Chapter 243: Finally Got the Red Books!

Monday.

Tang Ye successfully retrieved the household registration book from Qin Lan, then borrowed Sun Hai's car and headed to the Municipal Public Security Bureau.

After picking up Du Xi, they headed to the Civil Affairs Bureau.

"Du Xi, there is no turning back once the arrow is fired. Once the seal is stamped on the marriage certificate, it will be too late if you regret it," Tang Ye said, half-jokingly.

"How could I regret it!" Du Xi responded, full of determination.

"Alright, let's go take our wedding photos! The white shirt you're wearing is washed so clean."

"Let me help you fix your hair."

The camera flash froze the couple's happy expressions in time.

Then came filling out the forms and going through the various procedures.

Finally, they received the red books.

A happy glow sparkled in Du Xi's eyes as she said, "Tang Ye, we are really married!"

"From now on, you are my wife."

"Yes, it's official now. From this moment on, we have to walk through life together."

Du Xi's eyes and brows were filled with smiles, her excitement overflowing.

Tang Ye looked at the tears shimmering in the corners of her bright, beautiful eyes, knowing well it was because she was too excited.

Thinking back from last year at the Pinghu Town Government to now, nearly half a year had passed.

During this time, too many things had happened.

Tang Ye had poured most of his energy into his work, encountering exclusion, framing, and suppression along the way.

Yet, relying on his tenacious perseverance, he had ultimately endured through it all.

And his relationship with Du Xi had likewise weathered many trials.

In those most helpless moments, Du Xi had always firmly trusted him.

Tang Ye's status had transformed from a seconded Deputy Town Mayor into the capable Chief Secretary for the Executive Vice Mayor.

At the same time, his father had been promoted to Vice President of a Grade A Tertiary Hospital, and his mother had also become a hidden major shareholder in a company.

Of course, none of this compared to the fact that he, once a bachelor, now possessed a beautiful wife like Du Xi.

"I asked Mayor Jiang for a half-day leave today. What would you like to eat? I'll go with you," Tang Ye looked at Du Xi with doting eyes.

"I don't really want anything special," Du Xi said, carefully putting the marriage certificate into her bag, then continued, "My mom said that once the certificates are done, the household registration book must be returned the way it came, and the marriage certificate must also be left with her for safekeeping."

Tang Ye understood Xiao Qin's intentions; this marriage certificate held extraordinary significance.

It was not just a "ticket" to starting a happy life.

It was also the key bond connecting the two of them and their two families.

The two walked side by side toward the car.

Just then, a taxi pulled up steadily at the entrance of the Civil Affairs Bureau.

Xiao Hui and Shao Jinbo stepped out of the car.

The moment Shao Jinbo saw Tang Ye, a trace of cold hostility flashed in his eyes.

Xiao Hui reacted extremely quickly, forcing a smile onto her lips as she said, "Oh, what a coincidence, you are also getting your certificates today?"

Tang Ye's expression was calm, and he smiled slightly, "There are indeed many people getting their certificates today, after all, it is Qixi Festival."

A wave of inexplicable bitterness welled up in Xiao Hui's heart.

In fact, she hadn't planned to come to get the certificate today, but Shao Jinbo had persuaded her parents and insisted firmly that they must get it today.

At this moment, seeing that Tang Ye and Du Xi had already received their certificates, Xiao Hui felt as if her heart had been fiercely torn apart.

Deep down, how she wished the person standing beside Tang Ye was herself.

"Can you let us see your marriage certificates?" Xiao Hui asked, trying her best to hide the disappointment in her eyes.

Du Xi generously handed the marriage certificate to Xiao Hui.

"Oh my, the photos look so good, congratulations to you both. Don't forget to notify us when you hold the wedding banquet."

Xiao Hui said the words of blessing.

Yet the three characters "marriage certificate" were incomparably piercing in her eyes.

She only felt as if her heart were tightly stuffed with cotton; that complex feeling was hard to put into words.

It was as if an invisible giant hand had suddenly gripped her heart tight, and every breath was agonizingly painful.

She kept telling herself in her heart that she and Tang Ye had never truly started, so why be so miserable because he married someone else?

However, that surging wave of immense sadness welled up from the depths of her heart.

Perhaps it wasn't a love for Tang Ye that was etched into her bones, but she was full of jealousy toward Du Xi.

Why was such an outstanding Tang Ye firmly captured by Du Xi?

While she had to spend the rest of her life with a man like Shao Jinbo, who was despicable, shameless, cowardly, and timid.

Du Xi smiled and replied, "The banquet is still a long way off, definitely after yours. We don't plan to hold a big one, just invite the family for a simple gathering."

Xiao Hui nodded slightly, trying her best to appear enthusiastic, "Our wedding is set for the eighteenth of next month. We'll send you an invitation then, you must come."

Du Xi readily agreed, "Alright, we will definitely go to offer our congratulations."

Watching Tang Ye and Du Xi get into the Audi.

Shao Jinbo clearly saw that Xiao Hui's eyes were full of surprise and helplessness.

"What? Envious of them?" Shao Jinbo asked with a mocking tone.

"Everyone has their own choices, what is there to be envious of?" Xiao Hui bit her lip, trying hard to make her voice sound calm as usual.

Shao Jinbo sneered twice.

"Seeing Du Xi and Tang Ye get their certificates, that restless heart of yours should settle down too."

"Xiao Hui, just make do and spend this life with me."

"Du Xi and I weren't meant to be, and Tang Ye doesn't have eyes for you; we are the most suitable pair."

The sentence "we are the most suitable pair" was like a sharp blade, instantly tearing apart Xiao Hui's final psychological defenses.

Tears slid silently and uncontrollably from the corners of her eyes.

Xiao Hui gently wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes and said with a firm expression, "Let's go get the marriage certificate! Rest assured, I am tied to you for this life."

After getting into the car, Tang Ye looked toward Du Xi.

"I didn't expect Xiao Hui and Shao Jinbo to be getting their marriage certificate today too."

Du Xi nodded, "Xiao Hui doesn't seem happy. I feel like she's a bit jealous of me."

Tang Ye looked at Du Xi in surprise, "Why would she be jealous of you?"

A rare trace of smugness appeared at the corners of Du Xi's mouth, her eyes looking as if they held a galaxy.

"Because you are more outstanding than Shao Jinbo, and she regrets it."

Tang Ye laughed in spite of himself and changed the subject, "Where are we going now?"

Du Xi cast a gentle look at Tang Ye, "Find a place, somewhere a bit secluded, so we can talk? I want to hold you; there were too many people just now, and I've been holding it in for a long time."

Tang Ye's eyes lit up, "That's exactly what I wanted. I'll find a suitable place. I also want to give you a good kiss."

Du Xi blushed and nodded slightly.

For some reason.

When facing Tang Ye, she had no self-control.

Is this the legendary "physiological attraction"?

Liking someone is a flutter of the heart;

Loving someone is peace of mind.

But there is a kind of liking that is neither a flutter of the heart nor peace of mind, but a pure "physiological attraction."

Physiological attraction often stems from visual and sensory stimulation.

For example, being attracted the first time you see the other person, or feeling a stir just from smelling the scent on them.

This kind of stimulation acts directly on a person's senses, creating an irresistible impulse.

This kind of liking is a chemical reaction; it requires no reason and needs no explanation.