Chapter 92
Halfway through their trip, while stopping in Provence, France, Lin Ting experienced some traveler's diarrhea. She had diarrhea several times the day before yesterday, and by the second day, she was lying listlessly in bed.
Chen Zhiyi picked up the prepared montmorillonite powder and fed it to her, asking, "Is there anything you want to eat?"
Although the restaurants for every meal on this trip were carefully selected, Chen Zhiyi knew she had a Chinese palate, and after eating delicious and classic Western food for two or three days in a row, she lost her appetite. Now, even if top-quality ingredients such as foie gras, caviar, and black truffles were placed in front of her, they wouldn't be as appealing as a cup of instant noodles.
Lin Ting leaned against the cushion, her eyes darting around, her expression slightly shy. "Is mala tang okay?"
Chen Zhiyi's lips curled up slightly, the curve just right. "What do you think? Let's go for something lighter."
"Red bean porridge? Forget it, I'll just have some plain porridge. I think this hotel can serve it."
People with diarrhea have a bland and bitter taste in their mouths and already have a poor appetite. They want to eat something flavorful, but plain porridge is indeed bland. Chen Zhiyi remembered that there was a Chinese restaurant not far from the hotel, where they should be able to get red bean porridge.
Chen Zhiyi helped Lin Ting lie down on the bed. "Spicy hot pot is not allowed, but red bean porridge is fine. Sleep for a while longer, and you can eat it when you wake up."
Lin didn't ask him how he managed to get it, but he always did what he said he would do. She rested his hand under her face; his palm was large and warm, and the familiar warmth felt comforting against her skin. "Sorry, I've delayed my trip. Is my plane ticket to London invalid?"
"I changed my ticket. It was my fault for not thinking things through. My schedule was too full, and I didn't consider whether your body could handle it."
"But I used to travel a lot for work. After staying up all night for a few nights, I could just catch up on my sleep. Unlike now, sigh, I'm getting old and my health is failing."
"You're talking nonsense again. In the past, when you went on business trips, you always stayed in one city. Unlike this time, you traveled to several countries. The customs and eating habits of each country are different. Although you enjoyed every meal, I could tell that you were not used to the food, you didn't eat much, you expended a lot of energy, and you didn't feel comfortable eating. Of course, your body couldn't take it."
Lin Ting quickly explained, "No, I ate quite a lot." Then she pinched the fat on her face, "You've all gotten a little chubby. You don't look good anymore."
You look good no matter what.
"Are you trying to coax me? Look at my pale face."
Chen Zhiyi didn't move the hand under her face, but used his other hand to smooth her hair by her forehead. "It's too superficial to judge a girl's looks based solely on her appearance. An excellent woman is more about her personal charm, values, vision, and work ability. These three things are what make you unique."
Lin Ting nodded in satisfaction, "As expected of a movie star, his words are impeccable."
Chen Zhiyi raised an eyebrow. "Of course, it's undeniable that you do fit my aesthetic preferences. Otherwise, how could I have fallen for you at first sight?"
It only took a few seconds for them to be proven wrong, and Lin Ting laughed so hard her eyes were almost closed.
Chen Zhiyi pulled his hand back and covered her with the blanket. "Alright, enough joking around. Sleep a little longer, I'll go make you some red bean porridge."
"good."
The Chinese restaurant is run by a couple from Sichuan who have lived here for nearly twenty years. Their son works in Paris. When Chen Zhiyi mentioned that his wife wasn't feeling well and wanted some red bean porridge, they immediately found him the ingredients. Since they didn't have any on hand, they had to make it themselves.
The boss patted Chen Zhiyi on the shoulder and said in a hearty tone, "He's a henpecked young man, not bad."
Chen Zhiyi didn't understand the Sichuan dialect, so the proprietress explained, "It means you're a man who will cherish his wife."
He smiled and said, "Loving and cherishing your wife is a man's duty."
Boss: "In this respect, Chinese men surpass the rest of the world."
The couple didn't know Chen Zhiyi. They were attracted by his outstanding appearance and temperament when they entered the restaurant. After talking with him, they were surprised to find that he was already married and doted on his wife. He was very popular.
Chen Zhiyi saw the owner processing rice cake strips, cutting them into small pieces, and asked, "Are you making brown sugar glutinous rice cakes?"
"right."
"Can you teach me? She likes to eat sticky snacks."
"no problem."
Lin Ting was a light sleeper and woke up when she heard the sound of a room card being swiped. She saw Chen Zhiyi walking in carrying two takeout boxes.
"Why are there brown sugar glutinous rice cakes?" Lin Ting was pleasantly surprised and immediately took a piece and put it in her mouth. The outer skin was crispy and the inside was soft and chewy. The sweetness of brown sugar and the aroma of soybean powder filled her mouth.
"Yes, you can't eat too much. Just a taste of something sweet is enough. My stomach is already upset, and eating too much will make it even harder to digest."
"It's delicious." When you're feeling down, something sweet can really lift your spirits.
Chen Zhiyi blew on the red bean porridge in the spoon before bringing it to her lips. The red beans were cooked until soft and the porridge was thick and sweet. It warmed her up and made her feel much better.
"Your cooking skills are getting better and better." Lin Ting gave him a thumbs up.
"I am very gratified that everyone can taste that it is my cooking."
"make persistent efforts?"
"OK."
After drinking the porridge, my whole body felt warm, and I sweated a little under the covers, which restored my strength and energy.
"I'm not feeling bad anymore. How about we continue our schedule tomorrow?" Lin Ting still felt it wasn't good to delay her schedule because of her illness. Moreover, her leave time was limited, and every day she missed meant she would be back at work a day later. She was secretly worried, after all, she was a dedicated and responsible employee.
“No rush, there are still many places worth visiting in Provence, especially the lavender fields.” Chen Zhiyi knew her worries. “Don’t worry, I’ve already spoken to Zhang Ying. You can relax and enjoy your vacation. Others are keeping an eye on your work. They’ve emailed you anything important, so just reply promptly.”
"Mmm." He was always so considerate, seeing right through my thoughts.
After finishing their conversation, Lin Ting took her laptop, placed it on the bed, and started looking through the emails she had received.
A message popped up on Chen Zhiyi's phone. It was a photo and a sentence from Song Xiaolei: "Brother-in-law, everything is proceeding according to your schedule."
Chen Zhiyi: "Thank you!"
Song Xiaolei: "You're welcome. Next time you need something that costs a lot of money, feel free to ask me to handle it for you. I love the feeling of being a tycoon. You have no idea how much admiration everyone here was giving me today. They practically worshipped me."
Chen Zhiyi: "Thank you for your hard work. Which artist's concert tickets do you want this time? I'll get them for you."
"Brother-in-law, you're too kind." Immediately afterwards, a screenshot was sent: ticket information for Jay Chou's World Tour concert - Shanghai stop.
Chen Zhiyi: "No problem, I'll send you the tickets after I get them."
Song Xiaolei: "Brother-in-law, as long as it's not going to cost me my life, call me anytime, even if it means going through fire and water."
Chen Zhiyi: "......"
Ren Jingjing also sent a message, "How are the preparations going?"
Chen Zhiyi: "Everything is done according to schedule."
Ren Jingjing: "Okay, feel free to contact me if you need any help."
Chen Zhiyi: "Thank you, Sister Jing."
When Lin Ting woke up on the last morning of her trip, she found Chen Zhiyi wasn't beside her, but there was an exquisite box on the bedside table with a card inside. "My princess, dressed in a beautiful white dress, is coming with me for a wonderful date. The carriage is already waiting at the hotel entrance. —Your Black Knight, CHEN."
Lin Ting opened the box and found a white fitted long dress and a pair of crystal shoes. After changing her clothes, she walked to the hotel entrance, where a pumpkin carriage was indeed waiting. However, the driver was not Chen Zhiyi.
Before Lin Ting could speak, the driver said in broken Chinese, "Please get in the car, Princess. I will take you to find your knight."
Lin Ting sat in the carriage, the fragrance of gardenias filling the air. All the decorative flowers were fresh gardenias, which Chen Zhiyi must have prepared, knowing that she liked gardenias. It was the last day of the trip, and also Chen Zhiyi's birthday. She had prepared a surprise, but before she could show it, he was the one who was surprised first.
As the carriage traveled along the road, the crisp, melodious sound of its wheels seemed to play a beautiful melody for this surprise. A gentle breeze blew, and the fragrance of flowers drifted through the streets. The white carriage and the beautiful woman in the white dress were enough to create an unmissable, flowing scene on the street.
The carriage stopped in front of a manor. Lin Ting immediately recognized it as Adele Manor, which was once ranked as the number one resort in the world by a travel magazine and is also a landmark building in Ireland.
Lin Ting knew about it because a celebrity couple held an enviable wedding of the century at this manor. It was this dream wedding that made many people realize that Ireland was once a country where divorce was forbidden and that it was the birthplace of wedding dresses and honeymoons.
Looking at her white gauze dress, Lin Ting remembered that Ireland was the last stop on her trip, and now she was standing at the gate of the manor. She suddenly realized what kind of situation she would face after going in.
She stood still, deep in thought. Was it time to take this step? Was she sure it was him? Would she be able to hold his hand no matter what difficulties she encountered?
None of the answers were affirmative.
Just like he said, I haven't thought about anyone else but you.
So, Lin Ting lifted her skirt and walked forward resolutely.
The manor gates opened, and a tall, blond, blue-eyed male waiter in uniform walked in, holding a gardenia. As expected of a world-class castle manor, even the waiters were top-notch in appearance and physique.
He handed the gardenia to Lin Ting and told her how to proceed.
After walking a few steps, another waiter will be waiting for Lin Ting with gardenias, and will tell her how to proceed.
Adele Estate covers 840 acres, equivalent to 134 football fields, and without any directions, she could walk around there all day without any clue.
In the corridor of the manor, Lin Ting saw a memory wall, covered with many things, all the little things that happened between her and Chen Zhiyi.
She saw the downloaded college entrance exam questions, the broken black-rimmed glasses, the milk tea paper cup, the school uniform shirt embroidered with his name, the first hand-drawn design draft for him, the receipt for accompanying him to register for the performance agency, the ID photo of himself at 17 years old that he secretly took from the album, the amulet for him to pray for good luck, the work badge he found after their reunion, the customized cooperation agreement they signed, the customized hand-drawn draft, and the latest hand-drawn couple hats, etc.
Everything she remembered and everything she didn't remember was posted on this memory wall. The breakdown came unexpectedly. Through this wall, she saw all the things Chen Zhiyi had carefully collected between them over the years, good and bad. She felt his sincere and passionate love as always, and that heart that beat whole and true no matter when it was brought out.
At the end of the memory wall was a large door. Lin Ting had a strong premonition that if he pushed open this door, he would see everything Chen Zhiyi had prepared, and Chen Zhiyi would be waiting for him behind the door. Lin Ting composed himself, not wanting to wait another second at the door, and pushed the door open.
Sure enough, I saw Chen Zhiyi wearing a white suit, and behind him, a path paved with gardenias on a lush green lawn, leading to a terrace where a pastor stood.
Chen Zhiyi walked up the steps and met Lin Ting, who was standing at the door. She was wearing a pure white long gauze dress, the hem of which was spread out on the ground, like a gardenia blooming in the morning mist, pure and elegant.
This dress was custom-made by Chen Zhiyi, and it fit perfectly. The embroidery on it was done overnight by several skilled master craftsmen. The dress was not extravagant but delicate, making Lin Ting look graceful, elegant, and refined, a perfect match for her.
Lin Ting smiled helplessly, "Are you stupid? Shouldn't you be standing next to the priest and waiting for me to walk towards you?"
"What if you open it and see this scene, and then you want to back out and run away? I can quickly hug you and tell you that I don't need anyone else to accompany you on this path, and I don't want you to walk alone. I will hold your hand and walk with you to the end. Not just this one path, but every path we encounter in the future, I will walk with you."
Lin Ting's eyes welled up with tears again, a mixture of crying and laughing. She was completely captivated by the boy in front of her and had no way to resist him anymore.
At this moment, silence spoke volumes. Chen Zhiyi had achieved his desired result. He reached out and wiped away the tears from the corners of her eyes, then extended his hand from behind his back and handed Lin Ting a white veil. The veil was adorned with three-dimensional gardenia flowers, perfectly complementing the embroidery on her dress.
He draped it over her shoulders himself, his eyes glistening with tears, and whispered, "My princess, would you like to wear this?"
"Uh-huh."
A pristine white veil cascaded down her hair like a waterfall, draping over her equally pure white dress. The sunlight was warm and the temperature pleasant; the off-the-shoulder design and sheer organza accentuated her light and airy figure, while the cinched waist perfectly showcased Lin Ting's curvaceous and well-proportioned body. The gardenia design adorning her head and ears, far from being overly flashy, actually made her appear even more beautiful than the flowers.
It's truly amazing everywhere you look.
Chen Zhiyi's direct and undisguised gaze caused Lin Ting's face to flush red. She asked softly, "Does it look good?"
"It's beautiful, it's beautiful everywhere."
A boy's praise of his beloved girl's appearance is the most direct way to express his love. It may be superficial, but it can make a girl feel proud and excited at that moment.
Lin Ting looked at the pastor standing in the distance and asked, "Is this a proposal or a wedding?"
"It counts. If I only see it as a proposal, that's not what I want. But if I skip the proposal and go straight to marriage, there will be no proper ceremony. I'm proposing to you through marriage, and from then on, we will be bound together forever and never be separated."
Chen Zhiyi extended his hand, "Would you like to take my hand and walk over together?"
Without a second's hesitation, Lin Ting and Lin Ting first intertwined their palms, then held hands, and walked step by step toward the priest.
The pastor said to them, "Are you willing to stand by each other's side forever, in good times and bad, in health and sickness, in youth and in old age, to stay together through thick and thin, never to part?"
No one marries anyone else, and no one is anyone's possession. They are all independent individuals who stand side by side, supporting and relying on each other, and walking together to the end of their lives.
Lin Ting: "I do."
Chen Zhiyi: "I do."
Pastor: "Please exchange rings and stay together until the end."
Chen Zhiyi took out a pair of rings from his pocket first. The design was simple but exquisite, with platinum material and a circle of small diamonds. He took out the women's ring and put it on Lin Ting's ring finger. Lin Ting took out the men's ring and put it on Chen Zhiyi's ring finger.
After the ring exchange, the pastor said, "The ceremony is over. The boy may now kiss the girl."
Suddenly the LCD screen next to me lit up, and a familiar voice came through.
Song Xiaolei shouted directly, "Sister, brother-in-law, happy wedding! Let's continue with the ceremony!"
Yun Shu: "Congratulations! After all your hardships, you've finally reached this point."
Ren Jingjing: "Congratulations to you both, and thank you for showing us a true love."
With a sob in her voice, Zhong Xiaoman said, "I'm happy and willing to eat this dog food today. You two must be happy."
When Lin Ting saw Lin Qin, her tears flowed again.
Lin Qin: "Zhiyi, this time I'm truly entrusting Lin Ting to you. Treat her well and take good care of her. She has obvious strengths and weaknesses; she's too stubborn. Most of the time, you'll need to be tolerant and understanding of her. I wish you both a long and happy life together, but if you have to part ways, do so gracefully, okay?"
Chen Zhiyi raised their hands, which were clasped together and adorned with rings, and said, "Don't worry, Auntie, that day will never come. I will never let go until I die."
Song Xiaolei: "Why call me 'Auntie'? It's come to this point, you should change how you address me."
Zhong Xiaoman: "Yes, we need to change how we address each other."
Chen Zhiyi readily exclaimed, "Thank you, Mom."
Lin Ting clearly saw that Lin Qin's eyes were wet, and she responded excitedly, "Okay, okay, good girl."
Ren Jingjing: "Alright, it's time for the final step. We're waiting online for the ceremony to be completed."
Yun Shu: "Yes, now that you're done, my husband and I can go enjoy a romantic candlelight dinner for two."
It was a little after 10 a.m. in Ireland, which was a little after 6 p.m. in China.
In full view of everyone, the two completed the final ritual by kissing.
Afterwards, the two sat on the lawn, leaning against each other, quietly enjoying the moment. Lin Ting also took out a brocade box, saying, "Happy Birthday!"
When Chen Zhiyi opened the box, there was a pair of silver rings, one engraved with the shape of a flower and the other engraved with the shape of a "little golden man" trophy.
"I designed and made this myself, intending to give it to you for your birthday. But compared to what you gave me, it looks nothing special. Just consider it a little trinket."
Lin Ting was a little disappointed. This was a piece she had made herself, going straight to the silver jewelry workshop after work for a week straight. From design, casting, silvering, annealing, cooling, and engraving, she had done it all herself. The ring was small, but it had taken a lot of effort. In the first few days, either the pieces were ruined or didn't look the way she wanted. She stayed until 9:30 pm every day, only leaving when the shop closed. During that time, "Eternal Love Song" was rushing to wrap up filming, and Chen Zhiyi didn't return until the early hours of the morning, so he didn't notice anything unusual.
But ultimately, compared to the platinum diamond ring already on your hand, it's nothing.
"Forget it, give it back to me." Lin Ting wanted to take back the brocade box, but Chen Zhiyi refused and directly took off the platinum ring on his ring finger and replaced it with a silver "little golden man" ring.
"This is the ring I wanted." He then put the women's silver ring on Lin Ting's middle finger.
Lin Ting looked at the two rings on her hand, not knowing whether to laugh or cry, "If I collect ten rings, can I summon a magic lamp and make a wish?"
"You can only summon me. I will help you achieve whatever you want, just like you firmly supported me in studying acting and realizing my dream of becoming an actor."
That sounds strange. "Are you repaying a debt of gratitude?"
Lin Ting watched the vast expanse of white gardenia petals drifting in the wind, as if she were seeing a pile of banknotes swirling and dancing in the wind, about to be swept away. Ireland's climate isn't suitable for growing gardenias; in fact, the climate isn't very suitable for gardenias in Europe. Clearly, these were airlifted from China, and April and May are the peak blooming season for gardenias. "What are we going to do with so many gardenias? Just leave them here as garbage?"
"Don't worry, I've already spoken with the manor. They can give the whole flower to the hotel guests, collect the petals to make fragrant oil, and bury the spoiled ones as fertilizer."
That's very thoughtful.
Lin Ting then thought of something else, “Is this manor very expensive? I’ve looked into it; it dates back to the 19th century and is one of Ireland’s six most mysterious ancient castles.”
Chen Zhiyi understood the meaning behind those words; someone's meticulous and frugal spirit was starting to take hold. He immediately shifted the topic to what was the most urgent matter.
"Then you should be able to guess why I chose Ireland as the final stop on my trip?"
Lin Ting smiled without saying a word. Goodness, the topic changed fast.
What could be the intention? Choosing to propose and marry in Ireland is choosing fidelity in love.
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In a high-end bar in Jinshi, Qin Fei was drowning her sorrows in a photo on her phone, sent by a private investigator, of Chen Zhiyi proposing to Lin Ting. Han Ming sat beside her without saying a word.
Qin Fei openly took out her phone and placed it on the bar to browse messages. She didn't hide it, and anyone with a discerning eye could see it at a glance. It was obvious that she wanted Han Ming to be the one with the discerning eye.
It was then that Han Ming realized Qin Fei had been monitoring their lives for a long time, practically living under her nose. He clearly understood the depth of Qin Fei's possessiveness towards Chen Zhiyi. The look in her eyes as she gazed at the photo seemed to contain endless anger and resentment, as deep and unfathomable as an abyss, a silent accusation, expressing the deepest anger at their betrayal. The flames in her eyes flickered, as if to devour everything, revealing a resolute determination with no turning back.
Han Ming still remembers the first time he witnessed Qin Fei's strong possessiveness towards Chen Zhiyi. It was when he stayed overnight at her house and got up in the middle of the night to get a drink of water. He found that she was not by his side. He heard a soft rustling sound coming from the attic on the third floor. He went up and found Qin Fei drinking in front of a picture of Chen Zhiyi projected on the screen. Not only that, the entire room only had a sofa in the middle, and huge pictures of Chen Zhiyi were hanging on the white walls all around.
Under the dim light, Qin Fei sat alone on the large sofa, a glass of deep red wine in her hand, the liquid shimmering alluringly in the lamplight. Her gaze traveled through the glass, admiring each photograph that flashed across the screen.
Her eyes were filled with obsession and entanglement; her gaze was fixed on the figure in the photograph, as if she wanted to etch every detail of him into her heart. She wouldn't allow anyone to touch him, much less possess him.
Han Ming saw a possessive and obsessive love in her eyes. In Qin Fei's heart, Chen Zhiyi had long been her caged bird.
Only then did he understand why Qin Fei was channeling all her best resources toward Chen Zhiyi. She wanted to use this to trap Chen Zhiyi and then slowly tame the caged bird, making him belong to her body and soul.
But now this bird has flown away right under her nose, seeking its own sky. How can the person who spent so much time and effort training the bird be content with that?
Qin Fei put her phone into her wine glass, turned to look at Han Ming, her gaze deep, as if hiding endless darkness, and the contemptuous smile on her lips was chilling. "Soon, the big show I've been preparing will begin. You'd better watch carefully to see what happens to those who betray me."
Han Ming understood; this was blatant revenge. "What are you planning to do?"
Qin Fei put her index finger to her lips. "Shh—it'll lose its meaning if I say it out loud." She picked up her bag and staggered out of the bar.
Han Ming took out his phone and scrolled to Chen Zhiyi's WeChat, intending to send them a message to remind them, but he stopped.
He knew Qin Fei's methods all too well; they were sure to cause serious harm, and the two of them would definitely be hurt as a result.
If Lin Ting hadn't been injured, how could she have separated from Chen Zhiyi, and how could he have had the chance?
Ultimately, he was a selfish person; he was willing to be a despicable person and take advantage of any weakness.
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