Chapter 1 — Adultery on the Wedding Day

To ensure that I could leave my maiden home in absolute splendor, my mother had personally retrieved the heirloom jade jewelry set—consisting of a necklace, earrings, and a bracelet passed down by my grandmother—from the safe. Yet, on the very morning of my wedding, the jade suite, which should have been resting safely in my vanity drawer, had vanished without a trace. My mother was so frantic she threatened to call the police immediately. Aside from its exorbitant intrinsic value, the set held a profound sentimental significance. Just as my father reached for his phone to dial the authorities as well, a sudden memory flashed through my mind. Yesterday, Han Chen had showered my jade jewelry with endless, glowing praise.

Dad, Mom, hold off on calling the police for a moment. Let me ask Han Chen first.

I dialed his number, and Han Chen admitted it with casual nonchalance:

Darling, your jade jewelry suite. I took it.

Today is the day of the wedding procession. You know I need to wear it. Why on earth did you take it?

Today is Yun He is birthday, and she lacked some jewelry to dress herself up, so I lent it to her to wear temporarily. Once she is finished with it, I will bring it back to you.

Today is our wedding day, yet you actually stole my jewelry and gave it to another woman to wear?

I forcefully suppressed the surging wave of fury erupting within my chest, questioning him in an ice-cold tone.

What do you mean, stole? I merely borrowed it temporarily, and it will be returned. Do not be so petty and small-minded. Yun He pleaded with me for a long time, and I simply could not bring myself to refuse her.

Your family owns so much jewelry anyway; just wear a different set for today. Let us settle it at that.

Be a good girl and finish putting on your makeup. I will be there to pick you up shortly.

Han Chen is indifferent tone carried a faint undertone of reproach, instantly plunging me into a suffocating sensation akin to my heart momentarily ceasing to beat. In that fraction of a second, I realized that five years of deep affection amounted to nothing more than this. In his heart, the mere utterance of a request from that woman named Luo Yun He—his unforgettable first love—was enough to make him bend over backward to satisfy her every whim. Meanwhile, I, his rightful girlfriend and soon-to-be wife, had been reduced to a pathetic joke. Perhaps even Han Chen harbored some faint awareness that his actions crossed the line, for his tone abruptly softened, turning coaxing and gentle:

My love.

You know that Yun He once saved my life years ago.

I give you my absolute word.

There is nothing romantic or special between her and me.

We are merely ordinary friends.

It is just that she begged me this once.

I found it terribly difficult to turn her down.

Be a good girl now, and stop letting your temper flare up.

I will make it up to you properly after all of this.

Because I had left the speakerphone on, both of my parents heard every single word Han Chen uttered. Before I could even open my mouth, my mother snatched the phone right out of my hand. No matter how composed and poised she typically was as the managing partner of a prestigious law firm, she was now incandescent with rage.

Han Chen, you and my daughter have been in a relationship for five years.

It took an immense amount of effort for the two of you to finally reach the threshold of marriage.

Are you intentionally trying to sabotage today is wedding?

Han Chen is placating voice drifted from the receiver:

Mother, please rest assured.

I will certainly not ruin the wedding.

I know where the boundaries lie.

My father let out a cold, cynical laugh:

You know where the boundaries lie, yet you secretly pilfered your own bride is jewelry to adorn another woman?

Dad, it was not theft; it was merely a temporary loan.

Do not address me as Dad.

My father is face darkened completely:

Before you step foot in this house to collect your bride, if that jewelry has not been returned to its rightful owner, you need not bother coming at all.

Without even giving Han Chen a chance to offer further explanations, my mother promptly severed the connection. My father gently patted my shoulder, offering a comforting warmth:

My dear daughter, your mother and I will never force you into any decision. But no matter what you choose to do, we will forever remain your strongest and most unwavering fortress!

My eyes turned burning red, and I nodded slowly. As the eldest daughter of the Wen family, the greatest blessing of my life was knowing that my parents would forever stand behind me. Even if I stumbled into a mistake, they would step forward without a moment is hesitation to help me set it right. They were the absolute source of my confidence and my ultimate sanctuary. With steady hands, I composed a text message and sent it to Han Chen:

There are still five hours left until the procession arrives. Make your own choice.

Han Chen replied almost instantly:

Darling, Yun He is currently wearing the jewelry for a photoshoot. You cannot expect me to ruin her birthday mood like this.

You have always been such an understanding woman.

Why are you acting so unreasonable today?

I typed back my response:

I am always the one understanding you, but who is going to understand me?

Han Chen, do not forget that today is the day you are supposed to marry me.

I want to look radiant as I leave my family home.

Yet you stole your own wife is jewelry and handed it to another woman.

Am I really the one making a mountain out of a molehill...

Or is it that you completely lack a sense of proportion and priority?

Or perhaps...

In the depths of your heart, I am simply no match for Luo Yun He?

From the very beginning, I was well aware that Han Chen harbored an unforgettable first love. However, he had assured me that it was all in the past, that the two of them had long since severed contact. We had always gotten along harmoniously. That was, until last year, when Luo Yun He returned from abroad. From that moment on, Han Chen is lips spoke only of Yun He, his thoughts consumed by her. When buying fruit, he would declare that Yun He favored this particular variety. When strolling down the avenue, he would remark that Yun He would look breathtaking in that specific garment. Even while sitting beside me in a movie theater, he would snap pictures of the screen to share with Luo Yun He. We had quarreled over this matter more than once. Yet every single time, he would humble himself to coax me back into a good mood. I had repeatedly convinced myself that it was merely history, not worth dwelling upon. Yet today is appalling incident abruptly woke me up to the harsh reality: I was not nearly as cherished in his heart as I had believed. Han Chen seemed to have run out of patience entirely. The tone of his subsequent messages dripped with agitation:

My love, I will state this one more time: I love only you. Stop letting your imagination run wild.

Furthermore, today is our wedding day, and all our relatives and friends have been invited.

Do not blow this out of proportion.

It will only result in both of us losing face once guests arrive.

Once the wedding is over.

If you wish to vent your anger, you may strike me a few times if it pleases you.

No matter what, you must obediently finish your makeup and wait for me at home. If you continue to throw this tantrum, the wedding is off.

End of discussion.

Listening to Han Chen is final voice message, I stared blankly at my own reflection in the mirror for a long, silent while. At some point, scorching hot tears began to trace slow paths down my cheeks. The makeup artist gently reminded me not to cry, lest my carefully applied cosmetics smudge. I forced the tears back, pulling a tissue from the box to dab my face dry. Then, I drew in a deep, resolute breath.

Please, make me look as exquisite as possible.

Without a moment is hesitation, I typed out a single message and posted it into the wedding coordination group chat:

My apologies to everyone, but the wedding ceremony has been officially canceled.

The chat group instantly erupted in a flurry of bewildered messages. I assured them that despite the cancellation of the ceremony, their professional fees would be paid out in full, down to the last penny. Once my makeup was complete, I stepped out of the bridal suite. Today was supposed to be a joyous occasion, yet my parents faces bore not a single trace of a smile. Catching sight of my slightly reddened eye rims, my mother felt an immediate pang of heartbreak.

My precious girl, if you do not wish to go through with this marriage, do not force yourself to endure this suffering.

My father slowly stood up from the sofa, his expression grim:

If the wedding does not happen, the one suffering the loss is not you.

It is that ungrateful bastard who lacks the capacity to cherish a true treasure.

The one destined to regret this...

Will undoubtedly be him.

Seeing my parents offering their unconditional support filled me with boundless strength, and I offered them a reassuring smile:

Rest assured, Mom and Dad, I will never allow myself to be wronged.

Not long after, relatives and friends began to arrive in a steady stream. The bridesmaids and female relatives continually praised how stunning I looked in my gown. Yet, utter confusion gripped them when they noticed I wore not a single piece of jewelry. Upon discovering the scandalous sequence of events, they erupted into a chorus of furious curses. One of them even slammed her hand down and proposed:

Let us go! Right now, we will storm over there and teach that unfaithful scoundrel a lesson he will never forget!

Our best friend is both gorgeous and wealthy, yet she humbled herself to marry him.

And yet he is so blindfolded by grease that he fails to appreciate her worth.

We simply must beat some sense into him!

Watching my fiercely loyal friends grit their teeth and roll up their sleeves for physical retribution, I chuckled softly and waved a hand to hold them back.

Yu Tang, you must not let yourself swallow this injustice.

When the time calls for action, one must strike without hesitation.

If you continually yield to him, it will only feed his arrogance and make him push his boundaries further.

Precisely.

Today he had the audacity to steal your jewelry to deck out another woman.

Tomorrow he might well climb into another woman is bed.

A man like this deserves a severe thrashing!

Seeing that one particularly hot-headed friend was actually scanning the kitchen for a rolling pin or knife, I quickly intervened:

Do not get carried away, everyone. I already know exactly what needs to be done.

A few hours later, the street outside grew lively and boisterous. Dressed in a sharp tailored suit and flanked by his groomsmen, Han Chen strode right through the front door, shouting at the top of his lungs:

Darling, I have come to take my bride home!

The group of groomsmen behind him joined in with cheerful catcalls and teasing laughter, while strings of firecrackers popped incessantly outside. Yet, contrasting sharply with their high spirits, the atmosphere inside our household felt chillingly bizarre. Every single person wore a face of stone, devoid of a single ounce of joy. Han Chen stepped across the threshold, flashing a charming smile as he reached into his pocket for red envelopes:

Yu Tang is lovely bridesmaids, here are some lucky red envelopes for your trouble. Please be merciful and let me pass easily.

My friends reached out to accept the envelopes, only to instantly hurl them straight back into Han Chen is chest. Han Chen froze in sheer astonishment.

Who gives a damn about your red envelopes?

Take your money and get the hell out of here!

Our Yu Tang is not marrying you.

Han Chen stood stunned for several seconds, his expression shifting uncomfortably. But remembering that he was here to claim his bride today, he forcefully swallowed his rising irritation and manufactured a rigid smile:

What is the meaning of this charade?

Hah, do you still not understand even now?

You are entirely unworthy of marrying Yu Tang.

Take your wedding entourage and get lost.

The mere sight of your face makes me violently nauseous.

You are the textbook definition of a scumbag.

You make me want to vomit!

Faced with such blistering venom, Han Chen clenched his fists tightly, his complexion turning pitch black.

I am here to collect my wife.

You women have no say over whether I leave or stay.

Step aside!

Han Chen raised a hand, attempting to shove the bridesmaid blocking his path. Instead, the brave young woman puffed out her chest and stepped forward:

Go on, touch me if you dare.

I will call the police this very second and charge you with assault and harassment.

You women...

Han Chen opened his mouth to unleash a torrent of abuse, but thinking better of it, he changed tactics entirely and roared at the top of his lungs:

Darling, I am here to get you. Come on out right now!

After a long moment of silence, the interior of the house remained dead quiet. A creeping sense of unease began to gnaw at his gut. Still, he forced himself to call out a few more times.

Stop shouting.

Yu Tang does not wish to lay eyes upon you.

Get out of here.

Right at that moment, a stylishly dressed woman adorned with the jade necklace, earrings, and bracelet stepped out from directly behind Han Chen.

Han Chen, let me help you out here.

Pausing for dramatic effect, she raised her voice to a shrill pitch:

Wen Yu Tang, Han Chen came all this way to marry you, yet you hide away inside like a coward? What kind of game are you playing?

You are publicly trampling upon his dignity.

How do you expect a man to show his face in public after this?

Moments later, heavy footsteps echoed through the living room. I finally stepped out into the open, meeting the gazes of everyone present.

Darling, you finally decided to come out!

Han Chen beamed with triumphant joy. I cast a chilling, indifferent glance in his direction, then slowly shifted my eyes toward the woman who had just spoken, lingering on the jade suite glistening against her skin. A cold, cynical smile tugged at the corner of my lips:

Han Chen, you come to collect your bride while dragging your former lover along.

Are you truly that incapable of tearing yourself away from her?

In a fraction of a second, every pair of eyes in the room snapped toward Luo Yun He. As Han Chen opened his mouth in a frantic bid to explain, Luo Yun He merely curled her lips in a haughty pout:

Wen Yu Tang, you are about to become Han Chen is wife. Why must you throw such a petty, jealous tantrum over nothing?