Chapter 41

This segment was something Xiao Luyan had known about in advance, so the sudden appearance of the flowers in front of her did not surprise her. But the fact that Le Yu was standing beside her while presenting the flowers was truly beyond her expectations.

Today’s wedding was bound to have many pairs of eyes watching openly or covertly. From the moment Xiao Luyan woke up, she kept reminding herself to stay immersed and focused, without letting any flaws show.

Le Yu’s appearance irritated her mood and inevitably brought back some unpleasant memories from the past, but none of that could affect her performance at today’s wedding.

She would not allow Le Yu to diminish the wedding’s effect in any way!

Xiao Luyan quickly gathered her focus and immersed herself even deeper. Facing the fiery roses and the gaze even hotter than the flowers, she bloomed with a gentle smile she had never shown before.

So beautiful! Lu Yuezhi’s heart skipped a beat, and she was instantly captivated.

She had never imagined that Xiao Luyan could have such a gentle side, completely different from her usual aloof beauty. But no matter which one it was, she liked it all and was utterly enamored.

Her dazed expression reminded Xiao Luyan of the rehearsal moments, making her smile even more evident. As she took the flowers from Lu Yuezhi’s hands, Xiao Luyan deliberately brushed the petals a few times, showing her appreciation and fondness for the bouquet.

Le Yu was puzzled. Since when did Xiao Luyan like flowers so much?

Lu Yuezhi’s gaze never left Xiao Luyan’s face for even half a second. After her hands were emptied, she merely stayed stunned for a moment. Her eyes and heart were filled to the brim with Xiao Luyan’s smile, and she began to feel lightheaded.

Xiao Luyan gave her a not-too-light, not-too-heavy glare, signaling her to stay clear-headed.

Sure enough, Lu Yuezhi, who shared rehearsal chemistry with her, received the cue, forcibly rebooted her brain, and paused her infatuation.

But the affection in her eyes was so undeniable that no one who saw it would doubt it. Her liking for Xiao Luyan was too fervent and straightforward, lighting up the entire room.

Jian Xiyun calmly walked over to Le Yu’s side and watched the two—one bending down to offer the flowers and the other smiling up at her—before asking softly, “What, too shocked?”

Back on Le Yu’s wedding day, Xiao Luyan had only attended the banquet and not participated in any bridesmaid activities. But Jian Xiyun had been there and witnessed Le Yu’s ashen, lifeless face firsthand.

Le Yu gave her a wistful glance. “Aren’t you shocked?”

Without waiting for Jian Xiyun’s reply, she continued, “Luyan suddenly agreed to the marriage alliance and even chose a woman, and one so young…”

She trailed off, but Jian Xiyun grew serious.

She vigilantly glanced at Le Yu, fearing she might notice something off about the wedding. But Le Yu’s attention remained fixed on Xiao Luyan, with no intention of exchanging glances with her.

“Love strikes without reason.”

Le Yu finally turned her head. “Is that so? Is it love?”

Jian Xiyun was annoyed by her tone. Why had Le Yu become so irritating after marriage? Combined with her vigilance in keeping things secret for Xiao Luyan, she instantly sided with the other party.

“Some things depend on your own resolve. If you weren’t firm enough and didn’t wait for the dawn, you can’t blame others.” Jian Xiyun shifted the focus onto Le Yu. “What you couldn’t get doesn’t mean others can’t have it.”

Le Yu drew in a sharp breath but ultimately fell silent.

She wanted to retort, but she lacked the confidence. Both Xiao Luyan and Jian Xiyun were right. She was envious and jealous because she hadn’t persisted enough.

After regaining her composure, Lu Yuezhi remembered to check out this friend who had rushed over to deliver a gift.

Sensing her thoughts, Xiao Luyan considerately made the introduction herself. “This is Le Yu, Mrs. Du, Du Chunyou’s wife. She just brought a wedding gift for us.”

Her gaze signaled the gift placed on the vanity, but she only glanced at it once without lingering.

Lu Yuezhi read her attitude—it was purely perfunctory. So she had been mistaken? This friend wasn’t that important after all, or why would Xiao Luyan’s tone be so polite and detached?

But Lu Yuezhi remained courteous. She straightened up, turned to face Le Yu earnestly, and said, “Thank you, Mrs. Du. That’s very kind of you. Luyan and I are thrilled that you’ve come to our wedding, and thank you for your well-wishes.”

Mrs. Du! Le Yu’s blood pressure soared at the title. No matter how passive-aggressive Xiao Luyan had been earlier, she hadn’t called her Mrs. Du. Yet this Lu Yuezhi went straight for her sore spot!

She felt depressed, but there was nothing to argue. In outsiders’ eyes, wasn’t she precisely Mrs. Du? Even without Du Chunyou by her side right now, she was still bound by this marriage.

Xiao Luyan took in all of Le Yu’s suppressed frustration and wanted to laugh, but she held back for the sake of propriety. Still, she found Lu Yuezhi’s “Mrs. Du” quite brilliant because it came from sincere gratitude—formal but without any ulterior meaning.

It was flawless, even better than if she had said it herself.

Le Yu was no stranger to big scenes. Even if she was furious inside, she maintained a warm and elegant demeanor on the surface.

“You’re welcome. Luyan and I have known each other for so many years. I’ve always been hoping for this day.” Le Yu’s smile deepened. “When I heard the news of her wedding, I was in Aswan. I wanted to rush back sooner but couldn’t make it in time, or I could have helped with the wedding preparations.”

Lu Yuezhi paused at the mention of Aswan.

Some odd thoughts were about to bubble up when her fingertips were gently pinched.

The tiny contact at her fingertips connected straight to her heart, the faint warmth rapidly setting it ablaze.

Lu Yuezhi had no time for other thoughts and immediately turned back to look at the one pinching her.

Xiao Luyan held the vibrant roses, tilting her head up slightly with a gentle smile at her. Not just smiling, but speaking to her very gently.

“It’s about time. We should head to the banquet hall.”

They truly couldn’t delay any longer; they needed to hurry to the banquet hall to greet guests. Lu Yuezhi’s attention fully returned to Xiao Luyan. She carefully helped her stand and straightened her skirt.

At that moment, the bridesmaids returned amid the chatter, and Le Yu left the room early amid the noise.

After Le Yu left, a hint of relief flashed in Xiao Luyan’s eyes, like both pleasure and annoyance.

Once everything was perfectly arranged—makeup and poise flawless—they slowly left the honeymoon suite amid the crowd’s escort.

This was the place they would return to after the formal wedding banquet tonight, where they would spend their wedding night.

But Lu Yuezhi had no mind for tonight’s intimacies; she was concerned about what was wrong with Xiao Luyan.

Because they were so close now, she was more attuned to the emotions of the person beside her. She felt Xiao Luyan seemed a bit unhappy?

When no one was paying attention, Lu Yuezhi leaned close to Xiao Luyan’s ear. “What’s wrong?”

Xiao Luyan was pondering the details to watch for when meeting other guests. Le Yu had revealed some oversights in her preparations that needed immediate review.

Compared to Le Yu, the one from the Quan Family later might be even more troublesome, so Xiao Luyan’s mood was indeed poor.

But she didn’t want to explain. The matter between her and Le Yu was a dead knot, impossible to untie. She had no desire to unravel it, much less involve Lu Yuezhi.

It was her most loathsome humiliation, a defeat she didn’t want to face, the source of her deepest fears, and the scar of a profound lesson.

She pressed her lips together and shook her head, indicating nothing was wrong.

Lu Yuezhi gazed at her intently, clearly not convinced.

Seeing her about to press further, Xiao Luyan smiled. “I’m really fine. Just a bit nervous.”

Nervous? Lu Yuezhi thought it made sense.

She changed her tone to reassure her. “Don’t worry, I’ve got you.”

Her confident tone paired with that unwavering gaze did ease Xiao Luyan somewhat. She wasn’t sure if it would work, but at least her partner’s attitude was upright and positive—a form of encouragement.

Just before exiting the elevator, Xiao Luyan followed the rehearsed procedure and proactively took Lu Yuezhi’s arm.

The pair of newlyweds appeared hand in hand amid everyone’s anticipation, instantly causing a sensation.

The fanfare was even more exaggerated than when Xiao Luyan had appeared at that cocktail party. Yet Lu Yuezhi only felt grateful. Back then, she had been far away, distracted, wondering about the name of the person she liked and when they might meet again.

But now, she was the one standing by Xiao Luyan’s side, receiving admiration and blessings together with her. She hadn’t dared dream of plucking the bright moon from the sky; she had simply strived and climbed upward diligently until she reached the moon’s side.

Everyone attending today’s wedding had status and face, but identities still varied. They wouldn’t greet all guests at the door, but there were a few families they had to give full respect to.

The Quan Family was one they couldn’t avoid.

Among today’s guests, most knew Young Master Quan’s intentions and the reason the two families hadn’t allied in marriage. Born into such families, some things were beyond personal control. The two who had narrowly missed each other were now meeting at the wedding banquet.

Everyone tacitly avoided mentioning it, but all paid attention to it inwardly. Some wanted to see the state of relations between the two families, some wondered how much Young Master Quan could endure, and others wondered if Lu Yuezhi even knew she had become a thorn in someone’s side.

Xiao Luyan had mentioned to Lu Yuezhi that the guests they needed to greet specially today were no simple matter and required full vigilance. But she hadn’t detailed how bothersome Young Master Quan was, merely classifying him among pursuers like Lu Feicheng.

Lu Yuezhi also knew from He Yunqing’s defense of her son that Young Master Quan must be dissatisfied with this marriage but couldn’t openly interfere due to his status. She could imagine Xiao Luyan had been harassed by him more than once, but she couldn’t inquire further.

It wasn’t appropriate to ask anyone about such things. Lu Yuezhi could only strive to play the role of flower guardian by Xiao Luyan’s side. Especially today, she didn’t want Xiao Luyan disturbed by anything undue. From now on, she would protect Xiao Luyan properly!

“Young Master Quan, long time no see.” Someone nearby began greeting proactively.

Lu Yuezhi keenly noticed the person on her arm tremble slightly, then Xiao Luyan silently took a deep breath, as if bracing for the confrontation ahead.

She gently stroked the back of Xiao Luyan’s hand. “Don’t worry, I’m here.”

Xiao Luyan paused, thinking this person was comforting her without even knowing what she was worried about. But she didn’t want to dampen Lu Yuezhi’s enthusiasm, so she just smiled.

In their eye contact, words of blessing wrapped in a cold tone reached their ears.

“Luyan, congratulations. Happy new marriage.”

Xiao Luyan showed no flaw, smiling back. “Thank you, Mr. Quan.”

Quan Ruiyu’s face was calm, without a trace of joy, standing out starkly amid the festive atmosphere and the guests’ cheerful faces.

Xiao Luyan was too beautiful today—beautiful enough that he wanted to smash the wedding on the spot. Yet here he stood, gritting his teeth to offer congratulations.

He forced himself to look away, unable to bear staring at Xiao Luyan any longer, lest the urge to wreck it all grow stronger.

Thus, his gaze slowly shifted upward from the arm Xiao Luyan was holding and settled on Lu Yuezhi’s face.

It was this person who had suddenly appeared and allied in marriage with Xiao Luyan!