The Game is Afoot:
I had forgotten to mention that after my song and another 100 rmb red evelope, that the gate keeper was still not impressed. I had a special envelope to give to Yan's son (as the head male of the family). But instead, I used this special hand gernade thick envelope to finally pass the last door. The evelope consisted of 9 100s, 9 10s, and 9 1s = 999. Apperently I am told this amount sounds like everlasting in Mandarin and was a lucky number. Since I had to part with this special evelope I decided to make my door nemesis work for it. She squealed with delight when she saw the thickness of the red evelope that was slid under the door. But as she tried to take it from her side, I pressed down on the end on myside. After some wiggiling to pry it loose, I released the treasure to her inorder to gain entrance to my own treasure.
She moved forward to the end of the bed and before standing, she showed her bare feet. :blush: With all the evelope exchanges, I had become shell shocked and had forgotten that a new challenge was awaiting me. Also at this time I was told not one, but two pairs of shoes were hidden for me to find. I started briefly searching in her bedroom, even starting to check a handbag hanging from the door hook, but thought the shoes would be scattered further afield. Into the living room I proceeded and my trusty assistant Guang Han aided my noble quest. He seemed to have better instincts as he found one slipper in the washing machine. After a few minutes he found a heeled shoe by the piano. We carried on searching in the kitchen and the other bedroom but no other shoes were found:huh: Guang Han told me that we might need to bribe Yan's guardians with some evelopes to get some clues. A 100 rmb red evelope allowed me to find a red heeled shoe in a big closet in the son's bedroom, and my last 100 rmb evelope led me back to the handbag hanging from Yan's bedroom door were the last red slipper was found. Darn....so close. Guang Han 2 ; Groom 1 (1/2 point score per shoe because of clues). Guang Han won this game...but at least I get the prize :icon_cheesygrin:
Never instructed, but remembering another member's post about kissing the shoes, I proceeded to kiss each slipper and my wife's foot before as-cinderella style-slipping on the classy slipper. At last my lady was adorned and we were ready to head to the ceremony. I had one last feat of strength to perform as I craddled my princesses into my arms and carried her out the door into her new life as my dear Chinese wife.
[I will end this posting and hint at an unplanned incident leading up to the wedding reception with the next installment....The Rings of Despair!!!