Gently Brushing Against Her Lips
When the store manager entered, she saw Wei Lai nestled beside Zhou Sujin with one of her hands resting on his leg while the other held a cup of black tea she was sipping from. Zhou Sujin, with his legs crossed, leaned comfortably on the sofa, exuding a relaxed demeanor as he took a phone call.
There was a natural aloofness about him. Despite Wei Lai leaning on him, their closeness didn’t come off as overly intimate to an outsider.
“I’m out at the moment, so it’s not convenient. I’ll talk to you later,” Zhou Sujin said before ending the call.
The store manager placed several rings in front of Wei Lai that she thought might catch her interest, while the men’s plain rings were positioned closer to Zhou Sujin.
To Zhou Sujin, all the men’s rings looked more or less the same, with nothing particularly worth deliberating over. He casually picked up the one closest to him.
It happened to be a perfect fit for his finger, and after trying it on, he didn’t bother taking it off.
As Wei Lai looked at the ring on his slender ring finger, it was only then that she began to feel a slight sense of reality that he really was her husband now.
Until now, she had struggled to adjust to the sudden shift in their relationship.
She kept staring at the ring on his finger. Zhou Sujin tilted his head slightly. “You don’t like it?”
Since he asked for her opinion, Wei Lai replied honestly, “It’s alright.”
Zhou Sujin gestured for her to take over. “You choose.”
Wei Lai explained, “It’s just that I think it’s alright. Our tastes originally are quite different.”
Zhou Sujin didn’t respond, just looked at her, waiting for her to choose.
Wei Lai carefully examined all the men’s rings before picking one she thought looked the best.
Without a word, Zhou Sujin removed the ring he had casually chosen earlier and slipped on the one she had picked.
He then asked her, “Do you need my opinion on your ring?”
Wei Lai quickly shook her head. “I’ll choose it myself.”
“Are you sure?”
Wei Lai nodded; after all, she was the one wearing the ring, so it had to be something she genuinely liked.
People were strange like that—if he had just sat there silently, she might’ve felt a bit disappointed. But now that he was actively offering to help her choose, she felt she didn’t need his input.
Zhou Sujin: “As long as you’re sure. I don’t want to hear you complaining once I’m gone.”
As he spoke, he stood up, and that cool, crisp scent of his seemed to suddenly drift away from her. Wei Lai looked up and asked, “Where are you going?”
“Not far, just returning a call.”
“Come back soon.”
She didn’t even realize that there was a hint of coquettishness in her voice.
“En,” Zhou Sujin agreed.
He left a black card for Wei Lai and stepped outside with his phone. The call earlier had been from his mom.
His aunt must’ve told his mom about his decision to get married, and now his mom was questioning him about what he thought marriage really meant.
Ning Ruzhen felt a splitting headache; even when she used to argue with her husband, it was never this bad.
Her son’s call came through, and she took a few deep breaths before answering.
“Mom, I’m planning to get engaged next weekend. I don’t care who doesn’t show up, but I hope you’ll be there.”
Ning Ruzhen was furious at her son, but even more so at herself for not having any principles.
Whenever her son used the family card, she had no defenses as a mother.
“Zhou Sujin, you might as well drive me to an early grave!” she exclaimed before hanging up the phone.
Shortly after, Zhou Sujin received a message from his aunt, advising him to discuss with Wei Lai when their parents should meet.
His mom’s quick and begrudging acceptance of the situation was largely due to his aunt’s efforts.
When Zhou Sujin returned to the jewelry store, Wei Lai had already chosen an engagement ring and had used his black card to pay for it, while the ring on his finger was bought with her own money.
Noticing that there wasn’t a ring on her finger, Zhou Sujin asked, “They didn’t have your size?”
“They did.”
Zhou Sujin nodded and didn’t press further.
They arrived at the store in a Cullinan, and on the way back, it was still Zhou Sujin behind the wheel.
Wei Lai sat in the passenger seat, taking out the engagement ring she had chosen for a look. It wasn’t a matching set with Zhou Sujin’s ring, but the design bore a striking resemblance. The store manager had mentioned that it was the work of the same designer.
At first, she had been torn between two rings, but after hearing the manager’s comment, she decided on this one.
Zhou Sujin caught sight of the ring box in his peripheral vision. “Why aren’t you wearing it?”
Wei Lai looked over at him. “You put it on for me.”
Zhou Sujin was driving, so it wasn’t convenient. “One sec.”
At the next intersection, the red light was nearly a minute long. He braked the car and turned slightly before taking the ring box from her hand, opening it. “Give me your hand.”
Wei Lai placed her hand in his, her palm lightly resting against his.
He held her hand and gently slid the engagement ring onto her ring finger.
As he did, she held her breath the entire time, her eyes fixed on the sharp lines of his profile. She couldn’t quite imagine what he would be like if he ever softened up.
“All done.” He handed her the ring box from the center console, indicating for her to put it away.
“I’m heading back to Beijing tomorrow.”
As the light turned green, he started the car.
Wei Lai had been admiring her engagement ring, and his words caught her off guard. “Didn’t you say you’d stay a few more days?”
As the car moved through the intersection, Zhou Sujin focused on the traffic around them, not glancing at her.
“The rings are bought. There’s nothing left for me to do here, so I’ll head back to start preparing for the engagement.”
Wei Lai responded with a simple “Oh.”
She had thought he might be able to stay with her for a couple more days too.
To make things easier for her, the engagement party was set to be held in Jiang City.
As for when their parents would meet, Zhou Sujin asked for her input.
Wei Lai responded without hesitation, “The day before the engagement, so Auntie won’t have to fly to Jiang City twice. It’d be too much for her otherwise.”
He was accommodating her, and she didn’t want to be selfish.
Zhou Sujin glanced at her. “Meeting the day before the engagement is cutting it too close.”
“It’s fine. My parents will understand.”
Zhou Sujin suddenly recalled his schedule. “I don’t have time that day. I have to attend a forum in Shanghai.”
The forum was of such significance that skipping it wasn’t an option.
Understanding the demands of his work, Wei Lai reassured him, “Just focus on your work.”
To her, the meeting was just a formality; she didn’t care much for those traditions.
On the day the families were supposed to meet, Zhou Sujin’s dad was unable to attend due to work commitments, so his aunt and uncle stood in for him.
Since Zhou Sujin couldn’t attend, he specifically invited He Wancheng and Wen Changyun to join the meeting. With them present, any awkwardness or uncomfortable silences could be avoided.
It had been 15 years since Cheng Minzhi and Wei Huatian had last sat together.
As they exchanged pleasantries and sat down, both were overwhelmed with emotions. The love they once shared, the bitterness of their past, and the unresolved feelings all intertwined, but they both worked hard to suppress their inner turmoil, not wanting anyone to notice anything unusual.
He Wancheng discreetly shifted his gaze away from the former couple.
Today, he spoke more than ever, taking it upon himself to keep the conversation flowing smoothly at the table.
At one point, the conversation turned to the history of Wei Lai Supermarket’s success. He Wancheng casually remarked, “Our President Cheng was a top student in law school. No matter the field, she would excel.”
Ning Rujiang looked at Cheng Minzhi in surprise. “You were a lawyer too?”
Cheng Minzhi smiled. “I don’t look like one, do I?’
Back then, Cheng Minzhi had made the resolute decision to become her own boss so she could always have her daughter by her side.
Ning Rujiang had always seen Wei Lai through rose-tinted lenses, which naturally extended to Cheng Minzhi. Eventually, she even swapped seats with Wei Huatian and sat next to Cheng Minzhi, eager to learn how she had raised such a well-mannered and sweet-talking child like Wei Lai.
Cheng Minzhi and Ning Rujiang hit it off immediately, finding endless topics to discuss, from parenting to business.
Meanwhile, Ning Ruzhen, typically reserved and not one to be overly warm, maintained a smile throughout the evening, giving Zhou Sujin enough face.
With the engagement set for tomorrow, she didn’t want any further rifts between them.
The families discussed everything that needed to be settled, finalizing all the necessary details. As they left the restaurant, Wei Lai felt a weight lift off her shoulders. The past few hours had been a mix of anxiousness and sadness.
Anxiousness for herself, and sadness for her mom.
But finally, the ordeal was over.
Once inside the car, Wei Lai hugged her mom tightly.
Cheng Minzhi gently reassured her daughter, “I’m okay. Maybe I should’ve met your dad sooner to discuss your studies, your work, and even your relationships.”
The reason she struggled to let go was because she was still living in the past.
Today, seeing him again was initially painful, but gradually, she found herself able to speak to him calmly.
She smiled. “Who knows? Maybe by the time your wedding comes around, I’ll have finally let go of all those old grievances.”
This was the first time her mom had admitted to not fully moving on from her dad.
After dropping her mom off at home, she didn’t feel like returning to her own condo. Instead, she decided to stay the night at her mom’s place.
As she was getting ready for bed, her phone rang—twice.
Without even drying her hair, she rushed to the nightstand to check her phone. It was a missed call from Yuan Hengrui.
She immediately called back, “What’s up?”
Yuan Hengrui was at his office currently. In the past, he would’ve jumped into his sports car and driven straight to her condo to confront her in person about the situation.
“Are you really getting engaged tomorrow? The hotel’s already booked?”
“En.”
Yuan Hengrui fell silent for a long time, long enough that the cigarette he was smoking burned halfway down.
Wei Lai didn’t hang up, patiently waiting for him to process the news.
Yuan Hengrui tapped the ash off his cigarette into the ashtray, some of it missed and scattered outside.
“I’ve thought about it… marrying Zhou Sujin is probably the best thing for you. If you were waiting on me, who knows if I’d ever make it onto the billionaire list? Sure, you’ve got He Wancheng backing you now, but he can only help you with the supermarket issues. When you run into personal problems, you can’t rely on him.”
He took another smoke from his cigarette, though it tasted flat.
How many times had he been heartbroken now?
And each time, it was because of the same woman.
“I’m not exactly a bad catch, right?”
Wei Lai: “…”
Yuan Hengrui answered his own question, “I think I am.”
He stubbed out his cigarette. “Whenever you’re free, let me treat you to a meal. It won’t be easy to meet up once you’re in Beijing.”
“No need for a meal, I’m not going to Beijing. What would happen to my family’s supermarket if I did?”
Yuan Hengrui felt a surge of relief. Why didn’t she say so earlier? As long as she stayed in Jiang City, his soul would be alive.
“I wish you and President Zhou the best.”
They chatted a bit more, reluctantly ending the call.
He couldn’t be the only one feeling miserable. He had to rope Zhang Yanxin into this, spreading the news that Wei Lai was about to get married.
The next morning, Wei Lai naturally woke up at dawn.
She couldn’t fall into a deep sleep last night, waking up twice, but she felt refreshed.
She got up and freshened up quickly, waiting for the makeup artist to arrive.
There were six gowns in total, brought over by Zhou Sujin’s aunt from Beijing. Two or three would’ve been enough, but Auntie insisted that the more gowns the more photos.
Her group chat with her plastic friends was buzzing with excitement too. Although they weren’t that close, she still invited them to her engagement ceremony.
“BB, how many gowns do you have?“
“6“
“!!“
“Even Mu Di only had two main wedding gowns and four haute couture ones!“
Wei Lai decided to keep a low profile today. “You guys chat, the makeup artist just arrived.“
The makeup artist wasn’t arriving until nine, so it was still early.
She tapped on Zhou Sujin’s profile picture. “Are you back from Shanghai?“
They hadn’t seen each other since they bought the rings.
Zhou Sujin: “I’m back, arrived in Jiang City at dawn.“
He asked, “Should we meet at the hotel, or should I pick you up?“
“Come pick me up.“
Her mom knocked on the door and came in to help her change into her gown. The six gowns each were a different style, and she chose a gown with gems making a gradient effect for the first one.
The second was an elegant blue embroidered gown, full of dreamy details.
She hadn’t decided on the order for the remaining four, but she liked every single one.
Once her hair and makeup were done, the doorbell rang.
Her mom looked down from the second-floor window and called out, “Sujin, I’ll get the door for you.”
Wei Lai straightened up, lightly pursing her lips together as she looked into the vanity.
The makeup artist chuckled. “Are you getting nervous?”
Wei Lai: “…”
Soon, footsteps echoed from the staircase, and the makeup artist quickly closed her makeup case. “I’ll wait for you at the hotel,” she said conscientiously and left with her case.
As the makeup artist departed, Zhou Sujin entered the room.
Wei Lai could see him in the mirror, but she turned around to face him directly. Today, he was wearing a gray suit paired with a dark shirt, exuding a cool and refined elegance.
According to Auntie, he originally planned to wear black, but she suggested gray would compliment her dress better, so he opted for the gray suit.
Zhou Sujin’s gaze wandered over her for a moment before settling on her delicate wrist. “Not wearing your watch?”
Wei Lai’s wrist was adorned only with a few bracelets. “The watch is too valuable. What if it gets scratched or dropped?”
Zhou Sujin: “It’s okay.”
With that, Wei Lai took out the watch and put it on.
With the diamond-encrusted watch on her wrist, the gown seemed to lose a bit of its luster.
It was about time to leave, so she headed to the hotel with him.
On the way, Zhou Sujin asked about how the meeting with the elders went last night.
His tie felt a bit tight, so he loosened it slightly at the collar.
Wei Lai: “The conversation went well. The only concern everyone had was about us living apart after getting married.”
A few days after they registered their marriage, Chinese New Year would arrive, and they would be spending it apart.
As they arrived at the hotel and got out of the car, Wei Lai received a message from Zhao Yihan, saying she was already inside the venue. She quickly replied that she was on her way.
After getting out of the car, Zhou Sujin strode into the hotel. After finishing her reply, Wei Lai hurried to catch up with him, linking her arm with his. “Wait for me.”
Zhou Sujin glanced at her. “Who did you see this time?”
Wei Lai: “I didn’t see anyone.” This time, she wasn’t using him as a shield. She explained, “We’re about to meet your mom and the others.”
Zhou Sujin pulled his arm free, then took her hand in his.
With each step in her high heels, it felt like she was stepping on her own heartbeat, her heart beating in sync with her movements.
When they reached the elders, Zhou Sujin then let go of her hand.
Ning Rujiang urged the two of them, “Go backstage and rehearse with the emcee.”
Zhou Sujin: “I said it doesn’t need to be so complicated.”
“It’s not complicated at all. There are only three or four things. You’ve invited so many guests—you can’t just skip the stage and have them sit down to eat, right?”
Once they walked away, Ning Rujiang leaned in close to her sister, whispering, “Stop worrying about whether they’re real or not. At least he’s taking this engagement seriously. Think of it as them meeting on a blind date. Over time, feelings will grow.”
Ning Ruzhen: “Long-distance is tough, you don’t understand. A month, even a year might be fine, but what about after years? As a mother, I naturally hope they’ll be happy, but there will come a day when they’re too exhausted to even want to catch a flight…”
She paused before adding, “Let’s not talk about this today.”
Meanwhile, backstage, the original plan had only four things, but after reviewing it, Zhou Sujin asked the host to cut two things, simplifying it to fit his minimalist nature.
The host wiped his forehead nervously. The steps might be fewer, but it couldn’t be too short either—after all, the guests weren’t there just to see him.
Trying one last time, the host suggested, “President Zhou, it’s best not to remove this one. Although it’s not a wedding, this part makes it feel complete.” He pointed to the kissing segment Zhou Sujin had crossed out.
After a few seconds, Zhou Sujin said, “Then keep it.”
Before noon, the venue was already full.
When Wei Lai stepped onto the stage, she had changed into her second gown, the embroidery sparkling under the lights.
There were too many people—nearly half of Jiang City’s affluent were in attendance, and she couldn’t make out who was who.
At this moment, every eye in the room was fixed on her.
When the news of her engagement to Zhou Sujin first broke, many were stunned. Behind closed doors, the speculation was rampant. People were convinced it was a marriage of convenience. After all, Zhou Sujin’s family wasn’t one you could just waltz into, and he wasn’t a lover boy like Yuan Hengrui. Other than mutual benefit, they couldn’t find any reason for him to get married so quickly.
Moments ago, when the host mentioned the kiss, people found it hard to imagine Zhou Sujin, who was always so aloof, kissing someone in public. At most, they thought he’d kiss her on the forehead. Even Wei Lai assumed the same, especially since the host had fought so hard to keep that part of the ceremony.
Zhou Sujin handed back the mic to the host.
He turned to face Wei Lai, pulling her close with one hand.
In his embrace, Wei Lai’s breath quickened.
Zhou Sujin placed one hand gently on her waist while the other cradled the back of her head as he leaned down to kiss her.
The cool, imposing aura he carried seemed to envelop her as well.
Wei Lai closed her eyes. His heartbeat was steady and strong, but hers was racing. She couldn’t help but clutch his suit jacket. His lips touched hers, a soft fleeting brush against her lips.
