Xie Zihao finally looked a little more at ease.
Whether or not he was marrying into his wife's family, no one dared to say another word. Everyone quietly handed over their gifts in turn.
When it was Jing Shu's turn, the moment her one-kilo slab of cured black pork appeared on the list, a wave of envy, awe, and pure disbelief spread through her classmates.
"Jing Shu really is a big deal. That's cured black pork, the hottest thing on the market right now. You need at least one and a half kilos of raw meat plus tons of seasoning and salt to make something like that!"
"I heard you can't even buy good smoked meat like that on the black market for a few hundred virtual coins."
"If I had that chunk of meat, I'd slice off one piece a day and it'd last me a year."
Even the chubby bride was stunned. She swallowed hard and whispered, "Who's that? You haven't introduced her yet."
Only then did Xie Zihao speak up. "This is Jing Shu, the big shot I mentioned, the one with strong connections in Xingfu Shiyuan. She's also the one who hired our lawyer."
The bride's eyes lit up immediately.
Then Xie Zihao turned to everyone else. "This is my bride, Chen Zihan. Thanks so much for coming today, everyone. From now on, if you ever need help, just call me."
Su Mali finally arrived just before things officially started.
Weddings in the apocalypse were a little unusual—they began with the meal first.
To be honest, aside from the one Jing Pan hosted, this was the first apocalypse wedding feast Jing Shu had ever attended. Food was scarce now, so of course, the spread couldn't compare to the grand feasts of the past. To prevent chaos or fights, the venue used a portioned system, with uniformed waitresses serving each plate.
The emcee stood on stage with a loudspeaker and declared, "May the newlyweds live in perfect harmony. Please enjoy the first dish, Honey Lotus Root."
The waitresses brought out ten thin, dried lotus root slices dusted with sugar and divided them among everyone present.
"May the newlyweds soon have a precious child. Please enjoy Red Date and Lotus Seed Soup."
Each person got one shriveled red date floating in a pale, watery broth. It didn't look appetizing, but at least there was a date for everyone—something Jing Shu once could've sucked on all day back in her previous life.
"May the newlyweds live sweet and happy lives. Please enjoy the Celebration Cake."
A steamed sponge cake about the size of a fist was cut into ten pieces, each about as big as a fingernail.
Overall, the food didn't taste good at all. The musty smell was strong—it was obviously made from pre-apocalypse stock that was on the verge of spoiling. Every portion was only a single bite, barely enough to fill the gap between teeth.
Jing Shu even noticed that the lotus slice in Shi Lei's bowl was covered with tiny mold spots, but he still ate it clean, savoring every bit. Most of their classmates were the same. Waste food? Not a chance. For the apocalypse, this banquet was equivalent to a luxury feast worth tens of thousands before the end of the world.
Moldy, stale, cross-flavored, dried-up—it didn't matter. If you could eat it, it was already a delicacy.
There were ten dishes in total, symbolizing "perfection in all things." As Jing Shu ate, she couldn't help thinking back to the ten years she'd lived through in the apocalypse of her previous life. She didn't leave a single bite. Even though the food tasted terrible, she cleaned her plate completely. She didn't want to forget the suffering of those ten years. Every drop on that plate represented how hard it was to survive back then.
That was why she had to keep working hard—to eat even better food in the future.
Unfortunately, before the tenth dish could be served, the wedding suddenly stopped.
"The ceremony's on hold! Mr. Shiyuan is here for an inspection!"
"Everyone, get ready! Mr. Shiyuan arrived unexpectedly!"
Even Xie Zihao and his bride were stunned.
Panic spread like wildfire. The whole of Xingfu Shiyuan went into a frenzy. Cleaners rushed to mop the floors, people tidied up the tables, and even the cafeteria staff started deep cleaning. Guests were told to pick up trash off the floor and make the place spotless.
"Mr. Shiyuan's heading this way!"
"He's really here!"
"Oh my god, seriously?"
With each announcement, the noise grew louder. Then Qian Duoduo appeared, leading more than a dozen people, followed by an even larger crowd.
Butler Cai, with his orchid fingers raised delicately, pointed toward Jing Shu, who stood out clearly in the group. "There, that's Director Jing!"
At once, countless eyes turned in her direction.
Qian Duoduo led his people straight toward her.
Her classmates gasped and buzzed with excitement.
"They're coming our way!"
"Who're they here for? Su Mali?"
"Oh my god, my idol! It's Qian Duoduo himself!"
People stood up in awe. To be fair, Qian Duoduo did look impressive. Dressed in a full Tang suit, hands turning a walnut as he strode forward confidently, he stopped right in front of Jing Shu.
She had no choice but to stand and greet him.
"So this is where you were. Attending a wedding, huh? Oh, Mary's here too? Say hi to your father for me."
Qian Duoduo laughed heartily, clearly in high spirits—completely unaware he was walking straight toward his doom.
"Whoa, he's here for Jing Shu? Damn, I didn't expect her to have such connections, actually knowing the boss of Xingfu Shiyuan!"
"It's obvious he came specifically for Jing Shu. He even mentioned Su Mali as an afterthought. Looks like Jing Shu's the real powerhouse here."
Jing Shu smiled politely. "Yeah, it's a classmate's wedding, and we had an appointment later. It's only twelve-thirty though. Why're you here so early?"
And why did he have to show up in such grand style, bringing half the compound with him? What's that supposed to mean?
"Hahaha! I just couldn't wait! Thought I'd take you along for a quick inspection while we're at it. Guess I interrupted your classmate's wedding, huh? Should I wait, or...?"
Given how many people he'd brought, the entire place was packed to the brim. There was no way the ceremony could continue.
In the past, Qian Duoduo was never this cheerful. He always wore a frown, a dark cloud between his brows. But today, his whole "deep and mysterious Tang-suit boss" persona had completely fallen apart.
"No need, we're almost done anyway. Let's head out now, better not disrupt their wedding. What a pity though, the last dish wasn't even served yet."
"Haha, that's life. Never ten out of ten, always nine out of ten. Oh, and Mary, you're coming too."
Butler Cai hurried over and respectfully guided Jing Shu to walk half a step behind Qian Duoduo, while Su Mali followed behind him in the position of a junior. Even Xingfu Shiyuan's senior managers had to step aside for her, which showed just how high Jing Shu's standing was in Qian Duoduo's eyes.
"You all carry on. The young couple looks great—congratulations! Oh right, Lao Zhang, since we caused a scene, make sure every table gets an extra vegetable platter as compensation."
"Yes, sir."
With that, Jing Shu and Mr. Shiyuan left the wedding together, leaving behind a crowd frozen in disbelief.
Everyone was stunned. The legendary Mr. Shiyuan had actually come... just to find Jing Shu.
"How powerful is she, really?"
"From what Su Mali said, she's got shares in Xingfu Shiyuan—probably a lot of them."
"Holy shit, I can't believe I went to school with someone this rich. I'm gonna brag about this for the next hundred years."