Still Frame Chapter 10
byChapter 10 A Show Window Marriage (2)
In the following two days, Zhang Liuxin only saw Wen Jin once. Wen Jin appeared the day before the wedding and had dinner with him.
It felt as if only the two of them were in the enormous manor. Zhang Liuxin found it strange because tomorrow was their wedding, a wedding that had dominated the headlines of 51 media outlets in Yinzhou since the engagement. Zhong Sixun had shown him the guest list so he could accurately call out every guest’s name tomorrow. There were many important figures, people Zhang Liuxin had only ever seen on television and whose full names he wouldn’t dare utter.
Yet, on the eve of the wedding, the entire manor was eerily silent. Aside from He Qing and Zhong Sixun, he hadn’t seen anyone else. Even his father and stepmother hadn’t called to check in, which was fine; it saved him a lot of awkwardness.
“What are you thinking about?”
“Nothing.”
There was one other thing Zhang Liuxin was very curious about. He looked at the engagement ring on his left ring finger, then at Wen Jin’s bare left hand. Finally, he mustered the courage to ask, “By the way, tomorrow, the exchange of…”
Before he could finish, he was interrupted by a phone ringing. Wen Jin glanced at it, raised an eyebrow, and motioned for him to continue.
The nerve he had just managed to gather instantly dissipated. Zhang Liuxin withdrew his hand, covering his ring finger in a gesture that was trying too hard to be subtle, and quickly said, “You should answer that first.”
Wen Jin picked up the phone. Zhang Liuxin didn’t know who it was, but judging by Wen Jin’s expression, it must be someone very familiar.
“…”
“Thanks. Come early tomorrow.”
Wen Jin hung up, a faint smile playing on his lips, his eyes slightly lowered. His gaze, usually like cold ice, softened momentarily, carrying a fleeting warmth.
The person on the other end must be very important to Wen Jin to elicit such an expression. Zhang Liuxin knew this well, yet he couldn’t help but be drawn to that slight smile, so much so that he didn’t react when Wen Jin stood up and walked over to him.
“My parents and my older brother are here, and your father too. Let’s go meet them after we finish eating.”
“Screech—”
The knife and fork scraped against the bone plate, making a harsh sound. Zhang Liuxin’s fingers involuntarily tightened, and the string in his heart, which had never truly relaxed, instantly stretched tauter.
“Are you nervous?”
Zhang Liuxin nodded stiffly, unable to force even a strained smile.
“When did Mr. Wen and Madam Yue arrive on the island?”
Thinking back to the last time he saw Wen Jin’s parents, Zhang Liuxin felt a pang of regret. “I should have greeted them.”
Wen Jin gave him a puzzled look. “They just arrived today. They were in meetings all day.”
Zhang Liuxin wished he could eat slower, but unfortunately, the moment he heard he was about to meet Wen Jin’s parents, the food tasted like chewing wax. He mechanically put things into his mouth without tasting them.
After dinner, Zhang Liuxin followed Wen Jin, winding through the manor until they reached the reception hall on the first floor of the main building. This was the first time he had been downstairs since arriving a few days ago, and he noticed the main building looked completely different from the day they arrived, decorated everywhere with fresh flowers and expensive artwork.
“Young Master Wen, the Master and Madam, and Mr. Zhang are already waiting in the reception hall.”
Wen Jin nodded slightly.
“Zhang Liuxin, are you planning to keep this distance from me?”
“No.” Zhang Liuxin moved closer to him.
“A-Zhuo, Liuxin,” it was Wen Jin’s cousin, Duan Chengzhi, who stood up. “You’re here.”
Zhang Liuxin wasn’t familiar with Duan Chengzhi either, so he politely nodded and greeted him.
“Young Master Wen,” Zhang Liuxin watched his father, who was usually so domineering at home, now greet them obsequiously. “Thank you for your hard work, thank you.”
Wen Jin’s parents were seated nearby. Their cold, indifferent gazes swept over him, making Zhang Liuxin’s heart jump into his throat. He lowered his head deeply. “Uncle, Auntie, hello.”
Yue Yun nodded and was the first to speak. “Come and sit.”
Zhang Liuxin instinctively wanted to sit on the lower-ranking sofa next to his father, but Wen Jin led him to sit beside Duan Chengzhi.
Zhang Jiming’s expression soured slightly, but he quickly recovered, looking at them—mostly at Wen Jin—with a kind of paternal affection Zhang Liuxin had never seen before.
Wen Huaichuan looked at his son and said, “Has the final review of the venue setup on the island been completed? The Governor is coming tomorrow, Chengzhi, you need to pay extra attention to security at the airport.”
“It’s all handled.”
Duan Chengzhi also replied, “Yes, Uncle.”
Finally, Wen Huaichuan looked at Zhang Liuxin. His hawk-like gaze bore down, sharp as an ice pick, carrying undeniable weight.
Under his scrutiny, Zhang Liuxin felt the surrounding air solidify. A silent, mountain-crushing pressure made it hard to breathe.
“Zhang Liuxin,” Wen Huaichuan’s gaze dropped to his left leg. “How is your walking now?”
“It’s almost back to how it was before,” Zhang Liuxin rubbed his knee, choosing his words carefully. “Thank you.”
“You must continue rehabilitation training every month. Ideally, you should be able to stop relying on the exoskeleton.”
“Understood.”
“In-law, you don’t need to worry about that. Our Liuxin is a good boy. I will supervise him myself to ensure he receives timely treatment and training, so he won’t embarrass Young Master Wen.” Zhang Jiming quickly said with a smile, the wrinkles around his eyes bunching up.
Zhang Liuxin stared at the flowers on the coffee table, feeling utterly humiliated, especially in this setting. He could almost feel the gazes fixed on him—cold, scrutinizing, weighing pros and cons.
He opened his mouth, unsure if any sound came out. “Yes, I will.”
Wen Jin suddenly spoke up beside him, addressing Zhang Jiming. “Keep your family in line tomorrow. If even one member of the Zhang family causes trouble, none of you will be leaving the island.”
“A-Zhuo,” Yue Yun frowned slightly. “Watch your tone.”
Zhang Jiming quickly waved his hands, saying it was fine. “I understand, Young Master Wen. Rest assured, rest assured.”
Only then did Wen Jin seem slightly satisfied. He quickly stood up, then looked down at Zhang Liuxin. “What are you standing around for?”
Zhang Liuxin belatedly rose, following Wen Jin out like a puppet on a string.
Only after leaving the reception hall did Zhang Liuxin feel like he could breathe again. “Mr. Wen, I need to use the restroom first.”
Wen Jin scoffed. “Are you calling my father?”
Zhang Liuxin pursed his lips. “…”
“Go ahead.”
Zhang Liuxin fled into the restroom as if escaping.
Splashing cold water on his face, Zhang Liuxin closed his eyes, then looked at the man in the mirror. Droplets of water clung to his fringe and eyelashes. His olive-green eyes, which had been complimented before, looked stark and strange against his bloodless face.
It was only then that Zhang Liuxin realized he had appeared before Wen Jin’s parents looking like this… Could he be any more pathetic?
He took a deep breath, thinking that if he were the original owner of this wedding, tonight would have been a night filled with happiness and anticipation.
At least, it wouldn’t be like this.
But what right did he have to demand anything? If it weren’t for this wedding, he would already be a cripple who had lost everything.
Just treat it as acting. It was acting anyway, and tomorrow was the most important performance.
Zhang Liuxin walked out but didn’t immediately see Wen Jin. He figured the young master wouldn’t deliberately wait for him.
However, the main building was too large. Zhang Liuxin wasn’t sure where to go and somehow wandered onto the terrace, where he caught a faint scent of minty smoke.
Then came a slight cough, followed by a warning voice: “Duan Chengzhi, that smells awful.”
Next was Duan Chengzhi’s voice, sounding somewhat lazy, different from the mature composure he displayed in the reception hall. “Just half a stick. How long has it been since I last smoked?”
Wen Jin didn’t say anything.
“A-Zhuo, tomorrow is your wedding. Let me interview you. How do you feel right now?”
“I don’t feel anything. If you say any more nonsense, I’m leaving.”
“I won’t, I won’t,” Duan Chengzhi chuckled helplessly. “Tsk, just bear with it a little longer, Young Master Wen.”
“…”
Zhang Liuxin didn’t hear what Wen Jin said next, nor did he dare to listen further. He fled the terrace in a panic.
The next day, Zhang Liuxin woke up very early and immediately went into the bathroom. He had tossed and turned until two in the morning before finally falling asleep, getting only four hours of rest. He worried he would have dark circles, but thankfully, the skincare treatments Zhong Sixun had arranged were effective. The person in the mirror didn’t look overly haggard.
He tried to smile but found the expression too stiff, so he gave up. Back in the bedroom, he dialed the internal line, and Zhong Sixun quickly arrived with a team.
“Mr. Zhang, the formal ceremony begins at 11:30 AM today. We’ll start by getting you into the first suit now. The Governor will be arriving soon, and you need to make an appearance.”
Just hearing those three words made Zhang Liuxin tense up. To be precise, he had been in a state of tension since he opened his eyes this morning.
Throughout the process, all he had to do was sit while others worked on him. When the brush swept across his cheek, he found it too ticklish and couldn’t help but turn his head away.
“I’m sorry, did I get anything in your eye?” The makeup artist’s assistant quickly apologized, bowing so low her head nearly touched the floor.
“No, I’m just a bit ticklish. It’s fine, please continue.”
The young girl’s face was pale with fright. Seeing that she was about the same age as him, Zhang Liuxin said a few more words to try and put her at ease. “When did you all arrive on the island?”
“Last night. We’re staying in the villa area behind the manor,” the assistant relaxed slightly upon hearing his gentle tone and continued, “Young Master Wen didn’t allow us into the main building, so as not to disturb your peace.”
The makeup artist cleared her throat and shot a warning glance at the assistant. “Just do your job. Why so much chatter?”
The mention of Wen Jin made him rub his fingertips, a sharp ache in his heart. He couldn’t help but recall the words he overheard last night. It must be difficult for Young Master Wen to have to endure this for so long.
“All done, Mr. Zhang,” the makeup artist told him. “Happy wedding. I wish you and Young Master Wen a long and happy life together.”
This marriage was a substitution, an endurance, a forced arrangement, a marriage in name only.
But he still said, “Thank you.”
After Zhang Liuxin left, the assistant quietly spoke to the makeup artist while tidying the cosmetics on the table. “I’ve seen so many news reports but no pictures. This is the first time I’ve seen Young Master Zhang in person. Is he mixed-race? Isn’t Mrs. Zhang from Yinzhou?”
“He’s not the legitimate young master,” the makeup artist sneered. “He just lucked out and got a huge windfall. Can’t help having good fortune.”
“Teacher, what do you mean by that… Could Young Master Zhang be an illegitimate child? And is the relationship between Young Master Zhang and him really as good as the internet says?”
“Get back to work,” the makeup artist glanced around and pushed the assistant away. “It’s a show window marriage. Everyone knows that. Do you really believe in true love among the wealthy?”
“But the internet said…”
“Enough. Get back to work. Stop being so nosy.”