Chapter 1343: Unlikely Guests
Many people knew Xu Meijing, and especially after she became a Guardian, even more people came to know her. These were not people she actively sought out; rather, they were the ones who wished to make her acquaintance.
Among those who knew Xu Meijing, very few had ever seen her smile. In their minds, this aloof woman seemed incapable of such an expression, like a high and mighty queen surveying all of existence with a disdainful gaze.
Therefore, seeing Xu Meijing with a smile on her face throughout today's grand wedding, even if it was a faint one, greatly astonished and utterly captivated the guests who knew her. For a smiling Xu Meijing possessed a beauty unlike her usual demeanor.
As for the groom, Yang Haoran, apart from exuding a kind and amiable aura, he seemed to possess no other remarkable qualities. Both his physique and appearance could only be described as utterly unremarkable. Standing beside the stunning Xu Meijing, such a man—neither handsome nor ugly—was instantly eclipsed, reduced to mere dust. In every way, they seemed mismatched.
Many guests from Xu Meijing's side even lamented in their hearts, wondering how an unparalleled beauty like Xu Meijing, whose figure and looks were both flawless, could have fallen for an ordinary passerby like Yang Haoran. It was nothing short of a beautiful flower stuck in cow dung.
However, guests from Yang Haoran's side held a different view. As his friends, subordinates, or supporters, they naturally and subconsciously stood on his side.
In their eyes, while Yang Haoran and Xu Meijing might not be an absolute perfect match, they were certainly well-suited. Though Yang Haoran's appearance and physique were rather ordinary, incomparable to Xu Meijing's stunning looks, his identity was, in fact, on par with hers. Furthermore, it was common for handsome men to choose less attractive girlfriends, and beautiful women to pick less dashing partners—there was nothing to be surprised about. Since both parties had chosen each other, there were naturally reasons unknown to outsiders.
The reason for such a vast disparity in the guests' opinions lay in the fact that almost none of Yang Haoran's guests coveted his physical appearance, whereas the guests on Xu Meijing's side were quite the opposite. Hence, their viewpoints diverged so greatly.
The person who appeared before Yang Haoran and Xu Meijing at that moment was none other than Yongle, also a Guardian under Luo Yao. Yang Haoran smiled politely, extending a warm handshake. Xu Meijing, for her part, simply offered a slight, acknowledging nod, a silent greeting, without speaking or attempting to shake his hand.
Yongle had become a Guardian later than Yang Haoran and Xu Meijing, but he had been an Emissary of Death for countless years longer than either of them, for Yongle was already one of the veteran Emissaries of Death.
Before Yongle became a Guardian, he had no particular dealings with Yang Haoran or Xu Meijing. After becoming a Guardian, their paths began to cross due to shared work, and thus he naturally became aware of both Yang Haoran's and Xu Meijing's personalities.
Precisely for this reason, he did not take Xu Meijing's current demeanor to heart. For her to greet him with a smiling face was already a miracle in his eyes; he had never expected Xu Meijing to engage in pleasantries like Yang Haoran, much less to proactively offer him a handshake.
In his memory, he had seen Xu Meijing smile before, but those smiles were merely sneers—cold, disdainful sneers. A polite smile like the one she wore now was something he had never witnessed. As for handshakes, he had certainly never seen Xu Meijing initiate one with anyone. Through his observations, he had come to realize that Xu Meijing seemed unwilling to have any physical contact with men other than Yang Haoran.
“Guardian Yang, you are too kind. On such a joyous occasion, you must be incredibly busy, so there’s no question of neglect. It was I who was delayed by some matters, arriving a bit late. I only hope Guardian Yang doesn’t take offense. ”
As Yongle shook Yang Haoran’s hand, he, too, offered polite words and smiles. Though their usual relationship was quite ordinary—neither enemies nor particularly close friends—in this setting, both extended full "face" to the other, behaving like long-acquainted companions.
“Heh heh, how could I possibly blame Guardian Yongle? For Guardian Yongle to take time out of his busy schedule to attend my and Xu Meijing’s wedding, my heart is deeply touched. ”
Yang Haoran exchanged another pleasantry, then, seeing more guests arriving after Yongle, he quickly continued to Yongle.
“Heh heh, please, Guardian Yongle, go on in and have a seat to rest. We can enjoy a good drink together later. For now, I'm still caught up with greeting other guests and can't break away. ”
Yang Haoran spoke with a faint smile, his tone and expression tinged with apology.
“Hahahaha, understood, understood. ”
Yongle burst into laughter, then, from seemingly nowhere, produced an exquisite square wooden box, which he placed on the table with a wide smile.
“Congratulations to both Guardians! May you both be blessed with a child soon! ”
What was inside the square wooden box, Yang Haoran and Xu Meijing naturally had no idea, nor would they open it at that moment, as such an act would be extremely rude. However, one thing was clear to both of them: the contents of the box were undoubtedly Yongle's wedding gift to them.
Amidst Yang Haoran's words of thanks, Yongle stepped into the lavishly decorated hall.
After Yongle departed, Yang Haoran and Xu Meijing no longer focused their gaze on him but turned to greet the next guest.
Both Yang Haoran and Xu Meijing had their trusted confidantes, yet neither entrusted the duty of greeting guests at the hall entrance to any of them.
The reason was simple: nearly everyone attending their wedding today, with the exception of a very few unique individuals, held high status and prestige. Some were even Guardians of the Underworld Office, just like them. If they had allowed their subordinates to receive these prominent figures, it would certainly have made those important guests feel that Yang Haoran and Xu Meijing were overly arrogant and disrespectful. Such dissatisfaction would be guaranteed, and when interacting with them later, some might not treat them favorably.
How could Yang Haoran and Xu Meijing not understand this principle? Both knew well what needed to be done. Otherwise, how could a woman as proud as Xu Meijing personally come out to greet guests?
Of course, apart from this reason, Xu Meijing's willingness to personally greet guests was also due to the grand wedding putting her in quite a good mood, and this was the most crucial factor. Had she not been in high spirits, it was entirely possible that, given her personality, she would have had her trusted subordinates receive the guests.
“Divine Envoy Yang, congratulations, congratulations! I truly enjoyed our last drink together, and I've been looking forward to another good, hearty session. I never expected our next drink would be your wedding wine! You absolutely must have a few more with me later, no matter how busy you get, don't forget! ”
This guest appeared middle-aged, with a full beard, and a burly, imposing physique. From his attire, it seemed he was a Demon Hunter.
The Demon Hunter presented a hearty, straightforward demeanor, as if he and Yang Haoran had been close friends for many years.
Yang Haoran naturally knew this man; otherwise, he wouldn't have invited him to his and Xu Meijing's wedding.
This man was a mid-stage Three-star Demon Hunter, holding a certain status within the Demon Hunter Association. Thus, Yang Haoran not only remembered him but also recalled his name perfectly.
“Heh heh, Divine Envoy Li, I've finally awaited your arrival. Long time no see, your demeanor is as splendid as ever. ”
Yang Haoran spoke with a faint smile, swiftly shaking his hand, just as he did with other guests, to show his warmth and amiability. Though Xu Meijing did not recognize this man, she likewise offered him a smiling nod.
Before the Demon Hunter Association changed its name to the Demon Hunter Guild, outsiders generally addressed Demon Hunters by adding "Master" after their surname—for example, Master Li, Master Yang, Master Zhou, and so on. Just as Xiujuan addressed Ye Zhiqiu as Master Ye, it was merely a polite form of address, nothing more.
But things were different now. The Demon Hunter Guild had not merely changed its name; its very nature had transformed. It now possessed its own temples and its own worshipped deities. That was why Yang Haoran did not address the man as Master Li but, out of politeness, called him Divine Envoy Li.
Despite their overtly warm display, as if they were the best of friends, their actual relationship was not that intimate. Any interactions between them were merely for mutual benefit, each harboring their own ulterior motives. Yet, neither party had pierced this veil of pretense, nor would it be pierced.
Even though their relationship was hardly close, Yang Haoran had still invited this man to his and Xu Meijing's wedding, a decision that naturally stemmed from certain considerations.
“Hahahaha, 'as splendid as ever' with my haggard appearance? Divine Envoy Yang, please don’t mock me. Lately, I've been plagued by troubles and don't know how to deal with them; one could say I’m mentally and physically exhausted. Anyway, never mind, today is a joyous occasion for both Divine Envoys, so I won't bring up these unhappy matters. I’ll complain to Divine Envoy Yang privately later. ”
The Demon Hunter laughed heartily, but beneath that seemingly straightforward exterior, Yang Haoran perceived countless hidden agendas. Yet, Yang Haoran was no easy mark either; he understood the man's underlying meaning and knew how to handle such situations, for he was a veteran in these matters.
“Heh heh, no problem at all, absolutely no problem. Since we are friends, it is only right that we share each other's burdens. When the time comes, you can speak freely about any difficulties you face, and coincidentally, I also have some matters I wish to consult with Divine Envoy Li about. ”
Yang Haoran smiled faintly. His words immediately made the Demon Hunter laugh even more heartily. He uttered several "good"s in succession, then, still smiling, left his wedding gift and, at Yang Haoran’s invitation, entered the hall.
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