After Tao Zhizhi smiled shyly, she heard Zhao Lao's words and her eyes welled up with worry. Zhao Lao made a face and smiled knowingly. He straightened his back in front of her, and Tao Zhizhi breathed a sigh of relief when she saw his playful old man appearance.
"Yes, this is the marriage certificate I requested. Thank you for your hard work, Mr. Zhao!"
Fu Jue ran his fingertips across the surface of the marriage certificate, lingering particularly on the words "May you be forever united in heart and grow old together."
The two chatted with Old Zhao for a while before leaving with the box. Tao Zhizhi curiously poked at the red silk on it.
"Fu Fu is so particular about rituals!!"
"Of course, how could I be careless about matters concerning you?"
The trunk closed automatically, and Fu Jue set off again with Tao Zhizhi. After sleeping and eating for three hours, she was full of energy.
Aren't you going home yet?
Fu Jue made no attempt to hide his joy this time, his face beaming and his tone light:
"Let's not go back yet, let's go try on the dress."
Tao Zhizhi was led to the wedding dress customization shop by him for the second time, still somewhat dazed. Along the way, she drank water from the shop and looked through their portfolio.
The designer personally served the couple, presenting two racks of wedding dresses in black, white, and pink, leaving Tao Zhizhi overwhelmed with choices.
He rubbed his forehead and said, "Fu Fu, why don't you choose? They're all pretty, I can't decide."
He knew it would be like this. He noticed the styles that Tao Zhizhi's gaze had lingered on, got up and started picking them out from the shelves. Tao Zhizhi lay comfortably on the sofa, holding a macaron in her left hand and a peach-shaped pastry in her right, listening to the conversation between the designer and Fu Jue with a smile.
"Hey, Zhizhi, don't eat too much. You won't be able to eat dinner."
Fu Jue glanced at the few plates on the coffee table and sighed helplessly.
"You've made your choice, Zhizhi, would you like to try it again?"
He took the handkerchief from the sales assistant and gently wiped the crumbs and grease off Tao Zhizhi's hands.
"Hey, there's another hand." Tao Zhizhi handed over her other hand without ceremony, nodding vigorously: "Fu Fu has worked so hard to choose for so long, of course we have to see how it looks!"
The designer watched the two women with a smile the whole time, first handing her a strapless mermaid dress, and then leading her into the fitting room with the staff.
"Miss Tao, do you need our help?"
She waved her hand and refused them: "No, I'm not used to having someone next to me when I'm changing clothes."
The sales assistant expressed her understanding and quietly left, saying, "If Ms. Tao needs anything, we'll be outside."
She likes to wear her hair in a bun when she's working, but after a day of styling, it's a bit loose now, with her bangs falling down her sides. She looks at her slender figure in the mirror, the overhead lights shining on the rhinestones on her dress, making it look like she's walking through a galaxy, dazzlingly beautiful.
Tao Zhizhi finally understood why some people, regardless of whether they get married or not, will fantasize about what they would look like in a wedding dress:
[Few girls could resist a pretty dress like this.]
To appear more graceful, she unconsciously straightened her bare arms: "Okay."
The sales assistant slowly pulled back the curtain, and Tao Zhizhi smiled gently at Fu Jue, who had been waiting for a long time. Fu Jue stared blankly at the beauty in front of him. Bathed in warm light, her clear eyes made her look more like a bewildered mermaid who had just come ashore.
Seeing that he remained silent for a long time, Tao Zhizhi assumed he was dissatisfied and waved her hand in front of his face: "Is it ugly?"
He stepped forward, took her hand, and reverently placed a kiss on it: "No, I can't take my eyes off you, beautiful mermaid princess."
Tao Zhizhi sighed, her pupils dilating in shock: "Fu Fu, speak normally!"
The pink bubble dissipated, and the designer smiled and ticked the form, gently indicating to Tao Zhizhi that she could start the next item.
As the curtain closed, Fu Jue refused to go out. He changed each outfit himself, and Tao Zhizhi was rejected every time she refused. She could only follow his wishes and be manipulated like a puppet.
"Raise your hand." Tao Zhizhi raised her arm. She couldn't remember how much Fu Jue had taken advantage of her, but since they were an old married couple, it didn't matter.
"Good boy!"
In the end, he checked off every single set he chose. On the way back, Tao Zhizhi was so tired that she fell fast asleep in the car, but he was still in high spirits: "Zhizhi thinks we should take a set of photos of the grasslands or the seaside, or a set of photos of a flower field would be nice, and also—"
Tao Zhizhi, still half-asleep, mumbled a perfunctory reply: "Anything is fine..."
The car stopped at a red light. Fu Jue chuckled and pinched her nose: "Anything is fine with you? You're that trusting?!"
Feeling her breathing suddenly become obstructed, and a tickle on her cheek: "Don't bother me, you stinky Fu Fu!"
Then he turned his head, hugged his arms, and fell asleep.
"Oh--"
Fu Jue withdrew her mischievous hand, slowed down the car, and quietly adjusted the seat to make her more comfortable.
next day
Tao Zhizhi shook her still-drowsy head, closed her eyes and washed herself. The cold water splashed on her face and finally made her a little more awake. She opened her eyes a crack and skillfully went downstairs.
Seeing her in her smart business attire, Fu Jue reminded her while eating, "Baby, don't you remember we're going to take wedding photos today?"
She instantly snapped out of her daze: "When did this happen? Didn't I have a meeting this morning?"
Her mind gradually cleared. Last night, Fu Jue had asked for her opinion, and her reply was, "Mhm."
"Ah! You mean today!"
Tao Zhizhi hadn't heard the time clearly, and scratched her head in frustration: "Could we wait a few days—"
"Don't worry, Zhizhi. I've already spoken with Lanxin beforehand, and you don't have any meetings today."
Hearing this, Tao Zhizhi finally felt relieved. Fu Jue usually meant what he said, so she didn't need to worry at all.
In the blink of an eye, Tao Zhizhi had changed into the same fishtail dress she wore yesterday and arrived at the most famous rocky outcrop in Kapok City. The August sea breeze still carried a gentle warmth. Fu Jue's semi-transparent white shirt and casually tousled hair made him look free and unrestrained.
The photographer stepped forward to stand in for Tao Zhizhi, guiding her in positioning, posture, and eye contact. Tao Zhizhi could easily see Fu Jue's disdain and stiffness beside her.
After several adjustments, the photographer smiled with satisfaction: "Come on, bride, look lovingly at your loved one, click!"
He checked the results and clicked his tongue a few times: "Something's not right. Both faces look so good on camera, it doesn't feel right!"
"Come on, hey!"
"Bride, I know you're beautiful, but this is a photo of two people, so don't pose like you're the only one who looks good!"
The photographer found the problem and gestured wildly. Tao Zhizhi laughed so hard she couldn't stand up straight. Fu Jue smiled and hugged her, his eyes full of affection.
"Hey! That's right, look at me!"
The photographer, carrying a large telephoto lens, smiled indulgently at the photos: "Just like that, you guys can interact freely, I'll snap some candid shots! Anyway, your faces are flawless from every angle, it's all about the feel, you get it?"
He spoke with a slight accent, and his tone was extremely proud. Tao Zhizhi was so happy that she almost rubbed her makeup off in Fu Jue's arms.
Seeing that her attention was still on the photographer, Fu Jue pinched her earlobe in a sour tone: "Is it that funny? You haven't looked at me once in half an hour!"
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