The 3 B's- Beauty, Brains and Bravery - Chapter 531

Castle Tryst, 05:20;

“Sister-in-law, we’re done with the performances.”, Xi Wei made his way to the couple meters from him, “It’s just going to be dancing and drinking for the remaining event. So if you wish to get changed into something more comfortable, you can take a break. You too, brother.”, he said, smiling at Xi Yuan then. It’d been hours since the two had been stuck into their wedding clothes now. And even though they’d gotten rid of the Military Sash and Bridal cape, it still was tiresome for them. Specifically, Rong Xinghe, with her long white gown.

“Thank you so much!”, the woman stood up, hugging her now Brother-in-law, relieved, “I’ll bake you some pancake for this one. I promise.” Xi Yuan got up as well, buttoning his suit up. Shortly after, as the Bride and Groom walked away from everyone’s line of sights, into their own private suites, William Young climbed up on the stage, taking over from Xi Wei now. Officially.

“Oh, right!”, Li Jungah turned to her husband, “I need to have a word with Xinghe. Alone.”

“Why?”, Xi Chongkun raised his brows, a reserved yet satisfied smile across his mouth.

“Xi family’s heirlooms. I need to pass on the box to her.”, the woman replied ebulliently, “Now that she’s the First Daughter-in-law to the family, she gets to have everything that my Mother-in-law once passed onto me, and hers, to her.”

“Ah… the box I never got to see.”, the old man laughed out, mocking his wife with an intention to annoy her.

“Well, it’s for the ladies to inherit.”, Li Jungah scoffed, shrugging her shoulders haughtily, “Now, hush you. I need to speak to my daughter, Xiao Xinghe.”

“Alright. I love you.”, Xi Chongkun smirked, waiting for the woman to respond to his statement. Instead, she just glared at him with the ‘Kids are here!’ look. Letting out a peal of helpless laughter involuntarily, the man then turned around, joining Lu Wei and Zhi Xi’s parents behind him next.

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05:30;

Rong Xinghe walked out of the changing room, clothed in an ethnic yet ravishing Royal Blue full-sleeved gown, her hair now parted from the left, still undone. She was about to pick up the foundation brush for herself from the dressing table when Li Jungah stepped in into the suite, holding onto a fairly old but exquisitely vintage wooden trunk.

“Oh, my…”, the girl turned around, rushing towards the woman in a hurry, “Let me help you with it.”, she insisted, taking the heavy thing from her, and carefully placing it upon her bed. “Such a sweet child.”, Li Jungah smiled, looking at the girl with contentment before focusing back on the crest she’d brought along, “And this is for you, dear.”

“Huh?”, Rong Xinghe blinked at the box, and then at her Mother-in-law, perplexed.

“It’s a tradition in the Xi family, you know.”, Li Jungah sat down upon the bed, patting the space next to her, as she moved slightly to open the Rosewood trunk. And as the girl sat down next to her, Li Jungah pulled out a piece of jewelry article. A necklace, its dazzling diamonds shaped into dewdrops and squares, held tightly by what seemed like thin Gold chains. Rong Xinghe had never been an admirer of jewels, but even she had to admit, she’d never seen something as magnificent as this.

“This was Xi Yuan’s Third Great Grandmother’s. She created this custom, where every Mother-in-law is to pass down a piece of her jewelry to the eldest Daughter-in-law in the family, along with a letter, advising and blessing the younger woman for her future.”, Li Jungah explained, “She gave this to her first Daughter-in-law, and so… this crest became an heirloom, containing not just materialistic belongings, but wisdom and love too.”

“But why the First Daughters-in-law only?”, the girl questioned.

“Because… you will always be responsible for peace in your family, Xiao Xinghe.”, the woman answered, “As a first, you’ll be expected to lead and help the younger ones grow. Fang’s and Wei’s wives would look up to you, hoping to find an elder sister. And when that time comes, you shall provide them with one.

“Sadly, I failed miserably at it. With Luo Youyou. Despite my efforts, I failed in teaching her the importance of family and relations. I failed to keep the Xis together, in our time. And as a result of it, the kids suffered. Yuan did, more than anyone else. Fang, Ying, and Wei were too little to understand, back then. But my Yuan… that boy had to witness it all by himself. The fights, and arguments. He didn’t deserve it.

“He is too kind to have forgiven us, you know? And it’s all thanks to you. But Honey, I would never want that to happen to the generations to come. Yuan’s years of silence, his indifference to us, and the way he fought all his battles alone; was the darkest period this family has ever seen. That’s not something we can afford again.

“The crown on your head will always be heavy, Sweetheart. Not everyone will be able to see it, but you’ll always have to carry it. As heads of the Xi family, you and Yuan will have to stand together, like an umbrella, shielding your home, together. And I believe you’ll be better at it than any of the ladies in the Xi family have ever been.”

Taken aback by the woman’s words, Rong Xinghe couldn’t help but feel a tad overwhelmed. She’d never looked at her position in the family in such a manner before. It was overbearing, really. The responsibilities she’d been given.

But the Xis had never been just businessmen. It’d always been a household of honor and wealth, for centuries now. From aristocrats to politicians, to frontline military soldiers, and now to business; this family had always been something of an ideal itself. Something the entire nation had, at one point, put on a pedestal. Of course, the elders would want to preserve this legacy and that respect of theirs.

“I will try to do my best.”, Rong Xinghe promised, brushing her hands against the delicate woodwork, “So… did you write a letter for me too?”, she asked, letting out a shaky laugh, “And what jewelry did you pick for me?”

Li Jungah laughed out lightly too, as both the women stood up, facing each other. “Actually, I did. Mine is the Olive Green envelope…”, the older lady remarked as Rong Xinghe leaned over the box once more, her gaze browsing for the letter, “As for what ornament I put in–”

Just as the woman was speaking, Rong Xinghe felt a deep sense of unease rush through her heart, as an eerie silence spread throughout the room. The girl, have had listened to the very familiar sound of a gunshot just now, turned to check on her Mother-in-law, only to find her lying on the floor in pain, blood oozing down from below her left shoulder.

And in that bone-chilling moment, out of shock, a scream escaped her mouth, resounding through not only the reception hall below, but over to the Groom’s suite as well.