The guests below were counting the days. Liang Yufeng was thirty this year. He started dating Lan Lan in his freshman year, and now it had been eleven years. During this time, he hadn't dated another girlfriend. Could any adult achieve this, especially given Liang Yufeng's qualifications, with women flocking to him? He was perhaps too loyal to Lan Lan.
As for Lan Lan's romantic history, everyone knew it. They were accustomed to plots where men had experienced many relationships before settling down, but it was novel to see the opposite happening with the two of them today.
Liang Yufeng continued, "I never forgot her, so we got back together."
The host then asked, "And the bride, did she think of the groom during the years you were apart?"
Lan Lan's reply was quite blunt, "To be honest, no."
"Everyone here today is familiar with me, so they should know I've dated quite a few boyfriends." Lan Lan was very open about this, not hiding her past experiences. She believed in dating openly; there was nothing shameful about it. "For me, dating was like shopping, a form of entertainment and leisure. I never really thought about getting married before."
The host, sensing an opportunity, asked, "So what changed your mind?"
Lan Lan looked towards Liang Yufeng beside her. Their eyes met, and she smiled, "Perhaps it's different needs at different ages, or maybe it was him influencing me."
Lan Lan pondered for a moment and then offered her assessment of Liang Yufeng, "He is the person I've met who most wants to get married. Ever since we dated in college, he always talked about marriage."
Liang Yufeng chimed in, "I only want to marry you."
These simple five words caused the atmosphere below to erupt once more. They had certainly shown off their affection.
This segment of the host's interview also dispelled some of the earlier rumors.
After the interview, they moved on to the vows and the exchange of rings. Lan Lan, in her custom-made wedding dress, stood in the spotlight, all eyes on her. Liang Yufeng knelt and placed the ring on her finger, then bowed and kissed it.
Jiang Rong, as the bridesmaid, watched this scene up close and couldn't help but clap. Feng Feng, usually calm, also showed a smile. Lin Mei sat with Xing Zheng and Jing Chu. Jing Chu, looking at Lan Lan on stage, kept calling out "Godmother."
Organizing a wedding oneself made one realize how tiring it was. The ceremony itself wasn't the most exhausting part; it was the toasting. Their wedding had many guests, and after going around to toast everyone, Lan Lan and Liang Yufeng's calves ached from standing. Finally, she came to the table of bridesmaids and groomsmen to sit down.
At this table were all their close friends: Lin Mei, Feng Feng, Xing Zheng, Jiang Rong, Shen Su, and Gu Song. Feng Feng was also seated with Wen Zhouyuan.
After Lan Lan and Liang Yufeng sat down, Lan Lan noticed Wen Zhouyuan was also present. Seeing that he didn't seem to be having any unpleasantness with Shen Su, Lan Lan felt relieved.
"Let's have a drink." Lan Lan raised her glass, and everyone followed suit, clinking their glasses.
"Congratulations," Lin Mei said to Liang Yufeng. "Sincerity can move mountains."
Liang Yufeng smiled and replied, "Thank you."
After finishing with Liang Yufeng, Lin Mei turned to tease Lan Lan, "Wishing you an early birth of your son, President Lan. I'm looking forward to our children marrying each other."
Lan Lan was no longer as resistant to the idea of having children and even joked with Lin Mei. She rubbed Jing Chu's face and smiled, "Just wait, Jing Chu will definitely be my son-in-law in the future."
Liang Yufeng didn't comment on this. Jiang Rong, however, saw his thoughts clearly. "Brother Yufeng will definitely be a doting father."
Even before they had children, the way he looked at Jing Chu already held a hint of resentment, as if his own treasure had been snatched away.
Wen Zhouyuan, sitting beside Feng Feng, saw the loving scene between Liang Yufeng and Lan Lan and suddenly asked her, "Do you want to get married?"
Wen Zhouyuan's voice wasn't loud, but it still reached Shen Su's ears. Hearing this, Shen Su turned to look at the two of them.
Wen Zhouyuan's question was somewhat abrupt, and Feng Feng didn't answer for a long time. Finally, in her silence, Wen Zhouyuan gave a faint smile, "I was too hasty."
Feng Feng replied, "Your most important task right now is your treatment." Her tone was very calm, lacking the usual demeanor of someone in love.
Wen Zhouyuan gazed at the woman sitting beside him. Her indifferent and self-possessed state was so different from the girl who had cautiously inquired about him in his memory. The path between them was becoming narrower and narrower.
She had once held a sincere and pure heart for him, which he had not cherished properly.
After Lan Lan and Liang Yufeng's wedding, it was the talk of the town for several days, and their story gradually became known to everyone. The previous gossip had ceased to exist.
Yu Ran and Lan Zhong left with Tang Yuan after their wedding. Jiang Wan also returned to Runcheng. The villa was now only occupied by Lan Lan, Liang Yufeng, and Mai Xuanfeng. As the year drew to a close, Liang Yufeng's work became increasingly busy. Lan Lan, on the other hand, was browsing recruitment software at home and reading books on preparing for pregnancy.
She hadn't realized how much was involved in preparing for pregnancy until she started looking. After Liang Yufeng learned that Lan Lan was reading books on pregnancy preparation, he stopped smoking and drinking. They took the time to have a physical examination, and there were no major health issues.
Lan Lan had previously experienced some hormonal imbalances. However, after quitting her job, the reduced stress and more regular lifestyle had helped her hormone levels return to normal. Nevertheless, due to her previous condition, the doctor advised her to avoid high-intensity work during her pregnancy preparation.
As a result, Lan Lan's job search plans were put on hold. In their line of work, it was impossible to avoid overtime.
Feeling bored after being idle for too long, Lan Lan took on some freelance work through her previous connections, doing data analysis. This provided some income and a sense of accomplishment.
After about half a year of this kind of life, Lan Lan became pregnant.
She didn't experience any morning sickness. She realized something was wrong when her period was delayed by half a month, which was unusual for her since quitting her job. And since their wedding, she and Liang Yufeng had not been using any contraception.
Lan Lan scheduled a hospital check-up for the next day. Before that, she bought a pregnancy test. As expected, after testing, there were two lines. Looking at the pregnancy test in her hand, she couldn't quite describe her feelings.
She wasn't overly excited, but there was a sense of anticipation. Although she had seen Lin Mei go through pregnancy, this was still a very new experience for her.
At seven in the evening, Liang Yufeng returned home from work. As soon as he entered, he saw Lan Lan sitting on the sofa with a serious expression. Mai Xuanfeng, usually so lively, was lying quietly at her feet, seemingly trying to comfort her.
Liang Yufeng couldn't help but worry. He took off his shoes and sat down beside her. "What's wrong? Are you in a bad mood?"
"Liang Yufeng," she suddenly called his full name, which made Liang Yufeng even more nervous. "I have something very important to tell you."