Burn Out - Chapter 86

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◎Wedding◎

On the way back, with four RVs in total, the photography team started editing the wedding photos of Ji Ting and Tan Yucheng while on the road. They frequently brought their laptops to Ji Ting and Tan Yucheng’s RV to show them the finished products.

Ji Ting, hugging Tan Yucheng’s neck from behind, followed along as he looked at the photos. They watched as the photos were processed, including traditional shots and some daringly intimate couple photos. One particular photo showed Tan Yucheng in a black shirt sitting on a sofa while Ji Ting, dressed in a gown, sat on his lap. This pose, familiar to them both, needed no additional expression management—the sense of familiarity was immediately palpable.

After seeing the photos, Ji Ting couldn’t help but laugh and fell into his arms.

That night, their time began in this pose and ended in the same way, with him holding her close.

During the drive, the RV had a designated driver and a driver’s cabin.

Arranging the RV trip created a private space for Ji Ting and Tan Yucheng, just the two of them. On the return trip, with some unavoidable work, Tan Yucheng began to handle his tasks while Ji Ting sat beside him with a book, watching him type and review documents while she read. When he got tired, Tan Yucheng would stop typing, reach out to hold her, and share in the content of the poetry she read.

Ji Ting softly asked, “Shall I read you a passage?”

Tan Yucheng murmured, “Go ahead.”

“I was never meant to keep you, only the snow is falling slightly heavier… Tonight we won’t discuss the clear sky or the clear water, nor the ambiguous tea and boiling water. How about we talk about love?”

“Is it I who am devoted to you, or you who are devoted to me?”

Her voice was extremely pleasant. Although he hadn’t heard her sing much before, he found that she was very suited to reading poetry, even if her singing was off-key. Tan Yucheng held her even tighter, his voice lazy, “It’s you.”

Ji Ting smiled and continued with the next passage.

“Tonight I miss you, the east wind is vast…”

Tan Yucheng lazily held Ji Ting, listening to her gentle voice until he gradually fell asleep. Outside, it was raining, with the droplets running down the window and forming water beads. Ji Ting, lost in thought, knew he had fallen asleep and reached out to touch his dark, soft hair, which was softer than it appeared.

As she played with his hair and watched the rain outside, time seemed to stand still.

The book fell to the ground. Ji Ting bent down to pick it up, but Tan Yucheng, still partially asleep, held her waist, making it difficult for her to move. She fell back into his arms, and he murmured, “Where are you going?”

“To pick up the book.”

He loosened his hold slightly, and Ji Ting bent down to retrieve the book and dust it off. Tan Yucheng draped one arm loosely over her waist and propped himself up with one hand on the table, still half-asleep, with a relaxed posture and a slightly open collar. Ji Ting looked at his face for a few seconds, leaned in, and kissed his cheek. Tan Yucheng, drowsily, glanced at her. Ji Ting blinked, her eyes curved in a beautiful smile.

Tan Yucheng smiled back, holding her head and leaning down to kiss her lips.

The scenery outside the window shifted, passing a field of blooming peach blossoms, as picturesque as a painting.

—

Arriving in Li City in December, winter had arrived.

Both families were busy with wedding preparations. In order to facilitate communication, they temporarily moved into Tianyu. Ji Ting and Tan Yucheng also returned to Tianyu, and the two families gathered for a meal together.

Tan Yucheng accompanied both fathers for drinks, and the meal lasted over two hours.

After dinner.

The two were called to the living room by their mothers to review the preparations from the past month.

Ji Ting and Tan Yucheng sat together, with Tan Yucheng carrying a faint scent of alcohol. He took the tablet that Xiao Xi handed him and moved it closer to Ji Ting so she could see. With his alcohol scent mixed with a subtle aroma of ebony wood, it was quite pleasant. Ji Ting looked at the wedding venue options selected by Xiao Xi and Qiu Dan on the tablet.

Xiao Xi, sipping water and smiling, said, “We initially wanted an outdoor venue, but we’re worried about the cold weather at that time, which might prevent Tingting from wearing beautiful clothes. So, we chose an indoor venue instead.”

“You two look at the options. If Tingting really wants an outdoor venue, we’ll go with what she prefers.”

Tan Yucheng glanced at Ji Ting.

Ji Ting leaned forward, reviewed the options, and said, “Indoor is fine.”

She looked at him with raised eyes.

Tan Yucheng raised an eyebrow, “It’s up to you.”

“Then let’s go with the indoor venue.”

Tan Yucheng hummed in agreement and looked at the options with her. He passed on several styles, kept a few, and with Ji Ting’s selection, the design style was chosen with silver and black as the main colors.

Later, both mothers and fathers discussed more details, such as customized wedding candies, the bridesmaid and groomsmen teams, the car fleet, and finally the guest list, which was handwritten to show sincerity.

The next afternoon.

Ji Ting went to the store to handle some work. Returning to Tianyu as the sun was setting. As soon as she entered the door, her parents were not at home. Tan Yucheng was sitting on the sofa, reviewing the wedding invitations. He had already written several with a fountain pen and placed them to the side. Ji Ting washed her hands and sat down on the single sofa, noticing the invitations he had personally written for Fu Yan, Chen Fei, Zhou Xiong, Long Kong, and Fu Linyuan.

His handwriting was truly beautiful.

Ji Ting took a sip of the warm water he had poured for her. Tan Yucheng glanced at her and asked, “The invitations for the women are written by you?”

Ji Ting hummed, as agreed.

Tan Yucheng pulled out an empty invitation and handed it to her, saying, “There’s one more person you need to write for.”

Ji Ting took it.

Assuming he meant Zhou Hui, and nodded.

Tan Yucheng raised an eyebrow and looked back to his invitations. After finishing her water, Ji Ting began her task but was pulled to sit beside him. The housekeeper walked in with groceries and saw them sitting in the small living room. Tan Yucheng’s arm was around Ji Ting’s waist as he watched her write. Ji Ting’s handwriting was also beautiful.

With a touch of flair that had become more refined over the years.

Seeing this, Tan Yucheng chuckled, “Is that some kind of symbol?”

Ji Ting kicked him lightly and focused on her writing.

When the housekeeper saw this, she smiled and went into the kitchen.

The two of them were really a perfect match.

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A month passed in the blink of an eye. While others were enjoying the New Year holiday, the Tan and Ji families were busy preparing for the wedding. On January 6th, the wedding procession arrived in the old town, successfully blocking off the alley. Drones were hovering overhead, capturing the scene. In her room, Ji Ting found that neither of the two doors could keep out the crowd. Meng Jia, standing in front of the first door in high heels and with her arms crossed, made Long Kong do fifty push-ups.

Long Kong smiled and said, “No problem.”

Adjusting his slightly askew bowtie, he lay down on the floor and began doing push-ups. His arm muscles were clearly defined, and he nearly bumped into the coffee table several times. Tan Yucheng kicked the coffee table aside a bit to avoid any injuries to the groomsmen.

He looked at Meng Jia and asked, “What else besides push-ups?”

Meng Jia’s commanding presence immediately made him look smaller. After a few seconds of staring at him, she extended her hand and said, “Pay up.”

Tan Yucheng turned to Chen Fei, took a red envelope from him, and chose a stack to give to Meng Jia. Meng Jia, dissatisfied, indicated she wanted the entire stack. Tan Yucheng raised an eyebrow and said, “If you open the second door, I’ll give it to you.”

Meng Jia met his gaze and immediately seemed to shrink a bit. She rolled her eyes in resignation, approached the door, and knocked. Xiao Wan, who was by the door, obediently opened it.

Yu Xi, jumping up and down beside Ji Ting, said, “I told you not to let Meng Jia stay outside. She can’t compete with Tan Yucheng.”

Tan Yucheng handed the remaining money to Xiao Wan, stepped inside, and approached Ji Ting. She was wearing a veil, and as she looked up to meet his gaze, Tan Yucheng, having come this far, looked slightly disheveled. He smiled, crouched down, reached under her skirt, and held her bare foot. Ji Ting pulled back slightly and playfully said, “I can’t go with you without shoes.”

Yu Xi, also smiling intentionally, said, “Exactly, how can you go without shoes?”

Tan Yucheng raised his eyebrows.

After exchanging a few seconds of eye contact with Ji Ting and seeing her smiling eyes, he glanced away, his heart racing. He got up and looked around the room, asking Xiao Wan, “Who’s hiding it?”

Xiao Wan looked stunned for a moment and instinctively began to speak, but Xiao Zhou covered her mouth.

Tan Yucheng looked at Xiao Zhou.

Xiao Zhou, unable to meet his gaze, turned away.

The others came in and started helping Tan Yucheng search, causing some chaos in the room. Ji Ting watched them with a smile, and when her eyes met Tan Yucheng’s, she smiled openly. It was the first time today that the soon-to-be-married couple faced off like this. Tan Yucheng raised an eyebrow slightly and, glancing at her sitting posture, tugged at his tie.

He took a step forward, lifted her by the waist, and Ji Ting, holding the bouquet, let out a small sound as her high heels fell to the ground with a clatter.

Chen Fei saw this, hurried over, and picked up the shoes, saying, “Here they are.”

Ji Ting, holding onto Tan Yucheng’s shoulder, asked, “How did you know?”

Tan Yucheng, carrying her outside, replied lazily, “Just a guess.”

Ji Ting sighed in resignation.

She remembered a saying that to avoid making the other person suspicious, one should not make eye contact with them. However, she looked directly at him. Amidst the commotion, they all went downstairs to the car. Tan Yucheng placed Ji Ting in the back seat and took the high heels from Chen Fei. He crouched down to put them on her feet while Ji Ting, holding the bouquet, looked down at him as he knelt on one knee.

Because he was wearing a tie, his collar was quite tight, revealing some of his tattoos.

This scene was quite familiar. Over the years, he had often knelt in front of her, either holding her or showing her wounds. After putting on the shoes, Ji Ting looked up at her parents, who were looking very stylish and beautiful as they came down the stairs.

Tan Yucheng straightened up, looked at his in-laws, and opened the car door for them, saying, “Dad, Mom, see you later.”

Ji Lindong smiled and nodded, “See you later.”

Qiu Dan also nodded and got into the back seat with Ji Lindong.

Tan Yucheng returned to the first car, bent down, and got in. Ji Ting, holding the bouquet, sat inside. Although it was winter, the repeated movements made it a bit warm. Tan Yucheng slightly adjusted his collar, then reached for her hand. Ji Ting, wearing the veil, tangled her gaze with his for a moment. As the convoy started moving, Ji Ting let go of his hand to straighten his tie.

Tan Yucheng looked down at her.

Through the veil, he kissed her forehead.

The convoy slowly exited the alley and headed towards the wedding venue. The long line of cars, accompanied by drones, created a scenic view on the road.

In the following cars,

Yu Xi and Meng Jia were sitting together.

Meng Jia was scrolling through her phone when Yu Xi asked, “Hey, do you think Shu Xiao will come to the wedding?”

Meng Jia chuckled dismissively, “She’s too jealous to come. Why would she come to the wedding?”

Yu Xi paused and said, “That’s true. Since Tingting and Tan Yucheng got together, she hasn’t shown up again. She used to interact with us a bit, but now she’s completely disappeared. What is she being pretentious about?”

Meng Jia looked at Yu Xi and said, “Some people just have such narrow minds. Back when she came back to the country, she was always bothering Ji Ting, but now she can’t even wish Ji Ting well. Who knows what kind of petty tricks she’s up to somewhere else.”

Yu Xi laughed, “You’ve been watching too many dramas.”

Meng Jia played with her phone and said, “There are indeed such people, I’m not wronging her.”

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The convoy arrived at the wedding venue, and the scene became bustling with activity—photography, greeting guests. As the sky darkened, the wedding officially began. To prevent Ji Ting from being hungry, Tan Yucheng arranged for food to be served first, followed by makeup.

After the makeup, Ji Ting, holding onto Ji Lindong’s arm, walked up to the stage.

At the end of the stage stood Tan Yucheng, dressed in a neat suit, watching her.

The host smiled and said, “The groom may now take the bride.”

Tan Yucheng stepped forward, walked up to the stage, and approached her.

The music played beautifully.

It was “Slowly Falling for You.”

As he reached her, he looked at Ji Lindong and said softly, “Dad, please leave her to me.”

Ji Lindong, a big man, almost had tears in his eyes at this moment. He nodded and said, “Treat her well.”

Tan Yucheng nodded, then extended his hand towards Ji Ting.

Ji Ting slightly lifted her skirt. In the arm that Ji Lindong extended forward, Tan Yucheng took her hand. Their gazes met, stars twinkled, and the music began.

“I climb mountains and cross rivers for you, but I have no heart to enjoy the scenery. I miss you, helplessly…”

Tan Yucheng moved his fingers, guiding her forward. Ji Ting, with a smile in her eyes, followed his lead.

“Hope you haven’t forgotten, I will always protect you… ”

“Love is just a word, I’ll say it only once…”

Flashes went off from below the stage.

Everyone was taking pictures.

Ji Ting was guided onto the stage by Tan Yucheng. Behind them was a screen showing their wedding video. Facing all the guests below, Ji Ting looked up at the man beside her. Tan Yucheng held her hand tightly, gazing down at her. He gently tugged her hand, and the host smiled as he approached and said, “The bride and groom may now exchange rings.”

Tan Yucheng and Ji Ting faced each other.

Taking the wedding ring handed to him by Long Kong, Tan Yucheng looked down and slid it onto her finger. Ji Ting watched as he gently placed the ring on her finger. She wore the matching “Love Crown” engagement ring on her finger, which meant she had to stand on tiptoe to kiss him. Since high school, their height difference has been this way. She watched as the ring slipped to the innermost part and settled.

Her heart pounded.

After placing her ring, Ji Ting turned slightly and picked up his ring, gently putting it on him. Tan Yucheng looked at her, she had a gentle and beautiful expression, dressed in a white wedding dress that was captivating. She was about to become his wife. After the ring was on, Ji Ting looked up, and the host had just started to say that the groom could kiss the bride…

Tan Yucheng had already lowered his head and pressed his lips against hers.

Countless petals fell from the sky, landing on them.

Holding hands and growing old together.

“Clap, clap, clap—”

Applause erupted from the audience.

Yu Xi covered her mouth and let out a small scream.

Long Kong cleared his throat and stood to the side, remembering the time when Tan Yucheng was in the computer room. Ji Ting had come to their school to deliver something and had casually entered the computer room to see him. Tan Yucheng, leaning against the chair, looked up and talked to her. Ji Ting, also in a dress, had her skirt lifted by the breeze as she spoke, brushing her skin. At that moment, Ji Ting was stunningly beautiful.

As he was about to enter the computer room, he had seen this scene and couldn’t snap out of it. Moreover, Tan Yucheng, who was closest to Ji Ting at that time, must have been moved as well.

After a while.

Tan Yucheng slightly pulled away from Ji Ting, who had a rosy blush on her cheeks from the kiss.

The applause continued around them.

The host smiled and instructed for drinks to be served for them to toast. Tan Yucheng received the wine, gazing at her with tenderness, and clinked glasses with her. Ji Ting tilted her head back to finish her drink.

After they each returned their glasses, the music began again.

It was a birthday song.

The entire room started singing and laughing along. Ji Ting looked up at him in surprise, and Tan Yucheng looked down at her, holding her close and saying, “Happy birthday, my wife.”

“In the future, you’ll get two gifts for your birthday and our anniversary.”

Ji Ting smiled and wrapped her arms around his neck, saying, “Okay.”

Tan Yucheng’s eyes were filled with a smile.

Then Yu Xi brought out a cake.

Ji Ting made a wish and cut the cake, sharing it with everyone.

Next, the host arranged some activities. The bridesmaids and groomsmen came up to participate, creating a lively atmosphere with frequent laughter from the guests. Tan Yucheng led Ji Ting off the stage to change clothes and offer toasts. Yu Xi, Long Kong, Qiu Dan, and Xiao Xi also followed to help. Xiao Xi hummed along to the music from behind, singing, “It must be a special fate that brought us together to become a family…”

“Dan, right?”

Qiu Dan pushed Xiao Xi’s arm and smiled as she watched Ji Ting and Tan Yucheng go around toasting. The two fathers followed as well, and the guests in the audience stood up to welcome the newlyweds.

At the table near their friends, Tan Yucheng clinked glasses with Zhou Hui. Zhou Hui stood up, smiled, and said, “Best wishes to you both.”

Tan Yucheng smiled and nodded, “Thank you.”

He glanced around the table, noting the one empty spot.

Ji Ting also finished drinking with her mentor. Following his gaze, she noticed that there was an empty seat at the table. Tan Yucheng turned to her and asked quietly, “Why didn’t he come?”

Ji Ting was slightly taken aback and asked, “Who?”

Tan Yucheng handed his wine glass to Long Kong to refill, then looked down and said, “The person you used to like.”

Ji Ting stared at his handsome face for a few seconds. At that moment, a few classmates came over, smiling and wanting to toast. With so many people, it was a bit crowded. Tan Yucheng instinctively put his arm around Ji Ting’s waist to steady her. These classmates were from university, including Xu Xu, who had a loud voice and bumped her glass against Tan Yucheng’s, saying, “I didn’t expect this.”

“You two are actually married now.”

Tan Yucheng raised his eyebrows slightly and clinked glasses with her, “There are many things you wouldn’t expect.”

Xu Xu made a few clicking noises and nodded at him.

Ji Ting also smiled, raising her glass and drinking. Tan Yucheng had replaced her wine with a lighter drink. After Xu Xu finished, more classmates gathered around. Tan Yucheng held Ji Ting’s hand and occasionally put his arm around her, leading her from table to table to toast.

Tan Yucheng’s glass was filled with real alcohol.

No matter how much he could drink, he couldn’t handle this many toasts. Tan Hui and Ji Lindong also joined in. Later, Ji Ting switched from the lighter drink and drank a few glasses for him. Qiu Dan and Xiao Xi were also busy.

After sending off the guests.

Back at Tianyu, it was already very late.

Xiao Xi, Tan Hui, Qiu Dan, and Ji Lindong went to stay in another house in Tianyu, not wanting to disturb the newlyweds on their wedding night. The housekeeper was also temporarily absent.

The entire house was beautifully decorated.

Balloons floated in the living room.

Ji Ting and Tan Yucheng entered the master bedroom. Tan Yucheng sat on the edge of the bed, supporting himself. The effects of the alcohol made his eyes look deep. Ji Ting approached and started undoing his buttons, softly asking, “Do you want to take a shower?”

Tan Yucheng looked up, gazing at her beautiful eyes, and placed his hand on her waist.

“Ji Ting.”

Ji Ting responded, “Hmm?”

Tan Yucheng tilted his chin and kissed her lips. Ji Ting, dressed in her toasting outfit—a mermaid-style dress—had her knees resting against the edge of the bed. The man leaned back slightly, and their entangled embrace was filled with the scent of alcohol and kisses. Tan Yucheng’s collar was open, revealing glimpses of his tattoos, which seemed to become more pronounced as she drew closer. Ji Ting cupped his face, her voice soft and slightly muffled.

“Have you ever thought that the person I liked might actually be you?”

Tan Yucheng’s gaze flickered, the effects of the alcohol taking hold. He asked, “What?”

Ji Ting smiled without answering and kissed him again.

Soon, the beautiful toasting outfit lay on the floor. The bathroom was shrouded in steam, and the bed in the master bedroom was disheveled. This wedding night was filled with sweetness and excitement, accompanied by the rolling steam and soft, fragmented sounds.

The next morning.

Ji Ting stayed in bed, not moving, while Tan Yucheng, dressed in long pants, went out and returned with a cup of warm water. He sat on the edge of the bed, playing with her hair and whispered, “I think I dreamed something.”

“I dreamed that you said the person you liked was me.”

“Am I going crazy?”

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[The author has something to say]

Today’s poem is from “Jūn bù jiàn (君不见) [Do you not see or Have you not seen. It is a classical expression often used in Chinese poetry to evoke a sense of reflection or to draw attention to something significant or profound.]

The songs are “Love is Just a Word” by Zhang Xinzhe and “For You” by Zhang Yu.

Congratulations to Tan Yucheng and Ji Ting on their wedding.

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