In reality, he had never wanted to marry Mei Runan—he had never wanted to marry anyone at all.

  Since Mei Runan's affection wasn't for him, he should have felt an immense sense of relief, even happiness.

  But for some reason, he suddenly felt uncomfortable, disappointed, and even a little sour.

  After a long time, he finally let out a sigh, shook his head, and said, "I really don't understand how you could fancy him."

  Mei Runan's eyes sparkled as she ughed and said, "I think he's great—everything about him is great."

  Guo Dalu said, "Even the fact that he doesn't bathe?"

  Mei Runan replied, "A man with personality is often unkempt before he gets married, but once he has a wife to take care of him, he'll change."

  Her eyes glowed dreamily as she giggled and said, "Honestly, I've liked this kind of carefree man since I was a child. Only men like that have true masculinity. Those who dress up all prim and polished every day make me want to vomit."

  Looking into her eyes, Guo Dalu suddenly found them completely unattractive—almost as if they were blind eyes.

  Mei Runan continued, "I know he's always avoiding me, as if he dislikes me, but truly strong-willed men are all like that. The type that turns into a drooling fool the moment they see a woman—I despise them even more."

  Guo Dalu's face seemed to flush. He coughed dryly a few times and said, "So, you really do like him?"

  Mei Runan replied, "You couldn't tell at all?"

  Guo Dalu sighed and forced a bitter smile. "I just felt like you were especially close to me."

  Mei Runan flirtatiously smiled. "That was just to make him jealous on purpose."

  Guo Dalu asked, "If you like him, why would you deliberately make him angry?"

  Mei Runan said, "It's because I like him that I want to tease him—don't you get it?"

  Guo Dalu smiled bitterly. "So, in that case, it's actually better for a man not to be liked by a woman. If no woman ever takes an interest in him, he might live a much happier life."

  Mei Runan blinked and asked, "Are you happy now?"

  Guo Dalu said, "Of course, I'm eted—over the moon."

  But when Guo Dalu walked in, even a blind man could see that he was anything but happy.

  If he had looked like a condemned prisoner being led to execution when he left, then now he resembled a dead man—perhaps only slightly more alive, just by a single breath.

  A deep, bitter, and sour resentment filled his chest.

  The scene inside the room was almost exactly the same as when he had left. Wang Dong was still drinking, Lin Taiping was still staring bnkly, and Yan Qi was still deliberately pretending not to see him.

  Guo Dalu snatched the wine cup from Wang Dong's hand and shouted, "What's wrong with you today? Have you turned into a wine barrel?"

  Wang Dong smiled and said, "A good friend's wedding calls for a few extra drinks—surely you wouldn't begrudge me that?"

  Guo Dalu had intended to smile too, but he couldn't. Instead, he gnced sideways at Yan Qi and said, "There is indeed a groom here, but it's not me."

  Wang Dong didn't seem surprised. He simply asked, "If not you, then who?"

  Guo Dalu didn't answer.

  He had already turned around, his eyes wide as he stared at Yan Qi.

  Yan Qi couldn't help but ask, "What are you looking at?"

  Guo Dalu replied, "Looking at you."

  Yan Qi sneered. "What's there to look at? You must have mistaken me for someone else."

  Guo Dalu sighed and said, "I'm just trying to figure out what exactly about you is so worth looking at that someone would fancy you."

  Yan Qi frowned and asked, "Who fancies me?"

  Guo Dalu said, "The bride."

  Yan Qi was startled. "What does the bride have to do with me?"

  Guo Dalu finally managed a smile. "If the bride isn't connected to the groom, then who is she connected to?"

  Yan Qi's eyes widened. "Who's the groom?"

  Guo Dalu said, "You."

  Yan Qi was stunned.

  At first, he looked completely shocked. Then, suddenly, his expression changed to delight. Finally, he couldn't help but burst into ughter, as if an incongruous treasure had just fallen into his p.

  Guo Dalu blinked and said, "So, you like her too?"

  Yan Qi didn't speak—he just kept ughing.

  Guo Dalu said, "If you don't like her, then why are you ughing so happily?"

  Yan Qi didn't answer and instead asked, "Where is she?"

  Guo Dalu said coolly, "Waiting in the courtyard for her groom. You'd better not keep her waiting too long."

  Yan Qi didn't make her wait. Before Guo Dalu even finished speaking, he had already rushed out.

  Watching him go, Guo Dalu slowly shook his head and said, "Looks like the groom is even more impatient than the bride!"

  Wang Dong suddenly chuckled and asked, "Are you feeling a little upset?"

  Guo Dalu shot him a cold gre and said, "I just find it a bit strange."

  Wang Dong asked, "What's so strange about it?"

  Guo Dalu said, "I just wonder why every woman seems to have something wrong with her eyes."

  Wang Dong said, "You think this girl wouldn't fancy Yan Qi? You think he's ugly?"

  Guo Dalu thought for a moment and said, "Actually, he's not that ugly. At the very least, his eyes aren't bad."