A Long-Awaited Marriage - Chapter 36

He sat in the car, his long, slender fingers with distinct knuckles tapping rhythmically on the steering wheel. His eyes were fixed intently on the direction of the gate to Area A.

He was waiting, or rather, he was gambling.

I’m gambling on whether the person I’m thinking of will appear.

If she really was in Nancheng, wouldn’t the truth behind their breakup back then be revealed?

Four years ago at Nanjing South Railway Station, the old man was embracing Lu Anran. He punched the man with all his might and left in a huff.

Upon returning to Qingcheng, Jiang Ye angrily deleted everything related to Lu Anran from his social media. He believed that the two of them would never cross paths again.

Until that tacky bow-tie egg bag appeared in front of him. He remembered that it was Lu Anran’s habit; she had a habit of adding a bow to her knitted items.

Actually, there were still things related to Lu Anran in his bedroom. A scarf woven like a cushion, and an egg bag for holding eggs from the Beginning of Summer.

The emotions of rage are terrifying; they are irrational. Once he calmed down, Jiang was filled with regret. He shouldn’t have thrown away the memories that belonged to Lu Anran.

Thankfully, there are still some items at home that are worth keeping as mementos of Lu Anran.

The view from inside the car was very limited, so Jiang decided to get out and get some fresh air.

He leaned against the car door, lit a cigarette, took a slow drag, and gently exhaled smoke rings. His elegant posture was captivating.

Jiang rarely smokes; he doesn’t like the pungent smell.

It was because of something Lu Anran said. Lu Anran thought that men who smoke are handsome, and the faint smell of tobacco is also very pleasant.

Jiang Ye was resentful. Men who don’t smoke can be handsome too, like him. To avoid letting Lu Anran smell other people’s tobacco, Jiang Ye would occasionally smoke.

Later, the two broke up, and Jiang drowned his sorrows in alcohol for a while. After that, he stopped smoking altogether.

To hell with that pleasant tobacco smell!

Two girls stared at Jiang Ye and whispered for a while before pushing and shoving their way up to him. “Handsome, can I have your WeChat?”

Jiang didn’t even look up, coldly tossing out, “Get lost.”

The two girls, feeling humiliated, stormed off, huffing, “Hmph, so what if he’s handsome! What’s with all the arrogance?”

Some girls were also amazed by Jiang Ye’s handsomeness, but his cold temperament made them afraid to get close, so they secretly took a picture and posted it on their WeChat Moments.

The smoke rings dissipated slowly in the wind. Jiang didn’t wait for that person and eventually drove away.

It seems it was just a coincidence.

Lu Anran and Ding Shuyao returned home from the east gate of the residential area, carrying snacks. Lu Anran put the snacks into the snack cabinet.

Suddenly, Ding Shuyao exclaimed excitedly, “Oh dear, I should have come back through the main gate tonight!”

“What’s wrong?” Lu Anran closed the snack cabinet door, glanced at Ding Shuyao, and wondered why she was being so noisy again.

“That neighbor on the 16th floor just took a picture of a handsome guy. Right at the main entrance!” Ding Shuyao slapped her thigh in frustration.

“Although the lighting was a bit dim and the photo wasn’t very clear, you can still tell he’s an extremely handsome guy!”

“Oh dear, why did I have to go through the East Gate tonight? Waaah~ My love life~” Ding Shuyao wailed.

Seeing Ding Shuyao’s utterly dejected expression, Lu Anran laughed and said, “You really are feeling the stirrings of first love, huh? Want to be in a relationship!”

Ding Shuyao didn’t answer her, her expression suddenly becoming somewhat serious. “Hey, why does this person look a bit like my boss?” Ding Shuyao zoomed in on the photo.

“Your boss? The one who puts your shoes on?” Lu Anran glanced at Ding Shuyao and continued with her work.

“No, no, it’s someone else! Strange, why is he at the entrance of our community? Could it be that he has eyes and ears everywhere and heard me say tonight that I was going to introduce him to you, so he came over?” Ding Shuyao muttered to herself as she sat on the sofa.

Lu Anran chuckled and shook her head, her eyes full of doting affection. “You should go wash up and go to bed!”

“Ranran, stop busying yourself and come take a look. He’s really super handsome, and he might just be your type!”

Lu Anran couldn’t resist her, so she sat down next to her and casually said, “Let me see just how…” Before she could finish the word “handsome,” Lu Anran froze.

Time seemed to stand still at that moment. Lu Anran could not hear any other sounds, only the sound of her own heartbeat.

She stared blankly at the person in the photograph. Dim lighting, melancholy eyes, sharply defined features, and slender fingers holding a cigarette with wisps of smoke drifting from it.

He is Jiang Ye!