38. Purgatory Wedding (1)

Tong Zhenzhen took the heavy sandalwood box with both hands, feeling its smooth texture against her palms. Years of careful preservation had left a faint, oily sheen on the surface, making the wood feel exceptionally warm and lustrous.

"Grandfather, what is this?" She had seen this box before; it had belonged to her late grandmother.

"Open it, Zhenzhen," her grandfather said gently, his gaze fixed upon her with deep, earnest affection.

Tong Zhenzhen opened the box. "Wow, it's beautiful!"

Inside, nestled against a bed of black velvet, lay a set of exquisite jade jewelry, so green it seemed to drip with vitality.

Her grandfather took out the platinum and diamond-encrusted jade necklace. He stroked the central jade piece softly, as if mourning his departed wife. Then, he said to Tong Zhenzhen, "Come, let me put it on you. Let me have a look."

"Grandfather, this—this is too precious, and these were Grandmother's," Tong Zhenzhen said, waving her hands in protest.

"Silly child, your grandmother told me long ago that she wanted to leave these to you. No matter how precious an object is, how can it compare to family?" Her grandfather looked at her with a beaming smile.

Tong Zhenzhen was deeply moved. Only moments ago, she had heard her eldest aunt recounting how her second uncle had wreaked havoc on the family, plunging them into a sudden financial crisis. Yet, no matter how difficult things became, her grandfather had never considered selling these heirlooms, always intending to gift them to her one day. The family's circumstances were no longer what they once were; this jade set was worth millions. If he had sold it, her grandfather and the rest of the family wouldn't have to suffer so much.

"Grandfather, I can't take this," Tong Zhenzhen said, her heart aching. "You should give this jade to my eldest uncle. Let him sell it..."

"Nonsense!" Her grandfather snapped, becoming stern. "This is what your grandmother and I prepared for you; how could we sell it? I want to see you wear it and get married in happiness!"

"Grandfather..." Tong Zhenzhen called out softly, but seeing his firm gaze and unyielding expression, she had no choice but to accept.

Her grandfather looked at her wearing the necklace with satisfaction, his eyes crinkling into crescents, the wrinkles at their corners rippling outward. Tong Zhenzhen’s eyes filled with tears, for she saw in his gaze not only love for her but also a lingering, unshakable longing. Was he seeing the image of her grandmother in her youth? This jewelry was, after all, the token of love her grandfather had once given her grandmother. In this world, not all emotions wither under the test of time; some things are simply impossible to forget or let go.

When they left her grandfather’s house, he and her eldest uncle's family all urged Jun Lengche to treat Tong Zhenzhen well and not to bully her. Tong Zhenzhen watched as Jun Lengche smiled and agreed to each of them, adding that he would send a car to pick them up on the wedding day. If not for the rift between them, she would have believed he was completely sincere.

On the way home, Tong Zhenzhen remained silent.

"Little girl, are you still angry with me?" Once they reached the garage, Jun Lengche parked the car, turned, and tilted her face toward him.

Tong Zhenzhen smiled faintly. "No."

Her excessive calmness made Jun Lengche frown. "Little girl, there are some things I will tell you when the time is right."

"Oh," Tong Zhenzhen responded indifferently.

"You..." Jun Lengche’s eyes darkened like churning ink. This little girl—was she really not bothered at all? This wasn't like her. By all rights, she should be insisting on an explanation.

"Hey, you're hurting me." Tong Zhenzhen frowned, casting a glare at him.

Jun Lengche quickly released her, noticing the red finger marks on her smooth chin. He couldn't help but reproach himself. What was wrong with him? The moment he thought she didn't care about him, his heart fell into chaos, and he had used too much force without realizing it.

"Can we go home now?" Tong Zhenzhen rubbed her chin, looking at him coldly.

Seeing her resistance, Jun Lengche felt a sense of helplessness. He could only nod. Tong Zhenzhen opened the car door herself and stepped out, heading straight for the elevator. Watching her straight back, he felt as though she were a world away, even though she was within arm's reach. This little girl was truly a tormenting little sprite. He shook his head and followed her.

In the days that followed, Tong Zhenzhen was very cooperative with Jun Lengche—taking wedding photos, delivering invitations to his close friends and relatives, inspecting the venue, and confirming important details. Even in public, she would act intimate and considerate toward him. However, he knew she was merely performing. Occasionally, he would catch her staring blankly at the wedding photo of the two of them hanging on the wall of the master bedroom. This cold violence left him feeling stifled, yet he didn't know how to handle it. There were some things he still couldn't let her know.

Three days passed in a flash, and the wedding day arrived as scheduled. The 28th was an auspicious date for weddings, and it was indeed a beautiful, clear day with a gentle breeze. Her eldest uncle, acting as her family, came to walk her down the aisle. Watching him walk at the forefront, happily carrying the traditional bag for descendants, his graying hair reflecting the brilliant sunlight, Tong Zhenzhen felt a pang of sorrow. As she lowered her head, a hot tear fell onto the back of her lace-gloved hand. Just moments ago, when she was leaving, her eldest aunt had hugged her with tear-filled eyes, wishing her happiness, and she had wanted to cry then, too.

Happiness? Would it really be? Can a marriage with impure motives and a lack of mutual trust truly be happy? Yet, on this day, which others considered a grand celebration, she could only shed tears of joy; she could not be sad.

Once seated in the wedding car, she looked blankly at the receding streetscape, her heart feeling like a block of ice. The grand wedding motorcade crossed half of G-City and stopped in front of the city's most luxurious hotel. The door of the silver stretch Rolls-Royce was opened, and Tong Zhenzhen saw the incredibly handsome Jun Lengche with one hand on the roof of the car and the other extended in invitation. He was smiling, the dimple on his right cheek popping out. Today, he wore a white suit with an exquisite, vibrant rose pinned to his left lapel. He truly looked like an impeccable Prince Charming.

Was he looking forward to this? For a fleeting moment, she thought so. But the next second, she laughed at her own stupidity. How could she be so easily deceived by appearances? Had he not told her that some things were not as they appeared?

Still, the play had to go on. She curled the corners of her lips into a smile, took his hand, and stepped out of the car. Her insincere smile, however, never reached her eyes. Jun Lengche saw through her facade; the dimple on his face faded, and his smile became shallow, just like the polite mask he usually wore.

The onlookers exclaimed in admiration, "What a perfect match! They look just like a prince and princess from a fairy tale."

Jun Lengche held Tong Zhenzhen’s hand, walking slowly through the rose arch, stepping onto the red carpet that covered the stairs, and heading toward the arched entrance of the hotel. Her floor-length mermaid-style wedding gown seemed like a pure, blossoming flower on the red carpet. The five pairs of groomsmen and bridesmaids behind them scattered roses along the way, making every step feel as though it were blooming with flowers.

Just then, deafening ceremonial cannons erupted in the sky, drawing everyone's attention. Why were they firing ceremonial cannons instead of setting off firecrackers for the wedding entrance? Tong Zhenzhen looked up in surprise. She saw a piece of red silk cascading down like a waterfall from the roof of the hotel, covering more than thirty floors. On the red silk were written large characters: "'Yuezhen Garden' - The One."

*The One?*

What was this all about? She had an ominous premonition about today’s wedding and froze. Wasn't "Yuezhen Garden" a property project under the Longteng Group? Was it a coincidence? Or was Long Tianyu making a move again? She pursed her lips and felt Jun Lengche’s grip on her hand tighten. Was he worried? She turned to look at Jun Lengche beside her and saw his face was grave.

Although she didn't know what Long Tianyu was planning, seeing Jun Lengche unhappy made her feel much better. *Right*, she thought, most of the people attending Jun Lengche's wedding were prominent figures—the wealthy, the powerful, and heavyweights from politics, the military, and business. If something went wrong, wouldn't the Jun family lose face? At the thought, a faint arc appeared at the corner of her mouth.

"Don't stop," Jun Lengche’s cold voice and the sudden increase in his pulling force startled her. However, she didn't complain and kept pace with him. A glimmer of anticipation stirred in her heart; she wanted to see what kind of trick Long Tianyu was planning to play.

As they entered the hotel lobby and Jun Lengche was leading her toward the banquet hall, they saw Long Tianyu in a black suit coming toward them, flanked by a large group of media, blocking their path. Jun Lengche and Tong Zhenzhen were forced to stop. She noticed that Long Tianyu had changed his look; he was sporting a Beckham-style beard, which softened the feminine quality of his phoenix eyes and gave him a sense of masculine world-weariness and maturity.

*He's certainly put in the effort,* she thought, a mocking smile appearing on her face. But her observation and ridicule of Long Tianyu were an eyesore to Jun Lengche.

"Ah!" she let out a soft cry, turning to look at Jun Lengche. *What is this guy doing, using so much force? Is he trying to crush my hand? The one blocking the way is Long Tianyu, not me!*

*Heh,* he was angry. She noticed the dark clouds in Jun Lengche’s eyes and felt secretly pleased. She hadn't expected Long Tianyu to be able to help her by adding to Jun Lengche’s frustration.

At this moment, Long Tianyu led the media straight toward her. The large group stopped right in front of her, and countless long lenses and cameras were aimed at her.

"Congratulations to the bride," a host holding a microphone popped out. "You have won a villa in the Longteng Group's newly launched 'Yuezhen Garden'."

*A prize? Are you kidding me? I've never won a prize in my life.* What on earth was Long Tianyu trying to do? Tong Zhenzhen widened her eyes and looked at Long Tianyu. Jun Lengche’s face was also a mask of ice.

"Oh, is our lucky bride too surprised? The groom also looks quite incredulous. Yes, this isn't something everyone gets to experience. Truly, heaven blesses the newlyweds!" Seeing that the winner wasn't reacting with the expected ecstasy but rather with indifference, the host immediately began to babble to smooth things over.

Long Tianyu took a crystal box from A'Qiang, who was following closely behind him. He then strode up to Tong Zhenzhen, opened the box, and held it out. Inside the box lay a set of glittering gold keys.