Chapter 96

Hu Zhiqi also came to the wedding banquet, following Qiu Rongxin and Yang Tianlin like a loyal dog. Even when Qiu Rongxin glared at him, he took it as her flirting with him.

“You bastard…” Qiu Rongxin was furious with him inside, but given the occasion, she couldn’t say anything. Today was a joyful day for Lihuan and Changqing, and she couldn’t be the one to ruin it.

Yang Tianlin rested his chin on his hand, watching his father diligently serve his mother food and water. A faint smile played at the corner of his lips—one he didn’t even notice himself.

After returning to the Hu family, Hu Zhiqi had questioned the butler and others who knew what happened back then. He learned that his relationship with his father had been extremely strained and that he had once run away from home for a long period. Eventually, for reasons unknown, his father had managed to call him back to the Hu household under some pretense. That very night, he had fallen down the stairs and lost all his past memories.

He suspected that during the time he had run away, he’d met Rongxin and been with her—and that was when Tianlin was born. As for why Tianlin’s surname was Yang, it was likely because he had hidden his real name. Since he had run away, he wouldn’t have used his actual identity, and his biological mother’s surname was Yang. It made sense that he would’ve adopted her surname.

That would explain why Tianlin’s surname was Yang, not Hu.

After hearing from his son about the hardships they had endured over the years, Hu Zhiqi felt like he had swallowed bitter herbs—his heart ached deeply.

For the past year, he had been trying to recover his lost memories and began a long road of winning back his wife. Now, he was starting to see results. Although Rongxin still hadn’t forgiven him, Tianlin had already accepted him as his father. He believed that one day, he would bring his wife home again.

Had it not been for Shen Lihuan’s help back then, he might never have had the chance to reunite with Rongxin and their son. So, for Shen Lihuan and You Changqing’s wedding, he painted an oil painting of the two of them in pure white wedding gowns, bathed in sunlight, and gifted it to them.

His paintings had previously sold for tens of millions. Gifting them one of his own works was not only a sincere gesture of gratitude but also entirely appropriate for the occasion.

In the painting, Shen Lihuan and You Changqing wore expressions of pure joy and bliss. Anyone who saw it could instantly tell how deeply they loved each other. You Changqing loved it and hung it on the wall of their room, right where it would be seen the moment someone walked in.

Soon, the wedding banquet began. Shen Lihuan and You Changqing changed out of their wedding gowns into formal wear to greet the guests. You Changqing didn’t hold her liquor well, so Shen Lihuan stayed by her side, helping her block the drinks. Changqing only took an occasional sip. But given the couple’s high status, even if they didn’t drink, no one dared show any displeasure.

They made their way to the table where Cheng Ziqian and Bo Wen’an were seated. Cheng Ziqian looked at Lihuan and Changqing with a beaming smile. “Congratulations! Among our classmates, you two were the fastest—getting married right after graduation.”

“Thanks, Orange. What about you and Bo? When are you two planning to tie the knot?”

After clinking glasses with them, Shen Lihuan asked with a smile.

Cheng Ziqian gave Bo Wen’an a sweet glance. “Probably soon. Once we’ve worked for a while and things settle down, marriage will be on the agenda.”

While he spoke, Bo Wen’an’s eyes followed him the whole time. Seven years had passed, yet their love was even stronger than before—a rare thing indeed.

“Make sure you send invitations to me and Changqing when the time comes. We’ll definitely come for your wedding banquet too.”

Seeing her classmates also moving toward marriage, Shen Lihuan was sincerely happy for them.

“Absolutely! There’s no way we’d leave you two out.”

Cheng Ziqian nodded eagerly like a pecking chick.

After chatting with them a bit more, Shen Lihuan and You Changqing moved on to the next table.

Qu Nan was seated with a few old colleagues and a few of his disciples. The moment Shen Lihuan saw them, she lifted her wine glass with a smile. “Teachers, senior brothers and sisters, welcome to mine and Changqing’s wedding banquet. Let us offer you all a toast.”

You Changqing also smiled and greeted them. Everyone clinked glasses and drank with warm smiles.

Qu Nan studied his disciple’s partner—such a delicate and spirited young lady, a perfect match for his little disciple. Scientists like them rarely married young; some even devoted their whole lives to research with no interest in marriage. Since his little disciple had found someone she loved and was marrying her, he hoped she would find happiness and fulfillment in this marriage.

Shen Lihuan didn’t know her teacher was thinking all this. She and Changqing made their way to the table where her parents and in-laws were seated. Upon seeing them, the subtle smile on Lihuan’s face deepened. Together, they offered wine to their elders.

Gu Qinglan smiled from ear to ear and stuffed a red envelope into each of their hands. The envelopes were flat—no doubt containing checks.

With his daughter getting married today, Shen Jiashu was also in high spirits. He laughed heartily as he handed red envelopes to his daughter and daughter-in-law. “Lihuan, you’re a grown-up now. From now on, take good care of Changqing. Be loving and harmonious, and live a happy life together.”

Shen Lihuan and You Changqing bowed deeply to their parents. “Don’t worry, Dad and Mom—we’ll be happy.”

Then the two shared a smile, filled with sweetness.

Seeing their daughter and daughter-in-law so in love, the parents were reassured. Gu Qinglan and Shen Jiashu nodded in satisfaction.

Then You Zongzheng and Yang Yingzhi also gave them red envelopes. Yang Yingzhi held her daughter’s hand and gently asked if she was tired and whether she wanted to sit down for a bit. Gu Tingyu and Guan Kening, the uncle and aunt, also handed over red envelopes, warmly reminding them not to drink too much and to be careful of getting drunk.

Because they had to maintain their figures to fit into the wedding gowns, Shen Lihuan and You Changqing had only eaten a light breakfast that morning and hadn’t touched anything else since. Now that they’d changed into slightly more comfortable formal wear, they could finally eat something. Shen Lihuan had Changqing sit down and served her a bowl of silken tofu soup, then added a few pastries to her plate, not even bothering to eat herself.

Seeing how thoughtful she was toward their daughter, You Zongzheng and Yang Yingzhi nodded in satisfaction. As long as she knew how to love her wife, that was enough.

As soon as little Youyou saw his big sister, he couldn’t sit still—he had to leap into her arms. But Shen Lihuan was wearing a gown and couldn’t hold him, so she went over, took his chubby little hand, and chatted with him to distract him. Sure enough, with his sister by his side, he forgot all about wanting to be carried and simply basked in his joy, his tiny mouth chattering nonstop.

You Changhong and Ye Muyan were seated at the table next to them, leaning over to chat with You Changqing. 521 fluttered over Shen Lihuan’s head, curiously observing the wedding venue decor, and then casually remarked, “When I get married, I want it just like this.” Unfortunately, the only one who could hear it—Shen Lihuan—didn’t catch what it said.

Once the wedding banquet was over, You Changqing let out a long, exhausted sigh. Weddings were indeed exhausting. Her face had nearly frozen from smiling so much.

Shen Lihuan had the servants prepare some food, then went into the bathroom to draw a tub full of hot water for Changqing, adding a few drops of fatigue-relief bath oil.

You Changqing lay sprawled on the bed, too lazy to move. Shen Lihuan gave her a light pat on a certain perky part. “Come on, soak in the bath. I’ve got the water ready.”

“I can’t move. Carry me.”

You Changqing pouted, her voice soft and coy. Shen Lihuan couldn’t help but chuckle, bent down to lift her up, helped her out of her gown, and carried her into the bathroom.

The two of them were already like an old married couple. You Changqing wasn’t the least bit shy about being naked; instead, she struck a seductive pose, flaunting her alluring figure in front of Lihuan. “So, how’s my body? Do I get your heart racing?”

Shen Lihuan pinched that perky part with a touch of exasperation. “Weren’t you just saying you couldn’t move? Now you’ve suddenly got energy to tease me?”

Even through the thin layer of fabric, the sensation was crystal clear. You Changqing let out a coy little moan, more like pleasure than pain. A flash of red glinted in Shen Lihuan’s peach blossom eyes as she husked, “You started this. Don’t blame me if you can’t get out of bed tomorrow.”

You Changqing smiled at her like a sly little fox. “Bring it on. I’m not scared.”

“Good.”

Shen Lihuan narrowed her peach blossom eyes, set her into the tub, and began bathing her. Though her movements were passionate, her expression remained utterly serious—so much so that if you didn’t look at her hands, you’d never believe what she was doing.

The fire in You Changqing had already been lit. Her long legs pressed together, her eyes misted like a southern river town in the rain. Her lips were parted just so, the tip of her tongue occasionally peeking out.

After bathing her, Shen Lihuan stood under the shower for a quick rinse, then put on a robe and carried You Changqing back to the room. With one hand she wiped You Changqing dry with a towel, and with the other tucked her into bed. Then she took a hair dryer and began drying her hair. Every movement flowed smoothly and naturally—it was clear Shen Lihuan had done this many times before.

But You Changqing wasn’t satisfied being the only one swept away. Shen Lihuan, by contrast, was calm as a monk in meditation. So she pulled back the covers a little to reveal her “cotton candy,” even stretching out a leg to brush against Lihuan’s thigh.

“It’s our wedding night, you know. Aren’t you even a little excited?”

“What do you think?”

Shen Lihuan sighed, took her hand and led it to a mysterious, warm, and moist place. Only then did You Changqing’s eyes crinkle in delight, muffling a giggle behind her hand.

Once both their hair was dry, a maid knocked on the door with their food. Shen Lihuan told You Changqing to stay tucked in, straightened her robe, and only opened the door after making sure she looked decent.

It was an older maid, even older than Gu Qinglan. Shen Lihuan took the food box from her hands. The maid, knowing it was the young lady’s big day, simply offered a warm “Congratulations on your wedding, Miss,” then turned and went downstairs.

Shen Lihuan brought the food box inside and set out the dishes. You Changqing, now starving, got up, put on a matching robe, and sat obediently by her side, practically drooling over the food.

Hunger makes everything taste good. That was exactly their situation—two dishes and a bowl of rice, not a scrap left. They truly embodied the “Clean Plate Campaign.”

After clearing the table, Shen Lihuan went to the bathroom and returned with a damp towel to wipe You Changqing’s hands and mouth. You Changqing patted her still-flat belly, then, with a sly gleam in her eye, dove back under the covers.

The towel had a bit of grease on it, but Shen Lihuan didn’t mind. She flipped it over to the clean side to wipe her own hands and mouth, then went back to the bathroom to wash it thoroughly.

Great—full bellies, clean bodies. Time to sleep.

That night, You Changqing thoroughly experienced what it meant to be “a fish fried till golden on both sides.” She cried out, “I’m going to die,” but Shen Lihuan simply dragged her back by the ankles. “You’re not dying. Didn’t you say you weren’t afraid? Told me to bring it on, didn’t you?”

You Changqing immediately begged for mercy. “I was wrong. I didn’t recognize Mt. Tai when I saw it. Please, Lihuan, have mercy.”

Shen Lihuan chuckled lowly and kissed away the tears at the corners of her eyes. “Good girl, as long as you know you were wrong.”

She used her powers to gently massage the aching parts of You Changqing’s body. The comfort drew soft hums from her lips. Shen Lihuan’s gaze darkened, and she leaned down to steal her breath once more.

By the end, You Changqing could do nothing but lie there like a dead fish, unable even to open her eyes.

Shen Lihuan gazed at her sleep-flushed face, still holding a hint of grievance, then leaned down with a doting smile. She used her powers to knead every joint and muscle in her body, making her hum like a pampered little pig—the cutest little pig there ever was.

Only after rubbing in essential oils over her entire body did Shen Lihuan finally turn off the lights, climb into bed, and fall asleep holding Changqing in her arms.