“What do you want to ask me?” Seeing that the door was closed, Gu Nianbin looked at her with a faint smile.

“Tell me the truth.” Xia Xiaowan still didn’t want to give up. “The wedding is about to begin. I can’t run away, so tell me the truth.”

Gu Nianbin walked to the window and stood there. There were thin golden threads on his black suit. When the sunlight shone on them, they twinkled. He suddenly turned around and the smile on his face was even brighter than the sunlight. “What truth do you want to know?”

“Do you want to take revenge on me?”

“I don’t want to.”

“Do you really want to marry me?”

“Yes.”

Xia Xiaowan took a deep breath and mustered up her courage. “Can you forget Du Xiaoxian?”

“Yes.” Without any hesitation, the man answered her question.

Xia Xiaowan was a little exasperated. “Don’t be afraid. I’m not scheming against you. I don’t have a recording pen today. I don’t take anything with me. I just want you to tell me the truth before the wedding. Can’t you just tell me this?”

Gu Nianbin walked over and smiled sincerely. “Everything I said was the truth. Xiaowan, the wedding is about to begin. Stop thinking about the nonsense.”

Xia Xiaowan was discouraged. This was not unexpected. She sighed and said, “You can take your leave. Let Xiaoxue come in and accompany me.”

In the end, there was still no hope, she thought. She couldn’t blame others for this. It was her fault. She made mistakes again and again, leading to this situation in the end.

The music of the melodious wedding march sounded. Xia Xiaowan held her father’s arm and walked step by step on the red carpet. Through the veil, she saw the handsome man on the stage looking at her with a gentle smile. Xia Xiaowan lowered her eyes and looked at the dress that was layered like waves, and many people looked at her with beaming smiles.

Xia Xiaowan’s mother was sitting in the first row. Only her smile was weird as if she was crying. Her eyes were red, but the corners of her mouth were raised. She was reluctant to part with Xia Xiaowan, wasn’t she?

The red carpet appeared long, but soon she reached its end, finally standing in front of Gu Nianbin. Gu Nianbin looked at her and smiled, but there was no joy in his eyes. She was not surprised, but no one could see it except her.

Gu Nianbin held her hand and stood in front of the priest.

The priest was a kind foreign old man. He had a pair of gray blue eyes, and his white hair was slightly curly. He spoke fluent Chinese. He looked at them with loving eyes and smiled.

After a few opening remarks, there was the traditional oath.

The priest asked Gu Nianbin, “Handsome groom, do you take this beautiful young lady beside you as your wife, and from today on, to accept and support her, to love and cherish her, regardless of her being good or bad, rich or poor, in disease or in health, until death do you part?”

Gu Nianbin glanced at her and said firmly, “Yes, I do.”

The priest asked her as well, “Beautiful bride, do you take this handsome gentleman beside you as your husband, and from today on, to accept and support him, to love and cherish him, regardless of his being good or bad, rich or poor, in disease or in health, until death do you part?”

Xia Xiaowan lowered her eyes and did not say a word. It was very quiet in the church as everyone seemed to be holding their breath and waiting for her answer. As time passed, the priest stared at her nervously. A trace of anxiety also appeared on Gu Nianbin’s face.

The priest waited for a while longer. Seeing that Xia Xiaowan had not answered his question, he raised his voice. “Bride, please give your answer!”

Xia Xiaowan bit her lips and slowly raised her head, still not saying a word.

Gu Nianbin got anxious and urged her in a low voice, “Xiaowan, answer quickly. Everyone is watching you!”

There was a buzzing noise among the crowd. There were already people whispering to each other. Xia Xiaowan was sure that there must be worried expressions on her parents’ faces even if she didn’t turn around to take a glance at them.

She took a deep breath and was about to speak when a dull sound came from behind her. She suddenly looked back and saw that the two heavy doors were suddenly pushed open. A man walked in at a stride against the light. The sun shone, casting a layer of vignette on him. His eyes were determined and persistent like a god of war descending from the heavens.

“I object.” He said loudly and jumped onto the stage in a few steps.

The priest was a little embarrassed and coughed. “Sir, please leave the stage and take a seat. I am asking for the bride’s opinion. It’s not time for the audience.” He looked at Xia Xiaowan. “Bride, please answer my question!”

Xia Xiaowan held her chest and sighed. She never expected that Jiang Kaiwei would come. What was he doing here? Was he deliberately making trouble?

“Xiaowan, say you don’t.” Jiang Kaiwei looked at her anxiously.

Gu Nianbin’s voice finally carried some coldness. “Jiang Kaiwei, please leave immediately. You are not welcome here.”

Xia Nanze and Shao Boqing ran up and grabbed Jiang Kaiwei with their hands to take him away from the stage. Jiang Kaiwei struggled and turned to shout at Xia Xiaowan, “Xiaowan, don’t marry him. Xiaowan…”

Xia Xiaowan watched as Jiang Kaiwei was dragged off the stage and slowly calmed down. “I…”

“Xiaowan,” Gu Nianbin stopped her with a warning look in his eyes. “Think carefully before giving your answer.”

Xia Xiaowan suddenly felt relaxed. She smiled sweetly and said in a clear voice, “No, I don’t!”

There was an uproar in the crowd. Gu Nianbin frowned. Xia Xiaowan pulled off her veil and threw it on the ground. She lifted her wedding dress and quickly ran out, making everyone astonished.

She rushed out of the church at a stretch. She ran to the street and called for a taxi. When she saw the taxi drive away from the church, she patted her chest and let out a long breath. She finally ran away from her wedding. How satisfying!

If there was any other way, she would not do this. She did not want to make things difficult for her parents. She also did not want the Gu family to lose face. However, there was nothing she could do. She had already given Gu Nianbin a chance, but he clung obstinately to his course. So she really had no choice.

Although she was willful, she had always had cardinal principles in mind. Therefore, no one had thought that she would go back on her words during the wedding. She had underestimated Gu Nianbin, and Gu Nianbin had also underestimated her. The two of them had reached a draw.

The driver asked her, “Miss, where do you want to go?”

She did not know where she could go. She could not go home, nor could she go to any place where they could find her.

In the morning when spring was in the air, the sky was blue and the white clouds were leisurely floating. It was really good weather. She said, “Please take me to the botanical garden.”

The driver seemed to have realized something. “Oh, Miss, are you going to the botanical garden to take a wedding photo? The scenery there is really good.”

Xia Xiaowan was stunned. Why did she blurt out the botanical garden? Did she really want to go there? It was already in the past. What was there to reminisce about? But why did Jiang Kaiwei come? What did he want to do at her wedding? Did he not want her to marry Gu Nianbin? But what qualification did he have to ask her not to do it?

While she was lost in her thoughts, the car stopped. The driver turned around and called her, “Miss, we have arrived.”

She let out an ‘oh’, but her expression changed. She ran out empty-handed. How could she pay for the taxi fares when she didn’t even have a single penny?

The driver seemed to have noticed something and looked at her suspiciously. “Miss, this is the botanical garden. Aren’t you going to get off?”

“Yes,” Xia Xiaowan smiled awkwardly. “Um, Mr. Driver, I didn’t bring any money when I came out. How about you leave me a call? I’ll definitely get someone to send the fare to you tomorrow, okay?”

“Aren’t you here to take wedding photos?” The driver said, “There should be your friends there, right? You can ask them to come out and pay the fare.”

“But I haven’t brought my cell phone with me,” Xia Xiaowan explained, “I can’t get in touch with anyone now. Don’t worry, Mr. Driver. I won’t repudiate the fare.”

The driver handed her his cell phone. “You can use mine. It’s not that I don’t trust you. It’s just that it’s too far away. I still have to return empty. It’s not worth it.”

Xia Xiaowan did not pick up the cell phone. She just frowned in embarrassment. What should she do? She wanted to give some jewelry to the driver as a pledge, but each piece was so expensive. She felt suspicious of the driver, just like he was of her.

Just as she was in a dilemma, a hand suddenly reached in, holding a 100-dollar bill. The man said to the driver, “Keep the change.”

The driver immediately laughed and said, “Look, you don’t have to call your friend. He comes out.”

Xia Xiaowan didn’t get off the taxi. Jiang Kaiwei opened the car door and said in a faint voice, “Come out, don’t waste his time.”

She straightened her skirt and finally got out of the car. Then she silently walked into the botanical garden. Jiang Kaiwei silently followed her.

It was not suitable for her to walk in the botanical garden with her full-length wedding dress and high-heels. Xia Xiaowan felt tired after walking for a while and sat down on the long wooden chair under a tree.

Jiang Kaiwei also sat down. Xia Xiaowan did not speak, but she grabbed her skirt and pulled hard. Only then did Jiang Kaiwei realize that he was sitting on her skirt, and he hurriedly moved aside.

The two of them were silent. They stared blankly at the lake and mountains that were full of the aura of spring. The scenery was not bad, but they were not in the mood to enjoy it. After a while, Jiang Kaiwei finally spoke, “I know you won’t marry Gu Nianbin.”

After a long time, Xia Xiaowan replied, “It’s not because of you.”

“I know,” Jiang Kaiwei’s voice was a little hoarse. “You just don’t love Gu Nianbin.”

Xia Xiaowan finally turned her head to look at him. Hatred slowly emerged in her eyes. With a cold face, she mocked, “Jiang Kaiwei, don’t think you’re smart. Who says I don’t love Gu Nianbin? I ran away because I wasn’t ready yet. But in the end, I will still marry Gu Nianbin. As for you, why are you following me all the way? What are your intentions?”

“I just,” Jiang Kaiwei seemed to have changed into a different person. He was not as domineering as he usually was. Instead, he looked a little upset. “I’m just worried about you.”

Xia Xiaowan laughed, her voice sharp and cold. “It’s rare that you are worried about me! However, I don’t need it.” As she spoke, she stood up.

Jiang Kaiwei also stood up. Xia Xiaowan frowned in disgust. “What are you doing? Do you still want to follow me?”

“Where are you going?”

“You don’t need to worry about where I go.” Xia Xiaowan looked at him sharply. “Jiang Kaiwei, I’m warning you. Don’t follow me anymore. Otherwise, don’t blame me for being rude to you!”

The sentence that was loud and clear just made an empty show of strength. What could she do to him? She could only punch and kick him like a shrew. But, she could not beat him after all.