Plan A
Old Shadows of the Republic of China 9
Wedding Invitation
Is it Liu Shiqing who invited her, or was it the teahouse from last time?
This time, Su Xin didn’t wear a small dress; she wore silk clothes, combed her hair, and went out.
Liu Shiqing’s appearance now is not quite the same as it was when Su Xin saw her ten days ago.
She hasn’t changed out of her dress and has put on more vivid makeup, looking different from before.
Her complexion is very white, not sure if it’s powdered or just bloodless, with an unconcealable haggardness, looking as if she’s sick.
“Qingqing?”
Su Xin appeared somewhat surprised because of her friend’s change.
Liu Shiqing seemed to have become more weathered, even painting her nails dark red, applying lipstick, wearing heavy makeup, which makes her look more womanly than before with light makeup, but also somewhat older.
Plain-faced Liu Shiqing looked very young.
“Zhizhi, I went to find you yesterday; your housekeeper said you were resting, so I didn’t disturb you. Today, I came to invite you again. Are you feeling better now?”
“It’s just a small cold, but you, why does it feel like you’ve lost so much weight in just half a month?”
“No worries, this time I asked you out to tell you something.”
Liu Shiqing took out her small leather bag and started searching, frowning.
“Strange, did I not bring it out? Really, as I get older, my memory worsens.”
Liu Shiqing mumbled to herself.
“What are you looking for?”
“Invitation.”
Liu Shiqing didn’t find what she wanted in her small leather bag, so she took out a dark blue cigarette box and pulled out a long thin cigarette.
Using a lighter to light the cigarette’s end, Liu Shiqing held the cigarette between her fingers, skillfully took a puff, and exhaled a smoke ring.
“Qingqing, when did you start smoking?”
Su Xin asked strangely, as Liu Shiqing used to really dislike the smell of smoke.
“In these past two days, I finally understand why those men like to smoke; it indeed is a good thing.”
Liu Shiqing took a puff of the cigarette, the scarlet glowing between her white tender fingers.
As the smoke dispersed, Su Xin couldn’t say she hated or liked the smell, just looked at Liu Shiqing with worried eyes.
“What happened?”
“Nothing much, just that I’m getting married.”
Liu Shiqing said this indifferently, not at all like she was talking about a happy event, as she exhaled smoke, her eyebrows and eyes were hazy in the mist.
“What?”
Su Xin was somewhat unable to recover from this reversal, as she recalled that half a month ago, Liu Shiqing had told her she wanted to marry her brother and be her sister-in-law, and was actively making changes for that. How, in just half a month, is she getting married, and the marriage partner is definitely not her brother, because she hadn’t heard about this at all.
“But didn’t you like my brother? How?”
Su Xin appeared somewhat confused and anxious about her friend’s sudden decision to marry and looking unhappy.
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“I was too naive, thinking he would really let me choose the person I like according to my wish.”
Liu Shiqing lowered her eyes, her tone mocking.
She thought she could probably never forget that day when her always doting father shouted at her angrily.
“Liu Shiqing, you are the eldest daughter of the Liu family. Can’t you have some dignity? Although the Wei family is indeed prominent, and that person is not bad either, do you not know what reputation he has? Do they even care for you? Who would care about you making yourself look so bitter and resentful? Don’t debase yourself like that. You are a daughter of the Liu family, not some lowly person.”
Liu Shiqing cried and locked herself in her room, and the next day she was told she was arranged for marriage.
“Your father disagrees with you marrying my brother? Why? Isn’t our family a match for yours?”
Su Xin did not understand.
“The main problem is my dad, he’s rather proud and arrogant. He can’t stand seeing me chase after others, unless your brother personally comes to propose, then he would feel this marriage is good. He can’t bear to see me act lowly, so when others came to propose, he just married me off.”
Liu Shiqing laughed, but even her heavy makeup couldn’t conceal her bitter misery.
She actually never thought she would end up marrying a stranger.
“Now that I think about it, my life is a joke.”
Liu Shiqing extinguished her cigarette, summarizing.
She spent several years liking one person, constantly thinking of them even outside, only waiting for herself to become better and return, but still ended with this kind of outcome.
A complete joke.
“Originally, I came today to give you the invitation, but with my memory, I actually forgot to bring it out. After you go back, I’ll have someone send it to you… including your brother’s.”
Liu Shiqing supported her face, looking at the outside world, the flow of traffic, bustling with people.
The weather is very warm, yet she shivered with cold.
“Qingqing…”
Su Xin didn’t know how to comfort her friend, inevitably sighing.
The ways of the world are unpredictable; who knows what tomorrow will bring.
Just like in the beginning, Su Xin never thought she would leave the world like that.
“I’m getting married, so be happy. What’s with that worried face?”
Liu Shiqing gave a smile, stood up, and pinched Su Xin’s face.
“Have you met that man? How is he?”
Since it had already become an unchangeable fact, Su Xin inquired about the appearance of Liu Shiqing’s future husband.
“He’s okay, not ugly, and a different type from your brother. He looks a bit silly, but he’s quite a good person, and he speaks well.”
Liu Shiqing touched her nails; this color of nail polish was a gift from that man. He heard she liked this kind of thing and specifically had someone buy it in a big city to send to her, which was quite thoughtful.
“That’s good, at least better than my brother. Qingqing, maybe being with him is better than with my brother. My brother won’t care for a woman; once you enter the family, you’ll only be serving him and my mother. He would never cherish you.”
Su Xin spoke bluntly, feeling that if Liu Shiqing’s husband was a good person, it was naturally a good thing, as long as he wasn’t someone problematic.
“That’s true, I also can’t serve others.”
Liu Shiqing nodded, as she was born into a life of being served and is accustomed to it, making it difficult for her to accommodate others everywhere.
Liu Shiqing is a relatively strong person; Su Xin could see that from some of the things Liu Shiqing did and her behavior in memory.
“When is the wedding held? Chinese style or Western style?”
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Nowadays, Western-style weddings are more sought after. Although white is considered an inauspicious color by the Chinese, there is also a saying that goes, “Pretty or not, a full mourning outfit.”
It means white can make women look good, and the old concepts of the Chinese are slowly changing. This Western-style wedding is also very popular among young people.
“The day after tomorrow, Western style. When I asked him, he said since I returned from abroad, I should like Western style.”
“Mm, but the day after tomorrow, so soon?”
“Mm, my dad is afraid that if it’s delayed for too long, I might run away for my freedom and elope, so the sooner the better.”
“My dad still doesn’t know me well enough.”
Liu Shiqing shook her head. She initially made a fuss, saying she was unwilling to marry, even resorting to a hunger strike to force the issue.
The man who wanted to marry her heard the news and hurriedly came over, stood in front of her, and told her if she was truly unwilling, then she shouldn’t marry. He gave her a gift and encouraged her to eat well.
The man’s appearance was honest, and every word of his advice was very sincere.
Liu Shiqing cried a lot, and the next day she washed her face and told her dad that she would marry.
She still wasn’t very happy, though. Liu Shiqing just felt that without this man, there would be another man next, and marrying someone was still marrying.
The time was set very hastily. The man said he wasn’t in a hurry, but Liu Shiqing’s dad was.
“How could I run away? The person I like doesn’t like me. I’m not a child; I can still distinguish what’s important.”
Liu Shiqing picked a piece of tea snack to eat.
“In any case… I wish you happiness.”
Su Xin showed a smile to her friend.
“Mm, what about you? Do you have someone you like? I didn’t notice you had feelings for anyone in those years.”
“No, I’m not in a hurry.”
Su Xin shook her head; she wasn’t in a hurry, as she wasn’t planning to marry either.
“Your dad doesn’t urge you?”
“My dad doesn’t urge me, but my mom is anxious. My dad says I’m still young and tells my mom not to find someone for me too early. My mom says I’m not that young anymore and should marry early. My dad says I read foreign books and can’t be like those people.”
“Your dad is really nice.”
Liu Shiqing sighed a bit.
“Remember to come the day after tomorrow for the wedding feast. I’ll head back first. This meal, as always, is on me.”
Liu Shiqing stood up and waved to her best friend.
Her back was very straight, and her high heels made sounds on the wooden floor. Someone stared at her as she walked out, with a car waiting at the door.
Su Xin propped her chin and watched the car drive away, then withdrew her gaze.
Everyone has their own fate, and every decision made will affect the future. Su Xin has no intention or right to interfere with others’ futures; she merely observes, watching them make their own choices.
Perhaps marrying now is not a painful choice for Liu Shiqing. Su Xin feels this result is much better than Liu Shiqing marrying Wei Ting, sparing both from annoyance and pain.
Su Xin didn’t return home quickly but wandered around the road, walking casually. The area was still considered peaceful.
Su Xin wandered for a while and saw a particularly beautiful teardrop-shaped jade pendant in a jewelry store. Su Xin picked it up to look, and the shopkeeper eagerly introduced it.
Listening to the price, Su Xin knew she didn’t bring enough money and was too lazy to have it wrapped and sent to her residence to pay later.
Some things you like don’t necessarily have to be in your own hands.
Su Xin waved to the shopkeeper and took a rickshaw back to her home.
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After a short while, Liu Shiqing sent someone with an invitation.
Two were sent, one for her and one for Wei Ting.
Liu Shiqing gave Wei Ting the wedding invitation to cut off her last thoughts.
Su Xin took the invitation and went to Wei Ting’s room, knocking on the door.
Wei Ting wasn’t there; Zi Han came over from the side.
“Where’s my brother?”
Zi Han shook her head, looking like a withered flower.
“Then give this to him.”
Su Xin handed over the invitation.
Zi Han nodded and took it.
“Zi Han, are you sick? You don’t look well.”
Zi Han shook her head and looked up at Su Xin with a complex expression.