"Are you hurt from earlier?" The high heels stepping on the marble floor produced little sound as Lai Shengxia wrapped her right arm around her left, standing shoulder to shoulder with Han Jifeng.
Her dress was a long nude-colored gown.
Sleeveless with a low-cut V-neckline, sheer fabric paired with a streamlined design, Lai Shengxia had her hair tied in a low ponytail, with a few softly curled strands hanging down by her ears, adding a touch of vivacity and allure. On her left hand painted with nude-colored nails, she held a blush-orange evening clutch.
Hearing no response from Han Jifeng, Lai Shengxia continued, "Ling Zixi once met me at the Lai Family when he came for my grandmother’s birthday. Since then, he’s harbored certain unrealistic ideas about me."
As she spoke, she turned her head to look at Han Jifeng, "Ah Li and I look alike; seeing Ah Li at the state banquet, it’s inevitable that he’d develop some unsavory thoughts."
Around the corner, the lighting hit the side of Han Jifeng’s face, the dim light blurring his expression.
"You can tell, Ah Li dressed up carefully today."
Lai Shengxia cast her gaze out the window, her lips slightly upturned with lipstick applied: "Ah Li was originally in Japan for a magazine cover shoot. Hearing about tonight’s state banquet, she rushed back early. She’s still young; the way you hit Ling Zixi earlier probably scared her quite a bit."
Suddenly, Han Jifeng asked, "Do you really want me to marry her?"
Upon hearing this, the movement of Lai Shengxia’s hand, reaching to brush a stray hair away from her lips, paused.
"You want me to marry her?"
Han Jifeng asked again.
Lai Shengxia no longer looked at him, but gently curved the corners of her mouth: "Your marriage is not something I have a say in. The past is my fault towards you; now I just hope you’ll be well. Ah Li is a nice girl; my dad wants you as a son-in-law, and it happens that Ah Li likes you too."
She had just finished speaking when Han Jifeng turned and walked away.
In the next second, Lai Shengxia held him tightly from behind: "I don’t want you to marry anyone. I want to go back to our university days when we were still together, but we can’t go back. I’m with someone else now. All I hope for now is someone who can take good care of you.
Ah Li is obedient and sensible; she can help you take care of Aunt Qin. Aunt Qin is in poor health, and with Ah Li there, you won’t have to worry about home when you’re at work."
Han Jifeng stood still, listening to the bitter and distressing voice of Lai Shengxia, and slowly closed his eyes.
This woman, in reality or in dreams, was the only woman he had loved for many years. After they broke up, watching her engaged to someone else, he silently kept her in his heart, especially in his dreams. He didn’t love his wife; he only ever thought of her.
In the end, she was the one who deceived him the most.
The day before yesterday, he had seen Qin Yansheng’s father, Qin Zhong, at a dinner party.
A rather dignified man in his fifties.
As they drank together at the table, his mind was filled with those dreams—
[After marrying Qin Yansheng, Lai Shengxia moved abroad with the Qin Family; later, she had an affair with Qin Zhong within the marriage, even bearing his child.]
Just thinking about these things made it impossible for him to face her again.
Han Jifeng pulled away Lai Shengxia’s hands, "As you wish, I’ll marry her."
Having said this, he strode off.
Tang Li followed Mr. and Mrs. Lai Wenyan to take her seat, but her eyes were drawn to the head table where the leaders sat.
When she located Song Baiyan, her gaze lingered.
Whether it was because of Song Baiyan’s overwhelming presence or the dazzling crystal lamp above his head, Tang Li found it hard to look away.
Without his suit jacket, Song Baiyan wore only a crisp white shirt.