Keeping Calm and Lu Jinhu and Yang Lin’s Wedding
3 Friday, continued …
After dropping Anna off to change and return to the office, Hou Yi continued on to the Key Plaza Hotel for Lu Jinhu and Yang Lin’s formal wedding ceremony. Weddings were big business for hotels, and as part of Hou Enterprises’ involvement, Hou Yi had insisted that the hotel grounds include a wedding chapel, along with multiple ballrooms to accommodate receptions. Lu Jinhu and Yang Lin’s reception would take place in the Grand Ballroom.
Hou Yi arrived right at the end of the designated seating time mentioned in the invitation delivered the day before. The ushers attempted to escort him to a seat at the front of the chapel, but he refused and chose to sit in the last row. Just two minutes after he settled in, Yang Lin walked into the chapel, her father proudly escorting her down the aisle. When she saw Hou Yi, she smirked, but he remained unfazed, ignoring her look and instead focusing on watching her continue down the aisle toward her wedding. All he could think about was how lucky he and Anna were to have escaped a life entangled with people like Lu Jinhu and Yang Lin.
After the wedding ceremony concluded, the bride and groom decided to take photographs with every guest in the hotel gardens. Yang Lin, eager to assert her dominance and humiliate Hou Yi, immediately targeted him. She sent the wedding planner over to ask him to join the couple for photos.
Hou Yi had been expecting this, as he knew Yang Lin’s personality all too well—demanding, controlling, and always striving to appear superior to everyone around her. But today, he wasn’t going to play her game. All he wanted to do was make it clear that he didn’t care about her antics. Before heading over to the couple, he reached into his pocket and pulled out the red envelope that Assistant Wang had given him to use as a gift. He deliberately placed it in his left hand, knowing it would be a small power play to make it more obvious when he handed it over.
When he reached them, he greeted the couple, “Congratulations on your marriage. Lu Jinhu, the man who has her heart, has won her.” He extended his hand to shake Lu Jinhu’s, all the while thinking to himself, I just want to crush you for the pain you’ve caused Anna.
Once Lu Jinhu released his hand, Hou Yi subtly transferred the red envelope into his right hand, making sure his wedding ring was visible, and said, “This is for you. Congratulations. I’m sorry I can’t stay, as I have more work awaiting me at the office.”
But Yang Lin wasn’t done. She immediately demanded, “Hou Yi, you’re not going anywhere. I’ve decided I’m having photos taken with every guest, and that means you.”
Without missing a beat, Hou Yi turned to the photographer and said, “Well, hurry up.” He stood next to the bride and groom as a few photos were taken, making sure his wedding ring was clearly visible. Once the pictures were done, Hou Yi wasted no time walking off.
Just after he took a few steps, he heard Yang Lin’s voice cut through the air, laced with frustration. “Fk, he has a wedding ring on. Who did he marry?” After a brief pause, she hissed, “Fk, that wedding ring is from the Dream Set I wanted. He fking kept it for himself. Who in the fk did he marry?”
Hou Yi didn’t pause, didn’t respond, and certainly didn’t look back. He simply continued walking out, making polite conversation with a few friends and business acquaintances who were also invited to the wedding. The crowd was familiar to him—mostly the same faces as previous weddings, with a few variations. The elite circle in City T was small, and those who were invited to such high-profile events were usually the same select group of individuals.
As Hou Yi moved through the crowd, some people noticed his wedding ring and asked about it. His answer was consistent and simple: “Yes, I am married, and no, my wife is not here. I will introduce you when the time is right.”
