CHAPTER 30

Early in the morning, Wen Yang was dragged out of bed by Xu Yi. Since they had decided to get their marriage certificate, there was no time to waste.

Yawning, Wen Yang got up, took out the household registration book and ID card that the system had prepared for her. From the moment the novel’s storyline ended, she was no longer the “Wen Yang” from the book—she was her own person, with no attachments in this world except for Xu Yi.

As for “Wen Yang’s” parents, after fast-forwarding through those seven years, Wen Yang finally understood why “Wen Yang” had gone to the city where her parents worked. The novel never detailed her experiences, but she learned everything from “Wen Yang’s” parents.

Li Yan, that scumbag, had set his sights on “Wen Yang” after the female lead left. Although he didn’t succeed, “Wen Yang” was utterly terrified. She called her parents, crying over the phone from thousands of miles away, only to be told that if she just found someone to marry, she wouldn’t have these troubles. Enraged, “Wen Yang” took all her money and went to her parents’ city. A young girl alone had no way to fight against a strong man—one lucky escape might not mean there would be a second.

But now, Wen Yang was the one who had lived through all of this. Annoying younger siblings, biased and self-serving parents—she would never allow anyone to impose suffering on her again.

Standing in front of the wardrobe, she searched for a white shirt. She had never been married before, but she had seen enough to know what to wear. She took down a white shirt from the hanger, paired it with black trousers, and tied her hair into a ponytail.

When she went downstairs, Xu Yi was still upstairs busy with something. At that moment, the old master approached and handed her an item wrapped in a handkerchief. “Take this. It was your grandmother’s bracelet, passed down to Xiao Yi’s mother. Now, it should be yours.”

Wen Yang unfolded the handkerchief, revealing a jade bracelet. She doubted it would fit her, but it was clearly a family heirloom, a symbol of tradition and blessing.

“Thank you, Grandpa.” Wen Yang gently ran her fingers over the cool jade and glanced at the staircase. “Can you tell me about Xu Yi’s parents?”

The old master chuckled. “Why not ask him yourself?”

“…I’m afraid it might bring up painful memories for him.”

“He wouldn’t be sad,” the old master assured her confidently.

Wen Yang took the bracelet upstairs to put it away. Before leaving, she checked the mirror and felt her lips looked too pale, so she applied some lipstick.

The moment she opened the door, Xu Yi was already standing outside, waiting for her. He raised the documents in his hand. “Give me yours.”

Wen Yang handed him her bag without hesitation.

Lin Huashan, seeing the two of them looking so fresh and vibrant, asked, “Where are you two off to?”

A suspicion formed in his mind.

“Getting our marriage certificate,” Xu Yi replied.

Lin Huashan immediately shot up from his seat. “Getting married?!”

“Getting married?” Aunt Zhang appeared out of nowhere.

Xu Yi had no idea how what was supposed to be just between him and Wen Yang had suddenly turned into a full family affair. His idle grandfather even called Xu Chenglin. By the time their car arrived at the Civil Affairs Bureau, Xu Chenglin was already there, having beaten them to it.

Xu Chenglin walked up to them. “Xiao Yi, why didn’t you tell me you were getting married?”

“Even if I didn’t tell you, you still showed up,” Xu Yi retorted.

Hand in hand, he led Wen Yang inside the hall. Since it wasn’t a particularly auspicious date, the place wasn’t too crowded, and in less than half an hour, it was their turn.

Under the watchful eyes of the staff, they filled out the forms, waited for approval, and then proceeded to take their marriage certificate photos.

The photographer peeked out from behind the lens. “Smile a little, you two look too serious.”

Xu Yi turned to Wen Yang. He had matched her expression perfectly—it wouldn’t look right if only one of them smiled.

“We’re going for the cold and aloof style,” Xu Yi informed the photographer.

“Alright then.”

Click.

The moment he got his hands on the coveted marriage certificate, Xu Yi quickly let Wen Yang take a glimpse before tucking it away.

“I’ll keep it safe.”

Wen Yang, with her hands empty, shrugged. “All yours.”

Their driver and the two elders were waiting for them outside. Xu Chenglin shamelessly tagged along for the ride, and inside the car, the three elders immediately started discussing wedding plans.

Neither Xu Yi nor Wen Yang participated. Wen Yang had no interest in the exhausting process of a wedding, while Xu Yi had no intention of following their plans anyway.

Xu Yi leaned in and whispered, “What kind of wedding do you want?”

Wen Yang replied, “Something simple, not too many people.”

Honestly, she would rather not have one at all, but she knew Xu Yi would never agree.

“You’re the bride, you should make more demands.”

Wen Yang thought for a moment. “The groom should be present.”

Xu Yi chuckled, clearly pleased. He hooked his finger around hers, pressed his forehead against her shoulder, and laughed so hard his entire body trembled, making Wen Yang shake along with him.

—

At noon, Xu Chenglin stayed for lunch at the villa, as usual receiving nothing but Xu Yi’s cold shoulder. But today, he didn’t seem to mind—he had more important things to focus on.

Along with Aunt Zhang and the old master, he sat with a stack of wedding planning books, discussing various themes—Western, traditional Chinese, vintage, fantasy—each more elaborate than the last.

By the afternoon, they had selected a perfect “three-in-one” plan.

“Come down and take a look, we’ve picked the wedding plan,” Lin Huashan called out, neatly laying out the booklets on the table.

Xu Yi remained indifferent. “Grandpa, I have my own ideas for the wedding.”

“Then—” Lin Huashan was initially frustrated that Xu Yi hadn’t said so earlier, but after a moment, he realized that a personally designed wedding would be far more meaningful. “Fine, but at least use these for reference. Don’t let our efforts go to waste.”

—

Wen Yang had an appointment to try on wedding dresses. Xiao Yan, as her bridesmaid, was coming along to pick out her own dress. Upon hearing this, Fu Xuan insisted on joining as well.

Xu Yi thought about his energetic group of groomsmen and, imagining Wen Yang standing alone with just one bridesmaid, decided to allow Fu Xuan in.

At the bridal boutique, Fu Xuan twirled in front of a full-length mirror, her gown’s heavy skirt sweeping over the carpet. “This dress is too pretty—it makes me want to get married right away.”

Beside her, Xiao Yan was also trying on a gown. The mermaid-cut design accentuated her beautifully proportioned waist and hips, showing no trace of her past pregnancy. Having given birth at twenty-three and been cared for by a loving husband, she had shed her youthful innocence, becoming even more elegant and alluring.

The two bridesmaids temporarily went on strike, admiring their own beautiful faces and graceful figures. With the shop assistant beside them showering them with exaggerated praise, Xiao Yan was ready to swipe her card on the spot to buy the dress, planning to keep it alongside the one she wore for her own wedding in her wardrobe.

Fu Xuan had already emptied her personal savings to start a company and was now practically broke. “Sister-in-law~”

“Put it on the card. We’ll buy them together.”

“Alright.” The shop assistant smiled as she accepted the card.

Another shop assistant seized the opportunity and stepped forward. “Ladies, would you like to check out our latest collection?”

“Yes!”

“Yes!”

The two spoke in unison.

Meanwhile, Wen Yang emerged from the fitting room in her wedding dress, but the other two were nowhere to be seen. A shop assistant helped adjust her train, and when they straightened up, they found themselves in the mirror alongside Wen Yang. They couldn’t help but sigh—her face paired with this wedding dress was simply breathtaking. She exuded a regal, sacred aura.

“Absolutely stunning,” one murmured. “Goddess Nuwa, you were too biased when creating her.”

Wen Yang looked at her reflection and put on a solemn and dignified expression.

A few shop assistants huddled together, admiring the beauty before them while speculating about her story.

“Is this a business marriage to solidify corporate alliances?”

“With wealth and status comes responsibility. Who knows? Maybe she never even wanted any of this.”

“Forcing love, marriage before romance, hidden affections after the wedding—there’s so much sweetness to imagine, yet you all insist on making it tragic. I don’t get it.”

“Exactly! Stop making it angsty for no reason.”

“Hmph, I like tragic endings.”

“You’re a heartless woman.”

At that moment, Xu Yi hadn’t even changed into his suit yet. He had come over to sneak a look at his bride.

When he saw Wen Yang standing on the circular platform, slightly turning her head before facing forward again, the mirror reflected her in the wedding dress, her expression sacred and untouchable. An indescribable beauty struck him like a wave. His heartbeat went out of control, as if it wanted to break free from his chest and rush toward his stunning bride.

Xu Yi stepped onto the platform. Wen Yang raised her hand to show off the engagement ring he had placed on her finger. “It goes well with the dress.”

Xu Yi said, “You look beautiful today.”

Wen Yang shot him a cool glance. “I know.”

Xu Yi wrapped an arm around her waist and gazed at their reflection in the mirror. “I love you so much.”

A group of young women nearby silently squealed with excitement: They’re perfect together!

The groomsmen, acting as unwilling third wheels: Damn, this is giving me butterflies.

Meanwhile, Qi Chen found Xiao Yan in the middle of a tug-of-war with Fu Xuan over a dress.

Fu Xuan: “I saw it first. You’re not allowed to fight me for it!”

Xiao Yan: “Even if I don’t fight, you can’t afford it. Just let me buy it, and you can come to my house to look at it whenever you want.”

Fu Xuan: “No way! If you buy it, it’ll be yours. Even if my mom beats me to death today, I will buy this dress.”

Xiao Yan: “Young people shouldn’t make impulsive purchases. Be rational. Spend within your means.”

Lin Xiao, having heard the commotion, came over to watch the drama unfold. His older brother and sister-in-law were having their lovey-dovey moment, so he figured he’d better not get in the way.

Qi Chen turned to him. “Lend me a hand. You grab one, I’ll grab the other.”

Together, Qi Chen and Lin Xiao pried the two wedding-dress-crazed women apart, while the shop assistant nervously protected the dress in between them.

Seeing her husband arrive, Xiao Yan immediately let go and ran to him to act cute. Fu Xuan glanced up at Lin Xiao—maintaining her image in front of a handsome man was crucial—so she also let go.

“Phew~” The shop assistant sighed in relief. The dress was safe.

---

Late August to early September—the lingering summer heat was relentless.

On the wedding day, the sun blazed high, with no wind or rain, just like the sweltering day they first met.

At the stroke of noon, the doors of the wedding hall slowly opened. Wen Yang walked in, her gaze locked onto Xu Yi’s. Her steps were steady and assured. The wedding venue was decorated in a dreamy starry-night theme, with shades of blue and purple. The ceiling was adorned with twinkling lights, and the red carpet was lined with pure white gardenias.

Xu Yi stepped forward to greet his bride, taking her hand. Under the gaze of their family and friends, they exchanged vows and rings, promising to find each other again in the next life.

Then, Xu Yi pressed a restrained, fleeting kiss to Wen Yang’s lips.

Xiao Yan stood to the side, tearing up. Qi Chen had somehow appeared beside her, placing a kiss on her hair. “You have a husband too, you know.”

Xiao Yan laughed through her tears. “I’m crying for their love, not mine.”

Fu Xuan, unwilling to be fed this much public affection, turned her gaze away—right onto Lin Xiao among the groomsmen. Just wait, pretty boy. I’ll make you mine and play you like a fiddle.

Xu Chenglin took off his glasses and wiped his tears. His son finally getting married was no easy feat.

The old master sat, grinning from ear to ear as he watched the newlyweds.

Aunt Zhang wasn’t as sentimental. She turned to scold her younger brother. “You’re in your forties, and even a kid you watched grow up has settled down before you. Are you planning to stay single forever?”

Zhang Yuan felt wronged. He had spent his days trailing behind his young master, barely having time to date. The women he saw most often were all young girls around Wen Yang’s age—what self-respecting little lady would want to date an old bachelor like him?

After the wedding, when they returned to the villa, the old master and Aunt Zhang very tactfully did not follow, leaving the young couple with some privacy.

Wen Yang got out of the car and stretched. The wedding hadn’t been particularly tiring, just a little exhausting.

Xu Yi had already moved all her belongings into the master bedroom. He went to take a shower first, while Wen Yang removed her makeup and changed into her nightwear, waiting for him to finish. But half an hour passed.

Unbeknownst to him, Xu Yi had extended his shower time by over tenfold.

In the bathroom, he was filled with nervous anticipation for what came after turning off the lights. He had done extensive research on certain topics, but now that the moment had arrived, he felt as if he’d already lost half the battle.

When Wen Yang saw that he was still dawdling, she went to her old guest room to take a shower instead.

When Xu Yi finally emerged, he found the room empty. Panicked, he went to search for her, only to see a faint light spilling from the slightly open door of the guest room. The sound of running water reassured him, and he sat down to blow-dry his hair while waiting for her.

Wen Yang walked out, drying her damp hair. Xu Yi immediately pulled her over. “Let me do it.”

His fingers gently combed through her hair as he carefully dried it.

Setting down the hairdryer, Xu Yi gathered all his courage and reached out to hold her.

Wen Yang quickly interjected, “I can walk by myself.”

Back in the master bedroom, she stood by the bed, suddenly filled with nerves.

Xu Yi took the initiative and turned off the lights, plunging the room into darkness.

“Now, I can hold you.”

And with that, he pulled her into his embrace, placing her gently onto the bed.

That night, Xu Yi guided Wen Yang through an entirely new world, sharing everything he had learned.

In the dim moonlight, Wen Yang saw the curve of his bare back—smooth and tense, as if he would sprout wings at any moment, like an angel ready to take flight.