Chapter 11: Wedding Night

After the ceremony, when the guests broke into scattered groups for the banquet, Ru Yin Yue found herself running into the pastor.

"My child," the elderly man said, placing a wrinkled hand on hers. "If you ever have any problems, please feel free to come to me. The church will always be open to you."

"Problems…?"

The pastor hesitated, and then nodded. "I am not sure why, but I have a feeling that this marriage will not be easy for you."

"You can tell?" Ru Yin Yue was surprised. The pastor chuckled.

"Yes, my child." He sighed. "I've been overseeing marriage vows countless times, for several decades now. I have seen all kinds of marriages and met all sorts of people. Your husband, forgive me, is unusual. He…doesn't seem to like you very much."

That was putting it mildly, Ru Yin Yue thought, but she didn't voice out those thoughts. Instead, she nodded.

"Our relationship…is complicated."

"I'm sure," the pastor said diplomatically. "But if you need any help…if you want a listening ear, the church is more than happy to help you. To offer marital advice or counseling. Our church has held many of these sessions and helped couples overcome many of their differences. I am happy to extend the same offer to you."

"I appreciate it." Ru Yin Yue lowered her head humbly. "I will think about it."

"What are you talking about with my wife, Father?"

For some reason, Si Zha Nan showed up, hovering over them. Ru Yin Yue was surprised. She thought he was at a distant table, discussing something with a business partner who had been invited to this wedding. But he was able to pop up in her conversation with the pastor all of a sudden.

"Don't you think you are being a bit too physically close to my wife?"

"Not at all." The pastor smiled evenly, though he was a little intimidated by Si Zha Nan's aggressive attitude. "I was simply giving your wife marriage advice."

"My wife doesn't need marriage advice from anybody."

"That is not for you to decide. As for you, young man…I hope you remember your marriage vows and uphold them."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Si Zha Nan demanded, but the pastor simply shook his head and placed a hand on his chest.

"I'm sure you already know the answer to that. Well, then…" he turned to leave. "God bless the both of you. I wish you both happiness."

Si Zha Nan wore a cynical smile at that, and his eyes narrowed.

"There will be no happiness for anyone," he whispered.

Ru Yin Yue shuddered at that. She wasn't sure if Si Zha Nan intended for her to hear his statement, but she wasn't surprised.

After the banquet, Ru Yin Yue returned to the Si villa with her parents-in-law.

"What about your son?" Dad Si asked, puzzled. "I know my wife wants to keep the existence of your child a secret, but she should have at least allowed your son to attend your wedding. Also, it's not good to abandon your son…to throw him to some caretaker or your best friend while you live with a man. That's basically child neglect."

"I don't have a son." Ru Yin Yue gave her father-in-law a strange stare. "What are you talking about?"

"Huh? But your mother-in-law said…" Dad Si turned to regard Mom Si, bewildered. She scratched her head sheepishly.

"Well, most female leads in this sort of CEO stories always happen to have a child out of wedlock, only to reveal later that he's the biological son of the CEO…"

"The same stories who have the mothers basically abandon their children for years at end, and then the children show up later and still love their parents anyway even though they hadn't actually spent much time with them? Or where the child doesn't show up for most of the story because it would be inconvenient for the plot for him to do so?" Ru Yin Yue couldn't keep the sarcasm from her voice. "Sorry, mom, but most of these authors who wrote such nonsensical stories clearly have never been parents in real life."

"You've been reading too many trashy CEO stories," Dad Si chided his wife. "Stop wasting your time with such nonsense."

Before her parents-in-law could argue, Ru Yin Yue quickly chimed in. "Speaking of which, is Zha Nan not back yet?"

"He should be," Mom Si replied with a frown. "I know his friends dragged him away to a drinking session, but the butler reported that he came home some time ago. He went straight to his room."

She then placed her hands over Ru Yin Yue's, wearing a tender expression.

"Zha Nan must have drunk a lot today. You know how it is at weddings. He probably feels sick. Please take care of him, Yin Yue."

"Yeah." Ru Yin Yue nodded.

"I know that this is unfair to you, but I hope you can overcome this…I'm sure that, with you sincerity, Zha Nan will fall for you eventually. If you resent me, I understand, but this is for both of your sakes."

Ru Yin Yue hesitated, but shook her head. "No, mom. I don't resent you at all. It was my dream to marry Zha Nan, after all. This is like a dream come through. It's different from what I imagined, but…"

She lowered her head. In truth, though she felt some anger at being manipulated and forced into such a situation, she couldn't bring herself to hate Mom Si or Si Zha Nan.

After the short conversation, Ru Yin Yue went to the room that she now shared with Si Zha Nan.

The room was huge and spacious, but apart from the red bedsheets and covers, there was no sign of any wedding celebration. Mom Si had originally wanted to hang wedding photos of Si Zha Nan and Ru Yin Yue on the wall beside the bed, but her son had vehemently opposed. And thus it remained bare for now.

Si Zha Nan was lying on the bed, sleeping. The reek of alcohol told Ru Yin Yue that he had consumed too much wine and gotten drunk. In fact, he was so intoxicated that he didn't even bother to take off his shoes before dropping onto the mattress. Inwardly, he hated Ru Yin Yue a lot. The wedding he had organized today had been prepared for Zhou Ni Yao, but that other woman had stolen everything from his beloved.

The fury building up inside his heart could no longer be contained.

Even so, Ru Yin Yue was now his wife. She cautiously approached him, reaching out to help. She couldn't bear the sight of Si Zha Nan being hurt like this, but she knew there was nothing she could do. She was probably the last person he wanted to see.

However, she had a duty to him as his wife, and she wanted to make him as comfortable as possible. Despite the ache in her heart, she approached him.

But first, she went to the bathroom to remove her makeup and wash up. She felt exhausted, but she was aware that her duty was far from done. Once she had washed up and changed into something more comfortable, she then prepared a basin of water and a cloth. Then she walked over, placing the basin down and rinsing the cloth. Reaching out to wipe Si Zha Nan's face, she suddenly froze.

Now that she thought about it, she had never actually actively touched Si Zha Nan despite knowing him for so many years. Of course, part of that reason was because she had gone overseas for about six years to study music and cut off all connections with her past. Even so, she had never truly forgotten him.

Seeing him up close, she realized that he hadn't changed from the handsome young man in her memory. His features were perfect as ever, resembling a statue of a Greek god that was sculpted from the finest marble. Not for the first time, she found herself admiring how good looking he was.

Mustering her courage, Ru Yin Yue then moved the damp towel toward his face, getting ready to wipe him. However, before the cloth could reach his features, Si Zha Nan suddenly woke up and seized her wrist.

"Sorry for waking you up," Ru Yin Yue said. "Please relax. I'll wipe your face. It'll make you feel more comfortable after you drank so much earlier."

"You don't need to give excuses. This isn't your first time trying to climb into my bed while I'm asleep." Si Zha Nan's harsh words stabbed into Ru Yin Yue like knives, causing her to flinch. However, she remained resolved, meeting his eyes.

"You are drunk."

"Ru Yin Yue, I don't know how you deceived my parents, but once they find out what a slut you are, they will drive you away on their own accord."

"Zha Nan, I…"

Ru Yin Yue trailed off, and then turned silent. She realized that it was useless for her to say anything. No matter what explanation she offered, Si Zha Nan wouldn't believe her. In his mind, he had already judged that she was guilty, and nothing she say would change that.

However, her silence only served to enrage Si Zha Nan further.

He forcibly pulled Ru Yin Yue into the bed and rolled over to press her down beneath him. She stared up in horror, her dread amplifying when her nose was filled with the stink of alcohol that wafted from his body. She winced and instinctively pushed Si Zha Nan away, but he was too strong.

He glared at her, disgust and hatred filling every inch of his glower. He wanted nothing more than to show his parents what a whore this woman under him was.

"Ru Yin Yue, isn't this what you dreamed of? What's the matter? You don't like it when I'm the one taking the initiative?"

"What are you talking about?!"

"Forcing Ni Yao away and successfully becoming Mrs. Si…you got everything you wanted. But do you know why I agreed to marry you?"

A cold smirk spread across Si Zha Nan's face, one that sent chills running down Ru Yin Yue's spine.

"Because I want you to know…just how terrible it is for you to marry me, Si Zha Nan."

Despite the sting of his words, Ru Yin Yue was used to it. However, she wasn't prepared for what would follow.

Si Zha Nan discarded his jacket and aggressively kissed Ru Yin Yue. However, he used so much strength that it felt more like a bite than a kiss. Pain flooded Ru Yin Yue as she tasted blood. She tried to push him off, but Shi Zha Nan simply crushed her body under his.

Fumbling with his pants, he unbuckled his belt and unzipped. Then he lifted Ru Yin Yue's nightgown and tore off her panties. In a single motion, he thrust into her.

Ru Yin Yue screamed.

For an unknown length of time, Ru Yin Yue felt herself being manhandled by Si Zha Nan over and over again, but she slowly grew numb to it. The pain was replaced by icy detachment, almost as if her body belonged to someone else and she was watching from a distance. That illusion was broken when Si Zha Nan jerked her around, viciously thrusting into her again. She stared at him, glassy-eyed, her mind on the verge of snapping.

Just before she passed out, she heard Si Zha Nan's sneer.

"Don't thank me yet…because this is just the beginning."

Pretty soon, it was all over. Ru Yin Yue didn't know when she lost consciousness, but when she came to, she could hear water running in the adjacent bathroom. Then the door slamming shortly afterward. Without opening her eyes and looking around, she realized that she was the only one left in the massive room.

She still felt numb, her mind still in shock and disbelief. Did…did Si Zha Nan really just rape her?

And when her emotions finally returned to her, they came like a tide. They hit her with the impact of a tsunami.

Tears spilling from her eyes, Ru Yin Yue pulled her knees to her eyes and wept uncontrollably.