At the end of the month, the Tang family held a wedding, and when Ning Zhiyuan thought of this, he was already on the way to the hotel with Cen Zhisen.

“I didn’t bring cash. Let’s combine the gift money with yours, and I’ll transfer it to you later.”

Ning Zhiyuan said, putting down the sun visor in front of his seat and adjusting his tie in the mirror.

Cen Zhisen was driving and glanced at him, suppressing a smile, “Sure.”

“Snap!” Ning Zhiyuan covered the sun visor again, leaning back in his seat, “Earlier, didn’t Tang Shujie say the wedding wouldn’t be so soon? It’s only been a few months. Why are they having the wedding now?”

“Yeah,” Cen Zhisen casually explained, “both families were pressing, and he wanted it himself.”

Ning Zhiyuan was slightly surprised, “He wanted it himself?”

Cen Zhisen replied, “You’ll see when you meet him.”

He parked the car by the side, leaned over, and helped Ning Zhiyuan loosen his tie, then tied a neat knot.

“You should wear a bow tie for a wedding,” Cen Zhisen reminded him.

“Well, I had no choice,” Ning Zhiyuan said, “I was working in the afternoon, almost forgot until you mentioned it.”

Cen Zhisen inexplicably remembered when Ning Zhiyuan said he even disliked Tang Shujie, feeling amused. No wonder he wasn’t paying much attention.

Ning Zhiyuan stared into the eyes of the person in front of him, suddenly asking, “Cen Zhisen, do you envy others?”

“I don’t,” Cen Zhisen replied.

After finishing, he looked at Ning Zhiyuan and continued, “I think we are the ones others envy.”

“Oh.”

Just one word, but the joy in his voice was not hidden at all.

Cen Zhisen smiled again, let go of his hand, sat back, and started the car again.

The wedding was held at a resort hotel in the suburbs. Ning Zhiyuan quickly understood the meaning behind Cen Zhisen’s “he wanted it himself.” Tang Shujie followed his wife, caring for her attentively, appearing completely enamored. Compared to a few months ago when they seemed indifferent, the rapid transformation was astonishing.

Thinking back to the speed at which this person changed girlfriends in the past, Ning Zhiyuan couldn’t understand; love seemed utterly irrational.

“I actually had a feeling the first time I saw her. I thought she was the one.”

The playboy recounted his love story unabashedly.

Ning Zhiyuan once again thought of the question he had asked several people before. The answer Tang Shujie gave probably wasn’t very reliable since from ignorance to understanding, Cen Zhisen had already become a part of his life at the very beginning.

He had also asked Tang Shiqi before, asking why she, who initially saw her bodyguard as just a plaything, later took it to heart. The answer from the young lady was, “He’s different from others. I’m happy and relaxed when I’m with him. He’s special, so it’s love.”

Special, so it was identified as love. Ning Zhiyuan felt that perhaps he was a bit hasty, but not entirely unreasonable.

After chatting with the groom for a while and giving their gifts, Cen Zhisen asked Ning Zhiyuan to do as he pleased while he went to change clothes.

Ning Zhiyuan only then realized that he had to be a groomsman, so he followed him to the changing room. “Why didn’t you tell me earlier?”

“I thought you knew,” Cen Zhisen said. “I was supposed to accompany him to pick up the bride. An urgent job got in the way, so I came straight to the hotel.”

“So your task is to help him with the toasts later?” Ning Zhiyuan asked.

Cen Zhisen nodded helplessly, “You guessed it.”

Ning Zhiyuan chuckled, helped him tie the bow tie, and slid his fingers up to touch his Adam’s apple, “Sorry, you’ll have to handle it yourself.”

Afterwards, Cen Zhisen went to help with the reception of guests with Tang Shujie, and Ning Zhiyuan didn’t follow. He went to the outdoor lawn of the wedding.

There were already quite a few people, chatting and socializing in groups. In the crowd, he saw Cen Shengli with Cen Zhe, talking with a few old friends.

Knowing the friendship between the Tang family and the Cen family for decades, Ning Zhiyuan had long known that Cen Shengli would definitely attend. Not only him, but Xu Lan also brought the two younger ones along, and the whole family came to celebrate.

After a moment’s hesitation, Ning Zhiyuan walked over.

Cen Zhe noticed him first, quietly reminded Cen Shengli, who turned his head and was delighted to see Ning Zhiyuan, “Zhiyuan, come over.”

Ning Zhiyuan approached and called out, “Dad,” then politely addressed others as “uncle.”

These people were all old friends of Cen Shengli, and they weren’t surprised by his attitude towards Ning Zhiyuan.

After exchanging pleasantries, someone else came over to greet them—a middle-aged Confucian businessman, a friend of the Tang family in the business world who also had a good relationship with Cen Shengli. He brought his wife and daughter along.

After mutual introductions, it seemed that the other person was quite interested in Ning Zhiyuan. He specifically mentioned that his daughter was a fellow alumna at the same university, majoring in art and graduating just last year.

Ning Zhiyuan looked over. The girl in her early twenties was beautiful, with a gentle and quiet temperament. When their eyes met, she seemed a bit shy.

He took the initiative to nod, saying, “Hello.”

The girl also replied, “Hello.”

Seemingly noticing something, Cen Shengli gestured for Ning Zhiyuan to accompany the girl to get some snacks. “You young people must find it boring here. Go somewhere else for a while.”

Ning Zhiyuan found it somewhat amusing, considering that Cen Zhe was still around; he was also a young person.

However, since Cen Shengli had spoken, he had to give face. So, he gracefully invited the girl to walk around.

At the dessert table, he picked up a plate, took a piece of cake, and handed it to the girl.

She thanked him and hesitated, wanting to say something. Ning Zhiyuan took the initiative to start a conversation, talking about his life abroad. The girl’s responses noticeably increased.

Ning Zhiyuan had heard about this girl’s name before because she was frequently mentioned due to her beauty. He had some impression of her. She was from the Tian family, the only daughter in the family, studying art. Her parents probably hoped for a capable son-in-law to inherit the family business, but unexpectedly, she fell for him.

Cen Shengli might have known these things, so he facilitated the conversation.

Perhaps he was indeed a good choice, capable in his own right, but destined to have no connection with the Cen family business. He was suitable to be someone else’s successful son-in-law.

Thinking about these things, Ning Zhiyuan was somewhat absent-minded. When he looked up, he saw Cen Zhisen not far away. He had just come over with a few guests, glanced at Ning Zhiyuan’s direction for a second, and then shifted his gaze away.

Ning Zhiyuan found it amusing. It wasn’t his choice; it was their father’s idea.

The girl also tried to find a topic to chat with him, talking about her favorite music and asking if he was interested.

Ning Zhiyuan tilted his head, smiling, “I like canons.”

The girl blushed slightly at his smile. Ning Zhiyuan remembered the absurd evening in Cen Zhisen’s office, and his expression became even more relaxed.

“Let’s walk by the lakeside ahead,” he suggested.

They walked to the lakeside together. Ning Zhiyuan picked up a pebble, threw it onto the lake surface, and it skipped five or six times before sinking.

The girl widened her eyes slightly.

“It’s been a long time since I played, and I’m a bit rusty,” he clapped his hands, telling her, “When I was a kid, it was a person close to me who taught me how to play this. But I should be better than them now.”

The girl was stunned for a moment, “Do you have a girlfriend? Are you childhood sweethearts?”

“Sort of,” Ning Zhiyuan said with a smile.

The girl came back to her senses and apologized awkwardly, “I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay. My dad didn’t know about it. He only asked me to accompany you to get food just now. I should apologize to you too,” Ning Zhiyuan said.

The girl nodded, relaxed after speaking, and sighed, “You and your girlfriend must have a great relationship. Your eyes lit up when you mentioned her.”

“Really?” Ning Zhiyuan hadn’t noticed it himself. “I should pay more attention.”

The girl said, “Observers often see things more clearly. A smile from the heart can also light up the eyes.”

Ning Zhiyuan laughed, “You are indeed an art student.”

The girl also laughed, “Really, the feeling of loving someone is like this.”

Ning Zhiyuan thought for a moment. Was it love?

This time, he didn’t need to ask; he seemed to have received a new answer.

After exchanging a few words, the girl went back to the other end of the lawn.

Ning Zhiyuan remained alone by the lake, picking up a pebble and tossing it into the water. Ripples spread across the surface, shimmering in the twilight.

A new message from Cen Zhisen appeared on his phone: “Where are you? The wedding is about to start.”

Ning Zhiyuan replied with a “coming,” locked the screen, and put it back in his pocket. Finally, he looked at the halo of light on the distant lake surface, smiled, and returned to the wedding scene.

He was a bit late when he arrived, and the wedding ceremony had already begun. Instead of moving forward, he stood at the back to observe.

The live band played the canon again, and Ning Zhiyuan, holding a champagne glass with one hand in his pocket, quietly listened to the music.

The stifling heat of midsummer evenings was gradually smoothed away by such music.

Then he saw Cen Zhisen in front of the guests, behind the groom.

Although only a supporting role in this story, the surroundings filled with flowers and the twilight hues were not as captivating as him. In Ning Zhiyuan’s eyes, he was the only one visible.

Cen Zhisen turned his head, and when his gaze fell on Ning Zhiyuan, he raised his glass, signaling to him.

That person also stared at him for a long time, not looking away.

The ceremony continued, and they locked eyes as the newlyweds walked through the flowered archway.

Perhaps this was a path they could never walk in their lifetime, but it didn’t matter. In this moment, the summer breeze, the champagne in hand, the petals falling from the sky, and the lingering and melancholic music were all witnesses.

After the ceremony came the wedding banquet in the indoor hall. Ning Zhiyuan sat next to Cen Shengli, who asked about his feelings towards the girl from earlier. Helplessly, Ning Zhiyuan said, “Dad, we’re not really compatible.”

“Why not?” Cen Shengli didn’t understand. “Her father admires you, and she herself is good-looking, has a good personality, and is talented. The family relationships are also simple. I think it’s quite good.”

“Dad,” Ning Zhiyuan explained, “I’m not thinking about these things for now. Let’s focus on our careers first.”

“Why are you like your brother? You’re almost thirty and still don’t want to get married,” Cen Shengli said, but when he thought of Cen Zhisen’s reasons for not wanting to get married, he felt a bit choked up.

Ning Zhiyuan’s gaze followed Cen Zhisen. He was accompanying Tang Shujie and the bride toasting all around, one glass after another. He had already drunk quite a lot.

“Brother is going to get drunk,” Ning Zhiyuan chuckled, just watching the fun.

Cen Shengli sighed, his attention diverted by Ning Zhiyuan’s words, and he didn’t continue.

The wedding banquet wasn’t over yet when Ning Zhiyuan saw Cen Zhisen leaving the banquet hall.

After a while, he put down the wine glass, found an excuse to get up, and also left the seat.

Cen Zhisen went to the restroom; drinking too much indeed made him uncomfortable. After coming out, he simply found a lounge to rest for a while.

Loosening his tie and sitting on the sofa, he closed his eyes, leaning lazily and unwilling to move again.

The door to the lounge was pushed open again, and someone entered. Cen Zhisen was too lazy to open his eyes.

When he felt the light above his head go out, he subconsciously frowned. Just as he was about to speak, he heard familiar footsteps.

The words that were about to be spoken were not uttered. Cen Zhisen still kept his eyes closed, leaning against the back of the sofa, in a more relaxed posture than before.

The familiar scent approached, and he heard a short laugh. His knees sank, and the person had already sat on his lap.

Facing each other with their breaths close, Cen Zhisen never moved, nor did he speak, calmly waiting for the next move.

Ning Zhiyuan assessed the person in front of him for a moment and then loosened his own tie.

When his eyes were blindfolded, Cen Zhisen was slightly surprised, but he cooperated and let him.

Gently caressing Cen Zhisen’s face, Ning Zhiyuan vaguely felt that more than one person was intoxicated.

He turned his head, bit the person’s lip, and his tongue entered the other’s mouth, passionately kissing.

Their lips and tongues intertwined intimately. Perhaps since the moment of the wedding ceremony, they couldn’t wait any longer.

Cen Zhisen’s hands, raised up, massaged his back vigorously, letting Ning Zhiyuan’s tongue ravage his mouth.

Ning Zhiyuan’s kissing style was urgent and aggressive, even a bit reckless. It was completely different from his composed demeanor in front of others. Only in front of Cen Zhisen, he became increasingly unable to maintain composure.

As the breath became even heavier, the light above their heads lit up again.

Ning Zhiyuan’s movements paused for just a moment. He adjusted the frequency of his breathing and began to kiss Cen Zhisen in a more lingering manner. Cen Zhisen indulged him, and the hand roaming on his back felt like a caress, carrying a hint of encouragement.

The corner of the lounge where they sat was on the other side, shielded by a large potted plant against the wall. People coming from outside wouldn’t notice this side space unless they looked closely.

So, they felt confident and fearless.

People occasionally entered and exited the lounge, and the noisy sounds were just nearby. Yet, in their secluded world behind the corner, they continued their passionate kiss.

The door on that side was pushed open again, and first came the clamorous voice of Cen Cong, the little rascal: “I want to play games!”

Then came the scolding voice of Xu Lan: “Playing games again! If you play games again, your eyes will go blind!”

“I want to play!”

Following that were the voices of Cen Shengli, Cen Zhe, the Cen family’s steward, and Cen Shengli’s assistant. Soon, the sound of mobile games also started, creating a lively atmosphere.

Cen Zhisen’s hand extended, and his thumb and forefinger pressed on either side of Ning Zhiyuan’s waist, gently kneading.

Ning Zhiyuan hugged his head with both hands, withdrawing his lips from Cen Zhisen’s, but the lip petals still pressed tightly, breathing heavily in suppression.

His tie was still blindfolding Cen Zhisen’s eyes.

Xu Lan asked if Cen Shengli wanted to match Ning Zhiyuan with someone else, reminding him that Ning Zhiyuan had a promiscuous personality. She cautioned about introducing him to a well-behaved girl, fearing future conflicts.

Cen Shengli was quite unhappy: “Ning Zhiyuan is no longer surnamed with me. Why do you care so much? Do you have to talk about him like this? It’s unnecessary.”

“Where did I do that?” Xu Lan said in a slightly aggrieved manner. “Aren’t I considering for your sake? What I said is all true, right?”

Cen Shengli, displeased, stated: “You don’t need to worry about Ning Zhiyuan. Even now, I don’t have a say in his matters. You don’t have to speak ill of him in front of me.”

Xu Lan replied, “So, are you going to worry about his girlfriend in the future? Do you still want to help organize his wedding as if marrying off your own son? Your eldest son doesn’t even have a partner yet, and you’re suddenly concerned about him.”

Cen Shengli didn’t respond further. Cen Zhe changed the topic, and the noise from the mobile games continued.

The lounge remained chaotic and lively. However, all the sounds seemed to be isolated from the inside.

Suddenly, Cen Zhisen’s hand moved from Ning Zhiyuan’s back and traveled up, pressing firmly on the back of his neck, forcefully pulling him closer.

His tongue entered Ning Zhiyuan’s mouth, reversing the roles and seizing Ning Zhiyuan’s breath.