Chapter 91: The Wedding (Part 1)

Return: My Hell and Heaven
Chapter 91: The Wedding (Part 1)

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Qin Lou and Song Shu’s wedding was ultimately scheduled for September.

Both of them found the traditional wedding banquet cumbersome and pointless, initially intending to skip it altogether. However, Qin Yuzheng and Mei Jinghan, the elders, strongly disagreed. Despite Song Shu’s repeated attempts to delay and negotiate, she couldn’t win against the elders.

In the end, Qin Lou and Song Shu reluctantly chose a mid-September date from those recommended by Mei Jinghan.

---

Late August

On the day before Bai Song’s memorial day, around noon, after lunch, Luan Qiaoqing took time off work and arrived at the Qin family’s ancestral home to help Song Shu prepare for the next day’s memorial ceremony.

The butler welcomed her into the main hall on the first floor.
“Miss Luan, please have a seat. Miss Song Shu is currently napping upstairs. Following the young master’s instructions, we dare not disturb her…”

“I get it, I get it,” Luan Qiaoqing waved dismissively, both understanding and exasperated. “That wife-obsessed man’s temper is no mystery to me. Anyone who even breathes too close to his little clam gets mentally skinned by his death glares.”

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“You can go about your work. I’ll just wait for my sister to come down.”

The butler nodded. “As you wish, Miss Luan. If you need anything, please call for me.”

“Got it.”

---

Once the butler left, Luan Qiaoqing sat in the hall for a while before boredom crept in. She stood up and wandered toward the side of the hall.

On the sunny southern side of the main hall was a moon gate leading to an adjacent room and, beyond that, a hallway.

The moon gate was flanked by arched display shelves filled with antique treasures. Luan Qiaoqing, fully aware that each item was valuable enough to be a family heirloom, decided not to touch anything.

However, something caught her eye in the center of the shelf: a light purple square gift box.

The box, with its lid half-open and elaborate decorative flowers draping from it, looked completely out of place among the ancient treasures. Despite its ornate design, the modern gift box lacked the historical gravitas of its neighbors, making its presence seem almost absurd.

Curiosity got the better of her. Luan Qiaoqing stepped closer, tiptoed, and peered inside the half-open box.

What she saw made her frown. She reached in and pulled out a six-sided Rubik’s Cube.

It was one of her childhood nightmares.

She turned the cube over in her hands, trying to discern if it had any hidden mechanisms or luxurious embellishments, but it seemed like a perfectly ordinary puzzle. Dissatisfied, she prepared to put it back.

Just as her hand moved toward the box, a soft voice came from behind her.

“If Qin Lou sees you, you might not make it out of here.”

“—!”

Startled, Luan Qiaoqing nearly dropped the Rubik’s Cube, but her survival instincts kicked in. She quickly caught it with both hands and clutched it to her chest.

After confirming the cube’s safety, she exhaled in relief and turned around with a pout. “Sis, are you trying to scare me to death?”

Descending the staircase into the main hall was Song Shu.

Yawning softly, Song Shu sat on the sofa, her expression calm. She raised her eyes toward Luan Qiaoqing and replied seriously, “I wasn’t trying to scare you. I’m being honest. Qin Lou never lets anyone touch that Rubik’s Cube. If he finds out, you might really have trouble leaving.”

“—?” Luan Qiaoqing’s expression grew cautious. She hesitantly began placing the cube back while laughing nervously. “Oh, come on, it’s just between us. No one else saw it, so as long as you don’t tell, and I don’t tell, he won’t know, right?”

Song Shu smirked faintly. “Do you think Qin Lou is like you? Even if someone moves his things just a fraction of an inch, he’ll know.”

Luan Qiaoqing froze. “…That obsessive? Well, yeah, it does sound like him.”

After racking her brain for a solution and coming up empty, Luan Qiaoqing sighed, turning to her sister with a pitiful look. “What do I do now? I already touched it. He won’t kill me, will he?”

“I’ve told you since childhood not to mess with other people’s belongings. Have you ever listened?” Song Shu gave her a sidelong glance.

Luan Qiaoqing grimaced. “You know me, Sis. My hands move faster than my brain most of the time. Before I even thought about it, I’d already picked it up.”

“Mm.”

“Now’s not the time for ‘mm.’ Isn’t my brother-in-law coming back soon? How long do I have before he notices? Am I running out of time to live?”

Song Shu couldn’t help but chuckle. “Alright, stop being dramatic. Just hand it over to me.”

“?” Though puzzled, Luan Qiaoqing obediently placed the Rubik’s Cube in Song Shu’s outstretched hand. “Sis, what are you going to do?”

Song Shu took the cube with a calm expression.

The Rubik’s Cube was in a solved state, its six sides neatly painted with beautiful, glossy colors. After taking it, Song Shu glanced at it for a couple of seconds. Her lips curved slightly into a faint smile, and with her slender fingers, she deftly twisted it a few times.

In just a few seconds, the once-perfect Rubik’s Cube turned into a chaotic mess.

Luan Qiaoqing, standing nearby, was too stunned to stop her. She gawked at the sight, finally reacting after several seconds. “Sis… You’re just watching me dig my own grave, and instead of pulling me out, you’re shoveling dirt in after me!”

Song Shu glanced at her with a faint smile.

The room fell quiet for a few more seconds before Luan Qiaoqing suddenly seemed to realize something, her face lighting up with hope. “Sis, are you planning to take the blame for this?”

Song Shu remained silent for a couple of seconds, then sighed softly, her tone filled with regret at her slow-witted sister. “How’s your relationship with Vice President Chu going?”

“—!” Luan Qiaoqing nearly jumped off the couch. “Who, who, who, who said I’m in a relationship with Chu Xiangbin!?”

Song Shu lazily raised her eyes, idly fiddling with the Rubik’s Cube as she glanced at Luan Qiaoqing. “Well, it’s definitely not me.”

“You must have heard some ridiculous gossip,” Luan Qiaoqing said, flustered. Her eyes darted around anxiously until they landed on the Rubik’s Cube in Song Shu’s hands. Desperate for a change of subject, she quickly asked, “Where did this Rubik’s Cube come from? Why is it on the display shelf, and why does it get the central spot?”

Song Shu didn’t press the earlier topic, taking the hint and answering calmly. “It was a birthday gift for Qin Lou.”

Luan Qiaoqing: “…”

With a deadpan expression, she muttered, “Just a birthday gift, and he acts like he’ll only ever have one birthday in his entire life? Does he really need to display it so solemnly in the main hall and forbid anyone from touching it?”

Song Shu thought for a moment. “It was a special occasion—his birthday this year was also the day we registered our marriage. So, in a way, it’s also a wedding gift I gave him.”

Luan Qiaoqing: “…”

Without hesitation, Luan Qiaoqing knelt down on the carpet in front of the sofa, clasped her hands together, and begged dramatically, “Sis, you absolutely have to keep this a secret and not tell him I touched it! With Qin Lou’s temper, if he finds out I ‘defiled’ your wedding gift, he might hold back during the day for your sake, but by nightfall, he’ll definitely sleepwalk and chop my hands off!”

Song Shu chuckled. “Can’t you have a little dignity?”

“Can dignity save my life?” Luan Qiaoqing said with tears threatening to fall.

“Alright, stop the theatrics,” Song Shu said, tapping her forehead lightly. She stood up from the sofa. “Weren’t you here to help me prepare for tomorrow’s memorial service? Let’s talk upstairs.”

“Oh, right. Okay,” Luan Qiaoqing replied, quickly getting up.

As she watched Song Shu’s back, Luan Qiaoqing let out a quiet sigh of relief.

Before coming over, she had worried about Song Shu’s emotional state. But seeing her now, it was clear that time truly was the best healer for wounds.

---

Qin Lou arrived home later that evening.

Just as Song Shu had said, the moment he stepped into the main hall, he noticed that the gift box on the display shelf had been moved. His previously relaxed demeanor darkened instantly.

However, as he approached the shelf and saw the box was empty, his expression softened.

The butler, who had been observing the whole scene, cautiously asked, “Young Master, is something wrong?”

Qin Lou lazily raised an eyebrow. “The Rubik’s Cube is gone.”

“—!” The butler’s face changed.

Before he could say anything, Qin Lou’s gaze flickered slightly. “It’s fine if it’s been touched. No one would dare take it away—it’s definitely with Little Clam.”

The butler breathed a sigh of relief upon realizing this and smiled helplessly. “Miss Song Shu didn’t mention anything.”

Unbuttoning his suit jacket and shrugging it off, Qin Lou turned and started heading upstairs. “Did we have visitors this afternoon?”

“Miss Luan came by,” the butler replied.

“…What for?” Qin Lou frowned slightly.

The butler, long accustomed to his young master’s unwavering hostility toward Luan Qiaoqing, couldn’t help but sigh. “She probably came because of Madam Bai’s memorial tomorrow.”

“—” Qin Lou’s steps came to an abrupt halt.

After several seconds, he resumed walking upstairs, not saying another word.

It was purely coincidental that just as Qin Lou reached the second floor, he saw Song Shu and Luan Qiaoqing walking down the corridor. The three of them ran into each other at the staircase landing.

Luan Qiaoqing glanced at Qin Lou guiltily, muttered a quick “Hello, brother-in-law,” and then turned to Song Shu. “Sis, I’ll head back first. I’ll come over tomorrow morning to go with you.”

“Mm,” Song Shu nodded.

Luan Qiaoqing turned to go downstairs. Qin Lou had no intention of speaking further—as far as he was concerned, anyone he saw as a rival should be avoided as much as possible.

However, after descending two steps, Luan Qiaoqing couldn’t hold back and turned her head. “Brother-in-law, are you still refusing to visit my aunt tomorrow?”

Qin Lou froze.

Song Shu’s expression also stiffened. A few seconds later, she raised her eyes and cast Luan Qiaoqing a glance that carried a warning.

Luan Qiaoqing pursed her lips and decided not to say anything more, grumbling as she made her way downstairs.

Now, only Song Shu and Qin Lou were left in the corridor.

Song Shu acted as though she had completely forgotten Luan Qiaoqing’s words. She walked two steps forward, stopping in front of Qin Lou. Reaching up, she began to straighten the tie that had been tugged askew.

Before she could finish, Qin Lou raised his hand and gently grasped her wrist.

Song Shu was momentarily stunned. She looked up at the man in front of her.

Qin Lou held her hand, his eyes swirling with emotions. After a moment, he lowered his gaze, stubbornly bringing her hand closer and pressing a soft kiss to her fingertips.

In a low voice, he asked, “Why don’t you ask?”

“Ask what?” Song Shu replied.

Qin Lou frowned slightly, almost unconsciously. “Why I refuse to go with you to see her.”

A faint, resigned smile appeared in Song Shu’s eyes. “Do I really need to ask?”

Lowering her hand, she carefully adjusted Qin Lou’s tie. “Just like how I know you always loosen your tie at the door so I’ll come over and fix it for you—how could I not know what’s on your mind?”

“…” Qin Lou’s gaze wavered slightly.

Song Shu smoothed out the last wrinkle in the tie, then lowered her hands and gently stepped forward, wrapping her arms around him. Resting her cheek against him, she sighed softly.

“I don’t ask because even if I did, and even if we talked about it, it wouldn’t change anything. You’d still blame yourself. You always take things so hard.”

Qin Lou’s eyes trembled.

A few seconds later, he finally snapped out of his daze, wrapping his arms tightly around the girl in front of him. His voice resonated in his chest, tinged with both laughter and sorrow.

“Yes, I’ll never let it go. But it doesn’t matter, because I don’t need to explain myself—no one in this world understands me better than you do, Little Clam. As long as you’re here, I don’t care what anyone else thinks.”

“…” Song Shu sighed softly.

After a moment of silence, the butler’s voice came from the staircase below. “Young Master, Miss Song Shu, dinner is ready.”

“…Got it,” Qin Lou replied hoarsely.

He stepped back slightly, lowered his hand, and intertwined his fingers with Song Shu’s, slowly tightening his grip. “Shall we go down to eat?”

Song Shu was about to nod when something occurred to her. “Wait a moment.”

“?” Qin Lou didn’t get a chance to ask before Song Shu turned and walked down the corridor. She returned moments later with a thoroughly scrambled Rubik’s Cube in her hand.

Holding the cube up in front of Qin Lou, she said, “Pre-dinner task.”

“…” Qin Lou took the Rubik’s Cube from her and stared at it for a couple of seconds, frowning slightly.

Song Shu tilted her head. “What’s wrong? Can’t solve it anymore?”

Qin Lou sighed. “Six-layer cubes are structurally fragile. If I use too much force, I might break it apart.”

“This one’s good quality,” Song Shu said matter-of-factly.

Qin Lou hesitated for a long time before finally starting to turn the cube—his movements uncharacteristically slow and cautious, as though the cube might shatter at any moment.

Song Shu didn’t say anything. She just stood quietly to the side, watching him solve it.

When Qin Lou finally restored the cube in the fewest possible steps but the longest amount of time, he held Song Shu’s hand as they went downstairs and carefully placed the cube back on its display.

He turned to her. “Next time, don’t touch it.”

Song Shu glanced at him blankly. “It’s my gift to you.”

Qin Lou snorted. “I’m not talking about you. I mean Luan Qiaoqing.”

“…”

“If she dares touch it again, I’ll cut off her hand,” Qin Lou said, his eyes gleaming with menace.

Song Shu stared at him silently for a couple of seconds before sighing. “What, do you have a fingerprint scanner installed in your eyes or something?”

Qin Lou chuckled softly. “Just like you know me best, I know you best too—do you really think you can hide anything from me?”

“…”

Watching the rare hint of frustration flicker across Song Shu’s face, Qin Lou’s grin grew even wider. Taking her hand, he led her to the dining room, his voice echoing in the main hall.

“Accept it, Little Clam.”

“Accept what?”

“That we’re a perfect match.”

“…”

Song Shu remained silent for two seconds before slowly tightening her grip on Qin Lou’s hand, a faint smile spreading in her eyes.

“Yes. A madman and a clam—perfectly made for each other.”

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