Chapter 83 A Happy Wedding: So this is what a wedding is like, so lively...

In early November, Gucheng had truly entered autumn. Temperatures were low in the mornings and evenings, with daytime temperatures barely exceeding ten degrees Celsius.

When Zhu Liushuang arrived at Zhuang Xiaoqian's villa under the stars and moon, the yellowing lawn in the yard was covered with frost. The area outside was decorated with lanterns and colorful streamers, and elaborate strings of bright red silk hung from the eaves. The wooden door, adorned with the character for "happiness," gleamed and stood open, awaiting guests from all directions.

The clanging and banging sounds indicated that the people inside were extremely busy.

After a half-hour ride on her electric scooter, Zhu Liushuang arrived home looking travel-worn. Standing in the living room was a woman in a maroon velvet cheongsam, holding a plate of steaming osmanthus-flavored glutinous rice balls.

This was the first time Zhu Liushuang had met Zhuang Xiaoqian's family, and she politely greeted them as "Auntie."

The woman turned her head, her dimples appearing and disappearing as she spoke: "Liu...Liu Shuang, right? Qianqian is upstairs putting on makeup! Come on, have a bowl of glutinous rice balls to warm your stomach." She gestured with her chin, indicating that Zhu Liu Shuang should get the bowl herself.

It is a local custom in Gucheng to prepare desserts for guests on the wedding day, and Zhu Liushuang naturally did not stand on ceremony, reaching out to take the bowl with a "hey, hey" sound.

"Take it upstairs and eat it slowly. You can also talk to Qianqian; she's a little nervous."

"Well, so Xiaoqian can be nervous sometimes!" Zhu Liushuang smiled playfully as she walked up the stairs under the watchful eyes of her host.

There were several rooms on the second floor, and as soon as she reached the stairwell, she heard laughter and chatter. Therefore, she didn't need to look for Zhuang Xiaoqian at all; she knew which room she was in.

As soon as she opened the door, everyone inside turned their gaze to her.

"Ah Yun, why did you stop talking?" Zhuang Xiaoqian asked curiously as the room suddenly fell silent, her back to the door.

"Qian'er...the guests have arrived!"

"This beautiful lady... she must be our sixth bridesmaid, right?"

The sky outside the window was still pitch black, but the room was brightly lit. A makeup artist was curling Zhuang Xiaoqian's hair with a curling iron, while another was applying foundation to her with a powder puff.

"Liu Shuang, you've finally arrived!" Zhuang Xiaoqian glanced at the mirror and saw half of Zhu Liu Shuang's silhouette. "It must be cold outside, right? I told you to stay at my place last night, so you could have slept an extra half hour."

She was wearing a thin down jacket, which made her stand out from the other bridesmaids in the room who were wearing strapless long dresses.

"It's alright, we're nearby anyway." Walking over to Zhuang Xiaoqian, Zhu Liushuang sincerely complimented, "Sister Zhuang, you look absolutely stunning today!"

Zhuang Xiaoqian smiled, feeling as sweet as if she had eaten honey: "Look at her, she's already praising me after I've only done the base layer. It's obvious she's flattering me."

"No way! I'm just telling the truth..." Hearing the sarcasm in Zhuang Xiaoqian's words, Zhu Liushuang couldn't help but think: She still has the energy to roast people, how can she be in a tense state?

The makeup artist started applying eyeshadow, and Zhuang Xiaoqian closed her eyes, but her mouth didn't stop: "Liu Shuang, hurry up and drink the sweet soup. After you finish, let A-Yun accompany you to change into your bridesmaid dress..."

The bright red wedding bed was piled with three layers of wedding quilts. The other bridesmaids each sat on a chair by the bed. Zhu Liushuang walked to the only empty chair and sat down.

The osmanthus-flavored glutinous rice balls were still steaming hot, and the syrup had thickened slightly after the sugar melted. She scooped up a spoonful of the small rice balls and put it in her mouth. The sweet glutinous rice, coated with a faint osmanthus fragrance, was very chewy. She didn't dare to linger for too long, so she finished the bowl of sweet syrup in just a few bites.

"Sister Zhuang, shall I go change into my bridesmaid dress now?"

"Yes... the dress is in the dressing room at the back. Ah Yun, take Liu Shuang there..."

The low-heeled leather shoes echoed back and forth on the wooden floor. Soon, Zhu Liushuang had changed into her bridesmaid dress. As she walked, she awkwardly tugged at the fabric at the neckline. Her shoulders and chest felt empty; she was adjusting to the new dress as quickly as possible.

The style of the dress was decided by a vote of the six bridesmaids. It was a strapless long dress with a small V-neck, adding a touch of sexiness. The cuffs were layered with tulle, extending just below the shoulders. The skirt was puffy, with layers of light tulle embroidered with patterns and sequins, maintaining a cute look.

Upon entering the bridal chamber, a bridesmaid with long, straight hair couldn't help but exclaim, "My goodness, Qianqian, your colleague's waist is so incredibly thin! It's practically impossible to wrap your hands around it!"

"Her skin is so fair, the light pink color suits her perfectly." Another bridesmaid said half-jokingly, "Qian'er, you must be under a lot of pressure to have such a beautiful girl as your bridesmaid!"

"What pressure could there be? I'd love for my bridesmaids to be pretty, so the groomsmen would be mesmerized and stare at her like head over heels..." Zhuang Xiaoqian said nonchalantly. "Old Liu even dragged his cousin, who's always busy, into it just to make sure there were six groomsmen! What kind of ridiculous rule is this..."

Zhu Liushuang stopped halfway and listened quietly to their chatter, her mind preoccupied with that joke that no one seemed to care about.

"Is that my cousin who's a doctor? He's such a handsome guy!"

"Does your younger brother have a girlfriend yet? Ask him if he'd consider his older sister..."

"You can ask them yourselves when the wedding procession starts!" Zhuang Xiaoqian laughed heartily.

"Sure, I'll ask for A-Yun. She's the only one among us who's still single."

"No... I don't like younger brothers..." The bridesmaid named A-Yun suddenly grabbed Zhu Liushuang's arm and said enthusiastically, "Little sister, do you have a boyfriend? If not, let Sister Qian'er introduce you to someone."

Zhu Liushuang was both amused and exasperated. How did the topic end up back on her after all this time?

She had never revealed anything about her love life to Zhuang Xiaoqian before, so she was having a hard time keeping up with the conversation.

If you say "yes," Zhuang Xiaoqian will definitely ask you a lot of questions.

If I say "no," people will probably start trying to match her up with someone else.

Just as she was caught in a dilemma, Zhuang Xiaoqian slowly opened her eyes and said calmly, "Our Liu Shuang sister already has someone in her heart."

A blush rose to her cheeks, and Zhu Liushuang looked at Zhuang Xiaoqian in surprise. Her eyes, which were covered in false eyelashes, closed again, and her two curled "feather fans" fluttered occasionally. Looking at the other's calm and composed face, she felt inexplicably guilty.

The people around exchanged knowing glances, automatically ending the conversation, and then began to discuss how to play the wedding games.

As dawn broke outside the window, Zhuang Xiaoqian's makeup and styling entered their final stages. Her outfit was an elegant and unique traditional Chinese wedding dress, so the makeup artist adorned her hair with several matching velvet flowers. After applying hair wax to a few stray strands at her temples, the three-hour makeup and styling process was finally complete.

"Ouch, my neck is so stiff." Zhuang Xiaoqian stood up, supporting her waist and rubbing the back of her neck. "Now it's your turn to do my makeup, hurry up..."

There were six bridesmaids, and the makeup artist and assistant only had four hands, so they were naturally overwhelmed.

The bridesmaids all knew who the main character was today, so they didn't have any special requirements for the makeup and told the makeup artist, "Just do whatever you want."

Zhu Liushuang, bored while waiting, got up to look at the makeup case, intending to do it herself.

"Sister, can I use this foundation?" she asked.

“You can use anything inside,” the makeup artist said, glancing at her briefly. “You have fair skin, and there’s a bottle of the lightest shade of foundation down there. Find it yourself.”

"Okay, thank you." Zhu Liushuang carefully took out the foundation and began applying her base makeup in front of the mirror. After quickly applying the base, she found a dusty rose blush and swept it on her cheekbones and eyelids, and finally applied a thin layer of lip gloss to her lips.

She remembered the joke well. A bridesmaid shouldn't steal the bride's thunder, so the simpler her makeup, the better.

"Liu Shuang, why did you put on makeup yourself?" Zhuang Xiaoqian asked curiously when she came back after taking the photos.

"I think it's getting late, so I might as well do my own makeup and save some time," Zhu Liushuang explained softly, tucking a hair clip behind her ear.

The shrewd Zhuang Xiaoqian could easily see through her little scheme. She patted her head and comforted her, saying, "Those bridesmaids are all people I grew up with. We're used to teasing each other. Don't take some of what I say seriously."

The smile on her lips froze. Zhu Liushuang looked up, flustered, and explained, "No... Sister Zhuang, I didn't mean it. I just thought it was already dawn, and if we waited for the makeup artists to do everyone's makeup, the groom would be here to pick up the bride..."

"Then let my assistant draw your eyebrows. We're going to shoot some outdoor scenes this afternoon, and I don't want a bridesmaid in the group photo to be missing an eyebrow!" Zhuang Xiaoqian interrupted her, gently patting the back of her hand.

"Pfft—" Zhu Liushuang was amused.

Her eyebrows are light in color, and if she doesn't apply makeup, they will indeed be "eaten up" by the camera.

————

The morning was chaotic and disorganized.

While the girls in the room on the second floor were still chattering about the details of the wedding games, Zhuang Xiaoqian's cousin had already rushed upstairs to deliver the news.

The little girl was not very tall, and the door was locked from the inside as soon as she entered the room.

"Cousin, Auntie asked me to sneak up here to tell you that your husband and his family's car has arrived at the entrance of the community!"

"Oh, Lao Liu tricked me!" Zhuang Xiaoqian said coquettishly, hands on her hips, muttering, "He gave me a false report. Sisters, we'll squeeze him for red envelopes later."

Zhu Liushuang used to just sit at the hotel and wait to eat at other people's weddings. Now, as a bridesmaid for the first time, she had no idea what was going to happen.

"Ah Yun, you come downstairs with me first and stand guard at the top of the stairs. Ah Tian, ​​you're in charge of asking questions, and if you answer incorrectly, they'll give you a red envelope..." An experienced bridesmaid gave the instructions methodically. She squatted down and probed the floor, saying with satisfaction, "This door gap is big enough; slipping in a red envelope with a few hundred yuan won't be a problem."

Zhuang Xiaoqian sat cross-legged on the bed, holding a silk fan in her hand, looking dignified and elegant. But as soon as she spoke, she gave herself away: "Oh dear, a few hundred isn't enough! Let's quickly create a group chat for the best men and bridesmaids and have Lao Liu transfer the money."

After the door-blocking arrangements were finalized, everyone remembered that the wedding shoes hadn't been hidden yet.

"The shoes, where are the shoes?" Someone panicked, realizing they had forgotten the most important thing.

Zhu Liushuang rummaged through a pile of balloons in the corner and pulled out a beautiful shoebox. She picked it up and asked, "Sister, is this the pair?"

"Yes, yes, quickly hide the shoes! Where should we hide them?"

"Wardrobe?"

"No, no, my closet is a mess. If I open the door, I'll be so embarrassed!"

Under the bed?

"It's way too easy to find!"

Inside the plush toy's belly?

"Two of them, there's not enough room to hide them..."

Meanwhile, the commotion on the first floor grew louder and louder. A-Yun and Qin-Qin, the two bridesmaids, had already opened the door and rushed downstairs to join the fray. Zhu Liushuang, clutching the shoebox, looked at the anxious crowd as if she were holding a hot potato.

She had no idea what to do, but seeing everyone looking back at her expectantly, she could only weakly suggest, "How about hiding it in Sister Zhuang's skirt?"

“Okay!” Zhuang Xiaoqian immediately agreed. “Liu Shuang, give me one, and we’ll hide them separately.”

Where should we put the last one?

Zhu Liushuang was still racking her brains for a place when the door suddenly opened. Ayun and Qinqin rushed in and slammed the door shut and locked it.

"Brother Liu was so generous today!" Qinqin described the "battle" downstairs with great enthusiasm, and then distributed the impressive "spoils"—a large stack of red envelopes—to her bridesmaids. "By the way, are the wedding shoes ready?"

Pulled back to reality, Zhu Liushuang pointed to the shoebox with a bitter face: "Sis, I still have one left."

"It's okay, I have a plan." Qinqin spotted the handbag on her wrist. "Your bag looks like it can hold a lot, so just hide it inside! Cover it with a red envelope, and no one will be able to tell!"

Wouldn't this be too obvious?

Zhu Liushuang silently opened the handbag, and Ren Qinqin stuffed the red high heels inside.

A light pat on the shoulder came from Qinqin, who spoke with the air of someone who had been through it all: "Don't be nervous. When they come looking for you, just pretend the bag contains a red envelope. Don't look scared..."

Before Zhu Liushuang could reply, a series of loud footsteps approached from afar, followed by a rapid knocking on the door.

Zhu Liushuang, carrying a heavy bag, was pulled by the others to answer the door.

The man outside the door shouted loudly and forcefully, while the bridesmaids inside fought back just as fiercely. Red envelopes were poured in like water through the cracks in the door. Zhu Liushuang felt she had finally seen something new; so this was what a wedding was like.

It was lively, noisy, and filled with laughter.

She couldn't help but turn to look at Zhuang Xiaoqian sitting on the bed. When Liu Lanjun accurately answered the dates of their various anniversaries, she blushed with a rare shyness, her eyes and brows showing recognition and affirmation of the man.

My vision suddenly blurred, and my eyes were filled with a striking red. The silk quilt embroidered with mandarin ducks and twin lotus flowers was a sincere blessing from the elders of the Zhuang family for this marriage.

Zhu Liushuang couldn't help but think of her marriage certificate, lying forlornly in the far corner of her bedroom closet. No one blessed her, no one knew of her. She didn't know how many more days and nights she would have to wait before it saw the light of day again.

The wedding procession outside the door was grand and impressive. The groom recited twenty compliments to his wife in one breath, and the tightly closed wooden door finally loosened.

She stared blankly as the door was opened a crack, and then many hands reached in. The groom, at the head of the group, used half his body to push the door open, and everyone rushed in together, like a surging tide that had burst its banks.

With so many people, the originally spacious room suddenly became crowded.

Zhu Liushuang looked down at the bag on her wrist, reminding herself to stay calm and not give herself away. When she looked up again, she met a pair of smiling, almond-shaped eyes.

"What a coincidence! We've bumped into each other again..." The man opposite her was dressed in a suit and tie, his hair slicked back, adding to his mature charm. He deliberately leaned closer to her, speaking in a voice only the two of them could hear.

"What a... coincidence!" Zhu Liushuang stammered uncontrollably.

She met Yue Lin again after they parted ways at the high-speed rail station last time.

At their colleague Zhuang Xiaoqian's wedding, they played the roles of best man and maid of honor, respectively.

Zhu Liushuang couldn't help but sigh at how small Gucheng was; some people, once they met, would fall into a vicious cycle of repeated encounters.

When he saw her today, he showed no sign of disgust. But she clearly remembered that when they parted at the high-speed rail station that day, she hadn't given him a kind look at all.

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Author's Note: The senior student will appear in the next chapter. [shrug]