Chapter 7: Wedding
1533 Words
News of the insectoid incident on Alpha Star had spread across StarNet for two days, and the fervor never waned. A host of netizens buzzed with intense interest:
“Have they determined the origin of that insectoid? Is it possible I might randomly encounter one too?”
“They say it escaped from some laboratory—encounters upstairs are almost impossible. If insectoids start appearing on Alpha Star, the Alliance will be doomed.”
“No, I heard it stowed away on a starship.”
“Am I the only one curious about who managed to slice that giant into pieces? That colossal creature, reduced to scattered flesh—how could anyone do that?”
“Maybe it was her. When a woman gets ruthless, she’s even more extreme.”
“Hold up—I’m reporting you for gender discrimination.”
“I sincerely apologize. What I mean is that women can be formidable too—slicing an insectoid with ease, matching any man’s skill. So, who exactly sliced that giant? Come forward and claim your glory, so we can all admire you!”
“.........”
At the Yuan family estate—in the villa where Yuan Vincent lived alone—a different scene unfolded.
“Only a few days after the engagement banquet, they’re holding the wedding. Isn’t that a bit too rushed?” grumbled Li Damian as he slumped unceremoniously on the sofa.
“Old Liu only gave us one day off. Tomorrow night we’re back at school. Hey, how about a bachelor party tonight?” Wen Oliver teased, winking at Yuan Vincent.
Yuan Vincent, his gaze fixed on his lightband, asked, “Didn't you see who struck that day?”
Li Damian suddenly sat up straight, staring at Yuan Vincent with a pained expression as he said, “Vincent, do you really think I’d lie to the police?”
Yuan Vincent shot him an exasperated look, “Stop making such ridiculous faces.”
Wen Oliver burst into hearty laughter, and even Song Celeste couldn’t help but chuckle.
When Chen Lillian was told that she was to be married the very next day, she was utterly stunned—it all felt surreal. Marrying? In all her life, she’d never even dated, never held hands, never shared a first kiss, and had no idea what a wedding night was like. Only then did it click: this wedding was indeed far too hasty.
But she felt no regret at all—on the contrary, her heart raced with excitement. After all, a whole mining planet awaited her.
Despite both being treated as discarded children, the Yuan and Chen families were mighty clans that prized appearances. The wedding was thrown with lavish grandeur, and all the influential figures of Alpha Star were invited.
Chen Lillian, dressed in an exquisite champagne-colored wedding gown and adorned with subtle makeup, looked breathtaking—so much so that even Li Damian, who had always harbored resentment toward her, was left momentarily speechless.
Yuan Vincent, still seated in his wheelchair and clad in a pristine white suit, displayed features so finely chiseled that they rivaled the bride’s beauty. Together, the two formed the most striking sight at the wedding.
Before everyone’s eyes, Chen Lillian and Yuan Vincent activated their lightbands, completed the registration on the spot, and received their marriage certificate. As soon as it was issued, their assets merged immediately—binding them together more closely than anything else in the world.
Chen Lillian stared in disbelief at the extra zeros appearing in her bank account, several new properties, and—most astonishing of all—the very planet she had dreamed about day and night. She couldn’t believe it: she actually owned a planet!!!
For several minutes, she stood dumbfounded. Then, turning to Yuan Vincent, she knelt down, grasped his hand sincerely, and said, “Thank you.”
Yuan Vincent forcefully jerked his hand away, replying, “You’re welcome.” After a pause, he added, “You could always have a metal arm installed.”
Chen Lillian shook her head, “I don’t need it.”
Though she meant it sincerely, Yuan Vincent assumed she was just being frugal. He then advised, “Star coins can be earned again, and a metal arm would make your life easier.”
Still shaking her head, Chen Lillian insisted, “I really don’t need one. And what about you? Aren’t you going to get prosthetic legs? Do you plan to remain in a wheelchair forever?”
Yuan Vincent pressed his lips together and said, “Not right away.”
As Chen Lillian fixed her gaze on him, she seemed to understand from his stubborn expression that he wasn’t yet willing to accept that his legs were gone for good—that he couldn’t bear the thought that they would never grow back.
The two disabled souls, Chen Lillian and Yuan Vincent, were excused from the customary toasting. Although it was their wedding, their table was sparsely attended—only Wen Oliver, Li Damian, and Song Celeste sat with them.
Unperturbed, Chen Lillian enjoyed the feast, while Yuan Vincent quietly conversed with Wen Oliver and the others.
After the banquet dispersed, before leaving, Chen Richard pulled Chen Lillian aside. He informed her that her belongings had been moved to the Yuan estate and advised her to make a good life with Yuan Vincent.
Seeing Chen Richard’s earnest, paternal demeanor, Chen Lillian couldn’t help but blurt out, “Father, do I have a dowry?”
A heavy silence fell. Chen Richard’s handsome face stiffened for a moment, and after a few seconds he gritted his teeth, “I raised you without expecting anything in return, but you shouldn’t covet what belongs to your father.”
Chen Lillian, looking suddenly enlightened, replied, “So you’re telling me that once a daughter is married, she’s like spilled water—forever disconnected from her father?”
Chen Richard replied coolly, “You can think of it that way.”
She pressed further, “So you don’t expect a daughter to support you either?”
“Mind your own business,” Chen Richard snapped.
Content, Chen Lillian nodded. “I’ll remember your words, and I hope you’ll remember them too. From now on, don’t even think about my belongings.”
Chen Richard’s face darkened as he declared, “Rest assured, even if the Chen family falls apart, I won’t claim a single bit of yours.”
Chen Lillian sighed with relief. “That’s best. I’ve recorded our conversation—if you ever try to deny it, there’ll be proof.”
Then, his face turning as dark as a pot’s bottom, he shouted fiercely, “Likewise—henceforth, your life or death is none of my concern!”
Storming away in anger, Chen Richard left. As Chen Lillian watched him go, she turned and noticed Yuan Vincent a few meters away, gazing at her with a complex expression.
“Ahem, ahem,” Chen Lillian pretended to cough twice, her face showing no hint of embarrassment as she coquettishly added, “From now on, you’re my only family. Don’t you dare kick me out, okay?”
Yuan Vincent replied coolly, “I have no right to kick you out—after all, since you became my legal partner, half of everything I own belongs to you.”
Chen Lillian murmured under her breath, “Tsk, that almost sounds romantic.”
Yuan Vincent’s expression darkened further, “Aside from money, don’t expect anything else from me—especially not affection.”
Chen Lillian shrugged dismissively, reassuring herself that aside from the mining planet, she wanted nothing else.
Later, when Chen Lillian and Yuan Vincent returned to the Yuan family estate, Chen Lillian couldn’t help but feel a pang of envy upon seeing that Yuan Vincent lived alone in his own house.
“Look—soon this place won’t even belong to us anymore,” Yuan Vincent remarked with a mixture of sarcasm and melancholy.
Chen Lillian replied nonchalantly, “It was never in our name anyway. If we don’t live here, so be it—I couldn’t care less.” Deep down, she longed to live on that mining planet even more.
Surprised by her lightheartedness, Yuan Vincent added, “We might even be forced to leave Alpha Star.”
Chen Lillian’s eyes lit up, “Are we going to live on our own planet?”
Yuan Vincent nodded, though he wasn’t entirely sure why she was so excited—it was just a planet that had been half-mined and held little value.
Satisfied, Chen Lillian smiled and eagerly asked, “When do we leave?”
“Tomorrow, or the day after,” he replied, noting that his stepmother was probably eager for their departure.
Chen Lillian burst into laughter, “Then what are we waiting for? Let’s pack our things quickly!”
Yuan Vincent was taken aback—he thought, “This girl must be a little crazy.”
Nonetheless, Chen Lillian pushed Yuan Vincent inside, intending to help him pack his luggage. As for her own belongings, there was only a small box provided by the Chen family, which sat in a corner of the hall.
- Writer
