Chapter 246 | My Class Is Ghost Bride, But This Isn’t Romance

After taking a few bites of his food, the group leader suddenly seemed to remember something. He slapped his forehead. “Look at my memory.”

“There's actually a fourth point. This one isn't on the company's list of precautions; it's a lesson I learned when I went with the previous-previous group leader last time.”

“Let me emphasize one last thing. This wedding isn't a commercial event. It's more like a traditional local festival.”

“It's not a real marriage, but there are countless rules, and they are particularly strict about traditional etiquette.”

“To our male colleagues: don't go trying to hit on the bride just because she's pretty, thinking you wouldn't technically be a homewrecker.”

“The locals place a massive emphasis on the bride's purity. If she so much as holds hands with a man during this period, that man will be gossiped about in the village for a long time—not to mention outsiders like us.”

“If they misunderstand and think you have designs on their women, and you actually take action, those people really will resort to violence.”

“One of our colleagues almost had his legs broken last time. Fortunately, we cleared it up and they realized it was just a misunderstanding.”

“Gentlemen, remember: don't push your luck and go looking for trouble.”

The group leader warned them earnestly.

Sang Lan laughed and immediately put his arm around Bai Ci's shoulders, his posture open and natural as he made his stance perfectly clear.

“Don't worry, Group Leader. I've committed this rule to memory and promise not to break it.”

“I only have eyes for my Ci-mei'er. I'll definitely behave myself, keep my eyes forward, and won't spare a single glance for anyone else.”

The lighthearted banter slightly eased the tense atmosphere, and the mood relaxed as everyone resumed eating.

Only Wang Dong found his food tasting a bit bland.

There were only three men present. One was the middle-aged, balding, potbellied group leader who had witnessed the consequences firsthand. Another was a male colleague who was prettier than most women and had a loving girlfriend right by his side.

So, who exactly was that fourth warning directed at?

Gee, what a mystery.

Hastily finishing their meal, everyone packed up, left the restaurant together, and got back into the vehicle.

Sang Lan restarted the engine and drove out of the Tongcheng Service Area, heading toward their final destination.

As they drove on, the road ahead became visibly more remote and desolate.

They transitioned from the asphalt highway onto narrow country roads, though fortunately, it hadn't degraded into dirt tracks just yet.

The smooth ride, free of any jarring bumps, offered a tiny sliver of comfort to the players' frayed nerves.

After about forty to fifty minutes, the view ahead suddenly opened up. A neat cluster of buildings appeared at the end of the road. They had finally arrived at their destination.

Two middle-aged men stood beneath an ancient tree at the village entrance, peering down the road as if waiting for them.

Spotting the approaching vehicle, the older of the two waved to greet them and guided Sang Lan toward a parking spot.

The business van slowly decelerated, coming to a steady halt in the open clearing at the village entrance.

Having been cooped up inside the car the entire time, their vision had inevitably been restricted by the windows.

Now, as Bai Ci pushed open the door and stepped onto the concrete ground, she could finally take in her entire surroundings.

The two middle-aged men before them had black hair and golden skin, looking like perfectly ordinary East Asians.

Yet when she raised her eyes to look at the village as a whole, the impression was entirely the opposite.

The buildings within her line of sight featured pointed roofs, sloped eaves, and arched window frames. They bore absolutely no resemblance to a traditional Chinese mountain village.

Moreover, these structures were definitely not some trendy, modern replicas built to attract internet tourists.

Some of the house walls were heavily weathered, showing the mottled textures of long-term exposure to the elements, with thick moss clinging to the corners of the foundations.

This profound sense of age proved beyond a doubt that these Western-style houses had stood here for at least several decades.

The village possessed a glaring sense of discord and incongruity.

It was incredibly remote.

So remote that it was practically cut off from the outside world, far from any bustling city, yet it hid a vast, ancient, and well-preserved complex of Western architecture.

Anyone visiting for the first time, whether player or NPC, would find this sight utterly mind-boggling.

But the group leader, who was on his third visit, was already long past being surprised.

Stepping out of the car with a broad smile, he quickly walked forward and proactively extended his hand to the older man, his tone warm and familiar.

“Village Chief Shen, long time no see!”

As the client, Village Chief Shen was much more composed.

Shaking the group leader's hand with one hand while patting his shoulder with the other, he exchanged pleasantries. “Yes, long time no see, Xiao Liu.”

“It's been a few years, and now you're leading your own team. Young and promising—your future is limitless.”

After a brief exchange, the group leader, Xiao Liu, turned and waved to the people behind him, gathering everyone together.

He first introduced Village Chief Shen to the group.

“This is Village Chief Shen, the head of our Shenjiacun. Over the years, Chief Shen has been the one helping us coordinate and align the wedding processes.”

After introducing the chief, he pointed to each member of his team in turn, calling out their names and roles to give the chief a clear understanding of who was who.

Village Chief Shen stood with his hands behind his back, nodding slightly as his gaze swept across the young faces. “Very good, very good. Young people have flexible minds, quick hands, and do reliable work.”

“You've just arrived, and while the village is remote and simple, daily lodging, meals, and necessary supplies are fully provided. Don't stand on ceremony.”

“If you have any needs for your work or run into trouble in your daily life, feel free to come to me anytime. I'll do my best to help you coordinate and sort things out.”

Having offered these comforting words, Village Chief Shen stepped aside to reveal the man standing behind him. He patted the man's shoulder and introduced him solemnly.

“Right, let me introduce you. This is Shen Li, you can just call him Uncle Li.”

“He is the father of this year's Honey Bride in our village, the host of this wedding.”

Upon hearing his name, Shen Li's body stiffened slightly, a look of simple, rustic awkwardness and constraint washing over his face.

Facing this professional team from the city, he seemed exceptionally shy. He tentatively reached out a hand, his palm covered in thick calluses from years of hard labor.

“Hello. Sorry to trouble you all.”

As the group leader, Xiao Liu naturally couldn't let the client's words hang in the air.

Seeing this, he immediately stepped forward to take his hand, his warm attitude perfectly dispelling the man's awkwardness.

“Uncle Li is too polite. This is our job, so it's no trouble at all. We will certainly do our best to run this Honey Rite smoothly.”

“Sister Bai, what is a Honey Rite?” Xie Lai leaned in and whispered.

When she first woke up, she had overheard a conversation between the NPC couple sitting in front of her. The woman had shown clear anxiety, obviously knowing something, while the man seemed to be the group leader's sycophant.