Once the makeup was done, Gu’er felt like she didn’t even look like herself. Gazing into the mirror, she thought she looked too flamboyant. But Yu Li, Lin Shuying, and Li Hua all insisted she looked beautiful—prettier than the celebrities on TV, they said. So, Gu’er decided not to argue. ’If everyone thinks it looks good, that’s all that matters. It’s only for one day. I can get through it.’
After waiting a while longer, just before five o’clock, soone knocked on the door. Li Hua went to open it. When Li Zhi saw Gu’er, his eyes widened, all sleepiness gone.
"Y-You’re Gu’er?"
Li Zhi couldn’t quite believe it.
"Yes, I am. Your mouth is hanging so wide open. Do I look like a monster or sothing?"
Gu’er asked, amused.
"No, not at all. You look really pretty. It’s just that your lips are so red, like you’ve been drinking blood."
Li Zhi said, studying her seriously. The makeup made Gu’er different from her usual self; it gave her a new layer of sophistication, a touch of allure, a vibrant radiance, and a stunning quality. ’What a sha,’ he thought. ’A girl like her will never be mine.’
"You’re the one who’s been drinking blood! Forget it, I think I’ll just choose a pink lipstick. This color really is too red."
Looking at her own lips, Gu’er felt the sa way as Li Zhi.
"Don’t you dare! This bright red is better. In the old days, only the primary wife could wear bright red, while concubines wore light red. Since you’re wearing a red wedding dress, it has to be bright red to look good. Pink is no good; it’s too pale. It can’t hold its own."
Lin Shuying stopped Gu’er.
"That’s right, Gu’er. Your aunt has a point. It looks great like this."
Li Hua nodded in agreent.
"Then don’t change it. I was just talking nonsense. It actually looks really good."
Li Zhi nodded hastily as well. He didn’t understand any of this, and the last thing he wanted was for his offhand comnt to cause problems.
Since everyone said so, Gu’er didn’t change it. ’Today is for other people to see anyway. As long as they think it looks good, it’s fine.’
"You two should hurry over. You still have to change when you get there. We won’t go with you."
Li Hua urged Gu’er on, though she was reluctant to see her go. But today, Gu’er’s parents were Lin Shan and Chen Fengjiao, and she couldn’t usurp their position.
"Auntie, when Uncle left yesterday, he told to have you co along too. He said there’s sothing he needs to discuss with you. Please co with us. I can bring you back later."
But Li Zhi called out to stop Li Hua.
"Oh, alright then. I’ll go."
Li Hua didn’t know what it was about, but she didn’t ask. ’Since he needs for sothing, I should just go.’
Li Zhi took Gu’er and Li Hua to the Lin Family’s ho.
By the ti they arrived, Lin Shan and Chen Fengjiao were already awake. It was just the two of them; it seed no one else was up yet.
Lin Shan and Chen Fengjiao welcod Gu’er into her small room. The room had clearly been tidied up; it was very clean and had none of the musty sll from yesterday.
Chen Fengjiao held Gu’er’s hand, her eyes turning red. Her daughter was getting married. Even though Gu’er hadn’t lived with her all these years, she was still her daughter. It was impossible for her not to have feelings for her.
"Sister Li, let’s step outside for a talk. Let Feng Jiao have a few words with Gu’er."
Lin Shan led Li Hua out of the room.
Seeing Chen Fengjiao with her red, teary eyes, Gu’er felt a pang in her heart.
"Mom, don’t be sad. We don’t live that far away. Jia Ming and I will co back to see you and Dad when we have ti."
Gu’er comforted Chen Fengjiao.
"Yes, yes, Mom’s not sad. Jia Ming is a good man. You’re marrying well, so Mom is happy for you. It’s just... when I think about you getting married, I don’t know why, but my heart... my heart just feels a bit strange. Gu’er, from now on, you’ll belong to another family. Mom knows I have my faults, and sotis I haven’t done enough. Don’t bla . No matter what, you’ll always be Mom’s... my daughter."
As Chen Fengjiao spoke, tears began to stream down her face again.
Hearing this, Gu’er truly felt an indescribable emotion in her heart. She took out a handkerchief and handed it to her.
"Look at , making you sad on such a happy day. You mustn’t cry. You won’t look as pretty if you do."
Chen Fengjiao wiped her eyes and urged Gu’er not to cry. Gu’er nodded.
"Gu’er, I originally thought you would co back last night. There were so things I didn’t say to you then because I was afraid you’d be too embarrassed. I don’t know if Sister Li has talked to you about it or not... Tonight, you’re going to beco Jia Ming’s wife. Do you know what to be mindful of?"
Chen Fengjiao brought up her task.
"My mom... she... she told so things."
Gu’er blushed.
"Oh, it’s good that she told you. Don’t be scared, Gu’er. When Mom married your dad, I was scared too. But it only hurts for a mont, and then it’s fine. Your dad is a good man. Back then he even helped ... I... what am I telling you all this for... I... I just an to say, don’t be afraid. Um..."
Chen Fengjiao ended up blushing, her words becoming jumbled.
Normally, Gu’er might have found this secretly amusing, but right now, she couldn’t laugh. She was genuinely nervous.
"Alright, as long as you know what to expect, Mom won’t say more. By the way, the reason your dad asked Sister Li to co is that he wants her to receive a bow from you here. After all, she raised you. People say the debt of upbringing is greater than the debt of birth. It’s only right for you to pay your respects to her at your wedding. I just wanted you to be prepared."
Chen Fengjiao explained to Gu’er. When Lin Shan had first brought it up, she’d had her reservations. But after his explanation, she understood. Without Li Hua, who knew what would have beco of Gu’er? It was only right for her to bow and pay her respects. So she had agreed.
"Thank you, Mom."
Gu’er hugged Chen Fengjiao’s arm. She hadn’t expected Chen Fengjiao to be so understanding this ti. She was also grateful to Lin Shan. ’He thought of everything for . I really did want to pay my respects to Li Hua at my own wedding.’
Chen Fengjiao patted Gu’er’s shoulder, a mix of complex feelings stirring in her heart.
"Alright, put on the wedding dress and let Mom see."
Chen Fengjiao told Gu’er to get dressed.
Gu’er nodded and, with Chen Fengjiao’s help, put on her custom-made red wedding dress.
The dress was entirely handmade, embroidered with golden flowers in gold thread. It fit her perfectly, though Gu’er found it a bit fussy.
"My Gu’er is so beautiful."
Chen Fengjiao said as she looked her over, her eyes turning red again.
"Mom."
Gu’er called out softly.
"Let your dad and the others see you too."
Chen Fengjiao took Gu’er’s hand. Gu’er could feel that her palm was clammy with sweat. ’Mom isn’t completely heartless toward ,’ she thought. ’At least in this mont, her feelings are genuine. It’s just that her affection for isn’t as strong as it is for Sui’er, who grew up by her side. I didn’t grow up with her, so I can’t ask for that much.’
As she thought this, Gu’er squeezed Chen Fengjiao’s hand in return.
"Lin Shan, Sister Li, co quick and look! Doesn’t Gu’er’s wedding dress fit her perfectly? Isn’t she beautiful?"
Chen Fengjiao asked them, a smile on her face, but her eyes were glistening with unshed tears.
Seeing her, Li Hua couldn’t help but turn away to hide her tears. Her Gu’er was finally getting married.
Lin Shan’s eyes also grew a little moist. ’My daughter,’ he thought, ’my first daughter. Unbeknownst to , amid my guilt and longing, she’s grown up and is about to be married, about to beco part of soone else’s family. I should be happy, so why is there this sour feeling in my heart?’
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Thank you to Pacific Stone Monkey for the monthly ticket, and thank you all for your support. The wedding night is tomorrow, but these days I basically don’t dare to write any explicit scenes, so you’ll only be getting soup.
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