Telling the Hou Family – Part 1
Tuesday, continued…
As Hou Yi carefully carried Anna through the front door, she instinctively buried her face in his chest, a feeling of embarrassment washing over her. It was the third time today he had done this—lifting her, carrying her like a bride. It wasn’t that she minded his actions, but the attention it drew from everyone around them made her self-conscious. She whispered loud enough for him to hear, “Yi, this is getting so embarrassing.”
Hou Yi smiled softly, his tone gentle but reassuring. “Sweetheart, you don’t need to be embarrassed.” By the time they reached the entrance to the formal lounge, he had carefully set Anna back on her feet and took her hand in his. His voice was calm, but his words held the weight of what was to come. “Mother, Father, is everyone around?”
Du AnLing and Hou Jang both nodded, but there was a sharpness in Hou Jang’s response. “Hou Yi, you better have a good explanation for this behavior. The family is gathered in the formal lounge, so you better come with us immediately.”
As his parents turned and led the way, Anna turned to Hou Yi, a bit anxious but trying to hide it. “Yi, why do I get the feeling that we are about to be children told off by their elders?”
Hou Yi chuckled softly, though there was a certain seriousness in his eyes. “Because that’s exactly what’s about to happen. My parents, grandparents, and aunt—all of them. They’ll tell us off for what they’ve just witnessed. That includes me carrying you over the threshold and us getting married without them being present.”
With that, he guided Anna through the door that his parents had just entered.
Inside, the atmosphere was tense. The family, all gathered in the formal lounge, waited with mixed expressions. Hou Yi’s father, Hou Jang, immediately addressed them as soon as the door closed. “Hou Yi, shut the door. You better give us all an explanation for your behavior that we just witnessed and explain who this woman is. We thought you were marrying Yang Lin today and have been waiting to welcome her into the family.”
Hou Yi didn’t hesitate. He walked to the couch and gently helped Anna sit down before sitting next to her. He took her hand in his, lifting it briefly to his lips, planting a quick kiss before placing it back in his lap, holding onto it for comfort.
His family was silent, but there was an unspoken tension that lingered in the air. Hou Jang’s voice broke the stillness. “Well, Hou Yi, we’re waiting. You better explain yourself.”
Anna, a little nervous but trying to stay calm, started to stroke Hou Yi’s hand with her thumb, a small gesture of comfort for both of them. Hou Yi glanced around at his family, knowing that this moment would set the tone for everything that would come next. With a deep breath, he began to speak.
“Grandfather, Grandmother, Father, Mother, Aunt,” he began, his voice firm but calm, “There is a simple explanation for what you have seen. I was carrying my bride over the threshold of the family home.”
Before he could elaborate further, the room erupted with five different voices, each asking the same questions, though in varying tones of shock, joy, and confusion.
“Bride? When did you get married? Why were we not there?”
The questions came fast and furious, but Hou Yi remained composed, allowing a few moments for the news to settle in. He then continued, his gaze steady as he spoke. “Grandfather, Father, you demanded that I present my bride to you by tonight. You said that if I didn’t, you were willing to hand over Hou Enterprises to the Lu Family.”
He paused, allowing the gravity of his words to sink in. Then, he continued. “The other side of the agreement was that if I complied, I would guarantee all of you an ongoing income from the company for life. But neither of you would be involved in the company for the rest of your life unless I asked you to. Yang Lin was never a real marriage prospect. She had agreed that if I hadn’t found the woman I loved to marry by today, she would marry me to protect the company.”
There was a brief moment of silence, the weight of his words hanging in the air. Then Hou Yi looked at Anna, his voice softening. “I met Anna six months ago. In that time, I spent countless hours talking to her. When we met, she was in a relationship. But I knew I wanted to marry her. A few days ago, she made the decision to end that relationship, and due to what happened today with her former partner, we seized the opportunity to marry.”
He continued, his words firm. “As for no one from the family being here, Anna’s family could not travel from Australia. We decided to keep it simple and have the issuing of the marriage certificate filmed, and then send everyone a copy. It was the best we could do under the circumstances.”
The room fell into a stunned silence as his family processed the revelation. After a few moments, Hou Jang exchanged looks with the others. It seemed they had decided on who would take the lead in questioning them further.
With a nod from the others, it was clear Hou Jang had been selected as the spokesperson for the family. His voice came next, sharp and demanding, though with a hint of curiosity. “Hou Yi, Anna… you both better be ready to answer everything.”
