Volume One, Chapter Eight: The Bride

Leaving the hospital, Jiang Wan couldn’t hide her anxiety. Though she spoke with determination, a faint unease still lingered in her heart. Based on her understanding of Lu Wenzhou, the fact that he could voice his intentions meant the wheels of fate had already begun to turn. But what exactly did he plan to do? She could neither guess nor grasp it.

She endured the agony of the final day. Time drew forth the day of the wedding. Everything unfolded as planned, from makeup to the bridal procession, to preparing the ceremony at the hotel. The couple had chosen a lawn wedding, with the banquet scheduled for midday at a garden hotel in the outskirts. The arrangements had been rushed, and Yan Yan was not particularly pleased with the marriage, so only close family and friends from both sides were invited. The occasion was not grand, but all essentials were in place.

Gu Huaixu showed no sign of abnormality; his whole demeanor radiated joy and vigor. The parents on both sides wore smiles as well, and all guests greeted the day with cheerful anticipation. Only Jiang Wan stood apart. Stationed at the hotel lobby to welcome guests, her mind wandered restlessly. Everything was proceeding too smoothly, so much so that she began to suspect she had overlooked some detail, giving Lu Wenzhou an opening.

Seeing through her unease, Gu Huaixu seized a moment between greetings and reached for her hand. Compared to his burning palm, her fingers were cold and stiff.

“Sweetheart, you’re far too nervous,” Gu Huaixu chuckled, half-mocking. “It’s not even evening yet—relax a little.”

Jiang Wan forced a smile and nodded.

Just then, the wedding coordinator approached to remind her that the bride needed to head to the lounge to change into the main wedding dress and prepare her styling. The couple were about to part ways.

Jiang Wan, uneasy, clung to Gu Huaixu’s hand as if grabbing a lifeline, and sought reassurance from him: “Husband, you won’t regret marrying me, will you?”

“What are you saying? I’m nearly crazy in love with you,” he soothed her. “To marry you in this life is my greatest fortune.”

His steadfast words calmed her, finally allowing Jiang Wan to breathe easy.

“Go on, I’ll see you soon,” Gu Huaixu let go, pursing his lips in anticipation. “I can’t wait to see my most beautiful bride.”

His easy manner gradually dispelled her worries. She left with the coordinator.

From the first floor lobby to the second-floor bridal lounge, they had just entered the transparent external elevator when Jiang Wan spotted a striking Rolls-Royce pulling up to the hotel entrance. Almost simultaneously, both rear doors opened. Lu Wenzhou and Lin Zhi stepped out from opposite sides, both dressed in coordinated formal attire, and, guided by the doorman, walked side by side into the lobby.

Jiang Wan’s breath caught. Her chest felt stuffed with cotton. How amusing: on one hand, he tried to stop her from marrying another, yet on the other, he flaunted his new flame. Was he here to watch his ex make a fool of herself, right under his current partner’s nose? Lu Wenzhou, you will not succeed.

Resolute in her heart, Jiang Wan entered the lounge where the makeup artist and stylist swiftly set to work. Soon after, Ji Jiali came to see her. Jiang Wan, already strikingly beautiful, looked as radiant as a top-tier actress after being meticulously groomed in her wedding gown. Anyone who saw her would be dazzled.

“Thank goodness you took after me, to have such a fine appearance,” Ji Jiali remarked, sweeping her gaze over the jewelry laid out on the table and sighing at last. “Such a pity, though, that your mind is as stubborn as your father’s.”

She criticized, dissatisfied: “Tell me, what’s the use of Jiang Corporation shares? If you don’t manage them well, you’ll be left with nothing. Houses, jewelry, antiques—aren’t they all more valuable than shares? You should’ve asked for those as your dowry!”

She launched into incessant complaints. Jiang Wan opened her eyes, annoyed. As the bride’s mother, Ji Jiali had gone to great lengths today, dressed from head to toe in luxury, from earrings to nails, unwilling to let Yan Yan outshine her. Jiang Wan couldn’t be bothered to explain. After all, her mother married her father at twenty, and her worries in life revolved around what to wear tomorrow or what to buy the day after. She would never understand that Jiang Wan wanted not only the company shares, but also the influence of the Gu family in Rongcheng. With the status of Mrs. Gu, it would be much easier to manage Jiang Corporation in the future.

“By the way, did you check your ovulation period?” Ji Jiali suddenly blurted. “With Huaixu so enamored right now, the chances of getting pregnant in the next two weeks are surely the highest.”

She spoke openly about such matters, heedless of the presence of others. Coupled with everything Jiang Wan had experienced in the past days, the flame in her heart flared to her cheeks. She was silent and vexed.

Ji Jiali, misreading her reaction, pressed on. “I’m only thinking of you. Your mother-in-law never approved of you—don’t you need to find a way to secure your position by getting pregnant quickly? Without a child, how will you hold your ground?”

Frustrated, Jiang Wan couldn’t help but retort.

“Is that why you risked your life, trying every possible way to get pregnant in your forties?”

“You…” Ji Jiali flushed with anger, her old wounds exposed. Since her remarriage, she had prayed at temples and tried countless remedies, finally managing to conceive two years ago, only to miscarry within three months. During that period, Jiang Wan’s father committed suicide. Ji Jiali, focused on maintaining the pregnancy and her own recovery, neglected Jiang Wan, worsening the mother-daughter relationship.

“You’re just like your father—alive, you make my life miserable; dead, you still won’t let me live in peace!” Ji Jiali was full of resentment. “I must have owed you both in a past life to suffer so much now!”

Jiang Wan fell silent. Seeing her daughter’s discomfort, Ji Jiali realized her words had been harsh.

“No, what I mean is…” She softened her tone, trying to reason with Jiang Wan. “What’s done is done, and life goes on. People must look forward, right? I’m now your uncle’s wife, and he’s practically half a father to you. Look, your wedding doesn’t even have anyone to walk you down the aisle. Your uncle cares about appearances—if word gets out…”

Ji Jiali didn’t finish, but Jiang Wan understood well enough.

“I have only one father,” she replied firmly, leaving no room for negotiation. “His body may be gone, but that doesn’t mean he can’t give me away.”

“Child, how can you say such chilling things on your wedding day? You…”

“I’m unwilling and I do not agree,” Jiang Wan interrupted, insisting. “Uncle Lin has his own daughter. He can walk Lin Zhi down the aisle when her time comes—it doesn’t need to be me.”

“You…” Ji Jiali was left speechless, her thoughts sidetracked by Jiang Wan’s words.

“Come to think of it, Lin Zhi seems to be seeing someone lately,” she confided to Jiang Wan. “She didn’t come with us today, and she’s been coming home late most nights.”

Jiang Wan’s gaze involuntarily lowered. Her hands, resting on the wedding dress, unconsciously clenched.

“As long as she doesn’t outdo the Gu family, that’s fine,” Ji Jiali said. “Otherwise, if you’re always outshone by her, how will I ever hold my head high?”

“Then just pretend you don’t have a daughter,” Jiang Wan replied.

The tension in the bridal lounge grew palpable. Ji Jiali was about to say more when the door suddenly swung open from outside. Yan Yan appeared in a rush, gripping the handle with a grave expression.

“Jiang Wan, can you reach Huaixu? Do you know where he’s gone?”