Jing Mian slept very well that night.
He had thought that after such an unexpected incident and the recurrence of his symptoms, he would be plagued by nightmares all night. However, in reality, although Jing Mian did dream, he inexplicably found himself back in his childhood.
Though he couldn’t recall the exact images, he faintly remembered there was an older brother.
Perhaps it was because Mr. Ren was by his side. That vaguely familiar, subtle scent grew stronger, filling his senses and inexplicably calming him down.
As a result, in the following two days, when Ren Xingwan returned to the guest room, Jing Mian’s time to fall asleep was noticeably later than usual.
But Jing Mian thought,
it might also be because of the upcoming wedding.
Getting married was one thing, but the wedding ceremony was another.
The wedding venue would have guests, decorations, a solemn ceremony, and the atmosphere of a couple’s union. Under the gaze of everyone, all of this would inevitably make the couple feel both excited and nervous.
And so,
on the night before the wedding, Jing Mian successfully suffered from insomnia.
According to the planner he had met with at home earlier, he and Mr. Ren would not see each other before the wedding. The car to pick him up was already waiting at the door, and besides the driver, Mr. Ren’s schedule assistant, Yu Nian, had also come to fetch him.
Yu Nian flipped through the guest list and couldn’t help but ask, “Mr. Jing, you haven’t invited many guests. I noticed that besides your roommate, there’s another unfamiliar name—Li Daoyang.”
Yu Nian asked, “Is he also your university classmate? If he knows your roommate, we can arrange for them to stay closer at the hotel.”
Jing Mian was taken aback and said, “He’s here?”
Yu Nian nodded, “Apparently, he’s arrived.”
Li Daoyang was Jing Mian’s high school classmate. He was one of the few friends Jing Mian had thought to invite to the wedding. However, Li Daoyang later enrolled in a military academy, and in recent years, he hadn’t returned often. Jing Mian hadn’t seen him in a long time.
Jing Mian said, “Daoyang doesn’t know them. It’s fine to arrange him separately.”
Yu Nian replied, “Got it.”
By the time they got out of the car, it was already evening.
The glow of the sunset enveloped the edge of the city, gradually converging into a line before being swallowed by the horizon of the mountains.
Jing Mian had dozed off in the car, and by the time they reached their destination, it was already dark.
After sleeping at the waiting hotel, Jing Mian found it hard to fall asleep again and woke up early. Following the instructions, he arrived at the waiting room.
Jing Mian met the makeup artist. He changed into his formal attire first and sat at the table while the makeup artist leaned over, carefully applying the makeup.
Yu Nian thought that with Mr. Jing’s natural looks, makeup was almost unnecessary. The cosmetics barely made a difference, as if they had no place to shine.
The waiting room was as spacious as a small banquet hall, with a comfortable temperature. The floor-to-ceiling windows offered a view of the sea, like a hidden paradise. Jing Mian noticed that the table was filled with desserts and snacks, as if they had been prepared in advance.
Jing Mian picked a few items and, not wanting to disturb the stylist working on his hair, ate them in small bites, occasionally glancing at the clock.
Jing Mian couldn’t help but wonder, was Mr. Ren feeling a little nervous too?
Soon, the wedding approached.
The guests had arrived, and the wedding was set against the backdrop of the coast, where the sky and sea merged into a distant, romantic horizon. The meticulously trimmed lawn, the beautiful lamps subtly tinted by the sky, the highball glasses on the tables, and the emcee standing at the front of the long carpet, waiting for them.
Despite being prepared, Jing Mian’s heart still raced as he stepped into his own wedding.
Thumping loudly within his chest.
Because he saw Mr. Ren not far away.
Jing Mian’s breath hitched slightly.
In contrast to himself, Ren Xingwan was dressed in a black suit, making the man appear even taller and more handsome. His curled lashes beneath his hairline and his slightly pursed thin lips made it even harder to look away than usual.
At this moment, Mr. Ren’s gaze was fixed on him, unwavering.
His heartbeat gradually slowed.
The ceremony proceeded as scheduled. Jing Mian and Ren Xingwan listened to the vows asked by the pastor, answered solemnly, exchanged rings, and shared a kiss lightly touched by the twilight and light.
Jing Mian had never imagined, growing up, that his future wedding would be with a man, and that man would be his childhood brother.
Moreover, when entertaining the guests, Jing Mian didn’t see Li Qiao at the wedding. Given her habits, she would have meticulously prepared for such an occasion to network with the elite.
When he mentioned this to Jing’s father, Jing Guozhen’s expression visibly stiffened, and he sighed, “Don’t worry about her. This is your wedding. Why let her spoil the mood?”
Later, he also saw Li Daoyang.
The young man had cut his hair short, standing tall, much taller than he was in high school. Jing Mian almost didn’t recognize him. When he saw Jing Mian, the young man immediately gave him a bear hug.
Due to the height difference, Li Daoyang had to slightly bend down during the hug.
But when they separated, Li Daoyang seemed to sense the silent, oppressive gaze from the groom beside Jing Mian.
He scratched his head, somewhat puzzled: “?”
Li Daoyang smiled and said, “Congratulations.”
At that moment, Ren Xingwan was called away by guests coming to offer their congratulations, diverting his attention.
Then, Li Daoyang pulled Jing Mian aside and whispered, “MianMian, you’re really something. You didn’t give me any hint about having a boyfriend, and then you dropped this bombshell. When you invited me to the wedding, I thought it was a scam call…”
Jing Mian awkwardly explained, “Actually, we haven’t been together for long. From meeting to the wedding, it all happened this month.”
Li Daoyang: “So, you had a whirlwind marriage?”
Jing Mian: “You could say that.”
Li Daoyang was utterly astonished: “Then… do you like your husband?”
Jing Mian was stunned. He paused and said, “I don’t know…”
Li Daoyang: “Then why did you have a whirlwind marriage with him? Honestly, it wasn’t your stepmother forcing you to fulfill a marriage contract, was it?”
Jing Mian was speechless for a few seconds, then said, “At first, it was like that.”
He added softly, “But Mr. Ren is very good to me. For me, marriage isn’t a misfortune.”
“Just because someone is good doesn’t mean you should marry them,” Li Daoyang said with a worried expression. “You’re only twenty. You’ll meet many more people in the future. Is it fair to you to settle down now?”
Jing Mian swallowed, knowing Li Daoyang had misunderstood, but fearing others might hear, he still whispered, “It’s not unfair to me. Marrying Mr. Ren is actually me climbing high.”
“If he thought you were climbing high, he wouldn’t have made such a grand ceremony,” Li Daoyang pursed his lips, then suddenly got curious: “Your husband, does he really like you?”
Jing Mian was taken aback, feeling a strange numbness in his heart.
He had to explain: “He’s like me; marriage is a task.”
“Mission?” Li Daoyang didn’t think so. He shrugged and said, “Not necessarily. You have no idea, when I hugged you just now, your husband’s gaze was icy cold, as if he wanted to devour me.”
“That’s just his personality,” Jing Mian chuckled. “He looks at everyone with that icy gaze… it’s not directed at you.”
“I don’t think it’s that simple,” Li Daoyang seemed to finally remember the main topic and vented to Jing Mian. “And, your husband is Ren Congmian!!”
“Do you know how much my girlfriend adores him?” Li Daoyang continued. “When you have time, help me get an autographed photo. I’ll send you her address, just put my name on the package.”
Jing Mian nodded, “Alright, I’ll mention it to him.”
Li Daoyang: “I never expected this.”
Jing Mian: “?”
Li Daoyang: “To have your lifelong matter arranged so casually.”
“But, have you hugged?”
Jing Mian paused, after all, it was the first time he was gossiping about the marriage with someone. He nodded, “Yes, we have.”
Li Daoyang got excited: “So, it’s not entirely a family arranged marriage.”
“Then, have you kissed?”
Jing Mian: “…”
He nodded.
“!!!!”
Li Daoyang cursed and was completely boiling: “When? Within this month? How did you kiss, just that one time?”
Jing Mian really wanted to shut Li Daoyang’s mouth, but as he answered, his ears turned red: “Keep your voice down… actually, more than once.”
Just as the two were talking, footsteps seemed to approach.
Mr. Ren, who had left the guests, happened to walk behind them.
Jing Mian was startled and stopped talking, but Li Daoyang didn’t notice.
He continued on his own, as if completely immersed in shock, almost incessantly: “Picked you up and kissed you? In the study? Really didn’t expect that, everyone thought he was as abstinent as he appears on the public screen.”
“Ren Congmian is seven years older than you, right?”
Li Daoyang: “Never thought your husband was such a beast.”
Jing Mian: “…”
Holding his breath.
The footsteps also happened to stop.
Jing Mian’s heart turned cold.
He thought, the wedding ceremony wasn’t even over yet.
Would he and Mr. Ren, set the Guinness record for the fastest divorce?