Chapter 69

Leaving the marriage registration office, Xu Zhiyi felt her father’s grip on her wrist, as if leading a child.

“You going with us to the hotel, or riding with Sixun?” Xu Xiangyi asked his daughter. They were headed to the hotel for lunch, where both families would celebrate Jiang Sixun’s birthday.

Xu Zhiyi glanced at Jiang Sixun behind them, then said, “I’ll go with my parents.”

Jiang Sixun nodded, saying, “I’ll go with Grandpa.”

After a slight pause, he turned to Xu Xiangyi, “Dad, you know which hotel we’re going to, right?”

“…”

No one had expected the question.

Xu Heng, with a teasing smirk, chimed in, “Haven’t even given him the ‘address change fee’ yet, and you’re in such a hurry.”

Jiang Sixun shot him a look. “I don’t need an address change fee.”

“…”

It took a moment for Xu Xiangyi to realize what was happening. Then he laughed softly, “Sixun, are you calling me Dad?”

Jiang Sixun nodded solemnly. “Yes, Dad.”

After thirty years of being called “Uncle Xu,” being addressed as “Dad” caught Xu Xiangyi off guard. For a few seconds, he didn’t know what to do, but eventually, he smiled warmly, “I know where the hotel is.”

As he turned back around, Xu Zhiyi leaned against his arm, teasing, “Dad, how does it feel?”

Xu Xiangyi smiled, “Like I’m dizzy.”

It had been a chaotic day. He had forgotten to prepare the “address change” red envelope.

But Lu Jianbo had prepared his carefully. He had been looking forward to this day for a long time—hoping for his son’s marriage registration, the wedding, and then the grandchildren.

“Zhiyi, the address change fee.”

He handed her two special red envelopes—one from himself and one from Jiang Yueru.

Xu Zhiyi gladly accepted, “Thank you, Dad.”

She vaguely remembered that the “address change fee” was typically given during the wedding. “Isn’t this supposed to be for the wedding?” she asked, slightly puzzled.

Lu Jianbo chuckled, “Consider this a rehearsal. There will be more during the wedding.”

For him, the meaning of all his hard work and wealth was probably this moment, right here.

The two mothers walked at the back, linking arms and whispering to each other.

Lu Jianbo stood by his car, waiting for his ex-wife while Xu XiangYi’and Jiang Sixun went ahead to the hotel.

“Yueru, ride in my car. I need to talk to you.”

Jiang Yueru gave He Yi’an a look, signaling they would continue their conversation at the hotel. Without hesitation, she walked toward her ex-husband’s car. She never would have done this before, but now—she had let go.

She got in the back seat, only to realize there was no driver. The front seat was empty.

Just as she wondered, the driver’s door opened, and Lu Jianbo slipped into the seat.

Today, he was driving himself—just like many years ago.

The difference now was, she was no longer sitting in the passenger seat.

Lu Jianbo removed his suit jacket and threw it onto the passenger seat. As he unbuckled his seatbelt, he glanced in the rearview mirror at his ex-wife, who was still staring out the window.

The car started, slowly rolling down a familiar road—one they had traveled over thirty years ago. Ironically, the marriage registration office where their son, Sixun, had chosen to get his certificate was the same place where he and his ex-wife had once done the same.

Back then, there were no family witnesses. Her father had found out about the registration and had a huge argument with her over the phone, threatening to sever their father-daughter relationship forever.

For him, she had fallen out with her family.

But in the end, he had betrayed her love.

Lu Jianbo looked at his ex-wife once more in the rearview mirror. She was still in the same position, unmoving.

“You bought a place in New York so far from Sixun’s house,” he said, breaking the silence. “It’s inconvenient for you to visit. If you bought it because you didn’t want to see me, I’ll go to our son’s place less often. You should move closer to him.”

Jiang Yueru didn’t respond. She had simply liked that house. It had nothing to do with anyone else.

Over the years, she had gotten used to living alone. Her lifestyle and routines differed from those of the younger generation. She didn’t want to live with Sixun and his family. Being alone at home was fine; it gave her the freedom to do whatever she wanted.

Today, she had agreed to ride in his car, but there was something she needed to say. She turned her attention from the window and faced him, her voice calm, but resolute, “From now on, you prepare things for your children separately. Don’t take it upon yourself to prepare things for me. As for the ‘address change’ red envelope, tell me what you gave, and I’ll pay you back. It’s only right that our son spends your money. I have no ties to you anymore, and I don’t want any involvement in money matters.”

Lu Jianbo glanced at the rearview mirror again. She happened to be looking back at him, too.

In that instant, their eyes met—separated by thousands of miles, yet still connected.

He nodded, not wanting to upset her. “Alright. I’ll send the details to your inbox tonight.”

They drove a bit further off the usual route, since Jiang Yueru wasn’t familiar with this part of the road. He had deliberately taken a longer path, even making a stop at a bakery to pick up a cake for Sixun.

It took a bit longer than expected, and they ended up arriving at the hotel last.

Finally, Lu Jianbo parked and unbuckled his seatbelt. “I’m going to grab the cake for our son,” he said to his ex-wife.

Jiang Yueru opened her mouth to say something, but hesitated. Why not just have the cake delivered to the hotel? But the question felt unnecessary, so she kept it to herself.

She watched him walk quickly across the street to pick up the cake, his back growing smaller in the distance. It was like seeing an unreal scene—if he hadn’t cheated, this moment would’ve simply been a normal part of their lives.

An extra hour had been added to their journey because of the detour and the cake pickup, and they were the last to arrive at the hotel.

The private room door swung open, and Jiang Yueru walked in holding a bouquet of flowers, with Lu Jianbo following behind, carrying the cake.

Jiang Sixun looked up as his parents entered.

It felt like an unreal dream.

Xu Zhiyi noticed the brief moment of stunned silence on the man’s face. Beneath the table, she squeezed his hand tightly.

“…” Jiang Sixun winced at the sudden pain, letting out a soft hiss, his breath catching in his throat.

He turned to look at her, both amused and helpless.

Xu Zhiyi gently stroked the spot where she had pinched him, her voice soft as she asked, “Still hurt?”

Jiang Sixun replied with a smile, “No, it doesn’t hurt.”

Xu Zhiyi raised an eyebrow, teasing, “Now you know it’s not a dream, right?”

Jiang Sixun chuckled, “If it were a dream, you’d have pinched me awake.”

Xu Zhiyi grinned and playfully poked his palm.

She had always loved poking at his fingers and palms, a habit he had long since grown accustomed to.

Jiang Yueru handed a bouquet of flowers to Xu Zhiyi. “These flowers are to celebrate your marriage registration today. I wish you and Sixun eternal happiness and love.”

Xu Zhiyi accepted them with one hand and wrapped the other around Jiang Yueru for a warm hug. “Thank you, Mom.”

The cake was meant to celebrate Jiang Sixun’s birthday. Lu Jianbo carefully lit the candles for his son.

Xu Cheng opened his phone, ready to record, and raised his chin toward the birthday boy with a playful smile, “Make a wish.”

Jiang Sixun simply blew out the candles, “No need for a wish. Anything I want, Zhiyi will make it happen.”

Xu Zhiyi tilted her head, a soft smile playing on her lips as she watched him. Though she wasn’t fond of sweet foods, she had eaten two pieces of cake today.

After the birthday celebrations, both families left the island that night.

Jiang Yueru and Lu Jianbo returned to New York, though on different flights.

Xu Xiangyi first saw his parents off to Shanghai, and then he had to head to New York for a business trip.

The two of them escorted their parents through security, watching them disappear into the boarding area. When they returned to their seaside apartment, Xu Zhiyi slipped out of her gown and headed for a long, relaxing bath. It had been a day filled with happiness, busyness, and fulfillment.

After soaking in the bath, she changed into a comfortable nightdress.

When she stepped out of the bathroom, she saw that the man had already showered in the room next door. He sat on the couch in a dark bathrobe, the lights dim, and the city lights outside cast a soft glow into the room.

Jiang Sixun held a wine glass in his hand, idly swirling it, his eyes unfocused as they drifted toward the floor-to-ceiling window.

Without a word, Xu Zhiyi raised her leg and climbed into his lap.

On instinct, Jiang Sixun’s hands went to her waist, tightening his grip. “That fast?”

“Can’t soak for too long,” she murmured.

With her legs wrapped around his waist, she leaned in and asked, “What were you thinking just now?”

He handed her the wine glass. “Try a sip, it’s good.” Then, he answered her, “I was thinking about where we should take our wedding photos.”

Xu Zhiyi took a small sip of the red wine, “I haven’t even thought that far yet.”

Jiang Sixun smiled, “You don’t have to worry about that. I’ll take care of it.”

She took another sip of wine, her lips brushing against his as she tried to respond…

She poured him half of her wine, but the liquid slipped down his chin and trickled into the hollow of his neck.

“Why doesn’t it spill when you feed it to me?” she asked, wiping the red wine from his neck.

Jiang Sixun teased her, “Because I bought the wine. Just listen to me.”

Xu Zhiyi smiled, setting her glass aside on the small table. She wrapped her arms around his neck, gently biting his lips.

Jiang Sixun lightly patted her leg. “Sit properly.”

She lowered her legs from his waist and settled onto his lap, her knees pressing against the side of the sofa.

Jiang Sixun untied the belt of his bathrobe, pulling her into its warmth. The robe was loose, and the tie long enough that he knotted it securely behind her.

Xu Zhiyi kissed him softly, but he held her head, deepening the kiss.

Wrapped in the bathrobe, she felt safe. After the kiss ended, she rested her head on his shoulder.

“Have you decided where you want to take our wedding photos?” he asked.

Jiang Sixun answered, “We have a house in Shanghai with a garden and a greenhouse. We can take plenty of photos there. And at Grandpa’s old house. Do you want to go to Hawaii’s beaches?”

Xu Zhiyi nodded in his shoulder. “But you have to buy me spicy beef tacos.”

Jiang Sixun couldn’t see her face, but he ran his hand along her cheek, caressing her skin. “Okay.”

She whispered, “Let’s take another walk by the sea, just the two of us.”

He smiled. “Two walks.”

With the wedding photo locations decided, she asked about the photographer.

Jiang Sixun responded, “We don’t need to search for one. It’ll be someone from our family. My eldest nephew’s wife is the photographer. Didn’t you remember?”

“If you hadn’t reminded me, I would’ve completely forgotten,” Xu Zhiyi admitted. She was quite close to Jiang Baichuan, her husband’s nephew. She had invested in several projects that had successfully gone public, and Baichuan’s investment bank had been one of the underwriters.

“I still get confused about which cousin belongs to which uncle’s family,” she admitted, laughing.

Jiang Sixun smiled. “My eldest uncle has five kids. My oldest cousin, second cousin, and third cousin are all from the same mother. My uncle’s first wife passed away before I even met her, and then he remarried.”

“My fourth and fifth brothers are from his current wife.”

“My eldest nephew, Jiang Baichuan, is the son of my eldest cousin. My niece, Jiang Xiaomi, is from my second cousin’s family.”

“From my second uncle’s family, there are two kids. They’re both cousins. Zhengzheng’s father is the eldest, and the second, Jiang Chengyu—don’t you know him well?”

Xu Zhiyi nodded. She had only met Zhengzheng’s father once and had forgotten what he looked like, but Jiang Chengyu, she saw frequently during golf games with Xu Cheng.

Jiang Sixun continued, “And my third uncle’s family needs no introduction. You know Jiang Shenghe best.”

He said, “If you can’t remember, no worries. I’ll take you back during the New Year and introduce you to everyone, one by one.”

Xu Zhiyi asked, “If we go back for the New Year, will my second and third uncles start pushing for a wedding?”

Jiang Sixun rested his chin on her forehead. “We’re already married. What more is there to push for?”

Xu Zhiyi smiled. “I’m so silly.”

She hugged him tightly. He was her husband now.

From now on, every day, they would have each other.

Jiang Sixun wrapped his arms tighter around her, placing a kiss on the top of her head, but didn’t take things further.

Tonight, he just wanted to hold her close.

Six years ago, when he sat here alone, he had no such extravagant hopes. All he could think about was how he would manage when the day came that she married someone else. What kind of wedding gift would be appropriate for her? How would he maintain his composure, without showing how he truly felt?

Shaking off those thoughts, he reached for his phone on the couch and sent a message to his eldest nephew: [How long has it been since I saw you?]

Jiang Baichuan replied quickly: [Only four days. What do you want?]

It was only Tuesday—last Friday, they had just met in Hong Kong. Their work meant they ran into each other regularly.

Jiang Sixun chuckled: [Feels like it’s been years. I’ll swing by Manhattan to visit you, keep in touch.]

Jiang Baichuan: [No need to stay in touch. I see you more often than I see my wife.]

They exchanged some playful banter before Jiang Baichuan got back to the point: [What do you need from me?]

Jiang Sixun replied: [I’m thinking of taking wedding photos before the New Year. Can you ask Su Yang when she’s available? I’m not sure how busy she’ll be by the end of the year.]

Jiang Baichuan: [She’s definitely busy. I can take the photos for you. I’ve gotten pretty good at it over the years.]

Jiang Sixun: “…”