Chapter 46 No Money

"What are you all doing blocking the doorway? You're not the main characters today." Jiang's mother's cheerful voice broke in with a smile as she strode over.

"Come in and sit down, the banquet is about to begin. It's almost two o'clock, and the guests are all hungry." She called out to the group of young people without waiting for a reply.

The group then smiled and ushered into the magnificent banquet hall. The light from the crystal chandeliers streamed across the polished floor and onto the round tables covered with bright red tablecloths. They were led to the second table closest to the main stage.

Not long after they sat down, familiar faces recognized Xie Shiyan, Zhou Yanzhe, and Lu Jingshen, and came over with wine glasses to exchange pleasantries.

"President Xie, President Zhou, President Lu, what a coincidence! I didn't expect to run into you all here. Are you friends of the groom's family?" A Mr. Chen, dressed in a suit and tie, raised his glass with a smile.

As a social butterfly, Lu Jingshen smiled and stood up to respond, "It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Chen. We're practically relatives of the man's family."

Xie Shiyan and Zhou Yanzhe nodded slightly in acknowledgment. The three of them raised their teacups in unison, and President Chen immediately understood: "I understand, I understand. Don't drink and drive, let's have tea instead of alcohol." The group clinked glasses, and the atmosphere was harmonious.

The melodious wedding march began to play, and all the lights in the room dimmed, except for a spotlight shining on the entrance to the banquet hall.

The heavy double doors slowly opened. The bride's father, dressed in a sharp suit and with his hair neatly combed, stood ramrod straight, his arm tightly around his daughter's.

The bride wore a floor-length white wedding dress with a hazy veil, a happy and shy smile on her face, and glistening tears in her eyes.

The old father's hands trembled slightly, and he walked extremely slowly with each step. The spotlight followed them as they moved down the red-carpeted aisle. The entire place was silent, except for the solemn and slightly choked opening remarks that echoed, conveying the father's instructions and reluctance to part.

Seeing this scene, Jiang Yining felt a slight sting in her nose and subconsciously tightened her grip on Xie Shiyan's hand beside her. Xie Shiyan returned the gesture, completely enveloping her hand in his palm, his strength steady and warm.

After the ceremony, the lights came on and the wedding banquet officially began.

Waiters in uniform filed in, and exquisite dishes were laid out one after another on the revolving plate. Eight years is enough time for wedding banquet dishes to evolve from traditional and simple to exquisite and luxurious like works of art.

A chilled sashimi platter sculpted into blooming roses, Buddha Jumps Over the Wall soup adorned with gold leaf, and lifelike fruit and vegetable carvings surrounding steamed grouper... each dish is breathtakingly beautiful.

"Wow..." Jiang Yining looked at the crystal shrimp in front of her, which were arranged like a landscape painting, and couldn't help but exclaim softly. Her eyes were bright as if they were filled with stars. It was purely her love of beauty that attracted her.

Xie Shiyan watched her childlike surprise and delight, a silent smile playing on his lips. He picked up a damp towel from the table, slowly and deliberately wiping his hands, then picked up a plump prawn. His long, slender fingers moved with remarkable dexterity, pinching the prawn's head and gently twisting it to peel off the shell, remove the vein, and reveal the pinkish-white, bouncy prawn meat—the whole process was fluid and effortless.

He carefully placed the peeled shrimp into the small dish in front of Jiang Yining. Then came the second, the third... His gaze occasionally swept over Jiang Yining's face as she contentedly ate the shrimp, his eyes filled with tenderness and satisfaction.

The banquet drew to a close amidst lively conversation and blessings. Having eaten and drunk their fill, the guests rose to congratulate the hosts and bid farewell. Jiang Yining and her companions also followed the flow of people to the door to say goodbye to her second cousin and the bride.

Just as she stepped out of the noisy hall, Jiang's mother hurriedly caught up with her, dragging a small suitcase, her forehead still damp with sweat. "Ningning!" she called out quickly, shoving the suitcase into Jiang Yining's hands.

“Your old room has been given to your third uncle, and your aunt and uncles are also fully booked, so there’s really no room available. Go find a hotel a bit further away and book a room for the night. Mom will reimburse you later.” As she spoke, she quickly counted out a thousand yuan in cash from her wallet and stuffed it into Jiang Yining’s hand without saying a word.

Jiang Yining, dragging her suitcase in one hand and clutching a thin wad of banknotes in the other, was a little bewildered.

"Okay, Mom. Don't worry about me. Taking care of the relatives is the priority. I'm a grown man, I'll be fine."

"Okay, okay, take care of yourself."

Without saying much, Jiang's mother quickly patted her shoulder and turned to chase after a group of elderly relatives who had just stepped out of the elevator.

"Third Uncle, over here, over here, the rooms are all arranged..."

Jiang's mother disappeared at the elevator entrance. Jiang Yining lowered her head, clutching the ten red bills in her hand, her delicate brows furrowing slightly. She muttered softly, her tone tinged with confusion and a hint of grievance:

"When I first arrived, I spent several thousand yuan just buying a few things... With these prices... Is my mom planning to let me sleep on the streets or make do under a bridge when she gives me this thousand yuan?"

Her voice wasn't loud, but it was loud enough for the people around her to hear clearly.

"puff--"

"Hahaha"

Zhou Yanzhe and Lu Jingshen couldn't help but burst out laughing. Even the usually gentle Xiao Xiao and Shen Nian'an couldn't help but chuckle, covering their mouths as they laughed.