Chapter 134 A Trip to the South City
The two families were incredibly efficient.
The next morning, a scholar with an air of otherworldly wisdom, said to be the most difficult master of Chinese studies to invite in northern Beijing, was "invited" to the Huo family's old residence.
The master calculated with his fingers, stroked his beard, and gave a conclusion that invigorated everyone.
"One month from now, on the last day of the month, will be a rare auspicious day for marriage, a match made in heaven!"
These words immediately caused an uproar in the living room.
"That day is it!" Ye Mei made the final decision, her face beaming with barely suppressed joy.
"Great! I'll contact the hotel and wedding planning company right away!" Su Wanqing immediately took out her phone and started browsing her contacts.
What was originally a "marriage-urging conference" was transformed into a "high-level preparatory committee for the wedding of the century" in just half a day.
Ye Mei and Su Wanqing were automatically elected as commanders-in-chief.
Huo Jing, a decisive and capable businesswoman, was entrusted with the important task of becoming the chief planner of the wedding.
Qin Feng, who had previously been Huo Yanzhi's special assistant, has now become the chief executive officer of the wedding project, responsible for mobilizing all resources under the Huo Group.
Ruan Sheng and Gu Huai, two lively characters, volunteered to be the leaders of the groomsmen group, claiming they would form the "most handsome group in northern Beijing".
The entire Huo family mansion, and even the Huo and Ruan conglomerates behind it, were like a sophisticated war machine, operating at high speed around this wedding.
In an instant, every detail—invitation style, guest list, embroiderers for Chinese-style dresses, designers for Western-style wedding gowns, banquet menu, and even the chocolate brand for the wedding favors—was brought to the forefront and discussed in a lively yet harmonious manner.
The entire upper-class circle in northern Beijing sensed something unusual.
Ironically, Huo Yanzhi and Ruan Yao, the male and female protagonists at the center of this "storm," became the most carefree people.
They were unanimously "ordered" by their elders not to get involved in any complicated matters; their only task was to rest well, recharge their energy, and be a beautiful newlywed couple.
At this moment, the two of them are sitting on the swing in the garden, watching people move around in the living room, with the phone ringing incessantly, as if they were in another world.
"Why do I feel like... we're like two mascots who've been sidelined?" Ruan Yao rested her head on Huo Yanzhi's shoulder and muttered softly.
Huo Yanzhi chuckled softly, tightened his arms around her, and breathed warmly into her ear.
"Isn't that good? Mrs. Huo only needs to be beautiful."
Ruan Yao's ears burned when he called her "Mrs. Huo," but her heart felt sweet.
“Huo Yanzhi.” Ruan Yao suddenly swayed on the swing and looked up at him.
"Um?"
“Let’s go out and have some fun,” she suggested, her eyes sparkling in the sunlight. “Before we get married, it’ll just be the two of us.”
Huo Yanzhi put down the magazine, grasped the swing ropes, and brought it to a stop.
He bent down and gently tidied her wind-blown hair, his voice soft: "Okay, where do you want to go? The Maldives, or the Swiss Alps?"
He could arrange it immediately if she wanted.
Ruan Yao shook her head.
She looked into his eyes.
"Let's... go to the south of the city."
Huo Yanzhi held her hand, unconsciously tightening his grip a little.
South City.
That place, which he once regarded as the starting point of his life's nightmare, a place he never wanted to set foot in again for either of his lives.
He looked at Ruan Yao and saw undisguised expectation and a gentle reassurance in her clear eyes.
He suddenly understood.
She wanted to go back with him and walk that darkest, muddiest road that he had walked alone.
It's not about reopening old wounds, but about planting flowers on that desolate wasteland.
The lingering unease and hesitation in Huo Yanzhi's chest vanished completely under her gaze.
In this world, nothing understands him as well as she does.
He reached out and grasped her slightly cool fingertips, responding softly.
"good."
*
While both families were completely preoccupied with the complicated wedding arrangements, the two of them quietly booked two plane tickets to Nancheng without alerting anyone.
It felt like a long-planned elopement, both exciting and sweet.
The plane landed at Nancheng Airport.
A humid, warm breeze, carrying the unique fragrance of southern plants, wafted towards me.
It's completely different from the dry, crisp air of northern Beijing.
Ruan Yao took a deep breath, feeling a sense of familiarity and warmth, as if she had returned to her childhood.
Instead of going to any star-rated hotels, they took a taxi directly to the old town where Ruan Yao had lived as a child.
Outside the car window, the tall buildings gradually receded into the distance, replaced by low-rise houses and shops along the street, full of life.
More than a decade has passed, and the city has changed dramatically, but the outline of the old street remains.
Relying on her memory, Ruan Yao held Huo Yanzhi's hand and walked through familiar yet unfamiliar alleys.
Finally, she stopped in front of a small shop with a faded sign.
"This is it!"
She pointed at the shop, her eyes sparkling, her voice brimming with undisguised joy.
Huo Yanzhi looked in the direction she was pointing.
It was a very old shop, with all sorts of colorful candies and snacks displayed in the glass counter, as if time had been frozen in the last century.
He could almost picture it: a little girl with pigtails had bought the strawberry candy that had saved him from here more than a decade ago.
The two went inside.
Behind the counter, an elderly woman with gray hair was wearing reading glasses and quietly watching television.
"Grandma, do you still remember me?" Ruan Yao stepped forward, smiling sweetly.
The old woman squinted at her for a while before suddenly realizing what she had done and clapped her hands.
"Oh my, it's Yaoyao! The most beautiful little girl in the Ruan family!" The old woman beamed from ear to ear. "You've grown up so much, but you're still as pretty as when you were little!"
Ruan Yao was both surprised and delighted, never expecting that the old woman would still remember her.
"Grandma, you still recognize me!"
“Of course I recognize you! You loved coming to my shop to buy strawberry candy when you were little, you had such a sweet tongue.” The old lady said with a smile, her gaze falling on Huo Yanzhi standing next to Ruan Yao, nodding repeatedly, “This young man is also very handsome! The two of you standing together are a match made in heaven!”
Ruan Yao blushed, but felt a sweet warmth in her heart.
She pulled Huo Yanzhi along and took two large bags of strawberry candy from the counter.
"Grandma, we're getting married!" Ruan Yao handed over the money, like a child showing off a precious treasure.
"Oh my, that's wonderful news!" The old lady was overjoyed and refused to accept the money. Instead, she grabbed a handful of festively wrapped candies from under the counter and stuffed them into their arms, saying, "Take these, take them, share in the joy!"
The two could not refuse and had no choice but to accept it.
During their conversation, the old woman told them that this small shop, which had been open for decades, was about to close down.
Her daughter has established herself in the seaside city and is preparing to take her elderly parents there to enjoy their retirement.
"That's wonderful." Ruan Yao was genuinely happy for the old woman.
The old woman smiled and said, "You two should take good care of yourselves, have a baby soon, and live happily ever after."
They exchanged blessings and left the small shop that was about to disappear into the past.
Walking under the dappled shadows of the trees, Huo Yanzhi took out a candy from his bag, slowly peeled off the pink wrapper with his slender fingers, and brought the round candy to Ruan Yao's lips.
Ruan Yao opened her mouth and took it in; the rich sweetness of strawberry and milk instantly melted on her taste buds.
It tastes exactly the same as it did more than a decade ago.
But my state of mind has completely changed.
Huo Yanzhi watched her squint her eyes in satisfaction, like a kitten that had stolen a piece of candy, and he peeled one for himself and put it in his mouth.
That familiar sweetness traveled down the tip of my tongue and spread to the deepest part of my heart.
Once, this candy was his only hope for survival in the darkness.
And now, this candy is happiness itself.
He turned his head to look at the girl beside him, whose skin was gilded by the sunlight, and spoke softly.
"I never imagined that Nancheng could be like this."
"What does it look like?" Ruan Yao asked vaguely.
Huo Yanzhi reached out and gently wiped away a bit of sugar stain from the corner of her lips.
"A warm appearance."
Ruan Yao stopped and turned to face him.
She took the bag of strawberry candies from his hand, hugged it tightly to her chest, then stood on tiptoe and kissed him on the lips.
"Because I'm right here with you now."
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