The lights in the Lin mansion glowed with a soft, warm light as night fell. Many expensive cars were parked in the driveway, getting decorated and checked for any faults. Wedding planners and staff were busy everywhere, preparing everything for the dreamy affair that would take place the next day.
Lin Shuyin stood in front of her dressing table mirror and you could hear some soft music playing from her phone, soothing and full of love. The bright ring lights made her face look just perfect and ready for the affair.
Looking at that familiar image reflecting in the mirror, she inwardly thought of the six years she had spent on him, but still looked perfectly well.
The woman in the mirror was gorgeous. She had this long, dark black hair tied up loosely, with a few soft strands framing her face. Her skin was smooth and pale, like milk.
Her eyes were a warm brown color, large and bright. Right now, they shone with excitement for her wedding, but if you looked deeper, you could see a quiet sadness in them.
At one time, she wished her mother were alive, but it wasn't a possible thing; she felt sad that her mother wouldn't be present to escort her down the aisle.
She gently caressed her face, it was so lovely and balanced. She had a straight nose and full, pink lips that were curved into a small, hopeful smile. Her neck was long and graceful. She looked like a precious doll, delicate and perfect.
She carefully adjusted the jade hairpin in her styled hair, one of the few analog possessions she owned, a relic from her late mother in this digital age.
Her social media was already filled with congratulatory messages from all walks of life.
The hashtag:
(#ShuyinAndZeyan) had been trending all week longer, with wedding bloggers and luxury influencers calling it *the wedding of the season.* It was the most anticipated wedding for everyone, including her. It's been six years, and everything was finally turning for the better for her.
It's been so long that everything felt just like a dream come true! Who wouldn't feel like that when it was her fiancée? He was a bachelor whom every woman wished to get beneath his pants.
Tomorrow, she would finally marry Lu Zeyan, tech entrepreneur, heir to the Lu Corporation's AI and biotech empire, and the man she had loved for six years.
Soft music went on playing from her phone, filling the room with gentle piano notes that eased her nerves. She hummed along absently as she fixed a stray curl, her reflection glowing faintly under the vanity lights.
Then the music suddenly cut off, and her phone buzzed with a new notification.
Frowning, Shuyin reached for it and unlocked the screen. The soft glow lit her face as a string of messages appeared in the family group chat, it had just a few of them in it.
One text was from her Father: Everything is on schedule. The Lu family arrives at 6 AM for the tea ceremony.
And next it was her Stepmom Chen: Shuyin, remember, to smile for the photos, but not too much. Be elegant, not too cheerful.
And then there was another one, Sister Yueling: Can't wait to see you in that Vera Wang dress!) She had even added loving emojis like a caring stepsister she was.
For a moment, Shuyin smiled faintly. It was all so typical of them, her father's curt efficiency, her stepmother's obsession with appearances, and Yueling's sugary sweetness that always carried an edge she couldn't quite name.
Her gaze lingered on the last message. *Vera Wang dress.*
Yueling had been the one to suggest that designer. She'd insisted on helping Shuyin pick the gown, offering cheerful advice that somehow made every decision feel… borrowed.
Shuyin's fingers tightened around the phone before she set it back on the vanity. The song resumed automatically, but the melody no longer felt soothing.
A flicker of something hollow stirred in her chest, the kind of instinct you ignored when everything seemed too perfect to be true. She brushed it aside, telling herself it was just nerves and being anxious. Tomorrow, she'd marry Lu Zeyan. Everything she'd endured would finally be worth it.
She rose, smoothing out the red silk robe that shimmered under the light, and walked to the window. Outside, the courtyard glowed with paper lanterns, servants busy setting up decorations for the morning ceremony.
It looked beautiful, like the beginning of a dream.
A soft knock echoed from the door, pulling her out of her thoughts. Her assistant, Qiao, walked in with a tablet in hand, her face glowing with excitement.
"Miss Lin, I have double-checked everything," she said quickly and you could feel how excited she was from her tone, "Hair and makeup team arrives at 5 AM. Photographer at 6. Your dress fitting is confirmed, and the Riverside Hotel has your bridal suite ready. All two hundred guests have RSVP'd, and...." Qiao's eyes sparkled, "....the drone light show is programmed with your initials. It's going to be so romantic!"