"I'm fine." Mi Jing waved cheerfully at Shen Lingxing, then continued walking forward.
Shen Lingxing stared blankly for a moment. Mi Jing, bathed in the soft sunlight of early winter, was surrounded by a faint halo. Her smile was bright, her eyes dazzling, making her appear ethereal and nimble. The scene was beautiful, making everything around her lose its color. In that instant, Shen Lingxing's eyes only saw her in vivid colors.
The wedding venue was absolutely lively and celebratory. Mi Jing, led by the greeters, walked into the banquet hall of the hotel, her gaze sweeping across the room. Among the many wine tables, she spotted one filled with old acquaintances. About to walk over, she noticed Han Xiujie mingling in the crowd from the corner of her eye, quickly dismissing the idea of approaching.
"Mi Jing, over here!"
Just as Mi Jing was looking for another place to sit, someone with sharp eyes spotted her. That person called out loudly, their voice booming over the murmur of the crowd, attracting quite a few glances. Those who knew Mi Jing all turned their gaze towards her.
Mi Jing gave a silent smile to the table of old classmates, internally struggling whether to go over or not. Naturally, she didn't want to, but since everyone had seen her, not going over would clearly show disrespect. Besides, she couldn't find an excuse to dodge.
"Mi Jing, come sit over here! According to custom, the bride's friends and the groom's friends should sit at separate tables." At another wine table two tables away from Mi Jing's college friends, a slightly plump woman suddenly stood up, her voice resonant and clear, rivaling the high decibel of the male classmate who had just called Mi Jing.
A savior appeared just in time, ending Mi Jing's dilemma. After greeting the classmates, she almost teared up as she walked over to Lisa.
"Lisa, thank you." Mi Jing patted Lisa's shoulder, her words filled with deep gratitude.
"It's nothing, don't mention it." Lisa spoke as she pulled out the chair beside her for Mi Jing to sit.
Lisa was Bai Lulu's friend. Mi Jing had seen her a few times but wasn't very familiar with her. Lisa stepped in to help Mi Jing because the attentive Bai Lulu had arranged it beforehand.
The wedding began with the emcee's enthusiastic introduction. Watching her friend's happy and joyful smile, Mi Jing couldn't help but immerse herself in the romantic atmosphere of the wedding, forgetting the previous displeasures with Li Jia and Han Xiujie.
Two hours later, the lively wedding ended, guests gradually left, leaving only Mi Jing, the bride and groom's parents, and close friends to stay until the end.
"Jing, I want to talk to you alone." Mi Jing was having a pleasant conversation with Lisa when Han Xiujie suddenly walked over, interrupting them.
"I don't have time." Mi Jing's gaze turned cold, not even looking at Han Xiujie as she decisively and coldly rejected him.
They had nothing to talk about. She didn't want to hear his apologies or remorse, nor his achievements since they broke up. From the moment they separated, they were strangers and could never be friends after the breakup.
Time had healed her wounds but hadn't erased her hatred towards him. She was a person who held grudges, always remembering the initial pain after recovering. Mi Jing stood tall, her pride and dignity making her appear regal, without weakness, determined and cold.
"I..."
"Lisa, aren't you heading back to the city? Why don't you come with me?" Mi Jing smiled at Lisa, determined not to say another word to Han Xiujie.
"Sure!"
Lisa knew Mi Jing had driven here, and going with her meant not squeezing into a bus and it was convenient. So Lisa gladly agreed, ignoring Han Xiujie's presence.
Anyone with eyes could see Mi Jing didn't welcome Han Xiujie. The wedding had ended some time ago, and it was time for them to leave.
Mi Jing never glanced at Han Xiujie, leaving his side as cold as ice.
Han Xiujie stood stiffly, watching Mi Jing's back, his chest filled with a suffocating sense of loss. He'd rather she hit or scolded him than treat him with indifference and coldness. He knew he had no right to demand how she should treat him, and that winning her back would be very difficult. But despite the difficulty, he decided to try because he desperately wanted to have the beautiful her again.
"Han Xiujie, what kind of look is that? I'm warning you, stay away from Jing in the future. If you dare hurt her again, I won't let you off easily!" Bai Lulu returned after seeing off the guests, entering the hall and seeing Han Xiujie gazing sadly yet determinedly at Mi Jing's departing figure, filled with steadfast, obsessive love, which made Bai Lulu furious.
"I won't hurt her again. I will love her with all I have." Han Xiujie spoke firmly and sincerely.
But who would completely trust the words of someone with a bad record? Even if he could do as he said, it would be nothing but a big joke.
If he loved, how could he bear to hurt her? He abandoned Mi Jing for his future back then, and now he says he'll give her all his love?
Ridiculous! Would Mi Jing care about his love now?
Bai Lulu's scorn and disdain were written all over her face, "Han Xiujie, your presence in front of Mi Jing now is hurting her. I beg you, don't nauseate her anymore. She won't care about the love you speak of."
"Lulu, that's enough." Old Guo, standing nearby, saw Bai Lulu becoming more agitated and wanted to avoid embarrassing his friend, timely intervening.
"Stay out of this, don't hold me back." Bai Lulu shrugged off Old Guo's grip on her arm, then turned to continue berating Han Xiujie, "Where is Li Jia? Why didn't you bring her today? You've been living comfortably abroad for years, enjoying life and forgetting us, right? Why did you bother coming back!"
Li Jia had stormed home in a rage after a fight with Han Xiujie in the parking lot, so Bai Lulu didn't see her and didn't know Han Xiujie had come with Li Jia. If she had seen Li Jia at her wedding, she would have had someone throw her out without mercy!
"I can't forget Mi Jing." Han Xiujie wasn't angered by Bai Lulu's words and didn't want to mention Li Jia. He remained calm.
"Enough, stop saying things that disgust me. You knew how much Mi Jing hated Li Jia, yet you were with that bitch. What do you mean by that? Is this your love for Mi Jing?" Bai Lulu finished her words, then exchanged a glance with her husband before storming off.
"Jie, Lulu's just like that. Don't mind her." Old Guo looked troubled. Regardless of what Han Xiujie had done wrong, he was still his buddy, and the woman who had just berated him was his wife. He understood the internal struggle Han Xiujie went through when he made that choice years ago. Though he felt disappointed by his choice, he respected it as a friend.