Chapter 066　 I don't trust you.

  *

  On June 7th at 3:00 PM, Ding Haiyan and Huang Pinghe, dressed in minimalist short satin wedding dresses, set off from Kawasaki in a rented mint-green vintage convertible. They headed toward Kisarazu via the Tokyo Bay Aqua-Line.

  Leaving Kawasaki, the car entered a 9.6-kilometer undersea tunnel before arriving at "Umihotaru," the artificial island. They stopped there for a break, grabbed coffee, and took seaside photos on the observation deck. From the artificial island, they drove across a 4.4-kilometer bridge, reached Kisarazu, and entered the Tateyama Expressway.

  Ding Haiyan remarked that this journey—first going underground, then up a bridge, and finally onto a regular road—felt like a blueprint for their future life: initial suppression, facing the waves, and eventually settling into stability.

  Acting as their driver, Su Xian’s heart was as filled with excitement and happiness as theirs.

  Li Chengshi drove another car with a sunroof, carrying Ding Haiyan’s photographer friend and her girlfriend, who were responsible for capturing the journey along the way.

  Traffic on the road was heavily congested, but no one was in a hurry. Real life is just like this: sometimes smooth, sometimes jammed. In those moments, you just hum a song and wait, remembering to keep a smile on your face.

  *

  They reached their destination after 6:00 PM. The sky was still bright, and everyone was hungry. As soon as the car was parked, Li Chengshi pulled Su Xian toward the food trucks to buy snacks: wraps, fried chicken, donuts, juice, cola, and ice cream.

  During their picnic on the grass, the two girls in wedding dresses attracted many looks—some were surprised, but most were friendly.

  After eating, it was exactly the beautiful "blue hour."

  The couple held hands and walked into the open-air small wedding hall designed by Su Xian. Each pressed their thumbprint to unlock the touch screen. Instantly, the entire roof of the hall lit up, and the light poles in the plaza began to flicker, signaling to the people nearby.

  A crowd gathered, offering support and blessings.

  The "Little Dance" group from last time appeared as well. They played the soft melody of "How Long Will I Love You," leading everyone in a gentle sway.

  Without the need for passionate vows, Ding Haiyan kissed Huang Pinghe amidst the romantic music and play of light. The latter’s eyes were already glistening with tears.

  **

  It was past midnight by the time they got home. With work the next day, they took quick showers and went to bed.

  Li Chengshi leaned in, cooing affectionately, "Wifey~"

  "What is it? Are you envious?" Su Xian had already read his mind.

  "No." Regarding marriage, he didn't dare mention it yet. After all, they had been officially together for less than six months. He didn't want to be impatient and mess things up like last time. "Let's go to Hokkaido together this winter."

  Seeing him proactively take a step back, Su Xian smiled. "Sure. Should we stay at the same hotel and go skiing again?"

  "Yes!" He grew excited. "And then I’ll invite you to go to Furano with me again, and this time you..."

  She cut him off. "Will still refuse you."

  "Su Xian, you big meanie!" He pounced on her and started tickling her mercilessly.

  Su Xian laughed hysterically. "Baby, I promise! Please have mercy!"

  "Call me hubby!"

  "Hubby, have mercy on me."

  Only then did Li Chengshi let her go. Of course, he knew she just wasn't fighting back; if they really fought, he was no match for her strength.

  This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

  "Baby, on our anniversary, let’s go buy a pair of rings."

  He couldn't believe it. "Are you doing this voluntarily?"

  "Duh."

  A ring is a commitment. It was a step back from her defensive lien she took for him. This was love; this was a promise.

  He immediately pounced on her again, kissing her frantically.

  "Yuck! I just showered and got all clean, and now you’ve covered me in spit again." Su Xian pushed him away with mock disgust.

  "Hmph, the Big Bad Wolf is coming!"

  **

  Near noon the next day, Honda went to the convenience store to buy sandwiches and other food for Su Xian and Li Chengshi. Li Chengshi cleared the workbench and invited her to join them for lunch.

  Ever since Yoshida Wakaba arrived at the company, Honda’s face had never been bright, and she had lost her appetite.

  Su Xian joked, "本田さんはまだ社長のこと思ってるの？(Honda-san, are you still thinking about the Boss?)"

  "いえいえ、そんなこと、は～（No, no... that kind of thing... Sigh.）"

  "社長のどこがいい？*What’s so good about the Boss?）Su Xian asked a different way.

  "凄い才能があるし、格好よくて、優しい。（He has great talent, he’s handsome, and he’s gentle.）"

  "優しい？いつも暴言してるじゃない？（Gentle? He’s always verbally abusing you, isn't he?）"

  "違います。それは人に優しさを出すのは恥ずかしがるから、わざと暴言で偽装すること。（That’s not it. It’s just that he’s embarrassed to show his kindness to people, so he intentionally uses harsh words as a disguise.）"

  "本田さん、あなたはもう救えないね。（Honda-san, you are truly beyond saving.）"

  "いいよ、片思いでも幸せ。あ！（It’s okay, even unrequited love feels like happiness. Ah!）" She realized her slip of the tongue and let out a small cry, covering her mouth as her face turned red.

  Su Xian couldn't help but ruffle her hair. "本田さん可愛すぎる！社長に教えてあげるよ。（Honda-san, you're too cute! I'll tell the Boss for you.）"

  "だめだめ、だめです！（No, no! You can't!）"

  Seeing how frantic Honda was, Su Xian quickly comforted her. "安心して、教えないから。（Don't worry, I won't tell him.）"

  "もし社長に知られたら、会社やめます。（If the Boss found out, I’d have to quit.）" she said solemnly.

  Zhao Nanfeng suddenly appeared, holding a bottle of iced green tea. "私の後ろで何をやった？（What are you doing behind my back?）"

  Honda panicked, said nothing, grabbed the trash from the table, and bolted.

  *

  Zhao Nanfeng asked in confusion, "What’s wrong with her lately? She looks dejected all day. She didn't get scammed by some trashy guy again, did she? I haven't seen her silly grin in a long time."

  "If you're so concerned, why don't you go ask her?"

  "I’m not concerned."

  Su Xian rolled her eyes. "Is there something? If yes, speak. If not, leave."

  "I just got a call from Morishita at Sanyou Group. They invited us to join a field trip to Shodoshima next month."

  "Is the site selection decided?"

  "More or less."

  Su Xian hadn't been to Shodoshima, but she had seen the introductions. She mentally mapped their design onto the local environment and felt it was a bit of a mismatch.

  "Actually, there was an alternative plan, but we don't have much of a say in the site selection."

  "But you also feel the 'temperament' doesn't quite fit?"

  The previous site selection for 'Heidi' was on the slopes of Mount Osore in Mutsu, Aomori Prefecture, built facing the caldera lake Usoriyama. That environment and its legends were more easily linked to philosophy.

  "It’s okay. Architecture can grow a different temperament within its environment."

  *

  "Architecture can grow a different temperament within its environment," Su Xian chuckled. "Tsk, that sentence really sounds like something a master would say."

  Li Chengshi also chuckled. "Tsk, your ex-boyfriend’s words actually make a lot of sense."

  Su Xian said exaggeratedly, "Baby~ You aren't being jealous again, are you?"

  "I’m not jealous about that. But next month you’re going on a business trip with him. I don't trust you."

  *