Chapter 46 (2/2): Wedding (2) Strong and Hot

Over and over again.

She was voted the busiest flower girl of the year.

All the rose petals were for her aunt.

The bride and groom finally reached the center of the stage.

Zhōng Yì watched as Zhōu Shíyì placed the diamond ring from the wedding bands onto her ring finger, filled with questions.

Hadn’t he said it was old and unsuitable?

But with the host right beside her, she couldn’t ask more.

“Groom, as the witness of your own wedding, do you have anything you want to say to the bride?”

“Yes.” Zhōu Shíyì took the microphone.

Worried he’d forget, he had written what he wanted to say on a note.

Zhōng Yì recognized that note; it was the one she had left on the Boston fridge, torn in half, and he had taped it back together.

She had written that she was going on a business trip to Belgium and bought the chocolates he always gave her.

Zhōu Shíyì only held the note in his hand without reading it.

He looked at her and said, “These years I’ve also often been on business trips to Belgium. Actually, there isn’t much business there. Every time I go, I stay a few extra days. Unfortunately, I never ran into you.”

Zhōng Yì looked at him, a bitter ache welling up.

After speaking, he hugged her.

Only the two of them understood the meaning of that sentence.

Then, Zhōu Shíyì turned to the guests, “Yì and I were together for four years. Her long-haired wedding photos were taken during that time. Later, due to some conflicts, we separated. For three years, we never saw each other again.”

Just then, Dàgāng Gē was searching everywhere for a topic and finally found one, interrupting, “Wait a second. Didn’t you deliver a file to my third uncle’s house for me before? And you still didn’t run into her? Looks like Grandpa’s constant anger ruined your marriage prospects.”

Zhōu Lao Yezi:

The once quiet banquet hall suddenly erupted in laughter.

Zhōng Yì looked at the man beside her, not knowing when he had been to her home.

Zhōu Shíyì glanced sideways, “In winter. I happened to be at Dàgāng Gē’s office and delivered a file for him on the way. Stayed at Jiāng Jìngyuān’s for only half an hour and then left.”

After the ceremony, backstage, Zhōng Yì tugged his sleeve, “I need to ask you something.”

Zhōu Shíyì stopped, “Yeah, what is it?”

Zhōng Yì gestured at her diamond ring, “Didn’t you say before it was unsuitable?”

She spoke frankly about her inner conflict, “Unsuitable… because it’s a family heirloom, and you once planned to use it for an engagement?”

An engagement would naturally be from a previous relationship.

Zhōu Shíyì explained, “It was made for you, not an heirloom. Even if it were an heirloom, and I planned to use it to propose to someone else, how could I be putting it on you at our wedding?”

Zhōng Yì was slightly stunned, “When did you get it made?”

“Long ago.”

She wondered if he had ordered it before they broke up, just like the two suits she had ordered for him—they arrived after they separated.

Zhōu Shíyì went on, “Yì, maybe you’ve been trying to convince yourself that after three years apart, it’s normal for me to have a new life, and you can’t blame me.”

“But the truth is, if I had truly started with someone else—even without intimacy, just bringing gifts on business trips—it would be hard for you to ever erase that resentment.”

Zhōng Yì said, “I’m not as petty as you think.”

“Are you sure?”

She didn’t answer and said instead, “I’m going to change dresses.”

She stepped forward to leave but was pulled into his arms.

“Yì, this isn’t about being petty or not.”

Her face buried in his chest.

Zhōu Shíyì said, “We hadn’t even reached the engagement ring or dress ordering step yet; Grandpa had only set the engagement date. If it had gotten to the point of taking her to pick out dresses, it wouldn’t have been just a simple arranged marriage.”

“Don’t say you won’t forgive me. Dad would seriously consider it and wouldn’t force us together again.”

They already had emotional barriers; another, even harder to break, might end with a divorce.

The father-in-law knew his daughter best and wouldn’t bother pushing anymore.

Zhōu Shíyì’s white shirt was stained with lipstick and powder; he changed into another.

***

Almost midnight, they finally returned to the bridal suite.

From the grand wedding scene back to the quiet villa, the excitement faded, and Zhōng Yì felt as if waking from a dream into reality.

Because it was a wedding, they both made endless compromises for each other.

With the wedding over, she didn’t know how they’d get along from now on.

Zhōng Yì took off her makeup, soaked in the bath, changed into a comfortable nightgown, feeling refreshed.

Coming out of the bathroom, Zhōu Shíyì had already showered and was helping her sort through the wedding gifts.

Yu Lǎoshī had given them two canvas bags, symbolizing good things coming in pairs.

Zhōng Yì passed by him and saw him unwrapping a limited-edition silk scarf.

“Who gave you the scarf?”

“I did.”

“I didn’t get you a gift.”

“No need.”

On the first night of their marriage, sharing the same room, Zhōng Yì didn’t know what to talk about and sat beside him.

Zhōu Shíyì tilted his head to look at her, “Go to bed.”

Zhōng Yì didn’t answer but was indeed sleepy, leaning on his shoulder with her eyes closed.

Zhōu Shíyì paused folding the scarf, “Not going to bed?”

Zhōng Yì said, “I’m adjusting to the room first. It’s only familiar because it’s just the two of us.” She hesitated, “Not that familiar yet.”

Actually, what she needed to adjust to wasn’t the room.

She often traveled and could stay anywhere.

What she needed to adjust to was sharing a bed again after three years apart.

Zhōu Shíyì asked, “After holding you for so long today, you still don’t feel familiar?”

Zhōng Yì squinted, silent.

He looked at her again, “If you don’t feel familiar, you won’t hold me when you sleep?”

She was only leaning on his shoulder, not holding him.

After a few seconds, Zhōng Yì said, “You’re distracting me from organizing the gifts.”

Zhōu Shíyì stopped and slowly wiped his hands with a wet tissue.

Still distant, no longer leaning on him like before.

The person beside her remained motionless.

She tossed the wet tissue into the trash, and he stood up.

Zhōng Yì drowsily opened her eyes as Zhōu Shíyì swept her up horizontally in his arms.

Suddenly, all her sleepiness vanished.

Under the newlywed quilt, fresh citrus scents were enveloped by strong notes of cedarwood and fir.

Zhōng Yì didn’t rest her head on her pillow but was cradled in his arms.

Sleeping with him again after three years made her heart race.

Before, he had always held her while she slept.

After he left, for a long time, she’d wake up instinctively searching for him.

“How long did it take you to get used to being alone after the breakup?”

Zhōu Shíyì replied lightly, “Why remember that?”

Sometimes, working late into the night, he would suddenly wonder if she’d wake up in the middle of the night looking for him.

After a pause, Zhōng Yì grumbled at his explanation, “You insisted I only had a little physical affection for you, but that’s not true.”

Even after so long since their registration, they still felt so unfamiliar.

Zhōu Shíyì held her close with one arm, kissing her, “I shouldn’t have said that.”

“But you did.”

He soothed her, “How about now? Still feel unfamiliar?”

Suddenly, Zhōng Yì jolted as he pressed himself against her without putting on anything first.

Gentle, commanding, burning.

Two places rubbed together.

The heated, familiar memories from the past surged within this still somewhat strange embrace.

He just kept soothing her, not going any further.

Zhōng Yì hesitated but reached out and gently grasped his hand.

Zhōu Shíyì caught his breath, looked into her eyes, kissed her again and again, letting her hold on.