Chapter 248: Getting Married (Part 2)
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The incident at the bridgehead did not affect the wedding procession. The bridal sedan chair resumed its journey, slowly moving forward.
Shen Han, who had just calmed down, patted his chest and said, “That was frightening, luckily everything is fine.”
“Chief Instructor, did you see that? Miss He… seems to have not lost her skills. That move just now was swift, truly the result of my military training,” Liang Ping said, rubbing his chin.
“Are you proud of the soldiers you trained?” Shen Han glanced at him. “If you dare say that in front of the Commander, then I’ll believe you.”
“I wouldn’t dare.” Liang Ping chuckled.
“Now, should we still call her Miss He?” Ma Damei approached and said, “Shouldn’t we call her Madam Xiao now?”
“Wait, she has an official position now, shouldn’t we address her as Lord?” Liang Ping scratched his head.
“Then… Lord Little He?”
“Why does that sound like a man’s name?”
“….”
Xiao Mai bent down to pick up a lucky coin from the ground. As he straightened up, he heard the lady beside him say, “How could Commander Xiao pick up the dropped veil by himself? It’s so inauspicious!”
“Yes, yes, and the bride’s face was seen by others too. How improper.”
“…I heard she was just an ordinary girl from a common family. It’s natural for her not to understand these rules.”
“That’s no excuse…”
“Hey!” A loud shout interrupted the gossiping women. They turned to see a scar-faced man glaring at them, roaring, “If she didn’t come out, that young man would be dead by now! You idle gossipers, what do you know?!”
The women were startled. The leader among them retorted with some boldness, “We can talk about whatever we want. It’s none of your business!”
Wang Ba drew his long knife with a “swish.” Seeing this, the women paled, no longer willing to argue and quickly dispersed.
Jiang Jiao coughed lightly. “Brother Wang, there’s no need to scare them like that…”
“These scolding women only know how to gossip behind people’s backs. I don’t like it!” Wang Ba sheathed the knife and glared, “What rules? Who made these rules? I say there are no such rules!”
Accustomed to his domineering personality, Jiang Jiao could only smile helplessly. Xiao Mai, on the other hand, joined Wang Ba in opposing them, “Exactly! Why didn’t they say that Brother Ah He just saved someone?”
“Let’s forgive and forget,” Hong Shan leaned against the bridge railing and chuckled, “The three men most desired by women in Shuojing City, and now one of them has been taken by our Brother Ah He. People feel uneasy in their hearts, so they vent a bit with their mouths. Let’s be lenient with others.”
“Our dear brother He, with his meddlesome nature, hasn’t changed even after becoming a woman,” Huang Xiong shook his head and sighed, “Always eager to help others in distress, regardless of the situation. I don’t see much difference between Miss He and He Yan from Liangzhou Garrison.”
Wang Ba snorted lightly, “If she didn’t act this way, she wouldn’t be herself. Let’s go,” he tucked the large bundle of red envelopes he had snatched into his chest, “The procession has moved far ahead.”
…
The bridal sedan chair traveled all around half of the capital and arrived at the entrance of the Xiao residence.
Before descending from the sedan chair, the young man in festive attire, holding a bow, walked to the front of the sedan chair. With a hand on the longbow, he shot three red arrows into the bottom of the sedan chair, symbolizing the dispelling of evil.
Bai Rongwei gently assisted He Yan down from the sedan chair and handed the red rope, tied with a concentric knot, to Xiao Jue and He Yan.
He Yan covered her head, unable to see anything. She had been pretending to be blind for quite a long time, accustomed to the idea that even in darkness, she could navigate on her own. However, today, she had completely entrusted herself to someone else, placing her entire trust in him.
Holding the concentric knot, the newlywed bride carefully stepped over the brazier, heading towards the ceremonial hall. The hall was already filled with spectators. Lin Shuanghe stood at the forefront with a smile on his face. Yan He noticed his expression and couldn’t help but express his disgust, “What’s with that expression? If I didn’t know better, I’d think it was your wedding day.”
“This is even more delightful than my own wedding.” Lin Shuanghe unfolded his fan. “What could be more joyous than seeing your dearest friend marry another dear friend?”
“Your ‘dear friends’ are rather numerous and cheap.” Yan He mocked.
“Brother,” Lin Shuanghe looked at him, “with your lonely existence, having only a few friends, why did you bother attending our Huaijin’s wedding feast?”
“Do you think I wanted to come?” Yan He sneered, “He Yan sent the invitation to Chengxiu, and Chengxiu forced me to come. Who wants to witness Xiao Huaijin getting married? It’s not like anyone here hasn’t been through a wedding.” He glanced at Lin Shuanghe, “Oh, sorry, almost forgot, you haven’t.”
“You understand nothing,” Lin Shuanghe closed his fan, smiling, “I wouldn’t give up an entire garden for just one flower.”
Yan He responded with a cold laugh.
While they were talking, He Yan and Xiao Jue had reached the ceremonial table. After the music and cannons, the two of them first paid respects with incense and candles to the deities and ancestors. Then, after bowing, prostrating, and standing back up, the husband and wife performed three bows.
Both parents of the Xiao family were no longer present. Bai Rongwei gently took out the ancestral tablet, and after paying respects to both heavenly and earthly parents, the couple faced each other. He Yan bowed her head down, and in that moment, it felt like a lifetime had passed.
When they stood up, cheers erupted around them. Among them, Cheng Lisu’s excited voice could be heard, “To the bridal chamber! Come on, Uncle, hurry up and pick up the veil. I want to see my aunt!”
Song Taotao frowned slightly, “Lower your voice.”
“Why lower my voice?” Cheng Lisu was excited, “Don’t you want to see what Aunt looks like in her wedding dress?”
Song Taotao silently rolled her eyes. She didn’t want to see her beloved in a phoenix coronet and cloud-like cape marrying someone else. Moreover, there was someone beside her who didn’t understand the subtle glances, always babbling, “Ah! I really didn’t expect my big brother to become my aunt. It’s really unbelievable!”
He Yan was led into the new room by Qingmei and Bai Rongwei, temporarily avoiding the noisy crowd outside. She covered her head, unable to see anything. As soon as she sat down, someone handed her a small plate, and she instinctively grabbed a few longans.
Bai Rongwei smiled, “Congratulations, Ah He, it seems that you and Huaijin will have an early child.”
He Yan: “…”
Qingmei quickly smoothed out the wrinkles on He Yan’s wedding gown and hurriedly stuffed two small pastries into He Yan’s mouth, whispering, “Miss, eat a few bites to fill your stomach. Young Master will come to pick up the veil soon. Be careful not to smear your lipstick.”
He Yan was relatively calm at first, but listening to Qingmei, she became nervous.
Nevertheless, eating something did help relieve the tension. She took three or four bites. In the distance, Cheng Lisu’s excited voice could be heard again, “Uncle, hurry up, don’t make Aunt wait too long!”
Following that, it was Song Taotao’s turn to retort, “Just shut up. The last thing I want to hear right now is you.”
A group of people walked over, making a lot of noise. In all of He Yan’s two lifetimes combined, she thought she had seen a fair share of ups and downs, but at this moment, even the palms of her hands couldn’t help but break into a layer of fine sweat.
The new room was actually quite spacious, but with Lin Shuanghe’s group, Cheng Lisu’s group, and Liang Ping’s group squeezing in, no matter how big the house was, it seemed a bit inadequate.
Xiao Jing handed the red-cloth-wrapped scale pole to Xiao Jue and said, “Huaijin, it’s time to pick the bridal veil”
Xiao Jue took the lucky scale and walked slowly to He Yan.
He Yan sat with her head bowed. Under the cover, his black boots suddenly tightened her lips. Today, He Yan hadn’t formally met Xiao Jue yet, but once the cover was lifted, from now on, her life would be closely connected with Xiao Jue’s. He would become the one standing side by side with her.
How would Xiao Jue see her? He Yan speculated, and at this moment of tension, it felt like going back to a past life. Sitting in front of the mirror, slowly removing the mask, looking at the familiar yet unfamiliar face under the mask, like a big dream, surreal yet real.
The lucky scale hooked onto the edge of the veil, and then, a glimmer appeared in front of He Yan. He Yan tightened the corner of her robe and slowly raised her head, looking at the person in front of her.
She fell into a pair of black eyes.
In an instant, the moonlight was hazy, the sky was clear, and the man stood just one step away, looking down at her. He was in a red robe like fire, stunningly beautiful among the crowd, eyes as deep as the night sky, reflecting a complete and clear image of herself in the night sky.
In his eyes, there was no one else, only herself.
He Yan stared at him blankly, as if time stood still, and it was going to be like this forever.
The room was so quiet that you could hear a pin drop. No one knew how long it had passed until Lin Shuanghe’s exaggerated voice broke the silence, “My God! I’ve been to at least eight weddings, and this is the first time I’ve seen such a beautiful bride! Huaijin is so lucky, he actually married a celestial being who descended from the heavens! What kind of merit did he accumulate in his past life to have such good fortune in this life!”
“Are you here to sing opera?” Yan He teased, tapping his ear, “Smooth talker.”
Shen Han and the other instructors were stunned, and even Liang Ping blushed, saying, “I didn’t expect… He Yan looks even better in a wedding gown than Miss Shen.”
“If you want to die, I won’t stop you,” Shen Han warned in a low voice, “Don’t involve me.”
“My aunt is so beautiful! She deserves to be my aunt!” Cheng Lisu exclaimed excitedly, clenching her fists, “I declare that the most beautiful person in Shuojing City is my aunt!”
Song Taotao held her forehead. However, from a woman’s perspective, He Yan today was indeed excessively beautiful. Although she was graceful when she dressed as a man, sitting here now and looking up at the man in front of her, her eyes were sparkling, like stars in the Milky Way.
“Big Brother Wang,” Xiao Mai asked Wang Ba, “this time you have to admit that Brother Ah He is really beautiful!”
Wang Ba waved his hand impatiently, “It’s okay.” But he couldn’t help but take a few more glances.
“Brother He is great like this,” Jiang Jiao smiled, “I think Commander Xiao treats her with great care, and rightly so.”
When men look at men, there is always a lot of understanding.
Bai Rongwei smiled gently and reminded in a soft voice, “It’s time to drink the wedding wine.”
He Yan came to her senses, supported by Qingmei, stood up. Xiao Jue picked up the pot on the table, divided it into two cups, He Yan carefully took one cup, and, with their wrists connected, they drank together.
Bai Rongwei smiled, “With the wedding wine finished, husband and wife become one, equal in status, equally respected, and with mutual respect, they are close but not apart.”
Having drunk the wedding wine, He Yan sighed in relief. For some reason, she dared not lift her head to look at Xiao Jue again.
After drinking the wedding wine, the groom was supposed to go to the hall, and the group of people surrounded Xiao Jue, leaving in a lively manner. Only Qingmei and He Yan were left in the room.
As He Yan closed the door, she sat on the bed, patting her chest and saying, “Finally done. I was almost nervous to death.”
“Huh?” Qingmei wondered, “Miss, were you still nervous just now? I thought you looked quite relaxed.”
“I was relaxed my foot; it’s all an act.” He Yan took off the phoenix crown from her head. Although the crown looked small and cute, with beads and gemstones on top, it was quite heavy. After wearing it for so long, her neck was a bit sore.
Qingmei helped He Yan put the phoenix crown aside. Seeing that He Yan was unbuttoning the wedding dress, Qingmei was startled and quickly held He Yan’s hand. “Miss, there’s no need to take off your clothes.”
“It’s really hot in this room, and there are so many clothes.” He Yan sighed. To prevent the cold, the stove in the room was burning fiercely, but the bridal gown had many layers, and on a cold winter day, she even sweated a bit.
But Qingmei insisted, “No, Miss, you must listen to me. You can’t take it off.”
He Yan and Qingmei held their ground for a while, and He Yan finally yielded, saying, “Okay, I’ll do as you say.”
She stood up. After sitting in the sedan chair for half a day, her legs were numb. She poured herself a cup of hot tea and looked around the new room. As she looked, her expression became strange.
When He Yan had just returned to Shuojing, she had stayed at the Xiao family for a while and had been to Xiao Jue’s room. Xiao Jue’s room looked simple and cold, with extremely plain colors, either white or black. But in the current new room, apart from the “Double Happiness” characters and red paper pasted on, the other decorations looked extravagant. Even the legs of the table were covered with a light pink cloth cover, making He Yan twitch her mouth.
How had Xiao Jue’s taste changed so dramatically in such a short time? She felt it was pointless. Moving from Miss He’s room to here was just changing places with fancy decorations. But wouldn’t Xiao Jue feel uncomfortable? Look at this copper mirror with lace, and this pink curtain with sachets hanging on it… It was like a brothel!
She was thinking about it when she heard Qingmei softly calling her, “Miss, Miss…”
He Yan turned around and saw Qingmei standing by the bedside, looking embarrassed. She asked, “What’s wrong?”
“Miss, Madam passed away early, and when Miss got married, although Miss has Miss Chengxiu, Miss Chengxiu is still quite young. A few days ago, Mrs. Liu from the alley gave me something…” Her face turned bright red, hesitating and stammering, as if it was difficult to speak. She trembled as she took out something from her bosom and handed it to He Yan, not daring to look at it herself. “Mrs. Liu said that when a young lady gets married, her Mother should give her this… I brought it back…”
He Yan lowered her head to look at it. In her hand was a small booklet the size of a palm. She suspiciously glanced at Qingmei, then opened it.
Seeing Qingmei turning away in panic, she said, “Huh? Isn’t this an erotic illustration?”
“Miss!” Qingmei widened her eyes, forgetting her shyness for a moment. “How can you say it directly?!”
“How should I say it then?” He Yan asked her. “Did you see it? If you haven’t seen it, why are you so nervous?”
“This servant only took a quick glance…” Qingmei was on the verge of tears, “No, Miss, it’s not that the servant girl looked at it; it’s for you…” Qingmei was initially very conflicted when giving this thing to He Yan. After all, she was an unmarried girl, and giving such a thing to He Yan was truly hard to express. Who would have thought that He Yan, being so straightforward, would casually flip through it and even comment, “Miss Liu is a bit stingy. Isn’t this book from three or five years ago? The writing style is so outdated. If it’s a gift, why not give something more recent? Tsk, tsk, tsk, it’s not as good as the one I read before…”
“Miss!” Qingmei looked at her in disbelief. “The book you read before? When did you read it? Where did you read it?”
“Uh…” He Yan recalled that in this little maid’s heart, she probably still saw her as the former Miss He, so she casually said, “I was just talking nonsense; forget about it.”
She turned to leave, and Qingmei, like a tail, followed her. “Miss, you have to clarify. When did you read it?”
“I don’t remember!”
With this back-and-forth, a long time passed. As the sky gradually darkened, after He Yan finished eating all the exquisite pastries on the table, there was some commotion outside.
She quickly straightened up, putting on a dignified and courteous appearance. Qingmei went to open the door, and upon opening it, she saw Lin Shuanghe helping Xiao Jue walk in.
“Uh?” Qingmei was surprised. “Has Master had too much to drink?”
He Yan, hearing this, stood up. Lin Shuanghe helped Xiao Jue sit on the bedside, smiling at He Yan. “Little Sister He… Sister-in-law, Huaijin drank a lot today. I helped him back.”
“Why did he drink so much?” Qingmei complained a bit. “How is he going to…”
She stopped herself from saying more and cast a resentful glance at her own young lady. Having stayed with He Yan for a long time, she had also learned to speak without a filter.
He Yan turned to look at Xiao Jue. Lin Shuanghe supported him to sit on the bedside, his head leaning against the bedpost. His eyes were tightly closed, and his expression seemed fine, not showing any signs of pain, but he appeared a bit overwhelmed by the effects of alcohol.
“Xiao Jue can actually get drunk?” she expressed her thoughts.
“Everyone had to drink with him, how could he not get drunk?” Lin Shuanghe sighed. “If we talk about Huaijin getting married, those martial artists can all drink. He’s considered fine. If you go outside and look at the hall, it’s a mess, with people falling all over the place and vomiting like crazy. Especially Yan He,” he seemed somewhat speechless, “he kept forcing Huaijin to toast, just wanting to see who could drink more. The desire to win is so strong.”
He Yan asked, “Did Yan He win?”
“How could he?” Lin Shuanghe smiled. “He was carried back.”
He Yan: “…”
“In any case, I’ve brought him here,” Lin Shuanghe fanned himself casually. “Mission accomplished, time for me to retire. Little Sister He, remember to take care of Huaijin,” he smirked, “The night is short, don’t waste it.”
He Yan: “Wait!”
Before she could finish, Lin Shuanghe had already walked away gracefully.
“Miss…” Qingmei said softly, “Then, this servant will also leave.”
“Why are you leaving?” He Yan shouted, “Help me, at least!”
“This… might be a bit inconvenient,” Qingmei said like facing a formidable enemy, repeatedly waving her hand. “Moreover, this servant doesn’t have much strength. I heard that when Miss was in the Liangzhou Garrison, she could lift a huge stone alone. I believe Miss can take care of Commander Xiao on her own.” She retreated towards the door, saying, “So, this servant will also leave!”
“Hey!”
This little maid was sometimes too timid, and sometimes she knew how to argue. He Yan sighed and, with Qingmei gone, only Xiao Jue and she were left in the room.
She turned to look at Xiao Jue.
When this person was drunk, he was very quiet, neither causing a scene nor talking nonsense. He just leaned against the bedpost as if pretending to be asleep. He Yan approached, pushing him slightly. “Xiao Jue?”
No response. She reached out and shook it in front of his face, but Xiao Jue remained quietly with his eyes closed. He Yan sighed in relief, thinking that Xiao Jue was indeed drunk.
Alright, she had been drunk in front of Xiao Jue before, and now Xiao Jue was also drunk in front of her. One person, one time, quite fair. He Yan sat down beside him and leaned in to take a closer look.
When Xiao Jue closed his eyes, his eyelashes hung down obediently, like tiny butterfly wings. He Yan couldn’t help but touch them lightly.
The young man’s eyebrows slightly furrowed. She quickly withdrew her hand, thinking that Xiao Jue had awakened. After a while, seeing that Xiao Jue didn’t react, her courage gradually grew.
He Yan had never denied Xiao Jue’s good looks. Back when they were in Xianchang Academy, she didn’t bother paying attention to him, yet he still managed to attract admirers one after another. Later, when he became the Right Army Commander, despite the ruthless and cold rumors surrounding him, he still held a spot in the top three of the “Dream Lover of Shuojing,” solely relying on his looks. He Yan sat closer, her gaze fixed on him. “Tsk, tsk, tsk,” she sighed a few times. “Elegant and refined, with an aura like jade.”
Simply judging by his face, it was hard to believe he spent his days on the battlefield. How could his face not show any signs of weathering from wind, frost, and swords? His skin was as fair as jade, his features handsome, and his jawline incredibly beautiful, stirring up impure thoughts in anyone who looked at him. He Yan sighed. When God created Xiao Jue, he must have put in a lot of effort. Perhaps this was a life that others couldn’t envy!
He Yan looked at the man leaning against the wall, feeling a surge of audacity. She exclaimed, “Such a handsome man, now in my hands. This rare opportunity in a century, if I don’t indulge a little, I’d be letting myself down.” As she spoke, she started unbuttoning Xiao Jue’s clothes.
With layers of wedding attire, the room became stuffy. She noticed Xiao Jue’s face slightly reddening, likely from the heat. Wanting to help him by removing his outer clothes and letting him rest on the bed earlier, He Yan thought it would be better to call it a day. Little did she expect that the buttons were also intricately designed. Lowering her head to unbutton them, after undoing one button, just as she was about to unfasten the second, her hand was suddenly grabbed.
Surprised, He Yan looked up to meet a pair of clear and profound black eyes. His voice was calm, almost teasing, “So, how do you plan to indulge yourself with me?”
Those eyes were clear, showing no signs of intoxication. He Yan couldn’t help but exclaim, “You’re not drunk?”
Xiao Jue curled his lips slightly. “A little.”
“I don’t believe you!” He Yan thought to herself; he clearly looked awake from start to finish. Luckily, she hadn’t done anything more inappropriate earlier.
He Yan awkwardly smiled, “Well, it’s good that you’re awake…”
“Tell me,” he wasn’t planning to let He Yan off the hook. He continued holding He Yan’s hand placed on his chest. Smirking, he stared at her. “How do you plan to indulge yourself?”
He Yan struggled a bit to free her hand but failed. Feeling a bit flustered, she stammered, “I just… saw that you were wearing too much, and it’s too hot in the room. I wanted to unbutton a couple of them for you.”
“Lies,” Xiao Jue raised an eyebrow, staring directly at her. “I think you want to take advantage of me.”
He Yan: “…”
Really? Is unbuttoning a button considered taking advantage?
The hand placed on Xiao Jue’s chest felt like touching a hot iron. She herself started feeling hot. He Yan, in a daze, said, “No, no, no, how can that be considered taking advantage? I’ve seen all sorts of things; I’ve even seen the mole on your waist…”
Upon saying this, Xiao Jue’s body slightly stiffened.
After a while, he spoke in a calm tone, “You’re quite straightforward.”
He Yan snapped back to reality, secretly cursing herself. Practically half of her body pressed against Xiao Jue, her hand being held by him, touching his clothes – she looked like a female hooligan forcing herself on him. But Xiao Jue didn’t let go, and she could only remain in this awkward position.
“Xiao Jue, let go of me first, and let’s talk…” She hesitated for a moment before managing to say a sentence.
Xiao Jue’s clear and indifferent gaze swept over her. Suddenly, he let go, and He Yan heaved a sigh of relief. She could only blame the stove for turning the room into a furnace. Why was it so hot?
Xiao Jue’s gaze fell on the corner of a page peeking out from under the bedding, his expression slightly puzzled as he reached out to take it. “What is this?”
As He Yan lifted her head, she immediately saw his movement, and her face changed drastically. “Wait!”
It was too late; Xiao Jue had already taken it in his hand. He Yan instinctively lunged towards him, attempting to snatch it away.
It was the little booklet Qingmei had given her!
Earlier, He Yan was playfully messing around with Qingmei, and before she could tidy up, Lin Shuanghe walked in. She casually stuffed the items into the bedding, not expecting Xiao Jue to see it now. He Yan still vividly remembered the change in Xiao Jue’s expression in Jiyang City when he saw her looking at an erotic painting. On this joyous occasion, she didn’t want to provoke the young master’s anger.
He Yan attempted to snatch it away, but Xiao Jue blocked her with his arm. She reached forward, and he evaded. A back-and-forth ensued, with Xiao Jue’s long arms preventing her from touching the booklet. He Yan had no choice but to jump up, unexpectedly tripping over the bed edge. She tumbled towards the bed, and in response, Xiao Jue pulled her in front of him, and both fell down.
The bed made a thunderous noise.
He Yan turned her head to see that, fortunately, the bed held firm. She looked at the booklet she had seized, feeling relieved.
In the next moment, lively noises came from outside, vaguely hearing Cheng Lisu’s voice.
“Wow! The commotion is too big; my uncle is indeed amazing!”
Soon after, it was Chiwu’s voice. “Who let Young Master Cheng in? Quickly take him out!”
“I don’t want to! I want to stay a bit longer! Let go of me—”
It seemed like Cheng Lisu was being taken away, and the outside gradually returned to calm.
He Yan stayed dumbfounded for a moment, then, regaining her senses, she found herself lying on top of Xiao Jue. She was still holding the booklet tightly, and her head was against Xiao Jue’s chest. She could feel the slight vibrations, as if he was laughing.
He… was he laughing?
He Yan suddenly propped herself up, looking down at Xiao Jue.
He raised an eyebrow and lazily spoke, “General He is impressive.”
“That’s… of course.” He Yan looked a bit distracted. “I’m not the second-to-last in Xianchang Academy anymore.”
“Well,” he said with a hint of a smile in his profound black eyes, resting his hands behind his head, “General He is a heroine, invincible in battle. I humbly submit.”
“You’re not sincere with your words,” He Yan pretended to be fierce. “Since I won, shouldn’t there be a reward?”
Xiao Jue’s tone lifted, “What reward do you want?”
He Yan was contemplating when, unexpectedly, everything spun around. The positions with Xiao Jue had reversed. She was now beneath him, his eyes in the room’s warm light resembling a beautiful dream seen through a window. The scent of alcohol from him mixed with the fragrance of his clothes, intoxicating her.
“How about this reward?”
A belt was slowly drawn out.
He Yan’s nervous voice trembled as her fingers touched the loot she had snatched moments ago. She asked, “Xiao Jue, do you want to… take a look first?”
“No need.”
Someone chuckled, and the curtain fell instantly, shrouding the night inside the tent.
“General He may not know that men are self-taught in these matters.”
…
The moon was silver, stars like rain, and where the red candles wept dry, the spring breeze came every year.
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