The car had only been quiet for a short while before Zhu Kaixuan's phone started ringing incessantly.
It was Deng Diandian calling.
"I'm so furious!" Deng Diandian's voice blared through the phone, clearly echoing in the confined space of the car. "Brother Kaixuan, are you busy right now?"
"Whatever it is, text me. I'll reply when I'm free." Zhu Kaixuan was indeed free at the moment, on his way to the hotel, but that didn’t mean he wanted to listen to Deng Diandian’s complaints.
Deng Diandian ignored his dismissal: "That high school classmate of yours—"
Zhu Kaixuan had been about to hang up, but at this, he silently pressed the phone back to his ear. Under Yun Wulai’s inquisitive gaze, he turned the volume down to the lowest.
Yun Wulai couldn’t make out the conversation anymore, catching only fragments of Deng Diandian’s rapid-fire ranting. Zhu Kaixuan responded occasionally with an "Mm" or "Really?" and even said "Well, nothing can be done about it" twice.
By the time he hung up, Yun Wulai still had no idea what the fuss was about. Since it might concern her, she was naturally curious.
But after ending the call, Zhu Kaixuan simply went back to scrolling through his phone, showing no intention of explaining Deng Diandian’s dramatic outburst.
Fine. Yun Wulai could hold back and not ask.
It wasn’t that big a deal anyway.
When the car pulled up at the grand entrance of Yansen Hotel, Zhu Kaixuan tossed his phone to her and stepped out without a word.
Puzzled, Yun Wulai looked down—
On the day she returned to the country, Deng Diandian had hired someone to photograph herself to buy a trending hashtag, but as usual, it failed to make waves. Instead, Yun Wulai, who happened to be wearing her own brand in the background, accidentally got caught in the shot. A prominent fashion influencer reposted it with the caption: "The style and aura of the girl in the background??? I bow down."
This wouldn’t have blown up—there are countless beautiful women in the world, and people move on after a glance. Who remembers anyone?
But then today, Ding Qiang, a popular rising star, wore the same dress in an airport street-style photo. Netizens couldn’t resist comparing the two, sparking a fan-war, with plenty of bystanders jumping in to stir the pot.
QC’s dress sold out instantly.
And, of course, it trended.
#DingQiangQuennellCooper#
#DingQiangStyleClash#
#DingQiangOutshoneByCivilian#
Deng Diandian had schemed tirelessly, only to end up sending Yun Wulai to the top of the trending searches.
No wonder she was fuming.
Now Yun Wulai understood why Luo Zhou hadn’t mentioned her visit to the neighborhood gate—the Luo family probably never received her gifts. Since she started working at QC, he’d been keeping tabs on the brand. He must have learned about her return from the trending searches.
As for why the Luo family didn’t get the gifts, either the security guard didn’t deliver them…
Or…
Yun Wulai’s mind flashed back to Luo Zhou’s words: "Yun Shuang happens to be home for summer break too."
In the Luo household, there had once been a strange love triangle: Luo Zhou liked Yun Wulai, while Yun Shuang liked Luo Zhou.
Of course, this was just speculation.
Yun Shuang had never openly expressed any hostility toward her.
Growing up, incidents like this happened occasionally, always vague and open to interpretation.
Once or twice, Yun Wulai dismissed it as her own overthinking.
Three or four times, she couldn’t help but wonder if there was deliberate interference behind the scenes.
Yan Sui and Fu Xingci’s wedding was a grand celebration for both Yansen Group and Zongyang Group. The skyscrapers along the mother river of Jin City lit up in a dazzling light show to honor the newlyweds. The banquet was held in Yansen Hotel’s most luxurious ballroom, attended by elites from all walks of life.
In such a setting, school uniforms were obviously inappropriate.
The groomsmen and bridesmaids changed into formal attire—suits for the men, bridesmaid dresses for the women.
Yun Wulai stepped out of the changing room in her bridesmaid dress just as Zhu Kaixuan emerged from the adjacent one. Their eyes met in the mirror.
That fleeting return to their school days had ended, like Cinderella’s magic fading at midnight. They were adults again.
The couple had already exchanged vows, but a wedding banquet couldn’t just be about eating. Aside from performances by a top-tier band to liven things up, there were plenty of interactive segments.
Yun Wulai wasn’t one to seek the spotlight, so she wasn’t particularly enthusiastic about participating.
But life was funny that way—the harder you chased something, the more it eluded you, while indifference often brought unexpected fortune.
The fairy-tale romance of the wedding stirred longing in many single guests. When it came time to toss the bouquet, aside from the bridal party, several volunteers stepped forward, eager to catch it. About a dozen people gathered, eyes locked on the bride’s bouquet.
"3, 2, 1—" As the emcee counted down, Yan Sui threw the bouquet over her shoulder without looking.
The crowd surged forward.
Yun Wulai sidestepped slightly to avoid being trampled—only for the bouquet to land squarely in her arms. She caught it reflexively, blinking in bewilderment as cheers erupted around her.
"Look at that! The bouquet dodged all those eager hands and flew straight to this lovely bridesmaid. What are the odds?" The emcee approached her, grinning.
The other contenders dispersed, leaving Yun Wulai alone on the stage.
This was exactly why she disliked wedding activities—once you drew attention, the emcee would inevitably zero in on you.
The emcee stopped beside her. "Bridesmaid, how do you know the bride?"
"We’re friends."
"Ah, best friends! Birds of a feather flock together. Not only are the bride and groom a stunning pair, but the entire bridal party is exceptionally good-looking too." The emcee chuckled. "Do you have a boyfriend?"
"No."
The emcee launched into a spiel: "I noticed you weren’t actively trying to catch the bouquet, yet it found you anyway. Maybe this is fate’s way of hinting that your soulmate is just around the corner. Here’s hoping you’re the next to marry!"
"I’ll take that as a blessing," Yun Wulai replied politely.
"As the bride’s close friend, why not share some wishes for the happy couple?" The emcee smoothly transitioned. "To the groomsmen and bridesmaids—"
He held the microphone to her lips.
Snickers rose from the audience.
Lost in the moment, Yun Wulai sensed something off but didn’t immediately catch the wordplay. Assuming he meant "to the bride and groom," she reflexively offered a standard blessing: "May you grow old together."
By the time she realized her mistake, it was too late. The crowd erupted in laughter, with the groom leading the applause.
Chaos ensued.
The emcee fought back a laugh, feigning solemnity. "Good taste! Our groomsmen are indeed outstanding."
Many guests had attended Jialan High School and knew about Yun Wulai and Zhu Kaixuan’s past relationship. Though there were three groomsmen, gossip spread like wildfire—
What could be more awkward than accidentally blessing yourself and your ex? The ultimate cringe moment!
"Yun Wulai looks pretty calm, but if it were me, I'd want to explode on the spot."
"Same here. Just thinking about my ex makes me wish he'd drop dead. If I ever had to stand in front of a crowd and declare my undying love for him… Jesus, the cringe would make my toes curl."
"Well, no matter how awkward it gets, you’d have to play it cool on stage. Otherwise, it’d be even more humiliating."
"Zhu Kaixuan seems pretty unfazed too—didn’t even look up. Both of them are great at pretending."
"You think they might use this chance to get back together? Old flames tend to reignite easily."
"Who knows?"
...
Under the emcee’s teasing prompt—"One more chance, best wishes for the best man and maid of honor?"—Yun Wulai spared everyone the drama and revised her statement: "Best wishes to the newlyweds for a lifetime of happiness and eternal love."
The emcee could tell Yun Wulai wasn’t in the mood for games and backed off: "Alright, thank you for your blessings, maid of honor. And we hope you find your true love soon—someone to spend forever with."
The phrase "spend forever with" sparked another wave of cheers from the crowd.
Back at the head table, the newlyweds were still on stage, leaving an awkward silence among the six bridesmaids and groomsmen.
Zhu Kaixuan ate leisurely, while Ni Dong and the others subtly watched the two key players for reactions.
Yun Wulai ignored them and picked up her chopsticks to eat. They’d soon be making rounds to toast at every table, and if she didn’t fill up now, she’d be starving later.
"Eat up," Qi Yuanyuan changed the subject. "The toasts will start soon."
"Yeah, hurry," Ni Dong chimed in.
For a while, the only sounds at the table were the clinking of utensils.
The wedding banquet lasted until nearly 10 p.m., and the bridal party had all drunk quite a bit.
Yun Wulai, staying at the Yansen Hotel, had the easiest trip back. After saying goodbye to the newlyweds and the rest of the bridal party—excluding Zhu Kaixuan, of course—she headed to her room.
Back in her room, the alcohol hit her hard. She lay on the bed in a daze, unsure whether she’d actually slept or not. After some time, she remembered the school uniforms left behind in the dressing room.
She hadn’t seen her high school uniform since graduation—it’d be nice to have one now as a keepsake.
She never expected Zhu Kaixuan to have kept his in such good condition.
By the time she returned to the banquet hall, the guests had all left, and the staff were wrapping up cleanup.
"Ma’am, did you lose something?" someone asked as she entered.
"I’m here for the clothes," Yun Wulai replied, heading toward the dressing room.
The staff member followed, muttering, "Why is everyone coming back for clothes?"
As she stepped into the dressing room, she collided with someone on their way out.
She took a half-step back and looked up.
Of course—Zhu Kaixuan.
The shock sobered her up instantly.
Rubbing her sore nose, she sidestepped him.
All the uniforms were jumbled together—since no one would wear them again, they’d been left behind. She picked out a women’s size and walked out, but Zhu Kaixuan was already gone.
At the elevator lobby, a figure leaned against the wall.
The elevator button was unlit—he hadn’t called it. He was waiting.
For her, obviously.
The man stood with his arms crossed, his peach-blossom eyes half-lidded with intoxication. "Nice speech. Was that your way of asking for a truce?"
Truce, my ass.
She’d never noticed before, but alcohol made him act weird.
"It was a slip of the tongue," Yun Wulai said, stepping into the elevator and hitting the close button. "I’m only back temporarily, and my schedule’s tight. If you want a divorce, talk to my lawyer."
The doors started to shut, but he blocked them with an arm. "Well, if you ever want to take me to dinner, remember to book an appointment with my assistant."
Without hesitation, she replied, "Don’t worry. I won’t."
Zhu Kaixuan let the doors slide shut, his gaze now sharp and sober. "Likewise. I won’t either."
As the elevator descended, she heard a faint, drunken murmur—or maybe it was just her imagination.
"Thanks for the blessing. ‘Spend forever with,’ wife."
