If we were to count, this was the first wedding Ruan Jiujiu had ever attended.
The hotel’s parking lot was filled with luxury cars, as both Bai Long and Wei Tian came from well-off families, and their marriage was a harmonious union, fully supported by both sets of parents.
Bai Long had given Ruan Jiujiu a heads-up, informing her that someone would be waiting for her at the entrance to take her to the dressing room.
Ruan Jiujiu wasn’t very good at socializing, and the thought of entering a room filled with people made her feel a bit awkward. However, she wasn’t good at refusing, so after some consideration, she agreed.
It was a once-in-a-lifetime event, and she decided to go along with the bride’s wishes.
In the dressing room, Bai Long was sitting in front of the dressing table, getting her makeup touched up by a makeup artist.
As soon as Ruan Jiujiu entered, Bai Long warmly greeted her, “Jiujiu, you’re here!”
Standing beside her were several pretty bridesmaids, each with a different expression, sizing up this unfamiliar friend with a good appearance.
Ruan Jiujiu smiled and said, “You look really beautiful today!”
“Oh, you look great too…”
Bai Long smiled and let her take a seat, and one of the girls curiously asked, “Bai Long, aren’t you going to introduce this person?”
Before Bai Long could respond, Ruan Jiujiu replied, “We’re friends from a game.”
“Oh, I see…”
Bai Long was quick-witted and immediately understood that Ruan Jiujiu didn’t want to reveal her identity.
She winked at Ruan Jiujiu and said, “I haven’t seen you playing games lately. It seems like married life is harmonious.”
Ruan Jiujiu quickly waved her hand and said, “Oh no, it’s just that work has been too busy.”
When Bai Long made a playful remark about playing “Eating Together” next time, the other girls couldn’t help but burst into laughter, even the makeup artist’s hand trembled, and she rushed to suppress her laughter while trying to fix Bai Long’s makeup.
Ruan Jiujiu was momentarily stunned, but then she realized what they were implying and couldn’t help but laugh and sigh. It was probably best to pretend like nothing happened.
The wedding was scheduled to begin in half an hour.
Ruan Jiujiu couldn’t be of much help, so she left a small gift on Bai Long’s table and said she would go sit at the reception.
As she was about to leave, she almost bumped into someone.
“Sorry, sorry…”
“It’s okay, we haven’t collided yet.”
Several well-dressed groomsmen were smiling and joking.
Ruan Jiujiu raised her head, and as their playful expressions suddenly froze, one by one, they blushed and stared at Ruan Jiujiu, looking embarrassed.
They probably thought that the person coming out of the room was either one of the bridesmaids or a makeup artist, so they were taken aback to see such a beautiful woman.
Ruan Jiujiu politely smiled, then turned and left.
A few groomsmen entered the dressing room, and one of them asked Bai Long, “Who was that just now? She’s really beautiful. Has she graduated from college? Would she mind giving me her contact information?”
Bai Long glared at them playfully. “Forget it, she’s been married for several years already, and she’s older than me.”
“Come on, she looks so young!”
“Marriage doesn’t matter. I’ll be in line when she gets divorced!”
“Get lost!”
Bai Long laughed and scolded, “You guys are like toads lusting after swan’s meat. Even if she gets divorced, she wouldn’t be interested in rich second-generation guys like you.”
…
Ruan Jiujiu was unaware of the little incident in the dressing room.
At the banquet, almost half of the seats were filled.
Ruan Jiujiu deliberately walked in an inconspicuous area with dim lighting, found a corner, and sat down.
In the vast space, she didn’t recognize anyone, but she wasn’t embarrassed. She calmly sent a message to Cheng Jun and started chatting.
Ruan Jiujiu: [What are you up to?]
After a while, Cheng Jun replied: [Playing on my phone.]
Ruan Jiujiu: […Okay]
[Make sure to eat.]
Cheng Jun: [Alright.]
[When are you coming back?]
Ruan Jiujiu: [I’ll be back after the banquet ends.]
Cheng Jun: [I’ll pick you up.]
Cheng Jun said he wanted to come and pick up Ruan Jiujiu, which surprised her quite a bit.
After a moment’s thought, she realized that Cheng Jun didn’t have a car, and the drivers usually didn’t work on weekends. So, how was Cheng Jun planning to pick her up?
Would he take a taxi?
Ruan Jiujiu: [You don’t need to waste money. I can go back by myself.]
Cheng Jun: [I’ll be there on time.]
…
Cheng Jun, also known as Jun Zai, had a daily skill… refusing to switch to the same channel as Ruan Jiujiu.1“Jun Zai” (君在) is a Chinese phrase that can be translated to “you’re here” or “you’re present.” It is often used to express the idea that someone is currently present or in a particular place; in other words Cheng Jun’s daily skill is to avoid being in the same situation or on the same page as Ruan Jiujiu.
Since Cheng Jun insisted on picking her up, Ruan Jiujiu agreed.
Cheng Jun’s unusual behavior made her wonder if something would happen today. Ruan Jiujiu, being a woman, had a very accurate sixth sense.
For some reason, this made her recall the cake eaten in the snowy field without a ring and the fireworks Cheng Jun couldn’t set off.
While Ruan Jiujiu was lost in thought, the wedding began.
The emcee’s speech was incredibly infectious, and combined with photos of the couple on the big screen, he recounted their sweet and comical moments from when they met, causing everyone to burst into laughter one moment and be moved to tears the next.
Ruan Jiujiu found it amusing and joined in with the applause.
The bride, Bai Long, was undoubtedly the most beautiful today.
She wore a trailing white wedding dress, her slender arms lightly linked, and she walked slowly towards the groom.
The lights suddenly dimmed, leaving only two spotlights shining down on the couple. They locked eyes, their gazes filled with deeply touching affection.
Ruan Jiujiu couldn’t help but immerse herself in the scene for a few seconds. Cheng Jun, dressed in a sharp suit, stood opposite her in his wedding dress. As they gradually drew closer, his gentle face was reflected in her pupils.
And then…
The groom, Cheng Jun, spoke slowly, “Why is there glowing stuff in your eyes?”
…
…
Ruan Jiujiu instantly snapped out of her daydream, her heart pounding as she patted her chest in relief.
Thank goodness, she didn’t have to get married again.
She suddenly felt that Cheng Jun should stop surprising her. He was like a mudslide, ready to turn any situation into an awkward scene at any moment.
She shouldn’t overthink things and just enjoy the wedding of the bride and groom.
However…
The phrase “look closely” that Cheng Jun had said just now made Ruan Jiujiu unable to help but think too much.
Why did he suddenly ask her to pay close attention to someone else’s wedding?
Could it be that Cheng Jun was planning a surprise for her too?
Ruan Jiujiu contemplated for a moment, but then dismissed the idea.
Could Cheng Jun even think of throwing her a wedding?
It was simply unimaginable.
This guy was still learning how to be an individual, a man, and a husband. For him, it was a very difficult task, much harder than programming.
The wedding continued.
The bride, Bai Long, couldn’t hold back her tears and kept wiping the corners of her eyes. Wei Tian, standing opposite her, felt sorry for her and quietly advised her not to cry.
Watching this sweet and lovely scene filled Ruan Jiujiu with sweetness in her heart.
As she was engrossed in the moment, someone sat down next to her, a young man who was dressed quite stylishly.
“Can I add you on WeChat?”
“I’m sorry.”
Ruan Jiujiu politely declined.
During this time, several people came over one after another, asking for her contact information. Ruan Jiujiu rejected them all with an awkward yet polite smile. Fortunately, it didn’t make much noise, so it didn’t attract the attention of others.
At this moment, Ruan Jiujiu suddenly felt that it would be a good idea to have a wedding ring.
With a wedding ring, when someone approached her, she could simply show her ring without saying a word, and it would deter them from approaching.
As the wedding continued into its later stages, guests began to have their meals. Ruan Jiujiu overheard a few people talking about her, causing her to furrow her brow slightly.
Her social circle was already small in normal days, and with Cheng Jun by her side discouraging advances, Ruan Jiujiu rarely experienced the harassment of an entourage of suitors.
This made her somewhat unhappy.
For her, having people constantly confess their feelings when she didn’t like them was no different from harassment.
The banquet was already halfway through, and Bai Long and the others were busy toasting and socializing. It wouldn’t be appropriate for Ruan Jiujiu to suddenly stand up.
She patiently waited for the banquet to end, feeling like she was being chased by a pack of wolves. She hurriedly made her way to the exit.
Someone behind her called out, “Beauty, can I have your contact information?”
Other guests looked on in puzzlement, some even joined in the laughter.
Ruan Jiujiu tried her best to maintain a good attitude. She didn’t want to leave any unpleasant memories at Bai Long’s perfect wedding. If it weren’t for being at the wedding venue, Ruan Jiujiu had plenty of ways to deal with these harassers.
In the eyes of others, the bashful and reserved beauty appeared gentle and charming, making people’s hearts flutter.
Ruan Jiujiu descended the steps, and someone tried to grab her arm, but she quickly evaded.
The person was about to say something when their expression suddenly froze as they looked ahead.
Standing at a distance of about a few meters was a tall man.
He wore a sharp black suit but appeared somewhat casually disheveled. His tie was loosened, and the button on his collar had been undone at some point, probably because he despised feeling constrained.
His tousled short hair was swept back, revealing a rarely seen smooth forehead, showcasing his handsome face in all its glory.
His sleepy phoenix eyes were fixed on the hand that was attempting to grab Ruan Jiujiu’s arm. His face remained expressionless, and his jet-black eyes exuded a sharp and cold intensity, full of an attacking aura.
This made the few men who had planned to approach her feel intimidated, and they quickly retreated a few steps to avoid his gaze.
People around them couldn’t help but gasp in awe.
What kind of ethereal beauty was this!
Ruan Jiujiu was also shocked.
Was Cheng Jun planning to enter the entertainment industry? He was wearing a suit! A suit! Ruan Jiujiu internally screamed; he looked so handsome! It was completely different from his usual casual attire.
As it turned out, good-looking people, when they occasionally dress up, become even more captivating. For a brief moment, it felt like a domineering CEO was standing in front of her, and meeting his intense gaze made Ruan Jiujiu’s heart race.
Amidst their bewildered gazes, he reached out to Ruan Jiujiu and said, “Let’s go.”
“Ah… Oh, okay.”
Ruan Jiujiu suppressed her confusion and held Cheng Jun’s hand. Amid the envious and curious discussions of the people around them, Cheng Jun led her to a stylish Lamborghini, opened the door, and gestured for Ruan Jiujiu to get in.
Ruan Jiujiu looked at Cheng Jun, baffled. “Wait, you can drive? Why do you always need a driver?”
Cheng Jun answered leisurely, “Lazy.”
“…Well, that’s a reason that’s hard to argue with.”
The car started slowly, and Ruan Jiujiu’s peripheral vision noticed that many people were still watching them and pointing.
Her cheeks turned slightly red, and she whispered, “What are you doing? You startled me.”
Cheng Jun didn’t answer her question but instead asked, “Was the wedding nice?”
His profile accentuated his straight nose bridge, one hand gripping the steering wheel, occasionally glancing at Ruan Jiujiu. At this moment, Cheng Jun exuded a confident aura, making Ruan Jiujiu feel a bit nervous, almost thinking that he had also been possessed by a soul from another world.
“It’s good-looking, but… what are you up to today?” Ruan Jiujiu asked.
Cheng Jun’s response was concise, “Getting married.”
“!”
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