Hearing the word "funeral," Lu Yanchen's brow furrowed tightly. After a moment of silence, he seemed to use all his strength to utter the word: "Okay."
For some reason, I felt Lu Yanchen looked as if he might shatter at any moment.
He supported himself on the arms of the wheelchair. For the first time, I saw dishevelment on this usually impeccably elegant man.
Lu Yanchen spoke with his back to me, "You should get ready too."
"Okay."
I hurried forward, wanting to help him back into the wheelchair, but the man raised a hand to stop me. "No need."
Thinking it might be a matter of male pride, I decided not to insist.
"Then be careful."
"Your room has been arranged."
"Thank you."
He seemed so desolate, perhaps not wanting to be disturbed. I tactfully got up to leave.
I didn't see that after I left, the hand he had braced on the wheelchair armrest clenched tightly, and a tear fell unexpectedly.
I returned to my room. He had had the walk-in closet converted for me.
This way, outsiders wouldn't discover there was another compartment inside. His walk-in closet was several dozen square meters itself; even after placing a bed, it was still spacious.
Half the wardrobe was filled with women's clothes.
Indeed, Lu Yanchen was a man with a cold exterior but a gentle heart.
He wheeled himself into the bathroom, and the sound of running water soon followed.
At that moment, the reality of cohabitation truly sank in.
Although I had dated Lu Shiyan for a long time, we never lived together.
The only time we were intimate was over half a year ago. I thought he had truly seen the light. We drank too much that night, and in the heat of the moment, we consummated the relationship.
It was that very night I became pregnant.
Given such limited experience, I hadn't fully considered that marrying Lu Yanchen meant becoming real husband and wife, and we would need to get used to it beforehand.
Although Lu Yanchen had limited mobility, he was very independent and fully capable of taking care of himself.
When he emerged, he was completely refreshed, with no trace of his earlier dishevelment.
He had shaved and changed into a suit, his attire strictly black and white.
His sharply defined face was lifeless, his originally pale complexion appearing even colder.
His icy pupils glanced towards me, and the innate sense of pressure he exuded felt overwhelming. My ingrained habit of being somewhat afraid of him hadn't changed.
His gaze fell on the white coat I had changed into. His voice was cool and detached, "Change it to black."
I obediently nodded, "Okay."
What I wore didn't matter. After all, I was attending my own funeral; I wasn't bothered by such taboos.
We both changed into black. I wore a hat with a veil; the mesh covered most of my face, including the cinnabar dot between my eyebrows.
I was sensitive to cold, so I put on black leather gloves and stepped into high heels, elegantly getting into the car.
With my new identity, I felt much more at ease, unlike before when my schedule was packed full every day.
From the day I got engaged to Lu Shiyan, I had cast myself as his supportive partner.
Old Master Lu was very pleased, often taking me along to banquets and introducing me as his future granddaughter-in-law.
The title of 'Future Mrs. Lu' had been (crowning my head) for many years, but it also felt like a shackle (firmly locking me in).
Everything I did was for Lu Shiyan; I had almost forgotten my own life.
The irony was that on the day I was about to truly become Mrs. Lu, I met a tragic end in the snow.
Now, I had effortlessly become the real Mrs. Lu, yet I felt immensely lighter.
In this life, besides seeking revenge, I also wanted to live a life not wasted on men, to pursue my own dreams.
Lost in my wandering thoughts, the car stopped. Before even entering, I saw rows upon rows of luxury cars.
I knew the Lu and Su families had extensive connections, but I never imagined such a grand occasion would be my own funeral.
Rain was falling from the sky, mixed with snowflakes. The gloomy weather was dreadful.
But for me, it was like a bright sunny day. I took off my glove and held out my palm, letting the raindrops and snowflakes fall onto it.
Watching the white snow gradually melt in my palm, forming a small circle of moisture, I felt a slight chill.
It truly is wonderful to be alive.
Even with the cold wind whipping against my face, I still felt every day was sunny and free.
Among the mourners, all dressed uniformly in black and white, I held an umbrella, walking in high heels beside the wheelchair. The veil hid most of my face, so not many people noticed me.
I closed my umbrella, droplets still on it, and handed it to someone nearby, then entered the mourning hall.
The first thing I saw was my black-and-white photograph. It was taken when I was eighteen; in the picture, I was smiling sweetly.
Back then, I had no idea what life had in store; it was the most carefree time of my life.
The hall was decorated with white chrysanthemums and white hydrangeas.
You see, they all remember my preferences. How could they truly forget?
No one put much thought into my wedding, but they all seemed attentive after my death. What use was it now?
My gaze fell upon the mother who had often been impatient and verbally abusive towards me over the past few years. She was dressed in black, her complexion initially concealed with foundation.
But uncontrollable tears had ruined even the best brand.
The woman who once loved beauty most seemed to have aged several years overnight. Her makeup was smeared, and her black hair had actually turned mostly white in one night.
She was covering her face, weeping bitterly. She seemed to have lost the (dignified nobility) of a wealthy lady, no different from an ordinary middle-aged woman.
In the past, I was very filial, but that filial piety had completely vanished after their attitude towards me post-death.
Instead, I spotted Xu Lan in the crowd. Even dressed in a black coat, she couldn't hide her gentle nature.
Yes, she is my mother.
I bent down and said a few words to Lu Yanchen. He nodded, somewhat distracted. "Go ahead."
I was probably the most cheerful person among the mourners. I walked briskly to Xu Lan's side and linked my arm with hers. "Mom, what are you looking at?"
Xu Lan turned her head; her eyes were red, which was quite heart-wrenching.
"I just saw Mrs. Su crying so bitterly over losing her daughter. I'm a mother too; I can empathize with her pain." "Mom, you are truly kind."
While my mother—no, it should be Mrs. Su, Qin Zhenshu—was weeping in utter grief, I walked over to her and offered her a handkerchief.
"Mrs. Su, please accept my condolences."
"Thank you." She took the handkerchief and lifted her tear-filled eyes to look at me.
At that moment, she was sitting, and I was standing, slightly bent over. She could see my entire face.
When she saw my face, the handkerchief fell from her hand onto the ground.
Indeed, she hadn't seen me before.
She pulled me into a tight embrace. "Wanwan, my good daughter, you've finally come back."
I felt no emotion towards her pitiful state. I gently pushed her away.
"Mrs. Su, you've mistaken me for someone else. I am not your daughter."
Under her stunned gaze, I proactively linked arms with my mother and gave her a radiant smile. "You see, my mother is right here."