“Tudi, are you ready, dear?”
Resplendent in her magnificent white wedding gown, Su Tudi was sitting on a leather armchair inside the dressing room, lost in thought, when she heard Mother Su’s overly cautious voice echo in.
But just as she lifted her gaze, her already beautiful eyelashes now exquisitely styled by the skilled makeup artists, Mother Su had already stepped into the room.
The way Mother Su looked at her clearly carried guilt and an inability to meet her gaze, the reason for which Su Tudi naturally understood perfectly, but she merely lowered her eyes, saying nothing.
Her expression instantly made Mother Su even more uncomfortable.
Mother Su couldn't help but feel that she had perhaps neglected this youngest daughter too much over the past few years. Now, she even had to rely on her to weather the storm, and her guilt grew even larger, gradually consuming her heart.
For the first time, as she thought of her eldest daughter, whom she had always loved unconditionally but who had ultimately left her in this impossible situation and run away, a flicker of dissatisfaction and anger arose within her.
Su Tudi had probably always known what Mother Su was thinking.
But first, she lacked affection for her mother in her heart, and second, she didn't think this was the time to try and cultivate that precious, luxurious thread of familial affection. So, when she sensed Mother Su opening her mouth to utter the words she'd heard so many times in the past few days that her ears were practically calloused, she proactively stood up, cutting her off.
As she moved, her luxurious white wedding gown immediately fanned out like a magnificent rose.
Even if she wasn't as strikingly beautiful and uninhibited as her older sister, at this moment, she was still a beautiful bride at her own wedding.
At least, looking at herself in the mirror, she felt particularly satisfied. A new spark of confidence ignited within her, giving her enough courage to meet the man she had admired four years ago but had been forced to stop pursuing due to a moral barrier.
At least now, nothing could stop her from getting close to him anymore.
At this very moment, she could stand proudly and openly by his side.
For this wonderful thing, she no longer cared about the sliver of familial warmth she had yearned for for twenty-two years but never received, and instead ran to seek her own happiness.
“Mother, let’s go. Don’t keep them waiting.”
She lifted her lips into a gentle smile, her slender arm, adorned with a white lace glove, naturally linking with Mother Su's elbow, urging her to hurry out.
She was clearly smiling genuinely, yet in Mother Su's eyes, it carried a sense of helplessness and resignation.
Mother Su felt even more sorry for her in her heart. Outwardly, her voice grew even softer, as if doing so could somehow compensate for Su Tudi's lack of familial affection over all these years: "Alright, alright, let's go quickly."
“Tudi, I'm truly sorry. I know you've been wronged, but Xiao Shang is a good man; he won't let you down. Live well for yourself.”
Ultimately, she still had to hear these words from her mother. Su Tudi sighed inwardly, but outwardly, she softly replied with a docile "yes."
Fortunately, she was then handed over to her older brother, Su Tang, who would, on behalf of their deceased father, lead her the final steps to the man waiting for her.
Fortunately, the noise and the crowded wedding hall filled with guests cut short any further thoughts Mother Su might have had of speaking.
Fortunately, her entire mind was now completely occupied by the man in uniform on the high platform, leaving her no energy to pay attention to Mother Chu.
This man, really, even for his own wedding, he insisted on wearing his uniform.
Although, he did look his best in uniform.
Even four years ago, when he wore a blue camouflage uniform as the military training instructor for her department's freshmen, he looked just as good.
Now, although he was still in uniform, to add a festive touch to the wedding, his uniform was predominantly white, which could be seen as adapting to the occasion.
It didn't make people feel he was overly rigid or lacked a sense of occasion.
Seeing the man also looking in her direction, she wondered if he recognized her.
Even if he didn't remember, it wasn't a big deal, and she wouldn't be angry.
The truth was, four years ago, she was the only one who had unilaterally and shamelessly pursued him, while he had always looked at her coldly, as if she were just a mischievous little girl with many small schemes who liked to cause trouble.
Even though she was already an eighteen-year-old young woman, fully grown, at the time.
But what could she do when she only reached his shoulder when standing in front of him?
Anyway, for this man who only knew duty his entire life, she only needed his name to be next to hers in the red book.
She couldn't ask for anything more.