Book Synopsis
Book Tags
Donation Rankings
Comment
0 Comments
You May Also Like
墨書 Inktalez
On the eighth day of the first month, most companies had resumed work. Jiang Chen's Shengda Group was no exception. As the boss, he made a brief appearance at the office in the morning, mainly to distribute red envelopes and boost morale. After that, he returned to his Huafei Villa. His mind was no longer on the company, so he entrusted a few people to manage things.
Lying alone on the sofa in the living room, feeling bored, Jiang Chen took out his phone. He rarely checked his phone, but when he opened WeChat, he discovered that he had been added to a group chat for Class Seven of Qingcheng Middle School. The chat was lively; someone had sent a red envelope, prompting everyone to scramble for it. Jiang Chen scrolled through the chat history, quietly observing.
To be honest, in a class of over fifty students from middle school, Jiang Chen could hardly remember many of them now. Among those chatting, he recognized only about half.
However, as he browsed through the messages, he realized they were discussing this year's class reunion. Most of his former classmates had graduated from high school; some had entered university to continue their studies, while others who hadn’t passed were either preparing to retake exams or looking for jobs.
Jiang Chen wasn't particularly interested in attending the reunion. After all, there would be too many people, and he wasn't familiar with many of them. He thought it would be better to meet up with a few close friends instead.
Just as he was about to exit the group chat, he noticed a girl named Lin Xiaohui had sent a message. Jiang Chen remembered her as his deskmate in the third year of middle school—a quiet girl who wasn’t particularly striking but had good grades. After the high school entrance exam, Jiang Chen transferred to Nangang High School while Lin Xiaohui continued her studies at Qingcheng High School.
In her message, she announced that she would be getting married on New Year's Day and hoped everyone could attend her wedding.
Jiang Chen was taken aback; how could she be getting married so soon after graduating high school? She was still very young! He speculated that perhaps it was due to financial difficulties at home. Lin Xiaohui’s father had been sentenced to life imprisonment for a crime when she was very young, and her mother remarried, leaving Lin Xiaohui to live with her grandparents. It must have been tough for her growing up. It seemed likely that she hadn’t gone to university or even finished high school and felt pressured to marry early to improve her family’s situation.
After Lin Xiaohui's announcement, the once lively chat fell silent; no one responded.
Jiang Chen frowned slightly but quickly understood why. Because of her father's imprisonment—everyone labeled him a murderer—her classmates had deliberately distanced themselves from her. Lin Xiaohui had always been shy and rarely spoke to anyone at school; she focused solely on her studies and had hardly any friends during those three years in middle school. The only person she was somewhat familiar with was Jiang Chen since they often discussed problems together while sitting next to each other.
Seeing no one reply, Jiang Chen couldn’t help but respond: “Sure, send me the location; I’ll come.”
Once Jiang Chen chimed in, several classmates from high school with whom he had maintained good relationships also replied, promising they would definitely show up to support her.
Lin Xiaohui sent a grateful emoji and then added: “I’ve always lived with my grandparents since I was little. My grandfather passed away due to illness while I was in college, and now my grandmother is sick too. Her only wish is to see me get married, which is why I’m marrying so early. Although I’ve been shy and rarely interacted with everyone at school because of my insecurities, I cherish our friendship; you are like family to me. I want my wedding to be lively and make my grandmother happy. I hope you can help me out; gifts aren’t necessary; I just want everyone to come.”
Reading Lin Xiaohui’s heartfelt message moved Jiang Chen deeply. Life had been unfair to her; however, if he remembered correctly from his past life, Lin Xiaohui eventually found happiness.
Despite coming from one of the poorest families in their class back then, she managed to build a decent life through her own efforts—something Jiang Chen couldn’t help but admire.
Perhaps touched by Lin Xiaohui’s words, other classmates who had been lurking in the chat began expressing their intention to attend her wedding as well.
Sometimes, friendships among classmates are quite pure; as long as you are sincere, you can earn genuine responses in return.
With just over ten days until New Year's Day and knowing he could help Lin Xiaohui now that he was capable, Jiang Chen felt compelled to support her.
Moreover, he originally planned to return to Qingcheng for his grandmother’s seventieth birthday celebration. He had attended his grandfather's seventieth birthday last year and naturally wanted to celebrate his grandmother’s milestone as well.
Jiang Chen privately messaged Lin Xiaohui asking if there was anything else he could do for her. She replied with a smiley face and said all she needed was for him to come and support her on that day.
Jiang Chen inquired once more about Lin Xiaohui's grandmother. Lin Xiaohui explained that her grandmother was in the late stages of liver cancer, with doctors estimating she had less than three months to live. This urgency was why she wanted to get married as soon as possible. Her boyfriend was very considerate and agreed to hold the wedding in Qingcheng County.
However, her relatives were few, and many were unwilling to maintain contact with her. Her boyfriend, whom she met while working, was from Yue Province, and it was unlikely that all of his relatives would attend. In fact, most of his family opposed their relationship. Despite this, her boyfriend remained steadfast in his commitment to her. Lin Xiaohui realized that their wedding might not receive much support or blessing from others, which is why she mustered the courage to invite classmates in their group chat. She didn't want the wedding to be sparsely attended; she hoped to make it lively and bring joy to her grandmother.
Lin Xiaohui considered Jiang Chen a true friend, which is why she confided in him. After reading her message, Jiang Chen replied, "Trust me, you will be happy." Lin Xiaohui felt touched and responded, "Thank you, Jiang Chen."
After finishing the conversation with Lin Xiaohui, Jiang Chen pondered how to surprise her and make her wedding unforgettable. He wanted her boyfriend's family to genuinely accept her and not look down on her due to her family's circumstances. While Jiang Chen typically dismissed superficial gestures at his level, he recognized that his classmates were ordinary people. If he could bring them joy and satisfaction, it would be worth it.
Jiang Chen searched online for ways to make the bride feel special at her wedding. There were many suggestions, but the most impactful way to elevate a bride's status was undoubtedly by inviting celebrities to attend. Many wealthy individuals hired stars for performances or recorded congratulatory videos for their weddings.
However, arranging such appearances posed a challenge for Jiang Chen; he would need to enlist the help of some influential figures to secure those celebrities. Yet, if too many celebrities showed up, it might overshadow the couple's special day. On the other hand, if he only requested video messages from them, there could be skepticism about their authenticity.
Comment 0 Comment Count