Chapter 8: The Wedding

Ji Fanling suddenly sat up from the sofa.

Sui Sui Ping An:

【A junior from my university’s student council knows Cheng Jiali. I didn’t know before, so I didn’t think to ask him.】

【It turns out, Cheng Jiali is in one of the photos he posted on Moments today.】

【Maybe… you should mentally prepare yourself?】

Ji Fanling thought to herself, Why would I need to mentally prepare just to find a boyfriend? Could it be that he’s dead too?

Ji Fanling:

【Don’t beat around the bush. Where is he?】

Zhou Sui sent a screenshot of the junior’s Moments post, followed by a series of photos.

The nine-photo grid was tagged at Century Jinming Grand Hotel.

The caption read:

“I grabbed the big red envelope from my sister-in-law! She’s so generous! Wishing my brother and sister-in-law a lifetime of happiness!”

The photos included scenes from the morning wedding procession, a fleet of cars decorated with fresh flowers, red envelopes flying everywhere, and crowds scrambling to grab them.

Right in the center was a photo of her junior posing with the bride and groom.

Ji Fanling froze for a moment and zoomed in on the picture Zhou Sui had sent.

The groom, rarely seen in formal attire, wore a sharp black suit. However, his collar was slightly open, revealing his collarbone, which only accentuated his roguish, carefree demeanor.

His face was more mature than it had been ten years ago, but his fox-like eyes were still curved the same way, lazily smiling at the camera—just like before.

Exactly like how he used to smile.

Finally, Zhou Sui said it:

【Fanling, Cheng Jiali is getting married today.】

*

Ji Fanling rushed out of the house, leaving a message for Fu Yingcheng as she ran, saying she had something urgent to attend to and wouldn’t be home for dinner.

She quickly hailed a taxi on the side of the road, slid into the seat, and, wrapped in the chill of the outdoors, said urgently, “Driver, take me to Century Jinming Grand Hotel.”

Her mind was in complete disarray the whole way, and it felt as if she had arrived in the blink of an eye.

Following the crowd, Ji Fanling entered the hotel. At the entrance stood a large red signboard with the words:

“Groom: Cheng Jiali, Bride: Fang Jingyun”

There was only one wedding taking place tonight, held in the largest banquet hall of the Century Jinming Hotel. Lavish displays of fresh roses dusted with gold glitter lined both sides of the red carpet, stretching all the way from the banquet hall to the hotel entrance.

She had arrived too late—the wedding banquet had already begun.

The photo area outside the banquet hall was completely empty, matching the background of the photos from Qiu Ming’s Moments exactly.

Behind the sign-in table sat a young man, his head lowered as he played on his phone.

Just as Ji Fanling was about to push the door open, the young man looked up and interrupted her, “Hey, young lady, are you here for the wedding?”

“…Mm.”

The man gave her a once-over. “Did you come with… your parents? Have you signed in yet?”

Ji Fanling quickly walked over, grabbed a pen, and hastily scribbled the character “季” (Ji) in the guest book. She tossed the pen down and turned to leave.

The man stopped her again, pressing an elegant pink box into her hand. “Here’s a guest favor for you. Take it and enjoy.”

“I don’t want it.”

As if it were burning her hand, the girl threw the box back onto the table, her tone stiff and laced with a sense of desperation, “I don’t want it.”

She pushed the door open, as if stepping into another world.

The hall, adorned with crystals and roses, glittered brilliantly. Down the long aisle, the bride was lifting the hem of her gown, walking step by step toward the groom on the stage.

The emcee on the stage was enthusiastically announcing, “Let’s give a round of applause to the most beautiful bride…”

The applause rained down like a storm.

Ji Fanling stood in the shadows along the wall beneath the stage, listening as two waiters whispered quietly behind her:

“Hey, did you know? The bride is seven years older than the groom.”

“You don’t know anything. She’s the eldest daughter of the Fang family… She has inheritance rights. The bride’s side paid for the entire engagement hall. If it were you, wouldn’t you marry her?”

“Got it. Skipping thirty years of struggle—he’s truly a role model for us all.”

“Watch what you’re saying!” someone scolded in a low voice, walking over. “Be careful, or the guests will complain. Get back to preparing the dishes!”

The waiters responded and dispersed. By this time, the bride had reached the stage and stood beside the groom. The emcee’s warm and confident voice echoed through the speakers.

Cheng Jiali listened absentmindedly, his gaze drifting leisurely among the guests, carrying a relaxed and effortless charm.

Then, casually, his eyes landed on Ji Fanling in the corner.

His smile abruptly froze, and his fox-like eyes narrowed slightly.

Ji Fanling locked eyes with him across the crowd, her heart skipping a beat.

Instinctively, she took two steps back into the shadows behind her.

The stage was dazzlingly bright, and in that fleeting yet drawn-out moment…

Across the span of ten years, the man on the stage gradually, cruelly, merged inch by inch with the boy who had once stood in a sea of roses in a crowded classroom, smiling recklessly.

…

“How about it? I’ll wait patiently.”

“I can wait a day, or even ten years if needed.”

Ji Fanling couldn’t breathe. Memories of their past flooded her like a tidal wave, overwhelming her.

She felt like a mouse that had accidentally stumbled into someone else’s life, the sight of their happiness stinging her eyes.

Carrying the remnants of her youthful affection from ten years ago, she had come uninvited, crashing into the grand and solemn wedding he was now celebrating.

It all felt so out of place.

The emcee spoke up: “Now then, does the groom have anything he’d like to say to our bride?”

Cheng Jiali withdrew his gaze.

After taking the microphone, he spoke lazily, “First of all, I want to thank Miss Fang for inviting me to her wedding.”

The guests below the stage burst into laughter.

Amid the roaring laughter, the girl pulled down her hat to cover her face and turned to leave in a panic, only to bump head-on into a waiter carrying freshly served dishes.

The waiter quickly apologized in a low voice. Ji Fanling muttered a hurried “Sorry” and, without looking back, lowered the brim of her hat and ran out.

…

She didn’t even hear the flustered voice behind her:

“—Hey! Miss, you dropped something…”

*

The wedding ceremony concluded, and the banquet hall lights brightened. Guests, seated at tables laden with sumptuous dishes, exchanged toasts and engaged in cheerful conversation.

Cheng Jiali, with one hand in his pocket and the other holding a wine glass, walked leisurely off the stage. He wandered among the tables, glancing around as if searching for something.

A few days ago, just after he returned to the country and got off the plane, he noticed several missed calls on his phone. When he called back, he found himself speaking with a male college student he had never met before.

The college student explained that a high school girl had borrowed his phone to call Cheng Jiali.

As for who that high school girl was, the college student didn’t know either.

Cheng Jiali didn’t give the matter much thought, assuming it was just a case of mistaken identity.

However, today, while standing on the stage, that brief glimpse he caught was unmistakable…

A hand suddenly extended from a nearby table, grabbing his arm.

“Hey, what are you looking for?”

“—Anyone who didn’t know better would think you lost your wife,” the best man teased, winking. “Isn’t the bride changing her outfit backstage?”

“Get lost.” Cheng Jiali laughed and scolded. “Do I need you to tell me where Jingyun is?”

Noticing Cheng Jiali, the people around him immediately stood up to offer the groom a toast. Cheng Jiali waved them off, saying they should wait until Jingyun finished changing her dress so they could toast together—he couldn’t sneak off alone. Everyone immediately sighed in admiration, remarking how affectionate the couple was, saying their own seven-year relationships couldn’t compare.

Cheng Jiali draped his arm over the best man’s shoulder and pulled him aside for a private word. “Just now, while you were over here, did you see a girl around sixteen or seventeen years old?”

“The bride’s little niece?”

“No, not someone from Jingyun’s side… About this tall, wearing an oversized black jacket, jeans, sneakers, and a hat. Very skinny and pale.”

“…”

The best man stretched his neck, scanning the room. “Didn’t see anyone like that. Could she be another hotel guest who wandered in? … What’s going on with her?”

—What’s going on with her?

Cheng Jiali narrowed his eyes.

Just a moment ago, as the roaming colored spotlights swept across the dim corners below the stage, the vibrant lights briefly illuminated the girl’s face.

Amidst such dazzling colors, he seemed to catch a glimpse of her slightly reddened eyes beneath soft strands of hair. Her pale face, cold as frost, stood out amidst the stifling atmosphere of the banquet and crowd, unexpectedly piercing his numb heart.

“It’s nothing, she just looks a bit like…”

Cheng Jiali paused meaningfully. “She looks like my first love.”

The best man, who had been helping him look for the girl, turned back with a laugh and playfully punched him. “Get out of here. I’ll tell your wife later!”

They exchanged a few more words, and then Cheng Jiali casually said, “By the way, I remember there was a camera installed at the registration desk to record guests entering, right?”

“Yeah.”

“—Make sure the full recording stays intact. Don’t delete anything. Send it to me tonight.”