Chapter 1, A person is like a rainbow

One can only see her adorned with a phoenix crown and a flowing veil, her hair elegantly styled with tassels

Zhao Rong rubbed his hazy eyes once again

Zhao Rong suddenly looked down in surprise at his attire

hangover

What captivates Zhao Rong's heart the most is the faint brown beauty mark beneath her left autumn-like eye, which not only does not detract from her exquisite appearance but instead imparts a delicate charm, softening her otherwise aloof demeanor

Under the red candle, Zhao Lingfei trembled slightly

The woman's wedding attire is intricate, yet it cannot conceal her slender and tall figure. The only part of her body exposed is the pair of jade-like hands resting on her crossed legs, delicate as snow, with fingers adorned with exquisite red nail polish. For some reason, this reminds him of a type of ice cream he loved to eat in his childhood

Zhao Rong had seen many retouched photos of celebrities and internet influencers online, such as "a beauty seen once in four thousand years" and "a classical beauty with grace." He thought he had already experienced everything, but unexpectedly, upon being reborn, the first person he encountered was such an extraordinary beauty!

Well, it has not run anymore

He suddenly felt a bit hot...

In his memory, Zhao Lingfei is the only child of the fourth son of the late Jingnan Duke, and bears a resemblance to him. Since childhood, her father has not been by her side, and her mother also passed away when she was young

It is all your fault. Since childhood, you have been competing with me for our mother. It is one thing for her to indulge you and favor you, after all, I am the elder brother and can yield to you. But now, you even want me to become your son-in-law? What a great humiliation!

But why does a complex negative emotion arise in my mind when I think of her name

Not at all! ... He is indeed a Confucian disciple of this world, strictly adhering to rituals, valuing filial piety, and even obeying his mother's request for him to marry into her family ...! ... Wait a minute, marrying into her family!

Zhao Rong rubbed his temples, having generally digested these memories

Well, it seems that I am probably a groom, so at this moment, am I in the bridal chamber

In this world, the status of a son-in-law is equivalent to that of a servant, holding a lowly position

Annoyance, hatred, resentment, shame, humiliation

Zhao Rong lowered his head and searched around, and indeed, a wine jar had fallen to the ground, with some clear liquid remaining inside, reflecting the bright moon outside the door, while the surrounding ground was covered with patches of water stains

The thoughts and culture of this world are somewhat reminiscent of the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, characterized by vibrancy and prosperity, with various schools of thought challenging each other and engaging in spirited debates, creating an unprecedented flourishing atmosphere, and he is a disciple of Confucianism

As for why I woke up lying on the ground next to the door ...? ... Ugh, my head hurts so much, how much alcohol did I drink?

He has been diligently studying while observing the mourning period for his mother. Now that the mourning period has ended, he must comply with his mother's original arrangement and marry into the Duke of Jingnan's household

The red double happiness characters cut from paper are displayed on the square walls, wooden windows, and furniture

The original owner of this body was also named Zhao Rong, courtesy name Ziyu, aged seventeen, from the Qianjing of the Great Chu Dynasty. Since childhood, he had been living with his mother in the residence of the Duke of Jingnan in Qianjing, and he is now a student at the National Academy.

... ...

No wonder there is a smell of alcohol on the body

Childhood sweethearts, innocent and unsuspecting? Zhao Rong couldn't help but think of this after "reading" this memory

Although he has been a single dog since birth, he has never eaten pork, nor has he seen a pig run. He has only seen ancient weddings in films and television works

The carpet underfoot is red, and stepping on it feels as if one is sinking into a mass of evening glow

However, at the age of twelve, he was forcibly arranged by his mother to marry into the Zhao family. Although the other party was a childhood playmate with whom he shared a close relationship, he, deeply influenced by Confucian ideals, could not accept the reality of becoming a lowly son-in-law.

It seems that something was awakened by this face, gradually, a sense of detachment surged forth, dizziness and headache swept through his mind like the tides on a full moon night, wave after wave.

Such a beauty, I find her still more endearing

Zhao Rong was astonished and slightly opened his mouth, noticing that the boy in the mirror also had his mouth slightly ajar, finally daring to confirm that this was indeed his current self

Just as I was about to raise my hand, I suddenly paused, looked around, and indeed, on a low table by the bed, there was a jade ruyi tied with a red satin ribbon

Qing Jun

Moreover, although he is a student of the humanities, has a passion for online literature, and enjoys fantasy, he is also a staunch materialist. Encountering such matters is simply shocking to his worldview

What comes into view is a quaint and antique room, filled with many classical artifacts he has never seen before

Faintly resembling the light clouds that obscure the moon, drifting gracefully like the flowing wind that returns the snow

Wedding bed, joyous window, beautiful woman's red makeup

Just after waking up and sitting on the ground by the door, I didn't feel much at first. Now, as soon as I stand up, I feel dizzy, have a headache, and my mouth is dry and parched

She seemed completely unresponsive to the commotion she had caused earlier, remaining utterly still

With this thought, Zhao Rong had already walked up to the bronze mirror

A faint sound, seemingly coming from nowhere, made him feel as if a multitude of memory fragments, not belonging to him, suddenly emerged in his mind

Zhao Rong looked up, the bright moon hung high in the sky, and for the moment, he could not discern any difference between it and the moon in his own world. Thus, he closed the door and turned to step inside the room

The bed curtains were rolled up to both sides, revealing a festive expanse of red within the bed, not to mention the woman in red sitting by the bed, whom he dared not look at too closely for the time being

Her eyebrows resemble distant mountains shrouded in mist, her eyes are like a pool of autumn water, her hair is like floating clouds, and her skin is akin to peach blossoms, radiating a smile

Jade ... ... where is the jade

Cough, could it be that he opposes feudal ethics and parental arranged marriages, yearning for the freedom to love?

In the distance, the tablecloth of the small round table is red, with its fiery red tassels hanging down to the ground

Oh, this realm unexpectedly possesses extraordinary power, and his mother is indeed a practitioner! ... She was a devotee of the fourth branch of the Duke of Jingnan's residence, but she passed away three years ago

She continued to lower her eyelids, avoiding his gaze, yet her delicate ears and slender neck appeared as if they had been brushed with rouge, a deep red like blood

Zhao Rong took a deep breath, exhaled forcefully, and turned to walk towards the bride in the wedding gown on the marriage bed

He is to be adopted into the family of the Duke of Jingnan as the second young lady—Zhao Lingfei.

He has only seen such things in online literature or film and television dramas; who would believe it in real life

He held his breath

That's right, it is "marrying in"

Is it a lucid dream, or a prank from filming? Could it be time travel? This is just too absurd

It is better to first understand the current condition of one's own body

Once again, a wave of tranquility envelops the surroundings, and the atmosphere begins to take on a somewhat enchanting quality

With elegant brows and refined eyes, possessing a skin as pure as ice and bones as exquisite as jade, embodying the essence of literary grace, one forgets the mundane upon seeing them

He has been uninterested in cultivation since childhood, yet he is obsessed with Confucian scholarship, yearning to become a renowned scholar, to display his talents, assist the sovereign, and govern the country with stability and peace

Red candles, incense burners, and half-rolled bead curtains

Three years have passed, and Zhao Lingfei has returned; the two are married as scheduled

He picked up the jade ruyi and gently lifted the red veil

In his previous life, after being admitted to university, he chose to pursue a major in Ancient Chinese Literature, disregarding his parents' objections. It was only as graduation approached that he realized how challenging it was to find employment in this field; however, he did not regret his decision.

Zhao Rong slightly raised his eyes. He stared at the red veil that separated the two for a while.

A multitude of long-buried memories surged in Zhao Rong's mind

Ah, this is somewhat aligned with my area of expertise, Zhao Rong thought to himself with self-deprecation

... ...

The young lady beside the bed, wearing a red veil, is my bride

What does it matter even if one is the son-in-law of the Duke of Jingnan in the Great Chu Dynasty? Are they not still looked down upon, ridiculed by their peers, with their career prospects severed, and their ambitions of achieving success reduced to mere illusions

Finally, it is the innermost deep red wedding bed in the room

The two jade hands clenched even tighter

Wasn't I staying up late to write my graduation thesis before going to bed? How did I wake up in this place?

At last, the bride in the wedding dress could no longer contain herself and broke the silence first. Her jade-like lips parted lightly, and her voice was ethereal and cold, as if it had been shaped by a thousand years of frost and snow, yet it carried a hint of tremor.

He took a deep breath and turned to look at the bronze mirror

He stared blankly at the young face in the bronze mirror, as if these memories were his own personal experiences

His mother had a very good relationship with Zhao Lingfei's mother. After the latter's departure, she took on the role of half a mother to Zhao Lingfei, caring for her as she grew up

Three years ago, after the passing of his mother, Zhao Rong entered the Imperial Academy, wearing mourning clothes to study; Zhao Lingfei, dressed in plain white, went to a place called Ziqi Pavilion to cultivate, and it is vaguely heard that she later went elsewhere

Is this... ? Is this not the me from high school? Have I become younger?

In an instant

He could not help but glance again at the bride in her wedding dress, sitting upright on the bed

Zhao Rong staggered to his feet and rubbed his face with his hand

The indoor decoration is intricate, illuminated by candlelight, bright and atmospheric, yet dominated by a glaring theme color—red

It is uncertain whether it is due to the long-unheard name being spoken or the bare gaze of the person before me

But this dream is just too real

He shook his head, turned, and moved to the door. Two red lanterns hung under the corridor, and it seemed to be a courtyard surrounding him. The evening breeze was slightly cool, the distant night was as dark as ink, and the intermittent sounds of insects could be heard.

Ding!

Zhao Rong softly recited as if guided by a supernatural force

Why does he dislike her so much

A dream of yellow millet, awakening from a great dream? Is it Zhuang Zhou dreaming of a butterfly or a butterfly dreaming of Zhuang Zhou

In the mirror is a familiar yet unfamiliar youthful face

Zhao Rong looked around and discovered a delicate dressing table near the bed, with the light of the candle reflecting off the brass mirror, just right to shine into his eyes at this angle, slightly dazzling

Zhao Rong held his head in anguish

After the two became engaged at the age of twelve, their relationship gradually deteriorated

I, am I in a dream

Wearing a groom's hat in the shape of a ceremonial cap, with black hair and brown eyes, he has well-defined features, a slender face, and fair skin

He could not understand why his mother, whom he loved dearly, insisted on having him marry into the Zhao family. However, he found it difficult to resist his mother's wishes, so he could only vent his anger and grievances on Zhao Lingfei.

When he arrived at the bedside, he noticed that the woman's jade hands, crossed over her legs, seemed to be tightly gripping something, with several colorful ribbons peeking out from between her delicate fingers

Zhao Rong shook his head to dispel these strange thoughts and walked slowly towards the bronze mirror