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  Atlas Studios

  In the car, Qiao Jiusheng sat on Fang Yusheng’s right.

  Qi Bufan looked straight ahead as he drove. His face was expressionless, but his heart was in turmoil.

  Qi Bufan felt that the words he had heard were an illusion. Thus, he cautiously asked, “Mr. Fang, where are we going?”


  Fang Yusheng said, “Civil Affairs Bureau.”


  Qi Bufan tightened his grip on the steering wheel.

  He was not mistaken. Mr. Fang was really going to get married.

  Qi Bufan looked at Qiao Jiusheng with admiration.

  Qiao Jiusheng’s heart was in a mess. She did not expect Fang Yusheng to do things so quickly. They had just reached an agreement last night, yet they were already on their way to collect their marriage certificate this morning. This speed shocked Qiao Jiusheng.

  Fang Yusheng seemed to have activated his Heavenly Eye; he could see the conflict and uneasiness in Qiao Jiusheng’s heart.

  As he played with the gemstone on his cane, he said, “Anyway, you’ve decided to marry me. What’s the difference between sooner or later?”


  Qiao Jiusheng was silent.

  After that, they remained silent in the car all the way to the Civil Affairs Bureau. When they reached the bureau, Fang Yusheng opened the door to get out of the car. However, Qiao Jiusheng asked, “Legally, Qiao Jiusheng is already married to Fang Mu and Qiao Jiuyin is dead. My name in the household register must have been revoked.” In other words, she had no identity right now, so how could she register her marriage?

  “I have my ways.”


  Qiao Jiusheng followed Fang Yusheng with a puzzled expression. Just as they were about to enter the Civil Affairs Bureau, a young man in a blue shirt walked over and handed a document bag to Qi Bufan. It appeared as though the two of them were underground gang members during the Republic of China era. After making eye contact, they exchanged documents.

  After the young man left, Qi Bufan opened the bag and took a look. He then said to Fang Yusheng, “Her name is Qi Yunsheng.”


  Fang Yusheng did not say anything, but he turned around and faced Qiao Jiusheng. “Qi Yunsheng is your name from now on.”


  Qiao Jiusheng was stunned.

  “Oh.”


  Qiao Jiusheng acknowledged it and took the document before looking down.

  The ‘Qi’ from General Qi Jiguang, ‘Yun’ meaning full of life, ‘Sheng’ derived from a reed-pipe wind instrument, this was her new name.

  At the thought that she had lost her name because of Qiao Jiuyin, Qiao Jiusheng felt a wave of sadness and hatred emerge in her heart.

  At this moment, she heard Fang Yusheng say, “Remember, I gave you your life.”


  Qiao Jiusheng blankly stared at the fair-skinned man with thin pink lips and nodded.

  ***

  Most of the couples who came to the Civil Affairs Bureau to register their marriage were holding hands. The moment Fang Yusheng and Qiao Jiusheng entered the Civil Affairs Bureau, they became the odd pair. Qiao Jiusheng silently sized up the couples before taking a step closer to Fang Yusheng. She raised her left hand and thought about it. She did not hold Fang Yusheng’s hand but held his arm instead.

  Fang Yusheng’s hands, lips, and body were all reserved for the person in his heart.

  Qiao Jiusheng could not touch it.

  Fang Yusheng froze when he felt a hand on his arm, but he soon relaxed.

  The two of them quickly filled out their forms and went to take pictures. They paid nine dollars, and after that, they became a couple.

  It was almost noon when they walked out of the Civil Affairs Bureau.

  On the eighth day of July, the weather was clear and the sun was scorching hot. Qiao Jiusheng had married a man she had just known for a night. Tilting her head, she looked at the stunning man dressed in a white suit beside her. Her heart ached. If she could not marry the person she loved, it did not matter who she married.

  The marriage certificate in her hand felt so heavy that Qiao Jiusheng could not breathe.

  Fang Yusheng weighed the marriage certificate and laughed.

  Qi Bufan and Qiao Jiusheng looked at him in confusion.

  Under the sunlight, his smile appeared bright and clear. However, the words that came out of his mouth made Qiao Jiusheng depressed. “Qiao Jiusheng, aren’t you afraid that you’ll regret marrying a useless person like me?”


  Qiao Jiusheng opened and closed her lips a few times, but no words came out of her mouth.0

  At this moment, Qiao Jiusheng did not know if she would regret it. However, many years later, after years of proof, marrying Fang Yusheng was the best thing Qiao Jiusheng had done after her rebirth.

  After getting into the car, Fang Yusheng instructed Qi Bufan to drive to the mall.

  Neither of them spoke as they held onto the marriage certificate. No one knew what they were thinking about.

  When they reached the mall, Fang Yusheng carried Qiao Jiusheng to the jewelry store.

  “Sir, Miss, what kind of rings do you want? We have a complete set of rings in our shop. I can recommend a few for you.” The shop assistant was not blind. The sapphire on Fang Yusheng’s cane was enough to buy all the rings in their shop. Since she had met such a big customer, she naturally had to treat him warmly.

  Fang Yusheng said to Qiao Jiusheng, “Choose one.”


  Knowing that Fang Yusheng could not see, Qiao Jiusheng did not refuse. She walked to the counter and observed the rings. Although this marriage had casually happened, the wedding ring had to be worn for a lifetime. It would look better if she picked it and wore it.

  In the end, Qiao Jiusheng chose a ring that the shop assistant did not expect.

  It was a pair of black ceramic rings with identical designs. Two white diamonds were embedded on both sides of each ring, and in their middle was a bright, high-purity rose-red gemstone.

  Qiao Jiusheng simply felt that Fang Yusheng would look good wearing this ring.

  “Done.” Qiao Jiusheng handed the ring to Fang Yusheng and let him decide.

  Fang Yusheng touched it. When he identified that the ring in his hand was made of ceramic, he raised his eyebrows in surprise.?

  ?A ceramic diamond ring looked much better than a platinum diamond ring.

  He smirked and said, “This is it.”


  After buying some seasonal dresses for Qiao Jiusheng, the three of them then left the mall. When they returned to the car, Fang Yusheng asked Qiao Jiusheng to extend her left hand. Qiao Jiusheng obediently stretched out her hand. Fang Yusheng opened the box and put the ring on her ring finger. His actions were casual, without a hint of solemnity.

  After all, there was no love between them. Putting a ring on her was no different from putting it on a foxtail grass.

  Qiao Jiusheng looked at the ceramic ring on her ring finger and thought,?

  ?She took out the ring and put it on Fang Yusheng.

  Fang Yusheng casually touched the ring and pursed his lips.

  He had never thought that he would get married one day.

  “Do you have anything you like?” Qiao Jiusheng suddenly asked Fang Yusheng.

  Fang Yusheng said, “Cultivating one’s body and mind. Devotion to Buddha. This is my hobby.”


  Qiao Jiusheng rolled her eyes.

  Qiao Jiusheng stopped complaining and said, “You guys can go back first. I have something to do.”


  Fang Yusheng nodded. “Okay.” He was not afraid that she would not go home.

  After leaving Qiao Jiusheng by the roadside, Fang Yusheng said to Qi Bufan, “Send someone to protect her.” Since he had promised to keep her alive, Fang Yusheng would not go back on his words.

  “Okay.”