It was almost three in the afternoon when Su Jin Yue arrived at the Civil Affairs Bureau.
Today, she wore a simple white dress with a light blazer over it, her long hair tied neatly behind her.
There was none of the elaborate dressing one would expect from a bride, nor did she look like a woman about to enter marriage.
If it weren’t for the marriage contract tucked inside her handbag, no one would have guessed that she had come here to register her marriage.
Su Jin Yue lowered her eyes to check the time.
It was 2:57 p.m.
There were still three minutes until their appointment, yet Gu Jing Shen was nowhere to be seen.
Su Jin Yue wasn’t particularly anxious.
She walked inside, took a number, and sat down on one of the waiting chairs, her eyes unconsciously drifting toward the entrance every now and then.
Three ten.
Gu Jing Shen still hadn’t arrived.
By instinct, Su Jin Yue took out her phone and checked it, only to find the screen completely silent.
That was when she suddenly remembered that the two of them hadn’t even exchanged phone numbers.
From yesterday until now, apart from sitting across from each other at the restaurant, they had virtually no other way to contact each other.
Three twenty, and there was still no sign of Gu Jing Shen.
Su Jin Yue watched as couples came and went from the Civil Affairs Bureau, and an indescribable feeling suddenly welled up inside her.
Some couples walked out smiling brightly, taking pictures together as soon as they stepped outside.
Others carefully tucked their marriage certificates into their bags before taking each other’s hands, their eyes filled with anticipation for the new life ahead.
Those ordinary moments suddenly felt strangely unfamiliar to her today.
What about her?
She was about to marry a man who, just two days ago, hadn’t even known she existed.
Su Jin Yue lowered her gaze to her hands resting on her knees.
Her fingers unconsciously tightened around each other.
Was this really the right decision?
She had once thought she would never get married simply because her family pressured her into it.
Even less had she imagined that one day, just to escape her father’s arrangements, she would casually choose a man and step into a marriage with him.
Gu Jing Shen had appeared at exactly the right time.
He had no powerful family background for her to be wary of, no interest in her money that would make her feel exploited, and no complicated family that would force her to learn how to please them.
He understood that she didn’t want to be controlled, never asked her to change, and had even willingly agreed to a loveless marriage.
Everything fit so perfectly that it was almost suspicious.
But precisely because everything fit so perfectly, she couldn’t help wondering—what if he wasn’t the person she needed?
What if, after they got married, she discovered that he had a completely different personality?
What if they started living together and developed conflicts that even a marriage contract couldn’t resolve?
And what if, one day, she truly regretted it?
Su Jin Yue frowned slightly.
She had never been someone who acted impulsively.
From childhood until now, she had carefully considered every decision she made.
Yet this time, after meeting a man only once, she had decided to marry a complete stranger.
Had she rushed into this too quickly?
Or was she simply too exhausted by her current life and desperately looking for a way out?
Su Jin Yue glanced at the clock again.
It was 3:30 p.m.
At last, her patience had run out.
The corners of her lips curled into a faint, bitter smile.
So she had trusted this man too much.
Yesterday, he had spoken with such certainty and calmness that she had almost believed this marriage was something destined to happen.
But perhaps, to him, it was just another decision that could be changed at any time.
What had she been thinking?
A man with no powerful family background and no fortune had suddenly appeared at a blind date and taken the initiative to marry her.
He knew far too much about her, yet he had stubbornly refused to explain his true intentions.
She should have realized from the very beginning that this was never as simple as it appeared.
Su Jin Yue stood up and picked up her handbag, her heart completely calm again.
If Gu Jing Shen didn’t want to come, then so be it.
She didn’t need to waste another minute waiting here.
Just as Su Jin Yue reached the entrance of the Civil Affairs Bureau, a familiar voice suddenly rang out behind her, urgent and breathless.
“Su Jin Yue!” Her footsteps stopped.
She turned around.
A figure was running toward her at full speed.
It was Gu Jing Shen.
He looked completely different from the composed man she had seen yesterday.
His once-neat suit was slightly wrinkled, his tie had slipped crookedly to one side, and his dark hair was somewhat disheveled.
Beads of sweat glistened on his forehead, as if he had run a considerable distance.
The moment he reached her, he had to take several deep breaths before he could steady his breathing.
“I’m sorry.” Those were the first words he said.
Su Jin Yue looked at him and asked, “You still remembered that we had an appointment today?” Gu Jing Shen didn’t avoid her gaze.
He immediately explained, “My client ran into a serious problem.
It happened unexpectedly, and as the lawyer in charge of the case, I had to deal with it personally.
As soon as I finished, I came straight here.” Su Jin Yue looked at him, her expression still cold.
She wasn’t someone who easily believed other people’s explanations, and she especially disliked being put in a position where she had to wait for someone else.
“You’re thirty minutes late.
What if I had already left?” “I would have found a way to meet you and apologize.” “I thought you weren’t coming.” “I’m sorry.” “That’s the second time you’ve apologized.” “There definitely won’t be a next time.” Gu Jing Shen answered immediately, without making any further excuses.
Su Jin Yue had been about to reprimand him a little more, but when she saw him standing there drenched in sweat, the words that had reached her lips somehow disappeared.
This man had clearly rushed all the way here.
If he had truly wanted to give up, there would have been no reason for him to hurry like this.
Gu Jing Shen glanced at the clock before asking, “Do we still have time?” Su Jin Yue looked at the clock as well.
“We do.” “Then let’s go.” The two of them turned and walked back into the Civil Affairs Bureau.
After taking a few steps, Gu Jing Shen suddenly called out to her.
“Su Jin Yue.” She turned around.
He stood several steps away, his breathing already steady, but there was an unusual seriousness in his eyes.
“Whatever happens, I will definitely come.”