Chapter 273 The Wedding
As Shang Wu drove towards his destination, his heart began to race uncontrollably.
Blue Moon is less of a hotel and more of a private seaside resort estate.
The entrance was unusually quiet; there was no sign of Lu Rang's car.
A smiling waiter was already waiting there.
Upon seeing Shang Wu, people came forward to greet him.
"Are you Miss Shang Wu? Mr. Lu asked me to wait for you here. Please come with me."
Suppressing the turmoil in her heart, Shang Wu followed the waiter through the lush green garden path.
The air was filled with a faint floral fragrance, as well as the salty, damp scent of the sea breeze.
The further she went, the more faint piano music she could hear.
The waiter finally stopped in front of an archway adorned with small white flowers and bowed slightly.
"Miss Shang, please."
Shang Wu took a deep breath and pushed open the door.
In an instant, the view opened up before me.
What comes into view is a wide lawn facing the sea.
The lawn was carefully arranged, and pale purple-pink ribbons were tied to the white chairs.
A carpet covered with pink petals stretched out from her feet into the distance.
It was a ceremonial pavilion constructed with fresh flowers and white gauze curtains.
Shang Wu's heart skipped a beat when she saw the person standing at the end.
Lu Rang was dressed in a black suit, his posture upright.
His usually dark eyes were now filled with tension and love. He held a bouquet of her favorite white lilies of the valley in his hand and was looking at her intently.
There were only two guests on the seats.
Lu You and Cheng Zhou.
At this moment, they all looked at Shang Wu with smiles, their faces carrying blessings and a hint of teasing, "We knew it all along."
Shang Wu's eyes instantly welled up with tears.
Even though I was mentally prepared, I still couldn't help but feel excited when it was all actually presented before my eyes.
Shang Wu walked step by step toward Lu Rang along the carpet covered with flower petals.
All the memories from the journey began to surface in her mind.
From being complete strangers at the beginning, to seeking revenge together, and finally overcoming numerous difficulties to reach Yecheng.
Tears welled up in Shang Wu's eyes.
She walked up to Lu Rang, smiled, and asked softly, "Is your stomach pain gone?"
Lu Rang couldn't help but laugh as well.
He reached out and gently wiped away the tears from Shang Wu's eyes, his voice trembling slightly: "Seeing you makes everything alright."
After saying that, Lu Rang knelt down on one knee.
Even though he had already done this gesture during the proposal, he was still solemn at this moment.
Lu Rang held up the diamond ring he had secretly measured several times before ordering it.
“Awu,” he looked up at Shang Wu with a devout gaze, “I once said I would give you a home. Today, here, I want to ask you again, and for the last time.”
"will you marry me?"
Shang Wu nodded vigorously: "I do, Lu Rang, I do."
Lu Rang slowly placed the ring on her ring finger, and it fit perfectly.
He stood up, pulled Shang Wu into a tight embrace, and kissed her.
Lu You and Cheng Zhou looked at each other and smiled, then clapped their hands vigorously.
The ceremony was simple and warm, without any complicated procedures.
With Lu You and Cheng Zhou's blessings, they exchanged rings and made a promise to stay together for life.
The closing banquet was held on an open-air platform facing the sea.
The setting sun dyed the sea a magnificent orange-red.
Lu Rang put his arm around Shang Wu's waist and whispered in her ear, his tone tinged with belated annoyance and curiosity.
"Did you already know?"
Shang Wu leaned against him, watching the magnificent sunset, and blinked: "Guess?"
Lu Rang chuckled and hugged her even tighter: "I knew I couldn't hide anything from you. So, in your eyes, were my secret operations these past few days really that stupid?"
"Not stupid."
Shang Wu turned around, looked intently into his eyes, and said gently, "You're very cute, and this is the best surprise I've ever received."
Night was falling.
Shang Wu and Lu Rang stood by the sea, listening to the ebb and flow of the tide, feeling the warmth of each other's hands.
"Mr. Lu."
"Mrs. Lu".
They smiled at each other and shouted towards the sea, "We're married!"
In the distance, Lu You leaned on Cheng Zhou's shoulder, watching the newlyweds with a gratified smile on her face.
...
After the wedding, Shang Wu and Lu Rang went on their honeymoon.
After returning from a two-week hiatus, Shang Wu quickly finished dealing with the urgent matters at the studio. Remembering that she hadn't yet delivered some special gifts she had brought for Lu You, she drove to the restaurant.
Three o'clock in the afternoon is not the peak dining time. There were only a few tables of guests enjoying afternoon tea in the restaurant, and the atmosphere was quiet and pleasant.
Shang Wu walked familiarly toward the kitchen, wanting to greet Cheng Zhou, who was busy at work.
But as soon as they approached the half-open door, they heard Cheng Zhou's laughing voice coming from inside.
"Mom, you really don't need to do this. Youyou doesn't like eating these overly sweet things."
mom?
Shang Wu paused in his steps.
Has Madam Cheng arrived?
She subconsciously slowed her pace, feeling somewhat surprised.
Based on Madam Cheng's attitude that day, she thought the two sides would never speak to each other again, and there would be no more peaceful conversations like this in the short term.
Shang Wu peeked out from under the door.
Besides the cooking fumes from the stove, there is also a small rest area next to the kitchen.
Lu You was sitting on a high stool with a steaming cup of floral tea in front of her.
Mrs. Cheng was standing next to Lu You, holding an exquisite velvet jewelry box in her hands, with a warm smile on her face.
Shang Wu almost thought he was seeing things.
She rubbed her eyes and checked again.
Yes, it's Mrs. Cheng.
However, she was dressed much more modestly today, without any eye-catching jewelry, and her makeup was also light, lacking that imposing aura.
A hint of cautious gentleness appeared in her eyes. "Xiao Zhou, what do you know?"
Madam Cheng gave her son a reproachful look, then turned her gaze to Lu You, her tone becoming extremely soft.
"This isn't overly sweet; it's bird's nest stewed in milk. I specifically asked an old Chinese medicine doctor, and he added red dates and goji berries, which are good for women's health."
"Youyou, you work so hard managing the restaurant, you must take care of yourself."
As she spoke, Madam Cheng handed the jewelry box forward, "And this, it's nothing valuable, just an old mine icy jadeite safety buckle, with a good meaning, just wear it for fun."
Lu You's face remained expressionless, showing neither flattery nor sarcasm.
She simply looked at Madam Cheng calmly, her tone distant yet polite: "Madam Cheng, you are too kind. I am in good health. You should keep these tonics and jewelry for yourself."
Cheng Zhou suppressed a laugh, his shoulders trembling slightly.
When Madam Cheng saw that Lu You refused to accept the money, a hint of embarrassment flashed across her face.
She placed the jewelry box on the counter and then took out a file folder from her handbag.
"How about you take a look at this?"
Mrs. Cheng pushed the file bag in front of Lu You, her voice softening slightly.
"This is the equity transfer agreement for my high-end custom clothing store. I've already had my lawyer draft it. Just sign it, and the shares will be yours."
"You have a good eye and management skills. This shop will definitely be much better managed by you than by me."
Shang Wu, who was listening outside the door, was even more surprised.
That's one of the top haute couture brands in Yecheng's socialite circle.
Mrs. Cheng's years of hard work and pride were actually being given away to Lu You as a controlling stake.
This is an absolute splurge!
Lu You glanced at the agreement, remaining unmoved. She even picked up her flower tea, blew on it gently, and took a small sip.
“Mrs. Cheng, I’m not interested in the clothing industry. Besides, things are already very busy here, and I can’t spare the time.”
After being rejected repeatedly, Mrs. Cheng's face fell.
The forced gentle smile on her face was about to crumble, and anxiety and regret were showing in her eyes.
Madam Cheng sighed, looked at Lu You, and her tone was almost pleading.
"Youyou, I know that your aunt was wrong before. She was senile and said those outrageous things, which made you suffer. It's all my fault. Can you please not hold it against me?"
As she spoke, her eyes became slightly red.
"Xiao Zhou is my only son. You've been living here for so long without ever coming home to visit. I know your restaurant is doing well, and Xiao Zhou is happy. I'm genuinely happy for you."
I just wanted to make amends, to do my part, really.
This demeanor was completely different from the arrogant and domineering lady she had been in the Cheng family's old mansion restaurant.
Shang Wu was amazed.
In this world, fortune truly does change.
Back then, Madam Cheng looked down on Lu You's status, feeling that she was marrying above her station. Now, however, she's offering her entire fortune and shares to Lu You, begging her to acknowledge her as her mother-in-law.
Seeing that his mother seemed to be on the verge of tears, Cheng Zhou finally stopped watching the play.
He walked over and put his arm around Lu You's shoulder.
"Mom, please don't be like this. Youyou and I are doing very well now, and we don't need you to make up for anything. If you really want what's best for us, just come visit occasionally, have a meal together, and don't put pressure on us."
Lu You also put down her teacup, looked at Madam Cheng, and softened her tone slightly.
“Mrs. Cheng, let bygones be bygones. Cheng Zhou and I chose to leave the Cheng family not because of you personally, but because we wanted to choose a more comfortable way of life.”
"Our current relationship is better off if we keep our distance and don't bother each other. As for these things..."
Her gaze swept over the bird's nest.
"You really don't need to bother anymore."
Lu You's words were polite, but they clearly drew a line.
They can reconcile, but getting close is impossible.
Madam Cheng understood the implication, her face paled, but she couldn't say anything more and lowered her head in dejection.
Shang Wu felt it was inappropriate to watch any longer, so she coughed lightly and pushed the door open to go inside.
"Sister You, Cheng Zhou, I'm here."
She greeted him with a smile, as if she hadn't seen anything.
"I brought you some small gifts."
Lu You saw her and a genuine smile appeared on his face as he got down from the bar stool.
"Awu, you've come."
Cheng Zhou greeted him with a smile.
"Shang Wu, please sit down."
Madam Cheng quickly composed herself, put on a polite smile again, and nodded to Shang Wu.
"Hello, Ms. Shang."
Shang Wu greeted Madam Cheng, handed the island specialties she had brought to Lu You, and exchanged a few more pleasantries.
Mrs. Cheng clearly had no desire to stay any longer, so she made an excuse and left in a hurry.
Before leaving, she couldn't help but look back at Lu You, her eyes filled with complex emotions, as if she wanted to say something but couldn't.
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