The Scholar in the Courtyard

Chapter 2: Wedding Ceremony

The entrance to the alley buzzed with excitement.

Kevin Parker, standing barely five feet five inches tall, rode an old bicycle through the crowd. He wore a borrowed Pinstripe suit, and a large red flower was pinned proudly to his chest.

Sitting behind him was the bride.

A beautiful bride.

As neighbors gathered along both sides of the alley to watch, Kevin Parker's eyes nearly disappeared from smiling.

Who wouldn't envy him?

Today was the happiest day of his life.

Behind the bicycle, several people followed with cheers and laughter, creating a lively wedding procession.

Elysia Smith looked especially stunning.

Her delicate features, bright peach-blossom eyes, and shy smile made her impossible to ignore. Dressed in a newly tailored floral cotton-padded jacket, her graceful figure stood out even in the cold weather.

She was youthful.

Beautiful.

Captivating.

Many of the young men watching couldn't help staring.

Among the crowd stood a long-faced young man absentmindedly stroking the faint mustache growing above his lip.

His eyes remained fixed on Elysia Smith.

"What a waste."

"What do you mean, Jason?"

Someone beside him laughed.

Jason Holt snorted.

"A flower that beautiful ending up in Kevin Parker's hands. That's what I call a waste."

"Hah! She's just a village girl. She's already marrying above her station."

Jason Holt curled his lip.

"Maybe."

"But with Kevin Parker's looks, what city girl would ever marry him?"

The crowd burst into laughter.

"That's true."

"If she wasn't trying to move into the city, why would she choose him?"

"Exactly. The Parker family really got lucky this time."

Their voices were teasing, but the jealousy underneath was obvious.

Jason Holt watched the bride disappear into the courtyard and clicked his tongue.

He had seen Elysia Smith before when she visited the Williams family.

It would be a lie to say he hadn't been tempted.

In all his years, he had never seen a woman as beautiful as her—not in the courtyard, not on the street, not anywhere nearby.

The only flaw was her rural background.

Still...

Her face.

Her figure.

Her charm.

Even now, he couldn't look away.

—

In the middle courtyard, Andrew Fletcher stood beside a large stove, stirring a pot with a long spatula.

His eyes occasionally drifted toward the newlyweds entering the compound.

A strange warmth stirred inside his chest.

"Andrew Fletcher!"

A hoarse voice suddenly interrupted his thoughts.

Startled, he nearly dropped the spatula.

Turning around, he saw Samantha Parker standing beside him.

The old woman stared greedily at the meat simmering in the pot before finally looking up.

"Andrew Fletcher, you'd better bring out your best skills today."

"This is Kevin's wedding."

Andrew Fletcher immediately puffed out his chest.

"Aunt Parker, don't worry."

"When it comes to cooking, nobody in Chicago can beat me."

"My grandfather was a chef. My father was a chef."

"This craft runs in the family."

"Anyone who's tasted my cooking leaves satisfied."

Samantha Parker finally smiled.

Having Andrew Fletcher cook saved her a fortune.

Not only was he working for free, but he had also supplied much of the cooking oil, seasonings, and ingredients himself.

The more she thought about it, the happier she became.

Her eyes returned to the golden-brown slices of pork in the pot.

She swallowed.

Then narrowed her eyes.

"Don't steal any while you're cooking."

"Our Parker family values its reputation."

"I bought a whole pound of pork for today's banquet."

"I'm trusting you."

Andrew Fletcher froze.

A pound of pork?

For more than a hundred people?

He almost laughed.

Even if each person got a piece, it wouldn't be much larger than a fingernail.

He had never met anyone so stingy.

Well...

Actually, Third Uncle might be worse.

Just then, a familiar voice spoke from behind.

"Aunt Parker is right."

Jason Holt had appeared out of nowhere.

"You can never trust a cook completely."

"There's a saying—during a famine, the cook is always the last one to starve."

"You'd better keep an eye on him. Otherwise, half that pork might disappear before it reaches the table."

Bang!

Andrew Fletcher slammed the spatula against the edge of the pot.

"Jason Holt!"

"You looking for a beating?"

But Jason Holt had already backed away.

The two had fought since childhood.

Years of experience had taught him one important lesson:

Run first.

Talk later.

Today was Kevin Parker's wedding, and he had no intention of getting punched.

"I'm going to see the bride!"

He shouted while retreating.

"I'm not wasting time arguing with you!"

Then he disappeared into the crowd.

Andrew Fletcher snorted and returned to cooking.

He never noticed Samantha Parker watching both of them carefully from the side.

—

Meanwhile, Elysia Smith stepped over the ceremonial brazier under the guidance of three elderly women.

Crossing that threshold officially made her Parker family's daughter-in-law.

Amid cheers and applause, she and Kevin Parker entered the house together.

Andrew Fletcher watched their backs disappear.

For some reason, his chest felt strangely empty.

The wedding ceremony continued smoothly.

Under the witness of Thomas Carter and Director Brooks from the neighborhood office, the couple formally became husband and wife.

Soon after, Director Sterling from the steel mill delivered an enthusiastic speech praising workers and socialist construction.

The courtyard erupted into applause.

Tables were quickly arranged.

The banquet officially began.

Cornbread.

Mixed-flour steamed buns.

And the most luxurious dish of all—

Stir-fried r****h with pork.

The men sat at the tables while most women and children waited for leftovers.

That was simply how things worked.

At that very moment, while the Parker family celebrated their happiness, Ryan Williams quietly activated the system inside his mind.

"Ding!"

"Happy Learning System activated."

"Host's primary profession detected: Fitter."

"Activation mission issued."

"Ding!"

"Mission: Earn 100 Learning Points within five days and advance to Level One Fitter."

"Reward: System Starter Gift Pack."

"Failure Penalty: System permanently removed."

Ryan Williams froze.

Then his heart began pounding.

Finally.

He had found his foothold in this world.

Five days...

The steel mill's apprentice assessment would be held in five days.

The system had clearly connected itself to reality.

The original Ryan Williams had little chance of passing.

He had only worked for two months and spent much of that time caring for his injured father.

But now everything was different.

If he could earn enough Learning Points and improve his skills, passing the assessment would be easy.

Still...

That could wait.

Right now, there was something more important.

Someone else's grievance needed to be settled first.

Ryan Williams slowly stood.

Pain shot through his bruised body.

Ignoring it, he pushed open the door and stepped into the freezing wind.

His eyes fixed on the wedding banquet in the courtyard.

Today was supposed to be Kevin Parker's happiest day.

Ryan Williams intended to make sure it became unforgettable.

The middle courtyard was alive with laughter and celebration.

Several tables were packed with guests eating and drinking. After a few rounds of liquor, many faces had already turned red.

Kevin Parker sat at the center of the festivities, raising his cup again and again as he thanked the guests.

Beside him, Elysia Smith sat quietly in her wedding clothes.

Samantha Parker's face was glowing with satisfaction.

To anyone looking on, it was a picture-perfect wedding.

Then someone noticed a figure walking toward the banquet.

The chatter gradually died down.

One by one, heads turned.

Soon, the entire courtyard fell silent.

Ryan Williams limped forward through the cold evening air.

His bruised face was pale.

His clothes were wrinkled.

Every step looked painful.

Yet his eyes remained fixed on the wedding table.

Director Sterling frowned.

Director Brooks exchanged a glance with him.

Hadn't they been told Ryan Williams was bedridden?

The young man standing before them certainly didn't look like someone recovering peacefully.

Thomas Carter's expression stiffened.

A trace of unease flashed across his face.

Seeing the situation, Andrew Fletcher immediately stood up and forced a smile.

"Ryan, why are you out here?"

"If you're sick, you should be resting."

"It's freezing outside."

His voice sounded concerned.

Ryan Williams didn't even look at him.

"What I do is none of your business."

The smile on Andrew Fletcher's face froze.

Ignoring everyone else, Ryan Williams continued forward.

The crowd instinctively parted.

His gaze swept across the courtyard.

Thomas Carter.

George Cooper.

Richard Collins.

The Deaf Old Lady.

Jason Holt.

Kevin Parker.

Finally...

His eyes stopped on Elysia Smith.

Dressed in her wedding clothes, she looked beautiful.

Her head lowered slightly.

Her hands rested quietly in her lap.

To the others, she looked shy and gentle.

But Ryan Williams knew exactly how she had abandoned him and his dying father.

The courtyard was so quiet that even the crackling stove could be heard.

Ryan Williams's expression turned cold.

His gaze locked onto Elysia Smith.

The courtyard fell silent.

Then, in a voice loud enough for everyone to hear, he spoke.

"Elysia Smith..."

"Pay me back."