The moment these words were spoken, the already lively courtyard house erupted in excitement.
The aunties who had come to help couldn't stop grinning.
"The groom is in such a hurry! Wasn’t he supposed to arrive at nine? It’s not even eight yet."
"You got here late, so you don’t know," another auntie chimed in, her hands never pausing as she chopped meat by hand.
"The bride is so beautiful—who wouldn’t be in a hurry?"
"That’s true."
The rest of them chuckled as they kneaded dough, washed vegetables, or busied themselves with other tasks.
While the atmosphere outside was relaxed, the mood inside the side room where a few men were changing couldn’t have been more different. They looked visibly awkward.
As they put it, they were used to being rough around the edges—this was the first time they’d ever worn such formal, impressive attire.
Just as they were fidgeting, unsure what to do with their hands, news arrived that the groom had arrived early.
They exchanged glances, then immediately stood up in unison.
"Straighten up, boys! The moment that door opens, no small talk—first, we make the groom and his crew do a hundred push-ups and two hundred squats!"
"Exactly! Even the Tang Monk had to endure eighty-one trials to fetch the scriptures!"
"We can’t let the groom take Sisi away so easily. I’ve got pen and paper ready—we’ll make him write a pledge on the spot!"
"That’s a great idea!"
A bespectacled young man grinned as he pulled a notebook from his pocket.
"Don’t rush to open the door yet. I’ve prepared a bunch of questions—he’s not getting in until he answers every single one correctly."
The others didn’t say anything, but their clenched fists—each the size of a sandbag—and their expressions made it clear they were ready to give the groom a hard time.
Soon, the door swung open.
Seeing them march toward the main gate with such bravado, Ninth Master nearly spat out his tea in alarm.
"What are you all doing? Get back here! All of you—back!"
Third Elder also set down his teacup and stepped forward, narrowing his eyes at the group. "What’s with those expressions? Planning to eat someone alive?"
At his words, their faces froze.
Finally, one bold young man stepped forward, his neck stiff with defiance.
"Elder, my mother always says—the easier something is to get, the less it’s valued!"
"We can’t let the groom off easy, and we definitely can’t let him take Sisi without a fight—"
Before he could finish, Third Elder cut him off with a glare. "What nonsense! They’re a proper couple. The moment that door opens, I want every single one of you smiling!"
"Smiling?" They were dumbfounded.
"Yes! Be festive! Be welcoming! Make them feel at home! Smile so wide you outshine the stone lions on the city gate—got it?"
When the Huo Family came to propose, Third Elder had already made it clear—he wouldn’t make things difficult for them.
A little waiting was fine, but outright obstruction was unnecessary.
Seeing their forced, miserable smiles, Third Elder winced.
Waving a hand, he turned to Ninth Master. "Old Ninth, teach them the rules. That door doesn’t open until they’ve learned."
Outside the courtyard house, the group waited patiently, unfazed by the lack of response.
They remained cheerful, still grinning.
Accompanying Huo Tingzhou were Huo's fourth uncle and eight groomsmen, each with distinct personalities.
During a family gathering two days prior, Third Elder had mentioned needing eight escorts for the bride’s procession.
Mother Huo, after some thought, decided to match the number with eight groomsmen.
First, it showed respect.
Second, Huo Tingzhou’s performance during the proposal had been… underwhelming.
Without a few eloquent, capable men by his side, Mother Huo wasn’t taking any chances.
The problem was, Huo Tingzhou was marrying late. His cousins and younger siblings were already married, some with kids old enough to run errands.
Finding ten suitable groomsmen on short notice wasn’t easy.
In the end, Second Brother Huo came up with a solution.
His department handled procurement—plenty of sharp, unmarried young men there.
He could easily provide two.
With Second Brother Huo stepping up, the fourth uncle and his wife couldn’t sit idle either.
After some discussion, they recruited two top graduates from Tsinghua University at the Academy of Sciences.
Then Father Huo contributed two strapping young men from the military headquarters.
Inspired, Mother Huo followed suit, bringing in two opera performers from her cultural troupe.
There were advantages to having a large group.
After knocking twice with no response, the two groomsmen Second Brother Huo had provided sprang into action.
"Comrades, good things take time, and good doors don’t open easily!"
"As the saying goes—persistence wears down resistance, and sincerity opens doors!"
"We’re not just knocking on wood—we’re knocking with heart and determination!"
Before the words even settled, the other groomsman seamlessly picked up.
"Exactly! Even Liu Bei braved wind and snow, visiting Zhuge Liang three times to secure his counsel!"
"What’s a few extra knocks for our groom to win his bride?"
The crowd erupted in cheers, each shout louder than the last.
The commotion drew curious glances from neighbors, and soon, the courtyard gate was packed with onlookers—adults and children alike.
The two groomsmen in charge of treats immediately handed out peanuts, sunflower seeds, and orange candies.
They even gave cigarettes to the men in the crowd.
"This is too much—congratulations!"
The crowd, initially just there for the spectacle, was delighted by the unexpected treats.
They showered the group with blessings, their voices overlapping in a chorus of goodwill.
Then, with a creak, the courtyard gate swung open.
Everyone braced for challenges—only to be met with faces grinning wider than sunflowers.
Before anyone could react, the men inside bellowed in unison, "Welcome, groom!"
Then they practically dragged the group inside.
It was less of a welcome and more of a yank.
The sudden shift left everyone bewildered, standing in the courtyard in awkward silence.
Uncle Zhong quickly ushered them toward the main hall with a smile.
"Come, come! You’ve all had a long journey. Rest inside, have some tea to warm up."
As he spoke, he handed each member of the groom’s party a red envelope.
Likewise, Huo's fourth uncle distributed red envelopes to the bride’s helpers and the eight escorts.
Huo Tingzhou stood at the center of the courtyard.
Dressed in a crisp air force uniform, his broad shoulders and narrow waist looked even more striking.
His gaze never wavered from the eastern wing.
Not even the jubilant chaos around him could distract him.
Then—the door opened.
"Third Elder." Startled, Huo Tingzhou immediately snapped into a sharp military salute.
Third Uncle patted his shoulder. "Sisi has already changed her clothes. You can go in now."
Huo Tingzhou pressed his lips together and remained standing.
He remembered his wife mentioning that there might be a symbolic tradition of blocking the door—just a lighthearted gesture.
He had even prepared red envelopes for the occasion.
But Third Uncle simply shook his head with a smile. Everything that needed to be said had already been spoken that day, and the young man had made his promises.
Besides, this was the door to happiness for the newlyweds. Why would he stand in their way on such a joyous occasion?
"With so many guests today, I won’t keep you. Go on inside—don’t let Sisi wait too long."
"Go ahead. Don’t keep Sisi waiting."
With that, Huo Tingzhou could hardly refuse. "Thank you, Third Uncle."
After saluting once more—a soldier’s gesture—he took a deep breath and pushed open the door.
