On Her Wedding Night, She Transmigrated To The Aftermath Of Her Divorce - Chapter 16

Time flew by. Yu Yan’s illness had nearly healed, and the wedding date drew closer with each passing day, like a rising tide.

Thanks to Fu Yunqing’s indulgence, Yu Yan felt no sense of urgency. Once she recovered, she reverted to her reckless ways, boldly planning to rent out a nearby tavern the night before the wedding. She wanted to spend her last night of freedom drinking and celebrating with her sisters and friends.

The wedding guests included relatives, friends, and business partners of the Fu family and Yu Lan. But the largest group consisted of Yu Yan’s sisters, friends, and acquaintances. After all, who wouldn’t want to witness the Young Mistress’s grand wedding when she was covering all travel and accommodation expenses?

Given Yu Yan’s fickle nature, her guest list was quite diverse. It inevitably included some “friends with whom she’d shared emotional connections,” those she’d flirted with, those she’d liked, and those she’d teased without ever committing. Yu Yan collectively referred to them as “friends with whom she had shared emotional connections.”

Why would they settle for just being friends? Probably because Yu Yan was too unforgettable, too emotionally fulfilling, too perfect for their fantasies. They couldn’t bear to completely lose her, so they clung to her even as just friends. They wanted to be there for her when she needed them, to comfort and care for her when she was sad or unhappy. Even that would be enough for them.

Yu Yan possessed all the spoiled, willful traits of a young mistress. She confidently and lazily basked in all the good things that flowed her way. Yet somehow, this very nature made her irresistibly charming. She was the epitome of refined selfishness, but when necessary, she could be coy and sweet, saying things that made people lose their minds. With just a hint of flirtation, her admirers would become utterly infatuated, abandoning all principles.

Yu Yan knew her allure, understood their desires, and unapologetically reveled in it all. Well, the “simps” were just labels she used to mask her own transgressions. Deep down, she knew they were the ones who were her little dogs, and she was their master.

Just like now…

Yu Yan didn’t emerge from her room for lunch until late afternoon. Seated beside her in the manor’s dining room was a young woman in a white blouse, radiating an air of gentle elegance. No food lay before her; she’d clearly already eaten. She tilted her head, her gaze fixed intently on Yu Yan.

Yu Yan listlessly stirred her spaghetti, muttering, “Mom won’t let me go. It’s so annoying.” She was referring to her plan to rent out a tavern for a pre-wedding celebration the night before the ceremony.

The woman beside her offered a solution. “Auntie’s probably worried you’ll drink too much and ruin tomorrow’s wedding. I’ll talk to her. I’ll tell her I’ll keep an eye on you and make sure you don’t drink. We’ll just have fun and make it lively. What do you think?”

Li Tong was Yu Yan’s cousin, though they weren’t actually blood-related. Compared to Yu Yan’s carefree, cynical nature, Li Tong was far more accomplished: a graduate student at a prestigious university and the “model child” everyone envied. Though they hadn’t been close growing up, Li Tong’s undergraduate studies in Yun City had brought them together for a time. With her beauty, high education, emotional stability, and gentle patience, Li Tong was practically a dream come true for sapiosexuals. Yu Yan had been hopelessly infatuated with her back then, shamelessly clinging to her and flirting relentlessly. But when Yu Yan realized she didn’t want to commit, they never became official.

After they broke up, they remained close friends, maintaining a warm connection. Whenever Li Tong returned to Yun City for holidays or Yu Yan visited the Imperial Capital, they would still hang out together.

Yu Yan looked at her, frowning in mock annoyance. “So you really won’t let me drink? What’s the point of renting out the whole place then?”

In truth, Yu Yan could drink as much as she wanted; no one could stop her. But pretending to give Li Tong the power to decide gave her a sense of satisfaction, as if she were being cared for.

Li Tong would never refuse her, Yu Yan knew. Her cousin loved sneaking around with her, doing outrageous things behind their elders’ backs. This wasn’t the first time she’d broken the rules for her.

“I’ll secretly let you have a little.”

“Ugh… that’s still no fun.”

Li Tong sighed, a little helpless. “What if you get a hangover? There’s a wedding tomorrow.”

Yu Yan huffed, feigning anger, and pushed her pasta aside, signaling the waiter for a pudding.

Li Tong naturally took the pasta, continuing to stir it for her. “We could add a low-alcohol, strong-flavored liquor to your drinks. That way, you’ll get the taste without getting drunk. You can still have fun. What do you think?”

Yu Yan considered for a moment, then looked up with a smile, pulling Li Tong closer by the wrist. “Then you can tell my mom later.”

Li Tong smiled back, pushing the mixed pasta back across the table. “Okay. Eat first.”

Yu Yan didn’t realize Fu Yunqing was standing nearby, accompanied by Dillon, the estate’s housekeeper.

Li Tong saw her first, her smile fading as she greeted her politely.

Yu Yan turned to see Fu Yunqing. “Sister Fu?”

“Why are you having lunch so late?” Fu Yunqing asked casually, sitting down across from Yu Yan. Her tone was as calm and caring as ever.

“I was so sleepy. Just woke up.”

Fu Yunqing nodded. After spending so much time with Yu Yan, she knew her habits well: staying up late, sleeping in, and enjoying wine, but not smoking.

Fu Yunqing didn’t see these as flaws. They were simply part of who Yu Yan was, her authentic self. Even the thought of Yu Yan going to a bar the night before her wedding struck Fu Yunqing as charming and endearing.

Yet there was something else in this situation that Fu Yunqing didn’t quite like.

“You’re so tired,” she asked. “Are you still going out drinking tonight?”

Yu Yan figured Fu Yunqing had overheard their earlier conversation, so she simply admitted, “Yeah, I want to.” After all, she knew Fu Yunqing wouldn’t scold her like Yu Lan would.

There was no harm in admitting it. Sister Fu would just indulge her, right?

To her surprise, Fu Yunqing refused. “You just recovered from your illness, and you stopped taking your medicine only a couple of days ago. You shouldn’t drink yet.”

“Yanyan was sick?” Li Tong, who hadn’t known about this, immediately turned to Yu Yan. “What happened? Was it serious?” she asked with concern.

“It wasn’t serious,” Yu Yan replied. “Just a cold.”

“Then you really should be careful. You shouldn’t drink.”

Yu Yan fell silent, huffing softly as she lowered her head to eat her noodles. She was clearly unhappy.

It wasn’t clear who she was upset with, whether it was Fu Yunqing for also refusing her or Li Tong for not taking her side.

Li Tong was about to say something more when the waiter brought over the dishes Fu Yunqing had ordered. As the two women ate, Li Tong realized she felt a bit awkward sitting there. She had already eaten earlier with friends. Was she… intruding?

The feeling wasn’t pleasant, but she was powerless to change anything. She knew she couldn’t sway Aunt Yu Lan’s decisions, and she dared not reveal her true feelings, lest she lose her chance to stay by Yanyan’s side.

A little dejected, she stood up. “Then Yanyan, you and Teacher Fu can finish eating. I’ll head back to my room.”

Yu Yan devoured the spaghetti in her plate with angry, large bites, inevitably getting sauce on her lips. She didn’t bother wiping it off, instead grabbing her phone to text Li Tong, trying to reassure her. She knew why her cousin had left and that she must be feeling terrible right now.

A puppy who’s sad needs comforting, or it might run away from heartbreak. Poor thing! My cousin has no official status with Sister Fu. I can’t imagine how disappointed and hurt she must be.

Yu Yan decided to sweeten things up: I’ll listen to you, Cousin. I won’t go drinking tonight.

Suddenly, a pair of hands reached across the table. Fu Yunqing’s left hand gently tilted Yu Yan’s chin, while her right hand used a napkin to dab away the red sauce. Yu Yan froze, switched off her phone, and looked up. Fu Yunqing’s eyes were lowered, focused intently on wiping her lips.

Fu Yunqing actually refused her. Yu Yan was still angry, but she didn’t resist, merely puffing out her cheeks and falling silent.

A moment later, Fu Yunqing withdrew her hand. “That’s better. Have you already forgotten how awful it feels to have a fever? No drinking tonight. Get some sleep.”

Before Yu Yan could reply, Fu Yunqing added, “Besides the bracelet, is there anything else you want as a gift? If we’re not drinking, there’s no limit to the price.”

Yu Yan paused. Does Fu Yunqing know all about my vanity and my weakness for women? Even though she’d already been won over when Fu Yunqing had tilted her chin to wipe her mouth, she still dared to make such an extravagant demand.

Yu Yan really had no principles. What about her talk of drinking all night for freedom? Did marrying Fu Yunqing mean losing her freedom? In her giddy state, she thought recklessly, I’m marrying Sister Fu. What does it matter if I lose my freedom? Sister Fu was rich, beautiful, gentle, generous, protective, and doting. Yu Yan would be a good wife to her, of course she’d go to bed early. She wanted to be well-rested for the wedding the next day. And then…

Yu Yan’s eyes lit up.

The wedding night!

“Really? I can ask for anything? No matter how expensive?”

Fu Yunqing nodded. “Mhm.”

Sister Fu’s simple “mhm” was worth more than all the empty promises of other men.

“Hehe.” Yu Yan couldn’t help but giggle, quickly composing herself. “…Mhm.”

“Okay,” Yu Yan replied.

“I promise I’ll go to bed early tonight and won’t drink a drop of alcohol,” she vowed to Fu Yunqing.

Fu Yunqing had been quite worried when Yu Yan had been feeling down the past few days. But now that she was back to her energetic self, she was already being mischievous again.

Fu Yunqing remained noncommittal, refusing to acknowledge her. She lowered her head and continued eating her meal.

Yu Yan had finished her pasta, but she lingered at the table. Of course, she was keeping her wife company, all while pondering what kind of reward she should ask Fu Yunqing for.

Should she finally get that wristwatch she’d always wanted? Or perhaps a gemstone? A designer bag? A pair of shoes? Or maybe a sports car? The flashiest model, of course. If she got one, Yu Yan would definitely get her driver’s license.

Yu Yan decided to go back to her room and research her options. She opened her phone to find Li Tong had already replied to her message: Okay.

Are you still feeling sick? Why didn’t you tell me? Li Tong asked.

Yu Yan typed back: I’m trying to be strong and independent. I don’t want to bother you with every little thing.

This isn’t bothering me, Li Tong replied.

You can come to me with anything. Remember what we agreed on before? You can still rely on me. You should tell me whenever you’re unhappy or not feeling well.

Yu Yan’s lips curved into a smile.

Right, she and her cousin had agreed on that. She and Fu Yunqing were only in a business marriage, and they could still be good friends like before. But… Yu Yan recalled how she’d felt in Sister Fu’s arms when she was sick, a little too mesmerized and dazed.

****

The next day, in the dressing room…

Yu Yan was grateful she’d been bribed by Fu Yunqing with money the night before and hadn’t gone out drinking. She couldn’t imagine how tired she’d be otherwise, let alone sitting calmly in a chair and getting her makeup done.

She’d gone to bed early the night before, so she wasn’t tired at all. Her illness had cleared up, her complexion was glowing, her skin looked great, and she was in a good mood.

“I can’t even imagine how beautiful Sister Fu will look,” Yu Yan murmured, gazing at herself in the mirror in her bridesmaid’s dress.

Huo Xixi chimed in, “I really want to see her!”

Liang Su suggested, “She’s right next door, isn’t she? Why not sneak a peek?”

Huo Xixi chickened out. “I wouldn’t dare!”

Shen Rui nudged Yu Yan. “I’d love to see Sister Fu’s social media. Can you show me?”

There were six bridesmaids in total. Yu Yan’s three roommates made up half the group, while the other three were Fu Yunqing’s older sisters. They’d arrived a couple of days earlier, and the group had met Fu Yunqing once at dinner. The three usually bossy and assertive E-types couldn’t utter a coherent sentence in her presence. After Fu Yunqing left, they’d erupted into squealing in their group chat.

So pathetic, Yu Yan thought.

Yu Yan shook her head. “My wife doesn’t post on social media.”

“Just as I thought.”

“Do you have any selfies of her?”

Selfies of my wife? Yu Yan narrowed her eyes in thought. “Wait a moment,” she said, grabbing her phone to send Fu Yunqing a teasing message.

Three heads leaned in to watch.

Yu Yan typed: Sister Fu

Sister Fu

Sister Fu

Liang Su looked at her. “What are you doing?” she asked. “Three messages in a row, just calling her ‘Sister’ without saying anything else? That’s so weird.”

But Yu Yan remained calm, as if she had everything under control. Soon enough, Fu Yunqing replied: What’s wrong?

Yu Yan smirked and typed: I really want to see you.

Flower-eyed emoji

Fu Yunqing: You’ll see me soon enough.

Yu Yan: No!

Can I come see you?

Fu Yunqing: No.

Yu Yan immediately lowered her expectations: Then can you send me a photo?

I really want to see you.

Liang Su gasped. “…My god, is this how you and Fu Yunqing talk to each other?”

“Do you think she’s buying into your act?” Shen Rui asked. “She seems a bit cold.”

Cold? Yu Yan, feeling unjustly accused, retorted, “My wife just doesn’t like typing. She keeps her replies short. That’s not coldness, it’s just efficiency.”

Huo Xixi chimed in, “I’m curious about her MBTI. Is she an introvert or an extrovert?”

Yu Yan paused, then declared confidently, “Definitely an introvert.”

“I agree,” Shen Rui added. “She’s definitely not an extrovert. She barely said a word last time, so reserved.”

Liang Su countered, “But the three of us extroverts were too intimidated to speak in front of her. That’s completely backwards!”

Shen Rui explained, “It’s because she’s so intimidating. That aura of wealth, sophistication, and knowledge—it just makes us too nervous to act crazy around her. Only my Yan-jie has the guts to do that.”

Only my Yan-jie has the guts to do that.

“It’s not that dramatic,” Yu Yan said, her lips curling into a smile. She selected an emoji and sent it to Fu Yunqing, adding smugly, “Introverts are just extroverts’ toys.”

By that logic, Fu Yunqing was her toy.

Fu Yunqing was also her little puppy.

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