Chapter 58 Bohemian Rhapsody [The night before we got our marriage certificate, I didn't...]
The time I spent recuperating in New York passed quickly, and in Jiang Shiyu's words, it was even quite blissful.
Every morning when he wakes up, he can see Shen Cen as soon as he sees him. Moreover, since he doesn't have to work during this period, he can spend almost 24 hours a day with Shen Cen.
Jiang Wanqi and Fu Cheng spent a week in New York, postponing their work whenever possible and handling the rest online. They visited Jiang Shiyu at the hospital every day, staying all day at a time. Later, Jiang Shiyu told them they could return to China, but they refused.
Jiang Shiyu shook his head helplessly: "Do I have to say that you two are too conspicuous as third wheels?"
The two of them each rolled their eyes at Jiang Shiyu, and returned to their country the next day.
Of course, they knew that Jiang Shiyu's words were half true and half joking. On the one hand, Jiang Shiyu really only wanted to be with Shen Cen, and on the other hand, Jiang Shiyu also felt that his injury had already wasted too much of their time.
Shen Cen took a two-week leave from Peking University to stay in New York and take care of Jiang Shiyu.
She has a heavy research workload this semester, so she doesn't have many classes scheduled. One of her courses was even completed in the first half of the semester, so she asked Chen Shili to help her teach for the next two weeks.
Upon learning about Jiang Shiyu's situation, Chen Shili readily agreed: "Don't worry, junior sister. You focus on taking care of your boss Jiang—no, I should call him President Jiang now. Leave everything at school to me."
The doctor said Jiang Shiyu needed to supplement his nutrition, so Shen Cen went back to Jiang Shiyu's house in New York every day to personally cook soup.
Jiang Shiyu felt sorry for Shen Cen seeing her running around so much every day, and said, "Since you've already hired a housekeeper, you don't need to make the soup yourself."
Shen Cen refused: "No, I want to make it for you myself."
She wanted to start with these small things to make Jiang Shiyu feel loved.
Jiang Shiyu felt a surge of sweetness in his heart, as if he had been coated with honey. "That's wonderful."
Shen Cen took out a tissue and wiped Jiang Shiyu's lips. "What do you mean, 'really good'?"
"It feels so good to have a wife."
Jiang Shiyu looked incredibly proud, his tail practically wagging in the air.
Shen Cen isn't good at cooking, but she's been learning by watching tutorials online and making a variety of nourishing soups every day. The taste isn't actually that great, but Jiang Shiyu thinks they're delicious and drinks them all up, leaving not a single crumb.
"My wife makes the best soup."
"Our Xiao Cen is really amazing, she can do everything."
"Xiao Cen, how can I be so happy?"
...
She always made Shen Cen blush with praise, and couldn't help but mutter softly, "I think you're almost fully recovered."
After visiting Jiang Shiyu's house in New York a few times, Shen Cen found that there was no sign of anyone living there. Remembering that Jiang Shiyu had attended the international department of the affiliated high school, she asked, "Jiang Shiyu, were you planning to go abroad from the beginning?"
Jiang Shiyu didn't hide anything: "Yes, I searched for you for several years without any news. I felt that there was nothing to miss about Jingjia, so I compromised with my dad and enrolled in the international program, planning to come to New York to find them after graduation."
At that time, almost all the materials were prepared, and Jiang's father also arranged a house for Jiang Shiyu in New York, which is the one he lives in now.
“But,” he paused, his gaze softening as if recalling something beautiful, “I was lucky enough to reunite with you the year you entered high school. The moment I saw you again, I immediately gave up the idea of going abroad.”
Although Jiang Shiyu didn't have the courage to take that step in high school, he felt he wasn't good enough back then, and he was afraid that Shen Cen would be disappointed if she saw him like that.
Unexpectedly, he almost missed it again, and he regretted it very much.
Over the years, Jiang Shiyu worked tirelessly to build his career, creating one industry legend after another with Guangyi. Only then did he feel that he was barely worthy of Shen Cen. So when he first learned of Shen Cen's breakup, he remembered Shen Cen's words from years ago and started driving "Siji" on Shen Cen's usual route home.
Shen Cen choked up, remained silent for a long time, and then snuggled into Jiang Shiyu's arms.
Jiang Shiyu gently patted her back: "Xiao Cen, sometimes I really feel that I am someone who has been blessed by God again and again. God let me meet such a wonderful person like you, and allowed us to meet again twice."
"What if we don't end up together?" Shen Cen asked.
Jiang Shiyu was silent for a moment. The thought of him not being with Shen Cen made his eyes sting. "Then I will live the rest of my life alone."
Shen Cen couldn't help but chuckle, "Why do you sound so pitiful?"
Jiang Shiyu wasn't joking at all; he was very serious.
"I'm serious, Xiao Cen. If I ever get married, it will definitely be you. Otherwise, I'll just live my life alone."
"Probably because I've given you all my love, there's simply no room in my heart for anyone else."
“Jiang Shiyu.” Shen Cen’s nose tingled with emotion. “You really have a whole repertoire of sweet nothings to say now.”
“Xiao Cen,” Jiang Shiyu then pulled the woman into a tight embrace, his chin rubbing against the top of her head, “These are sweet words, but they are also my heartfelt words.”
The two held each other quietly for a long time, with Shen Cen's face resting against the man's chest, listening to his heartbeat.
The man's heartbeat was steady and strong, while hers had long since lost its rhythm.
Two weeks later, Jiang Shiyu was discharged from the hospital and returned to China. The two sat on the plane, watching New York gradually shrink into a small dot outside the window. Their hands were clasped tightly, unwilling to let go for even a moment.
"Jiang Shiyu, we're getting married soon!" She leaned on the man's shoulder, filled with anticipation.
"Yes, winter came to Jingjia earlier this year than usual. After the wedding, we can watch the first snow together."
Twenty-odd hours later, the plane landed safely in Beijing and Jiaxing.
At this time, the leaves of the plane trees along the avenue have fallen, and winter has arrived in Jingjia City.
-
Three days before the wedding, Shen Cen officially took his honeymoon.
Jiang Shiyu had arranged all the details of the wedding, big and small, and only decorating the bridal chamber remained.
Shen Cen got married from the house she used to live in in a small town south of Beijing.
When Fu Meihua learned that Jiang Shiyu had bought the house he used to live in and renovated it, she was so shocked that she was speechless for a long time. Finally, she said, "Xiao Jiang, you really put your heart into it." She only realized how deep Shen Cen's obsession with that place was after hearing it from Jiang Shiyu.
The decision for Jiang Shiyu and Shen Cen to marry out of their home in the small town south of the capital was made by mutual agreement. Firstly, Shen Cen had a special affection for this town, and secondly, it was also the place where the two first met, holding a special place in their hearts.
As for not marrying into the Lu family, Uncle Lu didn't give it much thought, but he didn't skimp on the proper etiquette. Although Shen Cen and the Lu family weren't particularly close over the years, he had long regarded Shen Cen as his own daughter. Now that things had come to this, Shen Cen and Jiang Shiyu didn't refuse Uncle Lu's gesture.
Jiang Wanqi, Wen Jie, Chen Shili, Fu Cheng, Cheng Jingyan and others were invited to help decorate the wedding room.
The villa was actually quite large, but whether it was due to the sudden influx of people or the atmosphere, it suddenly felt crowded and lively. The house's original decor was rather austere, and it only gradually came to feel more lived-in after Chen Cen moved in.
Now, the red four-piece bed sheet set has been changed, red butterflies and balloons have been pasted on, and red double happiness characters have been pasted on every window, creating a joyous scene. Even Jiang Wanqi exclaimed, "Brother, I'm so happy I want to cry."
Jiang Shiyu was placing their wedding photos all over the house, saying, "Then you and Fu Cheng should hurry up and be happy too."
He knew that Fu Cheng had been pursuing Jiang Wanqi during this time, although the two were still in a tense tug-of-war and Jiang Wanqi had not yet agreed.
Wen Jie was also moved to tears of happiness. She had known Shen Cen for so many years, and seeing Shen Cen so happy now filled her with indescribable emotions.
"Baby, you must always be happy." She gave Shen Cen a big hug.
Over the years, as close friends, she had known for a long time that Shen Cen was no longer a girl who longed for love. However, Jiang Shiyu had shown Shen Cen a lot of favoritism, and she saw in Shen Cen's face the look of someone who believed in love again, which made her very happy.
-
The day before the wedding, Shen Cen moved into her home in a small town in southern Beijing, along with Wen Jie and Fu Meihua.
When Shen Cen and Wen Jie were chatting until after midnight, Fu Meihua knocked on Shen Cen's door.
"Xiao Cen, Mom has something she wants to talk to you about."
"Go ahead." Wen Jie was aware of the estrangement between Shen Cen and Fu Meihua over the years, and hoped that one day they could talk things out.
Shen Cen followed Fu Meihua into the guest room.
"Mom." Shen Cen gently closed the door, still feeling somewhat awkward.
"Come and sit down."
Shen Cen stepped forward and sat down next to Fu Meihua. Fu Meihua noticed that there was still a half-person gap between the two of them, and after a couple of seconds of absentmindedness, she took a step closer to Shen Cen.
“You’re getting married tomorrow. Time flies so fast. In my memory, you’re still a little girl this tall.” Fu Meihua said, gesturing with her hands.
Perhaps to get closer to Shen Cen, or perhaps to cover up her nervousness, Fu Meihua pretended to be relaxed, but the last two syllables were still drowned out by sobs.
"Mom." Shen Cen panicked when he saw his mother crying, and his hand, raised in mid-air, looked awkward.
“Xiao Cen, Mom has always felt sorry for you. Right after my divorce, I took you away from Jingnan Town without any regard for the consequences and forbade you to come back. I also said a lot of hurtful things.”
"From a very young age, I started to force you to become the person I wanted you to be, without ever asking if you liked it."
She was strict with Shen Cen from a young age. While his peers were playing with toys and watching cartoons, she required Shen Cen to read classics and learn English, and Shen Cen almost never resisted.
The only time was when they were choosing their subjects in high school. She wanted Shen Cen to study science and then medicine, but Shen Cen insisted on studying humanities. The two had a heated argument, and it was only after Lu Baichuan persuaded her for a long time that Fu Meihua finally relented and agreed.
Some time ago, she heard Jiang Shiyu say that studying history had always been Shen Cen's ideal. She realized that she had never asked Shen Cen what he liked or what his dreams were.
"Mom was competitive her whole life. She seemed to have won everything, but she lost the most important thing: her daughter's heart."
As Fu Meihua spoke, Shen Cen's eyes also reddened.
“A while ago, Xiao Jiang would come to see me privately and talk to me a lot. I kept reflecting on why I, as someone involved, couldn’t understand things that even Xiao Jiang could see.”
Shen Cen had a premonition that Fu Meihua had indeed changed recently, starting to openly express her concern for him. During their time in New York, Fu Meihua would call him several times a day.
Previously, she might not see Fu Meihua even once every few days.
"Xiao Cen, Mom doesn't ask for your forgiveness, but I hope you can give Mom a chance to make up for the responsibilities of being a mother that I haven't fulfilled over the past ten years, okay?"
After saying that, Fu Meihua raised her hand and gently hugged Shen Cen's shoulder, and Shen Cen's eyes became even more moist. "Okay."
The mother and daughter chatted until very late.
-
At three o'clock in the morning, makeup artist Alice arrived at the house, and Jiang Wanqi came with her.
Alice is an internationally renowned makeup artist. Many international superstars spare no expense to hire her for makeup and styling, while those of slightly lower status don't even have the chance to speak to her.
Alice was specially invited by Jiang Shiyu, and she is also Jiang Wanqi's best friend in New York. She agreed to the request very readily.
Jiang Wanqi stepped forward and opened two or three exquisite jewelry boxes. "Sister-in-law, look! This is jewelry I designed for you."
Shen Cen accepted the jewelry with delight. It was specially made by Jiang Wanqi according to her preferences and temperament, and it complemented her custom-made luxury wedding dress perfectly.
By the time the makeup and styling were finished, a hazy light was already appearing in the sky. The photographer first took photos of Shen Cen in her morning robe, and then took group photos of Shen Cen, Fu Meihua, and the bridesmaids.
It was almost 5:30 when the photos were taken. The sun hadn't come out yet, but the sky was already much brighter than before, which showed that it was a wonderful day.
With Alice's help, Shen Cen quickly changed into her wedding dress and adjusted some of her makeup.
Wen Jie and Jiang Wanqi stood on the left and right, praising each other non-stop.
Wow, it's so beautiful!
"Ahhh, sister-in-law, you look absolutely stunning in this outfit! My brother must have done all sorts of good deeds in his past life to be able to marry you in this one!"
...
The praise made Shen Cen's already rosy face blush even more.
After everything was prepared, she took a moment to send Jiang Shiyu a message: [Are you awake?]
I thought Jiang Shiyu was still asleep, but he replied immediately: [I've been awake the whole time.]
Shen Cen: [Didn't sleep all night?]
Jiang Shiyu: [Yeah, I'm so nervous I can't sleep, my heart is beating really fast right now.]
After saying that, Jiang Shiyu sent another photo, only showing the upper body and not the face. The outline of his chest muscles was vaguely visible under his white shirt. [Wife, feel my heartbeat.]
Shen Cen couldn't help but chuckle softly: "Hmm~ I touched it, and it really does beat really fast."
She then asked, "So, today is the most stressful day of our boss Jiang's life?"
Jiang Shiyu: [One of them.]
Shen Cen: [One of them?]
Jiang Shiyu: [I couldn't sleep the night before we got our marriage certificate.]
-----------------------
Author's Note: [Dog head with rose in hand] xs Touching her heartbeat, this hallucination reads, "Your Majesty, listen to whether my heart is pounding or not."
Wishing our newlywed couple, "Cen Jihe Shi," a happy marriage! [cheering emoji]
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