Chapter 58 Engagement Ceremony

Chapter 58 The Engagement Ceremony

On the day the engagement ceremony began, Chen Jiyan got a real sense of the power of the old aristocracy in Mando.

The streets were festooned as if for a festival, leaving nothing out. Even residents not on the guest list could receive a hefty party favor by offering their blessings. It was said fireworks would light up the sky for three days and three nights, and they had even specially invited clergy from Moharbor to bear witness.

Chen Jiyan was fussed over and dressed up again, much like his first visit to You Ting. With no time for a custom suit, he wore a champagne-colored one altered from You Jinhui's old clothes. The tailor's skill was excellent; aside from the shoulders being slightly too broad, the fit was perfect.

At You Jinhui's strong insistence, he still put on the Witt family crest ring.

The venue was a hotel in Mando's West District, reportedly quite old. It was once a favored gathering spot for the upper class but had gradually declined, not hosting a proper banquet in ages. One building had even been converted into a church for rent. It was the former site of the Sacred Heart Foundation, the predecessor of the CSA, and later became a school for commoners.

The daytime ceremony was held on a beautifully manicured green lawn, clearly decorated with great care. An archway at the reception area was intertwined with winding ivy, adorned with numerous white flowers of unknown variety. Light-colored bouquets were placed along the white carpet to guide the way. The church, though not as grand and imposing as those in Moharbor, was solemn and sacred, with ivy draping from its lintel. The bright yet gentle sunlight cast a dreamlike, pale golden veil over everything.

You Jinhui was scrutinizing everything, even discussing details with the staff. Turning around, he found Chen Jiyan, who should have been behind him, had already staked out a spot to rest, holding coffee and a cream cake, paying no attention to the surroundings or socializing.

The Chief Executive couldn't escape social obligations anytime, anywhere. After dealing with one round of greetings, Chen Jiyan had disappeared again. You Jinhui searched unhurriedly, stopping to study interesting decorations. He had given Chen Jiyan the family crest precisely so he could enjoy himself freely; keeping him too close wouldn't be good.

Chen Jiyan didn't expect to run into an acquaintance before seeing Si Min.

"Are you sure you don't want to join? Still content being a cog in the wheel for the capital city, following the Chief Executive?"

He had forgotten that CSA members also came from good backgrounds. Lin Fan, a noble young master from some family, was also among the invited guests. It made one wonder what kind of person Lovelace's fiancée was.

"Don't misunderstand. I'm not here to apprehend you, nor do I intend to clash with You Jinhui. Si Min's fiancée is my cousin." Lin Fan smiled amiably. "I'm just here as part of the bride's family for the ceremony."

Chen Jiyan didn't linger, turning to walk towards the crowd.

"Leaving already? You haven't heard my grand Voyage Plan yet."

"Chen Jiyan, you'll definitely be interested."

"The destination is... the 21st century where you and I come from."

In an unoccupied floral hall, the wedding cake and black tea sat quietly on a small white carved coffee table. The chair backs were draped with lace-trimmed covers, surrounded by a gentle fragrance.

"How did you get here? Crossing over?"

Ji Xi, who had appeared in Sangsian right from the beginning, was already working for the military—now clearly You Jinhui's arrangement. Lin Fan was in Moharbor; many places where Chen Jiyan had lived in Sangsian had connections there. Why was it Lin Fan? The answer was finally about to be revealed.

"That body back in the 21st century... is most likely dead."

"Is death a prerequisite?"

"Not necessarily. You saw the museum records, right? Humanity perished once."

"But wasn't extinct."

Perished, but not extinct.

"You can also think of the past as a parallel world for easier understanding. Time is linear, but there isn't only one line. With a one-in-ten-million chance, there exists a timeline where humanity has always survived."

Chen Jiyan couldn't refute the impossibility; it made sense.

"You can't prove it."

"I can. You are the best proof."

"Tell me, in the world you lived in, what was the date of the last day you left?"

"Year 25. No death."

"Year 25... a quarter of a century."

"You hadn't been born yet when I left. Don't think about whether any major events happened. You and I are from different timelines; they won't match. It was a very ordinary day. You can use the system to help determine if I'm lying; I don't mind."

"Your plan you mentioned?"

"Ah, we've strayed from the topic. The Voyage Plan." Lin Fan looked at him with hopeful eyes. "Our goal is to return to the future."

A prosperous, bright future where humanity didn't need to rebuild after disaster.

"I know you must be interested. Will you join?"

"How can I help you?" Chen Jiyan needed to know what they had been persistently seeking.

"Vita Star left you her invention. We need you to perform a complete, conscious crossover."

"Your current body is indeed a product of this era, but your consciousness can detach under certain conditions—that state near death you experience at night."

Chen Jiyan sensed something off: "You've never witnessed it, have you? You don't have life-detection instruments. People from Ding Shu wouldn't leak any information about the experimental subject."

"Hmm, thanks to a friend back in Sangsian. Lin Fan personally witnessed your complete loss of vital signs, only for you to miraculously revive the next morning at sunrise."

"You were already certain back then."

"Not entirely. Since Vita Star's passing, we never stopped searching for you. The incident in Sangsian was a surprise, accelerating everything." Lin Fan extended the invitation again.

"We come from the same place. The CSA's door is always open for you."

His tone was relaxed, as if already considering Chen Jiyan one of their own, genuinely welcoming.

"I refuse." Chen Jiyan was exceptionally clear-headed. "If it fails, I bear the consequences alone. You'd just lose an experimental subject."

"It's all just your conjecture. Why should I help prove it? Also, I'm not from the same place as you, old-timer."

"Hey! Refusing is one thing, but why the insult? Young people these days have no manners." He glared angrily. "Right, Roze?"

Roze was present, clearly not here for Chen Jiyan or You Jinhui. He offered no opinion on the conversation, instead focusing intently on searching for someone.

"Alert: Detected irregular heart rhythm. Please avoid strenuous activity and proceed to a quiet, open area to calm down."

It had been a long time since he heard such a warning. Being near the CSA indeed brought no good.

Chen Jiyan asked a passing staff member for directions to a restroom and to relay a message to the Chief Executive. Entering the lounge, he found someone already inside—another familiar face.

"What are you doing here?" Xisha wore an exquisite dress, looking completely refreshed. Unfamiliar onlookers might mistake her for a quiet, refined young lady, even more convincing than her appearance in Mug Valley.

"I'm the emcee. Got a problem with that?"

"Saying you're the flower girl would be more believable."

"It's true. Miss Frollan is a fan of my books." Xisha replied after organizing her notes. "I saw you coming from the backyard earlier. What's wrong? Looking downcast. Did you argue with your guardian?"

"First, I became an adult seventeen days ago. I have no guardian." Chen Jiyan corrected. "Second, why does my bad mood have to mean I argued with someone?"

"Doesn't seem like it either. You two always seem full of energy after your arguments." Xisha thought for a moment and added, "The kind where the more you argue, the closer you get."

"I ran into the CSA's vice president earlier. Had a brief chat."

"Oh, he was going on about that Voyage thing, wasn't he?" Xisha understood immediately. Captain Cecily doesn't like hearing about it either, and not everyone within CSA supports it.

"You know about it?"

"Anyone who knows him does. He's always shouting about it everywhere—'the greatest plan in a hundred years,' 'the fate of humanity rests on it'—I'm sick of hearing it."

"Isn't anyone stopping him? He sounds like a troublemaker disrupting public order," Chen Jiyan asked sincerely.

"If it worked, I'd be the first to report him for corrupting minors, really." Xisha turned and poured a cup of chamomile tea, handing it over. "Dingshu can't be bothered, the research institutes look down on it, and as for other places... they love to see it. After all, CSA was originally set up for money laundering. If they can swindle Crystal Source from Dingshu, even better—they're all for it."

"It's a lot like Xugu. Those in the arts need something to believe in, a goal to strive for, so they don't cause trouble everywhere. The harm is minimal, easy to manage. The Captain doesn't interfere either." Then she quickly distanced herself from CSA: "I'm not in the arts; I do serious literary work, which is different from all that philosophy."

"It's fine, I'm feeling much better. Thank you."

"You're the officiant. Wouldn't it be easy to ask the bride for an extra portion?"

"That's different. I have to maintain my dignified image. Hurry up, it'll be trouble if someone sees."

"There are three left. You can have them all."

"There's clearly one left. Why are you keeping it? You don't even like sweets!"

"As a memento."

"Really? You're not planning to give it to some other kid, are you? I heard you were getting along well with someone in Mohang." Xisha eyed him suspiciously.

"I'm not giving it to anyone else. Go on, officiant, someone's looking for you."

"And don't misuse idioms. 'Dignified' isn't used to describe children."

Surprisingly, despite so many people arriving with their own agendas, the engagement ceremony proceeded exceptionally smoothly.

The couple held champagne flutes, accepting congratulations from the guests. Miss Fuluolan's sweet face was veiled by white tulle. Si Min, unusually dressed in impeccable formal attire, looked every bit the respectable gentleman. The atmosphere was joyous, harmonious, and perfect.

The officiant delivered her speech from the stage:

Perhaps one day, humans become plants

We extend our branches, testing each other, yet keeping a tacit distance

Climbing, strangling, coexisting

Together reaching for the sunlight at the highest point

Decayed, withered, rotting stems and leaves

Lush, vigorous, winding vines

All bear witness

It sounded less like a speech and more like a declaration of war.

"What, any thoughts on this marriage?" You Jinhui noticed his distraction and instinctively felt his forehead—no fever.

Chen Jiyan shook his head. He had braced himself for epic chaos—someone objecting to the marriage, or one party calling off the engagement—but nothing happened.

So many people were here: from Dingshu, from Mandu, from Mohang. He couldn't tell if it was regret or disappointment, but the thing he'd worried about hadn't occurred. It was truly unexpected.

"Let's go. We should take our leave too."

The engagement ceremony concluded perfectly. Nothing went wrong.

Just as the guests were preparing to depart, a sudden shower fell from the clear night sky.

Perfect. The disaster he feared had been narrowly averted. Tonight would definitely not be peaceful.