CH 19

Chapter 19: Long Time No See

When Ruan Zhizhi followed Gu Nian and Cheng Fengjin to A City’s number one, five-star hotel, she looked out the car window. Sure enough, she saw a steady stream of guests arriving to attend the banquet.

Gu Nian and Cheng Fengjin went into the hotel’s private room to meet some friends and family. As the maid of honour, Ruan Zhizhi’s main task at present was to stand at the entrance of the hotel lobby to receive red envelopes for the bride and groom. 

Cheng Fengjin had made his once-in-a-lifetime wedding very extravagant. Many guests were invited, including some of their classmates and friends from when they studied abroad in the past. 

Ruan Zhizhi greeted those former classmates while simultaneously carefully registering the red envelopes each one of them gave. She was simply in a hurry.

Yet another red envelope was handed in front of her. Ruan Zhizhi reached out and took it without raising her head. She tried to preserve the warmth in her voice: “May I ask for your name?”

“Ruan Zhizhi, it’s only been a few days, you don’t even remember my name?”

This voice was clear and cold, with a thread of hoarseness—low, with an extremely provocative tone.

Just one sentence, and Ruan Zhizhi immediately knew. It was Shi Yan.

Not only were Shi Yan and Gu Nian fellow professors at A University now, they were also schoolmates of the same university in the United States. It was only normal for him to attend Cheng Fengjin and Gu Nian’s wedding ceremony. She had actually forgotten about this relationship.

Ruan Zhizhi immediately lifted her head to look at him. In order to show respect to the bride and groom, Shi Yan wore a deep blue suit today. He had a neat appearance with flowing lines, and the details of his suit had a tactile quality. The entire person possessed an extraordinary gentlemanly elegance. 

Like the saying: Mo Shangren is like jade, and the son of nobility is unparalleled in this world. 

Ruan Zhizhi reached out to receive Shi Yan’s red envelope. For some reason, she felt a little bit different about him in her heart. 

Those words Gu Nian had said earlier were all to blame.

“Shi Yan, I still haven’t had time to properly thank you for what happened last time. And you even paid for the drink bill that night. I feel especially apologetic.” Ruan Zhizhi lowered her head. While registering his name on the paper, she said, “How about I invite you to a meal after the wedding today?”

Shi Yan smiled faintly and nodded without the slightest hesitation, promising: “Okay, after the wedding I’ll wait for you at the entrance of the lobby. If I don’t see you, I won’t leave.”

Ruan Zhizhi lifted her head and also showed a smile: “If I don’t see you, I won’t leave.”

She didn’t dare look into his eyes, because a complex of stars filling the vast sky seemed to rub forth from inside them. At present, they were flickering incessantly. Charming her was always so effortless.

When all of the guests’ names were recorded on the list, Ruan Zhizhi stretched her waist, put away the guest gift list, and took it backstage of the hotel to be delivered safely and securely in Gu Nian’s hands.

Gu Nian’s makeup artist and stylist were now making the finishing touches and verifying her entire look. Since all the guests were already present, Gu Nian would be going out on the red carpet right away, where she would make her vows in front of these witnesses.

Ruan Zhizhi took out a small mirror and looked at her reflection casually. She discovered that due to a busy morning, her makeup had already faded slightly. But she didn’t care. In any case, the leading role today wasn’t her. She only needed to be a supporting role that served Gu Nian well. 

Soon, the wedding march sounded from the hall. Not long after that, Ruan Zhizhi heard enthusiastic applause. It seemed that Cheng Fengjin was already on stage now, just waiting to take his bride over from his father-in-law. 

Gu Nian listened to the activity outside, turned around to look at Ruan Zhizhi, and pouted: “Zhizhi, I’m a little nervous…Tell me, what if I accidentally step on the hem of my skirt and fall down? I’ll positively die.”

Ruan Zhizhi felt helpless and patiently reassured her: “Don’t let your imagination run wild, I’ll definitely hold your skirt very carefully behind you. I’ll never let you step on it.”

At that very moment, the door facing Gu Nian opened slowly. Gu Nian sucked in a deep breath and tried to look as dignified and graceful as possible. Treading on her pair of 12cm crystal heels, she walked out step by step. 

Meanwhile, Ruan Zhizhi carefully lifted the muslin train dragging to and fro on the ground behind Gu Nian and also followed her out step by step.

In front of them was a warm, bright red carpet. On both sides of the carpet, eight baskets of flowers were arranged. Gu Nian’s father stood to the right, stretching out his hand to lead his daughter.

His eyes were a little red, and he was trying his best to restrain himself. Ruan Zhizhi was also moved when she saw it.

From childhood until adulthood, Gu Nian grew up cherished in the palm of her father’s hand. Unlike Ruan Zhizhi, whose father hadn’t even come to see her a few times since the courts declared she would follow her mother after her parents’ divorce.

She wondered if her father would also be able to show this incredibly reluctant expression if she got married. 

Ruan Zhizhi bowed her head and walked one step at a time. Waves of applause rang from the crowd again and again. The guests discussed spiritedly, all talking about the pair of newlyweds who were a happily married couple made by heaven.

Halfway through, Ruan Zhizhi lifted her head. Before she had time to look around, she caught Shi Yan’s gaze in the crowd. There were nearly a thousand guests present, and Shi Yan was probably the only one alone. From beginning to end, his line of sight was firmly fixed on the maid of honour behind the bride.

He raised his head slightly. A pair of black, shining eyes were pinned on her. His gaze was very tender.

All the way up to the wedding stage, Cheng Fengjin had already been waiting for a long time. Gu Nian’s father put his daughter’s hand into the hand of the man in front of him, tears in his eyes.

The applause from the audience was even more enthusiastic at this moment.

The pair of newlyweds stood shoulder to shoulder in the middle of the platform. The officiant standing in front of them loudly recited the wedding speech: “In front of God and all the witnesses who are here today, I ask the bride and groom to solemnly swear to everyone with their most sincere hearts…”

Ruan Zhizhi had never seen Cheng Fengjin look so serious about anything. He lowered his head, looking at Gu Nian as if she was a pearl. Word for word, he carefully said: “I, Cheng Fengjin, now solemnly promise to marry Gu Nian as my wife. I am willing to promise you that from today onwards, no matter the good or bad, rich or poor, healthy or sick, I will always love you and cherish you until the end of time. I promise that I will treasure you and be loyal to you forever.”

In accordance with wedding procedure, at this time, the best man was supposed to come over and deliver the wedding rings. But for some unknown reason, there was no trace of the best man even now. 

It was truly impeding. 

Ruan Zhizhi frowned. Just when she wanted to sneak offstage to check the situation, there was suddenly another person occupying the empty space beside her. The person was in a well-ironed suit, and his pace was steady and unhurried. He walked up to the wedding officiant, passed the wedding rings to the bride and groom calmly, then slowly turned around and walked over.

Without the slightest bit of precaution, the contours of the man’s face slowly turned, and finally, a clear face was revealed.

In a split second the world was spinning.

Ruan Zhizhi could no longer give her attention to the newlyweds exchanging rings. At this very moment, all of her thoughts were on the man in front of her, and her entire body became a cave of ice.

She looked at the high-spirited face of the man in front of her. Words choked in her throat, and she was unable to get them out no matter what.

Li Sichen, time flies, I trust you have been well since we last met.

After Li Sichen finished delivering the rings, he naturally walked over to Ruan Zhizhi’s side and stood straight. He tilted his head and approached her ear, saying very intimately, “Zhizhi, long time no see. I really missed you.”

As if suffering from aphasia, Ruan Zhizhi stood beside him, unable to say a word.

Was she surprised? Clearly she had already mentally prepared for his return before.

Was she pleasantly surprised? Clearly there was not even the slightest sense of joy in her heart.

So at this moment, what were these remaining emotions that surged up violently?

The wedding ceremony had already come to an end and the guests below began to dine. The pair of newlyweds changed into red clothes and went down to toast the guests table by table. Now it stood to reason that the jobs of the best man and maid of honour were concluded.

Ruan Zhizhi returned to the private room at the back of the hotel. Perturbed, she changed out of the maid of honour’s dress. Her brain was no longer functioning. She didn’t even know what to say when she saw Li Sichen a moment ago. Her mind was all filled with the thought of running away.

Three years and Li Sichen hadn’t seemed to change at all—except for his brows and eyes, which seemed a little more mature than before, he still gave people feelings of gentleness, candidness, and the inability to dislike him.

Even if he had ruthlessly thrown her heart, fractured it to pieces, and crushed it under his foot, she still couldn’t hate him.

In a sense, wasn’t this a little sad?

Ruan Zhizhi shut her eyes and forced herself to expel the shadow of Li Sichen from her mind.

So what if he was back? The entanglement between them had already ended three years ago. Now, Li Sichen was merely a former university schoolmate to her. She could  maybe even add the title of ‘friend’.

Nothing more.

She tried hard to persuade herself. After clearing her thoughts, Ruan Zhizhi checked the belongings she’d taken with her, sent a WeChat message to Gu Nian saying she was going first, and then left.

At this moment the wedding hall had become a large drinking party of colourful, diverse figures. It was a lively, flourishing scene. Ruan Zhizhi lowered her head slightly, not wanting to spend any more time greeting acquaintances. While no one was paying attention, she quietly walked all the way to the entrance of the lobby.

“Zhizhi.”

That familiar voice sounded again at this moment, just like a magic spell. And the owner of the voice, from three years ago until now, was the person Ruan Zhizhi didn’t want to see most.

“Zhizhi, can you turn around and look at me?”

He was standing behind her when he spoke again. There was actually a hint of pleading in his always-lively tone.

Ruan Zhizhi’s body stood stiffly in place for a long time. Finally, little by little, she turned around slowly.

The person she once thought about day and night, the person she once held in the innermost part of her heart, was now standing before her eyes in the flesh. Just as in the past, he was handsome, sunny, and loved to smile.

How did that saying go?

As if it was a lifetime ago.

“Long time no see,” she said, pulling the corners of her mouth with difficulty. She tried hard to make a smiling expression.

Li Sichen pursed his lips and approached her step by step. “Zhizhi, have you been doing well these past few years? The days after you returned to China…I really missed you very much.”

His silhouette stood in front of her at present, becoming clearer and clearer in the sunlight. For some reason, Ruan Zhizhi suddenly calmed down.

She lifted her head, and for the first time since she saw him again, she didn’t evade his gaze. “I’m very well, and you?”

Li Sichen heard her speak such words and lowered his head, smiling somewhat bitterly. “You’re very well, but without you I haven’t been.”

Her heart was throbbing frantically and uncontrollably. He was clearly still the Li Sichen from before, but the way he spoke to her and the way he looked at her was so extremely different from the way he had three years ago.

“Zhizhi, we haven’t seen each other for three years. Let me invite you to a meal, treat it as an apology. Can I?” Li Sichen studied her complexion and spoke cautiously.

Since when did he speak so carefully with her? It really put the cart before the horse in the roles that the two of them always played. 

“Apology? You have something you want to apologize to me for?” Ruan Zhizhi watched him as she said this word for word. Even she hadn’t predicted that when facing Li Sichen again, she could actually be this calm and cool-headed.

When Li Sichen heard her say this, the emotion in his eyes dimmed instantly: “Zhizhi, you still blame me for what happened three years ago. At that time I was too childish, I didn’t understand…I admit it’s all my fault, I just beg you to give me another chance, okay?”

Li Sichen’s mouth opened and closed before her eyes. She understood every word he said when separated, but after combining them together, Ruan Zhizhi couldn’t understand the meaning at all.

She couldn’t get used to the Li Sichen that was so sombre when facing her like this, and she couldn’t understand the meaning of his words.

She didn’t speak, and Li Sichen also didn’t know how to speak again, so he could only look at her with a pair of miserable eyes. As long as Li Sichen looked at her with this kind of expression and acted like a spoiled child, the Ruan Zhizhi of three years ago would have agreed to do anything. No matter how unfair he treated her, she would have endured gladly.

But now was not three years ago.

Just when the atmosphere between the two was at a deadlock, another voice suddenly sounded in the air. It was neither light nor heavy, deep, and yet very clear—

“Ruan Zhizhi.”

With a sudden jolt, Ruan Zhizhi came back to her senses instantly. She turned around and discovered that on the other side of her, in the complete opposite position to Li Sichen, stood Shi Yan.

She only then remembered that before the ceremony began, she had agreed with Shi Yan that she would invite him to a meal after the wedding.

At that time, Shi Yan had said to her: “Okay, after the wedding I’ll wait for you at the entrance of the lobby. If I don’t see you, I won’t leave.”

They had agreed not to leave until they saw each other…but she had completely forgotten about this matter now.

Shi Yan stood in place. His gaze hung down to look at her. His deep, pitch-black eyes were shrouded in a faint mist, extremely frail, making people worry that they would shatter in the air any second.

When they had met for the first time, she only felt that Shi Yan’s eyes were awfully deep. That they showed tolerance for everything, yet he had no feelings.

But now, she found that she was wrong. His eyes were obviously warmer than a surging crowd, how could he have no feelings?

“Shi Yan—”

She bit her lip and was about to apologize for her bad memory, but she saw Shi Yan extend a finger towards her, beckoning her to keep silent. Ruan Zhizhi did as she was told and stopped speaking. Then, she heard him say: “Ruan Zhizhi, just this one time. Don’t reject me, just leave with me, okay?”

Translator’s Note: I suppose if Shi Yan and Ruan Zhizhi didn’t meet in Yunnan, they might have spoken for the first time at Gu Nian’s wedding…but his chances might have been worse since Li Sichen showed up. Also very shocked that they pulled off the Li Sichen surprise, that’s a bit risky to pull at a wedding? Don’t they need to rehearse the ceremony too?