226: Chapter 226 The Person I'm Most Grateful For

Time flew by, and two months had already passed.

Zhongzhou City had shed the slight chill of early spring and entered the pleasant, sunny days of late spring.

The sunlight was warm but not scorching, and the breeze, carrying the scent of flowers, brushed through every corner of the city, bringing vitality and tenderness everywhere.

The Boyue Supreme Hotel, located in a prime downtown location.

Today, it was completely booked. Large red silk ribbons hung high, crystal chandeliers shimmered with radiant light, and clusters of fresh flowers formed a sea. The air was filled with the fragrance of champagne, roses, and sweet cake.

This was the venue for Zhu Li and Zhang Haonan's wedding.

Since early morning, luxury cars had gathered in front of the hotel, and guests arrived in an endless stream.

Gentlemen and ladies in high-fashion formal wear chatted and laughed. A red carpet stretched from the main entrance all the way into the banquet hall, every detail handled with exquisite romance.

Zhang Haonan came from a wealthy family, yet he didn't flaunt his riches with extravagance.

The entire wedding was themed with gentle champagne and pure white tones, complemented by large patches of white roses, lilies of the valley, and daisies—clean, pure, and warm, much like the life he wanted to give Zhu Li.

On a massive LED screen, the couple's wedding photos played on a loop.

In the photos, Zhu Li wore a trailing wedding dress, her eyes gentle and her smile like a blooming flower. There was no longer any trace of her past fear, low self-esteem, or exhaustion; only the brightness and stability nurtured by love remained.

Zhang Haonan was in a sharp white suit, standing tall. His gaze toward Zhu Li was doting and firm as he held her hand tightly, as if he were holding the most precious treasure in the world.

No one could tell that this girl with the clean smile had struggled in the darkness for three whole years.

No one could have imagined that she had once been pushed to the brink, nearly destroying her own life with her own hands.

And at this moment, in the most prominent VIP seat in the front row of the banquet hall, sat a man with a tall build and a steady temperament.

This person was Cao Kun.

He wore a simple, dark-colored casual suit without much adornment, yet he still stood out.

He sat quietly in his seat, his fingertips lightly gripping a glass of lemon water. His gaze was fixed on the center of the stage, a gentle and sincere smile always lingering on his lips.

As the most special and important specially invited guest of this wedding, he didn't deliberately draw attention, yet many guests still quietly took notice of him.

Everyone knew that the person today's bride and groom were most grateful to was this mysterious yet reliable guest.

Two months was enough time for everything to settle.

The case of Liu Ziqiang killing his son had long since been settled in Zhongzhou City.

Based on the evidence at the scene and the complete video in Liu Zihao's phone...

...as well as Liu Ziqiang's own broken confession, he was ultimately sentenced to life imprisonment for intentional homicide, with no possibility of sentence reduction or parole.

On the day of the court's sentencing, Cao Kun didn't go, and neither did Zhu Li.

To them, that scumbag was already a thing of the past—trash thrown into hell, never to be reincarnated.

Liu Ziqiang would spend the rest of his life in a dark prison, facing iron bars every day, enduring the eternal guilt and torment of killing his own son. It was a fate worse than death.

This was exactly the ending Cao Kun wanted, and it was Zhu Li's true liberation.

And Zhu Li and Zhang Haonan, after that storm, finally came together completely.

Zhang Haonan used countless days and nights of companionship to slowly smooth over the scars in Zhu Li's heart.

He never mentioned her past, nor did he show the slightest hint of disdain.

He would only hold her gently when she woke up startled in the middle of the night.

When she occasionally felt inferior, he would seriously tell her, "You are the person I want to cherish most."

When she wanted to retreat, he would firmly hold her hand and say word for word: "The past wasn't your fault. I'll walk with you through the future."

His sincerity, determination, and unreserved love finally melted the last layer of ice in Zhu Li's heart.

She was no longer afraid, no longer felt inferior, and no longer felt she didn't deserve happiness.

She finally dared to lift her head and embrace the sunshine that belonged to her.

The system mission had been successfully completed the moment Liu Ziqiang was arrested and Zhu Li was completely safe. A notification sound had clearly rung in Cao Kun's ear.

[Ding! Main quest completed: Save the victim Zhu Li, punish the villain Liu Ziqiang, and protect the subject's safe life.]

[Quest Reward: 800,000 Yuan, already transferred to the host's account.]

The moment the 800,000 arrived, Cao Kun didn't feel much of a stir.

To him, money was never the goal. Watching a person swallowed by darkness come back to life, and seeing a pair of lovers finally get married after enduring hardships—that was what made it most worthwhile.

Zhu Li and Zhang Haonan always felt Cao Kun was mysterious.

They didn't know exactly what his identity was.

They didn't know what methods he used to make all the evidence point perfectly to Liu Ziqiang and his son killing each other.

How he made it so the police never suspected any of them from beginning to end, and how he made all traces disappear completely.

But they didn't pry.

Some secrets don't need to be questioned, and some debts of gratitude don't need to be spoken aloud.

They only knew that it was Cao Kun who pulled Zhu Li back from hell, it was Cao Kun who saved Zhang Haonan's life, and it was Cao Kun who gave them the chance to start over.

This kindness was already engraved in their hearts and would never be forgotten for a lifetime.

...

At 10:18 AM, the auspicious time had arrived.

The Wedding March played melodiously, and the lights instantly focused on the entrance of the banquet hall.

The entire venue fell silent instantly, everyone's eyes turning toward those slowly opening doors.

Zhu Li's father held her hand as they walked slowly down the red carpet.

She wore a custom-made French trailing wedding dress, the lace and light gauze outlining her slender figure.

On her head was a simple yet exquisite pearl crown, her long veil fluttering gently in the breeze. In her hands, she held a bouquet of pure white lilies of the valley, looking as clean as a spotless angel.

There was no trace of nervousness on her face, only a gentle, happy, and stable smile. Her eyes sparkled with fine light as she walked step by step toward the person waiting at the end of the stage.

Zhang Haonan stood under the floral arch, his figure tall and straight. His gaze didn't flicker for a second from Zhu Li; from the moment she appeared, his eyes could no longer hold anyone else.

The rims of his eyes were slightly red, but the corners of his mouth couldn't stop turning up—nervous yet expectant, devout yet cherishing.

The red carpet wasn't long, but it felt like walking through a lifetime.

When Zhu Li's father solemnly placed her hand in Zhang Haonan's palm, the old man's eyes were red, and his voice choked up slightly.

"Haonan, Zhu Li hasn't had it easy in this life. From now on, you must treat her well, protect her for a lifetime, dote on her, and not let her suffer even a bit of grievance."

Zhang Haonan gripped Zhu Li's hand tightly and nodded vigorously. His voice was firm and clear, carrying throughout the banquet hall:

"Dad, don't worry! I, Zhang Haonan, swear to the heavens that in this life, I will only love Zhu Li. I will cherish her, protect her, trust her, and guard her. Whether in poverty or wealth, health or sickness, I will never let go of her hand! I will use my life to give her happiness!"

As his words fell, the entire hall erupted in warm and sincere applause.

Cao Kun sat below the stage, clapping lightly with a warm smile.

He had seen Zhu Li break down in tears, seen her in a state of desperate numbness, and seen her covered in thorns yet incredibly fragile. Today, he finally saw her clad in white, eyes full of happiness, walking toward her own destination.

This feeling was more solid than receiving any reward.

The ring exchange segment was romantic and moving.

Zhang Haonan picked up the diamond ring and gently slid it onto Zhu Li's ring finger. His fingertips trembled slightly as he lowered his head to press a gentle kiss on the back of her hand.

Zhu Li also put the wedding ring on him, looking up at him as tears slid down gently—but they were tears of happiness.

"I do."

"I do."

Two simple words, heavy as a thousand pounds.

The master of ceremonies smiled and asked, "Bride, who is the person you want to thank most at this moment?"

...