The Wedding Mystery

When an inexplicable event occurs, the reason is often simple – because the people who know the truth are all lying. An initially harmless lie is exaggerated into a sophisticated one, deceiving everyone.

In a corner of the wedding hall.
Gu Jing Yang narrowed his eyes at Cheng Yu Zhu. His impression of Cheng Yu Zhu dated back to the previous year, when Gu Jiu pressed a cigarette butt onto Cheng Yu Zhu's tie in front of everyone.

"Brother Lu was once a client of Lawyer Jiang Zhun from our law firm."

Cheng Yu Zhu spoke, gesturing with his chin towards someone behind Gu Jing Yang – he was referring to Jiang Zhun, a partner at the law firm. Cheng Yu Zhu was explaining his reason for attending today's wedding, while also clarifying one thing: he was not close to the groom. For matters unrelated to him, he indifferently severed all ties; this was Cheng Yu Zhu's characteristic style.

Gu Jing Yang turned his head, glanced in the direction Cheng Yu Zhu had indicated, and nodded slightly. As soon as Cheng Yu Zhu finished speaking, he handed Gu Jing Yang a business card: "If there are any other issues, Team Leader Gu can contact me anytime."

With that, he turned and walked straight to another corner of the banquet hall. From the moment Cheng Yu Zhu began speaking with Gu Jing Yang, Gu Jiu's gaze had remained fixed on the two men. Now, only Cheng Yu Zhu was in her sight. His steps were leisurely and unhurried, his deep eyes locked onto Gu Jiu's figure, gradually approaching her.

In an instant, Gu Jiu saw him block her path. She intended to change direction and walk around him. After all, this path wasn't her only option.

"Xiao Jiu," Cheng Yu Zhu easily took Gu Jiu's wrist, lowering his head to look at her. Cheng Yu Zhu was very tall; one hundred eighty-eight centimeters was enough to make the person opposite feel pressured. In the past, he also liked to look down at her like this, as if in the next second he would lean in to kiss her.

"Such a good tie, ruined. What a pity." Gu Jiu let him hold her wrist, not shaking him off. She tilted her head back to look at him, a bright smile on her face, seemingly unconcerned as she maintained the ambiguous posture with him. Gu Jiu's eyes shifted from Cheng Yu Zhu's perfect chin, finally resting on his tie: "Don't you agree?"

An extremely low chuckle brushed past her ear, making it impossible for her to grasp his emotions at that moment.

"Do you hate me that much?" Cheng Yu Zhu finished speaking, his index finger lightly touching Gu Jiu's chest: "Xiao Jiu, in your heart, am I a monster?"

In an instant, the spot touched by his fingertip stiffened, her fair, beautiful face turned pale, her lips losing their color.

"Cheng Yu Zhu, how could you be a monster?" Gu Jiu regained her composure, lightly curling her lips: "Monsters still have flesh and blood; you don't."

The hand that had been gripping her finally let go. Now, Gu Jiu's expression was completely gloomy, without a trace of a smile. After a brief minute of confrontation with Cheng Yu Zhu, she looked away and walked straight ahead.

***

"Team Leader Gu, the staff in the control center said that the hotel's video recording memory is not working and cannot replay surveillance footage."

The familiar voice once again entered Gu Jiu's ears, though the person had deliberately lowered their volume.

"Surveillance cameras malfunctioning?" This voice belonged to Gu Jing Yang. He fell into contemplation after speaking. The groom Lu Kai disappeared at the hotel, and the surveillance video had issues. From nine PM last night until now, no one had seen Lu Kai except the four groomsmen, but the four of them said they drove to the hotel with Lu Kai this morning. What exactly happened during that time?

After a long while, most of the guests had been questioned, except for the four groomsmen. The four men were kept until the very end.

The first groomsman to be interrogated was Chu Yue, who was also the one who had spoken up to reassure Chu Zi Wan during the search for Lu Kai. He wasn't very tall, of average build, with a decent appearance. His hair was neatly combed, and he had the most troubled expression among the groomsmen.

"This morning, probably around eight o'clock, my brothers and I left Second Brother's house. When we arrived at the hotel, I specifically checked the time, it was probably around nine-thirty." "Second Brother" in Chu Yue's words was Lu Kai. Perhaps his relationship with Lu Kai was very good, and he was quite familiar with the bride Chu Zi Wan.

"All the way, Second Brother wasn't in good spirits. He said he hadn't slept well last night," Chu Yue lowered his eyes, pausing: "We even said that marriage is a big deal, so it's normal to be nervous, but Second Brother's health has always been poor. We were also worried something might happen to him, so as soon as we arrived at the hotel, we led him to his room to rest. We saw him go in with our own eyes before we left. Who would have thought..."

His tone became heavier after he finished speaking.

"From Lu Kai's house to the hotel, besides you all, did anyone else see Lu Kai?" The young man in plain clothes continued to ask.

"Only the four of us groomsmen."

"Lu Kai's mother, relatives, and other friends, no one saw him?" The young man pressed.

Chu Yue frowned, "tsk-ed" once, as if thinking about something.

"I don't know if others saw Second Brother, but Auntie probably didn't. Second Brother's father passed away early, and Auntie is a strong woman, very decisive in her actions. The whole family was managed by her alone. Early this morning, Auntie arrived at the hotel first, then was busy greeting guests all day, so busy her feet barely touched the ground. As soon as she stepped out of the lounge, I ran to meet her and told her Second Brother was resting."

The young man's gaze lingered on Chu Yue's face for a second, then shifted elsewhere, finally looking away.

"What's your relationship with Lu Kai?" "We've been brothers for years, known each other since childhood..." Speaking of this, Chu Yue paused for a second, his eyes gloomy with no trace of light: "Who would have thought this would happen on his wedding day..."

"Zi Wan, Zi Wan,... Wake up!"

The quiet wedding hall suddenly echoed with a frantic scream. Everyone in the room simultaneously looked in one direction. In a flash, everything gradually became chaotic again. It turned out Chu Zi Wan had fainted from too much emotion, and Chu Yue's interrogation ended with such an unexpected interlude. Chu Zi Wan was then immediately taken to the hospital.

After finishing his conversation with Chu Yue, the young man in plain clothes approached Gu Jiu. He stood beside Gu Jiu but didn't even glance at her. Gu Jiu and he were in a silent standoff; neither took the initiative to speak. In the end, it was the man who couldn't stand the stalemate, finally speaking:

"Your cigarette addiction has relapsed?"

Gu Jiu chuckled, turning to look at him: "I thought you didn't care about me."

"Why are you so reserved? Anyone who didn't know would think you really like me." Gu Jiu's eyes held a faint smile, a teasing look. Seeing the young man's cheeks flush, his expression twisted and unnatural, she stopped smiling, no longer teasing him: "Yu Nan, do you have any cigarettes?"

Immediately after, the man finally turned to look at her. It was a handsome face, looking a bit younger than his actual age, with delicate features, almost feminine. But he seemed dissatisfied with this face, deliberately cutting his hair very short, wanting to prove he wasn't effeminate, carrying a strong masculine aura, vaguely revealing a youthful rebelliousness. Like a fledgling bird spreading its wings, preparing to leave the nest, still retaining a hint of childishness.

Yu Nan was the youngest member of Gu Jing Yang's team, two years younger than Gu Jiu. He was often teased by the team members, who said he liked Gu Jiu. Gu Jiu only took it as a joke, not taking it to heart at all, but she didn't know what was wrong with Yu Nan today; he seemed unnatural when facing her.

Yu Nan stared into Gu Jiu's eyes for two seconds, then finally smirked: "Team Leader Gu said you're not allowed to smoke."

"You're very obedient to him." Gu Jiu patted his shoulder, the smile in her eyes undiminished: "Later, I'll tell him that the cigarettes I smoked were secretly given to me by you."