Chapter 65 Announcing the Marriage

How could Luo Yichen not see through what she wanted to do? Instead of trying to stop her, he said, "You go on out first. I need to change my clothes as well."

Shang Qi acted as if she had been granted an amnesty, immediately pulling the door open and stepping outside.

Looking at the closed door, Luo Yichen thought to himself: *In truth, my heart has been struggling all along. That incident hurt me deeply as well. Yet, I still gathered the courage to take step after step forward. Qiqi, can't your heart open up for me once more? When will you ever stop fearing me?*

After changing his clothes, Luo Yichen reined in his wandering thoughts. The afternoon press conference was of utmost importance; he could not afford to be distracted at a time like this. Upon stepping out of the room, he found Shang Qi sitting quietly in the living room.

He spoke up, "It's almost noon. Let's go get some lunch, otherwise, you might feel faint during the press conference this afternoon."

With that, he took Shang Qi by the hand, led her downstairs, and drove to a restaurant. Just as they stepped out of the car, they heard someone calling out, "President Luo, are you here for lunch too?"

Luo Yichen looked up and saw that the speaker was none other than Ji Xudong, the head of the Ji Corporation. Ji was in his fifties, and standing right beside him was a young, alluring woman. Recently, the Ji Corporation and the Luo Corporation had been locked in fierce competition over a particular project. With the Luo Corporation currently beset with troubles from all sides, it had given the Ji Corporation an opening to exploit. At present, the two conglomerates were evenly matched, making it difficult to tell who would come out on top.

Luo Yichen smiled and replied, "What a coincidence. Does President Ji also fancy the cuisine here?"

Catching sight of Shang Qi, Ji Xudong deliberately remarked, "The young lady by your side looks rather familiar. It's as if I've seen her in the newspapers..." As he spoke, he exchanged a knowing glance with the woman beside him.

The young woman chimed in with a coy, saccharine voice, "President Ji, isn't she that woman from before who accused President Luo of sexual assault?"

Sensing that she had come with ill intentions, Luo Yichen felt a surge of deep displeasure. However, since the other party was a woman, it was inconvenient for him to say much. Shang Qi also caught the thorns hidden in their words, astounded that they would bring up that matter right to her face.

She smiled faintly and retorted, "The latest update is that we are about to hold our wedding. Have you stopped reading the news for too long, treating a month-old stale topic as fresh gossip? Given how close your relationship with this President Ji seems to be, I wonder how Madam Ji would feel about it?"

Rendered speechless with fury, the young woman stomped her foot and whined to Ji Xudong, "Brother Dong, she's bullying me!"

Although Ji Xudong had a wife and child at home, he had a distinct penchant for loose morals, and this young woman was his latest favorite. Unable to bear the sight of his "darling" looking so aggrieved, he snapped at Shang Qi, "Who doesn't know what kind of tricks you used to climb to where you are? Don't put on airs here!"

Luo Yichen's brows twitched upward as a fierce glare flashed in his eyes. Having her old scar ripped open caused Shang Qi to tremble all over with pain. Seeing the triumphant look on the young woman's face, she decided she needed to deflate her arrogance. Slipping her arm through Luo Yichen's, she looked up at him with a wronged expression and said, "Honey, it's all your fault for being so impatient and making everyone mistake me for that kind of woman!"

Luo Yichen was left feeling somewhat lightheaded by her sudden gesture. Whether genuine or feigned, this was the first time Shang Qi had ever called him honey. A sweet warmth flooded his heart, making him feel so blissful that he temporarily forgot how to speak.

Shang Qi shook his arm gently and prompted, "Why are you spacing out? Hurry up and explain things clearly!"

Only then did Luo Yichen snap back to his senses. He looked at Shang Qi with doting eyes and said, "What is there to explain? You're my one and only wife. The private matters between us husband and wife are not for outsiders to pass judgment on."

Shang Qi felt completely ill at ease under his mesmerizing gaze. *We're just putting on an act,* she thought to herself. *Luo Yichen's acting skills are truly brilliant, leaving no flaws for anyone to spot. Anyone unaware of the truth would undoubtedly take us for a happily married couple.*

Abruptly shifting his tone, Luo Yichen looked toward the woman opposite them and said, "However, those who cling to someone else's husband ought to watch their words and actions at all times. They should be careful lest they end up making the front page of the entertainment news one day!"

The young woman could no longer maintain her haughty demeanor. She instantly loosened her grip on Ji Xudong's arm. Then, wearing a huffy expression, she turned on her heel and stormed off. In truth, her departure was driven by the fear that Luo Yichen might expose her to reporters. She was well aware of Madam Ji's fearsome reputation as a tigress and had no desire to invite trouble upon herself. Glaring viciously at the pair, Ji Xudong hurried off in pursuit.

The moment they left, Shang Qi immediately withdrew her arm from Luo Yichen's. The smile vanished from her face, replaced by a desolate expression. Luo Yichen offered words of comfort, "Pay no mind to the idle gossip of strangers."

A wave of bitter sorrow washed over Shang Qi, and tears welled up in her eyes. Luo Yichen gently wiped away her tears with his fingers, saying, "Once the wedding is held, you will be my lawful wife in the truest sense. No one will ever have any reason to gossip again!"

Pain filled Shang Qi's eyes as she choked out, "A stain on a blank sheet of paper can never truly be erased."

He gripped her hand tightly, his voice unwavering. "We can add a few strokes to it and transform it into a magnificent painting."

By this time, several people had already begun casting curious glances in their direction. Taking Shang Qi by the hand, Luo Yichen led her toward the restaurant. Between the earlier commotion and the unpleasant encounter, neither of them had any appetite left. The meal was hastily rushed through, and afterwards, they headed straight for the venue. From afar, Shang Qi spotted a massive heart-shaped installation crafted from red roses standing proudly at the entrance.

The PR manager stepped forward to greet them, saying, "Congratulations to you both."

Though Shang Qi held no anticipation for this marriage, out of sheer politeness, she offered her thanks. Seeing her "going through the motions," a wave of irritation stirred within Luo Yichen. He desperately wanted to see Shang Qi genuinely happy, yearning for her to announce their marriage alongside him with a joyful heart.

Mu Lichen arranged for them to wait in the lounge until it was time to take the stage for the reception. Yao Minzhi had arrived long ago and had already been cooped up in the lounge for ages. Since neither of Shang's parents was attending, the Luo family had sent Yao Minzhi as their sole representative. In truth, her primary mission was to keep a tight leash on Shang Qi to prevent her from saying anything inappropriate.

Catching sight of Shang Qi's somber grey evening gown, Yao Minzhi frowned disapproval. She remarked, "Xian'er, it's such a joyous occasion; how could you let Shang Qi dress in something so drab?" Though phrased as a question directed at Luo Yichen, the words were a veiled reprimand toward Shang Qi.

Naturally, Shang Qi caught the underlying implication. Seizing the opportunity, she smoothly replied, "Mother, Yichen prepared this outfit for me himself, so please don't blame him."

*What a formidable girl!* Yao Minzhi thought to herself. *Those two sentences, delivered without a ripple on the surface, have completely blocked everything I intended to say next. If Chen'er takes such a wife, he's going to have a hard time of it in the future. Who knows if she'll hold a grudge against him forever because of that past incident?*

Luo Yichen chimed in, "Mom, this is merely a marriage announcement, not the formal wedding ceremony itself. Qiqi's outfit might be a little understated, but it's by no means disrespectful."

Seeing that Luo Yichen was also speaking up for her, Yao Minzhi dropped the subject. Finding a pretext, she pulled her son outside the room. Knowing precisely what his mother wanted to say, Luo Yichen spoke first, "Mom, I was indeed the one who prepared the clothes. Please don't make a fuss over it."

"The clothes aren't what's important. What worries me most is your attitude. Even though you were in the wrong regarding what happened with Shang Qi before, you're legally married now. You are her husband—how can you let yourself be kept on a short leash by her at every turn?"

While her words were grounded in truth, Luo Yichen found it difficult to maintain his composure. "Where is there any such thing?" he protested. "I simply didn't want minor trifles to disrupt the bigger picture at such a critical juncture. Mom, if anything goes wrong during the press conference later, you'll have to help me smooth things over!"

Seeing her son's stubborn refusal to admit the truth, Yao Minzhi sighed and advised, "Mother isn't trying to make things difficult for Shang Qi; I'm merely worried that your life won't be easy. Rest assured, I won't let you lose face at the conference."

Luo Yichen looked at his mother with gratitude, swallowing back the words that had hovered on the tip of his tongue. Meanwhile, Shang Qi watched the mother and son whispering outside the door for quite some time. Figuring they were likely talking about her, she couldn't be bothered to pry. Before long, the press conference officially commenced.

Mu Lichen took the stage first and addressed the crowd, "Distinguished members of the press, thank you all so much for taking time out of your busy schedules to attend Mr. Luo Yichen's marriage announcement press conference."

Even though everyone present was mentally prepared, the moment those words were spoken, an immediate wave of uproar swept through the audience of reporters. Mu Lichen continued, "We now invite Mr. Luo Yichen and Ms. Shang Qi to take the stage."

Backstage, Luo Yichen reached out to take Shang Qi's hand, only for her to pull away briskly. His expression shifted instantly, a cold glint flashing in his eyes. In a commanding tone, he warned, "Today's reception is of the utmost importance. Do not forget your role."

Without waiting for a response, Luo Yichen firmly grasped Shang Qi's hand. Even as she tried to struggle away, his grip remained unyielding. The warning look he cast her way made her shudder involuntarily. Thus, hand in hand, Luo Yichen led her out onto the stage.

By this time, his face had transformed into one of charming smiles, radiating jubilation in every gesture. His graceful, gentlemanly stride was enough to captivate countless women. Shang Qi, however, was unable to match his radiant demeanor. Her face remained utterly placid, as if the man beside her were a total stranger.

With a warm smile, Luo Yichen announced, "My fellow members of the press, after careful consideration, Ms. Shang Qi and I obtained our marriage certificate yesterday. Our wedding will be held tomorrow. We warmly invite everyone here to attend!"

The reporters erupted like a disturbed hornets' nest, immediately breaking into a clamor of discussions. Facing the sea of journalists and countless camera lenses, Shang Qi couldn't help recalling the scene outside her room that fateful night. A wave of tension and dread washed over her, and her palms broke out in a cold sweat.

Noticing her distress, Luo Yichen gently massaged the back of her hand in an attempt to soothe her nerves. Having experienced his stealthy kiss earlier, Shang Qi was hypersensitive to his touch. Taking advantage of a momentary slackening of his grip, she quickly snatched her hand away.

Though deep displeasure flared in Luo Yichen's heart, his charming smile remained plastered across his face without a trace of irritation. Bending down, he murmured softly in her ear to reassure her, "Don't be nervous! This time, I will absolutely not leave you standing alone before the media."

A faint sense of calm settled over Shang Qi's heart. She found her own reaction rather baffling: *Why on earth did a single word from Luo Yichen make me feel so much less afraid?*

At that moment, a reporter stood up and asked, "Ms. Shang Qi, didn't you previously take President Luo to court? How is it that you're suddenly announcing your marriage?"

Luo Yichen seized the microphone and answered swiftly, "That was merely a misunderstanding. Everyone can just chalk it up to a minor quarrel between husband and wife that got a little out of hand!"

Another reporter chimed in, "Ms. Shang Qi, rumors online claim that you used underhanded tactics to climb to the top. Are you harboring other motives by marrying into wealth this time?"