Li Wan’er used colour changes and design details that Xu Tingsheng did not understand to enact a ‘happy for nothing’.

The audience who were clearly able to appreciate it much better than Xu Tingsheng stood up and applauded. While the designer did not appear to bring an end to the event as should be the case, it did not stop the applause from resounding for a long time.

Xiang Ning who was as oblivious as the audience joyfully, innocently left the stage with You Qingling.

At seventeen years of age, Xiang Ning had her own wedding clothes.

At thirty-two years of age, Li Wan’er had made wedding clothes for another, enabling another woman to be his most beautiful bride. There probably wasn’t anything in this world more brutal than this for a woman.

The audience left.

Xu Tingsheng did not know where to go.

Amy brought him backstage.

After pa.s.sing a crowd of hot international supermodels, Xu Tingsheng made his way to You Qinglan and Xiang Ning.

“I’ll bring Xiang Ning to change and wrap up the wedding gown...she will be a beautiful bride,” You Qinglan said, then turned Xiang Ning around, glanced back and indicated towards a door with her eyes to Xu Tingsheng.

Just like she said, she might be trying to avoid hurting Xiang Ning as much as possible.

Xiang Ning smiled, lifted her veil and waved to Xu Tingsheng.

Often, Xu Tingsheng would wonder why he had placed himself in this sort of predicament.

Doing it would be wrong.

Not doing it would also be wrong.

Still, wasn’t this how life was? Everyone was constantly making mistakes, constantly regretting them, then continuing to make mistakes.

He knocked.

While the door did not open, Xu Tingsheng could hear someone inside by the door.

“Thank you, Wan’er,” Xu Tingsheng said through the door.

A long time later.

“No need for that. I’m just returning the favour,” Li Wan’er feigned a very calm tone.

“Actually, you don’t owe me anything.”

“I do. If not for you, I wouldn’t have known what to do back then. I have no idea what might have happened. If not for you...I would not have my current success. You gave my new life. I owe it to you. But you’re so rich, so successful. So, so...I didn’t know how I should pay you back. Was the method I used okay?”

“I actually don’t need you to pay me back.”

“But I must pay you back.”

“...”

“Because I don’t want to always live in your shadow, thinking of you everyday. Because I want to be able to truly say upfront to you for once: Xu Tingsheng, we’re even. We’re even...that is what you hope for. You’ve said it so many times. It should be my turn, right? We’re even, Xu Tingsheng. Are you happy now?”

We’re even. Xu Tingsheng and Li Wan’er had once been entangled multiple times over this, having previously given it their all too. This time, they were really even.

“I…”

“Off you go then.”

Xu Tingsheng was in no position to stay at all. If this was the best result for Li Wan’er, it was the best result for him too.

“You take care,” Xu Tingsheng said.

He turned.

The person inside asked, “Can I ask you one last question?”

“Go on.”

“I know that that young lady is very good. Still, just why exactly?”

Xu Tingsheng thought about it and replied, “I don’t know how to answer that. How about I tell you what I’m currently thinking.”

“What you’re thinking? What is it?”

“In my previous life, did I see you in Milan? If I did, why did we merely brush past each other?”

Li Wan’er waited till he had left before saying to the door, “If it is really as you say-what about this life? We didn’t just brush past each other in this life, right? Very well. I’ll wait for our next life.”

……

The next day was the seventh of October. They had booked their return tickets for that day.

Xu Tingsheng and Xiang Ning packed their things through the night.

When departing for the airport the next day, they had an additional piece of luggage...a huge, intricate box.

They had in their possession that wedding gown that newspapers, magazines, the internet and countless people were sighing in wonder at and envying.

Huang Yaming, along with Han Xiu and her mother, still had plans here.

You Qinglan and Amy unexpectedly made a trip to the airport to see them off.

After chatting for a while, You Qinglan got Amy to accompany Xiang Ning before smiling as she said to Xu Tingsheng, “Boss Xu, can we speak over there?”

Xu Tingsheng hesitated for a moment, then said, “Alright.”

The two exited the main hall of the airport. Following You Qinglan, Xu Tingsheng rounded two bends and arrived between two buildings.

“Boss Xu,” You Qinglan stopped and turned to look at Xu Tingsheng.

“Yes?” Xu Tingsheng looked up.

She slapped him.

Xu Tingsheng looked rather dumbfoundedly at You Qinglan.

You Qinglan laughed joyfully, saying, “That felt good. You find Wan’er good to bully, don’t you?”

“Better not argue with me. Swallow it silently. Wait a bit more till the red mark has faded...lest Xiang Ning spots it. You’re very scared of that, right, Boss Xu?” You Qinglan appeared full of mockery as she said this.

“For some things, I have no way of debating with you if they are right or wrong,” Xu Tingsheng said.

“Really?” You Qinglan asked with reddened eyes, “What do you mean meeting on the streets of Milan, yet merely brus.h.i.+ng past each other? Previous life...Xu Tingsheng, if you’d told Wan’er directly that you don’t like her, I’d even have been grateful to you. But you’re too shameless.”

“I’m sorry,” Xu Tingsheng turned.

“Please, Xu Tingsheng,” Unexpectedly, You Qinglan suddenly ran after him and tugged at his clothes from behind, kneeling on the ground, “I beg you, Xu Tingsheng. Please, could you let your Xiang Ning down for once? Everyone has already given their best to her.”

……

At the hospital pitié salpêtrière in Paris, Li Wan’er was in a hospital gown, her eyes fixed on the doorway.

Hearing footsteps, she hurriedly looked in the mirror before lying down and pretending to be asleep.

Opening the door, You Qinglan walked over to her, leaned down and said, “Stop feigning. People whose eyebrows are too long aren’t suited to be feigning sleep.”

Li Wan’er got up rather awkwardly.

“Don’t look behind me. No one’s there...I listened to you and didn’t tell him. The plane’s already taken off.”

Li Wan’er said, “That’s good then.”

“Did you really not wish that he could come?”

Li Wan’er shook her head, “I didn’t.”

“Why did you put on makeup then? Your surgery’s in the afternoon,” You Qinglan said, “Don’t think that just because it’s very light, I wouldn’t be able to tell. You also better not tell me that you put it on for me, or that French doctor who’s crazy handsome.”

“I...don’t laugh at me.”

“Actually, you still wish that he can come, right?” You Qinglan asked, “You clearly know that every day this heart surgery is delayed means a bit more danger, yet you insisted on delaying it till now. I let you have your way, helped you do those things...because the doctor told me that you need a stronger will to live. So I thought that you were waiting for him to come, that you would get him to accompany you.”

“But in the end?” You Qinglan’s eyes turned red as she clenched her teeth and exclaimed furiously, “You were actually only saying goodbye to this world, right? Having given Xiang Ning that wedding gown, returning what you owed him, there is nothing left to hold you back, right?”

Li Wan’er helped You Qinglan to wipe off the tears on her face before pulling her hand and saying, “Don’t be angry! Of course it isn’t as you say. That guy isn’t necessary...don’t I have you to accompany me?”

“Is there any use if I accompany you?”

“Oh, there is, there is.”

You Qinglan glanced at her before shaking her head exasperatedly and turning as she called, “You heard all of that, didn’t you? Come on in.”

Carrying a bouquet of flowers, Xu Tingsheng stood at the doorway.

“Sorry. I was only going to tell him what I thought of him, really. But I really didn’t see any will to live in you at all...so, I made him stay.”