Ch. 2 - The Wedding Banquet Is Cancelled
New Characters:
Xu Zimei - Lu Jingchen's niece
Fu Nanyan - Gu Jinhan's best friend
Fu Yiyang - Fu Nanyan's younger brother
Mu Xingwei - Lu Jingchen's friend
“Uncle, it's me!" Xu Zimei answered, her voice ringing out brightly.
Every weekend, she'd show up early for tutoring sessions with Gu Jinhan. But this morning, she found Lu Jingchen sprawled on the living room floor, disheveled and groggy.
Hearing her voice, he stirred and released his grip on her wrist before looking around the house. Gu Jinhan still hadn't returned.
"Uncle, why are you sleeping on the floor? How could Gu Jinhan leave you like this?”
"Who allowed you to call your elders by their full names?"
"Sorry, I was wrong... I just came to find Auntie for tutoring."
Lu Jingchen dragged himself to his feet, rubbing his temples.
What tutoring? Gu Jinhan wasn't even at home.
Xu Zimei glanced around. "Where's Auntie? I'm sitting for the college entrance exam this year, so she made me a personalised tutoring schedule every weekend. I want to get into Qing University, just like her.”
Without a word, Lu Jingchen took out his phone, transferred money to her account, and muttered, “Find yourself the best tutor in the city.”
“But no one teaches as well as Auntie! And the others don’t make me homemade snacks like she does either!” Xu Zimei argued, stomping her feet.
Ignoring her protests, he turned and headed upstairs.
“She’s very busy right now and can’t spare you any time!”
“I get it. Auntie must be swamped with preparing for the wedding, right? She must be the happiest person alive for being able to marry you.”
Lu Jingchen froze mid-step.
In the past, no matter how heated their arguments used to get, Gu Jinhan would still come home early, light an incense, cook dinner, and tutored Xu Zimei without fail.
But this time...hah! She really hadn’t come back at all!
............
Lakeside Villa.
At the breakfast table, Fu Nanyan scrolled through her phone, messaging Gu Jinhan.
"Jinhan, I’ve just received the bridesmaid dress."
"Nanyan, I’m in Yiyang’s room helping him review his homework now!" came the reply.
Like a bolt of lightning, Fu Nanyan rushed into Fu Yiyang’s room. Sure enough, Gu Jinhan was there, patiently guiding Fu Yiyang through an advanced math problem.
She had assumed that Gu Jinhan would’ve gone back to the home she shared with Lu Jingchen by now. After all, her life had revolved entirely around him and his family for years.
“You’re not going back to tutor Lu Jingchen’s niece?”
“Nope.”
Fu Nanyan nodded. “I’m taking some actors to auditions and contract meetings later, so I'll be swamped today. I have to head out now but if you’re free, please help keep an eye on Yiyang. His college entrance exam is coming up soon. If not, no worries, my uncle’s coming home soon anyway.”
“It’s fine, Nanyan. Go ahead, I’ll stay. I’ve got time."
“Thanks. I’ll try on the dress when I’m back—”
"Don’t bother. I’m not getting married anymore."
Nanyan froze. “...Got it. The wedding’s off. But you’re still doing the long-term dating thing with him, right?”
Gu Jinhan did not respond but sighed softly.
After Fu Nanyan left in a whirlwind, Fu Yiyang looked up from his books.
“Sister Jinhan, why aren’t you and Brother Jingchen getting married anymore?”
" Children should focus on their homework. Grown-up business can wait"
He was turning 18 that year.
.............
Fu Yiyang worked on his homework all morning, and after lunch, he was ready to head to the basketball court.
"Sister Jinhan, come watch me play basketball!"
Gu Jinhan remembered that the venue she had booked for the wedding banquet was on that same street. Since the wedding was cancelled, she needed to cancel the reservation too.
"You go ahead, Yiyang. I have something else to take care of."
They left together but went their separate ways.
…………..
Jing City’s First Hotel
Located in the heart of the central business district, Jing City’s First Hotel typically required reservations at least three months in advance for weddings.
With the signed contract in her hand, Gu Jinhan met with the hotel manager and explained the reason for her visit.
The manager politely explained that only half the deposit could be refunded. Preparations had already begun, and certain items were non-refundable.
Gu Jinhan readily agreed without argument.
Just a few days ago, she had been swamped with wedding planning, handling every detail herself—from the dishes to be served at each table to the decoration of the venue all by herself.
Lu Jingchen had never once shown up.
Every day, she rushed to the hotel for banquet preparations, and at night, whenever she tried to discuss the wedding plans with him, he would always brush her off, using work as an excuse not to listen.
She had devoted herself so fully to the wedding preparations that she became painfully oblivious to the subtle signs that he no longer wanted to marry her.
After cancelling the contract, Gu Jinhan walked out of the hotel, basking in the early summer sun and pausing to take in the view around her.
She passed by Nordin Law Firm, where many young professionals were coming and going.
‘If only I had started working right after earning my graduate degree’, she thought.
‘I’d probably be a full-fledged lawyer by now.’
What a shame that she had chosen a different path making incense instead, just to help Lu Jingchen sleep better.
Though she had already made a name for herself in that field, her original intention had been to help Lu Jingchen with his insomnia and headaches.
Her eyes landed on the bulletin board on the first floor: Now Hiring – Legal Interns.
She hesitated for a moment, but eventually decided to take the chance and submitted her résumé.
After all, it had already been two years since she graduated and most of her peers already had a couple of years of experience under their belts.
The assistant took her résumé and said she’d be contacted about an interview.
She politely bid goodbye and left the firm. On her way back, she stopped by a herbal shop and bought some ingredients for cooking soups. The same kind she’d always made to ease Lu Jingchen’s chronic headaches.
Every time she went shopping, she would pick up ingredients for him.
Every medicinal herb in their old home had been personally hand-selected by her.
She returned to the Lakeside Villa and carefully washed the ingredients before simmering them with care.
...........