I, the prince in distress, send money

Chapter 417 The Wedding Parties

Marriage is a major life event, and for a traditional Chinese man, barring unforeseen circumstances, he will only experience it once in his life.

Is Chris a traditional Chinese man?
He wasn't sure.

He used to be.

In that distant, almost otherworldly time and space, he had also vaguely longed for the beauty of "one life, one love, one partner," imagined a shy bride wearing a bright red wedding dress and a red veil, imagined the solemnity of the three letters and six rites, and imagined the simple warmth of growing old together.

That is a cultural imprint etched into one's bones, the most basic longing for home.

He doesn't have any particular interest in love right now.

Because it is a luxury item.

Luxury lies in its purity.

Love requires unreserved trust, passionate and exclusive emotional investment, and a deep resonance of souls.

In his world, everyone who gets close to him has an ulterior motive: seeking power, exchanging benefits, submitting out of fear, or harboring deep-seated hatred... Well, apart from the players, they are just a bunch of people who enjoy themselves.

Chris has now grown accustomed to the scheming behind the masks and the scrutiny in people's eyes.

So when Chris actually got married, he was very calm. On the wedding car, he kept smiling and waving to the cheering crowd.

Elena turned her head slightly, her gaze falling on her husband's profile beside her.

Chris waved to the surging crowd, his smile impeccable, as if measured with a ruler.

That smile was sunny and infectious, enough to ignite the most fervent loyalty among the people.

He would occasionally turn to her, and it always seemed as if his dark brown eyes briefly met her amber gaze, both carrying a gentle smile. He would even considerately reach out and gently support her elbow, like the most perfect and affectionate husband.

But Elena could sense it.

Beneath that perfect smile, in the deepest part of those eyes, lies a composure and tranquility as deep as permafrost.

That wasn't a deliberately feigned indifference, but rather a... complete detachment.

It was as if this world-renowned wedding, this grand parade, the cheers of millions of people, and even her, the bride in her gorgeous dress standing beside him, were all just pieces on his vast chessboard, a step that needed to be executed precisely.

His gaze toward her was as calm as if he were examining a priceless, exquisitely crafted work of art, assessing its political value and public appeal, but lacking any of the warmth one would expect from a newlywed husband.

There was no amazement, no desire, not even the slightest fluctuation caused by her beauty... that kind of lustful gaze that she had long since grown tired of seeing in other men, the kind that she instinctively loathed.

This calm made her feel a strange unease and a deeper sense of confusion.

Elena's feelings about the marriage were as complicated as a tangled mess of threads.

She knew she was a political gift, a crucial step for her family to consolidate their position in the Kingdom of Bagnia in order to make a comeback.

She accepted it, even with a kind of resigned obedience.

But acceptance is not the same as understanding or expectation. Looking at the handsome yet cold and hard man beside her, she felt completely lost about the future.

What kind of husband would he be?
Will this unfamiliar palace, this country that reveres force and steel, become her prison?
She didn't know that she could only drift along like duckweed, pushed forward by the torrent of fate.

However, in stark contrast to her confusion about marriage, she felt an overwhelming excitement and pure joy... This joy did not stem from becoming Chris's bride, but from the fact that for the first time she was so genuinely and thoroughly basking in the spotlight!

In Minicia, she was a noble lady, but that was all. Noble ladies are sometimes like vases—beautiful and valuable, but unable to escape the status of ornaments.

At that moment, in Vortradnoi, the heart of Bagnia, amidst the deafening cheers of hundreds of thousands of people, she suddenly realized that she was one of the main characters in this event!

The wind caressed her meticulously braided golden hair and stirred the delicate silver star embroidery on her gorgeous skirt, making her feel as if she were shining.

Countless gazes were focused on her, and the emotions in those gazes were not the calculating scrutiny typical of the Miniese court and aristocratic circles, but rather a more direct and ardent admiration.

She could clearly hear shouts coming from the crowd.

"Long live Her Majesty the Queen!"

"Queen Elena!"

These voices, like the sweetest honey, flowed into her heart.

She tried her best to maintain the noble and elegant demeanor befitting a queen, a proper smile she had practiced thousands of times the night before playing on her lips, and gave a slight nod to the crowd.

At the same time, she was overjoyed, like a bird released from its cage.

Every wave, every glance, gave her an unprecedented sense of satisfaction, a feeling of being seen and recognized by the world.

This dizzying feeling of being the center of attention, this experience of being the absolute center of attention, was a gift that thrilled her even more than the wedding itself.

As the float passed by, golden confetti rained down like a shower of blessings, a few of which landed on the back of her fair hand.

She glanced down instinctively, and when she looked up again, her eyes met Chris's briefly once more.

His smile remained perfect, his eyes calm and undisturbed, as if the thunderous cheers from just moments before were nothing more than an insignificant breeze.

Elena's heart sank slightly. The joy of being the center of attention was like a small pebble thrown into the water, causing a ripple of disappointment and doubt.

She couldn't understand how someone could be so... indifferent?
Is this scene, which would excite or thrill anyone, really just a political task that must be performed perfectly in his eyes?
She quickly suppressed that slight unease, put on an even brighter smile, and waved to the cheering crowd on the other side.

Regardless, the glory she felt at that moment was real, something she had longed for.

As for the enigmatic man beside them, and their future marriage built on a cold foundation... let's leave that for after the celebration ends and the noise subsides.

At least for now, she is willing to immerse herself in this grand performance that belongs only to her and is the focus of everyone's attention.

At the same time, this scene gave Elena an idea and understanding of her future.

She realized once again what Chris meant in this country, and whether, as his appendage, she could share in the glory her husband possessed.

(End of this chapter)