Today is the most grand day in the history of Jing City.
The most powerful man in Jing City, Mr. Lin whom even both Dao sects feared, is getting married today.
Various color hot air balloons were floating over the city, with the names and photos of the bride and groom printed on them. The entire city was focusing on the wedding.
The wedding has gathered nearly all the upper-class families from Jing City and other cities.
They came not only because of the increasingly significant status of the Jing family, but even if it was just to satisfy their curiosity, they wouldn’t miss this worthwhile wedding ceremony.
However, at this moment, only the bride stood alone on the stage, the groom was nowhere to be found.
"Dear guests, due to an unexpected event, today might be a wasted trip for you all. The wedding is temporarily canceled. I apologize for wasting your precious time."
Dressed in a white wedding gown, Shu Ran stood high on the podium, confident and shining, as if she was just answering a reporter's question, not announcing the cancellation of her own wedding.
Half an hour ago, just as the wedding was about to begin, Jing Yu Lin got a call and hurried out, saying he was dealing with something. Yet, he never came back.
The guests who came to attend the wedding were all influential figures. Even individually, each one could make a city tremble by stomping their foot. To avoid any unpleasantness between the Jing family and them, Shu Ran had to appease the guests.
A few brief words, however, sparked a huge uproar. The scene suddenly became noisy and even the gaze at Shu Ran became complicated. The crowd's speculations about the reason for the wedding's cancellation were endless.
What had originally surprised everyone about this wedding was the identity of the bride. The woman Jing Yu Lin, a man of overwhelming power, was marrying Shu Ran, the hot popular actress in the entertainment industry.
Media touted Shu Ran as a symbol of the current sexy women, with her enchanting face, seductive figure, all displaying irresistible charm.
However, while this beauty was undebatable, and her acting skills top-notch, online comments about her were extremely negative.
It was said she slept her way to the top, bedding numerous directors and investors; she would do anything for fame, orchestrating the ban from the industry of countless actresses; rumors swirled that she was a mistress, even bearing an illegitimate child...
Almost everyone believed that a woman like Shu Ran was not worthy of Jing Yu Lin, a man of power, prestige, and good looks.
"From the beginning to the end, we never saw Master Lin appear. I believe that Master Lin doesn't want to marry you, he probably ran away from the marriage," a scornful female voice in the crowd was particularly loud, seeming to make everyone aware that Shu Ran was abandoned and intentionally causing her embarrassment.
Shu Ran turned her head to look, the woman who was speaking was another popular actress in the entertainment circle, Yu Xiang.
Like Shu Ran, Yu Xiang also followed the charming path. Three years ago, Shu Ran suddenly dropped into the entertainment circle and took many good resources. Yu Xiang held a grudge for this matter. At present, having a good opportunity to step on Shu Ran, she definitely didn't want to let it go easily.
"I've heard from long ago that Shu Ran is a vixen, Master Lin must have discovered her vile nature and discarded her."
"How dare a slut fantasize about Master Lin, she deserves to be abandoned."
"That's what I mean, how could Master Lin possibly fancy this woman and want to marry her? It was just a fling."
…
The voices of insults became louder and louder. There were not few women who were originally envious of Shu Ran marrying into a wealthy family. Now it was just their good opportunity to suppress Shu Ran. With Yu Xiang taking the lead, they didn't fall behind.
The everyday, seemingly noble ladies and dazzlingly beautiful actresses' words at this moment were utterly vulgar.
However, Shu Ran was exceptionally calm, with a generous smile at the corner of her mouth, "Miss Yu, I'm just a small star. If Jing Yu Lin doesn't want to marry me, why would he bother to hold this wedding for me? Doing too much?"
She addressed her as Miss Yu, her eyes seemed to drift over all the women who had just spoken, with a seemingly carefree attitude that left those listening with no rebuttals.
Given Jing Yu Lin's status, if he truly didn't want to marry Shu Ran, why would he organize a wedding that alarmed dozens of cities and then play missing? Wouldn't that offend the major families who came to attend the wedding?
Who in this world would be foolish enough to play tricks like King Zhou of You, who led his country to ruin just for the sake of pleasing a beauty?
There Shu Ran stood, her wedding dress outlining her perfect figure. The pure white color of the dress obscured some of her charm and added a bit of innocence, which was somewhat different from her usual self on screen. What remained unchanged was the arrogance that radiated from her bones.
She was akin to a born aristocrat, exuding elegance even while using coarse language. It was hard not to get captivated by her.
"The wedding is off; however, the banquet continues. It simply transforms from a wedding banquet to a regular one. Everyone here can consider it a feast hosted by the Jing family to foster relationships among all the clans. Eat, drink, and be merry at will."
It was no easy feat to attend a banquet attended by the majority of family representatives from several cities. For many families, this occasion was a rare joint fellowship meeting.
They can meet characters who were usually hard to get an appointment with. Even though the wedding was called off, they suffered no loss nor were they overly discontented.
Speculations about the cause of the wedding's cancellation continued to circulate.
After calming the guests, Shu Ran returned to her room to call Jing Yulin again with her mobile phone. The phone rang for 45 seconds until it connected to the automated voice message noting that no one was picking up. She redialed several times, yet it was still the same mechanical female voice stating that no one was answering.
Jing Yulin once told her that he'd always pick up her calls at the first ring. He said that he would come to meet her wherever she was, whenever she called. He had never broken his promise, not even once in the last three years.
But today...
What was said during the call half an hour ago? That cutting, dangerous expression she had never seen on him before...
Everyone in the outside world knew Jing Yulin to be adventurous and presumptuous, but he was different around her. He never showed his ruthless, arrogant side when he was with her, except in that hail of bullets years ago.
Could he have run into an insurmountable issue?
Holding her phone, Shu Ran’s hand involuntarily clenched tight. She called Cheng Du, Jing Yulin's trusted subordinate. After half a minute of ringing, just as she was about to hang up and dial another number, the call was answered.
"Sister-in-law, how may I assist you?"
Shu Ran's eyebrows furrowed, her beautiful face filled with anxiety. "Are you with Yulin?" She asked. "Where is he?"
"Master Jing went to Yardu. Before leaving, he told me and all the bodyguards to stay and protect you, saying that you can order us to do anything if needed."
What could possibly make him abandon their wedding? He couldn't even spare the time for a simple phone call to tell her himself?
"What happened?" Shu Ran's voice tensed up, "Could he be in danger?"
Cheng Duo on the other side of the phone gave an awkward chuckle, "Lord Lin went to attend the Yan Dulin family's banquet. There's no danger, sister-in-law. You need not worry."
"So, he ditched our wedding for a banquet?" Shu Ran suddenly laughed, her voice steady as she hung up the phone, yet Cheng Duo still detected her displeasure.
He called off their wedding to attend a mediocre aristocratic family's banquet? What could possibly be more important at that banquet than their wedding?
It was impossible to think that Shu Ran wasn't burning with anger at this point.