Jian Wei exchanged a look with Xiang Chen, her expression unreadable. Xiang Chen took out an exquisitely prepared gift box from his pocket and opened it. Inside was a necklace with a crystal pendant encrusted with diamonds.

The lighting technician turned off the lights in the hall and used a spotlight to highlight Xiang Chen and Jian Wei. They looked radiant, while I felt invisible in the darkness.

“This crystal diamond necklace was designed by the best jewelry designer in the country. There is only one in the world. I named it… Devotion. It represents my sincerest and purest love for you, just like diamonds and crystals. Give me a chance to put it on for you… please?”

I wanted to tell Xiang Chen that he was wrong. Anyone with money can buy a crystal diamond necklace for a woman, but the sincerity and purity that come from love are heartfelt and do not require any material possessions.

But how many women would believe such a pure truth? The brilliance of the diamonds had already dazzled their eyes.

I didn’t argue with Xiang Chen. I just kept shrinking the fortress in my heart, making it smaller and smaller…

Everyone present was moved by Xiang Chen’s gesture, and they applauded to encourage Jian Wei to accept his confession.

Jian Wei glanced towards a dark corner and finally nodded in silence. The applause and cheers grew louder as Xiang Chen excitedly put the necklace on Jian Wei. In that moment, a couple found love at Circle and Yan Yan’s wedding, adding to the joy!

At this moment, no one except me remembered the rainy dusk when we promised to take a series of wedding photos with the theme “Silent Joy.”

…

The wedding banquet was coming to an end amidst the excitement of the crowd. The guests who attended the wedding bid farewell to each other, and I walked alone towards the hotel entrance with unsteady steps.

The sunlight outside the hotel was beautiful, but it was too bright for me to open my eyes. I leaned against a pillar and squinted, looking at the blue sky and white clouds. In my drunken dizziness, I seemed to see the fortress in my heart flying up into the sky with the floating air, merging with the blue sky and white clouds, gradually becoming crystal clear, without a trace of loneliness and pain!

Yan Yan and Circle, both in wedding attire, supported me as I swayed.

Yan Yan apologized to me, “Zhao Yang, we really didn’t know that Xiang Chen would confess to Jian Wei at our wedding… I’m sure you’re not feeling well. I’m sorry!”

“Haha… I’m not sad, why would I be sad?… By the way, did you… did you see the fortress in my heart flying into the sky, shining inside the sunlight…” I said incoherently, then took out the transparent film from the cigarette box and covered my eyes, searching for that city in the sky.

Yan Yan and Circle exchanged glances, and Circle took the film from my hand and said, “Stop talking nonsense… I’ll call a driver to take you home.”

“No need to… bother, I can go back by myself. I’ll take a taxi.” I said, breaking free from Yan Yan and Circle’s support and walking towards the street.

As I stumbled, I saw Jian Wei supporting the intoxicated Xiang Chen as they walked from the other side. She took the car keys out of Xiang Chen’s pocket and opened the door of the black Land Rover. Circle and Yan Yan hurried over to help Jian Wei put Xiang Chen in the car.

Actually, I didn’t feel sad looking at this scene. At least I could still stand, while Xiang Chen was already unconscious. This time, he was the one lying down, and I was the one hurting in loneliness.

I stood still, watching Jian Wei start the car and drive with Xiang Chen towards the bustling city.

…

In the afternoon, I sat by the green belt next to the moat, smoking one cigarette after another. Finally, there were no more cigarettes to smoke, so I closed my eyes and lay down, feeling the autumn afternoon breeze brushing past me.

Even though I had drunk too much alcohol, the extreme pain in my heart prevented me from falling asleep. The agony was magnified several times in the peculiar clarity of drunkenness.

The scenes of her waiting heavily on the car window in the past and her silent acceptance of Xiang Chen’s confession today alternated in my mind, flashing faster and faster, as if they were tearing me apart. I held my head tightly in pain, curled up and sobbed.

The pain in my heart became unbearable, and I really wanted to end my life and follow that fortress that had already detached from my heart and transformed into the city in the sky.

With the remaining strength, I took out my phone from my pocket and found the most recent call record in the call history. I immediately dialed the number.

After a long time, the call was answered, and I heard Mi Cai’s determined voice. She said to me, “No matter what excuse you use this time, I won’t tolerate it anymore. You must move out today. I don’t want a liar living in my house.”

I smiled and calmly said to Mi Cai, “If you’re free now, come to the moat and stop me. I want to jump into the river. I really will jump!”I didn’t wait for Mi Cai’s response before I threw my phone into the moat. I didn’t lie to Mi Cai. Under the influence of alcohol and pain, I became numb and indifferent, truly wanting to pursue that crystal-clear city in the sky.

A warm breeze blew with a sense of comfort. Before I could take a step, the accumulated alcohol suddenly surged up. I looked up at the dizzying blue sky, and my body suddenly softened, falling to the ground and passing out.

……

When I woke up, it was already dark. The street lights on both sides of the moat were lit, reflecting on the river surface and swaying with the waves. The sound of car horns came from the road by the riverbank from time to time. Under the dual stimulation of vision and hearing, the blurry world suddenly became real.

My head was splitting with pain, but I was staring blankly at the twinkling stars in the sky……

A comfortable feminine fragrance drifted into my nostrils with the autumn wind of the night. I turned my head and saw that it was Mi Cai sitting next to me, her coat draped over me.

I sat up from the ground, and Mi Cai noticed that I was awake.

“You’re awake.”

“How did you get here?”

We both spoke at the same time.

Another gust of night wind blew, and the already yellowed maple leaves fell, dropping into the river not far away, drifting with the waves under the twinkling stars.

We both looked at the river surface, and after a while, Mi Cai answered my question: “I came to see if you were dead.”

“What do you mean, dead?” I asked in confusion, having already forgotten about the call I made to Mi Cai before I passed out.

“So you’re lying to me again, aren’t you?”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about!” I exclaimed.

Mi Cai patiently said to me: “You called me at noon and said you wanted to jump into the river. If you have any doubts, you can check your call history on your phone.”

“Let me check.” I said, starting to feel my pockets.

“Huh! Where’s my phone?”

Looking at the river again, I finally remembered that in a fit of impulse, I had thrown my phone into the moat. With that, my memory was unlocked, and I remembered that I did indeed call Mi Cai at noon like a madman, saying I wanted to jump into the moat……

I apologized to Mi Cai a bit guiltily: “I’m sorry, I drank too much at noon and was talking nonsense. I really wasn’t trying to deceive you.”

“Scumbag, deceitful liar!” Mi Cai cursed without mercy.

“Can you stop cursing me like that?” I paused and then said, “It’s just jumping into the river, right? I can make it up to you now, it’s not too late, is it?”

“Go ahead and jump.” Mi Cai said to me, looking at the river.

“Jump it is.” I said, walking towards the river, and jumped onto the railing by the river.