Chapter Twenty-One (Part 2): The Rightful Outcome
Lu Yin made the most important decision of her life.
It was the eighth day of the fourth month of the lunar calendar. Early that morning, rain mist drifted through the sky. Spring and summer were changing places, and the air carried the scent of freshly turned earth.
Lu Qiang had specifically asked his family back home to pick an auspicious date. Rural people were particular about choosing an auspicious day, and Qian Yuanqing had calculated for a long time, picking through one day after another before settling on today. As it turned out, they even got bad weather.
Lu Qiang couldn't stay inside, so he came downstairs ahead of time and squatted beside the flowerbed to light a cigarette. He didn't bring an umbrella. The smoke from his hand dissolved into the rain. Halfway through the cigarette, he lifted his eyes to look at the sky and couldn't help but curse under his breath.
It wasn't until fifteen minutes later that Lu Yin came downstairs. She was wearing a pair of seven-centimeter low-cut leather shoes. The insteps of her feet were pale and pink, the fine veins making them look especially delicate. Lu Qiang raised an eyebrow. His gaze moved away from her feet and traveled upward inch by inch. Her legs were tightly wrapped in dark pencil pants, with a light gray camisole underneath and a simple white blazer over it.
The lines of her breasts were very nice, with a faint sliver of waist showing.
Lu Qiang looked a couple more times. The cigarette in his hand suddenly lost its taste. He casually stubbed it out and stood up.
“Dressed up so beautifully.” His gaze was unabashed, a barely perceptible curve at the corner of his mouth.
Lu Yin tucked back a few loose strands of hair, her eyes shifting away slightly. “We can go.”
She was wearing light makeup today, and had deliberately outlined her lips with lipstick. It was not a color she often wore, exaggerated, striking, vivid red and almost dripping with color. Yet at this moment, it made her astonishingly radiant and beautiful, bringing her entire face to life.
Lu Qiang lightly rubbed his fingers together, wanting to rub the pads of them hard against her lips a few times.
Lu Yin looked up. “What's wrong?”
He clenched his fist and rubbed his lower lip back and forth against his teeth. “Let's go.” Lu Qiang took the umbrella and asked casually, “Got all your documents?”
“Mm.”
Lu Qiang looked at the road ahead. “Don't need to check one more time?”
“No.”
“Your wallet?”
“...Brought it.”
The two of them walked toward the parking lot behind the garden. The rain grew heavier, and he tilted his arm, leaving half his shoulder exposed outside the umbrella. After thinking for a moment, he asked again, “Got your driver's license on you?”
Lu Yin didn't answer. She couldn't help smiling softly as she slipped her hand into his palm and lifted her head. “You're not nervous, are you?”
Lu Qiang paused, the faintest curve touching his lips. Lu Yin was still looking at him slyly.
Ahead was an uneven red-brick path, with rainwater pooled in the hollows, rippling into blossoms of watery patterns. Lu Qiang turned her head back toward the road. “Don't look at me. Watch where you're going.”
Traffic was congested because of the rain, and it took them an hour to get there. Today was an auspicious day, and the marriage registration hall was crowded with couples. They were given a number past forty.
After waiting for a long time, they squeezed in wherever they could to get their photographs taken and have their blood drawn. The staff tossed over two declaration forms. There were no seats, so Lu Qiang bent over the table and filled his out in a few quick strokes, then it was Lu Yin's turn.
He was a big man, so he stood sideways to shield her from the surrounding crowd. The two of them squeezed into a corner, and Lu Qiang lowered his eyes to watch her fill it out.
At the top were some basic personal and spouse information. Below, the declarant needed to sign. Lu Yin's handwriting was beautiful, flowing and carefree, quite different from her as a person. She didn't need to think about the information section and finished it quickly. Below was a long passage of text: “Neither I nor the other party has a spouse, nor do we have any direct blood relationship...” At present, in accordance with the provisions of the Marriage Law of the People's Republic of China...
Lu Yin's hand holding the pen moved downward with the text, coming to rest on the final few words:
willingly enter into marriage.
She paused. She repeatedly turned those words over between her teeth, thinking about how they would be used for the two of them from now on. The feeling was fresh, and possessed a kind of magic.
A year ago, she and Liu Zecheng had not registered their marriage. Liu Mu had insisted that they buy a house before getting married, and the name on the property deed was Liu Zecheng's. Back then, Lu Yin had been incredibly foolish. She had contributed some of the money toward it, foolishly believing that once they held hands, it would be for a lifetime. Her heart had been full of anticipation for the future, and she hadn't cared whose name was written on the deed.
Later, the renovations and wedding preparations proceeded at the same time, and that one piece of legal restraint was pushed to the back of her mind. They only thought there would always be time to complete it later. Who could have imagined that unforeseen changes would arise in the meantime? The wedding disappeared, and he abandoned her, leaving behind nothing but endless betrayal and hurt.
Lu Yin tightened her grip on the pen. Her thoughts drifted for a moment, and she paused for rather a long time.
The hall was noisy and chaotic. People kept bumping into Lu Qiang's back. The air wasn't circulating, and his chest felt stifled enough to make him want a cigarette.
Lu Qiang asked, “Forgot what your own name is?” His tone was already displeased.
“Hm?” She hadn't heard him clearly.
“Or you don't know how to write your own name?”
“No.”
“Getting married. Do you really need to think about it this long?” He silently swallowed.
Lu Yin looked up at him. He lowered his eyes without smiling, his expression a little sour. Maybe the temperature in the hall was too high. A fine layer of sweat covered his forehead.
Her first instinct was to get him a tissue.
Lu Qiang grabbed her hand and lowered his voice. “We've come this far. You're not thinking of backing out now, are you?”
Sweat had appeared on Lu Yin's forehead too. She twisted her wrist. “You're holding too tight.”
Lu Qiang loosened his grip a little and said fiercely, “You're signing today whether you want to or not.”
She was forced into a small corner, the noise all cut off behind him. By her ear there was only his low, shadowed threat, and a pair of cold eyes that refused to let her go.
Lu Yin knew Lu Qiang had misunderstood. She squeezed his hand in return. “Who said I wouldn’t sign.”
She didn’t hesitate again. Taking up the pen, she swept down two bold characters, her strokes firm, the force of them pressing through the paper.
The procedures that followed were very simple. Lu Yin no longer let her mind wander. Half an hour later, she finally walked out and let out a breath.
Lu Qiang shook a cigarette out of the pack. He struck the lighter twice before it caught. Standing to the side, he took a silent drag, his expression flat, the cigarette clenched at the corner of his mouth as he half lifted his eyelids to look out at the dense curtain of rain.
There was no sign of it stopping. It fell in a steady drizzle, carrying the scent of grass and damp earth. Willow branches drooped low over the river. Beneath the trees, some people passed by with umbrellas, while half grown children ran straight through the rain.
Lu Qiang narrowed his eyes and looked up at the gray white sky.
Today really was a good day, because he had liked rainy days ever since he was young.
After standing on the steps for a moment, he turned his head. Lu Yin was still holding a small booklet, flipping through it. Lu Qiang curved his lips. “Going to see your friend this afternoon?”
Lu Yin gave a soft sound of assent. “I told her I was registering today, she got scared half to death. Haven’t seen each other in a long time, we’ll go walk around.”
Lu Qiang said, “Then drop me at the bus stop.”
“Should I take you home?”
“No need.”
Lu Yin nodded. “I’ll call you later. We’ll have dinner with Ye Fan.”
“Alright.” Lu Qiang glanced at her hand, then lifted his chin slightly. “Put your things away properly.”
After seeing Lu Qiang off, Lu Yin turned toward Ye Fan’s company. It was some distance from the tech district, but luckily it wasn’t rush hour, so the drive was fairly smooth. Ye Fan was still working as HR at that software development company. When she got Lu Yin’s call, she slipped out early.
Lu Yin parked across the street and stood at the entrance of the building waiting for her.
Within a few minutes, Ye Fan came out with another girl. Lu Yin waved at her. Seeing her, Ye Fan smiled and waved back, then turned her head to say a few words to the girl beside her.
Lu Yin’s gaze drifted casually, then froze at once.
As Ye Fan walked closer, she looped an arm through hers. “How long have you been waiting?”
Lu Yin’s eyes were still following that figure. “Do you know that girl just now?”
Ye Fan followed her gaze. Wu Qiong carried an oversized laptop bag in her hand, already crossing the street, her head slightly lowered. Her hair had grown longer, not specially styled, just casually gathered at the nape of her neck. She seemed even thinner than the last time at the airport.
Ye Fan let out an oh. “She’s a postgraduate we hired last year.”
“You’re at the same company?” Lu Yin sounded a little surprised. She looked over again, only then noticing a luxury car parked across the road. Leaning by the door was a tall man in casual clothes, wearing sunglasses, his hair slightly covering his brows.
“You’ve probably seen her before.” Ye Fan thought back. “Last year, when you came to find me, you brought two boxes of egg tarts. I even gave her a box.”
Lu Yin frowned. She remembered that, but at the time the girl’s hair had half covered her face, and she hadn’t seen her clearly.
“You know her?” Ye Fan asked again.
Lu Yin didn’t know how to answer, so she said, “....A friend of a friend.”
Ye Fan didn’t pay it much mind and pulled her in the opposite direction. The area was packed with malls, dining and entertainment well developed. Ye Fan said, “At first the girl was really hardworking, quiet and well behaved. The leaders all liked her. But recently she keeps asking me for leave for no reason, isn’t focused on work, and often makes mistakes.” As she spoke, she glanced back and added in a gossiping tone, “Young people get used to being indulgent. You can spot some unclear marks under her collar, and she acts a bit strange... I heard she found herself a rich patron. Well, when there’s money, everyone has their own special tastes. It’s understandable.”
Lu Yin felt a bit shaken, not knowing what to think for a moment.
Ye Fan said a few more things, but she barely took them in.
The two entered a mall. Only then did Ye Fan react and ask her, “Did you really go register today?”
Ye Fan had never met Lu Qiang in person. In the past, everything she knew about him had come through Lu Yin, and she understood most of his situation. She didn’t really approve of him, and had rationally analyzed things for her before. But Lu Yin, though gentle, was not impulsive. She knew clearly what she wanted. After several times, her resolve remained firm, and Ye Fan couldn’t say much more. After all, whether a shoe fits or not, only the wearer knows.
Lu Yin directly showed her the marriage certificate. The photo on the document looked quite good. Lu Qiang’s expression was rarely gentle, a faint curve at his lips, the sharpness in his eyes withdrawn. His hair was a bit longer, and he half held her, his posture natural and intimate.
Ye Fan looked at it for a while. “He’s pretty handsome.”
Lu Yin smiled. “Let’s have dinner together tonight.”
They found a café and had afternoon tea. It had been two or three months since they last met, and there was no end to what they could talk about. There were many things to prepare for a wedding. Ye Fan was happy for her and readily took on the miscellaneous tasks. Indeed, choosing dresses, doing hair and the like, it was best done with a close friend.
Time passed quickly as they talked. Around four o’clock, Lu Yin called Lu Qiang and told him their location. After that, the two went upstairs to browse. It was getting close to the end of the workday, and more people began to crowd in. Lu Yin tried on two outfits but didn’t end up buying them. Instead, Ye Fan took a liking to them. After wandering for a long time, Lu Yin only bought a pair of new flats, and picked up two high quality short sleeved shirts for Lu Qiang.
Seeing it was about time, they crossed through the sky corridor toward Zone C. The corridor was wide, with huge windows on both sides, looking down on the flow of traffic below. People moved through it, much quieter than inside the mall.
Suddenly, a commotion broke out behind them, accompanied by a woman’s sharp screams and curses. Lu Yin couldn’t help stopping. She turned her head to look, her lips parting slightly. What a coincidence today.
The disturbance grew louder, and passersby stopped to watch.
A man and a woman were pulling and struggling with each other. The woman was small and thin, trying to break free from his grip, cursing without pause, her words foul and hard to listen to.
Ye Fan whispered in surprise, “Isn’t that Wu Qiong?”
Lu Yin didn’t answer, her lips pressed together slightly.
The man was Qiu Zhen. They had just come down from the KTV upstairs. He looked disheveled, having been splashed with alcohol in front of his friends. His expression was terrible. Ignoring whether Wu Qiong could keep up, he half dragged, half hauled her forward.
After struggling for several meters, Wu Qiong suddenly went mad and bit down hard on his arm.
Qiu Zhen hissed in pain and flung her off. “Are you fucking crazy?”
Wu Qiong’s eyes went wide, her face almost feral. “Don’t you want to play? I’ll seriously play with you from now on!”
Qiu Zhen rubbed his wrist, glanced around, and suddenly gave a cold, calm smile. “You want to play here? I’m not that open,” he said, gripping her chin. “Let’s find a place and play till we’re high.”
“Beast.” She ground the words out through her teeth, suddenly swinging her arm and slapping him. The blow was full of force. Even with his solid build, it knocked him a step off balance.
Qiu Zhen’s head snapped to the side. He went strangely still. He wiped the corner of his mouth with his thumb. Wu Qiong turned to leave, but before she could take a step, someone grabbed her by the back of the collar, lifted her lightly, and then a slap came down over her head. That slight frame couldn’t withstand it. She slammed headfirst into the glass beside her.
Lu Yin cried out instinctively, rushing forward a step before stopping.
Ye Fan moved to go up. “Fuck, is there no law anymore.”
Over there, Wu Qiong braced herself against the wall, taking a long moment to recover. Qiu Zhen walked over and stood there, looking down coldly. “I gave you face and you didn’t want it. Looks like you’re asking for it.”
“Pa!”
Before his words even finished, he took another slap.
Qiu Zhen shouted in anger, truly provoked. He grabbed her by the collar, raising his hand, about to strike. Wu Qiong stared back stubbornly, her eyes wide, the corner of her mouth carrying a fierce, unrestrained smile. His movement halted. His dark eyes narrowed in pain. No one could read the emotion hidden in them. Suddenly, he couldn’t bring his hand down. After a long moment, it slowly curled into a fist.
It returned to the earlier scene. He dragged her forward again. Wu Qiong resisted with all her strength, like a struggle between the strong and the weak.
They were getting closer and closer. Ye Fan was straightforward by nature, and she knew her. She stepped forward to block them. “Sir, Wu Qiong may not be willing to go with you.”
Wu Qiong froze, looking at Ye Fan in confusion.
Qiu Zhen was already furious. “Get lost.”
Ye Fan only softened to gentleness, not force. She argued a few words back, and with passersby gathering, she blocked his path.
Qiu Zhen’s patience snapped. He grabbed her collar and flung her aside. Lu Yin was standing beside Ye Fan and got hit hard in the collision. Her heels were already unstable. Her foot twisted, and her body tilted backward.
At the moment she fell, a hand caught her back. Her nose collided with a familiar scent. In an instant, her heart quietly settled.
Lu Qiang appeared just in time, his other hand steadily supporting Ye Fan. His arms tightened, and both of them remained unharmed.
Once Ye Fan steadied herself, he let go.
But the hand protecting Lu Yin did not loosen. He looked her over carefully. “Are you hurt?”
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