Many people at the wedding were whispering, especially about the appearance of the bride and groom, judging them. They all thought the bride was exceptionally beautiful and looked stunning. As for the groom, it wasn't that he was ugly, but he was simply too short. The disparity was evident from their external appearances.
"I didn't expect these two to get married. The age gap is quite significant. They say a woman three years older is like holding a gold brick, but that's for those over twenty. These twelve-year-olds are getting married now. I can only think of one phrase to describe the current situation!" someone said with a low laugh.
"What phrase?" a nosy person nearby asked.
"What else could it be but 'a toothpick stirring a big vat,' having the will but not the strength!" the commenter said slyly.
The people around them chuckled knowingly after hearing this discussion, clearly understanding what the phrase meant.
However, not long after, two people in black suits suddenly appeared behind the group that was talking and said a few words: "Come with us. We need your cooperation for an investigation. In any case, you won't be attending this wedding. We don't know whose children you are, daring to talk nonsense now!"
These young people who were commenting were stunned. They hadn't expected that their hushed conversation about the bride and groom would bring disaster upon them. They were all frozen, unsure whether to cooperate with the investigation or to make a scene and attract attention.
Wang Xiran walked over and said, "You'd best leave honestly. That way, you won't implicate your families. You'll be released after a few days of detention with a written self-criticism. But if you dare to cause a scene at this wedding, you'll be in deep trouble!"
These young men recognized Wang Xiran. After hearing his words, they immediately lowered their heads and obediently followed the men in suits out of the banquet hall, no longer daring to speak nonsense. Seeing this, the others around them also stopped talking. In such a joyous occasion, whoever dared to say anything negative would face dire consequences.
Shen Feng watched from the stage, seeing everything clearly. He then said, "It seems many people have opinions about the wedding being held today, otherwise, why would it be like this?"
"As long as today's wedding proceeds smoothly, this matter will be concluded. I've been exhausted these past few days, having to go to many large greenhouses in the south to produce food temporarily to meet the other party's demands. I won't do this again!" Chang Jianyi was also very tired, with dark circles under her eyes. However, today was her son's wedding, so she had specifically put on makeup to cover them.
The main reason Chang Jianyi had to go south to find greenhouses for food production was that the food produced at the northern grain production bases was distributed immediately, leaving no surplus. Producing food elsewhere had very strict conditions, especially the need for greenhouse facilities to ensure plants could grow safely, as greenhouses provide suitable temperatures for them.
Yunnan Province, before this, had a vast flower market with various flowers planted, so there were many greenhouses, especially around Kunming.
In the apocalypse, there was no market for flowers. Flowers are consumer goods that only become desirable when people are prosperous. After all, when everyone is starving, who would spend money on a bunch of pretty but useless flowers? Consequently, many greenhouses had been abandoned, and many people had started planting vegetables in them. However, as soon as Chang Jianyi gave the order, people there quickly busied themselves, harvesting other crops from the greenhouses and rapidly planting many grain crops.
Chang Jianyi also used her abilities, managing to gather a large amount of grain in just one day. Besides her, no one else possessed such capability. She was already a seventh-tier ability user, with a vast range of influence.
Meanwhile, in the Wind God Palace, Shen Feng's sister, Shen Yu, served as the officiant. She had emerged from her previous psychological trauma. Although she still looked unhappy, she could at least communicate normally with others and had become much more cheerful.
Chu Chaoyan should have been the officiant, but her daughter was very weak, possibly due to the eruption of the Doba volcano in Southeast Asia. The child was frightened and inhaled a large amount of volcanic ash that had already formed aerogel, leading to her current state. She had been recuperating for some time.
Therefore, the responsibility fell to Shen Yu. She couldn't refuse, as it was her nephew's wedding. She actually wanted to object to the marriage because the child was too young, but her sister-in-law's words were very persuasive: at this time, it might be a missed opportunity if they didn't seize it. They had to find an excellent girl to become their daughter-in-law. The child could live separately after marriage, but the wedding had to be held first.
Shen Yu looked at Shen Xingzhi's unhappy expression and Zhou Yuyao's downcast lips. She couldn't help but shake her head, then walked over to them and whispered, "You two should at least smile. So many people are watching. If you don't look happy now, how will anyone know it's your wedding?"
Her words indeed had an effect. At least for Zhou Yuyao, it prompted a change in her demeanor. She immediately put on a smile, though it looked very forced. Still, she was smiling, and it suited her wedding dress.
However, Shen Xingzhi remained indifferent, his expression unchanged, still looking unhappy.
Shen Yu shook her head and began the subsequent proceedings: "Distinguished guests, hello everyone. Thank you for attending my nephew's wedding today. He is very happy, but finding it difficult to express his emotions, which is why he appears this way. Please don't mind. Next, I will explain the wedding procedures. First is the kowtow to parents. Although the bride's parents are not present, we will send this video later to Jinling, and Miss Zhou's parents will be able to see this. Secondly, the couple will pay respects to heaven and earth, and then toast the guests. However, please forgive us, as the groom is not suitable for drinking at the moment, so he will drink tea instead..."
Everyone was listening attentively to the wedding proceedings. At this point, no one dared to pick up their chopsticks, as it would be disrespectful. Everyone had to wait for the wedding rituals to conclude before they could eat with peace of mind, as they hadn't come solely for the food.
Shen Feng's other disciple, Tu Shuangming, was different. He wasn't involved in the wedding preparations nor did he look happy. Instead, he was frowning at the newlywed couple.
The moment Tu Shuangming saw Zhou Yuyao's face, he felt as if something had struck him. After that first glance, his gaze couldn't be diverted because he saw an extremely beautiful girl appear before him, dressed in a festive wedding gown.
Zhou Yuyao exuded a gentle and captivating aura, clearly indicating she was from a respectable family and possessed an elegant temperament. Such a demeanor could only be cultivated in a pampered environment; girls from ordinary families wouldn't have it. Thus, the moment he saw her, Tu Shuangming felt he was irrecoverably smitten.
"Why, the moment I saw her, she's already getting married? Why couldn't I have had more time?" Tu Shuangming's mind was filled with questions.
Tu Shuangming also understood his current situation. He had never experienced love before because he felt no girl was worthy of him. Therefore, he had always looked down on other girls with disdain. But now, he had finally found a girl he wanted to like, only it was too late.
Tu Xuhuai immediately noticed his son's unusual gaze. Even if he found the bride very beautiful, he shouldn't be staring like that. Moreover, when he saw the bride, his eyeballs almost didn't move; he hadn't blinked. It was obvious what he was thinking.
"Slap!" Tu Xuhuai smacked the back of his son's head and then said, "If you're hungry, hurry up and eat. Don't stare at others. There's a saying, 'See no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil!'"
After receiving the slap, Tu Shuangming snapped back to reality. He then realized he had committed a very impolite act because he had been staring at the bride. If others saw it, they would surely mock him.
"I... I feel very upset right now. You can't feel this way. I can't eat anything!" Tu Shuangming said, lowering his head.
In front of him lay a table laden with abundant food, making one's appetite surge. Especially during the current Great Ice Age, when much of the land was unsuitable for grain cultivation, these delicacies had risen to the level of rare treasures. Ordinary people might not have had the chance to feast their eyes on them for years.
"I know what you're thinking. You probably feel the world is unfair, that you can't get what you want, and can only watch others live happily, even if they look unhappy. But that's how the world is; you have to accept it. Only by accepting your ordinariness can you have the courage to aim higher," Tu Xuhuai said calmly.
Tu Shuangming took a deep breath, realizing his previous thoughts were entirely impractical. These thoughts could only remain in his mind; they couldn't be implemented. He simply didn't have the power to snatch the bride and couldn't do such a thing.
"Understood. From now on, I will only focus on eating and ignore everything else!" Tu Shuangming finally accepted his current status and understood what he should do. Since he couldn't have something, he could only let it go.
Tu Shuangming immediately sat down at his seat, paying no mind to how others were looking at him. As soon as he sat down, he faced the table of food and began to devour the dishes, which drew the attention of other guests. Seeing his appetite, they immediately worried if they would have enough to eat.
"They say you can eat your fill at the children's table, but it seems that's not the case now. Perhaps these children have enormous appetites!" some guests thought to themselves.
Ultimately, Tu Shuangming used eating to calm his mind and understand what he truly needed. He needed the ability to climb higher. Therefore, as long as he became more important in the future, he would surely be valued, and what he desired would eventually fall into his hands.
Chang Jianyi, from her vantage point on the high platform, saw Tu Shuangming's behavior. He was eating his food without regard for others' opinions, which seemed rather crude.
"Ah Feng, look at your disciple. At such an important occasion, he's only thinking about eating. What will he do in the future?" Chang Jianyi said.
Shen Feng replied, "Perhaps he's been hungry lately, so seeing the food, he's started to indulge. In any case, don't worry about him; there's plenty of food!"
Finally, the wedding proceeded in an orderly fashion. Amidst everyone's blessings, the newlyweds were escorted to the bridal chamber.