When Lu Yan returned, Zhuang Yan was still sitting obediently in the same spot. There were several plates of pastries in front of him, and An Xinrong, who was sitting next to him, had her mouth stuffed like a hamster, eating and talking to Zhuang Yan at the same time.
Lu Yan walked over and patted An Xinrong's head.
An Xinrong styled her hair into a curly perm today, and the fluffy hair, paired with her light yellow dress, made her look even more playful and cute.
The hair felt nice to the touch, and Lu Yan touched it a couple of times.
An Xinrong covered her head and hid, angrily saying, "Don't touch my hair."
Lu Yan put her hand down and asked with a smile, "Don't you get tired of eating so much cake?"
"Mind your own business, I'll eat as much as I want."
"Be careful not to eat too much, or you'll gain weight and get pimples."
As the two were joking around, the emcee walked onto the stage, and as the music started, everyone's attention was drawn to him.
The process was the same as always, nothing special. The only difference was that Gu Qian, standing on the stage, looked down at Zhuang Yan in the distance with a sense of superiority, his eyes filled with provocation and smugness.
An Xinrong exclaimed, "Is Gu Qian looking at you? What right does he have to look at you like that? Shameless!"
This person has changed so much. Just two months ago, An Xinrong was praising Gu Qian to Zhuang Yan.
An Xinrong's ladies searched for a long time before finally finding her.
"Xinrong, what are you doing here? As Xia Wan's best friend, you should be closer to the stage when we're catching the bouquet later, right?"
An Xinrong said directly, "That was true before, but not anymore."
“You and she had a fight, and she’s been asking you out to parties lately, but you haven’t come…” No one took An Xinrong’s words seriously. As she said this, she glanced disdainfully at Zhuang Yan next to her and whispered, “How can you hang out with someone like Zhuang Yan? If your dad finds out, he’ll kill you.”
When her family was mentioned, An Xinrong clutched the hem of her skirt tightly: "Who I'm with is none of your business. Get out of my way and don't make me unhappy in this happy occasion."
For Zhuang Yan's sake, An Xinrong has offended everyone around her. In the past month, countless people have spoken ill of Zhuang Yan in her ear, and she can't get rid of them no matter what. Doesn't she know what kind of person Zhuang Yan is? As for the rumors circulating online that he "killed his sister," she doesn't believe them at all.
The lights in the venue suddenly dimmed, and waiters opened the doors on either side. A spotlight fell, and Xia Wan, dressed in a pure white wedding gown, appeared at the far end. The chaotic noise abruptly stopped.
The wedding venue, decorated at great expense, was dreamy and luxurious, exuding the allure of money in every detail.
Xia Wan held flowers in one hand and linked arms with Xia Qingshan in the other. After the bride enters, the first person she usually sees is the groom, since they are in a straight line and the light shines on him.
But after Xia Wan entered, she couldn't see anyone; her mind was filled with Zhuang Yan's image.
This wedding was almost identical to the scene in her dream. The same decorations, the same people. In her dream, she was listening to background music, trailing a heavy skirt, holding her father's hand, and walking step by step towards Zhuang Yan.
Upon entering the venue, Xia Wan immediately searched for Zhuang Yan. Finally, she spotted him in a corner. Her previously listless eyes suddenly lit up, and at that moment, no one else came to her attention.
Xia Wan's body stiffened, and the urgency to rush down intensified.
Did Zhuang Yan see the text message she sent? Is he still hung up on her? Perhaps those harsh words he said to her before weren't from his heart; he was just being stubborn. He doesn't not love her anymore.
Xia Wan's mind was occupied by these ridiculous and absurd thoughts, leaving her no time to think about anything else, so she stopped walking.
Under the gaze, Xia Qingshan suppressed his anger and forcefully tugged at Xia Wan's arm: "Take a good look at who you're marrying today."
Xia Wan snapped out of her daze and turned her gaze to Gu Qian.
A wave of bitterness washed over her, like stomach acid rising up and burning her throat.
Xia Qingshan warned her in a low voice, "With so many people in the audience, do you want me to lose face here?"
Xia Wan desperately wanted to defy morality and ignore the gossip to run off the stage, but Xia Qingshan's words were like a slap in the face, instantly bringing her back to reality from a jumble of thoughts.
She couldn't let so many people laugh at her because of her own relationship problems. If she really stepped down for Zhuang Yan today, the Xia family would be nailed to the pillar of shame and become the subject of gossip.
Flower girls scattered flowers on both sides. Xia Wan looked over in the light and saw Gu Qian wearing a white suit with an elegant and proper smile on his face. He took two steps toward her and then stopped.
Xia Wan looked at Gu Qian and couldn't help but think of Zhuang Yan, the Zhuang Yan from her dream. Her eyes stung. This red carpet walk was not long, but it felt like it had been a very long time.
"The bride is entering, she's so beautiful! They're a perfect match, a handsome man and a beautiful woman."
"Zhuang Yan is also pitiful. He worked hard for three years and ended up becoming someone else's dowry. What's the use of just working hard when it comes to relationships? No matter what you do, people who don't like you won't like you."
"Looking at it this way, Gu Qian and Xia Wan are quite a good match. Childhood sweethearts reunited after a broken relationship is the best kind of romance. I used to think that Gu Qian's status was not good enough for Xia Wan, but now, the Zhuang family has adopted Gu Qian as their son, so he can be considered a rich second generation."
Xia Wan seemed not to hear anything, but the onlookers around her were like arrows aimed at her. Gu Qian stood in front of Xia Qingshan and said a lot.
"Dad, you can rest assured to leave Wanwan in my care. I promise I will treat her well."
Xia Qingshan patted Gu Qian on the shoulder, then took Xia Wan's hand and placed it in his.
Although the engagement and wedding had been very unpleasant, and various problems had arisen today, at this moment, Xia Qingshan felt at peace. His heart and eyes were filled with his daughter. He recalled what Xia Wan looked like when she was first born, such a tiny little bundle, growing bigger and bigger day by day. At first, she couldn't walk or talk, but later she slowly walked towards him and then called him "Dad".
These past twenty years have seemed to fly by; Xia Wan has grown up so fast and is now getting married.
His daughter is about to become someone else's wife, and will have children and become a mother.
Xia Qingshan felt as if he had accomplished a very important mission. His eyes were sore and his hands were trembling: "I don't ask for anything else, I just ask that you take good care of Wanwan. If you can't take good care of her, send her back to me, or call me and let me pick her up. She is the daughter I watched grow up, and I can't bear to see her suffer any grievances."
Xia Wan bit her lip, and tears immediately rolled down her cheeks, a scene that moved many viewers.
Lu Yan couldn't help but chime in with a sarcastic remark: "I think she looks pretty aggrieved right now."
Xia Qingshan left the stage and sat with Zhuang Zhongming and Lu Yu. He was worried about Zhuang Yan and feared that he would cause trouble, so he ordered his bodyguards to keep an eye on him and suppress him at the slightest sign of trouble.
The wedding ceremony continued quickly, and it was time for the vows to be exchanged and the rings to be exchanged. The dishes were also served.
Just then, several uniformed police officers walked in.
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