Chapter 71: Wedding Preparations

“No, I promise it won’t happen.”

Fu Yanli was confident in his recovery; he’d been doing great these past few days.

Jiang Shunnian’s figure was slender and light, without an ounce of excess fat, his skin fair and glowing with a jade-like luster.

From Fu Yanli’s vantage point, it was breathtakingly beautiful.

Perched atop Fu Yanli, Jiang Shunnian shifted cautiously, still worried about aggravating his wounds.

He couldn’t tear his eyes away from Jiang Shunnian, no matter how long he looked—he could never get enough.

Three weeks later, Fu Yanli’s leg was in a cast, but checkups showed his internal injuries had mostly healed. Fu Shizhang returned to work at Fu Corporation, while Fu Yanli handled things from home, sharing the load.

Jiang Shunnian resumed lessons with a new acting coach, picking up skills he’d need for future roles.

When both had free time, they’d discuss wedding locations.

Fu Yanli favored a scenic private island—the Fu Family owned one with pleasant weather, shallow waters perfect for snorkeling, and moonlit beach strolls. It had villas, too, where Shen Lingyi and Fu Shizhang had vacationed before.

They’d need renovations for the wedding, though.

But Fu Yanli only suggested it; the final spot and style were entirely up to Jiang Shunnian.

Having starred in many period dramas, Jiang Shunnian was drawn to a traditional Chinese ceremony, but the island idea appealed too.

When Shen Lingyi heard, she proposed holding two weddings.

Fu Yanli and Jiang Shunnian thought that too extravagant. As public figures, every move drew scrutiny—better to keep it low-key.

Besides, what mattered most was being together with Fu Yanli.

After mulling it over, Jiang Shunnian settled on the private island wedding.

With the location set, preparations kicked off. Shen Lingyi brought in a master astrologer to match their birth charts, who declared them a match made in heaven. She’d long seen Jiang Shunnian as her own son—charts or no, he was family. Still, after recent chaos, it was a good omen.

The master picked an auspicious date: October 12th. Mild weather, plenty of time, and by then Fu Yanli would be fully recovered, his physique back in shape.

Perfect.

Jiang Shunnian didn’t have many guests: Yu Yanchen and Pei Qingyi were musts, plus new friends like Lin Weiyu, who’d bombarded him with messages after his engagement Weibo post, demanding an invite.

Jiang Shunnian agreed—Lin Weiyu was straightforward; their rocky first meeting had given way to genuine respect, and they’d stayed in touch.

Fu Yanli’s list included business partners and childhood friends like his doctor pal Cheng Jingming.

Jiang Shunnian knew little about wedding planning, but Shen Boheng was a pro. A quick rundown of the vibe, and the impeccable butler handled it flawlessly—no stress for the grooms.

Tailors came for custom suits, but Fu Yanli’s cast and altered build made measurements iffy, so they used prior stats. Nono’s were estimates too—he’d grow more in five months.

A top designer consulted on every detail before drafting designs.

Meanwhile, Nono secretly prepared gifts for his dads, enlisting Grandpa Shen Boheng for supplies. He’d hole up in his room crafting after lessons.

Jiang Shunnian was dying to know what it was but respected Nono’s privacy—no peeking till the wedding.

After a month-plus search, Shixu Media delivered suitable novels and scripts for Jiang Shunnian to pick from.

The manager, still jittery over past refusals of the “boss’s wife,” was extra deferential delivering them.

Jiang Shunnian held no grudge—it was business, and he’d thrived at Huazhen, soon rivaling Yu Yanchen as top star.

He kept the scripts and novels, reviewing them with Fu Yanli. They chose an original one—not focused on romance between Han Ziqao and Emperor Chen Wendi, but grounded in history. Han Ziqao joined Chen Wendi at sixteen, honing martial and scholarly skills to become a key general—not some scheming consort, but a vital right-hand man.

If Jiang Shunnian played Han Ziqao, Yu Yanchen was perfect for Chen Wendi—familiar chemistry from past collabs, and he fit the look.

Jiang Shunnian called him straightaway. Yu Yanchen jumped at it: “Hell yeah, bro! Everyone knows you’re ratings gold—pairing with you guarantees a hit. Set the schedule, and I’ll clear it!”

“No problem, bro. I’ll let you know,” Jiang Shunnian laughed.

Their bond, forged scraping by in showbiz, had only deepened over the years—no fame tainting it.

Jiang Shunnian felt lucky for such a friend.

Project setup would take time; filming earliest by year-end, likely next year.

So Jiang Shunnian planned two more gigs this year.

The campus bullying script he’d eyed? Pei Qingyi had incorporated his feedback, revised it, greenlit the film, and prepped—shooting in three months.

Pei Qingyi offered the lead, but at twenty-seven, Jiang Shunnian felt too old for a teen, despite his looks. After review, he picked a teacher role: a former bullying victim who’d become an educator, vowing to shield his students. When he uncovered bullying, he pushed the principal—who stonewalled and even suspended his classes. Risking his career, the teacher exposed it all, saving the kids but losing his job.

He redeemed his younger self.

A powerful role—Jiang Shunnian was confident.

His first film meant studying cinematic acting, distinct from TV.

Recovery flew by under Jiang Shunnian’s care and Fu Yanli’s resilience. Ten days into month two, the cast came off; he stood tall again.

New bone needed babying—no intense workouts yet—so he targeted core and upper body.

Fu Shizhang lit up when Fu Yanli returned to Fu Corporation.

Post-Qin Family takedown, business had doubled. Fu Shizhang beamed with pride but was exhausted—at his age, he craved retirement with grandkids.

He nimbly handed off duties, striding out lighter.

Fu Yanli sorted everything in a day. Fu Corporation ran smooth; year-end bonuses would double.

All settled—but Fu Yanli hadn’t forgotten Qin Huan.

Qin Huan was out of juvie. The Qi Family disowned him, pulling strings to dump him in a remote orphanage—suburban, inaccessible. Fu Yanli had eyes on it; no escapes this time.

Seeing Qin Huan surprised Fu Yanli—his eyes were lifeless, dull.

He huddled in a corner, ignored by the other kids like he was invisible.

Qin Huan smiled faintly at Fu Yanli. “You win. Here to finish me off?”

Fu Yanli gripped his throat, tightening slowly, voice icy: “You never belonged here.”

Qin Huan choked, face purpling, veins bulging. He glared with fury, speechless. As death loomed, Fu Yanli released him. Qin Huan stumbled back, collapsing, gasping and clutching his neck.

Fu Yanli loomed over him. “Disappear already.”

He turned and left.

Qin Huan seethed with venom, but powerless—Jiang Yunnuo had severed his last thread.

Days later, word came: Qin Huan vanished.

Fu Yanli told Jiang Shunnian, who exhaled hugely, nearly in tears. “Thank god. No more fear—for me or Nono getting tormented.”