Fang Anning, being Zhou Zhaoguo's daughter, naturally married out of the Zhou family.
This wasn't the first time the He family had welcomed a bride, so there was no grand procession.
A black Lincoln took Fang Anning away from the Zhou family.
"Another pitiful woman."
Knowing Fang Anning was to marry He Tingchen, the onlookers all showed a look of pity.
"Madam, please get out of the car."
The car soon arrived at the old He residence, where a middle-aged woman dressed in a beige Chinese-style mandarin jacket helped her open the door.
Fang Anning got out of the car, the cinched-waist design of her wedding dress making her waist appear even more slender. The white veil on her head concealed most of her face, revealing only the delicate lower half.
Mrs. Chen looked at her frail appearance and couldn't help but worry secretly. She was too weak; she might not even make it through the night.
"Madam, I am Mrs. Chen. From now on, if you need anything, you can come to me," Mrs. Chen said slowly.
"Okay, Mrs. Chen, I'll remember that," Fang Anning replied with a slight smile.
Her voice was very pleasant, crisp and clean.
Unlike the previous brides, she seemed fearless. At least, not like the previous brides who would start crying as soon as they got off the car; one even cried until her makeup was smeared.
Mrs. Chen was satisfied and led her upstairs.
"Madam, this is your bridal chamber, please enter."
Mrs. Chen led her to a room at the far right end of the corridor, opened the door, and let her in.
However, the room was very dark, and looking inside from the doorway was like staring into a black hole. Once you walked in, it felt like the darkness would swallow you whole.
Fang Anning hesitated for a moment, but still entered.
As soon as she went in, Mrs. Chen closed the door.
The little light from the doorway was also cut off, and the whole room was pitch-black.
"Is anyone there?" Fang Anning called out loudly.
At that moment, the light suddenly turned on.
Fang Anning quickly raised her hand to shield her eyes from the glaring light.
When she removed her hand, she saw a man wearing a half-mask, sitting in a wheelchair, in front of her.
"When did you appear?" Fang Anning asked in surprise.
Just now, she hadn't heard any sound.
Could it be that this man had been there from the beginning?
"Aren't you Zhou Muyan?" the man asked in a deep voice.
His voice was pleasant to the ears, deep and magnetic. However, paired with the golden half-mask on his face, it gave off an inexplicably eerie feeling.
"My name is Fang Anning," Fang Anning replied.
"Aren't you Zhou Zhaoguo's daughter?" There was a chill in the man's voice.
Fang Anning explained, "I am Zhou Zhaoguo's daughter with his first wife, Fang Yi. I take my mother's surname. You specifically said to marry Zhou Zhaoguo's daughter over, but you never specifically said it had to be Zhou Muyan."
"Heh, so that's how it is," the man chuckled coldly.
"Are you He Tingchen?" Fang Anning asked curiously, looking at him.
This man was wearing a mask that revealed only half of his face.
But from the half that was exposed, one could see that he had smooth facial contours, a straight nose, skin that seemed rarely touched by sunlight, pale with a hint of rosy lips – an indescribably mysterious and handsome combination.
And from beneath the mask, there were sharp black eyes that made it hard to gaze at him for too long.
Looking too long, one would find themselves involuntarily sinking in.
However, sitting in a wheelchair—though he sat up straight—he was still a bit shorter than Fang Anning.
But his natural aura of nobility was not to be underestimated.
Could this be the infamous King of Hell—He Tingchen?
But how come he didn't match what she imagined?
"Is it different from what you expected?" He Tingchen asked.
Fang Anning jumped in fright, panic flashing through her clear eyes.
Could he have the Mind-Reading Technique, knowing even what she was thinking?
"It seems I hit the nail on the head. What did you think He Tingchen would be like?" He Tingchen asked.
Fang Anning pursed her lips, thought for a moment, and said, "With a fierce face and a burly figure. They all say that whoever marries you won't last a month before you torture them to death. There have already been four before me; I am your fifth. And they say that there are betting pools outside, wagering how long I will last."
"You're quite forthright, daring even to say all this. What, are you not afraid I'll devour you?" He Tingchen asked in a low voice.
Fang Anning immediately replied, "I'm not afraid, I knew as soon as I saw you, you're no man-eating demon."
"Oh? What a pity, you are mistaken."
With that, He Tingchen reached out and grabbed Fang Anning, exerting a slight force, causing her to fall seated on his lap.
Before she could react, he lifted her veil.