The third time the emcee called for the bride to enter, the aisle at the end of the red carpet remained empty. The guests started to fidget, whispers rippling through the room, while I stood on stage, mortified.
Clenching my fists, I stared straight ahead. “Yao Lixue, what kind of stunt are you pulling this time?”
Suddenly, someone shouted, “The bride just made an announcement on her Moments!”
Phones came out in a flash. Moments later, everyone was staring at me with pity in their eyes.
My best man, Zhang Wei, scrolled through his phone, then glanced up at me, looking like he’d just swallowed a lemon.
I shot him a glare. “Wei, hand me your phone.”
It was humiliating, being the only one in the dark. My gut told me that Yao Lixue was up to something big, and this wedding was about to go off the rails.
Usually a brash, outgoing guy, Zhang Wei shuffled over to me, hesitant and awkward.
I lost patience and strode over, grabbing for his phone. He resisted at first, but after I shot him a death stare, he handed it over.
“Jiayi, try to stay calm,” he whispered. “Maybe Lixue has her reasons.”
On his screen was her latest post: “Only a prince is worthy of a princess.” The photo? Her, passionately kissing a handsome stranger—nine selfies, each from a different angle.
Strong brows, long lashes, a sharp nose, a sculpted jawline—even with his eyes closed, you could tell he was her type: fair-skinned, strikingly attractive.
I tried calling her from Zhang Wei’s WeChat, but no one answered. Again and again, I called. Nothing.
Frustration boiled over. I handed the phone back, walked to the center of the stage, and took the mic from the emcee, keeping my voice as steady as I could.
“Everyone, please quiet down. I sincerely apologize—the wedding is canceled. Please enjoy the meal as our guests, and all gifts will be returned. Thank you.”
I couldn’t bear to look at the guests’ faces. I dropped the mic and walked off stage.
My parents and Yao Lixue’s mother rushed over.
My mom looked worried. “Jiayi, what’s going on?”
My dad was fuming. “Did you and Lixue have a fight? Is this some kind of act to get back at you?”
Before her mother could speak, her father hurried in, out of breath. “This isn’t Jiayi’s fault. My daughter’s to blame for this mess.”
He handed his wife a glass of water, then continued, “She just called—said she found her true love and wanted me to apologize. The wedding’s off.”
My dad clutched his chest, staggering. I caught him just in time.
My mom’s hands shook as she tried to calm him. “Breathe, Lao Lin, breathe. Don’t let this get to you.”
My dad’s blood pressure had always been high. Earlier this year, he’d nearly died from a stroke brought on by worrying about my lack of marriage prospects. We’d barely gotten him back from the brink—now, any shock could be fatal.
I fished his medication from his pocket and made sure he took it. Then I turned to the Yaos, my face dark.
“Uncle Yao, Auntie Xu, your daughter has made my family a laughingstock. There’s no way we can go through with this wedding.”
“We’ll cover the banquet costs, but I’d appreciate it if you could return the 288,800 yuan betrothal gift.”
Our families were next-door neighbors in the Xinghe Garden complex. Lixue and I had grown up together—childhood friends, practically inseparable.
She was the only girl our age in the neighborhood, always rough-and-tumble, more like a boy than a girl.
After we started school, she didn’t like hanging out with the other girls—said they were too whiny and delicate. She preferred the company of boys.
Over the years, she never had a single female friend. All her close friends were guys.
I’d once suggested she make some girlfriends, but she always shook her head, saying girls were too much drama. She claimed she’d never win at those mind games.
At first, I believed her. I even started avoiding other girls myself.
But when she started “breaking up” couples in our circle, I realized something was off.
In college, my roommates were all good-looking, each one more impressive than the last. The most outstanding was Chen Tao—tall, fit, fashionable, and from a wealthy family. He’d never dated anyone before.
On the first day, the four of us took a group photo and posted it online.
Lixue liked the post and messaged me, begging to meet my roommates. I gave in and set up a dinner.
She quickly charmed everyone, joining our group chat and becoming one of the guys.
But Chen Tao was different. A week later, he confided that he’d fallen for her at first sight and wanted to pursue her.
This wasn’t the first time one of my friends liked her. She had the face of an angel and the body of a model—guys flocked to her, but she never dated any of them. They either got rejected and drifted away, or stuck around as “just friends.”
In other words, they became backup options.
I was one of those—rejected, but still hopelessly devoted.
I knew Chen Tao wouldn’t succeed, so I told him her likes and dislikes, but warned him she was hard to win over.
He tried anyway, showering her with attention. She turned him down, but didn’t refuse his gifts or his company.
Eventually, he gave up on romance and settled for being her “brother.”
Chapter 01
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