"The care of our leaders, the deep affection of friends, beautiful flowers, intoxicating wine, smiling faces, and heartfelt blessings, all express a single shared sentiment for this newlywed couple!"
"We sincerely wish lovers to finally become family. We wholeheartedly wish good people peace throughout their lives. We eagerly call for the spring of love to remain forever, and we sincerely pray for a beautiful tomorrow!"
After thanking relatives and friends, kneeling to parents, and exchanging marital vows, this wedding ceremony, simple yet dignified, was nearing its end. The wedding host led the guests in offering their final blessings to the couple, pushing the atmosphere to its peak.
Normally, at this point, the host would announce that everyone could begin dining, followed by games, prize draws, and so on.
But suddenly, she changed the tone of her speech and said, "Before the banquet officially begins, there is a very special guest who has a few words he would like to say to the bride and groom."
"This distinguished guest is a close friend of the groom, and I believe everyone here knows him. He is…"
The host's voice suddenly shot up several octaves, practically tearing through the hall:
"Mr. Lu Chen!"
"Let us welcome Mr. Lu Chen!"
Wow,
Thunderous applause erupted once again. Many guests even stood up, craning their necks toward the main table.
A lot of the guests already knew that Gao He and Wang Xiaoling had invited the big star Lu Chen to their wedding, and that this superstar was also the groom's close friend.
If this weren't a wedding venue, plenty of people would have rushed to take photos with Lu Chen or ask for autographs. Now that they heard he was about to appear on stage, everyone's attention was instantly drawn over.
Including the waitstaff!
Under countless gazes, Lu Chen calmly walked up onto the performance stage in the banquet hall.
He took the microphone from the wedding host and said with a smile, "Hello everyone, I'm Lu Chen. I'm also a classmate and close friend of the bride and groom. On this joyous occasion, I'd like to offer my most sincere blessings to the newlyweds. May they enjoy a hundred years of harmony and be blessed with children soon!"
The crowd burst into laughter and applause, with some people even whistling loudly.
More people raised their phones high, snapping photos or recording videos of Lu Chen, then immediately posting them to their blogs or Moments.
Gao He, who had just returned to the main table, stood up again, clasped his fists, and bowed toward Lu Chen in thanks.
'Thanks, brother.'
Lu Chen waved back at him and continued, "In addition, I'd like to give them a special gift, a song I wrote specifically for this special day."
Lu Chen was actually going to sing for the bride and groom on the spot!
The crowd instantly grew excited, applause shaking the room as cheers rang out one after another.
Normally, just to hear a star of Lu Chen's caliber perform live would cost several hundred yuan at the very least, let alone at such close range. It was truly a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
The young women in particular were so excited their faces flushed red.
As a result, even though the waitstaff had already begun serving the hot dishes, hardly anyone paid attention to the food, despite the fact that most people were already quite hungry.
Holding the microphone, Lu Chen sat down at the piano placed on the right side of the performance stage in the banquet hall.
The piano was an ordinary joint-venture brand, and its maintenance wasn't great either. Still, as accompaniment for an impromptu performance, it was more than sufficient.
He first secured the microphone into the stand on top of the piano, then took out his phone, turned it sideways, placed it in front of the mic stand, and sent a video call request to Chen Fei'er.
Chen Fei'er answered almost immediately. The screen showed that she was at Tian Tian's place. "Eh? You're looking for me?"
Lu Chen said, "Yes. I'm at a wedding right now and about to sing a song. I wanted you to listen along too."
"Ah! I want to hear it too!"
Tian Tian's head popped into the video frame, her face full of excitement. "It sounds so lively over there!"
Lu Chen laughed. "Let's listen together."
He spoke into the microphone, "This song is called 'For You'."
As soon as the words fell, Lu Chen skillfully pressed the black and white keys, and the prelude rang out.
As the piano sounded, his expression became focused and serious, a faint smile appearing on his face.
This song was a gift for the bride and groom.
"He will be your groom,
From this day on, he will be your lifelong companion.
Everything about him will be closely tied to you,
Blessings and hardships alike, you will bear together.
She will be your bride,
Entrusted into your hands with care by others.
You must spend your entire life cherishing and protecting her even more,
Sharing sorrow and joy alike.
It must be a very special kind of fate
That lets you walk all this way and become one family.
If he loves you a little more,
You return that love a little more,
Seeking the possibility of happiness.
…"
As he sang, Lu Chen's bright gaze slowly swept across the faces of the bride and groom.
For You was undoubtedly a song perfectly suited for a wedding, its melody beautiful, its lyrics touching, carrying warm blessings and heartfelt wishes that made anyone listening feel something wonderful stir in their heart.
Even though it was an impromptu performance, Lu Chen still poured genuine emotion into the song. Though he was singing it for the bride and groom, wasn't he also singing it for himself and the one he loved?
"…
From now on, you are no longer alone,
At all times and in all places, what you think of is 'us'.
The more you give,
The more complete love becomes!
It must be a very special kind of fate,
…"
The banquet hall grew completely quiet. There was no noise or chatter; even the servers bringing out dishes slowed their steps.
On this day, in this place, being able to hear a song like this was their good fortune.
Wang Xiaoling was already in tears.
She and Gao He had fallen in love back in college, sharing a sincere and genuine relationship. That love hadn't fallen into the stereotypical breakup after graduation, most importantly, because of her persistence and effort.
She believed in love and was willing to make sacrifices for it. Today, she felt both anxious and emotional, yet also blissfully happy. Lu Chen's song easily stirred her heart, bringing tears she couldn't tell were born of bitterness or sweetness.
The crystal-clear tears smudged her makeup until a warm, steady hand tightly grasped hers.
Wang Xiaoling looked up and saw Gao He's resolute expression. Her drifting, unsettled heart suddenly landed.
Completely at ease.
The newlyweds leaned against each other, quietly listening to Lu Chen's song of blessing.
This special day and this special gift would be something they would never forget for the rest of their lives.
And on the other end of the phone, Chen Fei'er gazed at Lu Chen on the screen, utterly captivated as she listened.
How incredibly lucky she was.
(End of Chapter)
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