Milady's Fine Gentleman 243 THE CEREMONY

At last, the three-month preparations had come to an end. The most awaited date was just a couple of nights of sleep away.
Chen Linyun's and Xue Jinxu's wedding ceremony was finally happening.
For the most part, Xue Jinxu singlehandedly organized everything together with her hand-picked team of best couture, events planner, caterer, bakeshop, and other top providers of wedding paraphernalia. The women in the family – Aunty Chen, and the two mothers of the bride and groom, also helped in the arrangements. They accompanied the bride in all her trips to who knows where. Since Xue Jinxu had high standards, she made sure that each of the components of her wedding was at par. She scrutinized every single detail like a hawk.
In the process, she grew extremely tired each passing day, and at night, when she rejoined her husband in their abode, she was almost crawling at her own doorstep.
Chen Linyun got overly worried about the wife's health.
"Jinxu, don't overdo it, alright? We're already married. I know you want it to be the best, but honey, don't sacrifice your health for it." Chen Linyun said one night when they were both resting on their beds, cuddling as usual. With such a face scrunched out of worry and a forehead adorned with horizontal lines, he coaxed the little wife to take it easy. She was on beast mode even in planning her own wedding.
"I'm sorry I cannot help that much." Chen Linyun was also overcome with guilt. Most of the time, he was occupied with Xue Shipping, especially now that they were building more ships.
"Don't worry, honey, it's just a walk in the park," said the lady with drooping eyelids as she was about to lose her consciousness. She wouldn't admit it that it was taking its toll on her, out of her own excitement, since she's also enjoying it in spite of the naturally stressful event's planning.
It was the day prior to the event.
Xue Jinxu was going through the list of the items that needed attention during the ceremony. She's with her event planner and their team of hand-picked professionals.
"Are the tulips on their way here? Will they get here on time?"
"Is the program ready?
"Will the food be enough? How's the status with the caterer? Let's double-check on that."
She bombarded the event organizer such questions. Honestly, it was borderline offensive already since the nature of the questions had an underlying tone which doubts the ability of the events organizer to deliver results.
But work is work. The bride they were dealing with this time simply wanted to make sure everything's in its proper place at the right time on her wedding.
Xue Jinxu was such a busybody that her health was betraying her. Not that she was getting sick, but the build-up of stress over the past months was stripping her of her energy. In the end, she was looking haggard, and not at all refreshed.
In the afternoon, Teng Man Rui came back with Zhu Li Qiang. Contrary to Xue Jinxu, Teng Man Rui was blooming with such radiant skin and vibrant smile. She kept on smiling and giggling even if there wasn't going on anything funny in particular.

Such was the effect of acceptance and the power of love. Letting go and finally getting the freedom she so fully deserved unleashed such exquisiteness in her already lovely visage.
Her energy and enthusiasm were contagious. The bride's best friend finally arrived to tear the bride from all the stress.
"Jinxu, come on, let's go to the spa and unwind. You have to relax. It's the last day of the preparations anyway. It's just polishing. Everything's in order already! Breathe! Come, let's play." Teng Man Rui dragged her friend from their table, the event planner and the team looking with such grateful eyes at Teng Man Rui as if saying 'Thank you for saving us!'
Teng Man Rui giggled and nodded her head acknowledging, knowingly, and with the expressive eyes she relayed her message with a wink, 'I'll take it from here, and take Jinxu away. You go do your thing.'
The worn-out yet striving Xue Jinxu grunted. "Ugh, Man Rui, it's the last day that's why we have to finalize everything today! What spa?! Don't have time for that!"
Teng Man Rui only rolled her eyes. "Oh come on, Jinxu. You are suppressing your team. This isn't the first wedding they planned and arranged, right, right?" She nudged the crowd to side with her. The team almost instantly nodded and made noises of affirmation.
"Alright! Alright! You win!" Xue Jinxu finally relented.
Teng Mn Rui gave out an OK sign to the team with her hands and dragged the tired Xue Jinxu away.
They headed straight for the spa and sauna country club.
While submerged in a hot pool, and after regaining half of her lost energy and alertness, Xue Jinxu finally observed the positive changes in Teng Man Rui.
"What happened to your soul searching?" She threw her friend a suspicious side-glance. "You look happy."
"I am! Hehehe! I found my soulmate, Jinxu.
"???!!!" Xue Jinxu was speechless. Her head was full of question marks. Will this lady tell her who? After all, this lady was too secretive to the point that Xue Jinxu wouldn't want to ask anymore.
Teng Man Rui sat broodingly inside the pool with her lovely lips curled upward. When she realized that Xue Jinxu did not respond, she volunteered the information herself. "It's Zhu Li Qiang, Jinxu! We're officially together. Hehehe!" Eyes twinkling like stars, and with a smile that could clear all the problems away, she expressed her genuine happiness to her friend. She was giggling and seemed to be extremely happy in every sense of the word.
The best friend bride only answered with an "Oh."
Somehow, she quite expected it already. She was vouching for them the whole time. In her mind, she utterly believed that it was bound to happen anyway, sooner or later. Therefore, she wasn't too surprised at all.
"Congratulations! I knew it!" She added after a long pause. "Be happy, Man Rui. Don't be too hard on yourself, dear. We all love you, dear."
Teng Man Rui bowed her head, her cheeks were blushing from the congratulatory remarks. "That's also what he said, not to be too hard on myself… You think so too, Jinxu?"
"Of course, Man Rui! You deserve to be happy! Especially you! I was so worried about you!" Xue Jinxu hugged her dear friend affectionately. This lady looked after her when she was still in a coma, stayed beside her when she was still recovering from her miscarriage. Yet, this very lady found it hard to love herself and to believe that she's also worthy of a happy ending with someone who would be kind to her.
Teng Man Rui fetched Jinxu's hands and squeezed it. "Jinxu, you too. Who would have thought that your special day will finally come? Remember how we used to imagine it while we were still innocent little girls? Now, it's finally here!" It was such a heartfelt comment.
"Yeah. I never even thought that it will happen in this lifetime especially after our flash marriage… I didn't expect that much."
"I've heard your Grampa pushed for it."
"What?"
"The wedding ceremony."
Xue Jinxu sharply shifted and looked at Teng Man Rui's face, scrutinizing it. "Chen Linyun did not say anything."
The best friend shrugged her shoulders off. "That's what I heard from the hospital when you were in a coma. You parents talked about it too, for a while… Don't think about it. Will it even change anything?"
"Nah, right." She curled her lips upward. "It won't change anything. If it would, only for the better."
"Oh, Man Rui, I'm getting nervous! Hahahaha!!!"
Teng Man Rui rolled her eyes while shaking her head. "I don't know if I'll believe you, Jinxu. You've done and achieved far greater feats than simply marching tomorrow at your wedding ceremony."
"No, Man Rui, I think, tomorrow's ceremony is incomparable to any previous achievements."
The best friend's countenance warmed in understanding, especially now that she had her own little relationship to protect. "If you say so." Certainly, a wedding ceremony to boot would be such an achievement of its own, after all the ups and downs that a relationship could possibly go through.

Chapter end

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