Over the next three months, Jiang Yu "pursued" her in a methodical, routine way. He took her to buy luxury handbags (but never let her choose one herself—all styles were pre-selected by his assistant), accompanied her to art exhibitions (but spent the entire time answering phone calls and never talked to her about the artwork), and even brought her to the Jiang family's old mansion for dinner (where Jiang Yu's mother didn't look at her directly the whole time, only asking, "Can you cook?"). Lin Xiao knew clearly that this wasn't "affection", but an "assessment". Yet she still convinced herself: "Just marry into the family first; things will get better eventually."
On the day of the proposal, Jiang Yu took her to a revolving restaurant, placed a diamond ring in front of her, and said, "We'll get married next weekend." There were no roses, no confession, and he didn't even look her in the eye. Staring at the sparkling diamond on the ring, Lin Xiao nodded—she told herself this was a chance to "change her fate", and she couldn't miss it.
The wedding was held at the Jiang family's private estate, and its grandeur exceeded Lin Xiao's wildest imagination. At 5 a.m., a makeup artist arrived to apply the most expensive foundation on her and adorn her with jewelry worth millions. Her wedding dress was a custom Italian design, with a train so long that two maids had to hold it up. When Lin Xiao reached out to touch the lace on the train, Jiang Yu's mother suddenly spoke up: "Don't get it dirty. We have to return it to the brand after the wedding—we'll have to compensate for any damage."
Lin Xiao's hand froze mid-air; she awkwardly pulled it back. The makeup artist quickly tried to smooth things over: "Ms. Lin has such good skin—she looks beautiful in anything, so she definitely won't get it dirty." Jiang Yu's mother didn't respond. She turned to tell the maid, "Bring the breakfast over. Don't delay the auspicious time," her cold tone as icy as frost, making Lin Xiao's heart flutter with unease.
When the wedding started, the estate was packed with guests. Lin Xiao took her father's arm and walked step by step toward Jiang Yu at the end of the red carpet. Her father's hands were shaking as he whispered, "Don't be nervous. Live a good life." Her mother stood nearby, eyes red with tears, but didn't dare to cry—the Jiang family's housekeeper had specifically warned, "The wedding should be joyful. Don't make a scene with tears; it will shame the Jiang family."
The guests on both sides of the red carpet were all wealthy or influential. Some held up their phones to take photos; others whispered among themselves: "Is this Jiang Yu's new wife? She looks quite ordinary." "I heard she's from a regular family—how did the Jiang family agree to this?" Lin Xiao bowed her head even lower, her grip on her father's arm tightening more and more.
When she reached Jiang Yu, her father handed her hand to him and said softly, "Please take care of her." Jiang Yu nodded and took her hand—his hand was cold, with no warmth at all, like holding a piece of ice. Lin Xiao looked up at him, hoping to see a hint of "the groom's joy" in his eyes. Instead, she watched his gaze glide past her face, land on a man in a suit far away, and even nod slightly, as if confirming something.
The priest began to recite the vows. He asked Jiang Yu, "Will you take Lin Xiao as your wife, to love and cherish her forever, in prosperity and adversity, in health and sickness?" Jiang Yu's voice was flat: "I will." When it was Lin Xiao's turn, she looked at the priest's eyes, then at Jiang Yu beside her. She thought of her parents' expectant gazes and her own longing for "a life in the wealthy family," and finally said softly, "I will."
When they exchanged rings, Jiang Yu's movements were perfunctory—when he slipped the ring onto her finger, it was even askew. Lin Xiao wanted to remind him, but he stopped her with a look—his eyes were filled with impatience, as if saying, "Don't make a fuss over nothing."