenty of headaches.
Huh? Who’s pulling my sleeve?…
I looked down – it was Xiao Xuan, surprisingly not clinging to her Qi Ye brother. “Xiao Xuan, what is it?”
“Mommy, I want to know how Mommy and Daddy got married!” Xiao Xuan’s eyes radiated intense light. I dramatically looked suffocated, “Xiao Xuan, don’t look at me with such admiring eyes, I can’t handle it.” As a result, everyone’s goosebumps fell to the ground.
I cleared my throat and fell into memories again…
I bounced up from the stool and winked at myself in the mirror. My eyes were shaped like peach hearts, framed by light eye shadow. I had a cute little nose, petal-colored pink lips, and a rosy blush on my snow-white skin.
I looked at my Chinese-style crop top, my heart full of accomplishment. Have you heard of Chinese-style crop tops? Hehe, I designed this myself. Isn’t it beautiful?
“Your Majesty, the auspicious time is approaching, please follow this servant to the main hall,” came a voice. “Okay!” I put on the mask Bebe gave me, inlaid with beautiful green feathers.
I strode out the door, and suddenly heard everyone’s jaws drop.
“Uh, what’s wrong?” I asked. “Your Majesty, could you tell this servant what you’re wearing…” The eunuch’s face twitched. I spun around, “Hehe, isn’t it nice? I designed it myself!”
Ugh, it seems everyone doesn’t think so. I looked down at my pure white, slender waist exposed to the air. “Seems like… seems like it’s actually quite revealing, hehe~” I giggled. The palace maid asked, “Your Majesty, what’s that pile of green chicken feathers on your face?”
“(╰_╯) Damn your green chicken feathers!”
This mask embodies European artistic style, okay? If you don’t understand, don’t talk! Let’s go!” I strode towards the main hall, ignoring the calls behind me.
Upon arrival, the wedding ceremony began. Although I didn’t wear the heavy phoenix crown, I traditionally wore the bridal veil. After the ceremony, I pulled off the veil and, with a flash of lightning behind the mask, proclaimed, “Comrades! Let’s drink to our heart’s content!!”
An awkward silence followed.
Damn, does no one here know how to drink? No choice, I’ll make the first move. I grabbed several wine jugs from a nearby palace maid and gulped them down, wiping my mouth boldly. “Today, whoever can out-drink me! Officials get promoted, non-officials get silver!”
A thunderous wave of cheers erupted—
“Great! The Empress is truly a heavy drinker!”
“I haven’t been promoted in years! Today I’ll risk my life for a promotion, T^T Long live the Empress!”
What began as a proper wedding quickly turned into a drinking competition. On the main platform, palace maids, court officials, nobles, eunuchs, and even guards collapsed, snoring amidst the strong smell of alcohol…
The wedding of He and Yu was slightly better, not wearing the phoenix crown, and the modified long robe wasn’t excessively thick. However, they still had to wear a head covering and go through the ceremony, which I felt lacked sweetness and had an extra dose of rigidity.
“Xiao Han, how do people get married in your world?” Bao Xi suddenly leaned in and asked. Now eighteen, he has grown into a remarkably handsome young man, taller than me. That physique and face… tsk tsk tsk…
“Turn your head away,” I said, pushing his face to the side. “Looking at me like this, my heart can’t take it.” I wiped the drool from my mouth. Bao Xi helplessly turned away, “Okay, okay, but tell me, Xiao Han.”
“Why are you asking about weddings from our world?” I asked curiously. He smiled, “Of course, to hold a wedding just like yours!” I was shocked, covering my mouth, my heart filled with emotion.
Bao Xi turned around, his face beaming, “This is a se-cret.” I jumped and hugged him, “Wuwu… Bao Xi…” “Brat! Don’t take advantage!” Shang and Shu Yang dragged the rampaging Yu out of the room.
So, my wedding with Bao Xi went like this —
I wore a beautiful snow-white wedding dress, linking arms with Bao Xi in a handsome white tailcoat, walking through an artificial flower petal rain into the European-style church that Bao Xi had specially built for this occasion, slowly approaching the officiant, now called the pastor.
Looking at the awkward pastor, I felt a strong urge to laugh. He definitely wasn’t comfortable in the clothes I designed, and he was about to call out the name of someone whose profession was emperor, a capital offense normally, but under Bao Xi’s command, he had to do it.
“What’s next? What’s next?” Little Li blinked her star-shaped eyes and asked. I shook my head, “Nothing more.” “Well, when your mother was on her honeymoon, she took the opportunity to eat me, and then you were born,” Bao Xi suddenly interjected.
“Daddy!!” Little Li excitedly pounced into Bao Xi’s arms, and the other children called out: “Hello, Daddy Bao Xi!” “Mm, good,” Bao Xi smiled and nodded, “What are you doing here?” However, when Bao Xi caught sight of Seven Nights, his expression darkened.
“Why can’t I be here?” Seven Nights coldly challenged Bao Xi, their gazes colliding and sparking tension.
“Why do you always start fighting as soon as you meet?” I came out to mediate.
The two childishly turned their heads away, snorting coldly. Damn, these two are hopeless.
“Xiao Han.” A gentle voice made me feel like I was bathing in a spring breeze. I turned back, pleasantly surprised, and exclaimed, “Shu Yang?”
Immediately, Shang and Mo also appeared with smiling faces, and the children excitedly rushed over, hugging their dads and rubbing their little faces affectionately.
“Why are you on strike again?” I asked, secretly cursing: ‘These little bastards! I wanted to sweet-talk my darling husbands, but they beat me to it!’
Seven Nights took the group of troublesome little brats out of the room, and my handsome husbands hugged me one by one. “How did you come?” I asked curiously.
The four of them laughed mysteriously…
“We’re taking you to play by the sea,” they said in unison. “Why go to the seaside?” I was frustrated. These emperors usually preferred staying home; why the sudden desire to go out?
“Just come along,” Mo said, carrying me and rushing out of the room. Without a word, he threw me onto the baby’s flying carpet. Bao Xi, Shu Yang, and Shang quickly followed, while Baby and Bei Bei excitedly shouted, “Let’s go!!”
