Chapter 618 - 405: Wedding Dress (Part 2)

Chapter 618: Chapter 405: Wedding Dress (Part 2)

Su Yang silently tightened his grip on the teacup in his hand. The condensation on its surface spread a cool dampness across his palm.

He gritted his teeth, shooting his nephew a vicious glare.

His chest swelled with the suffocating frustration of seeing potential go to waste.

’Why is it that other people’s kids can seize business opportunities in the middle of a casual conversation, while mine can’t even see the first step?’

At this thought, a fierce light flared in Su Yang’s eyes, as if he had made a momentous decision.

’Starting tomorrow, I’m tying Su Ziweng to my side!’

’I refuse to believe it. With daily lectures and hands-on guidance, how could I fail to teach this blockhead?’

’Even a pig would catch on if it listened to business talk day in and day out!’

Su Ziweng shivered for no apparent reason.

He felt a chill shoot up his spine.

He unconsciously pulled his jacket tighter.

His gaze swept over the faces of the others, each with a different expression.

His throat bobbed. He picked up the glass of baijiu in front of him.

Tipping his head back, he drained the glass in one gulp.

The fiery liquor burned its way down his throat, but Su Ziweng seemed not to notice. He only hoped it would dispel the baseless anxiety in his heart.

Just then, Zhang Kai tapped lightly on the table and said with a smile, "Brother Feng, are you busy tomorrow? You should stop by the tourism company. You’re the big boss; you can’t come back and not even see your employees."

Feng Mountain rested his elbow on the table. After a moment of thought, a faint smile touched his lips. "Alright. Send me the company address later. I’ll go check it out tomorrow."

Outside the window, neon lights flickered on one by one. Colorful streams of light flowed across the glass curtain wall, outlining the decadent glamour of Hai City at night.

The welcome banquet had started as the sun was setting and lasted until the city lights came on. In the blink of an eye, it was ten o’clock at night.

Amidst the disarray of empty plates and glasses, the sound of everyone’s laughter and conversation still echoed in the private room.

Su Yang clapped Feng Mountain on the shoulder, his eyes hazy with drink. "The nightlife is just getting started. I know a pretty good bar. Want to check it out?"

Zhang Kai chimed in, pulling out his phone to make a reservation.

Xiaohua, however, tugged at the corner of Feng Mountain’s shirt like a pouting little girl. "Brother, you haven’t even been to the house you bought me! Come stay for one night, please!"

Feng Mountain smiled and shook his head, his left hand gently stroking the soft fur of Coca-Cola in his lap.

The little guy was curled into a ball, letting out a lazy yawn from time to time.

"Forget it. It’s been a long day. I want to go back and rest early. I’ll hang out with you guys another time."

His refusal was gentle but firm. No matter how they tried to persuade him, he just waved his hand dismissively.

As he left the hotel, the night wind, thick with the salty tang of the sea, rushed to meet him.

Feng Mountain pulled his coat tighter, and holding Coca-Cola, got into the Mercedes-Benz van and left the hotel.

He returned to the metal shack and sat on the spacious rooftop.

The Hai City winter night was wrapped in a thin chill. The damp wind that brushed past his ears was far gentler than the knife-like gales of the Crown Territory.

The snow in the Crown Territory could bury a person whole, and every breath would freeze into ice crystals. By comparison, the coolness on his face now truly felt like a summer breeze.

His phone vibrated twice in his pocket. Feng Mountain pulled out the device, its screen glowing with a cold light, and his fingertip swiped across a familiar number.

The call connected, and Yves’s hoarse greeting came through the receiver.

Feng Mountain smiled unconsciously. "Landed safely. Don’t worry."

He brought a pack of beer from inside, sat down at the edge of the roof, and casually arranged the cans in a neat row.

In the distance, over the surface of the sea, the beam of a lighthouse flickered in the darkness like a never-closing eye.

Overhead, bright moonlight spilled down, and the countless stars were like crushed diamonds scattered on black velvet, twinkling with a cold brilliance.

Coca-Cola ran back and forth on the rooftop, sometimes chasing its own tail, sometimes sniffing the unfamiliar scents carried on the wind.

The cool sea breeze, carrying a salty dampness, gently brushed against Feng Mountain’s face, stirring the hair on his forehead.

Feng Mountain narrowed his eyes slightly, gazing at the glittering sea at the edge of his vision. For no reason, a wave of longing for the Crown Territory washed over him.

Scenes of the Crown Territory involuntarily appeared in his mind.

On the endless Tundra, fierce winds raged with blizzards that could instantly freeze the moisture on one’s eyelashes. And then there was the warm Fire Seed in the camp, flickering in the world of ice and snow.

He reached out, grabbed a can of beer, and opened it with a POP. The sound of fizzing bubbles mixed with the sea breeze and gradually dissipated into the night.

’That’s right!’

Feng Mountain suddenly remembered something important, and a glint of light flashed in his eyes.

The package Uncle Luo had kept for him was still in the metal shack. He hadn’t had a chance to open it and didn’t know what was inside.

He got up and hurried toward the metal shack.

Inside, the heavily wrapped package lay quietly on the sofa.

Feng Mountain found a box cutter, its tip gently piercing the edge of the tape.

As the tape was slit open bit by bit, the packaging made a RUSTLING sound, exceptionally clear in the silent room.

The moment the last layer of bubble wrap was pulled away, a flash of white met his eyes.

Feng Mountain’s breath caught in his throat. A strange sadness welled up in his heart.

He reached out, carefully took out the garment inside, and slowly held it open.

In an instant, he froze as if struck by lightning. His feet felt nailed to the floor, unable to move an inch.

Endless sorrow filled his eyes, as if the entire world had lost its color in that moment.

His hand, which had held a trace of anticipation, now hung frozen in mid-air, trembling slightly.

What met his eyes was a wedding dress, as white as snow.

But now, in Feng Mountain’s eyes...

...this wedding dress was like a Sharp Blade, stabbing the softest part of his heart.

Moonlight spilled through the window of the metal shack, coating the wedding dress in a hazy, silver glow.

The soft white tulle was like solidified moonlight. Its layered skirt was as fluffy as clouds, and among the delicate lace patterns, pearls and silk thread were interwoven into blooming lilies of the valley. Every stitch spoke of happiness and beauty.

Feng Mountain’s fingers sank deep into the soft tulle. His knuckles turned white from the force as he pressed the dress tightly against his chest.

In that instant, countless lost memories flashed through his mind:

walking with Ms. under a warm sunset, their laughter gentle as flowing water, their eyes full of hope for the future; or on quiet nights, the two of them nestled together, dreaming of the day they would put on a wedding dress and walk down the aisle.

Those sweet fragments of love, those beautiful dreams for the future, were like vines, rapidly spreading and growing in the depths of Feng Mountain’s heart.

Finally, he could no longer suppress the grief hidden in the deepest part of his soul.

Feng Mountain slowly buried his face in the wedding dress. His body trembled slightly as tears streamed uncontrollably from his eyes, soaking the white tulle.

His choked sobs were muffled by the layers of the dress, sounding so lonely, so helpless in the quiet, empty metal shack.

Time stood still in that moment. Only grief, like a dense fog, spread and diffused through the air, completely enveloping Feng Mountain.

...

The next morning, a layer of lead-gray clouds hung like a heavy curtain, pressing down on Hai City and making the sky even more overcast.

In the distance over the sea, a milky-white fog slowly rose, blanketing everything like a thin, soft veil and blurring the line between sea and sky.

Feng Mountain woke early in the faint light of dawn.

A night of grief and longing seemed to have left few traces of fatigue on his face, though his eyes now held a new depth.

He walked to the window and stared blankly at the fog-shrouded sea on the horizon for a moment before turning toward the closet.

He changed into the casual clothes Xiaohua had carefully picked out for him. The soft cotton fabric clung to his skin, bringing a bit of warmth.

Facing the mirror, Feng Mountain ran a hand through his somewhat messy hair.

His time in the Crown Territory had let his hair grow out to neck-length, thick and black.

He casually picked up a hair tie and pulled his hair back into a neat ponytail. A few stray strands fell along his cheeks, adding a touch of untamed wildness to his handsome face.

Once he was ready, Feng Mountain’s gaze fell on Coca-Cola, who was curled up on the sofa.

The little guy was curled into a ball, fast asleep, its fluffy body rising and falling gently with each breath.

Feng Mountain called out softly, "Are you staying home or coming with me?"

Hearing its owner’s voice, Coca-Cola’s eyes shot open.

With a MEOW, it leaped off the sofa and, in just a few quick steps, burrowed into Feng Mountain’s arms.

It rubbed its head against Feng Mountain’s chest, a soft purr rumbling in its throat as if expressing its eagerness to go out.

The corners of Feng Mountain’s mouth lifted into a faint smile. He gently stroked Coca-Cola’s head and said,

"Then let’s go together."

Then, he picked up his keys and walked out of the metal shack with Coca-Cola.

Stepping into the misty morning.

...