There were actually more clips after this live photo, but the photographer’s assistant didn’t have time to capture them all.
At that moment, Zhōu Shíyì followed her words and asked, “Marry you, and I get two cans of honey red beans?”
She laughed, “Of course! My family is big and prosperous, how could I let you down? Both cans are yours.”
Zhōu Shíyì teased her, “How big is this business? A double-door fridge full of honey red beans?”
She smiled and leaned against his chest.
Back when the studio gave her the wedding photo negatives, they also copied the live photos to her.
At that time, their feelings were something no one could fake now, no matter how they tried.
Seeing those live shots again, the joy of having something lost and found was beyond words.
Zhōu Shíyì tilted his head and asked, “Why didn’t you send me this live photo back then?”
Zhōng Yì replied, “I thought it was normal at the time. When we were together, I just saw it as daily documentation. Her phone was filled with even sweeter moments recorded every day; she wouldn’t send every single one to him.”
“After we broke up, looking back at those sweet moments, every single one became incredibly precious. Especially this one—it’s a live photo taken during our wedding shoot, and it’s a complete sentence.”
“Not to mention how emotional he’d be seeing it, I myself was flooded with feelings when I saw it again.”
Her eyes casually glanced at his left hand and noticed the boutonniere still in his hand.
He had changed suits but hadn’t worn the boutonniere yet.
Before Zhōng Yì could ask, Zhōu Shíyì handed it to her: “Help me put it on?”
“Okay.”
Zhōng Yì clumsily pinned it on.
The man kept his eyes lowered, watching her. She didn’t look up but spoke while pinning it on, “Before you asked, I was about to ask if you needed me to put it on for you.”
Zhōu Shíyì said, “I do.”
He actually answered seriously.
The live photo was still playing as the wedding began.
Zhōu Lao Yezi, seeing the large screen, wobbled a little and grabbed onto his eldest grandson for support.
Dàgāng Gē quickly bent down to steady the old man. “See how reliable I am now? If you want to scold my dad, don’t scold me.”
Zhōu Lao Yezi snorted coldly and pointed at the screen, “You’ve already faked it; can’t you make it look a bit more real?”
“Grandpa, this was filmed live on a phone.”
Live photos can’t be faked?
Does he really think he’s gone senile?
“Zhōng Yì has short hair now, why are you photoshopping her wedding photos to have long hair? It doesn’t even look like her.”
“Grandpa, that’s a long story—”
Zhōu Lao Yezi waved his hand, “Then don’t say it.”
The old man had lost interest in getting angry; these past few days his son and grandson had nearly driven him crazy.
He kept telling Jiang Lao Tou to be like him—don’t get angry so easily. Every generation has its own blessings.
At the main table sat all the elders of various clans, while Shí Fányīn and Zhōng Zhuóhuá sat at the secondary table, both fathers accompanying the newlyweds at the entrance to greet guests.
Shí Fányīn scanned the room and noticed countless curious gazes directed at their table.
She lowered her voice to the person beside her, “Not going on stage is the wise choice.”
Zhōng Zhuóhuá said, “At award ceremonies, I get stared at like this all the time. Today, most people here haven’t even seen me before.”
Shí Fányīn flipped open an album. “Here, take a look at Yì’s Chinese-style wedding photos. I took them myself. Does she look like you?”
“Really looks like! She never wore this kind of makeup before.”
“Jì Fánxīng has quite the eye. She said at the art exhibition, she spotted your daughter at a glance and even handed her a business card, practically wanting to sign her right then and there.”
She selected a few photos to send to Zhōng Zhuóhuá.
Zhōng Zhuóhuá immediately picked one as her new wallpaper. She had never dared to keep any videos or photos of her daughter on her phone before; now she could freely change her wallpaper.
Shí Fányīn asked, “The concert on the 27th, are you going? I have two tickets.”
Zhōng Zhuóhuá smiled, “…Are you really Zhōu Shíyì’s biological mom?”
Shí Fányīn laughed more openly, “Barely qualifies. You going?” She asked again.
“No. I already went to the first show, gotta have a beginning and an end.”
She always felt her movie had somewhat influenced the two kids’ reunion and reconciliation. “Back then, I didn’t know Yì had a boyfriend.”
“No worries, don’t blame yourself. A little jealousy is good—it’s like disinfecting.”
Zhōng Zhuóhuá laughed and cried at the same time.
She was truly a mother.
Shí Fányīn got back on track, “It’s good now. They have their own little family, and the day after their wedding is 520. I have to say, Jiāng Jìngyuān picked a good date.” Praise where praise’s due.
Zhōng Zhuóhuá casually asked, “What’s your wedding anniversary?”
“February 29.”
“How did you pick February 29? Doesn’t that come once every four years?”
“Exactly. I chose it on purpose—fewer anniversaries to celebrate, less hassle.”
Shí Fányīn took a sip of water and said, “If I could choose again, maybe I’d pick a better date.”
But nothing could be redone.
***
Fortunately, the children’s wedding was perfect.
From the date to the banquet hall, down to every last detail.
At 6:19 PM, the wedding officially began with a video.
Over a thousand guests turned to the large screen.
As the host played the guzheng live, the video showed the Wupeng Boat Dock of Jiangcheng’s small town.
A young Jiāng Jìngyuān held a girl in a red dress, her skin as white as a snowball.
He gently coaxed, “The boatman grandpa is off work. We’ll come again tomorrow, okay?”
The girl clung to his neck, pouting, “Daddy, grandpa’s off work, you row.”
Laughter erupted throughout the banquet hall.
When the guzheng piece ended, the wedding piano music began.
Amid the crowd’s anticipation, Zhōng Yì linked arms with Jiāng Jìngyuān and walked in.
This was the path Jiāng Jìngyuān had most looked forward to yet was most afraid to walk.
From this point on, he could no longer say, “I’m going home to take care of the kids.”
Because the child had her own home now.
The father and daughter stood on the stage.
The host smiled at the audience, “I know you’re all eager to hear a few words from the bride’s father, right?”
For once, the entire audience answered in unison, “Yes!”
Jiāng Jìngyuān smiled and took the microphone.
There were rumors in the circle that he had only just acknowledged his daughter recently and didn’t know he had one before, which explained the earlier video.
“I also know you’re not here to hear how reluctant I am to let my daughter marry, but rather to hear the story of me and my wife. This must be the earliest you’ve arrived at someone else’s wedding, afraid to miss any gossip.”
Laughter filled the hall.
He couldn’t deny it.
Jiāng Jìngyuān continued, “When I met Zhōng Zhuóhuá, I was single. Old Ji introduced us.”
Shí Fányīn nudged the man beside her with her elbow, “You can’t compete with Yu Lǎoshī. You thought you’d be second in Jiāng Jìngyuān’s heart? Nope. Second place goes to Old Ji. Wait a few days—you won’t even make the top three.”
Zhōu Yúnlián:
Jiāng Jìngyuān went on, “I was the one who actively pursued her. After the secret marriage, the only thing I could do for this marriage was to take good care of our daughter, accompany her growing up, and let my wife focus on acting.”
Zhōng Zhuóhuá looked at the man on stage; she realized she’d never seen things from his perspective before.
Jiāng Jìngyuān said, “Secret marriages have their benefits—quiet, free from public scrutiny, but also come with losses. If we made it public, we’d constantly be troubled by rumors and gossip. Every move magnified, no privacy. But at least our family could appear normally in public.”
“So even now, I don’t know if public or secret marriage is better. My wife and I owe our daughter so much; it feels like we haven’t loved her enough. Twenty-six years have passed in a blink.”
“Fortunately, our daughter shines in what she loves and, in her best years, has found someone who loves her and whom she loves. Today is the joyous day of the bride and groom. Thank you all for witnessing their happiness.”
Zhōng Yì looked toward the other end of the red carpet. The man held the bouquet and walked toward her.
At this moment, she had longed for this since the first wedding photoshoot.
The groom approached, and Jiāng Jìngyuān patted his shoulder just like before.
A thousand words were spoken in silence.
Jiāng Jìngyuān ruffled his daughter’s hair, returned to his seat, and handed the stage over to them.
Zhōu Shíyì pulled her into his arms and hugged her tightly.
Zhōng Yì wrapped her arms around his waist, “Thank you. Today is the happiest day I’ve had in years.”
Zhōu Shíyì lowered his head and covered her lips with his.
The host, unaware of what was happening over there, said, “Why are you two kissing already? I haven’t even let you kiss yet.”
The crowd burst into laughter.
Amid the laughter, Chén Chén scattered rose petals while the groom led the bride toward the stage.
Chén Chén seemed uneasy about her uncle holding her aunt’s hand. She threw a handful of petals, then ran to hold Zhōng Yì’s other hand.
After walking a bit, she ran forward to scatter more petals, then hurried back.