Ai's heart fluttered like a trapped butterfly. Her eyes were fixed on Jun, her lips parted in anticipation as she prepared to speak the words that would bind their souls together forever. The weight of the moment hung in the air.
"Liu Jun. The first time we met, the thing that caught my heart were your eyes. Your beautiful dark brown irises that resonated so deeply within me that they shook my heart. So pure and full of emotions that they pulled me towards you to know more about you. Before I knew it, the small moments, the silly banter and the fun time we spent in the library became a part of my life as if it was so natural and then slowly but surely…you too."
Her moist eyelashes trembled as she shakily exhaled. "You always held my hand so tightly that I never fall. I was so afraid of heights, but you didn't let that fear take root in me because you were always there to catch hold of me. You defeated the monsters under the bed I was so afraid of. You supported my dream every step of the way and you cured the loneliness which felt like would never leave me. Just like how you never let go of my hand, I promise I won't ever let go of yours too."
She gazed at his dark brown irises through her veil and a scintillating smile radiated her lips. "With all my heart, I vow to love and cherish you. I will be honest and loyal, never betraying your trust. There would be no problems that you would face alone because I will be right there by your side to weather each and every storm. I will always protect your heart that makes you so cute."
Jun's brow heavily twitched, but it was a good dose of laughter for the rest of the families.
"I will always be yours, in this life and in all our next lives."
"You have no right to make me cry like this…" Jun tightened his jaw, trying to hold back the tears from falling.
The wedding meant more than just a simple exchange of vows and rings for Jun. He had envisioned a beautiful and unforgettable wedding in his past life which never came to fruition. As he realized he was reborn, he had willingly withdrawn himself from this path that would take him to love and happiness. But Ai broke all those walls and vows and today, this day marked as the true beginning of Jun's future that he failed to achieve.
"Awww that's why Jun-cute is Jun-cute~" Nian teased.
"Shut up," he glared at his brother.
The priest smiled and asked Jun and Ai to exchange rings. On Jun's side, Jun stepped up and brought up a small velvet box and on the Ai' side, Guiying arrived holding a similar box. She squealed, coming closer to them. "You two look so amazing. Right, Jin?"
Jin frowned a bit. His brow twitched, getting it harder to agree. "I will be a little generous today and say that the naturally lovable and warm person looks pretty…But obviously, Bro wins between you two."
"You finally praised me…" Ai covered her mouth, feeling emotional. "Can I hug you?"
"Of course not!"
Jun chuckled. Jin might act cold and stern towards Ai, but he knew that he liked her in his own way but would never admit it.
Jun picked the ring from the velvet box and gently held her left hand, slipping the sparkling diamond ring that he had done so on her birthday for her surprise. Ai took the ring and slipped it on Jun's ring finger too, exploding the church with roars of claps and cheers.
They gazed at small rings that signified the vows and their everlasting love for one another. It's weight felt heavy with the responsibility of their happy future on their shoulders, but it was a sweet responsibility they were willing to carry till their hairs turned gray.
The priest stepped forward and said, "With the exchange of vows and the rings, I now pronounce you as husband and wife. Mr. Liu Jun. You may now kiss the bride."
His heart pounded with a loud thud in his chest and with it, he pulled her waist with one arm and lifted her delicate white veil with another. Admiring his bride for a precious moment and gazing into her loving light brown eyes, he sealed her lips and their marriage with a firm kiss. Ai gently tiptoed and returned the kiss with the same fervor of emotions swirling and overwhelming her heart with a single tear softly slipping out of her left eye.
A race of claps resounded across the church mixed with the sniffles of tears and emotions. "Congratulations!"
Jin silently fixed his gaze at the newly wedded couple with a hint of warmth glinting in his black eyes. His lips quivered with an unknown emotion as he whispered, "You finally got your happy ending, Bro…"
He clenched his fists, his heart feeling a sense of lightness it never felt before. He exhaled in relief as if it was the first time he could finally breathe ever since being reborn. It was today that the shadow of the past life had truly disappeared forever.
The similar inexplicable emotions were held by Shui too, who watched and recognized the myriad of feelings Jin must be feeling as he stood at the altar. Unknowingly, her tears greeted her eyes because only she knew the hidden pain in Jin's heart. He would witness the weddings of his loved ones and see them embrace their new life, but what about him?
To him, there would never come a day where he would stand on the other side of the altar as the groom.
Sitting on the front bench facing the altar, Xie Nuying trembled, her heart overwhelmed with pure exhilaration of her daughter's wedding, but it contained a tinge of melancholy too. Suddenly in just a few moments, Ai seemed so far away to her that it hurt and pricked.
"She is Jun's wife now, but…" she felt Zhou Yichen's voice from beside her turning slightly gruff and hoarse, "Ai-chan will always be our daughter first. Our precious little girl."
She turned to look and noticed the tears welling in his eyes but his lips still holding that goofy smile albeit with a tremble. She hesitated for half a second and then slowly placed her hand on top of his, sharing the same sentiments. Slightly nervous, she wondered if he would dislike the gesture. But Zhou Yichen placed his right hand on top of her, gently squeezing it to feel her warmth. With their hearts that came together to celebrate this moment, they continued basking in the happiness of Ai's laughter.
Jinhai, Nana and the siblings watched Jun twirling his wife in his arms with the most dazzling and shimmering smile on his lips and a brilliant radiance in his pupils. He was a husband now and would soon become a father. He would have his own family which was a stark contrast from his lonely life of the past.
Nuo rubbed the tip of her nose, with the twins pinching her cheeks and hugging her from both sides. "It's the time to smile, not cry little sister~"
"I cannot help it…" she sniffled. "Look at your own faces first. You look as if somebody cut a hundred onions."
"D-Don't expose us little sister...!" They wiped their cheeks for the tenth time now.
On the bench, Jinhai gently pulled Nana in his arms, who couldn't hold back her soft sobs of contentment. Her shoulders trembled, and she buried her face in his chest. No words were needed to be said and heard as he too eventually allowed for his tears to fall.
Visit freewe𝑏no(v)el.𝘤𝑜𝓂 for the best novel reading experience