Once again, Liu Lei used the communication jade talisman to contact Lian Feng, informing him of his impending marriage. Lian Feng, thrilled, exclaimed, "Really? Congratulations!"
"Congratulations for what?" Liu Lei muttered with a disgruntled tone.
"What's wrong? Everyone else is happy to be married, why the long face?" Lian Feng asked, puzzled.
"You'll see for yourself. Ask my mother if she wants to meet her daughter-in-law. If she does, I'll arrange a private jet to pick you up; if not, you can come on your own."
"Isn't that preferential treatment?" Lian Feng protested.
"That's right, so what?" Liu Lei grumbled, deeply displeased with being forced into marriage.
"You!" Lian Feng was at a loss for words.
Liu Lei didn't own a private jet, but he was wealthy. His funds alone were insufficient, but Keri's wealth was more than enough. He wasn't sure how to make the arrangements, but the new residents around the villa were more than eager to assist. After taking care of everything, Liu Lei sent the driver back to fetch his mother and Lian Feng. To prevent his mother from being startled, Liu Lei summoned all the Dark Guild members and villa servants to stand in a row on the lawn. He held an unfamiliar riding crop and waved it back and forth, tapping each person on the head as he spoke, "Listen up! My mother is coming! She's never seen these strange creatures before, so all werewolves and vampires, keep your true forms hidden when she's around! If you scare her, I'll peel your skin to make a coat! And all you dark mages, keep your repulsive spells to yourselves! Anyone who can perform a fireworks show or a magic trick, now's the time to entertain her! If you make her laugh, there will be a generous reward! Got it?" He swung the crop forcefully.
"Got it!"
"Alright, dismissed!"
Liu Lei couldn't help but laugh at himself. He felt like an old-time military ruffian. To his surprise, the dark creatures actually respected this treatment—talking to them gently might not have worked. His mother hadn't seen these creatures before, and he worried that someone might carelessly shift into their true form and scare her. Deep down, he was also somewhat protective. His mother might already know that he had become a vampire, but she hadn't yet seen his true form. Liu Lei didn't want her to, for reasons he couldn't explain.
When he finally saw his mother after years, the change was stark. She had aged considerably, her face lined with wrinkles, her hair completely white. The reality of her aging struck him far more powerfully than the image he had seen through the jade talisman. It was clear that his departure and his father's death had taken a heavy toll on her. Liu Lei rushed to embrace her, tears flowing as he called out, "Mom!"
His mother patted his back, comforting him, "Don't cry, don't cry, I'm fine…" She too began to weep. Perhaps to make up for the years apart, Liu Lei, never one for extravagance, had bought a private jet to bring her here and arranged a convoy of thirteen cars to escort her, an almost ostentatious display. He helped her into a white stretch BMW, ready to give instructions to the driver, when Lian Feng's voice interrupted.
"Why does no one notice my old man?" Lian Feng's voice came from behind. Liu Lei immediately remembered Lian Feng had also come and hurriedly turned, bowing and smiling, "Ah, Master, you're here too…"
Lian Feng raised an eyebrow, "You mean to say I shouldn't have come?"
"Not at all! I'm delighted you came, Master!" Liu Lei quickly clarified.
"Really? I don't feel your delight," Lian Feng said with a squint. Liu Lei hastily put on an exaggerated grin and stepped toward Lian Feng.
His mother smiled and said, "Alright, Master Lian, stop teasing him."
Lian Feng sighed, "Your son is truly filial. Tsk, tsk, thirteen cars—no state leader could command such a procession. And the stretch BMW, how much did that cost?"
A glimmer of satisfaction appeared in his mother's eyes, and Liu Lei cast a grateful glance at Lian Feng.
The long convoy wound through the city and into the villa, with everyone they passed avoiding them. The procession looked like something either a state leader would have or a mobster's funeral procession. There were no police escorting them, so it could only be the latter. Liu Lei, riding high on his success, returned to the villa, unaware that others had already associated him with the underworld. Though the name "Dark Guild" had its own connotations of darkness, there was a vast difference between them and organized crime.
Once inside, as they unloaded the luggage, Liu Lei's mother eagerly asked, "Son, what does the bride's family do?" Chinese parents typically ask about the family background first. But as soon as the topic of marriage came up, Liu Lei's expression turned sour.
"What's wrong? Oh, it's fine if their family isn't well-off, we don't lack for money," she said.
"No, Mom..."
"What's wrong then?" she asked, puzzled.
With a rueful expression, Liu Lei explained everything.
His mother listened quietly, and when he finished, she asked, "Do you think you like her?"
Liu Lei sighed deeply, tugging at his hair in frustration. "She... she's nothing like the woman I imagined as my bride. It's so hard to accept, but... I think I might like her after all..."
His mother gently stroked his head, saying, "Son, if you like her, marry her. Women always change after marriage. If she likes you, she will change for you too."
The next day, Liu Lei's mother accompanied him to visit the Tremere family. After exchanging pleasantries in the living room, his mother left Liu Lei with Kude and took Niya to her room, probably to discuss something important. Liu Lei and Kude awkwardly sat together, exchanging small talk. When his mother and Niya emerged from the room, they appeared quite happy. They had settled on the wedding date: the first Friday in two months. Satisfied, his mother had Liu Lei return with her, calling a large group of servants to go shopping. She said they didn't know what to buy for a Chinese wedding, so she would personally take them. Seeing his mother so excited, Liu Lei couldn't help but smile wryly. He knew that his mother was likely clinging to this wedding as the one thing she could hold on to in her life. He had a bad feeling, but quickly dismissed it, reassuring himself everything would be fine.
As the wedding day approached, Niya, the once boisterous girl, started to visit less frequently. She used to come daily, but now Liu Lei could sense that her feelings for him had begun to show. Perhaps with the wedding settled, she was finally ready to express her affection for him. She became somewhat shy, and Liu Lei couldn't help but find it amusing. But he wasn't disappointed that she wasn't visiting as much; after all, most of their interactions had ended in arguments.
The day before the wedding, Niya suddenly showed up. It was unusual, since couples weren't supposed to meet on this day. Liu Lei was puzzled. Niya stood before him, her hands behind her back, blushing and fidgeting.
"What's the matter? Can't wait to become my wife?" Liu Lei teased.
Her face turned even redder, but to his surprise, she nodded firmly. Liu Lei's mouth hung open in shock. When had she become so direct?
Finally, Niya, blushing deeply, spoke, "Liu, I really like you. I know my father forced you into marrying me and that it makes you unhappy. He wants to use you as a pillar, but... I truly like you. Mom said…"
"Mom?" Liu Lei said, realizing it was his own mother.
"Mom said that girls need to be gentle for you to like them. I've been trying really hard to be a gentle girl these past two days. This is what Mom taught me, and I made this for you."
Liu Lei took the piece of cloth from her, finding what looked like a clumsy embroidery. It seemed to depict a pair of ducks—no, a pair of mandarin ducks. Liu Lei felt deeply moved.
"You've been working on this for two days?"
"Yes... I know it's not pretty, and it doesn't compare to Mom's work, but I've made five of them. This is the best one. I wanted to make it better, but there wasn't enough time... I'm so clumsy..."
Liu Lei held the embroidery in his hands, realizing just how hard this had been for her. For the first time in two months, he felt like a groom. He finally understood the advantages of being an "immortal": he had nothing but time, and he could afford to wait while she slowly changed.
The wedding was held at the Tremere family's castle. It was a grand affair, though Liu Lei had no close friends or family, just his mother and Lian Feng. The Tremere family, however, had nearly everyone in attendance. Of course, a prince's wedding could not be simple. Liu Lei found it curious; when he had attended Jiang Feng's wedding at the church, it was over in no time, but now that it was his turn, the preparations seemed endless.
The wedding concluded, and after three weeks, his mother and Lian Feng were preparing to leave. His mother didn't want to settle abroad, saying that she wanted to be buried next to her late husband. Liu Lei's heart ached, but he couldn't bring himself to say anything. Seeing the look on his face, his mother patted him and said, "Don't worry, the fallen leaves return to the roots. I'm not used to living abroad; it's better to return home." Liu Lei nodded and saw her off at the airport.
After the wedding, Liu Lei moved out of the villa and into an apartment in the city. His married life was, for the most part, peaceful, though their first attempt at intimacy had failed. Niya swore to be a "lady," and her cooking skills improved, though Liu Lei found himself growing thinner. Life was comfortable, but Niya often lay on top of him, tracing circles on his chest, asking, "Do you promise that after a thousand years, you'll still hold me like this?" Liu Lei was silent. He didn't know how to answer. Despite wanting to say yes, his rational mind warned him that things might not be so simple. What would happen after a thousand years? Would he grow tired of the same face? Liu Lei didn't know, so he couldn't give her an answer. He could only hold her tightly and tell himself that perhaps, when the time came, he would have to let go.
Soon after, change came. One morning, Liu Lei casually skimmed the newspaper and froze at the headline: *"Terrorist Attack Escalates—Sixteen Priests Dead!"* He quickly read on: *"One Cardinal, fifteen senior priests, and thirty-one civilians dead!"* His heart pounded as he exhaled deeply and turned to Niya. "I need to go out for a bit."
Liu Lei walked along the banks of the Danube, the sun setting as he had been walking for hours. Reflecting on all this time, he realized that he had perhaps clung too long to the idea of "immortality." So many things had been delayed, and some things had to be faced head-on—there was no escaping them. Since the birth of the demonic artifact, this day had been inevitable. Now it was time for him to end his own mistakes. Standing by the river, he spread his arms wide to the setting sun, resolving to no longer flee. In that moment, he truly stepped into maturity as a vampire. Though he was still a child by their standards, in that instant, he grew mentally and emotionally. His personality, long unformed, suddenly solidified.
Returning home, Liu Lei said to Niya, "There's something I must do. You have two choices: you can come with me and face both the Church and the Dark Guild, or you can return to your family and pretend you never knew me."
Niya stood frozen, stunned. "Why? Give me a reason. Why go against the Guild?"
Liu Lei sighed. "This is my responsibility. The mistake is mine to correct."
"Alright! Wait for me, I'll pack!" Niya replied resolutely.
She began to gather her things, but as she glanced into the mirror, she froze. The mirror was the one she had brought from the castle, one she had loved since childhood. Her uncle had often stood behind her, watching as she combed her hair, speaking to her father, saying, "Our Niya will be the first female prince in history, the most beautiful and outstanding of them all…" Her uncle and father had devoted their lives to the family, but what would happen to a prince who betrayed the Dark Guild? What would be her fate? How could she face her mother, who had urged her to become a wise and good prince?
"Niya," she whispered, "I'm sorry, I can't…"
Liu Lei's heart ached as he walked over and embraced her, kissing her forehead. "I understand. Our lives carry too many burdens; it's not just about us. Your choice is the right one…" Letting her go, he walked out, and behind him came her heart-wrenching cry: "Liu—!"