Chapter 188

Chapter 188

May 5, Start of Summer.

On the first day of early summer, all things flourished in full bloom.

Xia Wanzhi welcomed her twenty-sixth birthday, and at the same time, she welcomed an incomparably important day in her life-

Her wedding to Xie Qiyan.

When she was eight, she met Xie Qiyan in the summer.

Last July, she reunited with Xie Qiyan in the summer.

This May, she and Xie Qiyan held their wedding in the summer.

Summer was long, returning again and again. A love as passionate as summer would never set.

This year’s summer had only just begun.

Not only this year, and not only in summer-from now on, year after year, through three meals and four seasons, Xie Qiyan would be by Xia Wanzhi’s side.

The wedding ceremony was not overly complicated. Yet when it was time for the bride to enter, Xia Wanzhi, who had clearly memorized the entire process, found her mind going blank.

Rose petals drifted down from above, brushing over the bride’s pure white wedding gown before landing on the vibrant green lawn. To the beat of the music, Xia Wanzhi slowly walked toward the person she loved.

The entrance music was gentle and elegant, yet bright and passionate.

It was an English song Yun Li had written after she and Xie Qiyan got their marriage certificate-

Gardenia Summer.

A one-of-a-kind song that belonged only to Xia Wanzhi.

They had clearly rehearsed this many times. At this part, Xia Wanzhi was supposed to hold her bouquet and walk toward Xie Qiyan with a smile. But the moment her eyes met Xie Qiyan’s, surrounded by the applause and cheers of everyone around them and by the rhythm that seemed to fall directly onto her heart, Xia Wanzhi’s eyes gradually reddened.

The summer breeze was cool and fresh, lifting Xia Wanzhi’s veil. The moment her tears of happiness fell, her gauzy skirt also rose with the wind.

Xie Qiyan raised a brow slightly, grinning wide enough to show a perfect eight teeth as he looked at his bride.

The music entered the chorus. The melody landed precisely on every heartbeat, and the bride, lifting her skirt as she ran passionately toward the groom, was caught steadily in his arms.

Already prepared, Xie Qiyan took two steps forward, lifted his bride, and spun her around. Her fluttering veil and skirt blended together with the flower petals filling the sky.

In this moment, they were the very definition of romance.

The wedding had been set for Start of Summer, and a lawn wedding had been their first choice. From the moment the date and venue were confirmed, Xie Qiyan had had this gauzy gown custom-made.

Xia Wanzhi was like a gardenia blooming at the height of summer.

Pure white. Passionate.

She would definitely run toward him with all her heart.

Just like in this moment.

Xie Qiyan’s smile deepened. After spinning twice and steadying himself, he lifted his gaze to look up at his bride.

Xia Wanzhi was both crying and laughing. Amid the teasing cheers around them, she clenched her fists and thumped Xie Qiyan on the shoulder twice, calling softly, “Put me down!”

She had lost control for a moment and messed up the entire flow of the ceremony.

Xie Qiyan had almost lost control too.

Almost lost control and kissed her.

But of course, at that exact moment, the emcee teased, “It seems our bride can’t wait to move on to the next part. In that case, let’s invite our bride and groom to the front!”

Xia Yongqing covered his face and clicked his tongue twice. “I can’t watch this…”

“She takes after me, after me!” Rose shot him a glare, then joined Xie Tan beside her in clapping and cheering.

Xia Yongqing smiled helplessly. Thinking of his own wedding more than twenty years ago, his heart filled with nostalgia as he secretly took Rose’s hand.

Rose was laughing so hard, but when she lowered her head, her eyes still couldn’t help turning red.

When people are happy, and when they feel happy for someone else, they cry.

Jiang Baichuan had already wiped Yun Li’s tears three times. Fortunately, after attending so many weddings, he had gained experience and prepared tissues for tears early on.

“If you’re crying this hard now, what are we supposed to do when we get married?” Jiang Baichuan rubbed the corner of her eye with the pad of his finger and teased her in a low voice.

Yun Li glared at him. “Are you complaining?”

Jiang Baichuan leaned close to her, his temple brushing hers as his smile deepened bit by bit. “How would I dare? So, baby, does that mean you’ve accepted my proposal?”

His breath was faintly hot against her. Besides, Jiang Yourong was sitting right next to them. Yun Li shrank her neck and pushed him away. “There are so many people here. Stop touching me…”

The summer wind made her face feel hot.

Jiang Baichuan only smiled without a word. The hand tucked into the pocket of his suit pants seemed to be gripping something tightly.

Only after they entered the vow-reading segment did the guests take their seats. Everyone present was familiar. Aside from the elders from the Xia Family and the Xie Family, the rest of the guests were Xia Wanzhi and Xie Qiyan’s relatives and friends.

The vows were not long, but as Xia Wanzhi listened, she still couldn’t help wanting to cry.
Xia Wanzhi had heard far too many of Xie Qiyan’s sweet nothings. On every night they spent whispering close together, his words of love were especially intoxicating.

She should have been shy, but she couldn’t deny that she liked that kind of intimacy.

In public, Xie Qiyan was so meticulous he even tied his tie without a single flaw-sharp-tongued and proper. Likewise, in public, Xia Wanzhi was usually reserved and restrained.

But the moment their bodies touched, the sparks they struck were so passionate, so unbridled.

Neither of them could hold back their love.

They exchanged rings, embraced, and kissed. Amid the applause of the officiant and guests on all sides, the wedding ceremony was complete.

As they kissed, a petal happened to drift slowly down between their lips. Xie Qiyan held Xia Wanzhi by the shoulders and stopped holding himself back, deepening the kiss that was filled with profound love.

The cheers and teasing rose endlessly around them.

“Hurry, hurry! Take pictures!” Yu Fei clamped a hand hard on Huo Yang’s shoulder as the latter filmed with a professional camera, terrified that they might fail to capture this highlight of their boss’s life.

“Will you die if you don’t howl a couple of times?” Huo Yang snapped, finally unable to bear it.

Zhuzi couldn’t stand listening to the two of them bicker, and she couldn’t stand their life-threateningly awful straight-man photography skills either. She squeezed between them and snatched the equipment over. “Move aside. I’ll do it.”

They said a fine horse deserved a fine saddle.

But these two workhorses were simply wasting photography equipment worth hundreds of thousands.

Yu Fei and Huo Yang said nothing. They merely obeyed.

Even workhorses had ranks.

After all, their President Xie obeyed CEO’s Wife / Madam President in everything. Although Zhuzi was Xia Wanzhi’s assistant, the two were as close as sisters. Yu Fei was terrified of offending this somewhat hot-tempered little assistant. If she went and complained, the bonus already within his grasp would probably fly away.

Compared with the liveliness among the younger crowd, the elders’ side was relatively composed.

Especially the Xie Family.

The Old Master’s eyes were full of smiles. But when he withdrew his gaze, he inadvertently caught sight of Yao Qin and Liu Shubai nearby.

His smile gradually faded, and regret began to fill his heart.

If he hadn’t insisted on having his own way back then, if he had put aside his prejudices, if he had accepted Yao Qin and allowed her through the door…

Would the outcome have been different?

Seeing their Old Master’s eyes grow wet with tears, the members of the Xie Family did not dare say anything disrespectful.

Xie Qiyan probably did not welcome their presence, but with the marriage being sealed before everyone, the Xie Family had to attend in full under the Old Master’s lead to show their respect for Xia Wanzhi and for this marriage.

That included the Xie Family’s daughter who had married out-Zhou’s Mother-who had come with her husband and son.

In a corner, Zhou Yu, who had witnessed the entire wedding, grieved silently. The fist he clenched was corded with bulging veins, and his heart was filled with resentment and regret.

“Son…” Zhou’s Mother couldn’t bear to see him like this and tried earnestly to persuade him. “I know you feel awful. Once the ceremony is over, let’s leave, all right?”

Their family had not wanted to come in the first place.

But the Old Master had made it clear: unless she intended to cut ties with the Xie Family, she had to attend the wedding as Xie Qiyan’s aunt.

Zhou Yu abruptly came back to himself and flung her arm away. Furious, he said, “Now you care whether I feel awful? If you hadn’t had a problem with Zhi Zhi back then, I wouldn’t have been caught between both sides! If you hadn’t kept warning me… if you hadn’t made things difficult for her at every turn, she and I never would have broken up!”

Now, thinking back on everything that had happened, and then thinking of Sun Lingzhi, who was still at home nurturing her pregnancy, Zhou Yu couldn’t help resenting his own mother.

His words were like knives stabbing viciously into Zhou’s Mother’s heart, but she had no way to refute them.

“I’m sorry. It was my fault…”

“Enough! If you want to argue, do it at home!” Zhou’s Father rose angrily and turned to leave. “I can’t afford to lose face like this…”

The commotion on that side wasn’t particularly loud, but where Xia Wanzhi stood gave her a full view of the entire venue. Watching the three members of the Zhou Family leave, Xia Wanzhi blinked, and just as she withdrew her gaze, she met Xie Qiyan’s meaningful eyes.

Xia Wanzhi laughed. “I was just watching the drama.”

“More interesting than our drama?” Xie Qiyan raised a hand and gently touched her earlobe, where a Gardenia earring hung.

His arm locked around her waist and drew her into his embrace. Xia Wanzhi lost her balance, and as she laughed, she simply rested her chin on his shoulder. “Xie Qiyan, I’m so glad I met you.”

So glad she had fallen in love with him.

Xie Qiyan merely smiled. “Don’t change the subject. Call me husband, and I’ll forgive you.”

Xia Wanzhi: “…”