Chapter 42 - Anniversary Party (2)

Long Jie escorted her to the outdoor courtyard of the venue. There was a garden with rows of different flowers, clean-cut grass, and tall green hedgerows. The golden sun shone brightly, intensifying the sparkles of her dress. She looked like the daughter of some deity, a goddess, as he should say.

"Why did your parents not have a wedding?" Song Luli asked, awakening Long Jie from his thoughts.

Long Jie composed himself. He looked ahead at the cobblestone path as he answered, "My parents married in secret."

Song Luli widened her eyes, urging him to go on.

"My father was blamed for something he didn't do. The police took him, but before they did, my mother married him. She did it to protect him because they would have forced her to testify against him. But she loved him already, and they didn't care about a ceremony, as long as they had each other. At least, that was my father told me," Long Jie said.

Song Luli wasn't sure how to respond, but she felt touched by the warm story.

"They both decided to have a ceremony now to celebrate their years of marriage to commemorate their love for each other," he led on.

Song Luli's lips curved upward as they approached a gazebo. "You speak like a romantic," she teased.

Long Jie chuckled. "Well, that's because all my parents have done was flaunt their affection," he said.

They reached the end of the gazebo, staring out at the hilltop views. "Well, I think your parents are adorable," Song Luli said, almost with envy. Long Jie caught her tone, but he couldn't quite believe it.

"Yes," he admitted, "They are."

Song Luli faced him. She felt the same way about her family. Her mother came from a tragic past, and it was her resiliency that taught her to be a strong woman. And now, she was still happily married to her father, who treated her well over the years.

She felt that Mr. and Mrs. Long truly shaped Long Jie to be a refined young man, but it was his views on love and affection that caused him to close his heart, emptying it dry.

The wind caressed Song Luli's hair, and some of her bangs got caught into the pins. Long Jie reached out, sweeping her bangs to the side. He took out the pin, re-adjusting it by curving a strand around her ear, securing it with a pin.

Song Luli watched him. The sun then hit her face, brightening the hollowness of her cheekbones, the ones Long Jie was desperate to trace. His eyes met hers, and Long Jie could have sworn that when she stared at him, he saw flecks of burnished gold. His eyes widened. She was, indeed, beautiful, but more like exquisitely radiant.

He knew that Song Luli didn't see herself in the image of a Song. But she was more of a Song than she realized.

Long Jie fought the urge to compliment her, so he let go of her ear, stepping away. "Let's head inside," he said to her. Song Luli nodded.

When he began to walk away, Song Luli took a moment to collect her breathing. Her face burned, not expecting to be swayed by his gesture. All he did was fix her hair; she shouldn't feel so flustered. So,  she straightened her body, catching up to him.

Inside, they found Song Meiling, Zhang Enyu, and more guests had arrived like Han Ru, Su Xiang, and Su Chen.

Su Chen and Su Xiang seemed to have matched as well, wearing royal blue.

Song Luli joined her sister, catching up with their cousin until the ceremony began. Long Jie stepped onto the platform, joining his father and uncle, Long Bolin.

The sound of instrumental music echoed in the room as Xue Guangli walked down the aisle with her father, a short older man of silver-grey hair and soft brown eyes. In front of the bride, her sisters, Aunt Teegan and Aunt Liena, walked ahead.

Xue Guangli wore a white wedding dress, bringing out the rust-auburn colour of her hair. Her husband took her hand at the end of the aisle, helping her on the platform. They both stared at each other as if it were their first time getting married--the heart-pounding nervousness, the roiling excitement etched in their expressions.

The ceremony went on, as they both spoke their vows. They exchanged beautiful words that crept into the hearts of everyone in the audience.

It was Long Huojin's turn to speak when he said to Xue Guangli, "I have loved you ceaselessly, passionately, and unconditionally since the day you showed up at my house one day, red-faced and angry." The audience laughed. "But after you had settled your anger, you had spent the entire day with me, not caring about my recklessness, but joining me for the thrill and sake of being together. You saw the man beneath the frost and snow. That, I am grateful for."

Xue Guangli's eyes watered as she smiled.

At that exact moment, Long Jie's eyes locked with Song Luli's. They stared at each other from across the hall, as if it was something natural between them. She was sitting with her family, as he stood on that platform, tall with his arms crossed behind his back.

Song Luli tore her gaze away, calming her thundering chest, holding her breath. The ceremony had ended, and some of the ushers escorted all the guests to another hall for the party.

She found her in-laws and congratulated them on twenty-five years of marriage. Afterward, she sat to eat dinner with her friends and family.

The chatting rose after dessert was served. Long Jie barely said a word to her. Therefore, she went to the washroom to fix up her makeup, returning to the direction of the hall.

Han Ru was propped against a wall, seemingly waiting for someone. She passed him when he stopped her.

"Luli," he said.

She paused. "What is it?

"Are you all right?" he questioned.

Song Luli didn't answer as she glanced at the hall towards Long Jie.

"Is it him?" he asked, pressed.

Song Luli didn't say anything.

"He doesn't love you," Han Ru said to her as gently as he could, stepping closer.

"And you do?" she challenged him bluntly. Her words took him by surprise.

"I care about you," he responded. Song Luli wasn't sure how to reply to him. But she heard the music begin, so she decided to rejoin her table.

Song Meiling rose, taking her hand and Su Xiang's. "Come on, let's go," her sister said. They both stepped onto the dance floor, and they held each other's hand twirling around as if no one was watching them.

Snowbell petals began to fall as Long Huojin, and Xue Guangli stepped onto the dancefloor. Song Luli paused, gazing up at the ceiling; the lights dimmed as the petals fell slowly on top of the dancing guests.

Song Meiling and Su Xiang kept dancing with each other along with the upbeat music around her.

But Song Luli was enchanted by the white petals as if snow were falling over them.

She glanced towards the left side of the hall, staring at her was Han Ru. Her chest rose and fell from the alarming pace of her heart. His steady gaze locked with hers, and Song Luli didn't tear away, she held it.

After a moment, the song changed; it was one of her favourites, a soft-mellow sound called, "A Song For A Summer's Night." She looked towards her right, finding Long Jie. He was speaking with someone until he caught her eye.

He excused himself and approached her. He squeezed in between people, trying to get through to her.

Long Jie took slow steps when he offered his hand and said, "Would you like to dance?"

Song Luli glanced at him cautiously. She took his hand slowly, and he began to guide her towards the middle of the floor, taking careful steps. He held one of her hands, placing his free one on her hips. He led her, pressing their bodies close and firm. He began to sway with her along with the enthralling music.

His hand snaked towards the arch of her lower back, holding her tight. The hem of her dress twirled with her steps. Her breathing sharpened, and she resisted a glance at him.

But when her lids opened, darting to his, it was full of a mysterious glint of aching want and adoration. It surprised her. He tightened his grip on her, and her breath hitched, hot against the face that inched towards hers.

Song Luli was lost and breathless. His warm breath caressed her ear when he said, "I would be a fool to resist a dance with you."

Song Luli wasn't sure if she was breathing. She circled his shoulders further in, gazing into his pale-blue eyes. They stared at each other's irises, blue meeting gold-flecked. Their gazes shot towards each other's faces, to the edges of their jaw, towards the cupid's bow of their lips. If people didn't surround them, Song Luli would have dared herself to kiss him.