GL My Goddess Best Friend’s Seduction (H) - Chapter 61

Neither Si Jingnian nor I felt the need to rush into marriage. We were both very content with our current lives. We had already confirmed the place we each held in the other’s heart, so getting a marriage certificate or holding a wedding didn’t feel like a priority.

However, just because we weren’t in a hurry didn’t mean everyone else felt the same. Strangely enough, the person who seemed most eager was my mom. Ever since she accepted our relationship and heard about the generous betrothal gift from Si Jingnian’s family, her attitude completely changed. Fueled by a mix of pride and competitive spirit, she threw herself into preparing my dowry with great enthusiasm.

She started calling frequently, often reminding me and urging us to get our marriage certificate and plan the wedding. Every time we spoke, she would say things like, “I checked online. There are several countries that legally recognize same-s*x marriages. Which one do you two prefer?”

Before I even had the chance to say that work was too busy and we could discuss it later, she would already be on a roll, speaking without pause. “I need to ask your aunt to get Jingnian’s birth date and time. We need to consult a fortune-teller and find a lucky date for the wedding. Your aunt knows a well-known Taoist priest who is said to be very accurate. None of the couples he picked dates for have divorced. They all have strong, loving marriages.”

I asked her, “Mom, how can you still believe in this kind of thing?”

She immediately scolded me. According to her, I had no reverence for the divine, showed no respect for socialist core values, and lacked basic trust in the results others had gained through lived experience. She even questioned how someone with my way of thinking could be a college graduate.

I was completely baffled by her reaction and just replied, “Whatever makes you happy, Mom.” But she clearly didn’t appreciate my indifferent attitude. She took both my and Si Jingnian’s birth details and went to the local Taoist temple in Liushi to draw lots, interpret characters, and pick an auspicious wedding date.

I didn’t think much of it and didn’t even mention it to Si Jingnian.

Only two days later, on a Sunday evening after work, I came home and found my mom and Aunt Luo Lan in the living room. Si Jingnian was in the kitchen, cooking.

The unexpected sight startled me. My mom wasted no time in explaining their purpose. She said, “This morning, your aunt and I went to pick a date for your wedding. Guess what? Master He said that March second is ideal. The other two dates he suggested were too far away, so we didn’t consider them.”

I cried out, “March second? That’s only half a month away! Isn’t that way too soon?” My shock made my hands clumsy. I tried to hang up my coat, but missed the rack completely, and it fell straight to the floor.

My mom folded her arms and pouted like a child. “I don’t care. I think the timing is perfect.” Aunt Luo Lan looked at me helplessly.

I sighed and tried to reason with my mom. “Dear, beautiful Liming, it’s not that I think the date is bad. It’s just so soon. We need time to book the venue, set up decorations, and send out invitations. There is no way we will be ready by March second.”

I asked, “When are the other two dates?”

Aunt Luo Lan answered for her. “One is on September tenth and the other is on December fifth. December is already winter and might be too cold, so we thought September would be better.”

So it turned out they had already discussed everything and made a decision. They just put on a little act for my benefit. Most likely, they were worried I would choose December or postpone everything to next year.

And just like that, our wedding date was set for September tenth, which also happens to be Teacher’s Day.

Planning the wedding was overwhelming. We chose a small seaside island near City X. It was not far from home and offered some privacy. It fulfilled my dream of a beach wedding and allowed most of our family members to attend.

Thinking back to how I came out to my grandfather and the rest of the family to invite them to the wedding still makes my scalp tingle. I announced everything in our family group chat, saying that we were getting married on September tenth. At first, the replies were full of congratulations. But then came a wave of questions, as if they were conducting a full investigation. What is his name? How tall is he? Where is he from? What does he do? How much does he earn? Is he good to you?

I avoided giving her name but answered all the other questions about Si Jingnian. Everyone said I was very lucky. Then I revealed the big news. My fiancée was Si Jingnian.

The cousins who knew me well figured it out immediately.

The chat group exploded. Disbelief, judgment, and sneering comments came flooding in like a tidal wave. I posted one final message.

“I would be happy if everyone could attend the wedding.”

Then I left the group and turned off all message notifications. The world went quiet. I nestled into Si Jingnian’s embrace, closed my eyes, and took a deep breath. I wanted to escape from everything on my phone. I couldn’t even imagine the expressions on their faces when they saw my message.

Si Jingnian kissed the top of my head and forehead. Her quiet comfort was unmistakable.

Later, when I turned on my phone again, I saw private messages from my grandfather, my uncle, my aunt, and my younger cousins.

Grandpa sent three voice messages, each about seven or eight seconds long. The first had no sound at all, probably because he didn’t know how to use WeChat. The second was just a sigh, and that sound alone made my heart ache. The third message simply said that I should think things through carefully.

I replied, “Grandpa, I have thought it through. I hope you can understand.”

He sent back a message that said “Okay,” accompanied by a deep sigh.

My uncle sent a long block of text that seemed copied from a search engine. It claimed that same-s*x love was immoral, unhealthy, harmful to national stability, and went against the values of the Party.

I replied, “I’m already a failure. There is no royal inheritance waiting for me. I doubt my life decisions will impact the entire nation.”

He immediately sent back a voice message. His tone was full of contempt. “Xiaoyu, you are a pervert. In some Arab countries, people like you would be sentenced to death.”

I replied, “But I don’t live in Arabia.”

He wrote back again. “I just can’t accept people like you. You disgust me.”

Even though I tried to stay calm, my heart clenched tightly.

I wrote, “Then I won’t bother you anymore. I will stay far away. You don’t have to come to the wedding.”

Trying to steady my emotions, I opened the message from my aunt. She just said, “Keep going.”

That simple, supportive message eased a lot of the tension in my heart.

My younger cousins also sent their blessings. One of them even sent a screenshot from the group chat after I left. Apparently, my mom had boldly declared, “Anyone who can’t accept this doesn’t need to have any contact with our family. You are not welcome.”

My mom is amazing! I burst into tears.

I called her right away and shouted, “I love you!”

She actually got a bit shy and ended the call with a flustered little hum.

On Si Jingnian’s side, things were much simpler. Her family had long known she liked girls.

I couldn’t help but laugh at myself. I was practically feeding myself emotional dog food.

On September 10th, at exactly 6:18 PM, our wedding was officially held on XX Island.

Time had already been flying, but with both work and wedding preparations, it felt like it passed in a single blink.

On September 9th, everyone in my family came except my uncle and second uncle. Si Jingnian’s whole family was there. My bridesmaids were Jiang Yiyi, Cao Youyou, and Si Xiaochun, who is Si Jingnian’s cousin. The groomsmen were two of her close friends and one of my cousins.

My mom grumbled a bit, saying that Jiang Yiyi and Cao Youyou were already married and traditionally shouldn’t serve as bridesmaids. I was wearing my wedding dress at the time and laughed. I teased her, “Mom, do you think my marriage to Si Jingnian is traditional?”

She was momentarily speechless, then scowled and reached out to pinch my arm. Because of the dress, I couldn’t dodge quickly enough and let out a yelp of pain.

With tears in my eyes, I looked to Si Jingnian for comfort. But the moment I saw her in her white gown, I froze. She was stunning beyond words. Even my mom was mesmerized. She took a deep breath, trying to steady herself from the shock.

We stood side by side in front of the mirror. I forgot everything I had said earlier. Looking at her, I thought, “My daughter really is beautiful. She looks like a fairy.” Compared to her, I was just passably pretty. She was radiant, like the stars and moon, dazzling and unforgettable.

In that instant, I felt a pang of insecurity. The pride in my posture faded. I lowered my head.

Si Jingnian must have sensed my change. She held my face in both hands, her eyes shimmering with wonder. She took a deep breath and said, “Xiaoyu, you are truly beautiful.”

Her words lifted my spirits, though only slightly. I replied, “I am just pretty. You are the one who is truly beautiful.”

I brushed away her hands and stared at her face. Suddenly, the thought struck me with quiet awe. I realized that such a beautiful woman now shared her life with me. I couldn’t help but break into a silly smile.

I stood on tiptoe and kissed her cheek loudly. She was momentarily surprised, then laughed and patted the top of my head.

My mom turned away with a look of embarrassment. The two shop assistants exchanged awkward glances. “Why are you smiling like some kind of lunatic?” one of them asked.

At exactly 6:18 on the evening of September tenth, our wedding began.

The ceremony was simple. I had always disliked overly sentimental speeches and awkward banter with the host, so we decided on a Western-style chapel wedding.

Outside the stained-glass windows of the chapel, the golden light of the setting sun spilled across the sea like melted amber. The sun sank slowly into the orange waves.

The scene was breathtaking, but I had no time to admire it. I was too nervous to notice anything else. Even though it was just our closest family and friends, my heart was pounding wildly.

My dad walked me down the aisle. My face was flushed with nerves, and I nearly tripped on my dress. Fortunately, Dad held me steady and saved me from falling.

Trying to recover from the embarrassment, I looked toward the altar. There, between the groomsmen, stood Si Jingnian. Her face bloomed like a peach blossom. She smiled joyfully, but her eyes held a hint of concern. She must have seen my misstep.

I steadied myself and walked toward her. It might sound cheesy, but I truly felt as if I were walking into a future filled with happiness.

When it came time to exchange vows, my voice caught.

“I feel incredibly lucky to be in love with my best friend. I never used to believe in marriage. I thought it was just two people teaming up to manage life. But being with you has made me look forward to marriage every single day.”

Si Jingnian also choked up. “I am not good at expressing my emotions, but I am so grateful that you saw my heart and responded to it. I have waited a long time for this day. I am truly happy. It only took me thirteen years.”

When we kissed, we both tasted each other’s tears.

They were sweet.