Chapter 394 - 213: I Came to Give My Blessings
The sun on July 14th ultimately rose, illuminating the entire Parisian sky.
Two years later, when Lin Ying saw Su Ziceng again, it was on the high ground outside the Sacred Heart Cathedral.
The Sacred Heart Cathedral, built amidst the highland hills, reflected brilliantly in the sunlight and lush trees on this festive day celebrated across Pu Country.
Warm and hearty laughter and congratulations surrounded the grand cathedral.
Master Rang and Miss Bao Qin, the couple nearing their sixties, walked past rows of church pews and the gaze of well-wishers under the deep and strong voice of the Priest, approaching their matrimonial altar.
The wedding ended in an atmosphere of serenity, and Su Ziceng was part of the bridesmaid group. Standing out among the older bridesmaids who were over forty or fifty, Su Ziceng, in her ivory bridesmaid dress, was particularly eye-catching. Her black hair draped over her shoulders, and in the sunlight, she looked like an angel.
All the unmarried ladies stood together, waiting for Miss Bao Qin to toss the bridal bouquet. Lin Ying squeezed next to Su Ziceng, the only two Eastern faces present, both displaying sheer joy upon seeing each other.
Miss Bao Qin still held the wedding bouquet in her hands; everyone craned their necks in anticipation of her throwing the blessing.
Su Ziceng moved to the periphery of the crowd; she originally didn’t want to participate in this "bouquet battle," but Miss Bao Qin insisted she join. Miss Bao Qin believed it was Su Ziceng who brought her and Master Rang together, so this time, she wanted to return the favor to Su Ziceng.
"How can you catch the bouquet standing on the edge?" Lin Ying’s height stood out even among the French women known for their tall stature; if she wanted to, with her long arms and legs, she could definitely snatch the bouquet. Lin Ying, however, had no intention of doing so; she was at the peak of her career and had no desire to focus on love at the moment.
"I..." Receiving the bouquet would mean she’d be the next to marry, a superstition Su Ziceng no longer believed in. The man she wanted to marry was now in a hotel a mile away, holding his engagement ceremony.
The bridesmaids’ visage, mingled with white and purple, had all the women eager to marry, lifting their heads. Dozens of eyes and dozens of pairs of high heels shifted in unison. Lin Ying glanced towards Su Ziceng; she remembered from their last phone call that Su Ziceng mentioned she was in a passionate relationship and seemed to have found someone she deeply admired.
But today, her expression seemed somewhat forlorn, and there was no male companion accompanying her to the wedding—perhaps Lin Ying decided to lend Su Ziceng a hand.
The bouquet initially flying towards Su Ziceng was about to be caught by a quick-handed guest; Lin Ying swerved, her left hand blocking the guest while her right hand hooked the bouquet, turning it into a "volleyball" deviating towards Su Ziceng.
Su Ziceng, in the midst of her sorrow, smelled the rose fragrance, and something cold, still dewy—the bridal bouquet landed precisely in her hands.
Elegant forget-me-nots formed a purple heart, embellished with pristine Balkan roses.
Cheers and sighs of regret rose on the slope outside the Sacred Heart Cathedral. The woman who caught the bouquet seemed to be so overwhelmed with joy that she even started to cry.
Lin Ying squeezed out from the crowd, looking at the silently weeping Su Ziceng; she knew Su Ziceng wasn’t crying out of happiness. The Su Ziceng she knew wasn’t someone who cried for joy, but a woman who would laugh heartily in delight.
"Ziceng, I...you," years of a modeling career had made Lin Ying much smoother in dealing with the world, yet in front of a close friend, she was still at a loss for words.
"Thank you, Lin Ying, it’s just that for a moment..." She had held back for several days. After leaving the Eve Hotel, she found another nearby hotel. Even though this hotel was no less luxurious than the Eve Hotel, with gourmet French cuisine and a suite with a view of the Sacred Heart Cathedral, she had no appetite whatsoever.
Having suffered a heartbreak, she wasn’t as strong as she thought. After leaving the restroom of the Eve Hotel, she hadn’t cried again. She thought that was the last time she would cry over a romantic relationship. But today, upon seeing the happiness of Master Rang and Miss Bao Qin, she tasted heartbreak once again.