Zhiyuan looked at the store that was well-known in the city for doing wedding shopping - everything from bride's and groom's wedding ceremony suits and dresses to jewelry and other stuff.
After making those questionable statements about needing Xinyi, Qin Fuhua asked her to come to this shop.
Zhiyuan asked, "Why are we here?"
Xinyi said, "Come inside. You will see."
As they entered the shop, they saw a panicking Qin Fuhua already pacing back and forth in the store. His sight fell on Xinyi and he beamed. He charged straight forward and was about to hug her when Zhiyuan swiftly stepped in between and shot a deadly glare at him.
"What are you doing?"
Keep your distance, damn it!
Qin Fuhua fumed. "Why are you coming between two good friends!"
He smiled. "As far as I know, you are not friends, but just a bully who used to trouble Xinyi in the past."
His mouth twitched. "That's the past! We were always buddies!" He looked at Xinyi and cried. "Thank God you came or else this would have been my last day on earth."
Why is it not? He grimaced.
"Now tell me why do you need Xinyi's help so many times!?" He gritted his teeth.
"Because she has a good taste. After all, she helped me choose a great wedding ring!"
He froze and looked at him speechless. "Wedding ring for who?"
This bastard bought a wedding ring for Xinyi!? What the hell is going on?
"For his fiance," Xinyi said.
Zhiyuan rapidly blinked his eyes and then they slowly widened as it registered in his brain. "Fiance?"
Qin Fuhua furiously nodded. "I don't have a good sense of taste. Rong already declared that if made a single mistake in any of the ceremonies, she would kill me," he sobbed.
Suddenly, it felt as if lightning crashed on Zhiyuan. "You-you are going to marry?"
He grinned. "Yup!"
Xinyi nodded and chuckled as well. "Her name is Huang Rong. She was in the same grade as us in college but in a different class."
Zhiyuan thought back to all the times when Xinyi met Qin Fuhua. "So all this time…"
She said, "Ah that. I was helping him choose gifts and other stuff for Huang Rong. There are so many things to do in a wedding, right? So much shopping. Qin Fuhua was totally confused about what to do," she laughed.
"Hey don't laugh…" He whined and looked away in embarrassment.
Zhiyuan was in shock for a long time before he finally realized it. He pressed his brows and felt completely stupid. He was so afraid that Xinyi might start liking Qin Fuhua again. But reality was different.
He glared at Qin Fuhua. "Indeed you have no choice! Even your choice of words is so pathetic! Can't you just simply ask in a normal way?"
Qin Fuhua was speechless. "What do you mean?"
'I need Xinyi.'
'Only Xinyi can help me relieve my stress.'
What the hell is that?
"That-" he gnashed his teeth. "Have some shame! Don't talk as if you have some intentions for her," he harrumphed.
Xinyi widened her eyes. Her mouth opened in an O and she facepalmed.
Qin Fuhua frowned. "Of course I have intentions towards her."
His gaze darkened.
"If not, then I wouldn't have asked her for help."
Zhiyuan had this urge to hang him on a tree upside down and punch him until he was satisfied. He rolled up his sleeves and dangerously smiled. "I think you need a beating. Don't worry. I will fulfill your wish."
"Hey! I condone violence," then it finally struck Qin Fuhua and he looked at him as realization dawned on him. "Oh! Oh! Oh! I get it now. You were feeling jealous all this time!"
Zhiyuan stiffened and so did Xinyi. She coughed.
Zhiyuan felt jealous…?
He burst into a loud laughter. "Ah now I get it why Mr. Han's mood was so sour all this time. Did you feel that I was stealing your wife? Or maybe... having designs on her?" He chuckled.
Zhiyuan felt embarrassed and the tips of his ears turned red. Xinyi peeked at him and clearly saw his awkward expression. She thought he would deny it but…
For a moment, she felt hope lit her heart and her cheeks flushed slightly pink.
"O-of course Zhiyuan wouldn't think that…" she mumbled.
"I did," he said.
Her eyes flew open in shock. "Huh?"
Zhiyuan cleared his throat. "I-I mean this Qin Fuhua! He pestered you so much and you went along with it every time," he quickly said, "Of course I don't blame you! But...but…"
He didn't know how to explain himself.
Qin Fuhua's brows in amusement. "But ever since we met at that time after so long, Xinyi and I have been together a lot of times and a certain someone couldn't handle the jealousy~~"
Xinyi's heart skipped several beats. She couldn't believe it at all. For all these years, it was her one-sided love for Zhiyuan while he...felt nothing for her.
Why would he get jealous now?
She quickly said, "What help do you need today?"
"Oh yes! There is a lot of shopping to be done and as usual, I am in your care."
Xinyi sighed. "I am telling you. You should do it yourself. I want to help you, but I think Huang Rong will appreciate it more if you choose everything. It's the feeling that matters. At this point, everything is my choice, not yours."
Zhiyuan felt that she had a point. "She is right. I mean, even if it's overwhelming and confusing, everything should come from your heart. And if she is marrying you, she would know about incredible taste, right?" He chuckled. "Do you think she would cause a fuss knowing the fact?"
Qin Fuhua grumbled. "You are right. But...last time, I gifted her a dress, but she didn't quite like it. I don't want to take any chances in our ceremony."
They sighed. Now that it got clear, Zhiyuan felt at ease and he joined in the shopping venture too. Xinyi got busy with Qin Fuhua while Zhiyuan roamed around at the other corner.
Suddenly, he paused in his steps as his sight fell on a beautiful ring. He curiously walked over and peered at the ring. It glistened beautifully in the light. The diamond ring was studded with a small ring of another set of diamonds on its band. At a glance, he understood that the diamond at the centre was slightly different from the usual diamond rings.
The female attendant smiled. "Sir, do you want to have a look?"
"Yeah…"
She eagerly brought out the ring and placed it in front of him. Zhiyuan gently held it between his thumb and index finger. The ring was delicate just like Xinyi. He loved it the moment he saw it and felt that it would be just perfect for her.
"Sir, the diamond in this ring is really rare and precious found in Botswana. It's composition is different from the other diamonds usually present in the market. That's why this ring is also on a special display here. Is it for your girlfriend, sir?"
A gentle smile laced his lips. "My wife."
The attendant beamed. "Then it's just perfect. The ring would look absolutely breathtaking on your wife."
Indeed. He felt as if it was meant for Xinyi. His gaze clouded a little. Even though they wore wedding bands on their fingers, that ring wasn't something that he chose for her. But when he saw this ring now, he felt an urge to put it on her.
"Pack it for me, please."
"Sure!"
On the other side, Xinyi and Qin Fuhua were done shopping too. They found Zhiyuan at the ring counter. As he glanced at their incoming figures, he quickly hid the ring box and smiled. "So are you two done?"
Qin Fuhua was hopping in happiness. "Yes! With this, I can guarantee a happy married life for myself. All thanks to Xinyi," he wiped a non-existent tear.
Zhiyuan rolled his eyes.
"Also, you two have to come to our wedding! Oh wait! I forgot."
"What?"
He chuckled. "There is another chance to meet her before the wedding ceremony. The reunion!"
Xinyi slowly widened her eyes. "Oh! Yes, I remember. Ah Cy was saying something like that. The reunion was supposed to be a month later."
"Yes, it's almost time. Zhiyuan and our batches will come together for a blast! Hoho! That will be so much fun! You will get to meet her then. Just…" he coughed, "don't tell her that you helped me."
Xinyi narrowed her eyes.
Zhiyuan smiled. "I don't know. You have troubled me so much that it might slip out of my tongue~"
"You! I think you are more of a bully than me!" He glared at him.
Outside, Qin Fuhua bid them goodbye. Xinyi smiled. "He loves her so much, doesn't he?"
Zhiyuan observed her and found that she was talking quite normally. He was particularly anxious if her old feelings would come back knocking her heart. But she genuinely felt happy for him.
"Xinyi."
She looked at him. "Hm?"
He stared at her and slightly parted his lips, "I want to take you to dinner with me."