CHAPTER 235: 214: A LETTER, A GIFT FOR YU XINMAN

The morning sun spilled over the entire city.

The warmth enveloped the greenery, a rare good weather giving people an illusion of spring returning.

Somewhere in the city center, not far from the hospital where the young lady was headed, an outdoor wedding was taking place.

Looking from the vast lawn, several rows of chairs and benches adorned with balloons were neatly arranged on either side of the rose-petaled carpet.

Several machines on the ceremony stage blew out hundreds of dreamy bubbles that gently floated into the air, rippling with colors under the sunlight.

The guests arriving in pairs gradually filled those rows of chairs and benches, and the area was soon resonating with laughter and chatter.

Shortly after, the European-style gate behind them automatically opened, and the music of the wedding march gradually reached everyone’s ears.

Yu Xinman, dressed in a white wedding dress, walked unhurriedly on the red carpet, arm in arm with the man beside her, under the gaze of the guests.

According to tradition, the bride’s father should accompany her down the aisle and then formally hand her over to the future groom.

But with Yu Baisheng in prison and Yuan Li tormented by illness, she didn’t have the energy to replace him in this ritual.

Thus, the couple entered together.

Through the veil, Yu Xinman discreetly glanced at the guests on either side, her heart increasingly sweetened upon seeing blessings on their faces.

As she passed by the place where Yuan Li and Yu Cheng’an were seated, she turned her head and gave them a genuine smile of happiness.

Even though the wedding didn’t feature her father, who played the most crucial role in her life, it no longer affected her.

"Will the bride and groom please exchange rings."

After completing a series of rituals, Yu Xinman looked down at the large diamond ring on her ring finger, her eyes becoming red.

The rounds of applause from below seemed like a catalyst for tears, causing the tears she had held back to fall uncontrollably.

"Xinman, don’t cry." Chen Yan wiped the tears from her face, bending down to her ear and speaking gently, "It pains me."

His words of concern hit Yu Xinman’s heart, making her tears uncontrollable.

She tightly held Chen Yan’s hand and looked at his legs with worry, saying softly, "Brother Yan, are you tired? Do you want to rest a while?"

After yesterday’s surgery, Doctor Steven advised him not to stand for too long, with a maximum limit of an hour.

But Brother Yan, determined to give her a perfect wedding, ignored Mr. and Mrs. Chen’s objections, refusing to use a wheelchair.

How fortunate she was to have such a loving husband, who was willing to do everything to honor her.

"For my Xinman, I’m not tired." Chen Yan’s lips curved slightly, his eyes filled with deep affection, ready to do anything for her.

He tenderly touched the corner of her eye, "Don’t cry, be good."

"I won’t cry. Brother Yan, let me know if you get tired."

"Mm, I know."

"..."

Sitting in the front row, Yuan Li listened closely to their conversation, capturing all the intense affection between the two.

She smiled with satisfaction, memories of her wedding with Yu Baisheng flashing in her mind.

Back then, she was as happy as Yu Xinman was now.

Unfortunately...

A sudden headache assaulted her, the pain so excruciating that she couldn’t continue her reminiscing.

She struggled to lift her trembling hand, massaging her temple, her brows furrowing tightly.

It seemed that whenever she tried to think about something, the pain would interrupt, leaving her barely able to endure over time.

"Mom, do you want to go back first?" Yu Cheng’an stopped clapping, glancing at her sideways.

But his eyes showed none of the worry or urgency, more of indifference and disdain.

Yuan Li waved her hand, "It’s okay, I’ll wait a bit longer."

She had been through these days, and as Xinman’s mother, she felt she should stay until the guests were seen off.

"Alright then, if you’re uncomfortable, don’t hold on, otherwise, sister will have to come and take care of you."

Those words were ones Yuan Li disliked hearing.

She looked at the son she once knew, now a stranger, filled with disappointment, "Do you despise me now? Despise me for being useless as a mother?"

"Mom, don’t be unreasonable."

"Yu Cheng’an, I’ve raised you all these years, given you the best of everything, and this is the return I get?"

Upon hearing this, Yu Cheng’an was immensely irritated.

He jumped up abruptly, his tone cold, "I’m not in the mood to argue with you. Think whatever you want, I don’t care."

Leaving such heart-piercing words, Yu Cheng’an quickly followed Yu Xinman, disappearing from her view.

Yuan Li was furious, but to maintain her last bit of grace, she held back without losing her temper.

She clenched her fists, enduring the pain, and engaged in conversation and small talk with the guests who went with her to dine.

Compared to the dreamy ambiance outside, the adjoining hall was much more luxurious and grand, with one of the top domestic teams hired for the wedding planning.

It was evident how much effort the Chen Family put into this wedding.

Everything, both in appearance and substance, made it impossible for outsiders to find any flaw in how they treated their daughter-in-law.

In the dressing room, Yu Xinman reapplied her makeup and changed into a more comfortable dress.

She stood in front of the full-length mirror, examining her attire, satisfied with a charming smile.

Just as she was about to open the door to join Chen Yan in greeting guests in the hall, a knock resounded.

"Brother Yan——"

She happily pressed the door handle, but seeing a stranger, she swallowed her affectionate address.

"Miss Yu, here is a letter for you." A man dressed as a servant respectfully handed over a rather thick envelope to her.

Yu Xinman raised her eyebrows, "Who sent it?"

"A little kid asked me to pass it to you. He said it’s a wedding gift from him."

"Which family is he from?"

"I’m not sure about that." The servant awkwardly shook his head.

He truly didn’t know, given that too many guests attended the wedding today, and he had seen at least seven or eight mischievous children.

Yu Xinman softly acknowledged, "Alright, thank you."

She closed the door and walked to the vanity, sitting down and curiously opening the letter.

Perhaps due to some force while tearing it open, a stack of photos accidentally fell from the edge of the table, scattering all over the floor.

She bent down to pick them up, but before her fingertips could touch the edges, the familiar images stunned her into a pale white.

She covered her mouth, struggling to suppress a scream, tears slipping from the corners of her eyes, as if the thread had broken, unstoppable.