Chapter 26: Wedding Dilemma 3
The morning of my wedding came faster than I expected. I woke up before dawn, unable to sleep any longer. My heart wouldn’t stop racing.
By the time the sun rose, everyone in the house was already busy. Only the children were still asleep.
Yan Mei came earlier than usual, this time bringing her mother along. Mrs. Yan quickly joined me in the kitchen, chopping vegetables and stirring pots as if she had done it a hundred times. Yan Mei and the others stayed outside, hanging red cloth, setting tables, and sweeping the yard until it looked neat and bright.
By eight, the whole place looked festive. The fence we fixed stood strong, red decorations fluttered in the wind, and the smell of food drifted everywhere. Everything felt ready—except for one thing.
Mo Ying’s robe turned out too big at the sleeves, so he and Mo Yuen had to rush back to the market to get it adjusted.
"Lin Xu," Mrs. Yan said with a kind smile as she wiped her hands, "leave the rest to me. You should get ready now. Put on your dress and do your makeup. Guests will start arriving by the eleventh hour."
She looked so much like Yan Mei, only older, with softer eyes. Her voice carried both warmth and firmness.
I nodded. "Alright, then. I’ll leave it to you. Yan Mei will help me."
I headed back to my room, trying to calm my nerves. But when I opened the door, I froze.
"Zu Shi? You’re here?" I asked in surprise.
She stood near the window, dressed elegantly as always, her calm eyes falling on me.
"Of course I’m here," she said softly. "How could I miss your wedding?"
Before I could answer, she stepped forward and reached for the folded dress on the bed. Yan Mei quickly joined her, and together, they helped me put it on. The fabric slid over my skin, smooth and cool, its silver embroidery catching the morning light.
Lin Xu’s body was literally tea, not to even talk about how far she was. Her hair was very black and long too, which matched her black eyes very well.
For the first time since all the planning began, it truly hit me, I was about to become a bride.
Just as they were getting my makeup done, the sound of a long-awaited someone was heard.
"Move away, I want to see her... how dare you stop me from going in." Lu Fei shouted angrily, but Fuhan stood, not flinching one bit.
Standing up, I made my way out with Zu Shi and Yan Mei behind me as I walked towards them both.
Upon sighting me, Lu Fei shouted, "Lin Xu! Lin Xu! Thank goodness you’re here... you better tell this dirty slave to step aside. I have every right to come into your house, how dare he stop me."
"Fuhan, step aside," I said as he nodded and moved back immediately. He was so obedient.
"Hmph, that’s more like it!" She rolled her eyes as she crossed her arms and walked towards me, looking me up and down as she smiled annoyingly.
"Lin Xu, my lovely sister-in-law, ha! I mean soon-to-be ex-sister-in-law. All I wanted to do was see you and give you a wedding gift, but this mad man didn’t want to let me in. It’s good that you came out... come, let’s go in."
She took hold of my hands as she dragged me into the room. Yan Mei tried stopping her, but I flashed her a look, and she stepped back.
"Hmph, that annoying brat. What the heck is she up to... why show up all of a sudden? She’s definitely here to cause trouble!" Yan Mei frowned, concern visible on her face.
"You have a point, but Lin Xu is smart. I’m sure she knows what she’s doing... Let’s go check on the kids. I’ve been wanting to officially see them," Zu Shi said as she dragged Yan Mei away, leaving Fuhan standing as he immediately made his way out of the house, probably to inform Mo Ying of Lu Fei’s arrival.
Inside my room, Lu Fei’s eyes darted around, her mouth curling into that sly smile I hated so much.
"So neat," she said, brushing her fingers along the edge of the bed as if she owned the place. "All this, for a wedding? Hmph. You really think you’ll live happily ever after?"
I narrowed my eyes, folding my arms. "What exactly are you trying to say, Lu Fei? If you came here to mock me, you can leave."
Her laughter was sharp, like glass breaking. "Tsk, tsk, Lin Xu. You sound so confident. Don’t you ever worry that happiness comes with a price?"
My fists tightened. "The sufferings I’ve passed through in your family are more than enough for me to deserve happiness, Lu Fei. If you came here to stir trouble, you’re wasting your time."
She tilted her head, her eyes gleaming. "We’ll see about that."
With that, she turned as if to leave. I let out a small sigh of relief, but before I could even sit down, she spun back, quicker than I expected. A handkerchief pressed hard against my face, the bitter, sickly-sweet scent of medicine filling my nose.
"Wh–what are you—" My words broke off as the world spun. My knees gave way. I fell against her, my vision blurring.
Lu Fei laughed, her voice dripping with victory. "Hah! Finally. You thought you could live a happy life? Dream on. For everything your family cost us, I’ll make sure you suffer! Let’s see how your precious groom reacts after this."
She tossed me back onto the bed, her smile wide and cruel. But before she could turn to leave, the door slammed open.
Mo Ying.
He moved so fast I barely saw it, just the flash of his sleeve before his hand struck the side of her neck. Lu Fei’s body went limp, collapsing onto the floor with a dull thud.
"Lin Xu!" he rushed toward me, panic flashing in his dark eyes. "Hold on, don’t close your eyes—"
To his shock, I sat up straight. My breaths were even, my strength returning. His eyes widened.
"You—how...?"
I gave him a faint smile. "Relax. I already took an antidote last night. I had a feeling something like this would happen today."
For a moment, we locked eyes, a silent understanding passing between us. Then I whispered, "Leave her to me. Go back before anyone notices you’re here."
Mo Ying hesitated, but my firm nod made him obey. He disappeared as quickly as he had come.
I turned my gaze to Lu Fei’s unconscious form, my lips curling coldly. In moments, I stripped her of her outer garments and forced her into my wedding dress. I tied the sash tightly, adjusted the sleeves, and placed the red bridal veil over her head.
When I was done, she looked exactly like a bride waiting in secret.
"Since you’ve always advised me to be with Big Man Lou, I’ll let you have a taste of him then."
I left the room quietly, locking the door from the outside.
Minutes later, the window creaked open. A large shadow slipped in, heavy footsteps shaking the floorboards. It was Big Man Lou. His greedy eyes fell immediately on the veiled figure sitting weakly on the bed.
"Heh, Lin Xu..." his voice was thick with lust. "Didn’t think you’d be waiting just for me."
The veil hid her face. She couldn’t move. She couldn’t scream.
And Big Man Lou stepped closer, doing only God knows what to her. But worry flashed across my heart because deep down I knew that it could have been me there. I have to be extra careful because this world only wants me to suffer.