Chapter 109 Trying on the Wedding Dress
The town wakes up very early; the sound of roosters crowing wakes Huo Nanchen.
He glanced at Lin Xili, who was still fast asleep, kissed her forehead, and quietly got out of bed.
When Lin Xili opened her eyes, Huo Nanchen was no longer beside her.
She reached out and touched the spot where he had lain; the sheets still held a lingering warmth.
When Lin Xili came downstairs after washing up, she saw a heartwarming scene.
Huo Xining and Huo Xiyu were already dressed and sitting side by side at the small square table in the living room, reading books.
They sat upright, but this time their expressions were relaxed. When Huo Xining was engrossed in watching, he would unconsciously bite his lower lip.
Huo Xiyu frowned slightly, seemingly deep in thought about the contents of the book.
In the kitchen, Huo Nanchen, wearing an apron, was ladling porridge from a pot into a large ceramic bowl.
He was wearing a light gray cotton-linen shirt today, with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows. His focused expression reminded Lin Xili of her time in the small town.
He did the same thing back then, preparing breakfast for her every morning and healing her body and mind in the most ordinary way.
"Awake?" Huo Nanchen looked up and saw her standing at the top of the stairs. "Perfect timing, breakfast is ready."
The table was set with sticky corn, eggs, and pickled radishes and bok choy given by Wen Qing's mother.
"Good morning, Auntie." The twins greeted Lin Xili in unison as she came down, then closed their books and went to the dining table to help set the table.
"Good morning." Lin Xili smiled and walked into the kitchen. "Do you need any help?"
Huo Nanchen: "No need, everything is ready."
Grandma Huo said with a smile, "Nan Chen's cooking skills are getting better and better."
Huo Xining and Huo Xiyu showed no signs of being picky eaters; they ate their porridge quietly with side dishes, their movements neat and natural.
When Huo Xining eats pickled radishes, his eyes always squint slightly, like a satisfied little kitten.
"Is it delicious?" Huo Nanchen asked the two children.
"It's delicious." Huo Xiyu nodded earnestly. "It tastes better than the porridge our chef makes at home."
Huo Xining chimed in, "The porridge at home is too refined; we don't have this. This is it."
"The warmth of everyday life," Grandma Huo chimed in. "Food needs the warmth of everyday life to feel human."
After finishing breakfast, Grandma Huo took a tissue to wipe her mouth and looked at Huo Nanchen and Lin Xili: "Today you two go to try on wedding dresses, and I'll take the children to the fields to plant some crops."
The two children immediately looked up, their eyes sparkling with curiosity: "Farming?"
“Yes,” Grandma Huo said with a smile, “We have a vegetable garden behind our house. Today I’ll take you to see how vegetables grow, and we can also help Grandma Li next door pull weeds and water her plants.”
"Okay!" the twins replied immediately, their little faces full of anticipation.
Lin Xili asked with some concern, "Grandma, won't this be too tiring?"
"No, no, just stretching their muscles. Besides, these two kids have been cooped up in the old house for too long; they need to get back to nature."
Huo Nanchen nodded, "Okay, we'll come back after trying on the wedding dress, and then we'll go buy wedding candy and cakes."
The wedding dress shop in the town is located in the middle of the old street. It is a two-story building with white walls, black tiles, wooden lattice windows, and a plaque with the words "Hua Xiang Rong" hanging above the door.
The shop isn't big, but it's very famous in the town, and brides in the town specifically choose this shop to pick out their wedding dresses.
Wen Qing was already waiting at the door. When she saw them coming, she waved from afar.
"Xi Li, Dr. Huo, the proprietress has reserved some of the best wedding dresses in the shop, just waiting for you to try them on."
Pushing open the wooden door, the shop is elegantly decorated with warm yellow lighting, natural wood-colored clothes racks, and several ink paintings of the Jiangnan water towns hanging on the wall.
A faint scent of incense wafted in the air, a blend of sandalwood and jasmine.
The shop owner is a woman in her fifties surnamed Chen, who is an old friend of Wen Qing's mother.
Upon seeing Lin Xili, her eyes lit up: "This must be Xili! Qingqing talks about you every day, saying that the most beautiful woman in their Justice Bureau is getting married, and she told me to make sure to save the best wedding dress for her."
Lin Xili said somewhat embarrassedly, "Hello, Aunt Chen, thank you for your help."
"No trouble at all," Aunt Chen said warmly, taking her hand and looking her up and down. "You have such a great figure and fair skin. You look good in anything. Come on, let me show you some wedding dresses."
The first piece is a classic strapless design, made of simple satin material, with only a thin silver embroidery at the waist.
The second item is a V-neck long-sleeved style made of lace, with delicate openwork patterns on the cuffs and neckline.
The third item is a spaghetti strap A-line dress, with tiny pearls adorning the hem that shimmer softly when you walk.
The fourth item is a Chinese-style modified version, with a stand-up collar and slanted placket, but it uses Western-style wedding dress fabric.
The fifth item...
Lin Xili's gaze lingered on the fifth wedding dress.
It was a very simple, fitted style.
The material is a light gauze, and the color is not pure white, but has a hint of beige, giving it a gentle and vintage look.
The most unique feature is the shoulder design, with asymmetrical thin straps, one side on the shoulder and the other side diagonally down the collarbone to the chest, forming an elegant curve.
The skirt has no extra decorations, it only narrows at the waist and then flares out naturally.
"This one!"
Aunt Chen understood and took off the wedding dress. "This one was custom-made in Suzhou last year. I drew the design myself."
"At the time, I thought I wanted a simple yet detailed wedding dress, suitable for a bride with her own ideas."
Wen Qing leaned closer to look: "What a unique design, Xi Li, would you like to try this one on first?"
Lin Xili looked at Huo Nanchen, who had been standing quietly to the side, and nodded slightly: "Give it a try."
Aunt Chen led Lin Xili to the fitting room, and Wen Qing also went to try on her bridesmaid dress. To match Lin Xili's favorite blue snowflake, she chose a light blue knee-length skirt.
In the fitting room, Lin Xili put on the wedding dress with the help of Aunt Chen.
When she turned to face the mirror, her breath hitched slightly.
The wedding dress was cut to fit her figure perfectly, neither too tight nor too loose.
The asymmetrical shoulder strap design accentuated her beautiful collarbone lines, and the off-white tone made her skin look even whiter and more translucent.
What touched her most was the overall feel of the dress. There was no exaggerated princess skirt or dazzling diamond embellishments; it was just a simple and clean wedding dress that unexpectedly suited her temperament.
"It's so beautiful," Aunt Chen exclaimed. "This wedding dress was designed just for you."
Lin Xili turned around gently, her skirt fluttering slightly with the movement.
"Let's go out and have Dr. Huo take a look."
Aunt Chen then used soft gauze as a headscarf, simply pinning it in her hair.
Lin Xili took a deep breath and pushed open the door to the fitting room.
Huo Nanchen turned around upon hearing the sound and froze instantly.
His gaze slowly moved down her face, across the lines of her shoulders and neck, the curves of her waist, and finally back to her eyes.
Huo Nanchen walked towards her and stopped in front of her, with only a step between them.
He looked at her for a long time, so long that Lin Xili thought he was going to say something.
But he ultimately said nothing, only reaching out and lightly touching the thin straps of her shoulder with his fingertips.
"Do you like it?" Lin Xili asked softly, her voice a little tense.
Huo Nanchen lowered his hand and gently took her hand in his. "I like it. It's beautiful."
As Lin Xili listened, her nose suddenly felt a little sore. She lowered her head, not wanting him to see her reddened eyes.
At this moment, Wen Qing also came out of another fitting room. When she saw Lin Xili, she exclaimed, "Wow, Xili, this wedding dress suits you so well, Dr. Huo, don't you think?"
"Um."
"Then let's settle on this one?" Aunt Chen asked with a smile.
Lin Xili: "This one."
Aunt Chen: "Xi Li, your figure is already good, you don't need any major changes, just a little bit around your waist and the shoulder straps..."
Huo Nanchen stood quietly to the side, his gaze always following Lin Xili.
When Aunt Chen needed Lin Xili to raise his hand or turn around, he would naturally take the veil from her hand.
Wen Qing watched from the side, a smile always on her lips.
While Aunt Chen went to get the tools, she leaned close to Lin Xili's ear and whispered, "Dr. Huo didn't even blink when he saw you in your wedding dress. I got goosebumps."
Lin Xili's face flushed slightly. She peeked at Huo Nanchen in the mirror. He was standing by the window with his back to them, and his usually cold and hard features were now completely relaxed.
After taking the measurements, Aunt Chen said, "Just come pick it up tomorrow morning. I'll make the final adjustments tonight. I've also prepared the veil and accessories. Let's try them on together tomorrow."
"Thank you, Aunt Chen."
"You're welcome. I'm overjoyed to see such a perfect person wearing the wedding dress I designed."
It was nearly noon when I left the bridal shop.
"Where to next?" Wen Qing asked. "How about we go to my house for dinner? My mom must have cooked a lot of dishes."
Lin Xili shook her head: "Wen Qing, thank you Auntie, but we won't go. We still need to go back and take the children to buy wedding cakes."
"Alright then, I'll head back now. I'll also call my mom over so she can go shopping with you."
"good!"
After Wen Qing left, Huo Nanchen took Lin Xili's hand and slowly walked back along the stone path, passing through the bustling old street and heading towards the end of the town.
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