Love Affairs in Melbourne-Chapter 118 - 115: Unavoidable

"You usually make a lot of sense," but today, I think all your push-ups and whatnot were in vain. Even if I were to revert to the demure and reticent high-schooler I once was, I couldn’t change the fact that our classmates wouldn’t let me off the hook easily." Yan Yan refused to accept the lofty principles her grandfather tried to instill.

"Why not? Surely that’s slightly better than your particularly dazzling way of targeting others, isn’t it?" Qi Yi remained firm in his opinion.

"Whether I’m dazzling now makes no difference; back in high school, you shone too bright. Even if you were wrapped up in mummy cloths, it wouldn’t have thwarted your radiating brilliance. Having a boyfriend like you, I’ve simply accepted that some things are inevitable." Yan Yan said to Qi Yi with a smile.

"Do you want to make your boyfriend into a mummy and keep him by your side forever?" Qi Yi felt that talking to the current Yan Yan often required a huge leap of the imagination.

"Well, I hadn’t considered that, but maybe I should look into it, see how I can design a mummy costume for you." Yan Yan decided to boldly move forward on the path of "dressing up" Qi Yi.

Qi Yi and Yan Yan had just sat down, not even having the chance to order drinks, when Yan Yan’s phone rang.

"Waiwai, where have you kidnapped our school hunk to now? Everyone is waiting for you to explain your nefarious deeds of hoarding the school hunk," Jiji accused Yan Yan as soon as the call connected.

Jin Jin was still an intern at the law firm, often working overtime and finding it difficult to take leave. She had flown back to Wenzhou on the afternoon flight. Coupled with the "routine delays" of flights from Shanghai to Wenzhou, Jin Jin had just arrived at the wedding venue.

After scanning the wedding venue, Jin Jin noticed that both Yan Yan and Qi Yi, who were supposed to be at the bridesmaids and groomsmen’s table, had vanished.

Given Jin Jin’s personality, she definitely wasn’t going to wait for Yan Yan and Qi Yi to come back before she had a good "inquiry."

"What Bao Family? Who else cares about whether I’m dodgy or dicey, aside from you? We’re in the lobby café. Are you coming over?" Yan Yan asked Jin Jin directly.

"I have no interest in being the third wheel to two morally bankrupt people. But let me warn you, if you don’t come up soon, I won’t be the only one criticizing you two later. Is it really necessary to make such a drama, as if you’ve been separated by life and death, just for sitting at the next table?" Jin Jin scoffed at Yan Yan and Qi Yi’s behavior.

"Aren’t you afraid that you’ll be the first one criticized? Just because it’s not your wedding to the guy who’s supposed to propose to you at Bund No.3, doesn’t mean you can casually throw around talk of death." Yan Yan stopped worrying about Jin Jin’s pick on her since returning from Shanghai.

The last time she visited Shanghai to see Jin Jin, Yan Yan had already prepared herself to be fleeced at several expensive meals.

After all, Jin Jin herself always said that when someone else is treating you to a meal, it doesn’t matter how good it tastes; the key is that it should be pricey.

Moreover, at that time, Jin Jin did intend to settle the score with Yan Yan.

Even so, food-lover Jin Jin ended up taking Yan Yan to Lailai Soup Dumplings, ordered four baskets of dumplings, eight per basket, at 15 yuan each, totaling sixty yuan.

Lailai Soup Dumplings is located on Nanjing East Road in Shanghai.

The skin was thin yet resilient, the broth subtly sweet, and the meat filling fresh and savory. Visually appealing, one bite released a rich broth and an explosion of meaty flavor, igniting every taste bud.

Compared to Ding Tai Feng’s small yet strangely expensive dumplings—the kind that cost 33 yuan for five, with skin not thin enough—Lailai’s truly embodied delicious Shanghai soup dumplings.

What’s more important, Lailai Soup Dumplings might be a small place, but the hygiene was handled particularly well, it was spotlessly clean.

After the two women finished the four baskets, they ordered two more. Including drinks, they spent just a total of 100 yuan.

Yan Yan’s plan to silence Jin Jin with a lavish meal never got off the ground.

But that was Jin Jin’s own choice, not because Yan Yan hadn’t prepared to treat her to a fancy meal.

Thus the issue of settling accounts could finally be put to rest.

"I can’t be bothered with you. Just because I know Bund No.3 is a famous proposal spot, does it mean I’ve been proposed to there? Does knowing that Princess Kate and Prince William had a royal wedding at Westminster Cathedral a few months ago mean I got married there too?" Jin Jin’s lawyerly eloquence was certainly not for show.

"If you’re so staunch in your argument now, why were you left speechless when I asked you about it then?" Yan Yan didn’t want to fall into the trap Jin Jin had set.

"You don’t want to come up, that’s fine, but when it’s time to be criticized later, don’t say I didn’t warn you," Jin Jin hung up the phone very quickly.

Many classmates hadn’t seen each other in a long time, and Jin Jin was well aware that Qi Yi and Yan Yan, even if they truly wanted to hide, wouldn’t be able to do so for very long.

"Shall we just go up there with our heads held high?" Yan Yan looked at Qi Yi with a bit of playfulness, expressing her opinion at the moment.

"That’s right, it’s not a relationship that needs to be hidden. We didn’t avoid it in high school, so what’s the point of hiding now?" Qi Yi really wanted to spend time alone with Yan Yan, but today’s occasion indeed wasn’t suitable for sneaking away for too long.

The two sat down in the café, didn’t order anything, and went straight up again.

Just as they stood up, Qi Yi took hold of Yan Yan’s hand.

Yan Yan swung the hand that Qi Yi was holding vigorously upwards.

Qi Yi thought Yan Yan felt his gesture was "indecent" and was preparing to break free. Instead, after the forceful swing upwards, Yan Yan began to swing downwards.

She exaggeratedly, like marching, pulled Qi Yi by the hand to take the elevator.

It was a bit childish, yet somewhat endearing.

Qi Yi was somewhat surprised in his heart; he originally thought that with so many classmates present, Yan Yan would remind him to be mindful of his behavior today to not affect the "public image."

He had never seen his girlfriend strut so boldly and carelessly.

Yan Yan had made up her mind to be ready for any challenge since she agreed to be Lu Ying’s bridesmaid.

Yan Yan wasn’t afraid of anything. If she really caused too much of a scene at a classmate’s wedding and got noticed, the worst outcome would be to just have a travelling wedding. Who says you have to hold a wedding banquet?

Getting married isn’t about showing off love, nor is it for others to see.

Of course, it’s all about doing what makes you happy.

If Yan Yan’s parents knew of her thoughts, they would surely be devastated.

For the older generation in Wenzhou, a wedding banquet is a significant event; no matter how cumbersome, it can’t just be left to the whims of the young people.

In the end, what young people want for their wedding is usually different from what the older generation wants.

For example, at Baobao’s family’s side in Southern Fujian, it’s customary for elders to give gold jewelry to the bride on the wedding day.

And it’s the kind that, when given to you, you’re supposed to wear it.

Imagine what it’s like if you’ve chosen a white wedding dress, but your wrists, fingers, and neck are laden with gold jewelry.

Ten fingers are definitely not enough; often, several gold rings must be worn on a single finger.

Gold necklaces, gold bracelets, and gold rings—even if they’re full of blessings from relatives, wearing them all at once definitely gives an intoxicating feeling.

Moreover, the bride must stand at the entrance of the hotel to greet guests, often so tired that she could faint.

Especially those who are "pregnant" and getting married.

In this regard, Wenzhou’s wedding customs are much more advanced.

On the wedding day, the bride is solely responsible for looking as beautiful as she pleases, and most of the greeting and hosting duties can be left to the elders.