Chapter 42 Now we can finally get rid of it...
As evening approached six o'clock, the Lotus Hall, where the engagement banquet was being held, was already brightly lit and filled with guests.
Numerous well-known domestic media outlets also flocked to Huo Garden in Wancheng to promote the Huo family wedding banquet, vying for the first front-page headline of the evening.
As the most prominent family in Wancheng, the Huo family's engagement banquet has become a place for many wealthy families to meet and make friends. Inside the hall, amidst the clinking of glasses and the elegant attire of the women, the topics of conversation all revolve around the fiancée who is about to get engaged to the head of the Huo family.
Fu Xinyuan arrived at the banquet early, trying her best to prove that she had nothing to do with Huo's fiancée, so much so that all the public opinion turned to Shen Chuqing, the Shen family's young lady who was not present.
Entertainment news about the marriage between the prominent Huo and Shen families of Wancheng has begun to generate buzz and is in full swing. In addition to the wealthy and famous people attending the banquet at Huo Garden, everyone in Wancheng is eagerly anticipating this grand event of the Huo family.
Meanwhile, at Bell Pavilion, chaos reigned. The engagement banquet was about to begin, but the bride's dress had been splashed with tea.
The brown water stains soaked the hem of the skirt, leaving varying shades of color on the light apricot-colored fabric.
Linda, the head of the costume team, wasn't in a hurry and immediately had someone bring over a spare dress of the same style.
The other piece was another heavy-duty haute couture piece, made to Jiang Shiyuan's measurements and taking two months to complete. It was specially commissioned by Huo Lan to be used in case of emergencies, as he would not allow any mistakes to happen at his engagement banquet.
“Mr. Huo is indeed farsighted.” Linda breathed a sigh of relief when her assistant brought back the elaborate gown. “Ms. Jiang, let me accompany you to the dressing room to change.”
Jiang Shiyuan replied, "No need. I'm not used to strangers watching me get dressed. I'll go to the bedroom to change myself."
Linda found it difficult to do, and frowned, saying, "Miss Jiang's makeup and styling are already finalized. It's easy for her to smudge her makeup or hair while dressing herself, which could affect the overall look. Miss Jiang, you don't need to worry. It's just a change of clothes. We will definitely take care to protect your privacy."
At this moment, Shen Chuqing walked over and said, "Then let me help Shi Yuan put on her dress."
She glanced at Jiang Shiyuan and smiled, "We're fairly familiar with each other, so I should be able to help you change it, right?"
Jiang Shiyuan pretended to ponder for a moment before nodding.
Linda, as if seeing a lifeline, quickly thanked Shen Chuqing for her "righteous rescue." She had her assistant hand the dress, which was being held up by a clothes hanger, to Shen Chuqing and carefully explained to her how to wear it and the precautions to take.
After listening to Linda's instructions, Shen Chuqing accompanied Jiang Shiyuan up the spiral staircase to the second-floor bedroom, while Shi Teng's gaze followed her without leaving her.
They only breathed a sigh of relief after locking the bedroom door.
Shen Chuqing joked, "Butler Shi is quite diligent, practically glued to your side. But unfortunately, his eyes can't see through the second-floor door." Then her gaze turned serious. "Where are you going? Even if I stay here to buy you some time, there are surveillance cameras everywhere in the garden. He'll still find out where you are very quickly."
After entering the house, Jiang Shiyuan began to take off her elaborate formal dress, and then took out a set of clothes worn by Huo Garden's servants from the wardrobe.
Shen Chuqing looked at it, but still felt it was impossible. "You might be able to fool the surveillance cameras for now, but if they look closely, they can still determine your figure."
As Jiang Shiyuan changed her clothes, she said, "I will wear several layers underneath, trying to look as bulky as possible, and then I will wear a mask."
Shen Chuqing sat on the sofa and watched, finding it amusing. "In this sweltering summer heat, don't run outside and faint from the heat. Is someone waiting for you outside?"
The Bell Pavilion has a constant temperature system, so Jiang Shiyuan didn't feel hot even though she had been busy for a while. She only had time to continue answering Shen Chuqing after she changed her clothes.
"Miss Chen, please stop teasing me. I'm actually a little nervous."
Shen Chuqing then got up from the sofa to get the exquisite and elaborate gown. Her fingertips repeatedly caressed the hand-sewn hydrangea flowers on the strapless bodice, and she exclaimed, "If it weren't for the Huo family's engagement banquet, I would hardly have seen such a gorgeous and eye-catching haute couture gown. It is said to be designed by the old designer Jiang Qingming, who is known as the 'Number One Haute Couture Designer in the Country'?"
Jiang Shiyuan really didn't have time to answer Shen Chuqing's question. She started to remove the hair accessories from her head. After her hair was almost completely removed and let down, she took a whole bottle of makeup remover to the bathroom to remove her makeup.
However, her makeup took three hours to complete, and she even had a few tiny rhinestones stuck to the corners of her eyes. Removing the makeup was also quite a task.
After she had completely tidied herself up, she went to take off Chen Chuqing's clothes to help her change into a formal dress, but Chen Chuqing pressed her hand down.
Jiang Shiyuan's heart skipped a beat. "Do you regret it?"
Shen Chuqing looked intently into Jiang Shiyuan's eyes, noticing her slight panting from the hurried change of clothes, and said, "I'm afraid you'll regret it. You know, not only do the wealthy and famous people at the banquet think I'm the bride tonight, but online posts are flooding the internet and all pointing to me. If you leave, all of this might become a reality."
Jiang Shiyuan's eyes dimmed slightly for a moment, then brightened again. "Isn't this good? This is something we both look forward to. Perhaps if the pressure from online public opinion gets too great, he won't be able to search for me so openly throughout the city anymore. He has to consider the Huo family's reputation."
“But if we fail, we may both pay the price. I’m not unaware of Huo Lan’s personality.” Shen Chuqing released her hand. “But as you said, I also want to compete. Besides, you, my ‘love rival,’ have already given up. It would be rude of me to refuse.”
Shen Chuqing changed into a formal dress, but because the dress was custom-made according to Jiang Shiyuan's body proportions, it didn't fit her perfectly. However, since the two had similar body shapes, it wasn't an ill-fitting dress.
“And this hairpin.” Jiang Shiyuan took the hydrangea-shaped jade hairpin that she had just taken off her hair from the dressing table. “Although the hair bun they made was very complicated, I observed it carefully a few times and was able to roughly imitate its outline.”
After adjusting Shen Chuqing's hair and makeup, Jiang Shiyuan finally felt a little relieved.
Looking at herself in the dressing mirror, Shen Chuqing said absentmindedly, "You're quite skillful. If I didn't look closely, I would really think it was made by one of those teams."
"And this too."
As Jiang Shiyuan took off the butterfly pink diamond bracelet from her wrist and was about to put it on Shen Chuqing's wrist, she was distracted and remembered the scene when Huo Lan put the bracelet on her wrist.
These were shackles, shackles that she could remove with her hands but reason wouldn't allow her to remove, and now, she could finally break free.
"This pink diamond bracelet contains a tracking chip, which Huo Lan uses to track my whereabouts."
When Shen Chuqing heard this, she lifted her arm, preventing her from putting it on. "A tracking chip? What's going on?"
"So now you know why I wanted to run away. Huo Lan's love is not something everyone can bear."
Shen Chuqing frowned and asked, "You have two bodyguards with you, also there to monitor you? How could you possibly escape?"
Jiang Shiyuan still put the bracelet on her wrist. "Miss Chen, thank you for helping me, but knowing too much is not good for you. It's better for you not to tell you."
After taking care of everything, she grabbed only a backpack and went to the window to check.
The bedroom was on the second floor, so it wasn't very high up. Behind it was a lush garden path, but because of the banquet, there was hardly anyone around.
Chen Fei and Han Feng saw that Jiang Shiyuan was ready and had set up a ladder along the wall to help her down.
Before leaving, Jiang Shiyuan glanced at her and Huo Lan's bedroom a few more times, finally fixing her gaze on Shen Chuqing's face.
"Thank you. I probably... won't be coming back. I wish you all the best in getting what you want."
After saying that, he climbed up to the window. When Chen Fei saw Jiang Shiyuan come out, he carefully carried her down and, together with Han Feng, brought her to the ground.
Jiang Shiyuan composed herself slightly and hugged her schoolbag tightly. "You two just say that you've been watching me from the front yard and only saw me go into the bedroom. If he asks, just say you don't know anything."
Chen Fei sighed and did not agree. "You ran away right under our noses. No matter what, it's our dereliction of duty. But it doesn't matter. Anyway, I should leave Huo Garden. It's just a pity about this Brother Han."
Han Feng smiled, looking completely indifferent. "I've long since given up on being a bodyguard. Once the Huo family fires me, I'll go back to my hometown and open a shop. It'll be so much more free. Besides, it was Miss Huo who gave me the money to save my father's illness. I guess this is how I repay her kindness."
Chen Fei said, "Don't worry about the surveillance, Miss has made all the arrangements. But how are you going to get out? Any mode of transportation will leave personal information, and Mr. Huo will find it eventually."
"I have my own way of doing things, and he won't be able to find out. You guys take good care of yourselves. I've caused you and Brother Shi Teng outside a lot of trouble."
Jiang Shiyuan didn't dare to linger too long, so she put on her mask and hid her schoolbag inside her clothes.
"I have to go now. See you again someday."
After saying that, he quickly left along the secluded path.
On the way back to Huo Garden, a Rolls-Royce sped by.
Looking at the photos Chen Fei sent and the location on his phone, Huo Lan confirmed that Jiang Shiyuan was still obediently staying at Lingdang Xiaozhu, and he was filled with anticipation for the engagement banquet tonight.
He stroked the image of Jiang Shiyuan in a dress on the screen, his sense of satisfaction almost overflowing. "From tonight onwards, everyone will know that you are mine."
Half an hour later, Huo Lan had returned to Huo Garden and changed into his formal attire. Instead of going back to Lingdang Xiaozhu, he went to Handan Hall to prepare.
Wherever the red carpet in the hall goes, he will meet his beloved bride-to-be, the woman he cherishes as a treasure.
The banquet hall had quieted down, and the host began the warm-up segment.
Xu Feixuan and Xu Sinian sat in the seats for the elders, and Jiang Shiyuan's uncle and aunt's family were also invited to Huo Garden to witness this moment together.
They are about to sign their marriage certificate in front of all the guests, letting everyone know that Jiang Shiyuan is his wife and the future matriarch of the Huo family.
Soon after, the music for the bride-to-be's entrance began, and everyone's eyes fell on the spotlight at the entrance.
The door was slowly opened by a servant, and a woman dressed in a heavily embellished haute couture gown that bloomed like flower petals walked gracefully toward Huo Lan, but she held a hydrangea fan in her hand, covering her face.
As she approached, the doubt in Huo Lan's eyes deepened.
Unlike her, he was aware of every subtle change in her appearance.
The height was wrong, the body shape was wrong, and the feeling he got from it was even more wrong.
His fingertips were clenched so tightly they turned white, and his eyes were bloodshot.
At this moment, the guests in the seating area had all taken out their phones to witness this moment. After she walked up to the platform, they saw her face hidden behind the fan.
"It's Miss Shen! The Huo family's future wife is Miss Shen, Shen Chuqing!"
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Author's note: The heartbroken and sickly young master Huo has gone mad again. Where did the little liar Shi Yuan go?
PS:
I'll be posting daily for the next week, because this week's ranking is 20,000 words, haha...
Basically, it's the time period from 9 PM to midnight!
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