The Stand-in Side Character Only Wants to Make Money – CH100

 Chapter 100: The Wedding (Part 1)

As spring turned to summer, the weather was just right. Chen Bai took some time to meet with Huo Qing, her mother Zhang Ling.

Huo Chuan had been abroad on business lately and wasn’t home, so they arranged to meet somewhere near the estate instead of at their house.

Due to health and personal preferences, Aunt Zhang had never liked going to crowded places or areas with many tall buildings, so they simply arranged to meet at a nearby park.

The car pulled up at the roadside, and Zhang Ling was helped out by Huo Qing and her caretaker. As soon as she stepped out, she immediately spotted the person walking over, holding a bouquet.

He was wearing a hat, the brim pulled low, with no mask, and a noticeable smile on his face. It had been a while since they last met, but his smile was the same as always—rosy lips, crescent-shaped eyes, and he looked much healthier than before.

Quickly walking over, Chen Bai waved and greeted them with a smile. His smile was contagious, and Zhang Ling couldn’t help but smile back, lifting her hand from the blanket on her lap.

Squatting down, Chen Bai handed her the bouquet. This time it was a large bunch of sunflowers, vibrant and eye-catching under the sunlight. Along with it, he handed over an invitation.

The invitation was elegant and tasteful, with visible handwriting, clearly written by hand. Huo Qing leaned in to take a look, her eyes widening slightly.

Chen Bai smiled and said, “If you’re free that day.”

Though the sudden confession from their former benefactor had been awkward to handle, he figured the man hadn’t told them. If possible, he still wanted to invite his friends.

Holding the sunflowers, Zhang Ling lowered her head and slowly ran her fingers over the cover of the invitation. It had intricate patterns, with every little detail beautifully designed.

Noticing her actions, Chen Bai’s eyes curved into a smile as he said, “This was all arranged by Old Xu and my parents.”

It was too complicated for him to manage, so they had enlisted the help of a design company, while he was responsible for writing the words inside the invitations.

Zhang Ling asked, “Can I open it now?”

Chen Bai nodded, so she carefully opened it, making sure not to damage the small decorations on it. Inside, it listed the names of the couple and a short note inviting them to the wedding, along with the time and place.

Huo Qing, standing behind her, glanced at the time and exclaimed, “Early next month?”

The news of the proposal had been so widespread that nearly everyone had heard about it. It had been trending on various platforms for a while and had only recently died down. Now, wedding news was already on the way.

Chen Bai confirmed, “Yes, early next month.”

After returning home from the awards ceremony, they had coordinated their schedules as a family, and after much discussion, they found that early next month was the only suitable time. Otherwise, they’d have to wait until next year.

Someone had waited for him long enough, and this time, he didn’t want to make them wait any longer.

After looking at the invitation for a few more moments, Zhang Ling said she would definitely attend.

Chen Bai smiled. After finishing the main conversation, he quickly put on his mask again before anyone else could notice.

Since it was a weekday and still morning, there weren’t many people in the park. They took a walk around, admiring the summer flowers that were already in bloom.

As they walked, Chen Bai showed his two friends some photos and videos of Chen Yi Wan on his phone.

Because Chen Yi Wan had never approved of his photography skills, ever since seeing pictures of himself on Chen Bai’s phone, the young master would run off the moment the camera was pointed his way. As a result, most of the photos and videos Chen Bai had were those others had kindly sent him.

There was the little dog running across the grass, darting around the house with its big shark toy, full of endless energy.

He said, “Yi Wan will be there on the wedding day, so you can play with him then.”

Zhang Ling smiled at the sight of the dog and said, “That sounds great.”

As noon approached and the temperature rose, it was no longer suitable to stay outdoors for too long, so Chen Bai helped Aunt Zhang, whose health wasn’t great, back into the car.

Just like many times before, when Aunt Zhang had stood at the door to see him off, this time Chen Bai stood outside the car and watched as she left. Huo Qing also waved at him from inside the car.

The car drove off, following the same road back, stirring up fallen leaves that swirled through the air before settling again.

As the car disappeared from view, Chen Bai’s phone rang. He looked down and answered the call: “Auntie… is it already lunchtime?”

After hearing what the other person said, he smiled and turned to head back, saying, “Alright, I’ll be home soon.”

Inside the car.

When Zhang Ling could no longer see his figure by the roadside, she finally turned her gaze back and looked at the flowers still in her arms. She said, “He seems much more energetic now.”

Huo Qing nodded, “Definitely.”

There’s a saying that the more famous a person becomes, the busier and more tired they get, and they should become more stable as they age. But this man was different. Fans often said that he was becoming more and more energetic, sometimes moving so fast that the media could only capture a blur of him in photos. He could run around so quickly that even a dog couldn’t keep up with him, seemingly growing younger by the day.

The reason for all of this, it seemed, was the care from his soon-to-be husband, who had taken such good care of him.

Looking down at the open invitation, Zhang Ling gently ran her fingers over the black ink, saying, “I thought one day we’d become family.”

But that bustling New Year’s celebration only happened once.

“Ma’am, you went the wrong way from the start,” Huo Qing patted her shoulder, saying, “My brother was never going to make it.”

She added lightly, “Instead of putting your hopes on him, why not work hard to be a godmother instead?”

You could give small gifts during holidays, occasionally meet up to hang out, and not worry about any sudden relationship breakdowns. It was a much better option than pinning your hopes on someone else.

It was just a passing comment, but there was a visible tremor in Zhang Ling’s eyes as she sat in her wheelchair.

The thought process shifted instantly.

Huo Qing continued to think aloud, “Let’s not mention to my brother that we received the invitation.”

Although she was fully supportive of both the neighbor and Chen Bai, her brother was still her brother. She didn’t think his heart could take another hit.

Since he was still abroad and wouldn’t be back for another two months, it was better not to say anything.

—

The weather was perfect on the day of the wedding.

Since most of the guests were based in City A, the wedding venue was chosen near the outskirts of the city.

On the day of the wedding, they were to set out from the estate’s house to the venue. The estate had been decorated for quite some time, filled with a festive atmosphere from top to bottom, inside and out—even the family dog had to wear a red bow tie.

As it turned out, one of the grooms, out of curiosity and excitement from never having been married before, stayed up playing a board game until 3 AM and couldn’t wake up in the morning.

Mrs. Jiang and Mr. Xu, along with Xu’s younger brother and the dog Yi Wan, left early to check the venue, while the task of waking up the groom fell on his soon-to-be husband.

From the moment he was pulled out of bed, through washing up and changing clothes, Chen Bai was still half-asleep, even reaching out instinctively for his dog, only to find nothing there. That finally roused him a little.

Sinking into the pillow behind him, when he fully opened his eyes, he didn’t see the dog but instead saw a familiar face right in front of him.

While buttoning the last button, Xu Sinian glanced up, his eyes meeting Chen Bai’s still-unfocused gray eyes, and he softly said, “Sit up for a moment, let me help you with your tie.”

Chen Bai’s brain hadn’t fully woken up yet, but he obediently sat up, his hands bracing against the bed, and tilted his head back, his messy hair falling loosely behind him.

The bright red tie was threaded through the collar of his crisp white shirt, and Xu Sinian tied a neat knot at the center.

Once Chen Bai was up, there was no going back to sleep. After the tie came the jacket, which Xu Sinian kindly helped him into.

Professional tasks were best left to professionals, so the final touches on his messy hair were handled by sister Qing, their stylist, who had come over specifically for the job.

The small team had everything prepared before departure. The manager leaned against the doorframe, watching the stylist work while glancing at the still half-awake Chen Bai, knowing he had stayed up too late the night before.

The sleep-deprived groom sat with half-closed eyes, still managing to compliment her, “Sister Qing, you look beautiful today.”

Normally, the manager was a no-nonsense work machine, only wearing light makeup for formal occasions as a sign of respect. But today, she was dressed in a long gown with curls in her hair, red lipstick, and gold hoop earrings, looking like a completely different person.

His rare compliment made her laugh, and she continued supervising the hair styling.

Once his messy hair was tamed, the red tie gave him a lively look. The manager took a photo, satisfied, and put her phone away.

They had breakfast together, and then they set off.

Maybe it was because he was sitting next to someone with good luck, but for the first time, Chen Bai, who always hit red lights and traffic jams, made it through an entire route without any delays. This surprised him as much as the fact that he was getting married that day.

The manager and the others were in the car behind, leaving just him and his soon-to-be husband. He felt a bit of nervousness, but not too much. Feeling like it was a lucky day, he pulled out his phone and asked, “Wanna play a game?”

And so, on the way to their wedding, the couple played a round of board games.

It was a fun game, and to everyone’s surprise, the usually unlucky Chen Bai didn’t come in last. Proud of his achievement, he declared it the best game ever, admiring the screenshot of his non-last-place finish. When the car slowed to a stop, he finally looked up and realized they had arrived.

His reliable teammate in the game had now transformed back into his soon-to-be husband, who leaned down and extended a hand to him. “Ready to get out?”

Chen Bai took the offered hand.

With one hand holding his, he got out of the car smoothly this time.

Once outside, he looked up and his eyes widened.

Chen Bai “…”

A breeze blew in from the woods, and before him was a sea of flowers, stretching as far as the eye could see.

These weren’t the trimmed flowers you’d find in bouquets; they were flowers rooted in the ground, with branches and leaves swaying in the wind, creating a vast, colorful expanse. A white staircase stretched upward, hidden among the flowers.

Xu Sinian held his hand and led him up the white steps.

From the very first bouquet given, for every flower sent, a patch of flowers had been planted here. Bouquet by bouquet, year after year, they accumulated until this very moment, transforming the place into what it was now.

Walking up the white steps with the wind blowing around them, the warmth of Xu Sinian’s hand radiated through his, and in the fluttering petals, Chen Bai saw the crowd gathered on the lawn behind the sea of flowers.

Most of the faces were familiar, and as they walked up, everyone turned to look at them. Applause mingled with the sound of the wind. Beyond the steps was a flat surface, with a red velvet carpet extending across the ground.

Walking along the carpet, amidst the noise, Chen Bai could make out the faces of those on either side of him.

The landlord, playing with his big dog, waved at him while holding the leash tightly. The director of his first film clapped, and a group of friends gathered, snapping photos with their phones.

Chen Bai suspected that they weren’t taking flattering pictures and were probably capturing weird angles.

As the sounds of the cameras clicked, the wedding march began to play.

It was the same tune he had played while working at someone else’s wedding years ago, but this time, it was for his own.

The professional host, a friend who had won the role of emcee, stood at the end of the red carpet. Not far from them, Mrs. Jiang and Mr. Xu were already there, waiting quietly, their faces lit up with smiles.

Chen Bai quickened his steps, a bright smile spreading across his face, and the atmosphere around him seemed to grow brighter.

All eyes were on them. On the other side of the red carpet, Xu Lang, entrusted with an important task, led a big white fluffy dog. The dog carried a flower basket with a velvet box in its mouth. Xu Lang patted the dog’s head and said, “Don’t mess up, or you’ll have to change your name to Chen Three Hundred and One Million. How bad would that sound?”

Although “Yi Wan” wasn’t exactly a great name either.

The dog, smelling familiar scents and seeing familiar faces, almost bolted forward, and Xu Lang barely managed to hold it back. Only when the emcee said the words “Chen Yi Wan” did he finally let go.

With a whoosh, Chen Yi Wan sprinted forward, his fluffy paws bouncing across the carpet, ears flapping like jelly in the air.

No matter the time or place, no matter who or what is around, the dog will always, without hesitation, run to that one person first.

Standing still, Chen Bai turned his head to see the white “cannonball” charging toward him.

From its early days as a small, sickly puppy with a limp, barely able to breathe as it sniffed him, to a little white fluffball running clumsily toward him, to now—a big, fluffy white “cannonball” holding a flower basket in its mouth. He turned, bent down, and braced himself to receive the impact.

He managed to take the hit, but not fully;He was knocked back, only to be caught by the man beside him.

The wedding rings were delivered, mission was accomplished. Chen Yi Wan, the dog, received a well-deserved head rub, turning into a fluffy seal in the process, its ears disappearing in delight. Afterward, it was lured away by the grandparents with a toy and trotted off to play.

“…”

Amid the applause and piano music, Zhang Ling sat in the front row, watching as the two on stage exchanged rings and kissed. When Chen Bai couldn’t help but laugh while catching his breath after the kiss, he reached out to pull Xu Sinian closer, laughing until he was satisfied.

The man beside him, tall and steady, looked reliable as he held Chen Bai’s squirming body. His eyes softened with laughter, filled with affection for the person beside him.

They were a perfect match, their love straightforward and passionate. The other guests laughed along with them, furiously recording everything on their phones.

After the ceremony, it was time for toasts. The newlyweds stood together the whole time, one holding a glass of juice disguised as wine, chatting for ages with friends. Chen Bai, leaning back on Xu Sinian, laughed with crescent-shaped eyes, thoroughly enjoying himself.

Following the seating order, they came over to Zhang Ling’s table. The tall man in the red tie seemed even more imposing up close. Chen Bai sat down next to her, smiling as he introduced her as a good friend, someone very dear to him.

Xu Sinian bent down, trying to make eye contact at her level, and greeted her politely. Since she didn’t drink alcohol, they clinked glasses with water. “Congratulations,” she said.

Chen Bai then introduced Huo Qing, who was sitting beside her. “This is a longtime friend of mine, Huo Qing.”

Huo Qing, with the characters for “rain,” “bird,” “day,” and “green” in his name, nodded in greeting, having recognized the name from live streams.

This wasn’t the time for long conversations, and Huo Qing simply followed up with a loud and enthusiastic, “Congratulations!”

Those simple words, delivered with so much energy, made everyone around them smile and compliment her for her liveliness.

It seemed like her exuberance set a trend, as each congratulation afterward grew louder and louder until, at the next table, the noise finally returned to a normal volume.

The next person they approached was a man in a wheelchair, who looked unwell but was still drinking alcohol. After a sip, Chen Bai quickly swapped his glass for one filled with juice, turning the toast into a juice-for-juice affair.

Zhang Ling recognized the man—Yang Shu, the only son of the Yang family. Although they hadn’t kept in touch, she had heard through friends that, since returning from abroad, he had settled down and taken over the family business. He seemed gentle and soft-spoken but was known to be quite shrewd. Using his health as an excuse, he avoided all events that didn’t benefit the company and definitely wouldn’t attend a regular wedding.

Yet here he was, drinking juice instead of alcohol.

He watched as Xu Sinian and Chen Bai, now husband and husband, walked away together, and he took another sip of her own juice.

This wedding wasn’t traditional. There were no complicated procedures—just a simple celebration. After lunch, the newlyweds and guests mingled and played games.

Chen Bai, true to his word, brought Chen Yi Wan to play with the guests. The dog was incredibly sociable, rubbing against everyone it met, even pushing its head into Yang Shu’s lap and earning itself another toy.

By the afternoon, Chen Yi Wan, along with the landlord’s grandson, a group of celebrities, directors, and executives, had a blast playing together. The dog even selected one lucky guest to nap on, enjoying a very comfortable rest.

As evening approached, everyone moved indoors. A group of friends gathered around to play a live-action version of the board game with Chen Bai, who claimed his luck had been incredible that day. Others gathered out of curiosity to watch.

Chen Bai started out wearing a jacket, but halfway through the game, he had taken it off, rolled up his sleeves, and sat upright, fully focused. As the game neared its end, he accepted a plate of fruit and snacks handed to him by Mrs. Jiang and Mr. Xu, as if he were in the finals of some world championship.

The morning’s emcee transformed into a sports commentator, using a water bottle as a microphone to provide play-by-play commentary.

Despite his serious posture, Chen Bai’s friends showed no mercy, perhaps because it was his wedding day. They relentlessly stomped on his game pieces, sending them back to the start.

Each time his piece was crushed, the crowd erupted in laughter. Clearly, among all the friends he had invited, not one was on his side, leaving him to fight alone.

Alone, he proudly secured last place.

Watching as the other three players finished the game, while two of his pieces hadn’t even left the starting line, Chen Bai dramatically closed his eyes, leaned back, and collapsed onto his only true teammate in the game, releasing a final sigh as tears of mock defeat welled up in his eyes.

…It didn’t feel like a wedding—it felt like a group of well-dressed older teenagers having a sleepover at a friend’s house.

Zhang Ling sat at the back of the crowd, watching the group laugh and joke around. She couldn’t help but smile too.

Huo Qing stood nearby, snapping photos while commenting matter-of-factly, “Er Bai could totally play a high school student again right now. He’d probably be even more convincing than before.”

Zhang Ling looked over at Chen Bai, sitting at the center of the crowd, and felt completely at ease.

When you live surrounded by love, even time can’t change the way you are.

Because when you have someone who always has your back, someone who will support you unconditionally, you can live freely, reclaiming the innocence and impulsiveness you lost while growing up too quickly.

He was no longer alone; he now had a home of his own.