Sweetie, don't look at him, kiss me.

The silence in the banquet hall did not last long.

Lin Qingqing was the first to stand up.

She straightened her skirt, her face showing an expression of just coming to her senses, as if she, like everyone else, was finally processing the news.

She picked up the glass of champagne beside her, raised it towards Lin Qingmian, and smiled politely and warmly: "So that's how it is... Mianmian, you've kept it a secret for a long time."

She turned her head to look at Ji Xingye beside her, and took his arm: "Then won't we have to call you 'Little Aunt' from now on?"

The woman's voice was cheerful and lighthearted, as if she were talking about something very happy.

But the hand that was holding Ji Xingye's was held very tightly, and the knuckles were slightly white.

He stared at the direction where Lin Qingmian was standing, at the hand that Ji Linzhou was holding, and at Lin Qingmian's posture of not pulling away.

He had been holding the wine glass in his hand for so long that his knuckles had turned white, and his blurry silhouette was reflected on the glass.

He slowly put down his wine glass, the bottom of the glass making a soft sound on the table.

The chair leg scraped against the ground with a not-so-sharp squeak, but it sounded particularly clear in the still-unfulfilled atmosphere.

He strode across the narrow aisle between the main table and the guest seating area, his leather shoes clicking crisply on the marble floor. His figure swept past the meticulously arranged floral decorations, layers of roses and lilies swaying gently as he passed.

Finally, he stood firmly in front of Ji Linzhou, his eyes filled with an indescribable anger.

Why did you marry her?

His voice was low, but every word carried an undeniable weight.

"You know perfectly well what our relationship is. You know perfectly well that I've never gotten over her. You watched me grow up, you know everything—"

Ji Linzhou gazed at the other person silently, his eyes like a bottomless lake, so calm that no ripples could be seen.

His lips tightened slightly, and his voice was low and restrained: "Two years ago, you were the one who pushed her away." Each word was like a heavy hammer blow, striking the invisible barrier between the two of them.

His voice was calm: "You weren't there when she needed help the most. If it weren't me, someone else would have helped her. You returned to China too late; she was no longer there."

He paused for a moment: "Even if it's not me by her side now, it will be someone else."

Ji Xingye's Adam's apple bobbed, and the fingers clenched and unclenched at his sides: "I'd rather she were with someone else!"

His voice was forced out through clenched teeth: "Why you? You're my uncle! Why are you doing this?"

Ji Linzhou looked at him and remained silent for two seconds: "I am not only your uncle."

"I am also a man who needs a wife."

He turned his head, his gaze sweeping casually over the main table, lingering for a moment on Old Madam Ji's ashen face: "A year ago, someone set me up. Taking advantage of my drunkenness and lack of vigilance, they made me sign a multi-billion dollar investment agreement that could only be fulfilled by someone in a married relationship. I need a wife."

Madam Ji's face instantly turned ugly.

She lowered her head, not daring to meet Ji Linzhou's gaze.

The man scoffed lightly, then looked away from Ji Xingye and said, "And she just happens to need someone who can help her solve her problems. We choose each other; we don't need to consider anyone else's opinions."

He gripped Lin Qingmian's hand tightly: "If it's something you truly cherish, you won't let go easily. Since you've let go, you have to accept the worst outcome."

He glanced at Ji Xingye's reddened eyes: "No one will stand still and wait for you to grow up."

Ji Xingye's lips moved, as if he wanted to say something, but something blocked his mouth.

After a few seconds of silence, he finally spoke, his voice even hoarser than before: "Ji Linzhou!"

He called him by his full name. He didn't call him "Uncle" or "Mr. Ji," he just called him by his full name.

Ji Linzhou was too lazy to waste any more words with him.

He turned his head and glanced at Lin Qingmian: "I'm leaving. Are you planning to stay a little longer?"

Lin Qingmian paused for a moment, then shook her head.

"I'll go with you."

Ji Linzhou nodded, then turned back towards the guests.

His voice was neither too loud nor too soft, but loud enough for everyone in the banquet hall to hear: "The main characters tonight are Ji Xingye and Lin Qingqing. Everyone should not focus their attention on me."

"I'm sorry about what just happened. I hope everyone can pretend it never happened."

He paused for a moment: "At the same time, my wife is shy and doesn't want her identity to be revealed. So, I will hold anyone accountable who spreads this tonight."

He didn't linger for another second after saying that.

He took Lin Qingmian's hand and turned to walk towards the door.

As Lin Qingmian passed by Ji Xingye, he suddenly reached out and grabbed her wrist.

His strength wasn't great, but it carried a stubbornness that refused to let go.

"Don't you have anything you want to say to me?"

His voice was very low, as if he had used up the last bit of strength to ask the question.

Lin Qingmian stopped in her tracks.

She glanced down at her wrist, which he was holding, then looked up at him again. His eyes were still red, as if all the unspoken words were piled up in his eyes, layer upon layer, making his eye sockets ache and swell.

She paused for a few seconds: "I do want to talk to you."

She heard her own voice, calmer than she had expected: "But tonight is your engagement ceremony, it's not appropriate to talk about this. Later, I'll have Bai Cheng send you an address."

She looked at him: "Let's meet tomorrow and talk things out."

After saying that, she pulled her wrist out of his palm.

He didn't grip it tightly, so she could pull it out without much effort.

Ji Linzhou did not turn around, but waited a few steps away.

She walked over and stood beside him again, and the two of them walked out of the banquet hall one after the other.

Lin Qingqing pulled her back after hearing Ji Xingye's footsteps take two steps behind her.

"Hoshino——"

Her voice was both urgent and gentle, carrying just the right amount of panic: "Calm down. Today is our day..."

Ji Xingye stopped in his tracks.

He stood there, watching the glass door that had already closed, watching the light outside stretch and shorten the shadows of the two people until they disappeared around the corner at the end of the corridor.

Lin Qingqing's hand was still linked with his arm, and he could feel the warmth of her palm seeping through the fabric of his suit—warm, soft, and slightly sweaty.

He stood there, staring at the empty doorway, the light in his eyes gradually dimming.