Chapter 83 The Grand Finale
"We will work together to restore the ancient paintings left by my father, and we will also live a good life together from now on."
Looking at the smile in her eyes, Yan Mingshen finally understood that he had truly lost her completely.
He gave a bitter laugh, tears streaming down his cheeks.
"I wish you happiness."
He spoke those three words with immense difficulty, yet with unprecedented sincerity.
Su Xiao stood up and nodded slightly to him:
Goodbye, Yan Mingshen.
After saying that, she turned and walked out of the meeting room without the slightest hesitation.
Outside the door, Xu Bozhou was leaning against the wall waiting for her. When he saw her come out, he immediately went up to her and put his coat on her: "Are you cold?"
He looked down and saw the calmness in her eyes, and knew that she had completely said goodbye to the past.
Su Xiao shook her head and reached out to grasp his hand: "Let's go back."
She looked up at him, her eyes shining. "I want to restore the ancient painting my father left behind as soon as possible, and I also want to... marry you as soon as possible."
Xu Bozhou's heart suddenly raced. He gripped her hand tightly in return and lowered his head to kiss the top of her head.
"Okay, whatever you say."
After returning from the detention center, Su Xiao and Xu Bozhou began to handle the follow-up matters.
They cooperated with the police to gather evidence, contacted museums to receive the ancient paintings left by Su's father, and also prepared for the wedding.
Gu Ming and Xu An busied themselves helping them with all sorts of miscellaneous tasks.
Old Qin and Old Tang also frequently came over to offer suggestions and even took the initiative to help them contact the best ancient painting restoration studio, allowing Su Xiao to restore the collection left by her father with peace of mind.
Two weeks later, the police released the final investigation results.
Zhou Manyun was sentenced to death with a two-year reprieve for multiple crimes, including intentional homicide, forgery of cultural relics, and commercial fraud.
The Xia family father and son were sentenced to more than ten years in prison for crimes such as participating in the forgery of cultural relics and harboring criminals.
Xia Zhi, unable to bear the blows of reality while in the mental hospital, chose to commit suicide, leaving behind only a note that read "I'm sorry" before her death.
When the news arrived, Su Xiao was in the repair room restoring a landscape painting from the Song Dynasty.
Her brush paused for a moment, then she continued to focus intently on adding to the flowing clouds in the painting, as if she had already anticipated this outcome.
Xu Bozhou walked in, holding a cup of hot milk, and gently placed it beside her: "Don't overwork yourself, take a rest."
He looked at her focused profile, his eyes full of tenderness. "Zhou Manyun's verdict is out. Do you want to... go see it?"
Su Xiao put down the calligraphy brush, took the milk, took a sip, and shook her head: "No need."
She looked at the landscape in the painting, her tone calm.
For her, Zhou Manyun and Yan Mingshen were already a thing of the past.
They will pay the price for their greed and malice.
All she wants now is to restore the ancient paintings her father left behind and live a good life from now on.
Xu Bozhou nodded and gently ruffled her hair: "Okay, I'll do whatever you say."
He sat beside her, watching her carefully restore the ancient painting, and felt a sense of peace in his heart.
This is the life he wants: with her by his side, doing what he loves, simple yet full of hope.
Another month passed, and Su Xiao finally finished restoring the last ancient painting left by her father.
It was a painting of magnolias, painted by her mother herself. The magnolias in the painting were in full bloom, with dewdrops still clinging to their petals, making them look incredibly lifelike.
She hung the painting on the wall of the restoration room. Looking at the magnolia in the painting, she suddenly remembered the scene when she was a child, her mother held her and taught her to paint magnolias in the yard.
Her mother liked magnolias, and she liked gardenias.
Every spring and summer, my father would tidy up the house so much that it looked like a small flower garden.
Tears slid down her cheeks, but she wore a relieved smile.
She finally fulfilled her parents' wishes and found her own happiness.
Xu Bozhou gently hugged her from behind, resting his chin on the top of her head: "What are you thinking about?"
Su Xiao leaned against him, her voice soft:
"I'm thinking, if my parents were still alive, they would be very happy to see us like this now."
She turned around, looked up at him, her eyes filled with love.
"Xu Bozhou, let's get married, tomorrow."
Xu Bozhou was stunned for a moment, then smiled, his eyes full of doting affection: "Okay, tomorrow it is."
The wedding was very simple, with only a few close relatives invited, including Gu Ming, Xu An, Old Qin, and Old Tang.
The location was chosen in a small church on the outskirts of Beijing. Although it was winter, the warm lights made it feel especially cozy.
Su Xiao wore a white wedding dress with delicate gardenia patterns embroidered on the skirt.
She stood at the church entrance, watching Xu Bozhou slowly walk towards her, her heart pounding.
Xu Bozhou, dressed in a black suit and holding a bouquet of white roses, walked up to her and took her hand.
"Xiaoxiao, I love you."
In this life and the next, he will come to her side, whether as family, lover, or friend.
He wanted to stay by her side forever.
His voice was a little nervous, and his fingertips trembled slightly.
Su Xiao smiled, her eyes full of love: "Me too."
The two walked into the church side by side, and Gu Ming, as the best man, couldn't help but cheer them on:
"Mr. Xu, just say you're nervous."
Xu An glared at him, but couldn't help but laugh.
Who would have thought that Xu Bozhou, who appears cold and ruthless in front of outsiders, would actually have tears in his eyes at his wedding?
Standing on the stage as the officiant, Mr. Tang looked at the newlyweds with eyes full of joy:
"Su girl, Xu boy, it's not easy for you two to get together. You must live a good life together from now on, be tolerant of each other, support each other, and don't make us old folks worry."
Su Xiao and Xu Bozhou exchanged a glance, both seeing determination in each other's eyes.
They nodded to Old Qin, then turned to each other and began exchanging rings.
Xu Bozhou took the ring and gently slipped it onto Su Xiao's ring finger, his voice earnest:
"Xiaoxiao, please don't leave me again, okay?"
"Um."
Su Xiao also took the ring and slipped it onto Xu Bozhou's ring finger, tears gently sliding down her cheeks, yet a smile remained on her face.
Never again.
After exchanging rings, Xu Bozhou lowered his head and gently kissed Su Xiao's lips.
Applause rang out in the church. Gu Ming and Xu An clapped with smiles, while Old Qin and Old Tang also showed gratified smiles.
After the wedding, the two sat in the car and headed to Luofeng Garden.
Su Xiao leaned on Xu Bozhou's shoulder, looking at the snow scene outside the window, when suddenly she remembered something and took out a brand new diary from her bag:
“Xu Bozhou, let’s write down everything that happens here every day, okay? When we’re old, we can look back on it together.”
Xu Bozhou took the diary, looked at the pair of magnolias drawn on the cover, and smiled: "Okay."
He lowered his head and kissed her forehead. "Every day from now on will be our most precious memory."
The car drove through the snow, leaving two long tire tracks. A thin layer of condensation formed on the car windows, reflecting the smiling faces of the two people.
The snow was still falling outside, but it couldn't dampen the warmth inside the carriage, nor could it diminish their anticipation for the future—from now on, they would face all the storms together, protect each other's love, and make their ordinary days the warmest they could ever be.
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