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Chapter 29: The Banquet

Jiang Liuyi was in such a good mood that night she didn’t pester Song Xian, letting her sleep through the night in peace. That alone was a rare blessing—something that hadn’t happened in a while. Song Xian figured the decision to give her those books had been the right one. Jiang Liuyi was learning to regulate her emotions now, no longer clinging so tightly to the need for constant “comfort.”

It was a good sign.

She slept until the alarm went off. When she got up, Jiang Liuyi was still asleep. She turned off the alarm, and from behind her came a voice asking, “What time is it?”

“Six-thirty,” Song Xian replied.

Jiang Liuyi turned over and saw her pulling out a pale yellow tracksuit from the wardrobe—long sleeves, long pants. “You have a shoot today?”

“Mm-hmm. This afternoon,” Song Xian answered, lifting the hanger.

Then she glanced over. “Are you home all day today?”

Jiang Liuyi hesitated a few seconds before nodding. “All day.”

She kept her eyes on Song Xian, watching her efficiently sort through her clothes. “What is it?”

“Yuanyuan might come by to drop something off. Can you get the door for her?”

Jiang Liuyi had already heard about it the night before, though she hadn’t asked what it was. Just as she was about to speak, Song Xian had already picked up her clothes and gone into the bathroom. Jiang Liuyi held back whatever she was going to say, got out of bed, and poured two glasses of warm water. When Song Xian came out, she handed one to her, then turned and went in to wash up.

She had been planning to make breakfast for Song Xian, but by the time she came out, Song Xian was already eating.

Left with no other option, Jiang Liuyi sat across from her. As she nibbled on a piece of bread, she kept glancing up from the corner of her eye. Song Xian was looking at her phone, head slightly down. The group chat was buzzing—they’d just learned that their next interview would be with Qian Li. None of them knew she’d been referred by Yu Bai, so everyone was in high spirits.

[Feeling good today, afternoon tea’s on me.]

[Yes yes yes! The stingy rooster’s finally plucked a feather! Let’s squeeze her dry today. But I heard Qian Li isn’t exactly easy to handle—any inside info? Spill everything!]

That was He Xiaoying. As the lead writer, she was responsible for researching Qian Li’s preferences ahead of time to avoid any missteps during the interview. The rest of the team chimed in with suggestions.

[Inside scoop? I heard she’s a bit of a diva. Kind of looks down on people.]

[Not a bit—don’t you remember when Mr. Xiao subtly called out a certain actress for lacking professional ethics? That was her.]

[Oh! I remember now. Wasn’t she the one who insisted on adding extra lines during an audition? That incident?]

[But she really pulls numbers. She’s in the entertainment industry, after all. Let’s just hype her up. Oh, Xiaoying—when you go interview her, try to steer clear of personal relationship stuff. Focus more on her work.]

That way there’d be less chance of anything going wrong. He Xiaoying glanced over the notes she’d gathered, then gritted her teeth and messaged Song Xian: [She sounds even harder to deal with than Zhang Susu.]

Song Xian pressed her lips together, amused. At that moment, she heard Jiang Liuyi ask, “We’re going to Zhao Yuebai’s for dinner tomorrow—you haven’t forgotten, right?”

A birthday dinner?

Song Xian looked up slightly, met Jiang Liuyi’s gaze, and nodded. “I know.”

Jiang Liuyi watched her finish the milk, then added, “After Zhao Yuebai’s, I want to stop by home.”

Song Xian gave a soft “Mm,” saying nothing more.

Jiang Liuyi lowered her eyes. “Come with me.”

They’d only shared one meal with Jiang Liuyi’s family since the wedding—and even that had been rushed, squeezed between tour stops. Her parents hadn’t put on welcoming faces at all, and the whole dinner had ended in awkward silence. Song Xian had assumed they wouldn’t dine together again—neither side had seemed eager for it. She hadn’t expected Jiang Liuyi to bring it up now.

But visiting her wife’s family after marriage—wasn’t that how it was supposed to be?

If Jiang Liuyi needed it, then she would go.

Song Xian nodded. “Okay. Got it.”

Jiang Liuyi let out an inexplicable breath of relief. She’d truly been worried Song Xian might refuse. Their first meeting with her parents had gone poorly—her mother had called afterward, furious, and even last time, Jiang Liubing had…

But they were married now. She needed to show her parents that she genuinely wanted a life with Song Xian.

After finishing breakfast, Song Xian walked over to the coffee table to pack up her camera bag. Just before leaving, she looked over at Jiang Liuyi, about to ask if there was anything else—only to find Jiang Liuyi already standing behind her, reaching out to pull her into a hug.

Just like the morning before, the embrace was warm. Jiang Liuyi rarely wore perfume; her scent was usually the dry, clean fragrance of body wash—the same one Song Xian used. That familiar smell wrapped around her, and Song Xian stood still for a few seconds, letting herself be held.

Soon, Jiang Liuyi let go, stepping back two paces. “Go on,” she said. “Get to work.”

Song Xian gave a small nod, and just before walking out the door, reminded her, “Don’t forget to read.”

Jiang Liuyi was stunned for a couple of seconds, but Song Xian had already slung her bag over her shoulder and left. There was a set of photos due that morning, and Song Xian barely had time to lift herself from the chair. 

Just as she wrapped up, He Xiaoying came over asking for help reviewing the interview draft. The two of them went over it multiple times to make sure there were no issues. That’s when Song Xian received a message from Gu Yuanyuan—she was already outside the apartment.

Song Xian immediately picked up her phone and called Jiang Liuyi, asking her to get the door.

Jiang Liuyi stepped out of the piano room and opened the door to find Gu Yuanyuan waiting. She was a sweet-looking young woman, delicate features, and two dimples appearing when she smiled. She peeked inside. “Hope I’m not disturbing?”

“No, not at all,” Jiang Liuyi replied. “Want something to drink?”

Gu Yuanyuan walked in and paused beside the sofa. Jiang Liuyi gestured. “Go ahead, have a seat.”

“Thanks.” Gu Yuanyuan smiled. “I won’t have anything—I just came to drop something off.”

Jiang Liuyi moved toward the kitchen counter. “At least have a cup of tea.”

She poured a cup of tea—it was still warm. Gu Yuanyuan took it and glanced at Jiang Liuyi, the memory of their first meeting flashing back. It had been at her bakery. One of her staff had come over in a hushed frenzy, whispering that a stunning woman had just walked in. Yuanyuan had seen plenty of beautiful people before—Song Xian was already more than enough in that department. 

But then she saw Jiang Liuyi. Her bearing was exceptional, a different kind of beauty from Song Xian’s—cool and elegant, but distant. What truly surprised her was finding out, the second time they met, that it was through Song Xian.

“Just got our marriage license. She’s my wife.”

She’d been so shocked she nearly dropped her teeth. She’d dragged Song Xian aside and hissed, “Are you serious?”

Song Xian had nodded, her always-composed gaze filled with conviction. Yuanyuan had stared at her in disbelief. “You’ve only known each other for how long? I don’t agree with this!”

She was the only friend Song Xian really had—practically her only family. Seeing her rush into marriage like that, of course she objected. But Song Xian had said, “We’re a good match.”

“A good match? How much do you even know about her? Do you know anything about her past?”

Song Xian had asked calmly, “Why do I need to know?”

Yuanyuan had been speechless. “Well—well, at the very least, shouldn’t you know if she’s a decent person?”

Song Xian had nodded. “We’ve spent some time together. She seems like a decent person.”

She’d felt utterly defeated. “How can you judge someone’s character in just a short time? You should at least really get to know each other!”

But Song Xian had looked at her with that calm, inexplicable expression. “I did get to know her. She’s fine in every way.”

“You—!” Gu Yuanyuan had nearly lost her temper, but seeing that pair of steady, composed eyes, she’d forced herself to hold back. Then she’d brought herself over to meet Jiang Liuyi. They’d shared a meal together.

Afterward, she watched as Song Xian’s life seemed to flourish. She looked more relaxed, her complexion better with each passing day. When asked, Song Xian said she wasn’t dealing with insomnia anymore. Things with Jiang Liuyi were going smoothly.

That had reassured her.

By her count, this was their fourth official meeting.

Not including the time she secretly watched Jiang Liuyi and Yu Bai having dinner together.

Today, Jiang Liuyi was in loungewear, her presence far less intimidating than she appeared on television. At home, she seemed softer—more relaxed and approachable. Gu Yuanyuan observed her quietly for a moment before asking, “You’re home alone?”

What a question, she scolded herself. Of course—Song Xian had gone to work.

She gave an awkward laugh, but Jiang Liuyi didn’t seem to notice. She simply nodded. “Mm. Song Xian went to the magazine.”

Her voice was warm and smooth, with a particularly pleasant tone. After finishing her tea, Gu Yuanyuan said, “I came to drop this off.”

She handed Jiang Liuyi a gift bag. Jiang Liuyi looked down—inside was a red brocade box, not very big, a perfect square. She frowned slightly as she asked, “What is it?”

“No idea,” Gu Yuanyuan replied. “Song Xian left it behind at dinner yesterday. I think she bought it.”

Jiang Liuyi gave a slight nod. “Thanks for bringing it over.”

Gu Yuanyuan waved it off. “It’s nothing. I was passing by anyway. Just figured I’d save her a trip after work.”

She glanced around, set down her cup, and said, “Well, if that’s all, I’ll get going.”

Jiang Liuyi had been about to pour her another cup of tea, but Gu Yuanyuan smiled and added, “I’ll pass on more tea—when’s the wedding banquet?”

She hadn’t seemed particularly enthusiastic about it before, but ever since Yu Bai came back…

Jiang Liuyi paused. “I haven’t discussed it with Song Xian yet.”

Now that she thought about it, they hadn’t even taken wedding photos. A twinge of guilt crept into Jiang Liuyi’s chest. She felt she’d been too careless, and standing in front of Song Xian’s close friend, she suddenly lacked confidence.

Gu Yuanyuan, sharp as ever, sensed something off. She assumed Jiang Liuyi might be hesitating about the banquet because Yu Bai had returned, and immediately said, “You have to hold a wedding! You have no idea—Song Xian is really big on ritual and ceremony!”

Jiang Liuyi blinked. “Ritual?”

“Yeah!” Gu Yuanyuan replied solemnly. “She didn’t tell you?”

Jiang Liuyi shook her head. “No.”

“Ah—then it’s probably because you’ve been busy with work. She didn’t want to bother you!”

Jiang Liuyi fell quiet. It was true—Song Xian had always been considerate, careful not to interfere with her schedule or mood. And in contrast… Jiang Liuyi looked down. Seeing her words had landed, Gu Yuanyuan continued, “The truth is, she’s really into all that. The proposal, the wedding banquet, even the honeymoon…”

She watched Jiang Liuyi’s expression closely. When she saw she was listening intently, she added, “All of it—absolutely essential!”

Jiang Liuyi gave a slight nod. Though she and Song Xian had never discussed any of it, if Gu Yuanyuan was bringing it up, it might be something Song Xian wanted but hadn’t dared to say out loud.

Now she understood.

Gu Yuanyuan was quite pleased with herself. “Then you take your time and plan it well. I’ll get going.”

Jiang Liuyi walked her to the door and watched as she entered the elevator, still mulling over everything Gu Yuanyuan had said—proposal, banquet, honeymoon. Lately, her schedule had cleared up, so the timing could actually work. But planning a banquet… that was a bit more complicated.

It wasn’t something she’d ever seriously considered before. But now, after Gu Yuanyuan’s guidance, she understood the importance of it. As soon as she got back inside, she grabbed her laptop and started browsing. Everything looked nice, though the styles varied widely. She took several screenshots of different setups and sent them to Song Xian.

Song Xian: [ ? ]

Jiang Liuyi: [Which style do you like best?]

Song Xian: [What is this?]

Jiang Liuyi: [We haven’t held a wedding banquet yet, right? I was thinking we could do it soon.]

Reading Jiang Liuyi’s message, Song Xian frowned. A wedding banquet?

Where did this come from? Why bring it up so suddenly?

Is Jiang Liuyi just bored at home?