After the first day of the wedding was over, Chen Shuangshuang removed her makeup, took a shower, and sprawled out on the bed, too exhausted to even move.
Zhang Dai came out of the bathroom after his shower, towel-drying his hair, and asked, “Do your friends need an extra night at the hotel? Even though our banquet is at noon tomorrow and they’re leaving in the afternoon, would it be too tiring? Maybe they should rest an extra night at the hotel?”
She weakly replied, “I asked them before, and they said they have to work on Monday and can’t afford to take more leave, so they won’t stay longer.”
He thought for a moment and suggested, “Alright then, let’s treat your friends to a meal another day!”
“Okay, you should get some rest too. We have to be at the venue early tomorrow morning!” She closed her eyes and fell asleep instantly.
Zhang Dai’s hair was still half-dry, but he didn’t want to use the hairdryer and disturb her, so he let it be, climbed into bed, covered her with a blanket, and fell asleep.
They had gone to bed at 3 AM and woke up at 7:30 AM to get to the banquet venue by 8.
In the makeup room, Chen Shuangshuang kept her eyes closed, letting the makeup artist work on her face and hair.
Suddenly, her phone rang. It was one of her friends, and she squinted as she answered the call.
“Hello? Shuangshuang, where’s the car your husband sent to pick us up?”
“Wait a moment, I’ll ask!” She hung up and immediately called Zhang Dai.
The call was quickly answered, and Zhang Dai’s puzzled voice came through, “Shuangshuang, what’s up?”
“Have your friends left to pick up my bridesmaids? They’re all ready!”
“Didn’t we say to let them rest a bit more and pick them up at 10?”
“Alright! Can someone from your side drive to pick them up?”
“I’ll arrange it. Tell your friends to wait a bit longer!”
Then, she acted as a messenger again, informing her bridesmaids of the situation and asking them to wait a bit longer.
Chen Shuangshuang finished getting ready. She wore a princess crown and a luxurious wedding dress while holding a bouquet of hydrangeas. Her long skirt trailed on the ground like an angel descending to earth. Surrounded by her bridesmaids, she arrived at the entrance of the banquet hall.
Thump, thump, thump! Zhang Dai’s little heart was beating rapidly again. His bride was simply too stunning!
When Chen Shuangshuang saw the setup of the welcoming backdrop, her smile nearly vanished instantly. Clusters of vibrant red roses were artistically arranged in front of the backdrop, turning the entire welcoming area into a romantic floral garden.
She quickly walked over to Zhang Dai, grabbed his arm, and pulled him aside, angrily questioning: “Why are there suddenly so many flowers?”
“I thought the area looked too empty, so I asked the florist to send some flowers for decoration! Doesn’t it look much better?” He explained with a grin, feeling a little smug.
She had worked hard to get a cheap backdrop to save money, and now he had done the opposite, making her furious! How much money was wasted again! She felt the pain in her heart!
With so many relatives and friends around, she suppressed her anger, gritting her teeth: “You spendthrift! Just wait, we’ll settle this after the banquet!”
The couple stood in front of the rose-filled backdrop, smiling as they greeted the guests and exchanged polite pleasantries.
There were a few minor hiccups. Due to the large number of guests from both families, there was a miscalculation, resulting in a shortage of tables. Fortunately, their parents helped by adding a few more tables.
With the sound of the wedding march, the ceremony officially began.
The bride, Chen Shuangshuang, held up her wedding dress and walked slowly with her father. She was illuminated by the lights,which made her look radiant and beautiful.
The groom, Zhang Dai, wore a well-fitted black suit and had his hair gelled. He looked handsome and dashing. His eyes were glued to his bride.
Halfway to the stage, with teary eyes, Shuangshuang’s father placed her hand in Zhang Dai’s, sincerely advising, “I’m entrusting my daughter to you. Treat her well!”
Zhang Dai took her hand, their fingers interlocking, and firmly promised, “Yes, I will!”
Chen Shuangshuang was speechless; this wasn’t how they rehearsed holding hands.
The host continued, “The path in front of you isn’t long, only a few dozen meters, but your life journey is long. From this moment on, you walk into the hall of marriage! Let’s give our best wishes to them, with applause for the newlyweds!”
The audience clapped enthusiastically, surrounding the couple with blessings as they walked hand in hand to the center of the stage.
On the LED screen, photos of the couple from infancy to adulthood played, with the host passionately narrating their childhood sweetheart love story, making it sound touching and beautiful.
Facing each other, Zhang Dai gazed lovingly at Chen Shuangshuang, his face beaming with happiness.
Chen Shuangshuang listened to the suddenly added embarrassing lines, feeling so ashamed she could almost dig a hole to hide in!
She had asked the host to cut out the unnecessary opening remarks and keep the process quick, so why were these lines still there? The words “Turning brotherly love into romantic love” gave her goosebumps!
Host: “Mr. Zhang Dai, from today onwards, Miss Chen Shuangshuang will be your only legal wife for life. Whether in good or bad times you will walk through it all with her. Do you agree?”
“I do!” Zhang Dai shouted without hesitation, his voice loud and clear, echoing through the entire banquet hall.
Chen Shuangshuang couldn’t hold back her laughter. Haha, he sounded like he was shouting a military slogan! Could he be any less mindful of his image?
Host: “Miss Chen Shuangshuang, from today onwards, Mr. Zhang Dai in front of you will be your only legal husband for life. You will face all the ups and downs together. Do you agree?”
Chen Shuangshuang smiled demurely: “I do!”
Host: “The vows have been spoken; don’t regret it in this lifetime! Bridesmaid, please present the rings to the couple.”
The bridesmaid carried a heart-shaped red velvet box and then placed the rings in their palms before stepping back.
Host: “Newlyweds, hold your wedding rings in your hands and close to your hearts!”
They followed the host’s instructions, placing the rings over their hearts.
Host: “Your love will become more ordinary, and the future will not always be sunny. There will be joys and sorrows, and many storms to weather. You must have mutual respect, understanding, and tolerance. Mr. Zhang Dai, please place this ring, a symbol of commitment, on Miss Chen Shuangshuang’s finger!”
Zhang Dai bowed his head, gently grabbed her delicate ring finger, and slowly pushed the ring halfway, then looked up at her with a satisfied smile.
Host: “Miss Chen Shuangshuang, please place this ring, a symbol of love, on Mr. Zhang Dai’s finger!”
Chen Shuangshuang grabbed his ring finger with so much force that it made a slight cracking sound, then roughly shoved the ring onto his finger. Mission accomplished!
Host: “The ring is small, but the responsibility of a family is large! Mr. Zhang Dai and Miss Chen Shuangshuang, from this moment onwards, you will officially spend the rest of your lives together as husband and wife! Please embrace and kiss each other!”
The smile in Zhang Dai’s eyes deepened. He took a step forward, wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her into his embrace. His head lowered and his lips pressed firmly against hers, kissing her passionately without reservation, much to the excitement and cheers of the guests.
Chen Shuangshuang, shocked, endured his kiss, inwardly screaming: “Ahhh! We agreed on a light peck, just for show! This guy is taking advantage of the situation to steal a kiss!”
Diary entry:
Chen Shuangshuang, I wanted to give you an unforgettable wedding and offer you the best of everything!
— Zhang Dai
