He suddenly remembered that every year on the ninth of September, Yan Shu would wheedle him with a hopeful smile. "Are you free this year? If you are, can you come with me to register our marriage?"
"I'm not free," his answers were always curt and blunt.
"You have no time to go to the registry? That's fine. Shall we take our wedding photos first?" She tried to change the topic.
"I'm… can't." He stared into her eyes, slightly reproaching her for not understanding, "I'm busy with my thesis."
"Gu Yucheng, I'll definitely look very, very beautiful in a wedding dress. You'll regret it if you don't see me in one."
"I will look very handsome in a wedding suit too. Wouldn't it be my loss if I show you?"
"Gu Yucheng… don't be so shameless. You only have this one chance, and if you don't go, even if you wear a groom's suit in the future, I won't even take a glance at you." Yan Shu, who has always been patient, was finally irritated by his inaction.
…
Gu Yucheng didn't expect that his joke between him and Yan Shu would turn out to be true. She really didn't want to see him in the groom's outfit anymore.
Why did he feel a little regretful?
Gu Yucheng was brought back to his senses by Wang Ziwen nagging.
"Yan Shu thinks that if she doesn't be my bridesmaid, I won't be able to find a girl more outstanding than her to be my bridesmaid? Well, now I have Mi Le backing me up. Mi Le's family runs a big real estate company with billions of assets. If she becomes my bridesmaid, she will even sponsor customized bridesmaid dresses. Our wedding will be a dazzling affair."
Gu Yucheng looked at Wang Ziwen. She was vain and superficial. For the sake of appearances, she would do everything to exploit all the resources in her social circle. In this regard, they were quite similar.
It was precisely because they were so alike that he felt their encounter and love was a rare meeting of kindred spirits in a lifetime.
However, Gu Yucheng was a little worried. "Ziwen, you know that my family and friends know about me and Yan Shu. If Yan Shu doesn't come to our wedding, what will everyone think of me? If Yan Shu comes, they will at most think that I broke up with her amicably."
Wang Ziwen was in a difficult position. "But Yan Shu is stubborn. I can't get her to come."
"She's actually very soft-hearted," Gu Yucheng said.
Wang Ziwen was a little angry. "What do you mean? Are you saying that I wasn't sincere enough when I invited her?"
Gu Yucheng quickly apologized. "I didn't mean it that way. Ziwen, now is not the time to talk about Yan Shu. You should think about how to explain to your best friend when you meet her tonight. I remember that she is also Yan Shu's best friend."
Wang Ziwen said, "Don't worry about that. Although Mi Le grew up with me and Yan Shu, there are differences in our relationship. Mi Le is closer to me. I think between me and Yan Shu, she will choose to take my side."
"Okay."
Gu Yucheng handed the baby products he had bought to Wang Ziwen and said anxiously, "I'm going to be late. I have to head to work now. You can go back by yourself."
As soon as Wang Ziwen took the items, Gu Yucheng left without looking back.
At night.
After work, Yan Shu rushed to the restaurant that Mi Le had reserved. Unexpectedly, as soon as she pushed open the door of the private room, she was shocked by the lively scene in the luxurious private room.
It was supposed to be a quiet dinner for two of them, but it turned out to be a party for more than ten people.
Yan Shu was stunned.
"Shushu, you're here." Mi Le waved at her. "Come here quickly. I've saved a seat for you."
Yan Shu glanced at the two empty seats beside Mi Le. On the other side of the empty seats were Gu Yucheng and Wang Zi Wen. Yan Shu was stunned. She just wanted to turn around and leave.
In the end, she felt that since she had come all the way, leaving quietly made it seem like she was the one at fault. Gu Yucheng and Chen Ziwen were clearly the ones in the wrong. Why should she be afraid of them?
Yan Shu walked in with her head held high. She chose to sit in the empty seat closest to Mi Le and left one empty seat between herself and Gu Yucheng.
The originally noisy private room instantly fell silent. Their classmates' curious gazes landed on Yan Shu, Ziwen, and Gu Yucheng.
Yan Shu concluded that Gu Yucheng had yet to tell his friends about the story about him abandoning his old love and marrying his new lover.
After the dishes were served, Gu Yucheng kept adding food to Wang Ziwen's bowl. Even the sweet and sour fish, which Mi Le deliberately placed in front of Yan Shu, knowing it was her favorite, was also picked up by Gu Yucheng and served to Wang Ziwen.
Yan Shu felt very upset. She recalled Gu Yucheng's promise to her in the past. "Shushu, don't worry. After we get married, I promise to cook for you personally and make your favorite sweet and sour fish. I promise to let you have your fill."
He had yet to make sweet and sour fish for Yan Shu, and now he was offering her share of sweet and sour fish to another woman.
Seeing that Yan Shu had not eaten her favorite sweet and sour fish, Mi Le couldn't help but remind Gu Yucheng, "Gu Yucheng, save some sweet and sour fish for my Shushu. I specially ordered those for her. Ziwen doesn't like sweet and sour fish."
Gu Yucheng's hand froze in the air. He must have remembered his promise to Yan Shu in the past. Feeling ashamed, he placed the sweet and sour fish still hanging from his chopsticks into Yan Shu's bowl. "Shushu, I'm sorry. I forgot that you love sweet and sour fish."
Yan Shu felt sad. Gu Yucheng's indifference made her realize that all her devotion in the past had been fed to the dogs.
She quietly picked out the fish meat that Gu Yucheng had given her. As the saying goes, a belated love is cheaper than grass. Yan Shu was unwilling to accept the meager amount of affection that Gu Yucheng was offering her.
Seeing her actions, Gu Yucheng was a little annoyed. "Yan Shu, what do you mean by this? I was kind enough to offer you some fish meat. By refusing to eat it, what are you trying to prove?"
Yan Shu took out a tissue and wiped her chopsticks that were stained by the fish sauce. "Gu Yucheng, don't use the chopsticks you are eating with to pick up food for others. It's very dirty," Yan Shu said calmly.
Gu Yucheng was so angry that his face turned green.
"Yan Shu, you were never so affected in the past."
Yan Shu replied with a double entendre, "Your chopsticks weren't so dirty in the past either."
Everyone looked at Gu Yucheng and Yan Shu with their big round eyes. Their conversation revealed a lot of information.
There was a hint of panic in Gu Yucheng's eyes. Their classmates could roughly guess that his relationship with Yan Shu had ended.
The atmosphere was becoming stranger and stranger.
Mi Le could tell that something was amiss. She couldn't stand this guessing game anymore, so she stood up and asked for the truth.
"Shushu, what's going on between you, Gu Yucheng and Wang Ziwen? You and Gu Yucheng were clearly in love for ten years. Why has Gu Yucheng become Ziwen's boyfriend now?"
Yan Shu didn't say a word.
Gu Yucheng glanced at Yan Shu and decided to go all out. For the sake of Ziwen, he would rather choose to fight against this world bravely.
"Dear classmates, as you can see, Ziwen and I are together now. We are truly in love. The child in Ziwen's stomach is also mine. We will be getting married next month. I would like to invite all of you present here to attend our wedding."