Chapter 415 Triumph
On the day of the wedding banquet, Nan Zhiyi changed into a newly made light purple cheongsam with dark patterns and twirled in front of the dressing mirror.
She turned to look at Gu Xiao, "Does it look good?"
Gu Xiao was fastening his shirt cuffs when he heard the sound. He looked up and his gaze lingered on her for a moment.
"Beautiful. My wife is the most beautiful woman in the world."
Nan Zhiyi smiled and lightly spat, "Minister Gu, you always praise me with your eyes closed."
"I'm just telling the truth."
Gu Xiao walked behind her, placed his hands on her waist, looked at her through the mirror, and his tall figure surrounded her, enveloping her in a tight, warm embrace.
Nan Zhiyi pushed him away with her elbow and focused on styling her hair in front of the mirror.
She had just picked up the comb when Gu Xiao leaned in again and snatched it from her hand: "Wife, let me do it."
Nan Zhiyi raised an eyebrow slightly and followed his lead, only occasionally giving instructions: "Tuck that strand on the left in a little more... Yes, just use that pearl hair clip to hold it in place."
Following his instructions, Gu Xiao gathered her long hair into a neat bun at the back of her head and secured it with pearl hairpins.
Nan Zhiyi turned her head to look at herself in the mirror from left to right and praised, "Great, much better than before. Did Minister Gu practice in private?"
Her eyes swept across him, a smile playing on her lips, possessing an innate attraction for him.
Gu Xiao leaned down to kiss her, but Nan Zhiyi quickly leaned back to avoid it: "Don't be silly, I just put on lipstick, it'll smudge."
Gu Xiao had no choice but to give up. He sat down on a stool to the side with some regret, watching her draw her eyebrows in front of the mirror. He would occasionally praise her, saying things like, "Your eyebrows are so well drawn," and "This blush suits you so well." Finally, he was eager to try it himself: "Wife, shall I draw your other eyebrow?"
Nan Zhiyi found it interesting and handed him the eyebrow pencil: "Okay, let's experience the fun of 'Zhang Chang drawing eyebrows' too."
Gu Xiao took the eyebrow pencil, held his breath, and carefully traced the curve of her eyebrows.
He moved extremely lightly and slowly, afraid of ruining the painting if he pressed too hard.
After a long while, he stepped back a little: "How is it?"
Nan Zhiyi looked at herself carefully in the mirror. Her eyebrows were symmetrical and even. "Very good. Minister Gu is a man of few words."
Gu Xiao finally breathed a sigh of relief, and a light sheen of sweat appeared on his forehead.
He reached out and helped her up, glancing at his watch: "Let's go, it's almost eleven o'clock."
The two walked downstairs hand in hand and drove to the Peace Hotel.
Upon arriving at the banquet hall, it was brightly decorated and filled with guests. Among the elegantly dressed men in military uniforms or Zhongshan suits and women in various cheongsams and dresses, the sounds of conversation and laughter filled the air, creating a grand scene.
A flower stand screen was set up at the entrance. Lu Linlang, wearing a loose, bright red georgette dress, stood side by side with Luo Jianming, who was dressed in a sharp suit. Both newlyweds wore big red flowers on their chests. Their parents, dressed in brand-new clothes, accompanied them as they greeted the guests.
As Nan Zhiyi approached, arm in arm with Gu Xiao, she glanced curiously at Lu Linlang's stomach, but unfortunately, she couldn't tell whether Lu Linlang was pregnant.
Upon seeing the two, Luo Jianming immediately shook hands with Gu Xiao warmly: "Minister Gu, it's an honor to have you here! Welcome, welcome!"
He then turned to Nan Zhiyi, beaming, "Mrs. Gu, you two are truly a perfect match..."
Gu Xiao shook hands with Luo Jianming and said a few words of celebration.
Nan Zhiyi also nodded slightly to Luo Jianming: "Congratulations, Deputy Division Commander Luo."
When her gaze swept over Lu Linlang, she politely curved the corners of her lips into a smile.
Lu Linlang's father, Dean Lu, stepped forward and shook hands with Gu Xiao with a smile: "Minister Gu, it's been so many years."
Gu Xiao remained calm and politely replied, "Dean Lu, congratulations."
Dean Lu didn't care about his aloofness and turned to Luo Jianming with a smile: "Jianming, you may not know, but Minister Gu and his wife grew up in the same compound as our Linlang. They are childhood friends."
Luo Jianming looked surprised and glanced at Lu Linlang beside him.
Lu Linlang gave Gu Xiao and Nan Zhiyi a standard smile and said casually, "It's all from when we were little. It's rare that Dad still remembers."
She was certain that people like Gu Xiao and Nan Zhiyi, who had "decency" ingrained in their bones, would never embarrass anyone in this situation. Especially Nan Zhiyi, who, in her memory, always seemed to be gentle, even somewhat soft-spoken.
Nan Zhiyi simply responded with a polite smile and said a few polite words to Luo Jianming and Lu Linlang, such as "Yes, it was something from when we were kids, and I wish you a happy marriage."
Gu Xiao also nodded slightly to Luo Jianming and his parents, "Congratulations, congratulations. My father also asked me to congratulate him, but unfortunately he is not in good health and cannot come in person..." and so on.
Just then, more guests arrived, and the host was busy greeting them. Gu Xiao put his arm around Nan Zhiyi's shoulder and walked towards the place where gifts were collected. Immediately, someone in charge of reception led the couple inside.
As Lu Linlang watched their backs as they walked hand in hand, she noticed that Gu Xiao deliberately slowed his pace to accommodate Nan Zhiyi, and couldn't help but sneer inwardly.
They put on quite a convincing act.
I never imagined that these two could actually pretend to be so loving for so many years.
She was no longer the woman who had once been in love with Gu Xiao; time and reality had worn away those unrealistic fantasies.
In Lu Linlang's opinion, Nan Zhiyi was just lucky; she was only favored by Gu Xiao because of her good looks.
Over the years, although she hadn't directly contacted her old acquaintances in Beijing, being in the same military and political circles, as Luo Jianming's fiancée, she naturally knew many military and political families and could always hear news about Gu Xiao and his wife through various channels. For example, Nan Zhiyi was a top student from Peking University and a writer with a considerable reputation, but what she heard most often was still the loving relationship between Gu Xiao and his wife...
Are the couple loving and affectionate?
Lu Linlang sneered, "What a huge joke."
There are no truly loving couples in this world; they're just putting on an act for others, each getting what they want.
She then thought of Meng Qingshan and Zhou Anping who had just arrived. Zhou Anping looked like he wanted to glare at her but was holding back. Did he really think she cared?
Hate me?
Did Zhou Anping really think she would still care about that bit of hatred?
What kind of storm did Zhou Anping's petty actions stir up back then?
Now that she has officially become the daughter-in-law of the Luo family, with the power of the Luo family, all the ridicule and contempt of the past will be trampled under her feet. Who would dare to give her a hard time?
Lu Linlang stopped looking in Nan Zhiyi's direction, straightened her back, put on a smile, and greeted the guests who followed.
Looking at these prominent military and political figures before him, they all offered their blessings…
Aren't all these people now flattering Lu Linlang because of the Luo family?
A feeling of triumph welled up inside her.
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