Chapter 177: Exactly How Many Good Sisters Do You Have?

Outdoor weddings are inherently about romance and celebration.

With people mingling on the lawn, raising glasses to toast the newlyweds, no one even noticed when Xu Qian left the resort hotel with a devastated expression.

After all the guests had arrived, the wedding ceremony finally began.

Petals and balloons fluttered across the sky, resembling glittering snowflakes drifting from the heavens.

Amidst cheers and clusters of fresh flowers, the bride walked down the aisle, wearing a hand-customized, trailing wedding gown, holding onto the groom's arm.

Her wedding dress was said to have been specially custom-made abroad, with a skirt nearly three meters long encrusted with crushed diamonds and pearls, sparkling like a shifting ocean of starlight under the sun.

Girls are naturally defenseless against wedding dresses, especially such intricately crafted haute couture gowns.

Lu Qingyue was utterly transfixed, staring unblinkingly at the gorgeous bride, feeling as though this were a dreamy wonderland straight out of a fairy tale.

Which girl has never dreamed of being a princess in her childhood?

And which girl wouldn't want to wear such a stunning wedding gown and be led into the palace of marriage by the man she loves?

Lu Qingyue stared at the bride in absolute awe for a long time, completely unaware of the quiet gaze resting steadily upon her from her side.

Cheng Xingye had no interest in what other people's brides were wearing.

All his attention was focused on his own little rascal.

He had noticed it right when he went to pick her up earlier today: Lu Qingyue was wearing the exact dress he had bought her the year before last.

At that time, she was only sixteen, and she had chosen a sweeter style that made her look entirely delicate and soft.

Although she hadn't grown an inch in the past two years and the dress fit her impeccably, Cheng Xingye was suddenly struck by a very strong thought—

Next time, he must buy her another one, a gorgeous and magnificent dress just like the one the bride was wearing.

...

After the ceremony, the guests were seated at long tables for dinner.

The tables were laden with flowers, with pink-purple lisianthus and champagne roses tumbling down the edges in lavish, magnificent clusters.

Lu Qingyue took Cheng Xingye's arm and sat down beside him.

It was her first time attending an outdoor wedding, so she couldn't help feeling a sense of novelty and curiosity, her eyes darting around cautiously until Cheng Xingye gave her hand a gentle, moderate squeeze, prompting her to sit properly.

The seating arrangements at the long tables had been planned in advance; their table was occupied by peers of similar age, so the atmosphere was relaxed. People occasionally came over to chat, and Cheng Xingye would respond with a few polite words.

Because of the minor incident earlier, Lu Qingyue was feeling somewhat out of sorts. She spoke very little throughout the dinner, mostly keeping her head down and silently picking at the fruit on her plate.

At first, Cheng Xingye assumed she was just unfamiliar with these people and lacked topics of conversation, but soon he realized something was amiss.

When had this little one ever been so quiet?

Cheng Xingye replied to someone's casual remark while casting a seemingly nonchalant glance at her.

The fruit on her plate was almost gone. Now, likely full and feeling a bit bored, her dark eyes were fixed unblinkingly on something at the far end of the long table.

Cheng Xingye followed her gaze and noticed He Mengting sitting at that end.

She had probably been reprimanded by her father; the tip of her nose was red, as if she had been crying. Yet, harboring lingering resentment and embarrassment, she wore a sour expression the entire time, occasionally shooting hateful glares at Lu Qingyue.

Cheng Xingye withdrew his gaze, reached out to cup the back of his little rascal's neck, and turned her head back.

"Dindian."

He gave the back of her neck a gentle pinch, seamlessly interrupting the silent staring contest between her and He Mengting.

Lu Qingyue picked up her butter knife, aggressively stabbing at the strawberries and cantaloupe on her plate, and asked in a low, deeply disgruntled voice,

"Who on earth is she? Why did she call you Xingye-gege?!"

So she was upset about this...

Cheng Xingye curved his lips in quiet amusement.

Knowing that she was jealous, he felt somewhat gratified, yet also a bit helpless.

Actually, he didn't want Lu Qingyue to be jealous of anyone.

The mere thought of that clear, untainted gaze of hers clouded with confusion and distress made his heart ache; he longed to offer her his entire world so that she would never feel anything but absolute security by his side.

Around the long table, wine glasses clinked amidst laughter and chatter.

Cheng Xingye leaned lazily against the back of his chair and, amid the bustling noise, quietly reached out to take her small hand resting on her lap.

His strong knuckles applied a slight pressure, parting her fingers before pressing his palm flat against hers, secretly interlocking fingers with her under the table.

Someone turned to speak to him, and he smiled faintly, nodding in acknowledgement.

Then, taking advantage of the blind spot where no one was watching, he gave her fingers a very light squeeze and murmured a low explanation,

"Just like how you call any older male acquaintance 'gege', we're actually completely unrelated people."

And in truth, that was the case.

The He family wasn't in the medical industry, so their business dealings were sparse; it was simply that merchants valued networking and building connections, which led to occasional overlap.

He Mengting was two years younger than him, so naturally, she should address him as an older brother. But now, hearing that title spoken by her felt profoundly awkward.

In contrast, the little rascal beside him had grown so accustomed to his spoiling since they started dating that she dropped all formalities and called him directly by his first name, having neglected to call him Xingye-gege for a long time.

Cheng Xingye's thoughts drifted off on a tangent, and an untimely whim arose—he wanted to hear her call him that again.

Lu Qingyue had no idea what was going on in his mind and remained unhappy. Though her little hand obediently let him hold it, she couldn't help letting out a soft huff.

"Hmph! You're not allowed to let her call you that anymore!"

She pouted, her cheeks puffed out with anger, making her look precisely like an inflated little pufferfish.

Cheng Xingye was instantly charmed by her cuteness. Disregarding the surrounding guests, he amusedly pinched her small hand, deliberately letting out a sigh and putting on an expression of utter helplessness.

"Her mouth is attached to her face; if she insists on calling me that, there's nothing I can do."

Though he said that—

Lu Qingyue instantly felt discouraged and jerked her hand back in a flash.

Cheng Xingye reached out to catch her hand again, but unfortunately, someone else came over to strike up a conversation with him.

He exchanged a few pleasantries, and just as he turned back to coax her, he heard his phone chime on the tabletop.

Initially thinking it might be a matter concerning the school or the company, he picked it up, only to discover it was a message sent by the little rascal sitting right beside him.

He glanced sideways in perplexity.

Lu Qingyue pretended to be eating fruit, refusing to spare him even a single glance.

She looked entirely uncooperative and difficult to appease.

Cheng Xingye thought to himself that this creature must be jealousy incarnate.

Helpless yet amused, he sighed, lowered his head to unlock his phone, and opened WeChat.

The message Lu Qingyue sent was an audio clip. It had no custom label, but otherwise looked completely normal.

Suspecting nothing at all, Cheng Xingye tapped directly to play it.

At that exact instant, recalling the thousands of sly tricks naturally ingrained in Lu Qingyue, his heart skipped a beat. Before he even had time to retract the action, a female singer's mournful and plaintive voice instantly reverberated across the space:

[Just how many sweet little sisters do you have?]

[Why is every single sister looking so haggard?]

[Just how many sweet little sisters do you have?]

[Ah, why does every single sister marry into tears?]

Cheng Xingye: "..."

Cheng Xingye: "........."