Chapter 100: Can We Return to What We Once Were?

Zhang Xiluo looked up and was momentarily stunned—it was none other than Li Mingye! Among so many people, it could have been anyone to help her up, but it had to be Li Mingye. Truly unavoidable, inescapable, like a stubborn leech.

“Thank you,” Zhang Xiluo said quietly, intending to join the crowd, but Li Mingye wouldn’t let go.

He gripped her arm firmly, forcing her to face him. “Wearing such high heels, who else do you expect to fall but you?”

“None of your business! Me walking on stilts has nothing to do with you,” Zhang Xiluo frowned unhappily, signaling him to release her.

“Can’t you speak properly?” Li Mingye looked at her with dissatisfaction. Did she dislike him that much now?

Zhang Xiluo smiled wryly—who exactly couldn’t speak properly?

“Mr. Li, please let go. Thank you,” she said with a forced smile, hoping he would stop lingering and stop making a scene.

Li Mingye didn’t move. Han Yuchao stepped forward and grabbed Li Mingye’s wrist. “Mr. Li, please let go. The bride is looking for the bridesmaids; she’s waiting to head out.”

Seeing Han Yuchao, Li Mingye’s expression darkened, a chill crossing his brows as he glanced at Zhang Xiluo, as if silently questioning who Han Yuchao was.

Zhang Xiluo ignored him, swiftly pulling her hand free and walking over to Jiang Xueting’s side. She had already been lifted up by Zhao Chengyi, ready to leave.

Li Mingye and Han Yuchao stood just outside the crowd. Zhang Xiluo couldn’t see them or know what they were up to.

Let them do whatever they wanted—she had no energy to care.

Zhao Chengyi drove the sports car, carrying Jiang Xueting. Zhang Xiluo and Xu Xinyi flanked her on either side. At some point, Ouyang Chen had come to stand beside Zhang Xiluo.

“You’re quite charming—just divorced and already have a new admirer,” Ouyang Chen said in a slightly cold tone, expression unreadable, leaving it unclear whether it was mockery or praise.

“I’ll take that as a compliment,” Zhang Xiluo glanced at him, a slight smirk tugging at her lips. “Where’s your sexy hottie? Such a good day—why not bring her along to soak up the good vibes?”

“Good memory,” Ouyang Chen smirked slightly. “She’s gone abroad. When she returns, I’ll introduce you.”

Zhang Xiluo declined outright. “No need to meet. I’m just an irrelevant outsider.”

Suddenly, Ouyang Chen fell silent, his expression turning grim. Zhang Xiluo didn’t think much of it. She suddenly felt a chill down her spine. Looking back, she caught Li Mingye’s sour expression.

She knew it had to be Li Mingye—no one else but that scoundrel could look at her like that.

After stepping outside, Zhao Chengyi drove the sports car with Jiang Xueting inside.

“Luoluo, Xinyi, don’t fall too far behind. I’m waiting for you,” Jiang Xueting said happily to Zhang Xiluo. “Hurry up.”

The groomsmen and bridesmaids had to share a vehicle. Though the van was spacious, Zhang Xiluo felt suffocated. Ouyang Chen and Li Mingye sat opposite her, both staring as if harboring grudges.

Ouyang Chen’s gaze was somewhat kinder; Li Mingye’s was like a blade, intent on tearing her apart.

Zhang Xiluo kept her head down, fiddling with her phone, avoiding their eyes. Soon, her neck ached as if it might snap.

“Luoluo, what’s wrong?” Xu Xinyi noticed her discomfort and asked with concern. “Are you feeling unwell?”

“Yeah, my neck hurts,” Zhang Xiluo replied with a mournful look, signaling to Xu Xinyi with her eyes. “Also a bit carsick. It’s awful. I feel like throwing up.”

Xu Xinyi immediately understood and told the driver, “Please pull over for a moment, thank you.”

Then she handed Zhang Xiluo some motion sickness medicine. “Take this and sit up front; it’ll make you feel better.”

Zhang Xiluo took the medicine and switched to the front passenger seat, instantly feeling more relaxed—not having to endure their stares was a relief.

They arrived at a mountain villa. Jiang Xueting and Zhao Chengyi were already there, waving happily as they got out.

Zhang Xiluo almost twisted her ankle the moment she stepped down. She rarely wore heels, especially such thin, towering ones. One misstep and she was prone to fall.

Fortunately, Xu Xinyi was beside her, linking arms as they walked toward Jiang Xueting.

“Let’s shoot a quick VLOG here before heading to the chapel. You two have to come along,” Jiang Xueting said excitedly, grabbing both Zhang Xiluo and Xu Xinyi’s hands and pushing Zhao Chengyi aside so they could stand in the center.

The event company had arranged many activities. Jiang Xueting’s wedding was like a dreamy celebration straight out of a twenty-year-old girl’s fantasy, full of playful games.

Some mischievous fate had, however, tied Zhang Xiluo and Li Mingye together like a cursed string. As she walked, she accidentally bumped into Li Mingye again.

“Are you a child? Can’t even walk properly!” Li Mingye grabbed Zhang Xiluo’s shoulder to steady her.

“Why is it always you!” Zhang Xiluo frowned, quickly stepping away to keep her distance. “Thanks for rescuing me so many times, Mr. Li. I’m extremely grateful.”

After saying this, she left. Li Mingye didn’t stop her, only watching coldly.

Zhang Xiluo hurried to Xu Xinyi’s side, applauding with the others without sparing Li Mingye a glance, her eyes filled solely with joy for Jiang Xueting.

On the way to the chapel, Zhang Xiluo chose the front seat again. Feeling drowsy, she was nearly asleep when the car stopped.

After escorting Jiang Xueting to the makeup room, Zhang Xiluo planned to wash her face. As she turned the corner, she noticed a furtive figure whose silhouette looked familiar.

She quietly followed. The person walked into the control room. Just as Zhang Xiluo was about to enter, someone grabbed her aside. Instinctively, she wanted to call out but a large hand muffled her mouth and nose.

“Sis, it’s me. Don’t scream.”

Seeing it was Lin Yiming, Zhang Xiluo relaxed and told him to let go. “What are you doing here?”

“I followed Lu Tiantian! When I was returning to school, I saw her walking out, wearing headphones and on the phone. She’s planning something big against Zhou Yao,” Lin Yiming said angrily. “She said she would ruin the wedding, make you lose face, and cause you to fall out with your friends.”

Lin Yiming grew angrier as he spoke, itching to confront Zhou Yao and Lu Tiantian.

“I know what she’s up to,” Zhang Xiluo glanced at the control room, her expression serious. “Keep an eye on her. Wait for my signal.”

“Don’t worry, sis. I’ll get the job done,” Lin Yiming whispered, afraid of alerting them, then stood in the shadows, continuing to watch the control room.

Zhang Xiluo washed her face quickly and returned to the makeup room. Jiang Xueting was changing dresses, while Xu Xinyi sat nearby scrolling on her phone. Seeing Zhang Xiluo enter, she gestured for her to come closer.

“Luoluo, someone sent you a pair of shoes to change into.”

On the stool lay a bag containing a pair of flat shoes. Zhang Xiluo recognized them immediately—they were the ones she had left at the villa. These shoes had been bought for her by Li Mingye’s mother, who had practically forced him to pay for them.

Zhang Xiluo wasn’t pretentious and changed into the flats, putting the high heels into the bag.

“Seems Li Mingye is paying more attention to you than before. Has he seen the light and wants to reconcile?”