Chapter 31: Vows

They chose the third Sunday of December, and told the city themselves.

The garden at Cedar Hill was full by noon.

Two hundred chairs stood in rows on the lawn, and half the board of Shen Group sat in them in dark coats, with their arms folded.

Behind the last row stood eleven reporters and a camera on a tripod.

On the far side of the fountain, Auntie from Red Lantern Skewers had set up a grill.

She had brought two hundred skewers and her own apron.

"Who is the old woman with the fire?" a board member whispered.

"That," said the old secretary, with great dignity, "is the guest of honour."

Xiao Chen stood at the end of the aisle in a dark grey suit.

His tie was knotted three times, and the ring glinted on his left hand.

The pink crescent on his neck showed above his collar, and he had not covered it.

He was not nervous. He told himself that twice.

Then music started, a single cello, and Shen Yan came out of the house.

He walked alone.

He had refused his father's arm, and his father had nodded and fallen in two steps behind, with his hands clasped.

Shen Yan wore a plain white jacket cut close to his waist.

His hair was soft and combed, and his dimples were showing, and he looked straight at Xiao Chen the whole way down the grass.

The bond lit up in Xiao Chen's chest.

He felt the joy in it, bright and unembarrassed, and under the joy a pinch of terror, and under that something steady that was only love.

Shen Yan reached him and took his hands.

"Hello, Lawyer Xiao," he whispered.

"Hello."

"You've done the tie three times."

"It's still crooked."

"It's perfect," said Shen Yan, and the first row laughed.

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