She stepped inside and picked up the necklace, holding it closer for a better look. Under the soft spotlight, the clear yellow crystal refracted a warm, gentle glow, reminding her of a faintly bittersweet taste buried deep in her memories.
But when her eyes landed on the price tag, she inhaled sharply. With a quiet sigh, she placed it back, a trace of reluctance lingering in her heart.
At the exact moment she turned to leave the jewelry shop, two elegantly dressed young women happened to be pushing their way out, chatting and laughing.
One of them, with chestnut curls and a bright, lively smile, was Xiao Xiao.
Her gaze brushed past Jiang Yining’s profile by chance, and she stopped abruptly, as if struck.
“What’s wrong, Xiao Xiao?” Shen Nian’an asked, puzzled.
Following her friend’s line of sight, she saw only a slender figure in a light-colored dress weaving through the crowd. The girl kept her head lowered, glancing at her phone, and soon disappeared into the flow of people.
Xiao Xiao stood frozen, her heart pounding strangely.
She stared in the direction the girl had vanished, her voice low and uncertain.
“It’s… nothing. I must have been mistaken.”
She blinked hard, trying to shake off the odd, fleeting sense of shock.
That side profile… that way of walking…
How could it resemble Ningning so much?
It was impossible.
She must have been too tired lately, letting her imagination run wild.
Shaking her head, she slipped her arm through Shen Nian’an’s and forced a smile.
“Let’s go. Didn’t you say we were picking out a tie for Yanze?”
Yet behind her smile, a faint distraction lingered, impossible to fully hide.
…
Completely unaware of the near encounter, Jiang Yining stood at a busy intersection, lifting her head to look at the clear blue sky above S City.
She took a deep breath, letting the unfamiliar yet exhilarating atmosphere settle in her chest.
…
The wedding preparations moved forward like a perfectly synchronized machine, each task connected seamlessly to the next.
Jiang Yining followed her eldest cousin, Jiang Yunyan, running from one errand to another. Delivering invitations, confirming guest lists, decorating the bridal suite, tasting dishes, every small yet complicated task filled her days.
Gradually, she found herself blending more deeply into the long-lost Jiang family.
…
The day they visited her uncle’s house, the atmosphere carried a subtle warmth beneath its surface.
When Jiang Yining stepped into the unfamiliar living room behind Jiang Yunyan, her eldest uncle, who had been calmly sipping tea, suddenly jerked in shock. A splash of hot tea spilled onto his hand.
Her aunt reacted even more strongly, covering her mouth, her eyes wide as she stared.
Her gaze moved repeatedly across Jiang Yining’s face, as if she were seeing something impossible.
“Th-this… who is this?” her uncle asked, his voice trembling.
“Dad, Mom,” Jiang Yunyan stepped forward quickly, repeating the explanation that had been prepared. “This is the younger daughter who was separated from Aunt’s family years ago. Her name is also Yining. They only found her recently.”
“Yining… the younger daughter?” her uncle echoed, still in a daze.
His eyes remained fixed on her, disbelief and shock flickering within them.
Her aunt recovered more quickly. Though her emotions were clearly in turmoil, she forced a warm smile and pulled Jiang Yining down to sit beside her.
She asked about her well-being with gentle concern, her tone carrying an odd mix of caution, tenderness, and something deeper, something unspoken.
…
At dinner, the atmosphere became even warmer.
The elders kept placing food onto her plate, while her cousins showed her an unusual level of attentiveness.
Jiang Yining could clearly feel the weight of their gazes.
It was not the curiosity one might show a long-lost relative.
It was something more.
Something softer, heavier, filled with care and quiet indulgence.
They looked at her as if they were peering through time itself, searching for the shadow of another girl.
That silent understanding, that unspoken recognition of her as the returning “Ningning,” sent a gentle warmth spreading through her chest, making her eyes sting.
She simply smiled and accepted it all, this late, bittersweet affection.
…
As the wedding drew closer, her parents also arrived and were settled into the room next to hers.
Three days before the ceremony, the bride’s most important preparation took place, the final fitting for the wedding gown and reception dresses.
As part of the bride’s side and an able assistant, Jiang Yining naturally accompanied them.
…
Inside the high-end boutique, the soft lighting draped everything in a delicate glow.
When the bride stepped out of the fitting room in her main gown, adorned with countless tiny diamonds, everyone gasped in admiration.
She already had a gentle, elegant temperament, but in that moment, she looked almost ethereal, like a goddess beneath moonlight.
“It’s beautiful, you look amazing, Sister-in-law,” Jiang Yining said sincerely, clapping her hands, even more excited than if she were the one getting married.
“Ningning, why don’t you try one on too? I think that yellow dress over there would suit you perfectly,” the bride said with a smile, pointing to a dress displayed nearby.
Unable to refuse, Jiang Yining was gently ushered into the fitting room.
When she stepped out wearing the bright lemon-yellow cocktail dress, the lively fitting area fell into sudden silence.
The vivid color, like captured midsummer sunlight, made her already fair skin seem to glow.
The clean, elegant cut traced the slender lines of her waist and the graceful curve of her neck and shoulders.
The hemline, edged with soft, uneven ruffles, swayed lightly with each step.
Her dark hair fell loosely around her shoulders, framing her delicate features like a painting. Her clear eyes carried a hint of shyness, and a soft blush rose to her cheeks.
She looked like a freshly ripened lemon on the branch, touched with morning dew, bright, refreshing, and quietly captivating.