Inside the exquisitely decorated and luxurious church, there are no empty seats among the congregation. The old pastor, holding the Bible, is reading the vows symbolizing the sacredness of marriage.
"Miss Lan Yue, do you take Mr. Qi Yanjun as your lawfully wedded husband? To love him, to be loyal to him, whether he is in poverty, sick, or disabled, to stick with him till death do you part, do you agree?"
Lan Yue, wearing a one-of-a-kind wedding gown designed by a famous master, has a beautiful veil dropping down, covering her beautiful eyebrows and eyes.
She responds in a soft voice, akin to a gentle folk tune, "I do."
The old pastor glances at the empty spot beside Lan Yue, dumbfounded for a moment.
The reason is simple.
This is a wedding without a groom.
He tries to continue awkwardly, "Then...please, the couple should exchange the rings."
Lan Yue's indifferent expression under the veil flashes a touch of sarcasm. There's no groom present, how would she exchange rings?
Hence, under the scrutiny of all present, she, with a somewhat stiff posture, takes out a women's ring studded with pink diamonds and puts it on her own finger.
The mocking or schadenfreude glances from the crowd numb her body and soul.
The ceremony ends, with no applause, no flowers, only her, like a clown, performing a splendid yet awkward solo play.
After the wedding, naturally, it's time for the feast. Everyone immediately moves to the restaurant. Lan Yue, changing into a simple dress, wears a decent smile, and toasts the guests one by one.
She plays the role of both the groom and the bride, continuing this farcical play that she has no idea when it will end.
"Miss Lan, I'll toast to you."
A tantalizingly attractive woman raised her glass, placing a deliberate emphasis on the words "Miss Lan," the mockery in her tone was obvious.
"To be married to Qi Shao is a fortune that Miss Lan has been cultivating for lifetimes. Miss Lan, don't forget how lucky you are when you're in luck."
Lan Yue mocked herself.
Indeed, marrying Qi Yanjun is the dream of every woman in the whole Haicheng, or even the whole country.
As a famous legitimate son of the Qi family, and the president of the Shengtian Group, he has been the favored one by his birthright alone.
As an incredibly ordinary girl like me, marrying him could be nothing short of a dream coming true.
Suddenly, Lan Yue felt something and turned her head sharply, her eyes as sharp as lightning looking towards a part of the marble railing on the second floor. Her gaze met a pair of dazzlingly lazy peach-blossom eyes, a straight nose, rose-colored thin lips, and an extraordinary combination of features, with no hint of flaw.
The man's long fingers loosened his black tie, his white suit accentuating his slender figure, like a bamboo, exuding a poetic, gentle and jade-like beauty.
He smirked, wicked and assertive, gazing down at Lan Yue on the ground floor, and mouthed, "Are you satisfied with the wedding?"
"..."
Lan Yue clasped her fingers, clearly seeing the icy disdain and extreme sarcasm in this man's smiling eyes. They were childhood sweethearts, but this was the first time he had looked at her with such eyes. The distance between them expanded, making them both feel strangely unfamiliar with each other.
She suddenly laughed, emitting a breathtaking beauty, like a quiet lotus blooming softly, her voice equally silent.
"Of course, I am satisfied, husband!"
Yes, this man was none other than the male protagonist who had disappeared for the whole day - Qi Yanjun.
As expected, Qi Yanjun was provoked by her title, his unfathomable dark pupils clouded with a steely color, but the corners of his lips curved higher, revealing a glint of dangerous killing intent as he said, "Lan Yue!"