Chapter 580: The Wedding (Part 3)

Chapter 580: The Wedding (III)

The Meng and Wu families arrived at Xizi Lake Cultural and Creative Park after the couple finished their outdoor photo shoot in the afternoon. Both families had relatives and friends coming, so they needed to be there early to receive them.

The parents of both sides had friends from all over the country and had booked their flights and hotels in advance.

Relatives from their hometowns were arranged to arrive by car that afternoon, while close relatives had come much earlier, helping out wherever needed.

Both sets of parents were dressed splendidly today, their faces glowing with joy, their brows beaming with happiness. If anyone was delighted, it was them—no less than anyone else.

Guests began arriving around three in the afternoon, and the parents, along with a few relatives, greeted them.

There was no red carpet show, but the entrance still sparkled with star power.

Just before five in the afternoon, the few celebrities from the entertainment industry that Meng Fan and his bride had invited arrived, more than an hour early. These stars, who would normally appear late or even as the grand finale at any major industry event, dared not come too late to this wedding. They came early out of politeness, fear of online backlash, and a genuine desire to get in sooner—so many big names from various circles were there, hard to meet on ordinary days.

Around five o’clock, several buses stopped at the park’s entrance. They had come from Zhejiang Sports Institute, and a crowd of athletes poured out. The sound of their footsteps seemed to echo with the clinking of gold medals, a lively, jingling commotion.

Right behind the athletes, another group arrived together—famous figures from the worlds of calligraphy, antiques, architecture, and literature. Each one could be called a walking textbook.

One group martial, the other literary—truly dazzling.

Then came some particularly high-level guests: leaders related to sports and culture, both domestic and international, such as members of various Olympic committees and associations. Among them, the “highest level” was probably the President of the International Olympic Committee.

By six o’clock, most guests were seated, and the wedding began right on time.

The wedding emcee was a national-level host, and the ceremony flowed smoothly until the bride’s entrance, when the groom was called to meet his bride.

Meng Fan was truly bold, and truly excited.

As he walked, he quickened his pace, until he was almost running.

Facing such a human tank, no one in the world would dare stand in his way as he charged forward.

Only Wu Tong was unafraid; instead of dodging, she couldn’t help but move toward Meng Fan.

The moment they embraced, Meng Fan burst into tears!

Everyone was surprised and moved, never expecting the world’s strongest man to have such a tender side. At the same time, they breathed a sigh of relief—damn it, the bride was pregnant, how dare he run!

Well, everyone knew Meng Fan could control himself, but they still worried he might be too excited.

And how could he not be excited? Otherwise, why would he cry like that?

Many guests in the audience also wiped their tears; weddings always stir emotions.

Next came the part where the bride and groom poured out their hearts. An even more emotional Meng Fan choked on his words, speaking incoherently, his nervousness visible, making everyone laugh and cry at once. Wu Tong laughed through her tears.

The wedding’s officiant and witness were both their mentors. The officiant was Meng Fan’s weightlifting coach, a two-time Olympic champion and President Zhan of Zhejiang Sports Institute. The witness was Wu Tong’s traditional Chinese painting teacher, the renowned master and head of the Fine Arts Academy’s Chinese Painting Department, Hu Yan.

Since both were their teachers, there was no distinction between officiant and witness; the officiant also witnessed, and the witness, like the officiant, offered blessings and advice for their married life.

One by one, the wedding ceremonies proceeded, each both solemn and romantic, filled with emotion and joy.

After the ceremony came the wedding banquet. The venue was not lavishly decorated; the true luxury lay in the banquet itself, with national-level chefs in charge and an extremely high standard of dishes.

Once the banquet began, the atmosphere grew even livelier.

On stage, there were games, songs, and dances. Among the tables, guests mingled and toasted frequently.

Meng Fan and Wu Tong changed into their toasting attire and began making rounds. Wu Tong held a small cup, sipping plain water each time, while Meng Fan carried a cup of beer, toasting one cup per table.

Meng Fan had some tolerance for alcohol. Though he no longer had any achievement titles related to the god of wine, his physical strength was such that his alcohol tolerance was certainly high.

But he didn’t dare drink too much. As a top athlete, Meng Fan was very disciplined. He knew well that there was no such thing as moderate or excessive drinking—any amount was harmful, and the damage was irreversible, such as to neural reactions. Ordinary people might not notice or be affected much, but for a top athlete, the difference was significant. Even if he drank every day, no one could beat him in combat or competition.

If he couldn’t avoid alcohol entirely, he must never overindulge.

So Meng Fan gave up the idea of “challenging the world record for consecutive drinking of baijiu” and chose beer instead. With nearly a hundred tables at the banquet, he might have broken that record otherwise.

Of course, as a global idol, he couldn’t really break a world record for drinking. Adults might cheer, but it would set a bad example for children.

Beer was more appropriate—one cup per table, a hundred tables meant a hundred cups, just over thirty bottles, a modest amount.

In reality, it was impossible to drink only one cup per table. At tables for classmates, friends, elders, and leaders, and with athletes who loved to joke around—though most didn’t drink alcohol—they would still toast with drinks. In the end, it took over fifty bottles.

Best men?

The best men were already good enough not to force Meng Fan to drink; they certainly wouldn’t shield him.

No one worried; hadn’t they seen him finish the rounds looking perfectly fine?

After the banquet, a group of close relatives and friends stirred up excitement for the wedding chamber pranks.

Of course, the pranks were mostly for fun, not to truly harass the couple. They chatted, drank, ate, played games, sang, and danced in the bridal chamber until late at night before dispersing.

…

“Has everyone left?”

“Yeah, they’re gone.”

“Didn’t you say you’d wake me when they left?”

“They wouldn’t let me, said you should rest well.”

Wu Tong had gone to rest around ten o’clock, planning to sleep for an hour or two before seeing them off. But once she lay down, she fell into a deep, sound sleep.

She only woke up after Meng Fan had finished his shower.

“Husband!”

“Hmm?!”

“Hold me.”

“Mm-hmm!”

“Please guide me for the rest of my life!”

“I’ll hand over all my salary!”

“Hold your hand!”

“I’ll never shout!”

“One life, one pair!”

“No chance for anyone else!”

(The End)