Chapter 43: Wedding Farce

It was already six o'clock in the evening, and An Mingshan and I were still walking down the street. I randomly picked an inn, rented a room, and checked in. The environment here was decent, but what infuriated me was the receptionist—she actually gave us a twin room! Her excuse was that there were too many guests and not enough rooms left. I simply chalked it up to bad luck and decided to make do for the night. Once tonight was over, we wouldn't have to stay here anymore. I couldn't help wondering how my mother would react if she knew that An Mingshan and I, a young man and woman, had spent the entire night here sharing a single room.

After An Mingshan and I entered the room, she simply collapsed onto the bed the moment she stepped inside, falling asleep instantly without covering herself with the blanket or even taking off her clothes. I still had to take inventory of our luggage, check if my gun was still there, and gently pull the blanket over An Mingshan before I finally went to sleep. Like An Mingshan, I slept fully clothed so that I could draw my gun at a moment's notice in case of any sudden emergencies.

The next day.

"Hey, Shucheng, wake up! It's dawn!" An Mingshan woke me up early in the morning.

I asked, "What time is it?"

An Mingshan paused for a moment and said, "It's half past eight. Last night... um... thank you." The more she spoke, the more embarrassed she became.

Just as I was about to drift back to sleep, a vital matter suddenly crossed my mind, instantly driving away all my sleepiness. I sat straight up, quickly packed my belongings, and went downstairs with An Mingshan to check out and leave.

On the way, I said, "I just did it in passing, it's nothing."

We took a taxi to the hotel where the wedding was being held. I showed the invitation, and the guards at the entrance let us in. When we entered the banquet hall, it was truly extravagant and brilliantly illuminated. Some tables seated six people, some eight, and others even more, seating a dozen or so. The food spread across the tables was also lavish. I wasn't particularly moved by it, but An Mingshan was so captivated she couldn't tear her eyes away; after all, we had rushed over in a hurry and hadn't eaten yet. The number of guests present was far beyond ordinary—it could truly be described as a gathering of a massive crowd. Among the invited guests were people I knew as well as strangers. An Mingshan and I were seated in the front row, right next to the table occupied by my master and the police chief. The chief, my master, and both sets of parents were at one table, while An Mingshan, I, and several unfamiliar faces shared another. I honestly have no idea how the chief and my master got to know my parents, let alone how they managed to hit it off so well.

Seeing that all the guests had arrived, the emcee took the microphone and began to speak. Her words were nothing more than the usual praise for the newlyweds and blessings for their future. I had no interest in listening, but I was quite interested in secretly snapping a photo of An Mingshan's ravenous eating habits to post on social media, with the caption: "Just how terrified of starvation can someone be if they miss a single meal?" Seeing that An Mingshan was almost full, I decided to quit while I was ahead before she caught me taking pictures, otherwise, I couldn't guarantee my phone would survive the day. I also ate a little food, but in a very refined manner, unlike An Mingshan.

Realizing that staying at this table was getting boring, I moved over to my master's table. Those old timers were chatting away so animatedly that they completely failed to notice my presence. Just then, it was time for the parents of both sides to give their speeches, finally giving me a chance to speak with my master and the others.

I sat down at a seat close to my master and asked, "What are you two chatting about?"

The chief remarked, "What, do we need to report our conversation to you? Besides, aren't you afraid of retaliation after playing such a trick on her?"

I replied, "Afraid of what? I used anonymity; how could she possibly know who posted it? By the way, I calculated yesterday that we might face a trial today; they could make their move at some point today."

My master asked, "Is it accurate?"

I answered, "Not certain. After all, they might change their plans at any time."

My master stated, "We must find out the exact time so we can take action."

The chief interjected, "Oh come on, Mosquito Fang, your apprentice has done his best, don't give him a hard time."

My master retorted, "I repeat, my name is Fang Wen, not Mosquito Fang!"

At that moment, An Mingshan ran over to our table and announced, "I have good news for you! Jiang Ruyu has finally received her punishment!"

I asked, "How many years was she sentenced to?"

An Mingshan deliberately spoke in a loud voice, "Consider her lucky. Because that car couldn't be found, the evidence I provided could only prove she harmed me out of revenge, and since she has a nursing baby to care for, she was only sentenced to one year. The ten thousand yuan will also be returned to you, though the exact time isn't clear yet." As soon as An Mingshan finished speaking, my mother actually rushed down from the stage, disregarding the current ceremony, and asked, "Really? She's really going to prison?"

An Mingshan said triumphantly, "That's right."

Just then, another couple walked over. Upon seeing them, my mother said, "Boss Jiang, this is my younger son, Shucheng. You've met him before. Shucheng, hurry and greet Uncle Jiang!"

I looked at him—a middle-aged man around the same age as An Qimin.

He asked, "Did she really do these things to you?"

An Mingshan replied, "That's right. Just five days ago, I was almost run over and killed by her. Fortunately, Shucheng donated his blood to me, and that's how I managed to survive."

To my surprise, the moment An Mingshan finished speaking, Boss Jiang snatched a fruit knife from the table, pointed it at An Mingshan, and said viciously, "So you're the one who got my sweet daughter sent to prison? You're too cruel!"

An Mingshan retorted in the exact same tone, "Me, cruel? Go ask your precious daughter, ask her what kind of unspeakable, shady business she was up to with that man!" At that moment, a young man around my age rushed in. Upon seeing him, An Mingshan said coldly, "Speak of the devil and he shall appear. If you want to ask, ask him!"

When I laid eyes on this person, I was instantly frozen in shock. This person turned out to be the childhood friend who grew up with me and my older brother!

Reader Q&A.

Q: Mr. Author, what is your favorite color?

A: The three primary colors: red, green, and blue, because all colors are blended from them. I also like black, wearing sunglasses, and sporting a black cloak and leather shoes, because I think that looks very cool.