Chapter 6: Like, Like

Once in the car, seeing that the time was about right, they headed straight for the Civil Affairs Bureau.

Lu Nanting took the driver’s seat of his own accord, acting completely open and aboveboard, with no intention of hiding whatsoever.

Looking at him, one would think he was dying to run out into the street and shout, "Where are the paparazzi? Come and take my picture!"

Gu Lanxi silently slid into the backseat, wishing she could hide in the trunk; her desire to keep things private was written all over her.

Lu Nanting glanced at her, feeling a bit saddened, but in the end, he said nothing.

Given his level of fame, any woman would have reservations about marrying him.

Although Gu Lanxi was in the industry, she had always been low-key and didn't want too much attention. That she didn't want to go public for the time being was something they had already agreed upon, and he could understand that.

There was really no need to feel unhappy about it.

The car moved forward in silence, drawing ever closer to their destination.

Seeing that there was no joy on his face, but rather a hint of disappointment, Gu Lanxi looked at the pink and purple hydrangeas receding along the roadside and sighed softly

"If you want to back out, there’s still time."

Once the words were out, it felt as if the cheerfulness they had shared previously was all an illusion.

She had said it long ago: marrying her would not be a pleasant experience.

Dating was one thing; they both had their own private space. Meeting occasionally for a meal, catching a movie, or walking hand-in-hand down the street—she could handle that.

But once married, they would be together day in and day out.

The trivialities of daily life—the firewood, rice, oil, and salt—would come crashing down, and their social circles would inevitably expand, requiring more energy to maintain.

Going from a life of solitude to sharing it with someone else—Gu Lanxi had no confidence that she could maintain a healthy relationship with him under such circumstances.

She was well aware of her own psychological flaws.

As her feelings deepened, she would unconsciously develop an overwhelming possessiveness toward him.

Even if a female mosquito appeared near him, she would worry about whether he had been taken advantage of by that mosquito.

Yet, she was also sensitive; when she had emotions, she preferred to bottle them up rather than speak them out.

Anyone who stayed with her for long would eventually find it tiresome.

Being friends was fine; it kept things dignified. But he wouldn't agree to that.

Honestly, the biggest reason Gu Lanxi agreed to marry him was to help him move on and start a new life sooner, so she could return to her own rhythm and avoid a mountain of trouble.

It wasn't because she held any beautiful expectations for their future.

This could be seen clearly in the clauses of their prenuptial agreement.

She was prepared for divorce at any moment.

While driving along, he suddenly heard her say that, and Lu Nanting immediately frowned: "Why would I regret it?"

Gu Lanxi had a strong sense of pride and did not want to deeply dissect her shortcomings in front of him.

Lowering her head, she took out a bottle of mineral water, unscrewed the cap, and then screwed it back on before finding a new topic

"You should know what kind of storm is coming. Have you told Brother Yuan?"

Brother Yuan’s full name was Zhang Mingyuan. He was Lu Nanting’s manager, a man with a sterling reputation in the industry and immense capability.

Gu Lanxi didn't intend to announce the marriage, and she was about to join a film crew, so she feared she wouldn't be home for a long time.

Given Lu Nanting’s attitude, it was impossible to expect him to keep their marriage a secret forever.

The people handling the paperwork today were acquaintances. Due to various overlapping interests and the fact that they had been briefed beforehand, they wouldn't do anything to offend them.

Their records weren't something just anyone could look up, and the easiest way for someone to dig her up would be through public company filings.

But there were plenty of people with the same name in this world. She rarely attended shareholder meetings in person, and without hard evidence like photos or videos, the filings wouldn't detail Lu Nanting’s personal life. It wouldn't be easy for anyone to pin it on her for the time being.

When the time came, everyone would go after him.

What top-tier male star doesn't have a massive army of "wife fans" and "girlfriend fans"?

To marry rashly without even giving his manager a heads-up—if he ended up being cyberbullied and his career suffered, he would inevitably blame this relationship, making her look like the villain.

Gu Lanxi didn't admit she was concerned for him; she was just thinking of herself, wanting to minimize the impact of this relationship on her own life.

"Since I entered this industry, these things were bound to happen sooner or later."

Lu Nanting didn't care at all.

As he spoke, he couldn't help but spout some smooth talk: "When I first debuted, Brother Yuan was the one who brought me up. He’s known for a long time that I had a 'white moonlight'—the kind that, if I ever managed to win her back, I’d marry on the spot. Don't worry! My team is very professional. Besides, it’s just a marriage. Later, when we have kids..."

Gu Lanxi didn't want to keep listening to his nonsense and sighed heavily: "Shut up, will you!"

Facing a person like him, day after day, she couldn't guarantee that her own mindset wouldn't change.

Marriage was like a quagmire, like a frog in boiling water. Those who fell into the web of love were like grasshoppers caught in a spider's silk...

Love that ignores all consequences usually ends in tragedy.

Wasn't it better to just live a good life? Why wade into this muddy water?

She had probably said "shut up" more today than she had in the past year.

In front of Lu Nanting, the composure she took such pride in crumbled time and again, which frightened her, so she stopped talking.

The two remained quiet for the rest of the way, and the car arrived smoothly at the Civil Affairs Bureau.

Lu Nanting found a parking spot. Just as Gu Lanxi finished touching up her makeup and was about to open the door to get out, she saw him chuckle and pull out a box.

Without giving her a chance to refuse, the box clicked open and was presented to her like a treasure.

The midsummer sunlight filtered through the car window, instantly filling the interior with dazzling, fragmented rainbows that made it hard to keep one's eyes open.

Gu Lanxi was stunned.

It was a pair of rings.

The man’s ring looked somewhat simple, but the woman’s ring was enough to tempt every master thief in the world.

A plump, oval-shaped pigeon-blood ruby was surrounded by a circle of sparkling diamonds arranged like a winding stream.

It was truly hard to describe the feeling of looking directly at it with words alone.

Gu Lanxi recognized it instantly. This was the design Lu Nanting had drawn by hand during the Mid-Autumn Festival when he was seventeen, after which he had asked her if she liked it.

At the time, she had checked her watch, anxious to get to class, and had perfunctorily said, "I like it, I like it," before starting to explain the physics problem she had gotten wrong the day before.

She hadn't expected that he had actually had the ring made.

She didn't know how many years he had kept it on hand before finally presenting it to her.

Just before they were about to walk into the Civil Affairs Bureau.

"Everything others have when they get married, I will prepare for you. You know, in my eyes, you deserve the best of everything in this world."

The boy had come with a sincere heart, only to be gently pushed away by her.

Years later, he had returned, holding that same burning heart, carefully approaching her to tell her that his feelings had never changed.

They had met quite often over the past few years, and because of Lu Nanting’s mother, they even ate together occasionally.

But he had never shown any sign that he still had feelings for her; otherwise, she would never have easily agreed to register their marriage.

First that letter of guarantee, and now these rings—how many other things were there that she didn't know about?

Gu Lanxi sat back, and the car fell into a deathly silence.

Lu Nanting seemed to be trying to ease his tension; once he started talking, he couldn't stop

"My mom had a pink diamond. She bought it right when she was pregnant with me. You know, they were both hoping for a daughter. I showed them the design and said I wanted to make a wedding ring, so they gave it to me. Later, they hired a famous jewelry designer to optimize the design and had the best craftsmen make it. The final result is what you see now.

"This one isn't really suitable for daily wear, so I also prepared a pair of low-key, inconspicuous plain bands. They only have a small circle of diamonds set on the inside, but they’re engraved with our names, which is quite meaningful too. Come on, do you want to see?"

Lu Nanting pulled out another box, clicked it open, his eyes full of anticipation

"I have a lot of ideas about the wedding. When you want to hold one, I’ll tell you all about them slowly. I’m showing you these now just so you know that I’ve considered marrying you very carefully for a long time. It wasn't a spur-of-the-moment decision."

Gu Lanxi suddenly felt a wave of panic, her throat tightening.

She didn't care about that bright red certificate, but in Lu Nanting’s heart, it likely held a different meaning.

Her feet were covered in mud; even if the host invited her warmly, stepping onto their white wool carpet was a task that required great courage.

Because no one knew how long such warmth would last.

No one knew if, once the warmth faded, it would be replaced by impatient blame.

The human heart is always fickle.

Gu Lanxi wanted to run.

But her feet felt as if they had taken root.

Emotional debt was truly the hardest kind to repay in this world.

Especially since the Lu family had provided her with great help in her career; she wasn't an ingrate.

So, after struggling for a moment, she decided to lay bare her most wretched side, making one last, desperate attempt to dissuade him

"You’ve probably always wondered why my attitude toward marriage is so pessimistic. I want to tell you about it. I don't know if you’re willing to listen?"

Gu Lanxi had always been reserved and didn't like talking about her own affairs. Since she was finally opening up, Lu Nanting would naturally not refuse.

So he said: "As long as you are willing to speak, I will always be listening."

Every scarred soul needs healing.

The trauma from one's original family often accompanies a person for a lifetime. To overcome psychological barriers and be brave just once truly requires an immense, immense amount of courage.