Jiang Luo was led by Huo Zongzhuo, hand in hand, from the first floor, going table by table to offer toasts.
At some point, both of them had a simple band on their ring fingers. Raising the hands with the rings, they approached each table. Everyone at the round tables stood up, offering congratulations and clinking glasses with Jiang Luo and Huo Zongzhuo.
Wang Chuang, Zheng Bin, and You Junyu took it upon themselves to drink the first round of wine at each table on behalf of Jiang Luo and Huo Zongzhuo.
“Come on, drink with us!” they insisted.
“I’ll drink! I’ll drink! I don’t have a wedding night tonight, so I’ll take it!”
The scene—so extraordinary and surprising—was unlike anything anywhere in the country.
Looking at the main table in the courtyard, the couple speaking with the elderly lady—who were they?
Someone quickly recognized them: it was Zhao Bu from Haicheng.
Zhao Bu? Here?
“Don’t you know?” someone explained. “Zhao Guangyuan is President Jiang’s father.”
Ah?!
So it really was a wedding? Both sets of parents were present!
And Zhao Guangyuan and his wife were chatting happily with Mrs. Wu, all smiles.
With both families aware and supportive, the wedding was being held openly and formally. What reason could anyone have to criticize them for being in a same-sex relationship? Just wait for the toasts.
Zhao Shuo and Huang Bingbing appeared beside Jiang Luo and Huo Zongzhuo during the toasts.
Zhao Shuo took on the wine first, introducing himself: “I’m Jiang Luo’s eldest brother.”
“Oh! So this is the elder brother-in-law!” someone joked from the table. “Come on, elder brother-in-law, I toast you.”
Jiang Luo was pleasantly surprised, while Huang Bingbing smiled gently at him.
From the first floor to the sixth, nearly 150 tables in total, Jiang Luo and Huo Zongzhuo went from table to table offering toasts…
Some guests downstairs took the opportunity to toast at the main table as well. Zhao Guangyuan raised his glass: “Congratulations, Mr. Zhao.” He smiled, clinking glasses and exchanging pleasantries.
More guests came, and Su Lan stood to help with the toasts…
The whole building was alive with noise, especially at the tables of the young elites Jiang Luo knew. The atmosphere was ecstatic.
Led by Qiu Xin, a group gathered, clapping and shouting, “Kiss him! Kiss him!” Some waved their hands, egging on the spectacle even more.
Jiang Luo alone couldn’t compete with this group; his eardrums nearly burst. Finally, Huo Zongzhuo put an arm around him, quieting the crowd, then leaned in to kiss him on the cheek.
“Wǒcǎo—!!!”
The crowd went wild, the rooftop seemed ready to lift off.
Wang Chuang, Zheng Bin, and You Junyu, packed together like a bunch of startled mice, saw Huo Zongzhuo kiss Jiang Luo and simultaneously widened their eyes and shouted—“Cao! Cao! Cao!!!”
Jiang Luo smiled, keeping his gaze lowered, blushing—an exceedingly rare sight.
Huo Zongzhuo smiled as well, holding Jiang Luo close, leaning in to whisper in his ear.
“Wǒcǎo—!!!”
The younger crowd roared again.
“Enough, enough,” Jiang Luo said, taking the lead. “Next table, next table.”
Privately, some still whispered: “It’s a same-sex relationship, sure, but couldn’t they have kept it lower-key? Isn’t this too public?”
But regardless of others’ opinions, in the late autumn of 1996, 24-year-old Jiang Luo and 35-year-old Huo Zongzhuo held a magnificent wedding, announcing to everyone, to the world, that they were married.
When Zhao Mingshi arrived on the first floor, he saw the hall packed with guests and wine, Zhao Guangyuan and Su Lan happily socializing and drinking, and upstairs on the fourth floor, Zhao Shuo and Huang Bingbing joining Jiang Luo with a large group, offering toasts and drinking joyfully.
Zhao Mingshi felt absurd and incredulous. Jiang Luo could live so well, even under these circumstances?!
The lively scene and the banquet before him seemed like a massive bug in the world, leaving Zhao Mingshi at a loss. He felt like a clown, like a little mouse, peeking at someone else’s happiness.
And that someone was Jiang Luo.
No.
Why was it like this?
Why!?
In his heart, a black hole had opened; empty, bewildered, and lost, he turned and left.
He finally realized: Jiang Luo was truly living an exceptionally good life—wealthy, with friends, a career, a lover, and parents and family who loved him unconditionally.
This grand, full-house wedding banquet was just a small part of his happy life.
Zhao Mingshi left, lonely, escaping so that his eyes and heart wouldn’t be pierced by someone else’s happiness.
The wooden, carved glass windows were adorned with large red “Double Happiness” characters. On the half-moon table by the window, a vase of fresh flowers sat atop plates of red dates, peanuts, longan, and lotus seeds. The room was newly decorated; nearly everything was red, including the bedding.
Two pairs of matching red slippers lay neatly by the bedside. On the deep red bed, Jiang Luo and Huo Zongzhuo, freshly bathed, wore red pajamas and cuddled at the headboard.
They had both drunk heavily that night; it was late, and they had washed up, but neither went to sleep immediately. They held each other, savoring the moment—tonight was their wedding, a night too special and meaningful.
Jiang Luo smiled in reflection.
Huo Zongzhuo opened his eyes, seeing Jiang Luo smiling beside him, and kissed his forehead.
Jiang Luo, still closing his eyes, shifted his legs slightly, a dreamy smile on his flushed face. “How did you think of using a birthday banquet as an excuse to host a wedding?”
Not a question, but praise for Huo Zongzhuo.
Huo Zongzhuo curved his lips. “I already said, I want to marry you.”
Jiang Luo laughed again, resting his head on Huo Zongzhuo’s shoulder.
Overjoyed, he began to hum softly:
“I love you
Cannot help loving you, Baby
Say you love me too
I love you
Never want to, Baby
Lose you…”
Huo Zongzhuo matched the tune, gently patting Jiang Luo’s arm while holding him close.
“You know,” Jiang Luo suddenly said, “this person, Xue Zhizhong, means something a little different to me, which is why I’ve relied on him these past two years.”
“Mm,” Huo Zongzhuo responded, listening.
“He was the only one who knew about our relationship early on. He didn’t care whether we were gay or not, nor would he look down on it. He even went out of his way to please both of us, bringing us things we liked to exchange.”
Huo Zongzhuo remained silent.
Two years ago, an incident revealed to Jiang Luo exactly what had happened that night with Huo Zongzhuo—and the role Xue Zhizhong played. Back then, his company, Dongfang No.1, had vanished for some reason. His business struggled; his wife divorced him. Jiang Luo gave him a chance to rise again. Since then, Xue Zhizhong had been loyal, dependable, almost to the point of devotion.
Huo Zongzhuo did not particularly like Xue Zhizhong, but Jiang Luo wanted him, so he said nothing. That night, Huo Zongzhuo finally understood why Jiang Luo had reached out to Xue Zhizhong back then.
Huo Zongzhuo said, “After tonight, he won’t be anything special.”
They had held their wedding, publicly announcing their relationship, even wearing rings. From now on, the world would know Jiang Luo and Huo Zongzhuo were lovers, partners.
Huo Zongzhuo kissed Jiang Luo. “I should have arranged this sooner. Before, I thought society wouldn’t accept it, and our relationship shouldn’t be public. I feared bad consequences. Too many concerns just made it worse.”
Jiang Luo kissed Huo Zongzhuo in return. “It’s not your fault. Your caution was right. No one could have revealed it so easily.” He kissed Huo Zongzhuo’s cheek tenderly. “Thank you—for giving me the most unforgettable wedding.”
“I love you, Huo Zongzhuo,” he said.
Huo Zongzhuo looked deeply into his eyes. “I should thank you. You came to me and gave me the best lover, the most beautiful love.”
Foreheads pressed together: “I love you too.”
They shared a long, lingering kiss.
Afterward, Huo Zongzhuo whispered, “Can we… still go on?”
Jiang Luo smiled. “Do you want another unforgettable wedding night?”
He began unbuttoning Huo Zongzhuo’s pajamas, starting from the top, one by one, then kissed down from the chin, neck, Adam’s apple, shoulders, chest.
Huo Zongzhuo looked down, seeing Jiang Luo’s rosy lips press gently, slowly advancing, eyes glimmering, face melting like honey.