The sales assistant led the two of them to view the necklaces. Lan Lan chose one that would suit Lin Mei perfectly. She was always decisive when shopping and quickly made the purchase. As she was about to pay, she saw Liang Yufeng standing by the ring counter, lost in thought, as if he had found something he liked.
This counter was famous for wedding rings, and someone had indeed been buying a wedding ring earlier. Liang Yufeng must have been eyeing something similar…
Wedding rings…
Recalling Liang Yufeng’s obsession with marriage, Lan Lan felt a flicker of indecision. She pretended not to see him and proceeded to pay with the sales assistant.
Fortunately, Liang Yufeng said nothing. After she finished paying, they left together. After buying the gifts, they returned to Liang Yufeng’s villa. Liang Yufeng, being considerate, changed his shoes and went to the kitchen to cook. Watching his practiced movements, the phrase "岁月静好" (a peaceful and beautiful life) suddenly came to Lan Lan’s mind.
She used to find that phrase overly sentimental, something people said when they were being dramatic about nothing. But now, she realized that such beauty truly existed in life.
Lan Lan didn’t go to the kitchen to help. Instead, she sat on the sofa, seriously contemplating her path forward with Liang Yufeng. Earlier at the counter, Liang Yufeng had been staring at the rings, and she had guessed his intentions. If she were to seriously commit to Liang Yufeng, they would inevitably discuss marriage. However, she still hadn't figured out how to face it.
Marriage wasn't like shopping; you didn't just buy it impulsively because you liked it. Liang Yufeng had many different ideas about marriage and family compared to hers. She couldn't marry him just because she had feelings for him, completely overturning her own beliefs. And she had never thought about changing Liang Yufeng.
Many painful relationships stemmed from one party trying to change the other. Everyone was an individual; why should anyone demand sacrifices from another?
Lan Lan hadn't resolved this issue by the time Liang Yufeng finished cooking dinner. She temporarily gave up and sat down with Liang Yufeng to eat. His cooking was as delicious as ever. They chatted and finished their meal.
Lan Lan stayed overnight at Liang Yufeng’s place. The next morning, they went to Lin Mei’s. With the wedding approaching, Xiao Yue and Lin Zhengde had arrived in Nanjiang and were staying at Lin Mei’s, helping with wedding preparations and looking after the child.
Jingchu was now over a year old, could speak many words, and recognized people. He had inherited the best traits from his parents, and his face was becoming increasingly beautiful. Lan Lan could already imagine that he would grow up to be a heartbreaker, attracting countless admirers.
Jingchu was well-behaved, lively, and polite. He hadn't inherited Xing Zheng's reserved nature, which Lan Lan found most reassuring. Lan Lan often bought Jingchu snacks and toys. As soon as Jingchu saw her, he ran up and hugged her, affectionately calling out, "Godmother."
A one-year-old child’s voice was so sweet and milky that it melted one’s heart. Lan Lan picked Jingchu up and kissed his cheek. "Did you miss Godmother?"
"Yes," Jingchu nodded, his little features contorting. Lan Lan found him even more adorable and leaned down for another kiss.
Liang Yufeng witnessed this scene and, for a moment, felt a pang of jealousy towards Jingchu. As soon as the thought arose, he found himself ridiculous. Why was he competing with a child?
Xing Zheng and Lin Mei had gone to the venue early for a site visit and rehearsal, so only the nanny, Xiao Yue, and Lin Zhengde were at home.
Seeing Lan Lan and Liang Yufeng arrive together, Xiao Yue couldn't help but inquire about them. "Lan Lan, you like children so much. Aren't you two considering settling down? You've been together for so many years."
Liang Yufeng remained silent, glancing at Lan Lan instinctively. Lan Lan, while playing with Jingchu, replied, "Yes, we're considering it. These things can't be rushed."
"That's true. Marriage is a major life event, and it's right to consider it carefully before making a decision," Xiao Yue said. "But we all know Liang Yufeng's character."
"Thank you, Teacher Xiao," Liang Yufeng said, expressing his gratitude.
Xiao Yue smiled and replied, "I'm just stating the facts."
After Jingchu was born, Xiao Yue had interacted with Liang Yufeng quite a bit. Although Liang Yufeng spoke little, he was a very thoughtful person, evident from his interactions with the child. And when Lan Lan was with him, he almost always took care of her without complaint. For instance, he would serve her food during meals, and if she wanted water, Liang Yufeng would be the first to get it for her.
While these might not seem like significant things to others, married life is composed of such trivial matters.
Lan Lan could clearly see that Xiao Yue was very fond of Liang Yufeng. Or, to be more precise, all elders would likely appreciate someone like Liang Yufeng.
He did more than he said, was successful in his career, was dependable, not flirtatious, could cook, and had strong family values. Such a combination was likely the ceiling in the traditional dating market.
If Liang Yufeng were to go to a park for blind dates, he would probably be fought over by the elderly matchmakers.
A few days later, it was time for Lin Mei and Xing Zheng’s wedding. Lan Lan and Liang Yufeng were assigned to different dressing rooms as bridesmaids and groomsmen respectively. The groomsmen's attire was suits, which held no surprises. Although the bridesmaid dresses were not as luxurious as wedding gowns, Lan Lan and Feng Feng, with their excellent conditions, attracted a lot of attention once they put on the dresses.
Many people from the industry attended the wedding banquet. Xing Zheng had prepared for this wedding for so long that it was impossible to scale it down. Therefore, after the wedding ceremony, the banquet turned into a social event.
The groomsmen and bridesmaids were supposed to be seated at the same table. However, recently, Feng Feng and Shen Su had had a falling out, so they were deliberately seated separately. Lan Lan and Feng Feng sat at the same table as their university classmates. Even so, many people’s attention was still focused on them.
Just then, Liang Yufeng heard someone behind him inquiring about Lan Lan. "Do you know that bridesmaid with curly hair?"
"Oh, her. Yes, she's a department manager at Xinhe. Are you interested?"
"She's really beautiful. I'm going to go over and see. Coincidentally, my father knows the boss of Xinhe."
Liang Yufeng turned his head. The person who was about to approach Lan Lan was a second-generation rich kid he had met before. He had just graduated from his master's program and should be several years younger than them.
Liang Yufeng knew his father, who had even introduced him to this young man before. Liang Yufeng also knew that he was not serious about his career and was a womanizer. He hadn't expected him to set his sights on Lan Lan today.
Shen Su and Gu Song, as groomsmen, were sitting with Liang Yufeng and naturally overheard the conversation behind them. Shen Su saw the young man walking towards Lan Lan's table and asked Liang Yufeng, "Aren't you going to check?"
Liang Yufeng’s brow was already furrowed, his fingers gripping the glass tightly, his gaze filled with murderous intent.
Lan Lan was chatting with her university classmates when she felt a hand on her shoulder.
She thought it was an acquaintance and turned to look. To her surprise, she saw a completely unfamiliar face.