Lu Zhaoye was silent for a moment before speaking.
“This step once you take it, there’s no turning back. I’ve been discharged from the military, and you know what kind of reputation I’ve had since I was young in this area. Being with me means you’ll be hearing all kinds of gossip in the future. Have you really thought this through?”
Su Wan froze for a moment.
She looked up at him, blinking, then smiled lightly as if it were nothing.
“Brother Zhaoye, what’s wrong with you? Didn’t we already agree last night? Anyway, if one day we really can’t get along, or if you meet someone you like…”
She leaned in slightly, lowering her voice as if sharing a secret.
“We can always get divorced then. I’m not going to cling to you”
“Shut up!”
Lu Zhaoye suddenly cut her off with a low shout.
His face darkened instantly, a flicker of anger rising in his eyes.
His grip on Su Wan’s wrist tightened unconsciously, as if he might crush her bones.
Startled by his sudden fury, Su Wan’s smile froze. “Brother Zhaoye?”
“Su Wan, listen carefully.”
Lu Zhaoye stared straight into her eyes, word by word, his tone domineering and absolute.
“I don’t play pretend games. The moment this form is signed and that red stamp is pressed down, you are my wife.”
He took a deep breath, his chest rising and falling heavily. His voice grew even lower and rougher, carrying a ruthless edge.
“If you’re not ready, walk away now. But if you sign it… for the rest of your life, you don’t get to leave. Widowhood is allowed. Divorce is not.”
Su Wan’s heart skipped a beat.
She looked at the man in front of her fierce, rough, yet carrying an undeniable sense of security and possessiveness.
In her previous life, she had believed too many lies. But in this life, Lu Zhaoye’s blunt and even domineering promise felt more moving than any sweet words.
Her eyes grew slightly warm, then she broke into a bright smile, her gaze shining even more brilliantly than the sunlight outside.
“Alright.”
She responded softly, lightly scratching the back of his tense hand with her fingers.
“Then, Lu Zhaoye, you’d better keep your word. I’ll say it too if you don’t betray me, I’ll stay with you for life.”
Lu Zhaoye’s Adam’s apple bobbed heavily. The anger in his eyes instantly faded, replaced by a deep, unfathomable darkness.
He looked at her for a long moment, said nothing more, then released her hand, picked up the pen, and signed his name “Lu Zhaoye” with force that seemed to pierce through the paper.
The posture wasn’t like signing a marriage registration form at all it looked more like signing a life-and-death contract.
Forms filled. Stamps applied. Photos taken.
Inside the photo room, a red backdrop hung behind them.
“Newlyweds, sit closer! There’s a whole gap between you two you could drive a truck through it!” the photographer said, poking his head out.
Lu Zhaoye sat upright, his posture rigid, both hands placed stiffly on his knees like he was standing at attention.
Hearing the instruction, he moved mechanically closer to Su Wan like a soldier obeying orders.
“A little closer! Don’t be so stiff, comrade! Shoulders together!”
Suppressing a laugh, Su Wan leaned in herself.
Their shoulders finally touched.
Through the thin fabric, Lu Zhaoye could clearly feel the warmth of the woman beside him, and the faint, sweet fragrance that wrapped around him like an invisible net.
His entire body tensed. He didn’t even dare breathe too heavily, afraid of disturbing this sudden closeness.
The domineering aura from earlier completely vanished, while his ears turned red so red it looked like they might bleed.
“Look at the camera! Smile!” the photographer called.
Su Wan turned slightly, her eyes catching the man beside her silent, stiff, like a steel tower, yet inexplicably restrained. Her heart stirred.
At the moment the shutter clicked, she quietly hooked her pinky finger around his resting one.
Lu Zhaoye jolted. He instinctively tried to pull away but in the next second, he turned his hand over and tightly grasped her slender finger in his palm. His palm was soaked with sweat.
Click!
The flash went off.
The captured photo showed Su Wan radiant and beautiful, smiling like a blooming flower. Beside her, the usually fierce man remained stern and rigid but in his eyes, there was a faint, almost imperceptible softness and indulgence.
Red background. Black ink. Official seal pressed down.
From this moment on, in this world, they belonged to each other.
After leaving the Civil Affairs Bureau, Lu Zhaoye stared at the two bright red marriage certificates in his hand, slightly dazed.
He had just returned home after years away, and within a single night, he had married the girl he had liked since childhood.
It felt like a dream.
His Adam’s apple rolled.
“Tomorrow is the day we go back to your family’s home.”
He put away the certificates and looked at Su Wan beside him, his voice unconsciously softening.
“Let’s stop by the supply and marketing cooperative later and buy some gifts to bring.”
Although the Su family wasn’t easy to deal with, he would not neglect the proper etiquette for Su Wan’s sake.
“No rush, we can go this afternoon.”
Su Wan shook her head and smiled, hooking her arm through his.
“Let’s go home first and hand out the wedding candy and cigarettes we promised the neighbors. I already said it in front of everyone yesterday I can’t break my word.”
Lu Zhaoye paused and looked down at her.
Her eyes sparkled with mischief.
In an instant, he understood her intention.
Yesterday, the Lu family had lost all face. Xu Wenli was probably already at home spreading lies and trying to smear them.
By publicly handing out wedding sweets now, they would first confirm their legitimate marriage, and second, shut everyone’s mouths letting the whole neighborhood see that Su Wan was upright and proper, making the wedding proper and dignified, leaving the Lu family no chance to defame them again.
Her thinking was meticulous almost frighteningly so.
Lu Zhaoye’s brows furrowed slightly.
Although he had been away for years and didn’t know her well, this change in her personality was too drastic.
She used to be quiet, timid, soft-spoken, always wiping her tears silently when wronged. How had she suddenly become so sharp and even a bit… fierce?
And if she truly had this level of scheming ability, she should have long discovered the affair between Lu Ming and the widow Zhang. Why wait until the wedding night to expose it publicly?
Lu Zhaoye couldn’t help but think
If there hadn’t been someone secretly stirring trouble, would she have exposed Lu Ming at all?
If yesterday hadn’t happened, would she have continued on, oblivious, with Lu Ming?
If…
He stopped himself from thinking further.
Looking at Su Wan’s bright smile, he temporarily suppressed his doubts.
No matter what, she was his wife now. She could do whatever she wanted.
With him here, if the sky fell he would hold it up.
He nodded gently.
“Alright. I’ll listen to you.”