Lin Qiong glanced at Fu Jinghong, who had fallen into the shrubs outside the church, finally quieting down.
Then, with a proud tilt of his head, Lin Qiong leaped back into the church premises, asserting, "I am noble, and you are unworthy."
He crouched down and picked up the scattered wildflowers from earlier, selecting a simple and elegant white flower with a yellow stamen. He placed it carefully in the pocket of his suit, just above his chest. The white petals swayed gently in the breeze, while the green leaves nestled against the fabric, creating an unexpectedly harmonious combination with the white suit.
Lin Qiong lowered his head and glanced down, his eyes partially lowered. The dense and delicate eyelashes cast small shadows under the sunlight, and the strands of hair in front of his forehead moved slightly with the wind.
It was unexpected for him to have a wedding day. Lin Qiong had been in an orphanage since he could remember, with no close people around him except for the good brother who had been there with him since childhood. Little did he know that while he considered the other person as a brother, the other person considered him a fool.
On one occasion, under the relentless pleas and requests of the other person, Lin Qiong reluctantly acted as a money lender.
The other person confidently declared, "A-Qiong, rest assured! I will definitely repay this money. Can't you trust a brother?" However, the man's words were deceitful. Not only did he fail to repay the money, but he also borrowed from loan sharks using that sum, and when the debt collectors came knocking, he had long disappeared without a trace.
When Lin Qiong finally came to his senses, he realized that the person had never spoken the truth back then.
Lin Qiong, having no parents or background, entered the entertainment industry after graduating from university. He mostly played minor roles and didn't earn much money. Soon, he found himself drowning in a massive amount of high-interest loans, an amount that he could never have imagined in his life. It was a number with more zeros than the eggs he had ever eaten.
As Lin Qiong held the pillow he had snatched back from the debt collector, he made his way to the bridge. He berated himself in his mind, calling himself a big fool, while seeking shelter under the bridge. Lin Qiong had always been ambitious since he was young, striving to be the best in whatever he did. Even if he had to sleep on the streets, he wanted to be the most destitute.
The old man next door, who at least had a bed and a blanket, took pity on him and kindly reminded him, "It's getting cold, cover yourself with some dirt."
Lin Qiong: ...
He had always known that his circumstances were not good, which is why he had been afraid to pursue relationships, fearing that he would burden others. And now, it seemed even more unlikely. He felt like a reincarnated frog, lonely and isolated.
As Lin Qiong looked at the door, the prospect of turning back made him feel uneasy. After all, who wouldn't be afraid of a ruthless antagonist who could kill without hesitation? He couldn't help but feel a sense of apprehension.
At this moment, two little figures appeared in Lin Qiong's mind, engaged in a tug-of-war.
Angel: "If you don't go back, think about how pitiful Fu Xingyun will be at the wedding."
Devil: "You've already escaped, why would you go back? Instead of pitying him, you should pity yourself. Who knows when your life will be in danger."
Angel: "Go back. He's paralyzed below the waist. How can he fulfill the marriage alone?"
Devil: "In the novel, he managed to do it himself. Sister, be bold and move forward without looking back~"
Angel: "These clothes are really valuable!"
Devil: ...
Angel: "They must be worth a lot of money. In the past, I could never afford to wear something like this in my whole life."
Angel: "How many zeros are there? Ones, tens, hundreds, thousands, millions... Oh my! So much money!"
Lin Qiong took a deep breath. Even if he wore this outfit as a funeral garment, it would be worth it!
Recalling the plot of the novel, in fact, Fu Xingyun had a difficult time too. While reading the novel, compared to the protagonist, Lin Qiong sometimes paid more attention to the segments involving Fu Xingyun in the book. This may be due to the presence of a cannon fodder character having his same name, but in any case, Lin Qiong could be considered a fan of Fu Xingyun.
As Lin Qiong looked at the pristine white suit on himself and the small white flower swaying in the wind, a smile formed at the corner of his mouth. He raised his hand and rubbed his head, surprised that he was getting married.
It was quite nerve-wracking.
After adjusting his collar, he knew that Fu Xingyun had paid for this outfit. With that in mind, he decided to go ahead with the wedding today.
Lin Qiong took a step and pushed open the door, radiating with the divine light of Jesus. Before his eyes was a thousand-meter runway adorned with white roses and expensive ribbons.
Lin Qiong: ...how could he have forgotten about running the endless corridor to get back to the wedding!?
The ceremony is about to begin, and the guests are gradually entering the hall under the guidance of the usher. The members of the Fu and Lin families naturally sit in the front row.
Fu Xingyun is no longer a proud and influential figure in the business world. The Fu family no longer values him, and today, at the wedding, the Fu family only sent their youngest son, Fu Jinghong, to attend. However, there is no one from the Fu family in their designated seats at the moment.
Although there are only a few people from prominent families attending this wedding, they were sent as a gesture of old acquaintanceship with the Fu family. However, they do not take Fu Xingyun's wedding seriously, as they are idle and leisurely juniors who do not consider it important.
It is precisely because the attendees are pampered and indulged young heirs from prominent families that Fu Xingyun is subjected to humiliation and mockery at his wedding. In the past, Fu Xingyun was a spirited and exceptional individual, a peerless talent whom the young masters were often compared to by their elders.
Hearing such comparisons repeatedly naturally bred resentment in their hearts.
Now that Fu Xingyun has fallen from grace, there are naturally many who enjoy witnessing his misfortune. The news has spread like wildfire, becoming widely known throughout the city.
As the guests took their seats one by one, their expressions varied. Mockery, sarcasm, amusement—everyone was eagerly anticipating a spectacle, as if it were not a wedding but a circus.
They cheered for the trained animals' performances, accompanied by mocking applause, and finally left behind a handful of banknotes, laden with humiliation. Fu Xingyun now resembled a majestic lion shackled by iron chains, his sharp teeth covered by a muzzle. Everyone was eagerly awaiting his performance.
What could be more satisfying than witnessing the downfall of a once proud individual?
Chen Han and Lin Huafeng took their seats and noticed the absence of anyone from the Fu family, but they didn't pay it much mind. As long as the purpose of this alliance was achieved, they were willing to overlook anything in the future.
Fu Xingyun pushed his wheelchair with both arms and arrived at the place where the bride and groom would make their entrance. There should have been someone by his side in that spot, but he didn't seem to care. His life had been destroyed in the fire six months ago, and now he gazed expressionlessly at the grand, pristine gate adorned with a carved cupid, his ink-black eyes resembling stagnant water.
Li Hanyang and a few friends took their seats in the hall. They had all been childhood friends with Fu Xingyun, and even though their families advised them to have less contact with him, they didn't listen.
Even if Fu Xingyun resorted to begging one day, they would make sure to provide him with a clean bowl. Otherwise, they might end up with an upset stomach.
"I'm feeling anxious. Do you think Lin Qiong will run away?" Ji Yao's heart was filled with unease. She was initially happy when she received the news of Fu Xingyun's wedding, but seeing Lin Qiong's demeanor today caught her off guard.
"Don't worry, don't overthink it," Li Hanyang reassured her. "In such a big event, even if Lin Qiong doesn't know how to behave properly, he won't run away."
Although Li Hanyang said that, deep down, he also felt a bit worried. However, when he thought about it, he realized he was overthinking things and laughed at himself.
After soothing himself, Li Hanyang relaxed and leaned back in his chair.
After some time had passed, he suddenly sat up straight.
Could it be that idiot who was laughing and running out in the corridor just now? Was it Lin Qiong?
The priest approached, holding the Bible, but there was even more noise and commotion below. Lin Huafeng frowned, seeming displeased.
The priest glanced at the commotion below and began speaking to himself. As the priest prayed, a male waiter hurriedly made his way through the crowd toward Lin Huafeng.
The waiter's face was filled with urgency, and his footsteps were swift. His eyes, reflecting the sunlight shining from Lin Huafeng's bald head, couldn't contain anything else. It resembled love at that moment.
The waiter crouched down and approached Lin Huafeng, saying, "Lin Qiong has run away." His words were like a sinister whisper, hitting as hard as if your house had exploded.
Lin Huafeng's eyes widened in disbelief, almost popping out of their sockets. "What did you say?!" His deep voice became unnaturally loud, drawing the attention of many in the hall. Even the priest furrowed his brow as he glanced at him.
It was an interruption, just when the prayer was halfway through. How annoying.
Lin Huafeng instantly shut his mouth, feeling as if ten thousand-word alpacas were galloping through his mind, leaving behind spit as they passed by.
"Brat," Lin Huafeng clenched his teeth. He knew that Lin Qiong wouldn't stay put.
However, it was too late for Lin Huafeng to try to quiet things down now. The curious playboys stretched their necks, eager to eavesdrop, and some even grabbed the male waiter to inquire. They wouldn't let go of any opportunity to humiliate Fu Xingyun.
The male waiter, being a helpless working-class individual, couldn't afford to offend anyone in front of him.
"Lin Qiong has run away!!!" Suddenly, a furious roar echoed through the hall, as if a drop of water had fallen into a scalding hot pan, causing an immediate explosion.
"Worth it! This is damn worth it for coming back!"
"Damn it, Fu Xingyun's wife ran away! What's the point of this damn wedding?!"
"Where are you going? Isn't the wedding still going on? I want to see how Fu Xingyun will show up later."
"Damn it!" Li Hanyang clenched his fist and was about to punch one of the wastrels in front of him, but he was quickly pulled back by his friend Ji Yao. The rest of their friends rushed to intervene as well.
"Hanyang, are you crazy?"
Li Hanyang struggled with all his strength to break free from their grip. "Who's the crazy one here? They're speaking like humans, even a dog's mouth is cleaner than theirs! Fu Xingyun! They're talking about Fu Xingyun!"
The wastrel who was being held by the collar took advantage of someone restraining Li Hanyang and continued to provoke him recklessly, "What are you going to do about it?" Before he could finish his sentence, the wastrel saw the person who had been holding Li Hanyang slowly stepping back.
The hall was in chaos, everything completely out of place in this solemn hall. The pristine and sacred hall had only the priest sincerely praying. The priest looked down at the chaotic scene below, holding the Bible firmly in his hand.
"There is a ray of light in everyone's life."
In the silent and pristine corridor, occasional faint gasps could be heard, rapid and weak. Some people would silently recite the name of their beloved, advancing for love on the one-thousand-meter runway. Others on the same runway muttered, "Woc..., I can't go on..., I'm dying..." with a mouthful of spit.
Lin Qiong looked at the corridor in front of him and exhaled a breath.
Fu Xingyun, wife is here!