RITM - 48

Chapter 48: The Sixteen-Sided Mirror - Autumn Rain (1)

He Yingze’s demeanor was much colder than usual. He found a seat and sat down by himself. Ni Lei chatted with Luo Wei for a few minutes before suddenly bending over and covering her mouth. Luo Wei quickly supported her, asking if she felt unwell.

“Can you accompany me to the restroom?” Ni Lei’s slender fingers clutched Luo Wei’s arm like a parrot’s claws. “I feel like I’m going to throw up…”

“Ah, okay.”

For some reason, as she helped Ni Lei into the restroom, Luo Wei felt a cloud of unease envelop her heart. Hearing Ni Lei vomiting into the toilet in one of the stalls, she called out worriedly, “Ni Lei, are you alright?” but received no response. The unease spread like a virus until Ni Lei rushed out, brushing past her and whispering a single sentence that delivered a death sentence to Luo Wei.

That sentence was: “Being pregnant is so hard.”

Ni Lei bent over the sink, rinsing her mouth repeatedly, still looking miserable. Luo Wei saw herself in the mirror—her complexion wasn’t any better than Ni Lei’s. It was as if a boulder had struck her from behind; she too hunched over, furrowing her brow as she gently patted Ni Lei’s back, unsure how to speak for a long time.

When faced with another person’s sorrowful expression, even the most rational individuals can be affected emotionally. For instance, when a girl tearfully recounts a heart-wrenching love story, her close friends often cry alongside her. This moment was no different. Luo Wei might have been able to hold back her tears, but seeing her own sorrowful reflection in the mirror made her eyes redden involuntarily. She quickly wiped away the tears at the corners of her eyes and forced a strained smile: “This is good news. You two will probably get married soon, right?”

“I haven’t told King yet… I… I don’t have the confidence. I don’t know if he’ll accept this child.” Tears welled up in Ni Lei’s eyes, though it was unclear whether they were solely from vomiting.

Luo Wei knew that Ni Lei genuinely loved He Yingze. She couldn’t bring herself to hurt such a woman—they were the same kind of people. She understood the heartache of loving him. It was time for her to put an end to their tangled relationship once and for all. Why not now? She helped Ni Lei up, using a tissue to wipe away her tears and the water at the corners of her mouth, smiling softly: “He Yingze is an ambitious man. Men like him often adore children. You’re already his girlfriend—he’ll be thrilled.”

“Really? He won’t despise me?” A glimmer of hope lit up in Ni Lei’s eyes. Her youthful, beautiful face brimming with anticipation looked stunning.

“Of course not. How can you say such self-deprecating things? If you’re not worthy of him, then no one is. Don’t worry about his bad temper—I’ve known him for many years. He’s always been like this. On the surface, he appears somewhat patriarchal, sharp-tongued, and untamed like a wild horse, but deep down, he’s incredibly responsible and full of positive energy. Choose the right moment to tell him—he’ll be overjoyed.”

Ni Lei’s eyes glistened even more brightly as she hugged Luo Wei and burst into tears. Luo Wei patted her back, tightly pursing her lips, her rabbit-like red eyes gazing upward as she struggled to keep the tears from falling.

If not for this conversation, she might not have so clearly realized just how many good qualities He Yingze possessed. And the more she praised him, the more she liked him. He was such a wonderful person—it was hard to let go. But she also understood that anyone could admire a €20,000 Parisian haute couture dress, and any woman who dressed decently might have the chance to carefully lift it up and admire it in a boutique. However, only a select few could truly afford to buy it. If one’s financial standing wasn’t strong enough, even scraping together the money to purchase it would leave one knowing it wasn’t something they truly deserved. Choosing a partner was the same principle. Any woman encountering a man like He Yingze would find it hard to leave. With so many outstanding women around, and him being so astute, of course he could see that she wasn’t the most exceptional among them.

After calming Ni Lei, Luo Wei accompanied her back just as the newlyweds’ wedding ceremony officially began. The groom stood in the center of the stage, waiting for the bride’s arrival. Luo Wei sat down beside Su Jianian and Xiao Lajiao, quietly remarking, “I never expected that someone who used to cause so much trouble could look quite handsome today.”

Xiao Lajiao shrugged: “Yeah, men like this are the ones best suited for marriage. Playboys aren’t worth much.”

Luo Wei thought for a moment, then turned and smiled: “That doesn’t sound like something you’d say. Did someone recently catch your eye—a boy with a flirtatious exterior?”

“Luo Wei, you know what I hate most? Your terrifying perceptiveness.”

“So it’s true. Tell me, who is it?”

Xiao Lajiao was terrible at keeping secrets and ended up telling Luo Wei everything about Lu Xiren’s antics. When Luo Wei heard about the infamous groin-kicking incident, she nearly spat out her tea laughing: “So you’re Miss Yellow Rose!”

“What? You know that disgusting nickname too?”

“Of course! It’s practically become Lu Xiren’s catchphrase. I thought it was some imaginary artistic figure he conjured up.”

Xiao Lajiao wanted to say something but ultimately drowned her words with a gulp of wine. After a while, she ruffled her short hair in frustration and muttered, “Ugh, I don’t care anymore. He’s just crazy—let him do whatever he wants.”

Luo Wei observed her expression and said with a smile, “How nice—it seems even Xiao Lajiao is falling in love.”

Xiao Lajiao opened her mouth wide, revealing her pearly white teeth: “What nonsense are you spouting? I don’t like him at all! Luo Wei, don’t you dare make wild guesses or say anything to him, got it…?”

Applause erupted, and though Xiao Lajiao continued speaking, Luo Wei didn’t hear another word. At that moment, a cascade of rose petals and bubbles rained down from above, creating a magical shower straight out of a fairy tale kingdom. Through the veil of petals, foam, a wedding cake adorned with two figurines in formal attire, white swan decorations, and the thunderous applause, she caught sight of He Yingze sitting across the crystal stage. His eyes were deep and dark, once again locking onto her with an icy gaze—but only for a fleeting moment. Then he turned his head, elegantly clapping for the newlyweds. From this moment on, she could no longer hear any sound. Everything before her slowed into cinematic slow motion, stretching out even the pain in her heart. She quickly turned her head, lowering it to watch the rose petals falling onto her lap, struggling to maintain her composure as she listened to Su Jianian speak.

Finally, the bride appeared in a snow-white wedding gown, an angelic figure gliding toward the groom. As they gazed deeply into each other’s eyes, the emcee delivered a long, emotional speech that brought tears to countless eyes in the audience. Then, the groom took the microphone and slowly said, “How many moments in life can truly make us feel happiness and unforgettable joy from the bottom of our hearts? This, I believe, is the most unforgettable moment of my life. Please believe me—I will always deeply love my wife, protect her for the rest of my life, and build a beautiful family with her.”

Amidst the silent weeping of the crowd, the bride smiled gently and spoke into the microphone: “Till death do us part, I pledge to you. Holding your hand, I vow to grow old with you.”

Compared to other animals, perhaps humans suffer emotional pain because language can be so romantic. Promises paint everything in such beautiful hues that losing them becomes utterly heartbreaking. From the ancient vow, “Holding your hand, growing old together,” to today’s “I’ll love you for a lifetime,” how laughable these words are. Who can guarantee their feelings will remain unchanged until old age? Even marriage, which binds people together, can crumble when disaster strikes. Yet anyone who falls in love is willing to believe in these shallow declarations.

Luo Wei was skilled at cheering others up, but precisely because of that, she was less inclined than most to believe in these verbal promises. Still, how she wished she and that person were the ones standing on the stage. Even for just one moment, she wanted to hear those lies—and to say them herself.

“Holding your hand, growing old together.”

These eight simple words were perhaps the saddest in the world. They moved everyone present, and even Luo Wei couldn’t help but tear up, secretly wiping her eyes.

Then came the most awkward part of the ceremony. The emcee announced over the microphone that all unmarried women should come up to the stage. By habit, Luo Wei should have rushed forward immediately to catch the bouquet. But even Xiao Lajiao had boldly gone up, while Luo Wei remained seated, unmoving. Did she still yearn to be a bride as much as she did when she was four years old? She glanced up at He Yingze sitting across from her and found him inadvertently looking back—his gaze as cold as before.

Did he still remember the foolish things she had done as a child? Did he recall her asking him to help her catch the bouquet? Never mind—she didn’t need to know. It was enough to remember that he didn’t love her and to stop doing foolish things. Now, Ni Lei beside him resembled the four-year-old Luo Wei more closely—she set down her bag, blushing shyly, and hurried onto the stage to join the other single women and bridesmaids. When the emcee repeatedly asked if there were any more single women, even shining the spotlight directly on Luo Wei, she simply bowed her head deeply.

If she couldn’t marry the one she truly loved, when she got married—or whether she became the next bride—no longer mattered.

She no longer wanted to be a bride. Nor did she want to get married anymore.

By the time the ceremony ended and people began mingling and toasting, the sound of rain outside had grown nearly as loud as the lively chatter indoors. Some girls fretted about not bringing umbrellas, while single men seized the opportunity to display their gentlemanly manners, offering their own umbrellas and volunteering to escort them home. Alone, Luo Wei walked to the elevator lobby—only to see He Yingze and Ni Lei standing beneath an Italian chandelier in the distance. Ni Lei looked emotionally unstable, tears in her eyes, speaking plaintively. He Yingze’s expression was somewhat stern as he said a few words, prompting her to pound his chest in agitation. After a brief struggle, they embraced.

It seemed He Yingze had said something hurtful. Hurting those who loved him had always been his forte. But so what? His child was growing inside Ni Lei.