Awakening from a nightmare, An Sheng took deep breaths. Subconsciously, she reached out to her side, the man was gone without her knowing when he had left, leaving her alone shivering under the large quilt.
Since her visit to the hospital last week, she has been constantly dreaming of that night three years ago.
The nightmares that haunted her were like a massive hand reaching out from the darkness which clung tightly around her neck, leaving her gasping for air time and time again.
An Sheng lifted her gaze to the gloomy weather outside the window, feeling an inexplicable sense of distress.
Her phone on the bedside table buzzed relentlessly. Glancing over, she suddenly found it blinding. She gradually shifted her body and pressed the answer key.
"An Sheng, why aren’t you here yet? How can we proceed with such an important day without you? I am waiting for you at the hotel!" A familiar excited voice echoed around the spacious room from the phone.
"Mm-hmm," An Sheng quietly responded, feeling terribly uneasy.
She subtly curled up her legs and extended her arms to hold herself. Her long hair slid down her back, masking the anxiety on An Sheng's face.
The call was from her best friend, Mu Xueyi. Today was her engagement day – a day she should be happy for her, but today...
She just couldn’t lift her spirits.
An Sheng never thought that she would be facing a day like this. Her best girlfriend was getting married and the man she was marrying was the same man who shared passionate nights with her.
At this thought, An Sheng violently shook her head around, telling herself she couldn't evade this situation any longer. Deciding on a nondescript long skirt, she hurried towards the banquet where family and friends were gathered.
The reception had not started yet, the day’s female protagonist was still in the makeup room on the second floor.
An Sheng stopped in the hallway of the second floor for a long time, unable to hide the sorrow on her face. Despite having prepared for this day for a long time…
Taking a deep breath, An Sheng finally mustered up the courage and forcefully pushed open the door of the makeup room. It seemed as if a heavy door had suddenly separated her from Mu Xueyi. Even after pushing it open, there were still insurmountable rifts between them.
Mu Xueyi, who was busy applying her mascara, turned her head and saw An Sheng. She smiled innocently and said with rosy lips, "You're finally here. The banquet is about to start!"
"Uh huh." An Sheng moved over to stand next to Mu Xueyi, looking at the happy smile reflected in the mirror.
"An Sheng, am I beautiful today?" Mu Xueyi turned around, her face flushed with joy, looking at An Sheng.
Only then did An Sheng truly appreciate her.
Today, Mu Xueyi was wearing a sky-blue dress. Looking down, a blue hellebore was pinned at her waist, accentuating her slender figure. Eyeliner neatly traced, making her already large eyes appear more dazzling. She lifted her hand to reveal her newly done nails from yesterday.
Every detail was meticulously prepared, making it impossible to find a flaw.
Usually, An Sheng would be giving her compliments, but now, she could only manage to squeeze out two words, "Very beautiful…"
"What have you been up to these past few days? I missed you so much! I've been busy preparing for the banquet and it is quite exhausting!" Mu Xueyi playfully pouted, holding An Sheng's hand with warmth.
As Mu Xueyi leaned in with a substantial force caused An Sheng to stiffen, she quietly responded, "I've been working on a new design for the past few days. It's a bit hectic."
She was a freelance designer. It took at least two to three months just to finish a single credible work. Busy, was nothing more than an excuse.
When she found out that Mu Xueyi was getting married to Han Mo Ran, she really didn’t know how she was going to face her.
Would Mu Xueyi hate her to death if she knew the truth?
"I knew you'd be busy, which is why I specifically saved choosing my wedding dress for later. You better not say you're busy then!" Mu Xueyi held An Sheng's hand, there was a hint of childishness in her voice.
Turning her face to look at Mu Xueyi next to her, the sense of happiness that every girl would have on the eve of their marriage was now written all over her face.
The sense of happiness felt more like a rope tightening around An Sheng's neck, causing her throat to constrict. For a moment, she could hardly make a sound, and when she finally did, it came out strained, pulling painfully at her vocal cords.
The corners of Mu Xueyi's mouth curved upward, "Oh no, I got so caught up chatting with you. What if Han Shao comes and can't find me? Let's go already, let's hurry downstairs."
Checking her reflection once more in the mirror, Mu Xueyi made sure there were no flaws on her face. Then, lifting her skirt, she dashed for the stairs in high spirits.
Following closely behind, An Sheng paused at the turn of the staircase.
"An Sheng, what's the matter? Hurry up and follow." From the bottom of the stairs, Mu Xueyi turned back to see An Sheng, head bowed and motionless. From a distance, she couldn't quite make out the expression on her face.
She was too engrossed with Han Moruo to pay An Sheng's strangeness much mind.
When An Sheng laid eyes on Mu Xueyi's fiance, her legs instinctively took a step back. Although she had prepared herself before this, trying her best not to appear too embarrassing, she still became flustered.
The man she knew too well was standing right in front of her. His resolute face was half cast in shadow, his brows stern, lips thin, and eyes deep. Tucked neatly into the pocket on the right upper side of his suit was a square handkerchief.
